Here we are once again at the end of the seasons. It's that time of year when we all look forward to something better to happen in the next twelve months. Some people will just hope their own personal life experience will improve; some just hope it won't get any worse, and some just hope it will improve generaly.
Then there are some who believe it will improve for everyone, no matter what walk of life they come from, they just know all life is special in its own way.
If you are one of these people then you have the greatest gifts of all to give to mankind, and that's a positive outlook for the future.
Before I go I wanted to say a big thank you to all the people around the world who have been following my blog. From Great Britian, America, China, Russia, Germany, Africa, Middle East, Canada, the list goes on and on. I thank you all for one reason. Life is hard, but when you are sharing it's ups and downs with other people, then it becomes just a little bit better.
Please feel free to keep logging on. Over the next three months all will come to an end as I finsih my journey, but then as one door closes, another will open.
P.S
Thank you for the various jokes you have sent in for Joker's Monday and if you have any more, or just want to share your experiences then email me at danieljonesfrenzy@gmail.com
Monday 31 December 2012
Friday 28 December 2012
Break needed
Everyone needs a break, that's why there was no blog on Boxing day. Last year I took a Christmas Break from my book. This year from my blog.
The story goes on into 2013 and then we will catch up with 2014, where the end will be known to all who follow.
Do I make it?
Do I get published?
Or do I end up the scrap heap of failed want to be authors?
Carry on reading (and I hope enjoying) as we ride into 2014.
The story goes on into 2013 and then we will catch up with 2014, where the end will be known to all who follow.
Do I make it?
Do I get published?
Or do I end up the scrap heap of failed want to be authors?
Carry on reading (and I hope enjoying) as we ride into 2014.
Monday 24 December 2012
Joker's Monday (Christmas Eve)
As you will know I try to tell a joke or two on a Monday to bring a cheer to the new week, but today it shouldn't be needed.
Chrsitmas Eve can and should be a happy time for anyone with faith, no matter what religion (or belief) it is; because you see all reglions are correct, they are just telling the same story, but in a different language.
If you had five different people from five different countrys who could only speak their mother tongue, and couldn't understand or speak any other; then you stood all five in front of a tree and asked them what it was, you would get five different words for a tree. They all see the same tree, they all understand what it means and they all have a word to describe it.
The problems comes when these five people don't understand each other and they start to argue over who has the right word to describe the tree. They start fighting each other and in the process they end up destroying what was once a pure tree just to prove their point.
So lets just enjoy life and do our best to help others who struggle to see the beauty of the tree.
So to every out there from around the world who had been following my story, no matter what you do or don't believe in, I wish you all a merry Christmas.
Chrsitmas Eve can and should be a happy time for anyone with faith, no matter what religion (or belief) it is; because you see all reglions are correct, they are just telling the same story, but in a different language.
If you had five different people from five different countrys who could only speak their mother tongue, and couldn't understand or speak any other; then you stood all five in front of a tree and asked them what it was, you would get five different words for a tree. They all see the same tree, they all understand what it means and they all have a word to describe it.
The problems comes when these five people don't understand each other and they start to argue over who has the right word to describe the tree. They start fighting each other and in the process they end up destroying what was once a pure tree just to prove their point.
So lets just enjoy life and do our best to help others who struggle to see the beauty of the tree.
So to every out there from around the world who had been following my story, no matter what you do or don't believe in, I wish you all a merry Christmas.
Friday 21 December 2012
Copy right
One very important thing that all unpublished writers, infact for any unknown artist, must do and that is to protect your work. I have given out my manuscript in its different forms to various poeple to read, and comment on, to agents and publishers, plus online writers services.
In circulation is a brillant story that can be stolen by a total stranger, who by changing a few words, and by printing it first can claim to have wrote it. Well they could have done but for one thing, I copy righted my origanal first draft before I started to send it out to all and sundry.
The final draft is total different from the first and even the title has changed, but I have enough proof either by hard copy or by copy right to protect my story.
How do you copy right?
It's quite easy, as normal, use the internet. There will be a copy right service for what ever country you live in, and then there are a couple for which you can copy right it internationly. It will cost you but it is well worth paying for.
It doesn't matter what art-form your creative in, make sure you copy right it before you start sending it out. There are so many sharks in this world who will glady make lots of money from your labour while leaving you skint, and bitter.
