h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Dreamcatcher,

Just read your posting on the novel writing newbies thread.

I think it's a really good idea to use short stories and poetry for practice. Entering short story competitions with specific word counts teaches you the art of discipline (we all like to ramble) and structure. Also, it forces you to consider every single word that you're writing to make a specific point.

I have returned to entering a monthly magazine competition when I felt that I was getting into the habit of using any old words to push my novel along.

Keep writing
Ange

Hi Ange,
It is wonderful to hear from you and I treasured every word of this posting. Your advice is precious and I really really appreciate it.
I have never written - only at school so I do feel very lost in this world at the moment!
Please can you offer advice on how I would be able to enter magazine competitions? (Obviously I do not want to steal your thumder and your opportunites but I would love advice on how to do this.)
I look on the internet and the message I got was it is a diffcult thing to do to get anything published anywhere..... not encouraging.
You have encouraged me to carry on....
I promise to read your stuff soon - but this is from an amateur's point of view.

I subscribe to a writing magazine called "Writers News". I get a newspaper type mag each month and a glossy magazine every two months filled with interviews, advice and competitions. In the monthly mag there's a subscribers only story to enter every month for free. They issue a theme or a first line or a photo or something like that.

I used to enter them every single month. They print the winners in the magazine and also list the entries short-listed to the final judging stage.

I was short-listed three times and won once - it was the biggest confidence push I've ever had. I had to go to London to get my certificate and a cheque for £100. The money isn't the thing - it's the fact that I've got a magazine with my story printed inside it.

Oh dear, I sound awfully sad, don't I??

Please keep writing and try to see each chapter of a novel like a short story. It really does help.

Ange

I don't think you are sad. I think you are doing something you enjoy and this is much more important.
I do hope you win more competitions....you deserve it!
Did you have your work reviewed before you got short-listed and then won? I always wonder if the critiquing can sometimes spoil a story or poem without realising.

I have entered only one competition the Radio Kent competition ( and it was not critiqued in the strict sense) However I have seen the quality of other works that have been entered... I don't think I'm going to hold my breath for mine(is that the right meaning here ?). I like my story because it was a bit naughty. I could have made it more naughty but it would have got a bit rude ....and I like my characters to be reserved.
Thanks for your next tip - I am quite stuck on a couple of my stories. The one about the Red devil catman is a short story and has stopped at an interesting point! So I will have to take the next line and make a new short story for the next chapter!
But I am doing too many things at the same time. I have so many ideas coming that my brain cannot cope sometimes. I am trying to commit to one thing at a time but it's impossible with my scatty brain! Anyway - Time to calm my children down...they are fighting over a football! Talk to you later!

Hiya,

I didn't have any work reviewed or critted before sending them off for the story comps. At the time I was doing it all in a quite solitary manner and had no-one to ask for advice. My OH is wonderfully supportive but can't offer technical advice. I agree that it can sometimes spoil the work. I don't mind constructive criticism but I've seen some people re-write the piece which annoys me as it then becomes someone else's work.

I try not to be too bothered about winning competitions. It's a buzz just to enter and feel part of the writing community. It's a lonely thing to be doing so anything is welcome. With the Radio Kent comp I think you should just be proud that you entered. There are so many people out there wishing they could do that.

Is there anything you'd like me to have a look at - you mentioned the Red Devil catman. I always like to ask before looking at someone's work. I'm not experienced enough to offer a proper crit but I can tell you what I like and why if that's any help to you - not wishing to sound as though I know more than I really do here - just offering to help if I can

I think it's okay to work on lots of things but if you want to commit to one project it's handy to have a notebook nearby at all times so that all the thoughts/ideas etc that come to you just get scrawled down. Once they're on paper - however loosely - you can let the idea go, safe in the knowledge that you haven't lost it completely as it's jotted down somewhere. I keep a mini dictaphone by my bed for such occasions.

Keep writing and I hope the football situation was resolved.

Ange

Hi Ange,
I like you (definitely not grovelling. probably would not be able to say this face to face...but would show this in other ways...). I want to be the same way. It's good to enter competitions just because they are there. But if you win nice, if you don't at least you entered....I agree completely.
YES PLEASE! The red devil catman was actually a nightmare I had and I woke up with my heart pounding in my mouth and sweat dripping from me! I orginally made it a dream but someone commented that I should do more with it and make it into a possible novel. So here the first chatper edited with the bit where I wake up removed. My next step is to think how I will escape - or will I ? Will I die and something happen after that!?
And how can I make the Catman more terrifying!? Maybe I can introduce some of his associates!?


Bye for now!
Please let me know if there id anything I can do to help someone more experienced than myslef!? I can proof-read and maybe give soem amateurish feedback!

Hi Dreamcatcher,

I've just read The Red Devil Catman and was completely impressed with the way you've captured that dream-like surreal mood. I felt as though I was in the dream with you so very well done.

Oooh, the possibilities are endless of where to go with it now. Here's my idea for where I'd go if I'd been given that start.

As I was really intrigued by what's behind the doors I would focus on that. Behind each door I'd have a challenge that the main character has to complete to be able to escape the dream/nightmare. Each challenge could be related to something that the main character has done wrong in their life but not realised - not necessarily really bad things but things that have had an effect on other people. It would be difficult to maintain the dream-like state throughout the whole story so the challenges could be told without it but each time the character returns to the doors, the dream-like state returns also.

The red catman could become a thorn in his side - possibly turning up in challenges trying to make him fail.

I'll stop now in case I'm starting to get on your nerves. But I do think that you have a good basis for a novel there and you should fully exploit it.

Well done

Ange

How can I Thankyou !?
You would never get on my nerves......I think the ideas are amazing and I know it's up to me to make it work....but I still value this - as when one is trying to be the writer ..they get stuck...and I wondered where I was going with this.
Yes -definitely the doors. And there's pleanty of things I can think of that I should be punished for!
Oh don't worry never done any of the real bad stuff....only little white lies and bad thoughts about nasty people!
I do promise to read your stuff...and use the short story crit form as much as poss.
And I was getting worried about feedback! Now I have so much to review and continue writing. It's wonderful!
Talk soon!

Honestly, don't worry about critting my work - spend the time that you would have done that doing some more writing - please. I honestly don't mind having a look at stuff and telling you what I think but I don't expect you to do it back.

What a wonderful idea that you've just come up with - it could be that the punishments/tasks are just for thoughts that you/main character has had - oooh, that would be good.

Ange

Oh Dear !
You will know all my secrets!