Mel Reynard
@MelJRey
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Following
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Creative. Practical. Jill-of-all-trades #FutureWorldsPrize Finalist 📚 hoarder 🌱 enthusiast 🤓 social media dabbler 💫 #amwriting SFF she/her
United Kingdom
Joined November 2010
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Pinned Tweet
Eeek! This beautiful book full of amazing unicorn illustrations by
@OMaraBooks
is coming out in two weeks! I had something to do with the words 😅
No better time an author copy to giveaway so follow, like and reshare! I’ll select someone at random next week & do the same on 📷
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Can we start normalising older MCs (40+) in fantasy books because as much as I love the 20 something chosen one trope, I’d prefer more sword fighting mums & dads or older please. We need representation!
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I’m a middle aged SFF writer who, today years old, has been invited to join in what will be my first ever DnD game! 🤓
Any tips or tricks for a DnD novice?
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I’d just like to express frustration at:
- skirts without pockets
- women’s trousers & shorts that are sold with the pockets sewn up
Who’s with me? 😤
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@dianasween13
Aha! It depends on how it’s delivered? Is it laced with sarcasm, or frosted with hostility. Or just backed up with a counter argument? 😂
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A question for Trad Published authors, were you a first time lucky writer in that your debut was the first book you wrote or did you, like seemingly so many, in fact write several books before hitting on publishing success? Curious 👀
#WritingCommunity
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Okay, I got a publisher like for
#SmallPitch
and I just passed 2k followers! How did that happen?!
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#WritingCommunity
a question for published authors: do you have a degree or MA in literature, or something completely unrelated to writing?
The scrappy part of me wants to hear from authors who gleaned most of their writing skills on the job 🛠️
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The moment when the book title appears in context within the prose…
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This querying business is the worst.
You try to make your novel sound like other novels with tropes & comps, thereby making it sound completely generic and losing all sense of originality 🤯 Kind of wishing I had my time over again.
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7yo: Did you know there are penguins in the jungle?
Me: No. Penguins are seabirds.
7yo (frowning): No.
Me (also frowning): No.
7yo: Better check with David Attenborough ‘cause he said there are.
Consults Google. It’s true 😳
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Okay I totally did a video but I’m too excited to wait until tomorrow to work the social media magic! I have to show you all! My author copies arrived 🤩 🦄
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Question for authors about pen names:
If you use one, how did you find one that works for you? If you don’t use one – did you have or have ever had any reservations about using your own name?
#WritingCommunity
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Authors, what will you be working on in 2024?
👀 anyone else thinking “just the same old things I’ve been working on this year?” 🤔
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What movie scene traumatized you as a child?
Watership Down with its Universal certificate! It’s a horror movie – I tell you! 😱😭😵💫
What movie scene traumatized you as a child?
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I have to say social media has lost so much of its charm.
- the ⏰ app requires too much effort
- insta has too many rules to get engagement
- FB shows 5 day-old posts from my friends
- 🧵 is too basic
- 🐦 is having an identity crisis…
Maybe I’ll just go read a book.
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Okay, asking published authors about first chapters: how do you know (in your bones) whether you’re starting in the right place? 👀
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Reading what I think is another form rejection – except it’s NOT! It’s a partial request! Ahhhhh!
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Ooh 👀 a full request! My reaction - in real time - in the midst of reading QuestPit pitches! 😅
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Not me customising Lego to be like my characters, so I can map out a fight scene.
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I’m sorry what?!
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🙌🏽 I’ll be pitching my epic fantasy ✨ for
#Moodpitch
so this is me officially offering to swap support. Comment below if you’re in & I’ll add you to my list.
I’m not doing
#PitDark
but will support you on the day, just say the word.
#WritingCommunity
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GODKILLER/LOTUS EMPIRE
A warrior keeps her powers secret, for fear of persecution. Risking exposure to smuggle a relic, she’s betrayed. With only a superstitious northman for an ally the fate of magic is at stake, but the greatest threat is herself.
#YouDeservepIt
#A
#F
#Q
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#WritingCommunity
To Prologue or not to Prologue – that is the question?
Personally, I’m a fan (gimme interludes & epilogues 🙌🏽) but they are getting such bad “press” these days 🤔
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Querying or agented authors, be honest – beta readers aside, have/did you paid/pay for editing services on your MS (editorial report or developmental or surprise me), and if you have do you think it improved your chances?
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It's a coming! It's a coming! I feel like trying to watch it happen in real time 😂🍿
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Un-vague publishing news! A name I recognise, seen in the Bookseller today 🤩
The Magical Unicorn Society: Dark Hearts coming soon!
