tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942294427695379658.post1084543129971969667..comments2024-03-19T09:19:45.353+00:00Comments on Dan's Adventures in Fiction: Success at the Seán Ó Faoláin PrizeDan Purduehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01633271913854946500noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942294427695379658.post-67939115484356355432012-09-08T20:20:02.298+01:002012-09-08T20:20:02.298+01:00Thanks, everyone. I've not been ignoring you, ...Thanks, everyone. I've not been ignoring you, just being madly busy with a couple of stories that refused to comply to either my wishes or those of a theoretical reader.<br /><br />I think the problem is that we need to listen to one of the voices in your head - the uncompromising editor who forces you to get rid of the stuff that may sound awesome but just plain doesn't work - but block out all the others. The one that says no one will like this story, the one that worries your best work is behind you, the one that assures you nobody's ever written anything better, ever, and the others all conspire to ruin everything. It's difficult, but I guess the only way to get the hang of it is to keep practising.<br /><br />Anyway, thanks again for the congratulations!Dan Purduehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01633271913854946500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942294427695379658.post-23953725431300461022012-09-08T19:21:24.030+01:002012-09-08T19:21:24.030+01:00Yeah! It's about time you had some successes a...Yeah! It's about time you had some successes again (hm - makes it sound like it's your fault, obv that's not what I mean).<br /><br />I think I can get stifled by thinking about what other people will make of something I've written, but at those times you (I) just have to be a bit ballsy and selfish and think 'Well I like it, and this is about me.' By which I mean it's my name the story is against. <br /><br />Well done again.Teresa Stensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17027879292470220383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942294427695379658.post-79659041823700145932012-09-07T22:39:52.709+01:002012-09-07T22:39:52.709+01:00Congratulations. Great news. Looking forward to re...Congratulations. Great news. Looking forward to reading it. I try not to think about readers until I've finished something as, like you say, you can second guess yourself into restricting yourself or even giving up on the story. Even when I've finished something, I try to focus on where the story might fit, which market. That said, it's great when readers respond to a story. I love finding out which ones they liked or which parts resonated. I'll be keeping my eye out for Gecko's publication. Well done, Dandan powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14131553102349479513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942294427695379658.post-7427356830416380032012-09-07T10:47:53.585+01:002012-09-07T10:47:53.585+01:00That's brilliant news, Dan, congratulations! A...That's brilliant news, Dan, congratulations! And even better because it's a story you love and you thought might be "difficult", I do know exactly what you mean, it is tempting to try and think "What will a competition judge like" and not be true to your kind of story. Well done!!Tania Hershmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15781460794034586895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942294427695379658.post-53331376680790001642012-09-06T20:46:32.584+01:002012-09-06T20:46:32.584+01:00That's great news! Congratulations, Dan!That's great news! Congratulations, Dan!Claire Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07450391828618774543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942294427695379658.post-4085398411414733882012-09-04T23:21:22.195+01:002012-09-04T23:21:22.195+01:00Oh Brilliant! Congratulations, Dan, fab news - ver...Oh Brilliant! Congratulations, Dan, fab news - very much looking forward to reading your story! <br /><br />Rachel Fentonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10046917627054462214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942294427695379658.post-90628339096053387772012-09-04T22:22:16.067+01:002012-09-04T22:22:16.067+01:00Congratulations.
Usually I write with a particula...Congratulations.<br /><br />Usually I write with a particular market in mind and edit out what doesn't fit even before I type it, but sometimes I feel so strongly about an idea that doesn't seem to fit anywhere I'd normally sub to that I just have to write it anyway. Some I've placed - most are still looking for homes.Patsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12263765378083045973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942294427695379658.post-6598926497562542372012-09-04T21:07:39.337+01:002012-09-04T21:07:39.337+01:00Thanks, Chloe!
It sounds like you're doing th...Thanks, Chloe!<br /><br />It sounds like you're doing the right thing, leaving concerns about which category your book might fit until after you've actually written it. But it must be hard, to work all the way to the end of a novel without thinking, "Who's going to read this?" - at least, it must be difficult to avoid that if you are writing it with the aim of publication.<br /><br />I guess there's a balance to be struck, and in some ways just writing the kind of thing you'd like to read must mean you're going to produce something a fair percentage of people will enjoy. Nobody's taste in books is <i>that</i> unique, after all.Dan Purduehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01633271913854946500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2942294427695379658.post-25995508277664427052012-09-04T09:39:01.184+01:002012-09-04T09:39:01.184+01:00Congratulations, Dan!
I only find it stifling whe...Congratulations, Dan!<br /><br />I only find it stifling when I try to place my book in a category with other authors (as you have to do when writing cover letters to agents). Then I wonder why anyone would read mine if they could read those other authors instead!Chloehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00183206722136871230noreply@blogger.com