Nigel Lesmoir-Gordon

I came into this world in the midst of the Second World War, appearing among the soaring academic towers of Cambridge - the last outpost of civilisation before the black-soiled, windswept fens ran their endless way up to Kings Lynn and The Wash. I grew up in the austere and reactionary spirit of post-war southern England. People felt lucky to be alive. So many had died. There were shortages. Most of our ships had been sunk and we lived under the heavy-hanging threat of nuclear annihilation. 

By the time I had made it to my teens Cambridge had blossomed and become prosperous and I grew up in a privileged world. I was 13 when he went off to board at Oundle School and Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel burst incandescently upon the world. I began writing at Oundle and published poems and short stories in the UK, the USA and in France. I toured the UK performing with his poetry & jazz group.

My interest in film took me to the London School of Film Technique in 1965. When I left Cambridge to go to film school I moved into a flat in Cromwell Road, South Kensington - the infamous '101'. When David Gale wrote about 101 in The Independent he recalled:

"As the 60s began to generate heat, I found myself running with a fast crowd. I had moved into a flat near the Royal College of Art. I shared the flat with some close friends from Cambridge, including Syd Barrett, who was busy becoming a rock star with Pink Floyd. A few hundred yards down the street at 101 Cromwell Road, our preternaturally cool friend Nigel was running the hipster equivalent of an arty salon. Between our place and his, there passed the cream of London alternative society - poets, painters, film-makers, charlatans, activists, bores and self-styled visionaries. It was a good time for name-dropping: how could I forget the time at Nigel's when I came across Allen Ginsberg asleep on a divan with a tiny white kitten on his bare chest? And wasn't that Mick Jagger visible through the fumes? Look, there's Nigel's postcard from William Burroughs, who looks forward to meeting him when next he visits London!"

During a weekend spent in Cambridge with old friends as part of my experimental work at film school I shot the now cult-movie classic Syd Barrett's First Trip. When I joined the industry as an editor I worked for Hugh Hudson, director of Chariots of Fire, on TV commercials and documentaries. The film Performance was produced from the Chelsea studios where I worked. In 1968 I was commissioned by Mick Jagger to co-write a screenplay with Christopher Gibbs (the set designer on Performance) called The Quest. Marianne Faithfull writes about this project in her biography Faithfull. Mick, Keith and Marianne were already cast and keen to make it. The script we wrote drew on Arthurian legend, Celtic mythology and romantic poetry. Donovan had been writing music for the film and was disappointed when the project stalled due to other Rolling Stones commitments. To make up for this he suggested that I produce and direct a film of him making music sailing through the islands of the Aegean Sea with a small acoustic band. The band was called Open Road and the completed 30-minute film was There is an Ocean.

I then moved to the BBC as an editor, cutting dramas and documentaries for two years. I went on to work with Pink Floyd, 10cc, Squeeze, Rainbow, Joe Cocker, Big Country, Wings, Paul Nicholas and Leo Sayer amongst others in the 70's. I concentrated on commercials and corporate videos throughout the 80s. I wrote and directed Regiment a documentary about the Royal Air Force's Infantry Regiment before I made the award-winning television documentary The Colours of Infinity, presented by Sir Arthur C. Clarke with music by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd in 1993. Colours has been broadcast thus far in over fifty territories. It brought the Mandelbrot set and the subject of fractals to the attention of the general public for the first time.

Following The Colours of Infinity I wrote, produced and directed two broadcast documentaries: Is God a Number? This film explores the mystery of consciousness and the power of mathematics in describing the universe. And Clouds Are Not Spheres - the life and work of the maverick mathematician, Benoit Mandelbrot. I then made the feature film Remember a Day and recently completed Mandelbrot's World of Fractals, which I directed and presented for the National Science Foundation through Yale University.

I wrote, produced and directed he acclaimed short comedy The Mysterious Michael A in 2005: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXoJhfWcRzQ. This film has been featured at 18 film festivals and at over a dozen film clubs worldwide. I directed the documentary Brixton Beach in 2007 and a compilation of three of my science documentaries, featuring a fractal chill-out film with David Gilmour's music, was released on DVD in the same year.