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Can we talk about receiving feedback? Read it. Come back to it & read it again. If you still disagree with it – suck it up because if you can’t cope with professional feedback from an agent – how’re you gonna feel when Amazon/GR reviewers unleash their 1 stars on you?
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That’s it - I’ve only gone and done it again! 😅 My third year in a row NOT winning NanoWrimo 🥳 Well done me & anyone else who didn’t manage to hit that 50k target. Because slow & steady wins the race.
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Yep. It’s that time of year again when I get out my Han Solo cosplay photo from Lockdown to say “May the Fourth be with you!” 😎
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I’m enjoying seeing all the “first lines” but does anyone else find writing first lines the hardest thing to do in the entire novel? Anyone else or just crazy-faced me?
Reminds me of Billy Crystal every time.
#WritingCommunity
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This 👇🏽 The imposter syndrome is strong!
I realised today I have absolutely no problem cheerleading for other writers and shouting about their books, but the idea of doing this for myself? 😬 What if people hate my writing?
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The act of putting your writing out into the world to be read is a difficult thing, simultaneously thrilling and daunting.
Lots of questions spring to mind. What if no one reads it? What if people don’t like it? What if it’s just not good enough? 1/2
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These guys, but better looking, closer in age with guns, knives and more panache.
#UnhingedPit
#A
#F
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Just because you, a white self-pubbed author, include many standard SFF elements in your novel - let’s say dragons or spaceships - it doesn’t give you the right to threaten POC authors also using them. This includes & is not limited to ‘the power of the sun’.
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I nearly didn’t enter this competition. I’m so glad I did, as I was shortlisted & it’s opened doors for me.
Don’t self reject. If you identify as a POC SFF writer & are unpublished – enter this competition now. 👇🏽
The
#FutureWorldsPrize
2024 is now open for entries! It's a fantastic award for unpublished SFF writers of colour. The closing date is 29th Jan, so get your entries in soon! More info here:
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GAME OF THRONES/POLDARK
Stealing a relic, a bitter smuggler is cast into a magical world. He must befriend a shapeshifter to succeed, even if that means lying. But when he discovers the truth about his mother’s suspicious death, the only path is revenge.
#QuestPit
#EpicFantasy
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🤔 I might have Covid. So I’m having a glass of wine before I lose my tastebuds for more than a year again. Cheers 🥂
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OMG 😳 how did this happen? Last time I looked I was no where near!
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I've scheduled my
#QuestPit
pitches for Wednesday, but thought I'd share this 'rejected' mood board for my new WIP.
I'm be pitching my
#AmQuerying
epic fantasy novel plus this speculative romantasy-fi which I'm currently drafting. Like or comment if you want support!
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To the agents who have my first chapters in their maybe piles. I see you.
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“I’m fifty years old, I’ve no money & no prospects. I’ve already lived through 5 months of querying and I’m… 👀
“I'm twenty-seven years old, I've no money and no prospects. I've already lived through the first three weeks of July 2024 and I'm frightened. So don't you judge me, Lizzy. Don't you dare judge me!”
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I will never stop feeling joy when I see the names of people I know in the writing community win things or get selected for things! Keep going for it guys! You’re all working so hard for this – you deserve this, make it happen 🙌🏽
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I couldn’t agree more. I won’t tag, but I can hand on heart say this year one writer helped me nail my opening line, another my pitch & another my query. Many more have offered thoughts & support. I’m so grateful & hope I’m helping as many people in return.
I think a lot of writers could stand to learn from this.
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I see lots of people are forsaking this space for 🧵’s but seriously guys, it’s all the 💿🐴 with zero community & interaction. I’ve tried but all my posts are crickets. I’ll be in both places but mainly here.
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One of my absolute favourite things is seeing my writer friends achieve those exciting little debut milestones, like deal news, publishing dates, cover reveals, book deliveries!
I can live vicariously 🤩
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👀 When as agent is reopening to submissions on QT today and you're the very first one to submit to them.
#AmQuerying
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Okay *rolls up sleeves*: is it too early to start making a list for
#Questpit
Would anyone like to swap support? If so comment below & I’ll add you to my list.
I’ll be pitching my
#AmQuerying
epic fantasy ⚔️ & my new romantasy WIP ❤️🔥
BUM BADA BUM BUM🥁
we have a date!! the summer season of
#questpit
will take place all day, any time zone July 3rd!
rules will be listed below and at the 🔗 we have on our page! please also be aware of the new hashtags we’ll be using to provide more clarity!
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The perennial question about word counts has reared its head again, leaving all SFF, historical fiction & multi-pov writers questioning their existence.
Maybe I could cut off a chunk of my magic system, drop a main character or just summarise with a lot of telling.
