Calling All Authors!

yes this may be a little bit of a plea but bear with me.

So I’ve just finished my book, well, waiting for an outside opinion but besides that.

So what’s the next step, coming from someone who’s done this before? It’s a work of fiction and I’ve never done one before so to be honest this post is mostly me looking for some decent advice.

For example, should I bother applying for an arts grant so I can try and get an agent or should I go straight to publishers and the long strings of rejections rather than getting someone else to on my behalf?

Should I send copies to organisations or should I wait for a response from a well-known company first?

Help me internet, you’re my only hope.

A Quick Plug

Just a small update today to point your attention towards my soundcloud page; which currently hosts three original songs by myself, and is soon to host many more, I realise that I probably should wait until there’s more to show, however, who knows how many songs is enough, go check it out at:

A plea for the interwebs

Having just finished the first draft (besides the epilogue which still needs some work) I have put to bed the storytelling for ‘Fixed In Stone’ the first of what will hopefully be many books for myself. The problem here being however; the process of editing; how long should I spend on making changes, checking spelling mistakes and incorrect usage of words? The major question to be honest is whether it would be a good idea to go through it all myself or leave that job to someone who isn’t biased as to certain elements of the narrative and how tightly knitted I might be to my vague usage of certain terms and references.

So to you, the internet, I ask a question…

Would you be willing to look through the book and help me out?

Are you trustworthy and not a thief?

Do you have a good handle of spelling, punctuation, grammar and have the brain of both a dictionary and a thesaurus?

Would you consider yourself to only be a little bit of a prick?

At least enough to criticise without shooting me down ^^

Although if I do end up doing it myself these questions will all be completely redundant; this is an important post… in a way…

Shameless plugging time (again)

But this time it’s different –

If anyone is genuinely interested I have a column in a local music e-zine called Nottingham Live, may be a one off, but I enjoyed doing it and so will post it here as well; but please check out the website, they’ve done it up beautifully from the ugly internet monster it once was; there’s also a review (not of my hand) of my band – Arcanite Reaper there as well; also people in Nottingham will have probably noticed our name blurted out several times on trent FM radio. Well that’s because our drummer organised another massive charity gig that raised over a thousand pounds for macmillan cancer care; because of this we managed to get on the New Music Podcast twice; and a review of that gig is available to view at the Nottsunsigned website.

you can see my column here

I also understand that this blog always seems to be neglected after I squeeze out 5 posts in one week; but the reason for this is because my writing energies are largely going towards a book I am beginning to write; and if anybody actually wants to read a little bit I can post the prologue here; thank you.

youtube’d

Watch our band in terrible quality!
Witness how much I need a haircut!
Comment on how you don’t like rock music!
Marvel at how it isn’t indie enough for you!
Snarl at how it isn’t heavy enough for you!
Laugh at my resemblance to an ugly Jack Black!
Gasp at my need of a shave!
Be enthralled at our lack of stage presence!
Realise Connor’s glasses are in fact non-prescription!
Be not surprised that we didn’t win this battle of the bands!

The song’s called Firefly for anyone who’s genuinely curious however ^^

Shameless plugging

Perhaps the best way to annoy everyone on the internet is to link to your own projects on every single website within walking distance; and as such I have vowed to annoy everyone in this way right now. My band Arcanite Reaper make original rock music much better than all the songs that I constantly criticise on this blog, although each to their own, and everything has flaws etc. Having recorded our soon to be released EP; the songs are available to listen to on facebook and myspace. Please become a fan of all that Justin Bieber isn’t.

Myspace

Facebook

Become a facebook fan, myspace friend and join in the frivolity; tell your friends and your A&R executives alike; just listen to these stunning reviews:

I’ve never heard of this band – KERRANG!

This band’s hair is too short – Metal Hammer

Their name was an axe on world of warcraft was it not? – Rock Sound

stop stop stop talking that blah blah blah – Ke$ha

I am a metaphysical entity and therefore cannot speak to review this band – God

I don’t like rock music – Smash Hits

Their breasts are too small – Zoo

How could any of those clarified reviewers ever be wrong, now do as I say