Posted by on Dec 28, 2007 in Uncategorised | 2 Comments

My writing year in focus One problem with this: my year actually begins on 10 March 2007, when my old submissions database crashed beyond recall, so it’s not a full year – these figures are just all submissions since March, plus any that I’ve been able to remember as being out. NB – buy a […]

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Posted by on Dec 26, 2007 in sustainable writing careers, writing full time, writing resolutions | 4 Comments

A sustainable career in writing I notice that JA Konrath has a New Year’s Resolution thread on his blog: A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing. It’s not often I disagree with JA, but I have something of a hatred of the ‘resolution’ process and its results. The main reason for this is that I’ve been lucky […]

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Posted by on Dec 20, 2007 in East of the Web, editing, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, short story publication | 2 Comments

That word you keep using – I don’t think it means what you think it means … Apologies to Princess Bride fans, but I couldn’t think of a better way to start this post! This sign is displayed in a Costa Coffee toilet, and whatever they think it says, it actually states that the staff […]

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Posted by on Dec 18, 2007 in getting paid, getting published, writing ethics | 3 Comments

Business is Business … Or is it? Three recent experiences make me wonder. The first: I had to hand back a piece of rush editing to a client. I thought, no, I was 95% certain, I could get the work done on time, but I was having pestiferous broadband problems and I wasn’t utterly, utterly […]

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Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 in Terry Pratchett | One Comment

A very sad day Terry Pratchett has been diagnosed with a rare form of early onset Alzheimer’s disease. In a statement to his fans he said, “I would have liked to keep this one quiet for a little while, but because of upcoming conventions and of course the need to keep my publishers informed, it […]

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Posted by on Dec 11, 2007 in short story reviews, Tania Hershman, The Short Review | One Comment

Short fiction reviewed Today I’m talking to Tania Hershman, who has launched a new project which is very interesting to those who write short stories. Her background and the way she got to this point is fascinating too, and this is what she told me … You used to be a journalist – how did […]

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Posted by on Dec 6, 2007 in short story competition, willesden herald | One Comment

Anyone for £5,000? The only problem is, to get it you have to win The Willesden Herald International Short Story Prize 2008Judged by Zadie Smith Go on, you know you want to! And here’s all the gubbins you need to get your entry sorted out: Closing date for receipt of entries: 21 December 2007. The […]

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Posted by on Dec 4, 2007 in free critique, free edit, pay it forward | No Comments

Paying It Forward I’m indebted to the excellent Fiona Nevile-Bowles whose great blog is The Cottage Smallholder, for reminding me about Pay It Forward – which describes itself in a rather tatty-looking website here: Pay It Forward UK Regardless of the quality of the website, the idea is pure diamond. I’ve often owed my happiness […]

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