Rantin' ravin' givin' out but with a purpose!

I used, once upon a time, participate on forums, Amazon, Createspace, Linkedin, and the like.

Now I don't as most of the time you are wasting energy, and writing time.

I did try on CS to help people who posted bits & pieces and asked for advice on their writing.

But when a person gives real, true, trying to be helpful advice - they get abused.

Some plonkers even go and having written a glowing review of your book saying BUY THIS BOOK, write another that says DON'T BUY THIS BOOK.

And the real laugh is that both reviews appearing alongside each other on the Amazon review page are almost identical except for the shouted DON'T.

Makes me laugh that the other writer can't see the absurdity of this.

But the posts that turned me off were questions like "How long should a paragraph be?" The hoary chestnut about chapter length also raises its head - again and again.

Yet most of the posters on these writing forums think they are writers: they are not!

Writing gibberish that is not punctuated or edited or spellchecked BUT published is not the work of a writer/author.

But the real question/comment that sent me screaming, raving, trembling into that dark night was, "My first book of 800 pages is not selling." Someone replied that that if the story was worth telling and needed 800 pages  to tell, then serialise it. But when your Facebook pals are telling you the work is perfect - then you can ignore advice from writers who have published and are selling.

But all of the above is just a ramble.

I decided my short stories would take 20 minutes to read, now my first two are for sale on Amazon.

So that's how long a short story will be for me for a while, and amazingly each has a few paragraphs as well - but no chapters.

Proofreading drives me NUTS!

The heading reminds me I saw a notice on TV something like Trump USA President! It was for the inauguration platform. With a bloomin' exclamation point. Which is.....a sudden cry or remark expressing surprise, strong emotion, or pain. I agree buddy.

I have just finished my second 20 Minute Reads - Caged Songbird.

The proof reading nearly drove me nuts - even if it was only 4,500, or so words.

OK. feather is feathers. he died in 1964 - I will remove that as it seems it will date the story, add died years ago.

birth Cert - should be Birth Cert.

Our Father need an s to be three Our Fathers.

Hail Mary's - is Hail Marys.

Right that's it - I'm read to rock and roll.

Do the upload to KDP - no misspellings - get the Interior Reviewer copy and check it.

Fine, right ready to go.

Then quite, what the F is that. It should be quiet, as in quiet you lot, not I'm quite sure you should be quiet.

Start again. change the ODT save as a HTLM, upload - check and, submit, add the price, and the market places and tomorrow it should be live.

I'm stuck between the Darkness and The Light

It's a confusing time of the year: for an Irishman.

It's the end of one year and the start of another: or is it?

We had the Solstice, a time of change for the ancient Irish, from one season to another. Darkness banished the light promised. The knowledge of the Druids and Sun Trackers in action. (Psst, psstt...The Knowledge Seekers and the Land of Cudhabeen, my buke!)

We had Christmas Day, the new liturgical year begins. The baby in the manger, Santa and presents. (In my opinion for some kids: far to many presents.)

And now new years tomorrow. Resolutions and the like. So what will I do or not do in the new year.

Well I have only one resolution, just one.

Keep on living as long as I can and die when I can't help it.

See yas all this time next year. I hope.

Meanwhile.....“Go mbeire bliain ó inniu faoi mhaise oraibh”

(May you prosper in the year to come, well really it says may the year from today prosper on you.)

This AM - The French Woman went live

My fourth book The French Woman went Amazon Kindle live this morning,

When I check with Amazon it can be bought in a lot of countries even Japan - in the English language though, So am I a language teacher as well as a writer?

It's the first in my 20 Minute Read project.

For a long time I hear people saying I don't read books, or I don't have the time to read books.

Others think they are reading but in reality they are skimming and their eye lights on every third or fourth word only.

Then they do a review that the plot is complicated or wandering.

So here's my attempt to provide a good read in a short time.

Just remembered a while ago that some publisher is now providing abridged books - some of the classics and even Hawking's A Brief History of Time - the film is over an hour of entertainment.

So I'm on the right track with my 20 Minutes reads. At least they are mine - they have my start - my middle - and my ending.

https://t.co/EPACze1PKT

Well! Make up your mind - will ya. Is my book good or is it bad?