My first book, Introducing Fractals was published by Icon in 2009. It traces the roots of fractal geometry and looks at the developments springing from this revolutionary new discipline from Zeno to calculus, through set theory and the maverick mathematicians who set the stage for the genius of fractal geometry, Benoit Mandelbrot. Text and graphics combine to offer the most accessible account of fractal geometry that any reader is likely to find. To quote J.A. Wheeler, protege of Niels Bohr and friend of Albert Einstein, 'No one will be considered scientifically literate tomorrow, who is not familiar with fractals.' This book is the ideal guide to that literacy. It is available in four languages and has sold over 16,000 copies.

My second book based on The Colours of Infinity was published by Springer in 2010. This book is based on the film of the same name. The contributors to the film are joined in this comprehensive survey of the fractal theory and practice by some other leading experts in the field. The book features contributions from Arthur C. Clarke, Professor Benoit Mandelbrot, Professor Michael Barnsley, Gary Flake, David Pennock, Will Rood, Professor Ian Stewart and me. The book includes an online link to the film.

In the same year I was interviewed on Conscious TV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZjx-Ix9DVA.

Following the sad death of Benoit Mandelbrot, I was invited to write obituaries for The Guardian, The Independent and The Times. I also appeared on BBC Radio 4's Last Word, discussing Mandelbrot's life and work with Professor Ian Stewart of Warwick University.

Nothing and Everywhere is my first novel. Since the publication of this novel several people have expressed the view that it would make a good film and would translate very well to the big (or even the small) screen so I am now working on a screenplay version of the book. I have also started to write my second novel, Life is Just… This is not the often requested sequel to Nothing and Everywhere, but something very different indeed.

Nigel will be a regular contributor of The Unofficial 'Brit Writers and Writers Everywhere' blog

What stock phrase do you type when testing a keyboard? by Cheryle Williams

Now is the time for all good people to come to the aid of their party. Did you ever type that phrase in typing class in school? I did many a time and we always used it as the first words we'd type to test the feel of a typewriter. Ever since that time, if I have to try out a new computer keyboard and especially when someone is looking over my shoulder, I always type the 'Now is the time' phrase. It's safe, it's inoffensive, and all in all, it's a tradition to belt out those words.

Nowadays they call typing classes 'keyboarding'. In my school days, it was Personal Typing, and we used an electric typewriter with cartridge ribbons. Remember those babies? We also had to change those cartridges. Which meant that before class started, somebody had to go around and hit a few keys on each machine to make sure they were ready for the students to begin class. If it wasn't the teacher doing it, it was a student helper, and I remember performing that task on occasion.

Back then we were not politically correct and we did not pay attention to making language gender inclusive, so we typed that stock phrase as: 'Now is the time for all good MEN to come to the aid of their party.' Any phrase would work just as well, but you want something that's mindless and timeless and just flies off your fingers. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are" requires a little more concentration. Besides, it has too many commas.

When you're in the big box store and you're checking out laptops, testing the keyboard to see if it sticks, you want a phrase that comes out zippety-doo-dah. The 'Now is the Time' phrase can be typed over and over as you test the reach of your fingers on the keys. You don't want a salesperson to come by and look over your shoulder and see that you've typed something stupid or personal. 'I love my dog Spot' is probably true in your case but you may not want to reveal your heart on a monitor screen...

by Cheryle Williams, a regular contributor for The Unofficial 'Brit Writers and Writers Everywhere' blog

Brit Writers’ Awards 2012 - The Finalists…

The moment you have all been eagerly waiting for is finally here!  

We’re announcing the finalists of the Brit Writers’ Awards 2012!

We were inundated with entries this year.  After six months of reading and considering your work we've finally reached a short-list   The standard of entry has been particularly high and the judges have had a difficult job but we've whittled the entries down.

We’ll be announcing further category finalists over the coming week, starting with Non Fiction, Scriptwriting & Screenplay, Song writing  Novels and Published Writer categories today.  Make sure you visit the site daily in case that’s the day we announce your category!

The overall winners will be announced at the glamorous gala awards evening on December 1st in London.

In the meantime, keep writing.  And make sure you write something worth reading, and if you can’t do that then do something worth writing about.

Keep up the good work!

