freelance
Reflections
What an amazing year! My first book published and distributors knocking at the door! Wonderful clients who teach me so much and fabulous new friends and colleagues who enrich this journey.
Next year will see my second book published, writing workshops, more fantastic clients to help work on their books and another Sexpo. I’m sure other exciting projects will come along too, I just cannot wait!
My new workshops will include;
Noosa
I was trying third person writing whilst away this July in Noosa. I didn’t publish it at the time because I didn’t like it but it’s grown on me a bit more now.
Noosa
He walked along the shoreline looking out onto the river, under the surface of the water he knew the fish were territorial. The flat glass surface reflecting the suns glinting rays however showed no sign of this underworld. Just as the pretty girls that walked the riverside their bodies happily bouncing showed no signs of the venom that Tom had experienced. No sign at all on their beautiful faces or their long smooth legs. They should come with warning signs! thought Tom.
Jules had been his latest jilter. Tom was a tall lad 6ft 3, broad shoulders and an even broader smile. Girls fell for him even before he opened his mouth and his Irish lilt spilled out, showering their small pretty ears with gifts of kindness and compliments. The problem was that Tom would bestow these kind gifts on anyone and everyone. They were not precious stones only occasionally found glinting in the sun, they were showers of light that would pour out of him. Sharing was his gift, he knew no other way. At first a beautiful sight but all too soon the receiver of these gems would want them all to herself, would want the sharing to stop.
These wonderful women didn’t think he would stick around. The next pretty girls head to turn was after all just across the road or serving him his next skinny cap.
Noosa was a seasonal resort and Tom hadn’t yet suffered a summer when the stifling heat was like wading through a sickly sweet soup. Tom was a dreamer and the next road trip had always been just a pay check away until now. He had fallen for Jules and had spent slow Sexy evenings sharing wine by the river, wrapping her up in soft blankets so that his hands could wander free.
He had also fallen for Noosa, the river had a vibe of its own different to the beach and the buzz of Main Street. He could easily settle here. What he had failed to tell Jules was that he had citizenship and could stay wherever he chose but he didn’t want her to know, he didn’t want to give anyone that power again and so Toms vicious circle kept turning, except this time he had found its axis.
Fictional Memoir
Apparently Truman Capote was one of the founders of the fictional memoir. What a fabulous idea weaving fiction and fact together, most of us do that everyday anyway and sometimes the fabulous freedom of fiction can help you focus on the facts.
Letting fictional characters reveal truths about yourself and yet leaving the reader wondering about exactly which threads are real is genius. As for the author talking to a stranger is so much easier, talking to the reader who we cannot even see is so much simpler, thank you!
When a character knows you enough to take you through all of your trials and tribulations and takes the time to gently reveal a different perspective they become your allies, part of the team. Occasionally the protagonist propels their perceptions with no protection for the author but that’s ok we are just the singer in the band. Thank you Characters.
I believe the writer is in flow when they write from their subconscious not their conscious mind. That is why you cannot edit as you go and also why there are so many mistakes. It’s like a right hander putting the pen in their left hand and finally getting to their truth. Obviously it’s extremely freeing but also confronting and continuously changing. Thank you subconscious.
Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas and On The Road are well known fictional memoirs. I wonder how many or which of Jane Austens novels are fictional memoir? I’m also sure there are many novels that are still sitting in ‘fiction’ whereby even the author doesn’t realise or are not willing to admit to fact. Thank you authors.
If you would like to find out how to write your own fictional memoir then please get in touch! frankiebanks27@gmail.com
My fictional memoir Sharks and Lovers is available to download here Amazon
Winning Gold
Today a published author asked me to work on her memoir with her. A wonderful woman who I connected with as soon as we met. I have had such a busy day that it has only just sunk in. I’m feeling very lucky.
A Wonderful Life
Another amazing week took place and I realised that this isn’t just another amazing week. This is the start of my career as a writer, this is the start of my wonderful life.
Having my book in print is so empowering, being an author is now tangible and not just a product of cyberspace, it is in my hand. The essence of my story is what counts just like all stories. It is the heart that tells the story, not the brain. The fingers can fumble around messing up the letters and punctuation but the heart is what you hear. That’s if you are really listening of course.
