The CC authors, writers, and bookists thread.

[T4tomo]

Well, it means Shaw can be in large gold embossed letters on the front cover, and Randolph across the top in smaller letters.

It was that or Howard Bell, but Randolph Shaw won because it's more distinctive.

Two syllable first name, single syllable surname. Snappy.

good choice, Howard Bell (end ) would not have been good, neither Rick Shaw, although as a name it could have taken you places....

 

[Drago]

26 pages down. Chapter 1 complete.

 

[figbat]

I've completely sussed the ending now. Well happy. Now I have to make it happen.

And I've settled on a pen name. Ladies and gentlemen, and Accy, I give you...

Randolph Shaw.

Well, that was quick! I have to admit the cover doesn’t match my expectations of the novel you’ve described.

 

[Drago]

36 pages in. Now introducing the love interest and her connection with the bad dude trawlerman.

 

[Drago]

11,000 words, 41 pages. It's about ro turn very violent.

 

[Threevok]

11,000 words, 41 pages. It's about ro turn very violent.

Don't lose your cool. Keep at it

 

[Drago]

The love interest has just found out thwt her ex used date rape drugs on her. When she confronts him he smacks her. Love interests brother finds out and gets jolly upset. Unfortunately for trawlerman brother is a sergeant in the Black Watch and he and two lance corporals are about to pay him a visit while wearing balaclavas for a good old fashioned hand-stamping hoedown.

 

[Cirrus]

There will be a gun in it, but with a very nice twist

Elementary my dear Watson, it’s rifled…

 

[Drago]

47 pages in, nearing the end of chapter 2. BiL has a masters in English Lit, used to be an English teacher, so I'll ask him to cast his eye across it before it gets much further. Mrs D, who is keen but otherwise has no knowledge of such matters, reckons its "really good."

 

[Drago]

56 pages.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

47 pages in, nearing the end of chapter 2. BiL has a masters in English Lit, used to be an English teacher, so I'll ask him to cast his eye across it before it gets much further. Mrs D, who is keen but otherwise has no knowledge of such matters, reckons its "really good."

Mrs D is probably glad you are keeping quiet and out of her way, of course she is going to tell you it is good.

 

[delb0y]

Interesting thread. I look forward to reading some excerpts when it's finished.

Writing can be a fun thing to do - in fact it's essential to make it fun otherwise it's just lonely and hard, dispiriting and frustrating, and gives you an aching back. When I started writing seriously I was lucky enough to find a small, but brilliant, online community. We had monthly critique sessions (which, given the quality of the writers involved, was like gold-dust), and we shared market advice, and insight, and so on. Many of the small group went on to be published novelists, myself included. Alas, that group has long gone and the world of publishing has changed dramatically. One publisher I was investigating just a week ago states "We expect a new book every 40 days. Six books makes up a season." And I think this is what turns me off fiction these days - the model is all about quantity and pumping out product, and to hell with the quality.

Still, writing fiction is a wonderful thing to do, and good luck with the book.

PS To add something actually useful to the thread, here are Elmore Leonard's ten rules for writing:

1. Never open a book with weather.
2. Avoid prologues.
3. Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue.
4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb "said"…he admonished gravely.
5. Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.
6. Never use the words "suddenly" or "all hell broke loose."
7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
9. Don't go into great detail describing places and things.
10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.

 

[Illaveago]

The love interest has just found out thwt her ex used date rape drugs on her. When she confronts him he smacks her. Love interests brother finds out and gets jolly upset. Unfortunately for trawlerman brother is a sergeant in the Black Watch and he and two lance corporals are about to pay him a visit while wearing balaclavas for a good old fashioned hand-stamping hoedown.

Don't they wear kilts?

 

[Illaveago]

It seems that island locations seem to be a good setting for crime dramas . I don't think Sark or Lundy have been chosen yet!

 

[Drago]

You gotta write about what you know!

91 pages in. Now telling the backstory for the hero and setting him up to meet the love interest and then have his first confrontation with the bad guy.