I walked slightly apprehensively into the room, following closely behind another lady who’d just arrived. I wanted to be sure that I wasn’t the first one there. The truth is, I hadn’t really prepared and I wasn’t entirely sure what I’d let myself in for. Yes, I had had a vague daydream and idea about a potential non-fiction book I could one day write...but then again, I’ve had ideas of inventing sweet soup and safety head wear for golfers, neither of which have come to much yet. Anyway, I suppose it would be fair to say that, though I was intrigued and open to give it a go, I felt a bit out of my depth and didn’t quite know how relevant I would find a workshop on Writing Non-Fiction, compared to the other people in the room. Seven pages of notes later, I realised that there was rather a lot I could get out of such a session! Simon Garfield, author, journalist and non-fiction expert, imparted his knowledge and shared with us advice on how to create a great proposal...(and no I don’t mean a picnic-under-the-Eiffel-Tower kind!) Key to getting a book published in this competitive industry is the MI5 of the literary world – the agents. Garfield outlined a brilliant template to use in order to help your book get noticed and to find an agent who will support your work. The nine of us taking part in the workshop formed a fairly mixed bunch; we had refreshingly different interests, ages, plans and walks of life. However we found common ground in our enthusiasm for words and comprehensive note-taking! I also felt encouraged and was reminded that ideas need not be official or confirmed by pen and paper in order to be worth mentioning. My small thought of a possible non-fiction project has now spent some time on a dusty shelf in the back of my brain. But every tree starts with a seed, and seeds don’t grow all that well when they’re left on dusty shelves! Perhaps some of the greatest works of art and literature have never developed to be more than an unappreciated sapling hidden away somewhere. Who knows whether my simple daydream will ever make it in to Waterstones, and for now that doesn’t really matter. What does, however, is to remember to have confidence in yourself and to not belittle your ideas. Speaking of which, sweet soup anybody?
1 Comment
Grace
10/10/2016 07:02:08 am
Maybe you should have a go at this? https://sortedfood.com/chocsoup Xx
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June 2017
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