tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7479616775803938622.post8945021117658278999..comments2023-08-19T14:58:48.215+01:00Comments on Sheila Norton - the Blog: Feature in Writer's Forum - and a successful talkSheila Nortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13997206301877289623noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7479616775803938622.post-72086665140696650152009-12-09T18:15:21.095+00:002009-12-09T18:15:21.095+00:00Thanks Helen! Don't feel guilty. Around this t...Thanks Helen! Don't feel guilty. Around this time of year I don't get much done at all. I can't understand why I seem to be too busy to get much writing done at Christmas, even now I'm retired from the day job! Ridiculous. Could be something to do with spending time with that gorgeous baby grandson, though ...!Sheila Nortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13997206301877289623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7479616775803938622.post-11115742750605614932009-12-07T13:28:36.044+00:002009-12-07T13:28:36.044+00:00Well done Olivia - a very productive time and alwa...Well done Olivia - a very productive time and always inspiring to hear just how hard you work - although at the same time you make me feel slightly guilty! I have just had a clear out for Xmas of all the mags I keep for 'research' for my non-fiction and occasional fiction sumbissions and honestly, I filled three bin bags. Goodness knows how much I've spent on mags over the years!Helen Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10765832070235249081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7479616775803938622.post-91288829196456041682009-12-05T15:31:22.765+00:002009-12-05T15:31:22.765+00:00Ah, thank you Teresa! Glad you enjoyed the article...Ah, thank you Teresa! Glad you enjoyed the article. Strangely, Writing Magazine had a feature about pseudonyms in their new issue too!! Mm, Isabel Douglas is good! (But I like Teresa better actually!). Why did you only use it once?<br />Must admit I was pleased to get the 5-star review as I hadn't had any reader reviews on the new book up till now. It looks much better with the stars!Sheila Nortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13997206301877289623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7479616775803938622.post-68183118843770272502009-12-04T22:49:25.481+00:002009-12-04T22:49:25.481+00:00I loved your article in WF. I always planned to us...I loved your article in WF. I always planned to use a psuedonym if I ever got published and one of my first stories had the byline Isabel Douglas (family names) which I thought sounded quite friendly and writerly - only used that one once though.<br /><br />Well done on doing that talk. You are brave. And congratulations on the 5 stars - you deserve every one of them.Teresa Ashbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350697922935549188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7479616775803938622.post-11957494434795357842009-12-04T09:11:17.796+00:002009-12-04T09:11:17.796+00:00Thanks, Kate. Yes - I've bought lots of mags f...Thanks, Kate. Yes - I've bought lots of mags for 'research' over the years. (Deductable expenses for tax of course!). I don't 'do' spreadsheets but have a fairly well-organised file where I keep all the updated requirements of the various magazines. But although I have some success with several, I'm niggled by those I can't break into - so at Julie's suggestion, I'm re-researching those ones! Hope it will help.Sheila Nortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13997206301877289623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7479616775803938622.post-86371490767704207832009-12-04T07:13:24.507+00:002009-12-04T07:13:24.507+00:00Great news about the article, the review and the R...Great news about the article, the review and the Rotary Club - and good luck with the new book contract and the short story subs. You're definitely taking the right approach. I used to do the same thing for features - I had a spreadsheet so I could see fairly easily what kind of features each magazine covered in my area, and what they didn't. And also what they'd done recently, so I didn't waste my time sending those ideas. (Blimey, when I think back to how many magazines I used to buy each month...)Kate Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07367918727779245526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7479616775803938622.post-16359780047286719772009-12-03T20:17:37.766+00:002009-12-03T20:17:37.766+00:00Thank you so much, Rena. Well, all I need is a new...Thank you so much, Rena. Well, all I need is a new book contract now ...! (Fingers very much crossed, or is that bad luck?)!<br /><br />Yes, I think the whole pseudonym thing is quite fascinating. I'd never dreamed of using one until I was asked to - but it's been fun, as well as sometimes confusing, writing under two different names! I like your point about having a different 'persona' to climb into.<br /><br />Yes, the Rotary Club was quite different from any other talk I've given! Usually there are more women than men in the audience (writers' groups, reading groups, libraries etc) - and this time, not a single female to make jokes about men to!Sheila Nortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13997206301877289623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7479616775803938622.post-8047124331654252472009-12-03T19:04:48.905+00:002009-12-03T19:04:48.905+00:00A really interesting and inspiring post, Olivia. I...A really interesting and inspiring post, Olivia. I’ve seen your name all over the place this week. It really seems to be your time at the moment – and very well deserved too.<br /> <br />Your article in WF was very thought provoking. Names paint such vivid pictures, don’t they? Every writer knows how important it is to find just the right one to make a character come alive. Why shouldn’t the same thing work for the writer? I personally think it is a great idea to use a pseudonym (although in my case it was because I found another writer on Google with my name) If I’m honest though, it’s quite nice to climb into my writer persona when I sit at my computer – and my pen-name really helps me to do this. I’d be interested to hear what others think.<br /><br />PS: How brave of you Olivia, to take on that Rotary club talk. I would never have had the courage to do that. They’ll be no stopping you now.Rena Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11520149404274102132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7479616775803938622.post-30831576498096123802009-12-03T12:33:27.557+00:002009-12-03T12:33:27.557+00:00Thanks Julie. I know - I read Womag's blog abo...Thanks Julie. I know - I read Womag's blog about My Weekly last night and couldn't believe it. I have been published in My Weekly, but the last time was in 2003! I'll take a chance and continue subbing to them ... in fact it was one of the mags I was starting my research with, as I've had no luck there recently. <br /><br />Like you,I'm also starting with TAB and would like to do The Weekly News but can never seem to find it in the shops around here! These are the two mags I can't get a foot in the door with. I've just bought a TAB Fiction Feast to go through - but I badly need to read some copies of The W.N. so will keep looking out for it!Sheila Nortonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13997206301877289623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7479616775803938622.post-49838876768924363982009-12-03T09:18:24.975+00:002009-12-03T09:18:24.975+00:00At least we won't have to bother with My Weekl...At least we won't have to bother with My Weekly though eh? Well I won't. Have you been published in My Weekly, Olivia? I can't remember. If you go ovet to Womag's blog you'll see the sad news that MW aren't taking unsolicited short stories unles you've been published with them before! <br /><br />Which mags are you starting with? I thought I'd have a crack at Take A Break and The Weekly News first - I have a full year's worth of past Fiction/feasts and a few month's worth of the TAB main mag stories to go through.<br /><br />I'm so glad that the Rotary talk went well and I have yet to read The Lamp but I did enjoy your article in Writers' Forum. That's both you and Helen in there! Well done both. It does boost the confidence doesn't it.<br /><br />I wonder what gems our research will throw up!<br /><br />I only hope we can come up with something useful for ourselves and other writers!<br /><br />Julie xxJulie Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06546678603569056691noreply@blogger.com