i dream in words

I stumbled upon yet another South African agent, Ronald Irwin through the wonders of Facebook. He is apparently interested in apolitical and guiltless fiction, and is ready to receive your queries.

The general consensus amongst local writers, however, seems to be that it is better to query agents in the US and UK markets. This is simply because the local market isn’t quite mature enough for anything but politically inspired fiction and memoirs – unless you have already made a name for yourself via journalism or similar. Are there any South Africans out there that would like to prove me wrong?

I have not been writing (much) this week. I was supposed to have been studying instead, but I didn’t do that either. I am not sure what I have been doing instead, but I know I have been really busy.

And while I have been sooooooo busy, I have found some goodies I would like to share.

I did get in around 480 words last night, and another 500-odd this morning, thanks to Dr Wicked’s Write or Die. Great fun for just getting the words out. They weren’t the best words I could write, but I realise that, if I want to make it past the 20k mark by this week-end, I will need to completely switch off not only my inner editor, but also my inner perfectionist. After all, that is what the rewrites and edits are for, right?

Then, for all your grammar questions, visit the Grammar Done Right cartoons. They are really cute, and get the message across. Be sure to visit the accompanying website and buy the book :)

And while I am on the topic of books, Literary Agent Donald Maas wrote a book called The Career Novelist: A Literary Agent Offers Strategies for Success way back in the 90s, and has made it available as a free download here. I have started reading through it, and it looks like a great resource for anyone considering novel writing as a full time career.

[ETA] Editor Terry Whalin also has a free download of his book, Straight Talk from the Editor: 18 Keys to a Rejection Proof Submission available for download here.

Ooh, and I see Write Anything has also posted a great post today filled with great links to sites specially for NaNo.

And now, I need to see what Dr Wicked will do to me if I don’t reach 500 words.

NaNoWriMo inspiration

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For me, the first book I read by an author is often like a first kiss. If the author becomes one of my favourites, the first book will always remain special, my favourite favourite.

My first kiss with Murakami was Norwegian Wood. It introduced me gently into the beauty that is a Murakami novel – crisp and clean like fresh snow, wild like ginger, passionate like wasabi. I try and read it every 18 months at least and every time I read it I am overwhelmed by the beauty and melancholy and then, eventually, once I have recovered, I am inspired to be a better writer.

Imagine my delight when, this evening, while browsing IMDB, I discover that a movie is in the pipeline.