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I don’t know about anyone else but I always see the subtweets surrounding the latest book drama first, then I’m left wondering – but what happened? 😳
So then I spend the rest of the evening trying to get to the bottom of it 🔎
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Met up with a good author friend this morning to discuss our publishing woes. I think it’s so important for our sanity to have a group of writers around you, who understand how hard it is to get published & share in your successes & failures over coffee or something stiffer.
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WISTERIA SOCIETY but DOCTOR WHO
Two scientists team up to create time-travel but it’s hate at first sight: he’s a stickler for rules & she thrives on chaos. So when he’s accused of future murder, they have to hide in the past. Shame there’s only one shed.
#YouDeservepIt
#W
#A
#F
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Misfit heroes required for life & death mission to save the world from a homicidal immortal.
Must have obstinacy, an inherent dislike of each other & broken hearts.
Pistols or swords as preferred, but musical instruments might come in handy.
#UnhingedPit
#Q
#F
#A
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LotR/LADYHAWKE/SHOGUN
A relic goes missing. The fate of all magic is at stake. Who's going to get it first?
The smouldery, heartbroken smuggler?
The spunky shifter with an inferiority complex?
Or the psycho sorceress with murder in mind?
Plus dragons.
#UnhingedPit
#A
#F
#OWN
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Whaaa? I’ve only gone and won! 🥳
#PreMoodPitch
@MelJRey
! That's right, we picked *two* winners because we had so many entries.
Congratulations, Anjie and Mel! Please reach out to
@lulalockwood
via DM for details on how to submit your 10 pages for a positivity pass or critique, your choice! 🎉
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#MayTheFourthBeWithYou
I give you Han Solo cosplay from Lockdown.
The kids dressed up as Luke & Chewie respectively. Daddy as Darth Vader himself.
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I’m just girl, working on an anti-capitalist epic fantasy – hoping someday people might love it. ⚔️💫
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BONE SHARD WAR/DRAGONFALL
Forbidden magic
Enemies to friends 🤜🤛
Betrayal & vengence 🗡️
Slow burn 💔
Shapeshifter vs soldier 🦊
Dragons vs tigers 🐉
Flintlocks & uprising ⚔️
Sinister magical devices 💣
A villain you'll hate to love🥷
City in the Sky 🌩️
#YouDeservepIt
#Q
#A
#F
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#WritingCommunity
As a reader, do you prefer to live inside a character’s head or come to your own conclusions? 🤔
Just asking because, I’m definitely the latter & recently stopped reading a book because the 1st person narrative waffle bored me.
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Okay *rolls up sleeves* - who wants to swap support for
#YouDeservepIt
tomorrow 🙌
I'm supposed to be working but I will be monitoring frequently!
Who's excited for
#YouDeservepIt
?? Here are the rules and information for our pitch event on SEPTEMBER 5th! 👇👇 If you have any questions (or want to share excited gifs 😁), feel free to comment below or 🔄!
#writingcommunity
#amquerying
#amwriting
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Can we take a moment to appreciate Cressida Cowper’s hairstyles & costumes in
#BridgertonS3
Flomboyant sleeves, collars that accentuate the neck making her appear slightly grotesque, but also out of place, vulnerable & then all guns blazing 👌🏽🤩
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It is done ✅ Good luck to everyone who submitted.
I missed the once a year Angry Robot open call (didn’t see it on my feed) so if you haven’t submitted yet – there’s still time. Don’t self reject on this great possibility👇🏽
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Who’s participating? Happy to swap support 🖤
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Me thinking I’ve got all my ducks in a row ready to start querying properly soon…
But maybe I should go through it just one more time 😮💨 Just once more right?
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Okay,
#SmallPitch
is a little over a week away. I’m preparing a list. Comment if you’d like to swap support.
I’ll be pitching my second world epic fantasy with GoT intrigue meets Shogun culture clash with Poldark’s sweeping romance 🙌🏽 who’s with me?
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We’re doing post
#Questpit
introductions?
I’m Mel, live in 🇬🇧 I’m addicted to pretty books (don’t judge me 😭). I read widely but more than enough SFF, which I also write. My side hustle is landscape design & social media (trial & error ☝🏽) & own a cat called Holly Golightly.
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Hi
#WritersOfTwitter
I'm Mel, forever riding the tail, late to the party & on the other side of of the trend. I write SFF about those who fit outside of the box.
My MS is an epic fantasy set in a 1700s world with vengence, doomed love & revolution in the air.
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Sincerely interested in the feedback part of
#1stLinePit
so I can confirm I am making a list. I'll be pitching my querying novel and WIP! Let me know if you want to swap support! 🙃
With great excitement, I announce
#1stLinePit
Hype, support and give each other feedback!
