right, i haven't really done any work promoting the markovits project so the last couple of days i have got off my arse and done a couple of things. Firstly i made a bit of a speech about it my hemingway seminar, which seemed to go really well, and i think a couple of people showed some good interest. Secondly, i've sent a message request to message of the day about it which should be up in the next day or two. Also if anyone wants me to do any of the errandy stuff like handing leaflets out then i look really friendly with my new haircut so i'll do it.
p.s i've got a few action doll ideas in the planning but i don't know whether i've got enough production time so...
Tuesday 27 November 2007
Tuesday 20 November 2007
London's calling
"December will see the launch of a London-based "creative writing tabloid", to be distributed for free to commuters and edited by two recent university graduates, Tristan Summerscale and Christopher Vernon. Notes from the Underground, a sixteen-page tabloid-format publication, will contain "a broad variety of high quality content, ranging from short stories to cartoons and stimulating non-fiction, from both up-and-coming young writers and more high-profile published authors". The pair received hundreds of submissions, and at least three household names are in talks to contribute short stories free of charge to the debut issue, out on 17 December. Thereafter the publication will be bi-weekly, with a print run of 100,000 copies printed on 100% recyclable paper that will be distributed for free at over 30 commuter locations"
This is something that i stumbled upon whilst searching for literary magaziness online and i think that it's great news, imagine appearing in a magazine that will be thrust into the arms of commuters in one of the busiest cities in the world. However, does anyone really think that anyone will take the time to read any of the magazine at the end of a busy day. I mean if most people can't be arsed to read the London lite after a hard days work then is something a little more intellectually challenging really what they want. Does anyone have any thoughts on the matter?
Tuesday 13 November 2007
You lot should be ashamed of yourself.
so the last time i was in we were set the task of thinking of a way to promote a book or to increase the sales of a book. i decided to perform a little experiment to support my idea, and insulted Luke on my blog. Now, i thought that the creative writing class would all rally behind our innocent victim and call me a wanker in repost. this was not really the case though, as, apart from an anon and to some extent Tom, no-one really stepped in to target me.
Anyway, i digress, the point is that in order to sell books or promote discussion and publicity it sometimes helps to be CONTROVERSIAL. look at some of the biggest books we know, 1984, Lolita, A Clockwork Orange; even the sodding Da-Vinci code relied on it's controversy for its publicity. Besides, you should have all known that nice ol' me couldn't be horrible even if i wanted to be. I'm just too much of a kind soul with big ideas.
Anyway, i digress, the point is that in order to sell books or promote discussion and publicity it sometimes helps to be CONTROVERSIAL. look at some of the biggest books we know, 1984, Lolita, A Clockwork Orange; even the sodding Da-Vinci code relied on it's controversy for its publicity. Besides, you should have all known that nice ol' me couldn't be horrible even if i wanted to be. I'm just too much of a kind soul with big ideas.
P.S thanks for being an unknowing guinea pig Luke.
Shwmae.
Shwmae.
Sunday 11 November 2007
chain flic, 8 i thinks
The previous link is http://oxygenchameleon.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/chainfic-link-7/
The first link is http://matt-boothman.livejournal.com/8136.html#cutid2
The next link has a lot to live up to.
sirens
I'd always hated Neo's damn flute, but right now i think that it is the only think that is keeping me insane, which is what i want to be. The loopy ups and downs of the one awful song that he has ever learnt to play plague my mind, and i contemplate rolling sideways into the bog, to be forever engulfed with my beloved. But then what if The Book is wrong, what if this is it? Suicide is always riskier when the belief in an afterlife is tested, and i don't quite know what to believe any more. If there is a God then surely Jack's fall could have been avoided.
I was left lying breathlessly on my back with countless wonderings about my faith, the same ringing song from far away in my ears, the stench of the bog, and the question of why Neo didn't save Jack when he fell. I stood up and snatched the wondrous red flute from Neo's hands and tossed into the bog; after all, with a head like this, how can i bear to listen to Your misses is a nutter for the rest of the day.
Then the fox....