Non Fiction

Niki Schafer – Dwell Being

Emma Harden – Madam

Helen Wright - Taking the Turbulance out of Teenagehood

Lynn Serafinn – The 7 Graces of Marketing

Francesca Nield – Too Deep for Tears

Scriptwriting & Screenplay

Pauline Campbell – Sporting a Feisty Shade of Brown

Conor Ibrahiem – Razak Factor

Helen Pletts – The False Bride

Caroline Ferguson – Waiting for Big Elephant

Ahmed Khan – American Dream

Songwriting (Adults)

David Hardwick – Kickstart Your Life

Ken Brown – What Love Is

Malcolm Stretton – Blood On My TV

Kay Fallico – Delirious

Jack Shaw – Walk Away

Songwriting (Under 16s)

Joel Cranefield – Sports Relief Song

Zaineb Al-Shamary – Listen To The Cries

Alice Todd – Its My Time

Published Writer of the Year

Jenny Downham – You Against Me (David Fickling Books)

Sufiya Ahmed – Secrets of the Henna Girl (Puffin Books)

Carolyn Jess-Cook – The Guardian Angel’s Journal (Piatkus)

Na’ima B Robert – Far From Home (Frances Lincoln)

Ian Beck – The Haunting of Charity Delafield (The Bodley Head)

Dillon Khan – The Intern (Penguin Books)

Jonathan Stroud – Bartimaeus – The Ring of Solomon (Doubleday)

Novels

Andrew Fuller – The Birdman’s Apprentice

Shama Naqushbandi – The White House

Rattan Mann – The Prime Minister

Kazim Zaidi – The Lesser Jihad

Barry Hale – Felt Tip Pen

Children’s Stories

To be announced…

Short Stories

To be announced…

Short Stories (Under 16s)

To be announced…

Poetry

To be announced…

Poetry (Under 16s)

To be announced…

If it doesn't kill you... it makes you a stronger writer? by Emma Woodcock

As authors we often put our characters into dangerous or frightening situations. We try to imagine how it would feel, and how they would react. We draw on what experiences we have. But unless your life is a lot more exciting than mine, such experiences are pretty thin on the ground. I suspect that sometimes when we think we are drawing on experiences we are actually drawing on our memories of other stories.

I’m coming to realise that on the rare occasions I do find myself in a pickle, it seldom feels the way I might expect.

A mishap last week saw me stuck in a peat bog, alone, in a remote area of the Peak District. And when I say 'stuck' I mean, up to my bum in porridgey mud and unable to pull one of my legs free (you can read the whole sorry tale here). As if that wasn't bad enough, I had no idea how deep the bog went, and I was still sinking...

If I was writing this scene in fiction, and trying to imagine myself in the situation, I expect there would be a lot of internal monologue; a lot of self goading, marshalling of strength, split-second contemplations of all the ways it could play out, and what the consequences would be. There might be tears, either during or after the event.

What actually happened is that I became absolutely focused and purposeful. I don't recall thinking a single thing. I don't mean I was in a blind, stupid panic. I just mean, I acted instinctively. I saw no options about my actions, and nothing else was important. So there was nothing to think about.

I did two things: I screamed for help (and felt no embarrassment at doing so), and I began to dig at the sucking mud around my trapped leg.

The screaming went completely unnoticed, as I'd expected. But it was worth a try. The digging eventually allowed me to pull myself free.

As soon as I was safely back on dry land the more expected behaviour kicked in – swearing, trembling and brain-dead staring at nothing for minutes at a time.

This has led me to consider my meagre personal stock of dangerous or frightening experiences.

As a child I was obsessed with horror films. They scared the crap out of me, but I *had* to watch them - I recall on one occasion pretending to go to bed, but sneaking back into the living room and hiding behind the sofa to stay up watching Hammer House of Horror.

I was consequently quite a nervy child. I was scared of the dark. I saw monsters in shadowy corners. I expected axe-wielding maniacs to leap out from my wardrobe. Even when I got older these fears didn't go away (After our GCSEs some school friends and I went away on a trip, staying in a remote camping barn in Wales with NO ADULT SUPERVISION! Somehow I ended up with the much coveted bed beside the boy everyone fancied. But on my other side was the dark, open stairwell. The other girls were astonished that I voluntarily gave up my prime spot, opting to swap for a bed in the corner of the room. They seemed nonplussed by my explanation that I'd be the first one 'got' by anything slinking up the stairs).

So how do you think I reacted on a different occasion at home when I woke in the middle of the night, a storm raging outside, hearing a banging sound from the empty bedroom above mine? When I leapt to switch on the light, and found the electricity was out?