First pitch event is September 27th!
#writingcommunity
#writers
#5amwritersclub
#agents
#writingagents
#editors
#publishers
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#UnhingedPit
Movie Soundtrack edition matched to:
- the political intrigue
- action-adventure
- nail-biting fight scenes
- slow burn-unrequited love
- vengence & culture clash
in this regency-style epic fantasy with romance.
#A
#F
#OWN
(And yeah I like Hans Zimmer a lot.)
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Cheerleading & supporting people is my thing. I also like to give the benefit of the doubt, but this latest book drama has reminded me to be careful.
If our spidey-senses are telling us to keep away from toxic/unkind people, then we should🕷️
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Post
#RevPitWaiting
aesthetic w/e & pre
#MoodPitch
– I've put together a guide to creating moodboards for
#WritingCommunity
@moodpitchers
have fantastic resources and FAQs on their website already, which is a must for pitchers
But here's my process:
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It was never in question, but can I just say how brilliant I think Marve is? She’s handled herself throughout this ordeal with such integrity & poise. She’s got class.☀️
Hang on in there. We’ve got you.
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With
#Questpit
coming up on 3rd July, I thought it was worth resharing this guide to creating moodboards for
#WritingCommunity
#AmQuerying
If you don't know where to start or find this aspect of pitching difficult, here's my process: 🧵 1/8
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The query inbox has been so quiet lately the bats are getting too comfy!
I’ve written off some CNRs and am looking closely to see who I can query next. NGL a rejection right now would feel like at least something is happening
🦇
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Querying authors (& agents), what do you put first in the query letter: meta data or blurb/pitch?
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20 something outcast shifter seeks long term relationship with unattainable heir to throne
Likes throwing knives
Dislikes losing them
Not very demure, not very mindful
#UnhingedPit
#A
#F
#Q
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It seems to me I wrote 200 odd words today. Could this be the start of something promising?
#AmWriting
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Me in the trenches surviving a query cull, when those around me have fallen in battle. My query lives in a maybe-pile to be read another day! ⚔️
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So 3 last things before
#MoodPitch
tomorrow:
- 🙌🏽 let me know if you want to swap support;
- don’t forget to pin your best pitch so it’s easy to find in the melee!
- non-writer pals, feel free to offer support by retweeting or commenting my pitches (likes are for agents only) 😅
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Every time I see a writing competition, I immediately forget my vow not to enter another one as it’s a form of editing/querying avoidance. Consider this accountability: I am not entering anymore competitions.
#WritingCommunity
#AmWriting
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GODKILLER/DARK MATERIALS
Magic is a death sentence, so shifter Fry keeps her ability hidden until, while stealing a relic that could finally liberate magic, she’s betrayed. The culprit may be her oldest friend.
Worse: she’s just fallen in love with him.
#MoodPitch
#A
#F
#own
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Another day another drama. Yesterday an agent rubbishes then runs with a novel idea, then today some agents/editors form an anti-LGBTQ+ cabal?
Any space used to denounce or harm the progress of a marginalized community doesn’t deserve to be platformed or promoted.
A publishing network for those “concerned about the impact of gender ideology on our sector and wider society” launched today for publishing professionals, authors and creatives 👇
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I've just entered the
@jerichowriters
#First500
competition for a chance to win a 1-2-1 with an agent, a full MS assessment and a lifetime Jericho Writers Membership. What a prize! Wish me luck 🤞
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Who is your favourite character from space that isn’t in Star Wars or Star Trek?
Who is your favourite character from space that isn’t in Star Wars or Star Trek?
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Okay, so I don’t really do this kind of thing, because I don’t blow my own 🎺 but:
- got shortlisted in a🔥 writing comp
- finished my MS
- met some fantastic writer friends
- started a 🔥crossover book with writer pal
- got something vague I can’t talk about yet 🤔
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Phew. I finished my edit – only six months later than planned 🫠 There’s a very good vague reason for this that involves🦄
What now? Oh yeah, let’s celebrate by jumping in the querying trenches! 😜 Writing is not for the faint hearted.
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The temptation to become an early morning writer over the Christmas break (just so I can get something done over the holiday) vs the fact that I’m not a morning person is just… 🫠
Do family allow you time to write or is it too much to ask for?
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Wow – what a fantastic community of querying authors! Thanks so much for the support – I enjoyed reading these amazing pitches! It’s nearly midnight here so I’m turning in – but looks like my luck has changed today as I got 2 agent likes 🤩🤞🏽
And I managed not to die in DnD 😅
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