If you are also pennyless, then you aren't going to have any spare money to pay for expensive legal expenses to fight your claim if somebody nicks your work, and you don't have any proof it's your's in the first place.
Not only must you copy right it, but also keep any rough proofs or rejected (changed) copies of your work, anything which can lay a claim to you being the origanal artist of that piece.
I damned if someone is going to steal two years of my hard work and so should you!
In circulation is a brillant story that can be stolen by a total stranger, who by changing a few words, and by printing it first can claim to have wrote it. Well they could have done but for one thing, I copy righted my origanal first draft before I started to send it out to all and sundry.
The final draft is total different from the first and even the title has changed, but I have enough proof either by hard copy or by copy right to protect my story.
How do you copy right?
It's quite easy, as normal, use the internet. There will be a copy right service for what ever country you live in, and then there are a couple for which you can copy right it internationly. It will cost you but it is well worth paying for.
It doesn't matter what art-form your creative in, make sure you copy right it before you start sending it out. There are so many sharks in this world who will glady make lots of money from your labour while leaving you skint, and bitter.
If you are also pennyless, then you aren't going to have any spare money to pay for expensive legal expenses to fight your claim if somebody nicks your work, and you don't have any proof it's your's in the first place.
Not only must you copy right it, but also keep any rough proofs or rejected (changed) copies of your work, anything which can lay a claim to you being the origanal artist of that piece.
I damned if someone is going to steal two years of my hard work and so should you!
Wednesday 19 December 2012
March 2013
It was now one year into my adventure, one year since risking it all to get published. Like all things in life there had been good moments and bad moments, but I was now at the stage where I thought I had a good enough manuscripot to get noticed, and bypassing the agents slush pile by sending the neatly packaged story to a male agent seemed to have brought my first bit of positive news. He followed it up with a short email to say thank you.
A piece of good advice, before sending out any manuscripts to any agents or publishers always do some basic home work on the internet to find out if the people and organisations your are approaching are the type who would be interested in your style of story. It will save you a lot of time and effort (and money).
As normal I was always-hanging-around awaiting a further reply from the agent. About the same time I was emailed by a local writers organisation that ran different course, seminars and competitions for new writers in the area.
I had to double check the email, I couldn't believe it, they were organising a meeting for a group of unknown writers with an agent. Guess what? It was ony the very same agent who had just been received my story.
I thought this must be it. It was only open to ten people. You had to send in your first three chapters, etc, etc and then he would pick who he wanted to see. I knew from previous times these events would be flooded by hundreads of applicants, but I wasn't going to risk loosing this chance, and I applied to be one of the lucky few who hoped to make it to the meeting.
As normal it was a case of always-hanging-around. The cut off date was March the 15th 2013, you would know by this time if you had been selected. The nearer it got the more nervous I became, checking my email account two, three, sometimes half a dozern times a day. Waiting, always waiting for the email confirmation that you had been selected.
Two days before the final date I was sent an email direct from the agents asking if I was the same person who had had applied for the meeting, and sent the manuscript. I relied yes. Two days later I recieved an email from the writers group to say I was one of the lucky ten.
The first bit of good news in a twelve month swirling sea of rejections.
What would happen? Always-hanging-around, that is what happened. The sesson wasn't until the 28th of April!
A piece of good advice, before sending out any manuscripts to any agents or publishers always do some basic home work on the internet to find out if the people and organisations your are approaching are the type who would be interested in your style of story. It will save you a lot of time and effort (and money).
As normal I was always-hanging-around awaiting a further reply from the agent. About the same time I was emailed by a local writers organisation that ran different course, seminars and competitions for new writers in the area.
I had to double check the email, I couldn't believe it, they were organising a meeting for a group of unknown writers with an agent. Guess what? It was ony the very same agent who had just been received my story.
I thought this must be it. It was only open to ten people. You had to send in your first three chapters, etc, etc and then he would pick who he wanted to see. I knew from previous times these events would be flooded by hundreads of applicants, but I wasn't going to risk loosing this chance, and I applied to be one of the lucky few who hoped to make it to the meeting.
As normal it was a case of always-hanging-around. The cut off date was March the 15th 2013, you would know by this time if you had been selected. The nearer it got the more nervous I became, checking my email account two, three, sometimes half a dozern times a day. Waiting, always waiting for the email confirmation that you had been selected.