If you'd asked me beforehand I'd have had no doubt that I would run blubbering and screaming from the room – straight to mum and dad.

But that's not what I did. Being of a slightly gothic tendency at the time, I had candles and matches to hand, so I quickly mustered some flickering, shadow-enhancing light. I climbed the curved staircase to the empty bedroom – which btw, my mum was decorating at the time, so all the furniture was in unfamiliar positions and covered in pale dust sheets.

Yes, I was scared. Yes, my heart was hammering. But I also knew really that ghosts are nonsense. I knew there must be a rational explanation. So I walked through the shrouded furniture until I discovered the source of the noise – the window had come unlatched and was slamming repeatedly against its frame. Mystery solved. Emma not such a wuss as she thought.

And what about the time our dog fell in the canal, and the sides were too steep for him to climb out? He began to swim desperately around, failing to find a place he could get out, and visibly tiring. Everyone stood around, shouting encouragement to the dog, but not really knowing what to do. The water wasn't that deep, but the bottom looked soft and sludgy. Luckily there was an old girder lying across the mud, propped against various bits of tree and other debris. I climbed down onto this and tried to reach across to the now panicky dog. I couldn't balance, so ordered my dad, “Hold me steady!” Which he did, and I was then able to reach the dog, and lift him out.

Under ordinary circumstances I wouldn't dream of snapping orders at my dad. But I have come to realise that there is a very different mindset which comes on in times of danger: absolutely focused and ruthless, with no respect of social nicety.

I don't often find myself in dangerous situation, and I'm glad of it. But examining the way I've behaved at such times has led me to realise that character is a lot more complex and mutable than you might necessarily think; that in a crisis, anything can happen. An anxious, dithery girl can take charge and do what needs doing. The people you might expect to know what to do, don't always.

I like the possibilities that presents.

My advice? Next time you experience some traumatic mishap, write about it. Examine your feelings and actions. Were they what you would have expected? If the experience didn't kill you, it might just make you a stronger writer.

Further to this thread, you might also enjoy these thoughts on the psychology of the rescued.

Emma Woodcock will be a regular contributor on The Unofficial 'Brit Writers and Writers Everywhere' blog

The Treasure Hunt For Inspiration by Rumki Chowdhry

I did my MA dissertation on the 'Female Gothic.' Although Horace Walpole was the founding father of Gothic Literature with 'For Whom The Bell Tolls,' Ann Radcliffe was the founder of the Female Gothic. Her novels which ranges from 'The Mysteries of Udolpho,' 'The Italian,' to 'Romance in the Forest' contains all the sensibilities and struggles of a woman as well as the sublime, mystery and supernatural. I'm not going too deep into this topic because that would become another 12,000-16,000-word dissertation. 

Inspiration.

It's something many writers struggle with when hitting that wall, you know, that 'block,' writers block. We end up having to look for inspiration, maybe a nice walk outside or even a nap, hoping to dream the dream that would become a novel (sort of like Stephenie Meyer, who dreamed the dream that would become a bestseller within just a month...'Twilight.'). 

Nature.

I just recently took a 24-hour cruise from Sweden to Finland and let me tell you, it was nothing short of breath taking. I have no words to describe the beauty of the sea, small islands and lovely cottage-like homes perched upon emerald. Not even the rainy weather could take away the lovely experience I was having and am now sharing with you. Nature is that thing hidden behind skyscrapers and in between smaller buildings that city-dwellers have to fathom rather than directly view. This treasure hunt takes place in cities like London and New York City. Nature is inspiring and something that we should all strive to experience once in a while; especially writers!

That brings me to the point about Ann Radcliffe. She was a brilliant writer, in my opinion. I was thoroughly inspired by her use of description of landscape in France and Italy. But, here's the amazing part...she's never actually travelled to those countries before. What an imagination! 

Happy treasure-hunting, physically or fantastically!

Rumki Chowdhry is a regular contributor on The Unofficial 'Brit Writers and Writers Everywhere' blog

Unleash Your Inner Best-seller by Kim Ward

Not so long ago, a wise writer told me the fastest way from side show author to International best-seller was to unleash the inner writing voice that makes authors heard. At the time I knew this was sound advice but what I didn't know was how to find my writing voice.

