Sunday, November 29, 2009

So, Is That Me A Journalist Now?




Sadly not, but I did write an article for the first time recently, and it was fun.
A new, free, e-zine aimed at the writing community called Words With JAM put out its first issue this weekend, and, who'd have thunk it, it only includes a couple of pieces from yours truly. Don't be put off though, it has good stuff in it, too.
I'd love to say I was head hunted by a major magazine publisher desperate to print my words of whimdom, but that's not quite the truth. What actually happened was that the editor in chief/owner/omnipotent ruler of fledgling outfit Quinn Publications, JD Smith, turns out to be a mate of mine, and therefore felt no compunction whatsoever in commanding that I help out with a couple of bits and pieces to fill some gaps between the proper writers.

One of my included rambles is a reproduction from this blog (the moan about publishing), and the other, on my recent trip to the Wigtown Book Festival, I wrote specifically for the magazine, but may steal and put up here sometime, for purposes of symmetry. I have JD's permission to do this, but not until she's sure everyone who might remotely care has already read it (or not) in the magazine.

Issue one has loads of excellent content, including an exclusive by best selling author of Caligula and Claudius, Douglas Jackson, on his inspirations and influences.

There's a great piece by Dan Holloway on the art or rewriting, probably the trickiest part of the entire writing process, and questions and queries are answered by Lorraine Mace, all round expert on the technicalities involved in stringing words together and co author of The Writers' abc Checklist.

Other highlights include Perry Isles having a wee rant about names to avoid having to work on his current novel, Derek Duggan telling Irate from Chester to fuck off and a short story from the masterful JW Hicks among others. There's even a poem (don't panic, it's short and there's only one).

So, if you're one of the three people who sometimes read this blog and you haven't yet subscribed to Words With JAM, I suggest you do so now. Actually, I order you to do so now. If you don't I'll have you killed (I know people, me).

It's funny, informative, entertaining and, most importantly to writers (if you're anything like me) it's free!

Words With JAM - it's sticky, but not in a bad way.


2 comments:

  1. Good to see this blog alive again. I have subscribed to said e zine and look forward to reading it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's alive, barely, Phillipa. Hopefully you'll enjoy Words With JAM, there's some brilliant stuff in there and the layout and design are superb, especially given how quickly it's been put together (six weeks from conception to execution).

    ReplyDelete