Two days before the final date I was sent an email direct from the agents asking if I was the same person who had had applied for the meeting, and sent the manuscript. I relied yes. Two days later I recieved an email from the writers group to say I was one of the lucky ten.
The first bit of good news in a twelve month swirling sea of rejections.
What would happen? Always-hanging-around, that is what happened. The sesson wasn't until the 28th of April!
Monday 17 December 2012
Joker's Monday (Guns are no good)
After the recent events (and now very frequent events) in America with the death of innocent young children killed with a gun, my heart sinks at these terrible events, not just there but also all the other people around the world whose life will be effected by that invention called, a gun!
Guns have only one purpose and thats to kill. If you love life then guns have no place in this world, and every last one should be melted down and the metal used for something usefull.
It's hard to be cheerfull when something bad happens, but if you don't have a release from all the hatrid that flows every day from all corners of the world then you will end up going mad and becoming bad.
So here it it, a joke for Monday.
DICTIONARY FOR MEN'S PERSON ADS.
40-ish =52 and looking for a 25 year-old.
Athletic = Sits on the sofa and watches Eurosport.
Average looking = Unusual hair growth on ears, nose, and back.
Educated = Will always treat you like an idiot.
Free spirit = Will sleep with your sister.
Friendship first = As long as it includes touching and nudity.
Fun = Good with a remote control and a six pack.
Good looking = Arrogant.
Honest = Pathological liar.
Huggable = Overweight, more body hair than a buffalo.
Likes to cuddle = Insecure, overly dependent.
Mature = Until you get to know him.
Open minded = Wants to sleep with your sister.
Physically fit = Spends a lot of time in front of the mirror.
Poet = Has written on a toilet wall.
Spiritual = Once went to church with his nan.
Stable = Occasional stalker, but never arrested.
Guns have only one purpose and thats to kill. If you love life then guns have no place in this world, and every last one should be melted down and the metal used for something usefull.
It's hard to be cheerfull when something bad happens, but if you don't have a release from all the hatrid that flows every day from all corners of the world then you will end up going mad and becoming bad.
So here it it, a joke for Monday.
DICTIONARY FOR MEN'S PERSON ADS.
40-ish =52 and looking for a 25 year-old.
Athletic = Sits on the sofa and watches Eurosport.
Average looking = Unusual hair growth on ears, nose, and back.
Educated = Will always treat you like an idiot.
Free spirit = Will sleep with your sister.
Friendship first = As long as it includes touching and nudity.
Fun = Good with a remote control and a six pack.
Good looking = Arrogant.
Honest = Pathological liar.
Huggable = Overweight, more body hair than a buffalo.
Likes to cuddle = Insecure, overly dependent.
Mature = Until you get to know him.
Open minded = Wants to sleep with your sister.
Physically fit = Spends a lot of time in front of the mirror.
Poet = Has written on a toilet wall.
Spiritual = Once went to church with his nan.
Stable = Occasional stalker, but never arrested.
Friday 14 December 2012
Give it another go
Give it another go, that's what I had decided to do, I would send out my new draft of my manuscript to an agent one more time to see if I could interest them in taking me on as a client. This time I was going to do it differently. I would first find a male agent who was interested in my style of story. I would also bypass the process of the slush pile and send it direct to him.
After a weeks work on my laptop scanning the internet I had found one who I thought could be the man to see the potential of my work. I had also visited a gift shop and bought some nice wrapping paper, and a gift box in which to post off my neatly printed pages of my manuscript.
I wrote a nice letter of introduction and had my wife package it all up as if she was wrapping a christmas present. I addressed it for his eyes only and then visited the post office were I paid the extra to have it posted special delivery. The parcel looked important and I knew it would be do its job of getting my manuscript past the first hurdle, the slush pile.
The agent in mind is a daily user of twitter, and when next day he twitted about receiving a special parcel which had caught his attention I knew I had hit the spot and was over my first hurdle.
Getting a book published has many hurdles to jump over, but at least I had made it over this one.
What to do next? All I could do was hang-around and wait for a reply.
After a weeks work on my laptop scanning the internet I had found one who I thought could be the man to see the potential of my work. I had also visited a gift shop and bought some nice wrapping paper, and a gift box in which to post off my neatly printed pages of my manuscript.
