Over to you, Beta Readers

I read a blog a couple of weeks ago where a woman (sadly, I can't recall her name) was describing how she felt when she finished her latest book and sent it off to her 'beta readers' for their comments and critique. Now I didn't know what 'beta readers' were before I read this blog, but a quick look on wikipedia confirmed that a beta reader is:
a non-professional reader who reads a written work, generally fiction, with the intent of looking over the material to find and improve elements such as grammar and spelling, as well as suggestions to improve the story, its characters, or its setting. (which is useful to know, I guess).
Anyway, in this blog, there was a very good description of what it is I'm feeling this morning - a peculiar emptiness, a feeling of being a bit at a loose end, not quite sure what to do.
You see, I finished making changes to 'Fractured Time' over the weekend and, whilst I still think it may need just a little bit more polish, I had already come to the decision that I needed to get the whole thing out there so people can tell me what they thought of the entire plot (with all it's cunning twists and turns). I know I'd already had positive feedback on the first ten chapters, but I needed to know whether the whole thing worked. If it didn't, well, there's not much point in trying to further polish a turd, now is there.
So, on Sunday, it went out via the wonders of e-mail to Mags, Matt, Laura, Dan. Chris and Maddie…
…and then, well, suddenly, that was that.
Weird.
I'd spent the last eight months getting up early to write, staying up late to write, sitting in the study at weekends to write and re-write and then…BAM, there's suddenly a void, a big space that's got nothing in it (definition of a void, I guess) except, perhaps, anticipation and maybe a little bit of apprehension.

So what now (apart from waiting)?
Well, I think a few short stories may be called for, something that is going to keep the creative juices flowing and the literary creativity bubbling nicely, but is not going to be as all-consuming as a full-blown novel can be (besides, I have DIY to do which the good lady wife has been patiently waiting for).
Strangely, though, I find myself already thinking about what novel I might write next.
Hopefully, if all my beta readers think Fractured Time is simply fabulous and I can then get a literary agent or publisher to also think it is simply fabulous, then a new Sam McCall adventure may be in the offing. Alternatively, I did leave Jethro Postlethwaite sort of hanging there at the end of Part 3 of The Book That THEY…, so I could get on and write the sequel to that (which will be imaginatively called The Book That IT Does Not Want You To Read). Or I could have a shot at something a bit racy (Twelve Tears of Regret) or something a bit off-the-wall, such as The Curious Case of God vs Pratt.
So many options!!

One thing is for certain, though.
Over the next few weeks, that peculiar emptiness inside me is going to fill with more and more of that anticipation and apprehension. The question is, when it is finally transformed by feedback, will it turn into bitter, burning bile, or the sweet elixir of success?
Watch this space.

And So It Begins...

As Ambassador Kosh used to say in Babylon 5:
'And so it begins..'
Well, as I start the final re-reading and re-tweaking of the 56 chapters and 155,000 words of my latest literary masterpiece, 'Fractured Time', so I take my seat on the great emotional roller-coaster that is the search for a literary agent.
I'm currently at that initial stage where I'm full of hope and enthusiasm - and why shouldn't I be? After all, I think I've got a really good plot that's carefully wrapped around a unique backstory. I've got what I think are interesting and engaging characters and I'm sure my style of writing is pretty readable.
I'm also feeling pretty damn good from all the positive feedback I got from those who read 'The Book That THEY..' (once again, thanks to all of you!).
The challenge will, of course, be to maintain that same positivity in the weeks and months ahead.
You see, when it comes to trying to get someone interested even just in taking a look at my work, I'm very much a realist. I'm prepared for the disappointment of rejection.
But I'm also determined because I have a belief that Fractured Time is good enough to catch the eye of an agent who is looking for something just a little bit different, something that stands out from the crowd; and because of that, I'm still hopeful that one day I'll get to stand in Waterstones in Bolton, ease a copy of my book off the shelf, then turn to everyone in the shop and shout 'I wrote this!!'

It's 2014!!!

Happy New Year, you fabulous people!!
May 2014 be a superb year for you and may you achieve whatever it is you set your sights on.

Well, it's been quite some time since I've posted on this blog, mainly because all my spare writing time has been devoted to 'Fractured Time'. As of today, I'm at about 95,000 words and I reckon I've got about a dozen more scenes to do (probably 15-20,000 words) before the first draft is finished. My target is the end of January for that and I'm pretty confident I can hit that.
Then the hard work starts - as I've been writing, the story has naturally developed, not only in relation to the plot (which is complex and, hopefully, thought-provoking), but also in relation to some of the backstory which I plan to make darker and more dystopian.
Then there's the way I'm writing - with The Book That They..., because it was in the form of a diary, there was very little description,very little scene setting and also very little dialogue. Fractured Time is different because there has to be a lot more of both, and that creates a new set of challenges.

I have to admit, though, that I'm really, really excited about this book - I think the sci-fi premise is unique, the crime story has enough twists and turns to keep murder-mystery aficionados happy, the main character is wonderfully flawed and, when I'm done, the prose will be mature yet very engaging.

The aim is to have the first draft done by January, the 'facts' and backstory firmed up by end of February, then the first 'readable' draft done by the end of April (just in time for holidays and walking!!). I've already got a number of guinea-pigs lined up to read through the first main draft (thanks guys!), and once I've taken their thoughts and comments into account, it'll be out to the literary agents and, fingers crossed, someone will like it.

The aim is to get this one published in hard copy.
All being well, I may be able to end the year by standing in Waterstones with a copy of my book in my hand shouting 'I WROTE THIS!!' until security eventually come and take me away!