Welcome… I’m New Here! All things North

[JanePettegree]

Hello folks. I have published academic and factual material in the past but have now got an early draft of an historical-crime-fiction-adventure story in the proving oven and am interested in hearing everyone's thoughts about what makes a book readable. I'm a teacher of music and Renaissance culture in a Scottish university, which means although I'm wrinkly I have regular contact with lots of interesting young people who talk to me about the strange new world we live in. I also have dyslexic family members who talk to me about writing prose that doesn't exhaust the eye (I've still got some distance to go there). My book-in-waiting might be interesting to people in aged between 15 and 25 and maybe some older folk who like remembering what it felt like to be that age. I'm not sure quite what the publishing world would call that particular niche.

My own reading includes factual material - histories and biographies and contemporary politics and anthropology and philosophy and ... well, I'm eclectic - as well as fiction. I admire poetry because it knows when to stop. On the whole, I prefer fiction that is reasonably rooted in the material of reality; fantasy isn't normally where you find me, although I've liked science fiction that grapples with interesting ideas (E M Forster's "The Machine Stops" is currently haunting me).

And as a musician as well as a teacher, I like listening to stories: monologues, dialogue, radio plays, theatre.

Looking forward to hearing more about everyone's writing.

 

[Jonny]

Welcome Jane . Hope you enjoy your time in Litopia.

It’s extremely friendly here so do feel free to get involved as soon as you’re ready.

Here's a good place to check out (How-to guide) to see a lot of what goes on in the colony.

If anything is unclear please contact me and I’ll be happy to assist if I can.

@JanePettegree

 

[Barbara]

Hi Jane, and welcome to the Colony.

Oooh, you're writing a historical crime fiction adventure... sounds good. I'm looking forward to finding out more about it.

 

[Vagabond Heart]

Hi Jane,
Welcome aboard. Nice to have you here. Xx VH

 

[RK Wallis]

Welcome @JanePettegree Lovely to have you join us. Sounds like you have the perfect background to suit an emerging writer I just finished a historical crime (set in London around the time of the guillotine) by one of our members, @Leonora Called Black Drop, it's proof there's a market out there for your own work I loved it Its praise is earned.

 

[Josephine]

Historical-crime-fiction-adventure sounds great! And I'd love to hear some of the wisdom you've gleaned about dyslexic-friendly writing, that sounds like it might be useful.
Welcome

 

[JanePettegree]

Hi Jane, and welcome to the Colony.

Oooh, you're writing a historical crime fiction adventure... sounds good. I'm looking forward to finding out more about it.

thank you - little steps, still finding my way around the maze of litopia

 

[JanePettegree]

Historical-crime-fiction-adventure sounds great! And I'd love to hear some of the wisdom you've gleaned about dyslexic-friendly writing, that sounds like it might be useful.
Welcome

Hi Josephine - the main feedback is to keep it lean! I'm working on it....

 

[JanePettegree]

Hi Jane, and welcome to the Colony.

Oooh, you're writing a historical crime fiction adventure... sounds good. I'm looking forward to finding out more about it.

Finding my feet around this platform - it's set in 10th century Scandinavia. I've a full draft of version 1 but it needs work still.

 

[JanePettegree]

Welcome @JanePettegree Lovely to have you join us. Sounds like you have the perfect background to suit an emerging writer I just finished a historical crime (set in London around the time of the guillotine) by one of our members, @Leonora Called Black Drop, it's proof there's a market out there for your own work I loved it Its praise is earned.

LOVE the 18th century. Crazy volatile places and time.

 

[RK Wallis]

LOVE the 18th century. Crazy volatile places and time.

Much like now, lol!

 

[Peyton Stafford]

Hello Jane, and welcome. About the market for your book, US publishers would classify it as Young Adult (teen) and New Adult (twenty-somethings), if those are the age ranges of your main characters. However, many adults enjoy reading books in which the characters are in their teens and twenties. Sorry if I'm being too obvious. Hope this helps. I look forward to hearing more about your book.

 

[izi 出久]

Finding my feet around this platform - it's set in 10th century Scandinavia. I've a full draft of version 1 but it needs work still.

That sounds exciting! Looking forward to reading it!