I wrote a nice letter of introduction and had my wife package it all up as if she was wrapping a christmas present. I addressed it for his eyes only and then visited the post office were I paid the extra to have it posted special delivery. The parcel looked important and I knew it would be do its job of getting my manuscript past the first hurdle, the slush pile.
The agent in mind is a daily user of twitter, and when next day he twitted about receiving a special parcel which had caught his attention I knew I had hit the spot and was over my first hurdle.
Getting a book published has many hurdles to jump over, but at least I had made it over this one.
What to do next? All I could do was hang-around and wait for a reply.
Wednesday 12 December 2012
The female advantage
Another envelope popped through the letter box. I thought it may have been from one of the publishers I had approached, but it was from an agent I had sent my first manuscript to the previous year.
The reply from the lady was polite, but a rejection is a rejection, and it still hurts as much the first time as it does the last.
Then I started to think! As all the polite rejections I had received had come from women, was there more to this than it looks? I now know at the time my manuscript wasn't good enough, but all new authors first version will need help and work on their story. So is there a factor which helps one unknown author over another?
Women have had to work very hard over the decades to gain an equal share in society, and because of this they now dominate in certain walks of life. Primary education and health services are two examples and the other is publishing.
All agents and publishers have what they call "the slush pile." They will receive hundreads of manuscripts (mostly slush) in a month which end up in a pile, and then in the bin without being read.
Women now dominate in sectors of this industry including trying to find a winning story amoung all the slush that piles up on their desks.
What would you do if you have to pick one story out of hundreads?
You would do what everyone does! You will pick out the one type of story that you find interesting.
As a man 99% of the books on my book self are by male authors. If you are a women and take a look at your book choice you will find most are by female authors.
Most new and unknown authors coming onto the market are now female.
Is there a sister act going on? I don't believe it, but I do think there is now a dangerous circle being created, one where unwittingly only the female side of the story is being told. Could this be the reason why most boys no longer read a book outside of school work?
The reply from the lady was polite, but a rejection is a rejection, and it still hurts as much the first time as it does the last.
Then I started to think! As all the polite rejections I had received had come from women, was there more to this than it looks? I now know at the time my manuscript wasn't good enough, but all new authors first version will need help and work on their story. So is there a factor which helps one unknown author over another?
Women have had to work very hard over the decades to gain an equal share in society, and because of this they now dominate in certain walks of life. Primary education and health services are two examples and the other is publishing.
All agents and publishers have what they call "the slush pile." They will receive hundreads of manuscripts (mostly slush) in a month which end up in a pile, and then in the bin without being read.
Women now dominate in sectors of this industry including trying to find a winning story amoung all the slush that piles up on their desks.
What would you do if you have to pick one story out of hundreads?
You would do what everyone does! You will pick out the one type of story that you find interesting.
As a man 99% of the books on my book self are by male authors. If you are a women and take a look at your book choice you will find most are by female authors.
Most new and unknown authors coming onto the market are now female.
Is there a sister act going on? I don't believe it, but I do think there is now a dangerous circle being created, one where unwittingly only the female side of the story is being told. Could this be the reason why most boys no longer read a book outside of school work?
Monday 10 December 2012
Joker's Monday (Tis the season to be jolly)
It's Monday, the day for a joke or two to cheer the soul at the start of the week. It's also a day to look back on the previous week and hope things will be better this week. When you do look back over recent events, with the usual voilence and mayhem that inflicts so many people's lives it can get depressing.
Sometimes it's better just for a short while to look to the future with a positive view, especially this time of year when we enter December and the Christmas period.
It doesn't matter what faith you believe in (or even none at all) I do find that as everyone heads towards Christmas the general mood of wellbeing, forgiveness and friendship does increase with all walks of life.
So as this is the season to be jolly here is a joke to get you on your way.
Success is.........
At age 4 success is not peeing your pants.
At age 12 success is having friends.
At age 17 success is having a driving licence.
At age 20 success is having sex.
At age 35 success is having money.
At age 50 success is having money.
At age 60 success is having sex.
At age 70 success is having friends.
at age 80 success is not peeing your pants.
If you having any jokes you wish to share with the world then feel free to email danieljonesfrenzy@gmail.com .