I tried the old have a glass a wine and just let the pen go where it may, routine. That only ended in a few sloppy paragraphs held together by a smattering of old school adjectives that no one even uses any more.

From there I tried the modern day method of talking out my book while recording it in hopes of a book that would lead me to 10,000 copies sold. All I got from that experience was a few pages of poorly transcribed run-on sentences.

I am no quitter so I decided to dig deep, and try a method that had served me well when working on my first book. I decided to leave all judgement to the editors. Instead of being concerned about what was a proper fit, what words would evoke a flurry of feelings and what characters would illuminate my pages, I wrote what came to me and nothing more.

The words flowed like a beautiful silk gown draped over a princesses body.  Well, maybe that is an exaggeration, but the truth is in order to find your writing voice, you just have to be comfortable and confident in what you write. Don’t think about it, don’t strategize about it, instead be like NIKE and Just Do It!

Written by Kim Ward

My Secret Room by Kereen Getten

One in four of us will experience a mental health problem every year. But we still don’t talk about it (MIND Mental Health organisation)

The room is black. Pitch black. You feel alone, but in reality you’re surrounded by people. In your room, your secret room no-one knows about, there is no way out, no escape; it has become your fate, your destiny to be here. You are trapped.

​​The room is closing in, and you can’t breathe, your heart begins to quicken, and you panic, and shake. Now there is a hole, a dark hole creeping towards your feet. And you want to jump in and let it consume you, swallow you up, because there is no point in standing alone in a dark room listening to that voice taunting you, telling you to jump. No-one can hear your silent screams for help, and the tears gush uncontrollably in a torrent of pain, as you realise, this is it, this is your life.

​

​YOUNG MINDS an organisation for adolescent mental health, quotes that 1 in 10 children aged between 5-16 suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. That is around three children in every class.

60% of our children in care suffer from a mental illness

95% of young offenders are diagnosed with some form of mental illness, usually more than one type.

​

For some sufferers though, mental illness is triggered by an event, the birth of a child, the death of a close one, an illness, and financial worries.

​A brave young mum tells me it was an illness that triggered her depression. I have chosen to call her Alice.

​When did you first recognise you were suffering from a mental illness?
I didn't, a nurse in hospital did, I was recovering in a rehabilitation Centre after having a brain virus. It was a result of the virus and my stay in hospital.

​What were the signs?
Very anxious, crying a lot, wanting to stay in bed, no interest in interacting with people I didn’t really know, lack of concentration, loss of interest in personal appearance, lack of appetite

Was it an easy issue for you to deal with?

​Not at all, worst time of my life

​

Depression is a slow mental death, if you do nothing about it. It eats at all your hopes and dreams, it tells you lies, that no-one loves you, and no-one wants you around. It stamps on your energy, and crushes all sense of happiness from the inside out.

​

Sarah Lancashire: Actress: "My twenties were a write-off. It's a cruel illness, because you can't see it and you can hide it so well."

Stephen Fry: Actor and director: "I may have looked happy. Inside I was hopelessly depressed."

Robbie Williams: Singer:"The depression isn't about anything; it's not about 'woe is me'. It's like the worst flu all day and you can't kick it."​

Keisha Buchanan: Singer, Sugababes: "With depression, you can go in and out of it and not really know whether it's still there or not. Sometimes I'd find myself bursting into tears for no reason."

George Michael: Singer: "Twelve years of depression and fear and lots of other bad stuff. It was as if I had a curse on me. I couldn't believe how much God was piling on at once."

​

Our mental illness becomes our secret, it becomes a dark shameful secret room that no-one knows about.

Talking about mental health, can strengthen friendships, aid recovery, break down stereotypes, and remove the taboo from something that affects us all” (MIND)

​

What were the stigmas you have come across?
Alice: People thinking you’re mad, pathetic, weak, should be able to pull yourself together

How did you make the decision to deal with your illness, and what did you do?

Alice: I didn’t, I was prescribed anti-depressants while in the rehab Centre

What would be your advice to anyone suffering in silence?
Alice: Don’t be ashamed and talk to someone/anyone even if it’s nobody you know, get help

Mental illness affects everyone. It is not particular about race, sex, ability or disability. It is not a 'weak' illness for 'weak people.

It is estimated that 60 soldiers a month are diagnosed with mental illness, two a day.

