Guest blog for Womagwriter: why being determined is essential for a writer

So excited today to see my short story Back on Track in the Summer Special of The People's Friend.  I have been trying on and off for nearly 20 years to get a story accepted here and it is great to finally achieve this.  Tenacity is essential for a writer.

And if you want to find out more about getting short stories published, I am honoured to have written a guest post for the brilliant, inspirational Womagwriter Blog - an essential resource for anyone wanting to write fiction for the magazine market.  Click here to find out more about the process from submitting my story to People's Friend to the publication date over a year later. https://womagwriter.blogspot.com/2019/05/guest-post-by-womagwriter-jane-ayres.html

CUT - a new opportunity for short story writers!

If you love reading and/or writing short stories, then check out this new resource for readers and writers
http://www.cutalongstory.com/

It is described as "a writer’s e-publishing community platform, where professional and semi-professional writers can freely get their work digitally published and marketed to a global reader audience, giving writers a ‘voice’ to their readers. This enables writers to spend time on their creative output, in the certain knowledge that they can simply upload their work and CUT will do the rest: create a beautiful e-book and market it to a global reader audience....CUT has a simple model which gives writers a fair deal, where each writer receives 50% of the sale proceeds, after deducting minimal transaction costs."
 

Word Count Podcast: short stories read aloud!

You can now HEAR one of my short stories, read by the wonderful Lisa Payne, on The Word Count Podcast. I'm totally chuffed about this as I am in company with 8 brilliant writers. Please check it out!    http://thewordcount.libsyn.com/the-word-count-episode-40

Here's the list of stories (mine is called Finders, Keepers).

Sun, 11 May 2014

The Word Count-Episode 40

"Glass. Bed. Bow."
This weeks show challenges our Word Count Irregulars to weave a tale around three words.  Nine fabulous authors were up for the challenge and we are happy to bring you the largest number of stories in a single episode of the Word Count since its humble beginings.
Host: R. B. Wood  Show Notes: www.rbwood.com
Our Guests:
Eden Baylee "The Final Countdown"
M. A. Fink "Living in a Bubble"
Jane Ayers "Finders, Keepers"
C. Thomas Smith "El Chupr’aw Who Gives A Shit"
Cameron Garriepy "Calm as Glass"
M. M. Tosen "Caprice"
Matthew Munson "Glass"
Kasen Seton "The 3rd Division"
Bill Kirton "Princess"

Direct download: TWCep40.mp3

And for more info on the writers featured go to http://www.rbwood.com/index.php/rbwood-blog

Saying it Louder

I have 5 copies left of a popular poetry and story collection (now out of print) that I edited called, Saying it Louder;  diverse and exciting poetry and short stories from 61 new writers, which includes my poem "Louder". 

Reader comments include:

“I didn’t think I was into poetry books but this one is very different.”

“This is a highly enjoyable and accessible read…I already have at least 6 favourites.”

 “It looks great, well laid out and I’ve really enjoyed reading it.”

“I was most impressed – and the cover design is really excellent.”

“A breath of fresh air.”

Cost is £5 (retail price was £7.99) and payment is by Paypal.  Postage and packing is £2.60 per book, but will be combined for multiple copies. If you wish to make a purchase, place contact me at workingwords50(at)gmail dot com for information on how to order.  

A great early Xmas present!!!

Short stories, novels and emotional engagement

I recently had a conversation with another writer about short stories versus longer forms, such as novels.  I enjoy reading and writing both.  But if I am honest, I do find it difficult to remember short stories that I have read, even though I would say that it is my favourite form to write (especially flash fiction). Is it because a short story gives us less time to get to know the characters and to make an emotional connection?  For me, memory and emotional engagement go hand in hand. In a novel we have time to develop a relationship with the characters. And if we fall in love with them, we won't want to leave.  We care about them.

Writing a novel is a huge emotional commitment - and a time consuming one.  It's a big task, in every sense.

And it made me think  - am I basically a lazy writer? Okay, so I have completed and published over 30 novels for children and teenagers, the biggest being only 35,000 words.  I don't think in epic forms.  I'm sure I would really struggle with 100,000 words.  When I write a short story it naturally takes around 1000 words.  I love the brevity of the form, and the discipline. The skill and joy of flash fiction, where you may have only 100 or 200 words to tell a tale, is a challenge I find highly satisfying.  Every word counts.  Every word has to earn a place in the story.

I'm currently reading The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis and am fascinated by the way she manages to take us inside the minds of her characters so quickly, and to leave the reader asking questions.

As a writer/reader/both, do you have a favourite form?  And is your preferred reading form the same as your favourite writing form?

Related post: http://janeayres.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/does-size-matter-lydia-davis-wins-man.html

Selling short stories - a new opportunity

For those of you who enjoy writing short stories you might find this new venture of interest:

Launching in early 2013, cutalongstory (CUT) represents a major new opportunity for writers.

CUT offers a no-cost method of launching new stories, promoting them to a huge audience of potential readers – and with the author getting paid every time a story is downloaded.

CUT is dedicated to offering the most compelling selection of short stories ever assembled: a global back-catalogue of classics together with stories from contemporary authors both new and established.

CUT is the creation of a team of people who share a special vision for the short story and we invite you to join us.

To register your interest visit: www.cutalongstory.com

For more info go to

http://www.nawe.co.uk/DB/nawe-news/sell-your-short-stories.html

I've signed up to find out more.