Sometimes it's better just for a short while to look to the future with a positive view, especially this time of year when we enter December and the Christmas period.
It doesn't matter what faith you believe in (or even none at all) I do find that as everyone heads towards Christmas the general mood of wellbeing, forgiveness and friendship does increase with all walks of life.
So as this is the season to be jolly here is a joke to get you on your way.
Success is.........
At age 4 success is not peeing your pants.
At age 12 success is having friends.
At age 17 success is having a driving licence.
At age 20 success is having sex.
At age 35 success is having money.
At age 50 success is having money.
At age 60 success is having sex.
At age 70 success is having friends.
at age 80 success is not peeing your pants.
If you having any jokes you wish to share with the world then feel free to email danieljonesfrenzy@gmail.com .
Friday 7 December 2012
Back to normal
After my little teck problem it's now back to normal and so the story continues.
Back to normal is a good title for today because regular followers will know that during my journey I had suffered crippling back pain and had decided not go under the knife, but to take a different route to my recover.
At my own expense which I couldn't now afford since quitting from my job to follow my dream of becoming published, I had paid for the services of a Chiropractor. Now I planned to suppliment this by going up the gym every morning during the week to try and improve my lower back strenth.
I got to know verious people who had the same condition as me, and had gone to the doctors and ended up under the knife. It didn't cost them anything as it was paid for by the national health service.
I wondered if I should have taken this route and saved much needed money which could have been used for day to day living expenses now I wasn't in paid employment. This thought only increased as I pounded the running machine and lifted the weights in terrible pain. I didn't loose any weight,I was just trying to improve my muscle tone and fu*k did it hurt.
But slowly the time I spent at the gym increased and my body movement began to inprove. The biggest change was when I drasticly cut down on the over-the-counter pain killers which had nearly consumed me in addiction. I planned to be off them within the month and the more I cut them out the less pain I suffered. It was stramge in a way. The less pain killers I took, the less pain I felt. If I replased and shoved a hand full of them into me the pain seemed to increase.
It was two days of hell, but by the end of the month I was down to four a day and then I stopped completely,and so did the pain.
That week I bumped into two people who had gone under the knife for the same back problem as me and had been pain free for six months, but, and this is a very big but, they both now suffered crippling pain in the very same place as before and were back at their doctors who were advising another more serious operation to correct the same problem, and both need serious pain killers just to get out of bed in the morning.
It make you think!
Back to normal is a good title for today because regular followers will know that during my journey I had suffered crippling back pain and had decided not go under the knife, but to take a different route to my recover.
At my own expense which I couldn't now afford since quitting from my job to follow my dream of becoming published, I had paid for the services of a Chiropractor. Now I planned to suppliment this by going up the gym every morning during the week to try and improve my lower back strenth.
I got to know verious people who had the same condition as me, and had gone to the doctors and ended up under the knife. It didn't cost them anything as it was paid for by the national health service.
I wondered if I should have taken this route and saved much needed money which could have been used for day to day living expenses now I wasn't in paid employment. This thought only increased as I pounded the running machine and lifted the weights in terrible pain. I didn't loose any weight,I was just trying to improve my muscle tone and fu*k did it hurt.
But slowly the time I spent at the gym increased and my body movement began to inprove. The biggest change was when I drasticly cut down on the over-the-counter pain killers which had nearly consumed me in addiction. I planned to be off them within the month and the more I cut them out the less pain I suffered. It was stramge in a way. The less pain killers I took, the less pain I felt. If I replased and shoved a hand full of them into me the pain seemed to increase.
It was two days of hell, but by the end of the month I was down to four a day and then I stopped completely,and so did the pain.
That week I bumped into two people who had gone under the knife for the same back problem as me and had been pain free for six months, but, and this is a very big but, they both now suffered crippling pain in the very same place as before and were back at their doctors who were advising another more serious operation to correct the same problem, and both need serious pain killers just to get out of bed in the morning.
It make you think!
Thursday 6 December 2012
Testing
Testing, testing, one, two, three.
Due to some unexplained teck problem I have been unable to post at my usual rate.If this goes through o.k I will be back to my normal retort.
Due to some unexplained teck problem I have been unable to post at my usual rate.If this goes through o.k I will be back to my normal retort.
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