I revived a glowing review of In The Wicker Wood that encouraged people to buy my book.

I received a terrible review of In The Wicker Wood that warned customers about buying the book, and encouraged them not to buy it.

Well I hear you all say what's wrong with that?  We need to take the rough with the smooth.

I would: if both reviews were not written and posted - albeit a few months apart by the same reader/reviewer.

The Self Same Reviewer.

A while ago I stopped participating on the Createspace Discussion Forum because the same person kept telling me on a Monday I was a great writer and then on Friday when I disagreed with something he said - I was a terrible person, writer and human being.

We call people like that by several names in Ireland but mostly we say they are Flaky.

But the real answer is simpler. The first review was flattering to me and flattering to the writer since the piece was more about showing how well read this person thought he was. I said that on a Tweet at the time and got a nasty reply back.

The glowing comments on my work was also an attempt to get me to join his Buddy Review Club.

The second review was posted a few months after I pointed out inconsistencies in logic in his second book, and suggested it should be re-visited.

Now Mr X has a new book for sale.

And I am about to release my next two offerings on Amazon Kindle

The project is a series of 15 Minute Reads.

The first is titled Caged Bird and is a one act play. The second is a rewrite of Buteo buteo, the story of love lost, despair, and resurrection of the mind.

Interesting times!

As I grow older and wiser, I'm getting smaller!

Don't panic, don't panic - I only mean my books will be smaller from now on for a while. I will be Kindling 12,000 or 15,000 word efforts.

You see although the sequel to In The Wicker Wood is progressing and I have a first draft  ready, I have decided, as I usually do,  to park the work for a few weeks.

A friend has asked me to help him with his first book. At present he is reading a copy of WW and because he is a not a regular reader, he seems to be skimming or not understanding the plot and the characters.

When you are asked - "Where did the drugs go to before the police arrived?"

You reply "Remember the shawlie, the fish lady who was in the alley with a barrow, she flinched them."

"Missed that."

So you come home and have a look at the book and you see.....By the time the heavy gang of Gardai arrive....at The Bootery...Watcher had emptied it of the drug consignment.....

I'm having second thoughts. Not about WW: about helping him. No risk - no blame.

So then I did a bit of reading to relax and came across Nathan Meunier's e-book, "Write Short Kindle Books".

So I went back to Streets of Birdsong (short stories and poetry). I assembled a book and last year used it to try and learn how D2D worked. It worked fine but, I was not happy with the book and later I withdrew it.

Now I am having a look at rewriting and perhaps re-titling that and making a small Kindle and selling it for 99 Cents, or 99P.

Thanks Nathan, but the problem with your advice is that when my brain waved this brainwave notion and I acted on it. It means I will have to go back, next week, and finish your book for the marketing and promotion advice.

Nah Nathan, - only joking.

Thanks to Leonard Cohen and Sharon Robinson for the idea.....That Everybody knows.

First published in The Knowledge Seekers & The Land Of Cudhabeen. 
Blogged now in Tribute to the Master Muse.


The Man Who Strangled The Celtic Tiger

Everybody knows that the Jig's exploded

Everybody knows, but keeps their fingers crossed.

Everybody knows that it's nearly over

Everybody knows us good guys lost.

Everybody knows we just can't fix-it

The poor stay poor – the rich stay rich.

That's how it goes

Everybody knows.

Everybody knows that the country's sinking

Everybody knows that the Builders lied.

Every Bank's got this terrible feeling

Like their daddy or their cat just died.

Everybody's rootin' in their pockets

No one can buy a bar of chocolate

Or a single rose

Everybody knows.

Everybody knows we tried hard baby

Everybody knows that we still do.

Everybody knows I'm from the faithful county

And I like to take a pint or two.

Everybody knows I hit the streets

There were so many people I just had to meet

But, I kept on my clothes

That Everybody knows.

I kept on my clothes, Everybody knows

I kept on my clothes

Everybody knows.

I wrinkle my nose, Everybody knows

That I wrinkle my nose

Everybody knows.