Tag: Writing

Thank You Norman Coulter

Author Yvonne Hertzberger
Author Yvonne Hertzberger

Now I know none of you have ever heard of Norman Coulter. He’s not a famous author, Indie or otherwise. He was my seventh grade teacher. That school had only two rooms so Mr. Coulter taught grades five through eight. And that year I spent in his class was his first year teaching.

A little background may be in order. Picture a rural farming community of mostly “Old Order Mennonites” or close to that. There are so many orders no one can keep them straight. Suffice it to say that none of the ones whose children attended that school valued education. It was a bad influence that lured their children away from their way of life. And understand that in the entire school, my sister and I, one other girl and three children from another family were the only non-Mennonites. (Being ‘other’ could lead me into a whole new direction, but not today.) Not an auspicious environment for an inexperienced young idealist fresh out of university with the goal of ‘educating’ children. Continue reading “Thank You Norman Coulter”

Is it long enough? (Said the vicar to the nun) Part 1 by Chris James

Author Chris James
Author Chris James

Among my family and friends in the UK, the line “said the vicar to the nun” is a staple of our slightly-naughty sense of humour. Whenever a potential double-entendre heaves into view, you can bet someone in the room will say it. At my dad’s 70th birthday party last year, as he cut his birthday cake with a big knife he exclaimed, “Goodness me, that went in deep!” Two seconds later I uttered, “said the nun to the vicar,” and the assembled crowd fell about. Yeah, you probably had to be there.

But this post isn’t about cracking saucy gags with older relatives, it’s about one writing concern many of us have: “making length”. Just how long should your novel be? Ultimately your story should be as long as it takes to tell it, but, empty-headed-and-generally-unhelpful platitudes aside, it is capable of being any length you decide. Generally the mainstreams dictate that a “full-length novel” is 80,000 to 120,000 words, but with e-publishing some are saying that a novel only needs 40,000 words. As with so many things in fiction writing, it helps to look around. My favourite novel, The Time Machine, has only 25k words, but you’ll be hard put to find that many superbly-chosen words so skilfully put together. At the other end of the scale we have the pros: door-stops of 200k+ words that are guaranteed mega-sales in numerous territories; household names whose editors aren’t about to tell them that their latest is just too damn long. My target when I start is 100k (about 330 double-spaced A4 sides). It’s a nice, round number; I like it, and now I’ve done it twice I’m addicted to the high I feel when I reach it. Continue reading “Is it long enough? (Said the vicar to the nun) Part 1 by Chris James”

Ed’s Casual Friday: You are here. (Maps and stories)

I love maps.

There, I said it. And while that isn’t a particularly damning admission, like saying “I love black tar heroin,” it’s not exactly cool. You’re not going to get far in a singles bar sidling up to somebody and whispering, “Hey, baby. You want to see a map made in Virginia in 1862 with The Confederate Territory of Arizona on it?”

So why bring it up? Well, it’s like this. Inspiration for us writerly types can come from just about anywhere, as I’m sure you all know. One sentence in a conversation, dog running down the sidewalk, Liquid Plumr commercial (that’s how they spell it). Absolutely anything can trip the synapses fandango, and send any one of us down a scribbling path we had no idea was there. Continue reading “Ed’s Casual Friday: You are here. (Maps and stories)”

Author Carolyn Steele Joins the Staff of Indies Unlimited

Author Carolyn Steele

Those of you who pay attention (I told you there would be a test later) know that Carolyn Steele has written some fine guest posts for us, based on her experiences as a paramedic and a hospice worker. She has worn many hats, and the richness and diversity of her journeys endow her writing with an ample authority. Plus, I caught her lounging about aimlessly, making her an easy target for my tranquilizer gun, which I have now nicknamed “The Recruiter.”

Carolyn has been a psychologist, a paramedic, a patisseur (which is something having to do with food way too fancy for me to afford), a proofreader and several other things, not all of them beginning with P. She began writing the day she decided to see the world…doing both just to find out whether she could.

Originally from London, England, Carolyn is now settled in Kitchener, Ontario. On a whim, she trained to drive 18 wheelers and hit the road to see what would happen. There will soon be a book. She will be off soon on another shiny project to see if pest exterminators are interesting. Multi-faceted or easily bored? It depends who’s asking.

Between adventures she writes advertising copy and inflammatory leaflets, develops and SEOs websites and dabbles in podcasting. Someday she will write about her more serious passions, palliative care and PTSD.

Plans, podcasts, tales and the first book can all be found on Carolyn’s blog, Trucking in English.

Please welcome Carolyn Steele to the Indies Unlimited family.