There is no shame in having your secret room Brit Writers, but no longer keeping it a secret should be the first fight against your illness. Make it your mission to find the door, open it, and let some-one in, anyone.

It’s time we talked.

If you would like help on the subject discussed. Please contact your local GP immediately, or the following organisations.

http://www.depressionuk.org/national_links.shtml

http://www.mind.org.uk/

​

Look – My Writing on a Website! by Sarah Gate

Hello all. First of all I would like to introduce myself to the others writers. My name is Sarah Gate and for as long as I can remember I have wanted to write a book.

It began when I was just a little girl. I wrote a story when I was ten and the teacher was impressed by it. Since then I have wanted everyone in the world to read everything I write.

I am addicted to seeing my work published, whether it be in the familiar pages of my local Leeds Guide or on my own blog. I am excited when I see that people have read something I have written - thrilled to the very core if I know they liked it. The first time I was published on a website I kept checking the page every day to see my name. Look! It’s me! My written work is somewhere where people can actually read it!

My passion to please people through words was always going lead to an attempt to write a book. Like most budding book writers, I have begun and ended numerous projects that I have not deemed good enough for publication. Who would ever have thought that doing something you love so much could be so – difficult!

I get tired and lazy. I get paranoid and confused. I get halfway through my book and decide I should start again. I have fallen ill with writers block and lost work when I broke my memory stick (happened when I was in Haiti – really long story).  I have a tirade of excuses I could give you as to why, almost six years after I had my first serious attempt at writing a novel, I still have not fully completed anything.

It is this journey I want to document with you through Brit Writers. I hope that by having you all here with me I may be further encouraged to give this a real go. I know in my heart that I will keep trying until I get there in the end. I can’t comprehend the idea that I might not. I believe that writing is something that is just within a person. Some people want to act. Some people want to paint. Some people want to write. 

I want to write. And I will.

JK Rowling & The Power of Surprise by Howard Robinson

I haven't had the chance to read JK Rowling 's new novel The Casual Vacancy yet but, like many, I've scanned the reviews which, predictably perhaps, were circumspect at best. How much of the tepid response, I wonder, was down to the novel itself and how much because it wasn't titled Harry Potter and The Casual Vacancy?

Rowling was always going to be on a hiding to nothing. When you have created a world as imaginative and era-defining as Harry Potter's which, for many will represent their childhood the way Roald Dahl does mine, any new work is going to suffer in comparison.

But that's not the point. Rowling has committed herself to do what every writer should: to take the reader on a journey, to make the reader work just a bit and to retain an element of surprise. And that doesn't just mean in terms of story line or character, but in subject matter too; in addressing issues and themes that perhaps you would not expect to read from that particular author. She has resisted the temptation to slip into a formula purely because it has worked spectacularly before. Nor has she decided to retreat into retirement, count her cash and leave her reputation intact. The Potter series ended at a natural break in the characters' school careers and Rowling resisted the urge and indeed the calls to keep writing new Potter stories simply because she could. She took the step instead to take herself and us with her into a new and very different environment, knowing that many would find the transition a difficult one to make. But that's no bad thing. Rowling knows more than most of us Brit Writers that, done effectively, challenging the reader can engage and involve them in a way that spoon feeding every answer and tying every loose end rarely can.

I had an email from somebody who had read my first book, The Bitterest Pill. Towards the end of that book one character cuts his wrists. My correspondent told me that she felt it seemed right that the character in question should have taken their own life. My response was that I never made up my mind that they had; I left it open ended because I didn't necessarily think it was my decision to make, But I loved the fact that the reader was so challenged and engaged with the characters that she had reached her own conclusion completely unaided. Her view and indeed mine may well be different from yours.

So let's not resort to the easy option of knocking The Casual Vacancy or judge it out of context. It may be impossible to do so but lets read it instead as if Harry Potter had never existed and make up our own minds. Kids and kids at heart owe JK Rowling nothing less. And who knows, it could be magical.

Howard Robinson

Two Houses - One Vision by Jeremy Brinton

This year’s London Book Fair mooted that the traditional publishing model is broken (I tweeted on this at the time). How eye-catching that two UK-based literary award organisations that appear to be in competition should now complement and endorse each other. Not quite the Houses of Montague and Capulet but clearly both Founders of the Brit Writers Awards and The People’s Book Prize are aligned and share the same vision. 

