I’ve reached a milestone today. My
blog counter flipped over to a magical round figure: 35,000 which was my target
for page views in 2013. So I’d like to say a huge thank you to my lovely
readers, you got me to my goal five months early!
It seems apt that I should think
about a very early blog post, one which ratcheted up a whopping, wait for it,
35 page views. As I believe I’ve spouted here before, if you’re new to
blogging, hang on in there. It takes a while for people to find you in the
blogosphere but seeing the number of readers wandering over to your little blog
increase in volume, is one of life’s more than simple pleasures.
The post in question is this one:
Dragons’ Den for Wannabe Authors and pretty much describes the
week I’ve just had, but from three years earlier. The difference is that after three years of editing and re-writing Glass
Houses (I have written 70,000 words of another book in-between, honest), I’m
happy to say that this time, it didn’t take me to chapter twenty to find a 500
word section of text I liked enough to read out to a room full of writers -
published and not-quite published - as well as the truly wonderful cluster of
agents musing over whether they should sign me now or wait until the fuss had
died down. (Did I mention they’ll be looking particularly beautiful that night?)
But the detail of the abject terror
which would ensue should my passage be picked as one of this year’s seven to be
read out on stage at the York Festival of Writing’s version of Dragons’ Den, is
every bit as real as back then. The difference is that this year, I have
absolutely no doubt that this is an opportunity to be grasped with fingers
spread wide and pulled into your chest so tight it can’t possibly be snatched
away. I remember thinking, ‘there’s your winner,’ when I heard the lovely Shelley
Harris read her 500 words on stage during the first York Festival of Writing. Her
book, Jubilee, was subsequently published and, gasp, selected (amongst other
accolades) for the Richard and Judy Summer Book Club in 2012. Can you imagine!
So please, wish me luck, I’m about to submit my 500 word section from my novel for potential inclusion in the York Festival of Writing 2013, Friday Night Live.
Be on hand to hose me down if it gets
picked, won’t you?
Good luck! Should be a fantastic experience!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kate, will keep you posted :)
DeleteGood luck, Jackie. When is the York festival of writing?
ReplyDeleteHi Charlie, it's Friday to Sunday 13 to 15 September. I can't go to much of it as I have a weekend away which has been booked for months (and will be great) but it's worth getting there even if just for part of it if you can, I reckon. Have you been before?
DeleteHaven't been before, it's amazing just how many writing events and festivals there are scattered around. York's only about an hour away so might try and pop up and have a look around.
DeleteLet me know if you make it, Charlie!
DeleteWishing you lots and lots of luck, Jackie. Not that I think you need luck but it's such a brave thing to do. I am full of admiration for your courage as well as your writing! I hope it goes brilliantly and you enjoy the whole experience too.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Diane, that's made my day :) And it's great to hear from you. How are you and how is Daisychains of Silence doing? You know I love that book!
DeleteOooh, good luck!! The festival is one that's on my wishlist, but it's a very time consuming and expensive trip from the other end of the country :-(
ReplyDeleteHi Annalisa! I hear you about the travel time and cost :( but I do hope you get to go there one day. It is a top notch festival - I do think the quality of speakers and workshops is particularly high. Thanks for reading!
DeleteGood luck Jackie, I've just come back from the Harrogate Crime Writers Festival where they have a similar thing and I can't imagine ever being brave enough to get up there!! Fingers crossed for you x
ReplyDeleteHi Emma, I wish I could have made it to the festival this year - it's just down the road from me. But I've had too much on and it's pure indulgence as I don't write crime. But I hope you had a wonderful time there and hope all's going well, particularly now you're a full time writer - yay!
DeleteGood luck Jackie, fingers tightly tightly crossed for you. I agree, very brave. I hope I actually get to the stage one day where I have something I'd dream of wanting to read out to an audience. Let us know how you get on of course.xxx
ReplyDeleteHi Cate, thank you, and I have no doubt you'll have something that you'll want to read out one day - hang on in there, your writing is fab.
DeleteI'm wishing you a bunch of leprechauns all carrying bouquets of shamrocks! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteAnd my first 2 blog posts netted me 1 comment apiece. Ugh. Thank goodness things eventually picked up. :-)
Lexa, if that doesn't bring me luck, nothing will :D thank you! Those first blog posts are a writer's kind of torture, aren't they... but, as my daughter would say, if it was easy, they'd call it football (sorry footballers). Thanks for reading!
DeleteVery best of luck to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Georgina :)
ReplyDeleteBest of luck!!! Wish I could be there as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Karin! Have you been before? Maybe next year! And you'll have a wonderful time at Swanwick, no doubt.
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