The first link is http://matt-boothman.livejournal.com/8136.html#cutid2
The next link has a lot to live up to.
sirens
I'd always hated Neo's damn flute, but right now i think that it is the only think that is keeping me insane, which is what i want to be. The loopy ups and downs of the one awful song that he has ever learnt to play plague my mind, and i contemplate rolling sideways into the bog, to be forever engulfed with my beloved. But then what if The Book is wrong, what if this is it? Suicide is always riskier when the belief in an afterlife is tested, and i don't quite know what to believe any more. If there is a God then surely Jack's fall could have been avoided.
I was left lying breathlessly on my back with countless wonderings about my faith, the same ringing song from far away in my ears, the stench of the bog, and the question of why Neo didn't save Jack when he fell. I stood up and snatched the wondrous red flute from Neo's hands and tossed into the bog; after all, with a head like this, how can i bear to listen to Your misses is a nutter for the rest of the day.
Then the fox....
Friday 9 November 2007
Luke said, You should have seen Wil last week Gareth, he was inconsolable! You make a big difference to the class.
As for being single, try not to feel like the odd one out. We have all been single one time or another, and, unless you find the right person, being single is actually pretty awesome.
You only have to worry about yourself, you can do what you like, you can focus on your study and you can channel all your angst into a fantastic piece of fiction!
SO then i said, Thanks for being really patronizing Luke, i wasn't saying i don't want to be single i was just saying a night out is shit without a couple of lads out who can get pissed with you without wondering what the wife will say. On a connected note, if anyone does know any single ladies....
And one of my house mates said that i was a loser... but Luke was a wanker.
As for being single, try not to feel like the odd one out. We have all been single one time or another, and, unless you find the right person, being single is actually pretty awesome.
You only have to worry about yourself, you can do what you like, you can focus on your study and you can channel all your angst into a fantastic piece of fiction!
SO then i said, Thanks for being really patronizing Luke, i wasn't saying i don't want to be single i was just saying a night out is shit without a couple of lads out who can get pissed with you without wondering what the wife will say. On a connected note, if anyone does know any single ladies....
And one of my house mates said that i was a loser... but Luke was a wanker.
A review
Now when we did the seminar on reviewing i saw a chance to do something very, very clever; i am going to review Yellow Dog by my boy Martin Amis.
Now i am a big Martin Amis fan, i have read all of his books apart from the newest one because i haven't got around to it and his autobiography cause that shit always bores me. Yellow dog may in fact be far from his best, and may be widely accredited as his worst novel, (though i think that it's a damn side better than night train) however, it is bottom of quite a formidable list, and had it been written by another writer it would not be so readily criticized. Okay, so there are parts which lack the usual Amis flair, and for one of the only times there is no stand out scene or character in the book. ANother of the criticisms of this book is that we don't get to sympathize with the change of Xan's character because we don't see enough of him pre-attack. however, there are some really nice moments in this novel, particularly towards the end, when the character of Joseph andrews is introduced.
A brief review there, but to summarize simply, don't go out and buy it if ur not a fan, and if u haven't read any AMis then you should start with Money or Time's arrow. Another book which deserves mention is Dead babies, another great book. If you haven't read any Amis then you really should.
Now i am a big Martin Amis fan, i have read all of his books apart from the newest one because i haven't got around to it and his autobiography cause that shit always bores me. Yellow dog may in fact be far from his best, and may be widely accredited as his worst novel, (though i think that it's a damn side better than night train) however, it is bottom of quite a formidable list, and had it been written by another writer it would not be so readily criticized. Okay, so there are parts which lack the usual Amis flair, and for one of the only times there is no stand out scene or character in the book. ANother of the criticisms of this book is that we don't get to sympathize with the change of Xan's character because we don't see enough of him pre-attack. however, there are some really nice moments in this novel, particularly towards the end, when the character of Joseph andrews is introduced.
A brief review there, but to summarize simply, don't go out and buy it if ur not a fan, and if u haven't read any AMis then you should start with Money or Time's arrow. Another book which deserves mention is Dead babies, another great book. If you haven't read any Amis then you really should.
catch up
I just got back from Wales. That's not a story, it's just a boring pointless fact. So, i've now missed 2 of the last 3 seminars and was hungover in the other way. Apologies, apologies, glances and messed up chances. I'm now going to go on a blogging rampage, starting with the news that my story has in fact been accepted for the Jam, so if you see a copy lying around, pick it up and show it to all the publishing houses and agents you know.
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