Is this then the first step of a smart partnership that promotes inclusivity? Embracing the spirit of democracy, let writers and readers decide. It has my vote.  By Jeremy Brinton.

Jeremy Brinton

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Exclusive Interview with Imran Akram, Founder of Brit Writers Awards

www.peoplesbookprize.com

Exclusive Interview with Tatiana Wilson, Founder of The People’s Book Prize

www.britwriters.com

Welcome to Julie O'Yang!

Julie O'Yang is a novelist and visual artist based in The Netherlands.

Born and brought up in China, she came to Europe in 1990’s to study at the University of London. Then she read Japanese Language and Culture at the University of Leiden, Holland, and Tokyo, Japan. Her fiction, short fiction, poetry and articles have appeared worldwide.

Her most recent novel BUTTERFLY has received praises from global audiences as well as international literary and art scene. Known for her unique literary voice both daring and challengingly contemporary, she is a forerunner and trendsetter of media reforms and 21th century indie publishing.

Julie O'Yang is a contributor to Brit Writers.

Julie’s blog

Julie’s website

The importance of a book review...by Claire Kinton

When a book is launched into the world, the publisher throws an elaborate launch party, with champagne and caviar.  All those that matter in the literary world are invited to the glittering affair.  Then there’s the book tour, where you’ll read at all the best independent bookshops in the country, there are radio and television interviews to prepare for.  Glossy magazine journalists write stories, with professional and colourful photographs of you with the kids and the dog, giving the back-story to the book and the author.  Followed swiftly by a bidding war for the film rights and once sold, the author is flown out, first class, to meet the producer and offered a part in her own story, starring beside Brad Pitt.

Now... I believe, there is somewhere out there, in a galaxy far far away, a parallel universe where all of this could well be happening.  Alas, it happens to one in a million on this planet.  What really happens when an author gets published is; the author gets ten free copies to give to family and friends, a quick gin and tonic, possibly a slap up meal out with the family or a few beers with some close friends.  Your local bookshop, where you’ve been a loyal customer all your life, agrees to let you do a book-reading and signing and occasionally if your book fits, your local school might have you in to do a writing workshop... but the students can’t afford to buy the book and ask if it’s in the library. 

After that... if you’re not on the ball... Nada.

What really matters once your book is out there are the reviews.  Book reviews are so important to authors and have a tremendous impact on sales.  Along with good marketing and book ratings, the reviews are the most persuasive book-buying influence of all.  People want to know what others think of the book before they buy it.  Some will kindly post a review on Amazon, facebook or twitter and share their thoughts, while others keep it to themselves and make a private note to either support the author, or to never again read another word they’ve written.

For the author, it can be scary and intimidating, particularly as there’s always the possibility of a negative review.  But you’ve put your work out there for the world to read and to be judged, not everyone is going to be a fan but you have to take the risk to get the exposure.  Rejection and negative comments are going to happen; it’s all part and parcel of being an author.

Dead Game had thousands of downloads over its short free spell on Kindle.  The end verdict was... number one in fairytales, number two in fantasy and number fifteen overall.  The exposure has been amazing and personally I’d do it all again tomorrow if I could.  I love the fact that people are reading my work.  Reviews on Amazon are now coming in.  

What will the world think?  I’d really like to know.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/DEAD-GAME-ebook/dp/B00500PYH4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347571381&sr=8-1

A Brit Writers interview with Mr Cesar Egido, President of Museo de la Palabra – ‘Museum of Words’

 

Who is Mr Cesar Egido and what inspired you to set up this Foundation?
"I am an entrepreneur that owns a media company. I created the Foundation because of two reasons; one of them was that I thought that for Spain it would be convenient to create new initiatives of patronage that would give back to benefit society as part of the legitimate funds of business benefits. The other reason is to make aware the public opinion about the use of the Foundation, it is claimed that subsidies are from governmental institutions. The initiatives we carry out are financed with our own resources."

Please tell us more about the reasons behind your current competition ‘Words and Freedom’
"The 21^st century cannot continue to be like the medieval times, where wars were fought primarily because of religion, mainly between Jewish, Arab and the Christian faiths. Words and dialogue have to be the main tool against violence and the freedom that will set peoples free of fundamentalist’s attitudes."