I joined a new writers group last week and again I found myself surrounded by Amazing people. Most writers, (personally I believe the ones that are any good) wear their heart on their sleeve. Even when the beat slows, stumbles, races or misses it can still be heard.
Sharing is a writers arrow so I do think it is rather appropriate that my first gig is at the S.H.A.R.E seminar room at Sexpo, I can’t wait. The world is open, my book is open and so is my heart.
Let’s share.
Favourite Film Quote
Tomorrow Land
There are two wolves who are always fighting.
One is darkness and despair.
The other is light and hope.
The question is: which wolf wins?
The one you feed
What’s Your Favourite Film Quote?
One and Only
No one person will ever be your everything, no one person can possibly give you all that you need.
This is the advice I want my kids to have, don’t give that power to anyone and don’t put that amount of pressure on yourself. You are the only person in charge of your happiness.
You can give people your gift and they will give you theirs if you are lucky but it can’t possibly feed all of your hopes and dreams, aspirations, needs and wants.
Everyone needs input, we can all realise where we want to be in life but we can’t possess every attribute we need to get there. We need help from others and they need help from us.
Everyone has something to teach us. Everyone.
Sexpo and the Writer
I have this gig in November to talk about my writing and how it has empowered me. As my novels contain rather a lot of sex I suppose it is appropriate for me to do this at the Sexpo S.H.A.R.E seminars but somehow I feel like I will disappoint the audience. I’m just a normal housewife who has found a passion in writing. I don’t have huge breasts or a fabulous figure. I haven’t even had my eyelashes extended (like so many of the mums in the playground).
I hope I can concoct a talk that entices people into writing and empowers people to embrace their so-called ‘dark side’. I wonder if anyone will listen or even show up, I hope I can deliver. I have three months to come up with an engaging, interactive talk, an outfit I feel comfortable in and most importantly a bloody big helping of courage!
I will keep you posted and if you have any advice I’d be really grateful….
Editing
Finally, after a year and a half of grappling with editing, I think I just about have it sussed! I have to share with you my findings because I am sure a lot of other writers struggle with this too. Obviously, once you have a manuscript you know it will need editing so you start with the content, changing the odd grammatical error here and there as you go. However if like me you needed to edit your entire manuscript six times for content before you felt you had a finished product by the end of that process you have had enough of your baby crying. When someone says they will copy-edit for you, you almost bite their hand off. Please take this screaming baby away for a while and give me a break!
There are three types of editing light, medium and heavy and within those contexts, there is also substantive and mechanical. Substantive refers to the order of content and could be construed as heavy editing as it will also edit out content that is not relevant. Mechanical editing is relating to grammar, punctuation, spelling and footnotes. When using a publisher they may well have an in-house editor that will mechanically edit your manuscript to fit their style of print and product.
There are many programmes that you can run on your computer to edit your grammar and punctuation but they might not all understand your content. For example, my novel starts out in Southend on Sea in Essex, England. I’m afraid there ain’t a product out there that’s gonna give me the license I need to mess ’bout with words and get really lairy with my content. So using a person surely makes sense? Maybe if you live in exactly the place you want the manuscript read or based. Otherwise, you have to make do with a few proofreaders and hope they understand your spoken language vs readability vs message.
My problem with clients is that I am in love with language and people’s nuances I love an accent and even better I love broken words and out-of-place context. Perhaps I am destined to always be a light editor! I am just not critical enough I love everyone’s speech. Although I have today for the first time gone through my manuscript and seen the errors, every single one of them! Is it because I have a printer ready to go? Or is it because I have relaxed and realised everything will come in time and I’m allowed to make mistakes? I guess the test will be when I next look at my client’s work, will I see the errors or only hear the voice?
The most fantastic thing is that my printed copy will be the best I can possibly produce and I now know exactly the process I need to go through with book two. I will edit content first, a heavy substantive edit followed by a light substantive edit and then two or three mechanical edits. Nothing is ever perfect and when I found an error in Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s I have to admit to a tiny feeling of elation. However as I tell my children we can only do our best and then we can learn, improve and do even better!
My book can be downloaded at these websites
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GD8OG98
Kobo
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/sharks-lovers
iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/isbn9781925457209