JC Blair

a close up of a man with his eyes closed and his mouth open . ALT: a close up of a man with his eyes closed and his mouth open .

Concept to rejection 15:
Missed out on a shortlist. Read the winner... Realised that this was NOT the competition for me. 😂

They absolutely were not looking for my weird, weird manuscript.

Next time I guess.

#writing #author #book #novel

a man in a white shirt is sitting on the floor holding his stomach and laughing . ALT: a man in a white shirt is sitting on the floor holding his stomach and laughing .

Concept to rejection 14:

Got my first comp #novel feedback. It's SO HARD to pay attention to all the positives... That one negative stings.

They even stressed how compelling it was but all I can see is the note.

#writing #author #book

elmo from sesame street is looking at the camera while standing in front of a wall . ALT: elmo from sesame street is looking at the camera while standing in front of a wall .

#Question for any writerly friends:

My manuscript is 'finished', edited (by 3rd party) and now in a bunch of comps with my query docs waiting.

Would you kick off the next project? Query before comp results come in? Touch grass?

#writing #author #novel #books

This one totally sucked me in. I was wary of the hype, the length... I needn't have been. Totally. Addictive.

#TIL Multiple narrators are only fun and worthwhile if they disagree. That gap creates tension, mystery & illustrates theme.

#book #novel #writing #literature

a drawing of a mouse with the words " all in " written on it ALT: a drawing of a mouse with the words " all in " written on it

Concept to rejection 13:

Going BROAD in my desire to get qualified opinions on the #book.

Competitions, writing circles... And now #TheBlackList.

I'm sceptical but prepared to take a punt. The right quote or exposure will really give queries some punch.

#writing #author

Need I say anything about this banger?

If I have to... What a melding of magic, sociopolitics and the way love can drives us to good or ill.

It just rules. Enchanting.

#book #reading #writing #literature #novel

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Concept to rejection 12:
Asked by a kind coworker if I'd consider self #publishing.

Calling myself an author is less important than knowing I've created something quality. Getting pros onside is a key part of that.

How to tell them when they've self published previously...

#book #writing

a brown puppy with a funny face is being held by someone ALT: a brown puppy with a funny face is being held by someone

Concept to rejection 11:

Received a PAID comp "feedback". It was a general form to "all participants" rewording the submission guidelines.

Disappointing understates it.

Shrug it off, keep polishing, keep working. Remember that you enjoy this.

#writing #author #books

Hilarious, heartfelt, devastating. The fictional history is absolutely bursting with feeling.

#TIL: not to take myself too seriously. If anything it makes the drama more powerful.

#book #reading #writing #literature

a man in a denim jacket is holding a cell phone in his hand . ALT: a man in a denim jacket is holding a cell phone in his hand .

Concept to rejection 9:

Entering the competitions. ALL of them.

It's HARD. Each sub raises the hopes, the heart rate, but then comes the dread.

What if they hate it, you missed something in the edit, or didn't follow all the comp guidelines?

Hope and fear

#writing #author #book #novel

LOVED this one. Often sits in the shadow of ...Goon Squad but it shouldn't. Mystery, murder, prison, surprises.

#TIL: A cracking twist only matters if you care about the characters involved.

#book #reading #literature #novel #books #read

Now this is brilliant.

A cracking mystery, top POV work, heartbreaking themes. A great twist.

#TIL the best twist is one you'd have guessed if it was delayed any further. Just out of reach.

#novel #reading #literature #book

Concept to rejection 8:

While the submission sits in competition intrays, don't sit back.

Work on the next stage; query letters, sub packages. Synopsis.

If the manuscript gets the slightest buzz, a long list or hon mention, you'll be ready.

#writing #novel #book #literature

I was quite late to the party on this one but WOW.

#TIL: A real lesson in how multiple personable narrators can come together like a magical jigsaw puzzle.

Also the way it finds hope and joy amongst the sadness really picked me up. This book is sorcery.

#book #reading #literature #novel

Concept to rejection 7:

Enter all the competitions. No one knows you, no one asked. Build some interest.

Prove the editor wasn't wrong. It is good.

At the least, force someone else to read the thing 😂

#book #author #writing

Moving, spooky, infuriating... Awesome.

#TIL: Narrators, even when they're being honest, are telling THEIR truth.

Shriver didn't write a narrator, she wrote a whole person.

#books #literature #reading #book #novel #writing

Concept to rejection 6:
Editor asks me if I want a note about the ending.

YES. I want it to be perfect, not finished.

"It's a big shift though..."

[Long pause]

Spill it, let's do this.

#book #author #writing #novel #literature

This is really well articulated (as you'd expect)

It's something I'm trying to focus on.

Characters that either only bark exposition OR speak in the author's voice really dampen immersion and spoil the experience.

Concept to rejection 5:

Does (everything) feed into the theme?

Screenplay segments: is the camera objective? Does it hide/reveal?

Book excerpts: what's the author's POV, what's their bias?

Narration: What's lies does he tell himself?

Editing... Urgh.

#writing #writer #novel

MY FAVOURITE thing in novels is when literary ideas and techniques are applied to genre frameworks...

... And it doesn't get much better than the birthday party. Take a bow Mauvignier

#TIL Genre isn't dumb, Lit isn't boring

#book #novel #literature #writing #read

Han Kang rules. Full stop.

BUT if I had to expand on that I'd go on (and on) about the way that small actions speak to the psychology and history of a character.

#TIL: THEME THEME THEME, in the biggest row or the tiniest gesture.

#book #books #reading #literature #read

Concept to rejection 4:

Write it, rewrite it, and re-rewrite it...

Friend: Your narrator is a filmmaker, thought he'd have a more visual focus...

Me: [Sighs] I guess he will now 😂

#writing #write #book #books #author #literature

Concept to rejection 3:

Let the characters talk. They have voices, points of view, biases. They REACT.

"Declan had gone up like the fifth of November and I hadn’t heard a damn thing about it. The announcement came overnight..."

#writing #books #literature #author #novel #book

This was a cracker. Mesmeric descriptions of a life, a world so distant... Yet mired in the concerns of our own.

#TIL That it doesn't matter if the magic is real, it matters that your characters believe it. What does it tell us about them?

#books #literature #reading #writing #book #read

Now THIS is my cup of (unsettling, watery) tea! Julia Armfiled smashes it.

Perfectly interwoven theme, mystery, a pointedly human & flawed narrator.

#TIL the power of leaving the reader with questions.

#book #books #reading #literature

Concept to rejection pt2.

Start at the end: timeline, themes, characters, voice... all mapped, refined and plotted.

'A commune burns, its leader falls and a film crew unravels. At the centre of the wreckage is Anaïs.'

#writing #books #literature #novel

Concept to rejection step 1:

Free myself from expectations. What do I want to write? What excites me? Forget publishing and bear down on what makes me happy as a reader.

#books #writing #publishing #author

Seriously, how good is Jon Fosse?

#TIL that what you don't say is even more important than what you do.

Powerful emotions hidden, ignored, emerging. Fantastic.

#book #books #writing #literature

@cbcreative.bsky.social
A serpent shedding years of decaying skin, the modern rental’s pristine glass burst from a crumbling skeleton of red brick, fixed more by ivy than mortar. The jagged teeth of its vaunted roof bit into the sky, fending off the sun. I knew that my prize lay within. #WriteCBC