Tell us more about the work of your Foundation and how important is ‘partnership’ working is to you?
"Nowadays nothing can be done in the world if you do not do it cooperating honestly with other institutions with similar spirits."



How does your competition work and what is the prize? - III Edition of the International Flash Fiction Competition “Museum of Words”
"The first prize is $20,000 to the winner and three runners up of $1,000. Short stories have to be of a maximum of 100 words. Writers can enter the competition through our website on the following link"
http://www.museodelapalabra.com/en/short-tales-contest/3-edition/participation-form

How important are initiatives such as Brit Writers?
"To us it is very important the work that organizations such as Brit Writers do and we are willing to cooperate on their initiatives."

What else would you like to say to anyone reading this right now?
"With the endless possibilities that the network offers nowadays, the world will be of those who will send simpler messages, capable of provoking solidarity between all those who receive it."


Thank you Mr Cesar Egido

Regret vs Rejection by Kim Ward

In the realm of the writing world there is nothing harder to swallow then a well written rejection letter.  The words, “Thank you for your submission…..BUT…..at this time we are not interested.” Stings worse than a wasp attack on a spring day.

But, let’s face it we have all been there. In fact, I have been there over forty times. No matter how much talent you have, no matter how alive your characters are, and no matter how gripping your story is you will get rejected at least once.

Rejection goes with authors like peanut butter goes with jelly. You almost never have one without the other. The good news is this letter is not the end all. In fact a rejection letter can often be the beginning. Once you get your first rejection letter you can consider yourself a real author. From that point you are ready to move to the next level, try harder, and dig deeper. There are thousands of publishing houses, so don’t let a few “no thank you’s” stand in your way of a properly bound best-seller.

The way I look at it is this. I would rather get turned down a million times and at least know I tried; rather than look back at my life with regret for never having the guts to take a few punches and keep fighting forward.

Writing is a tough job. That is a fact.  It is also a fact that regret stings harder than rejection. So tweak your proposal and march on, tomorrow the mailman might deliver you something more valuable than sting ointment. He just might deliver you an acceptance letter!

Kim Ward

My Adoring Public by Matt Ward

Brit Writers would like to welcome Matt Ward, an avid blogger : ) 

   I decided a while back, with the roads the way they are, that I would try and use the train as much as possible. This morning I jumped on a train from Slateford Station and was in the centre of Edinburgh within 13 minutes. For once I was impressed with the Scotrail service. A clean, tidy and quiet train and with what felt like aircon whirling around (was probably just a window open somewhere on the carriage), made this travel experience a pleasant one. My train was only stopping and not terminating at Waverley Station, so as we approached the platform, an orderly queue was forming. I was now standing with my ‘trigger’ finger at the ready, avoiding eye contact with the gentleman next to me, for he was my competition on ‘Who can push the button first’! There’s no real way of telling who managed to open the doors first, but for the benefit of this story, I won.

As the doors slid open, we were greeted by the line of passengers waiting to get on the train. I’m not ashamed to admit it, but for a split second, I pretended that I was a famous rock star turning up at sell-out gig, greeted by my screaming & adoring fans (We’ve all done it, right?). Unfortunately this wasn’t the case. The people who met us off the train didn’t appear to be the cheeriest of bunches and thought the best way of them getting on the train, was to stand preventing us getting off it. I’m not sure if they had thought this through properly or if this tactic had ever worked in the past? Perhaps they thought I was going to some how crowd surf my way off the train and along the platform, clinging onto my man-bag & laptop for dear life. Or if I was just going to just stand there and let them all charge straight for me. I don’t think they cared too much about me, so long as they got on this train before it departed. I did come up with the idea of joining forces with the man next to me and clothes lining everyone in our path, but I think he was still in the cream puff after losing our wee competition earlier. That would have been the most enjoyable option, but instead I just tensed my muscles (I’m built like a jockeys whip) and barraged my way through the masses, using my bags as shields to protect me from my adoring public.

I think I may have caught a few guys in the crown jewels with my laptop bag on the way through, but I wasn't hanging around to find out. I may have also heard one of those same gentlemen informing me that I required a haircut, but that could have just been my Dad’s advice ringing in my ears. Anyway, for me that was now in the past as I ventured onwards and upwards. Onwards to the always happy and smiley ticket conductors and upwards to a sun baked Princes Street, for another day as a leading contender in the ‘rat race’.

Matt Ward