Creative Kicks - Week 1- Voice with Nancy Freund

By Nancy Freund 
Images by Julie Lewis

Voice matters most. Aristotle’s Poetics famously revealed the Greek philosopher’s answer to the question of whether plot or character is the more essential to a good tragedy. He chose plot. Of course, if there’s no story, no building momentum, no carefully constructed pace, whether quiet or thrilling, there’s nothing worth reading. But no novel or story can stand without all three legs of its tripod: plot, character, and voice. Plot is what happens, character is by whom and to whom -- both vital -- but voice reveals the real nitty gritty. Not just the narrator’s identity and personality, but more importantly, the writer’s. Voice defines the relationship between writer and reader. Especially with the inundation of media competing for our attention today, voice matters most.

If there’s no voice inviting the reader in, the reader often won’t read enough to see the plot begin to build. Your plot needs a compelling story question to pique the reader’s interest – your hook. Get the voice right, and your hook will then keep the reader’s interest, increasing their investment of time. The question, who’s telling me this story, is key. Do I want to hang out with this person, this writer, for 300 pages? Through voice, you’ll ensure the answer is yes.

In ‘Art and Fear,’ David Bayles and Ted Orland say, “To all viewers but yourself, what matters is the product, the finished artwork. To you, and you alone, what matters is the process – the experience of shaping that artwork.” Although this fabulous little book is about creating visual art, it also applies to writing. But I disagree with them here. Today’s audience wants process. Readers often want an author’s photo on the book. They want a website to visit. They read interviews, attend book signings, check out google and youtube. They want to peek behind the writer’s curtains, demystify the process and the person behind it. This awareness broadens the relationship between writer and reader. It expands on what begins in the literature with voice.

Voice can be tricky. Writers can aim to give voice to people who don’t have it. Giving voice is not the same thing as delivering voice. One gives agency, the other lends atmosphere. Lifting repression or halting the silencing of marginalized people can be an important literary endeavor. But it’s not voice. Voice is more synonymous with vibe, short for vibration. Mood. Emotional response. Do you recognize and understand the personality of the writer you’re reading? Do you get the writer’s vibe? Are you vibing with the writer? Do you trust him or her? Are you intrigued to get to know him or her better? Do you read a page, or a paragraph, and want more? Literary agent Aimee Ashcraft of New York’s Brower Literary said she looks for “voicey YA that’s experimental.” She prefers “historical fantasy that’s voicey.” Basically, she wants the writer to reveal him or herself to the reader (and the agent! and the publisher!) from the word go.

Voice is the writer’s manner of expression, not the protagonist’s. The writer, the narrator, and the main character are three distinct people – unless the narrator and the main character are merged, in which case, that distinction blurs. But even if narrator and main character are tightly aligned, the writer’s voice should still be distinct. If your protagonist’s favorite thing in the world is a good old-fashioned hoe-down, your narrator doesn’t have to show up in a gingham checked shirt and over-alls. And neither do you.

Voice is consistent. The plot will sweep a full spectrum, pace will pick up and slow down, there will naturally be diversity in the work. But the emotional delivery, the way the reader connects with the writer, remains. Further, the way that writer connects with readers should be essentially consistent throughout all their work. A writer is gentle or playful or erudite or brash. Or a wild mix of delivery, page by page. But he or she presents a personality and sticks with it. Writers who cross genres sometimes use pseudonyms for differentiation. Generally speaking though, if the emotional vibe between writer and reader meets reader expectation of voice, whatever the genre, no pseudonym’s required. My best advice is to simply be you.

So how to develop voice? Five ideas:

1) Don’t overthink. Write how you speak, for a first draft. Rapido! Rapido! Get your words down on the page, fast. Use dictation software, if it helps you speak your story. I like Dragon Dictation.

2) Go easy. My high school creative writing instructor recommended beginning a story “Dear Mom,” and then you just write a letter. My mom both loved and criticized everything I wrote, so writing to her would have stymied me. But it’s a great point. Pick one person to write for, and your voice will remain consistent. Who loves what you write? Who gets you? Who brings out your good stuff? For me, it’s my friend Annie J. She doesn’t even know this! She’s awesome and fun and just formal enough, I think, to demand my attention to detail and clarity – and she wouldn’t put up with too many gratuitous swear words. She makes me a better me, even when she’s only in my imagination while I’m writing. It works for revising too – read your draft out loud as if Annie J’s in the room. You might find some good opportunities for rephrasing.

3) Slang. Use it, but don’t abuse it. If you aim for a super casual relationship with your reader that allows for f-bombs and whatever-the-hells, have at it. But if that doesn’t suit your readership, be judicious.

4) Be yourself! Be someone else! You can take on whatever voice suits your story. Know your genre. Know your market – and use the right voice, accordingly. You can ask someone to check your voice for authenticity when you’re finished. Does it sound real? Is some phrasing awkward or incorrectly used? Is it right for its time period? Be brave and ask.

5) Eavesdrop. My 8th grade creative writing teacher had us sit in a coffee shop to record nearby conversations. Today we might get busted for stalking or general weirdness doing that. Maybe you can use your phone to record people talking and transcribe the words later. Or transcribe conversations on TV shows. Copy down passages from other authors whose voices you admire. By writing it down, you develop your ear for nuance, fine-tuning vocabulary and manners of expression. Of course, conversation does not equal dialogue between characters, and dialogue does not equal voice -- but studied eavesdropping informs the dialogue between you and your reader, i.e. voice.


Nancy Freund is a writer, editor, mentor, speaker, and prior English teacher. Born in New York, raised in Kansas City, and educated in Los Angeles, she was married in England, and today lives in Switzerland. 
 She is the author of Foreword Reviews finalist for Book of the Year in General Fiction and Category Finalist for the Eric Hoffer Prize 'Rapeseed,' (Gobreau Press, 2013) 'Global Home Cooking: International Families' Favorite Recipes' which earned the Eric Hoffer Prize Honorable Mention and Amazon #1 bestseller status (2014), and 'Mailbox: A Scattershot Novel of Racing, Dares and Danger, Occasional Nakedness, and Faith' which was named a Foreword Reviews finalist for Young Adult Book of Year (2015) and a Writer's Digest Young Adult/Middle Grade finalist. 
Her writing has appeared in many journals and her radio interviews have aired on BBC London, World Radio Switzerland, and Talk Radio Europe. She holds a B.A. in English/Creative Writing and an M.Ed. from UCLA. She begins work toward her Masters in Creative Writing from Cambridge this October.

website: www.nancyfreund.com
www.facebook.com/nancyfreund/
Twitter: @nancyfreund
Instagram: nancyfreund

Creative Kicks - Introduction

For the last two years, we've run a FREE summer creative writing course via Triskele Books. Ten weeks of playtime. Forget the WIP and word count. Come have some irresponsible fun.

This year, we're relocating to Words with JAM. Each week we post an exercise from a well-respected writer who invites you to participate. Share if you like, or keep it to yourself. Either is fine with us.

The course starts next week and we'll be exploring Voice, Character, Blurb, Lyrical Language, Names, Pace, Plots and Going Wild amongst others. We're very excited about our guests who can bring genuine gravitas to the topics and offer useful advice as to improvement.

Here are a few examples of our most popular posts from the previous courses:

Story Fundamentals by Emma Darwin

Characters Inhabiting Their World by Sunny Singh via Catriona Troth

Flirting with Subtext by Jason Donald

Join us every Wednesday (or whenever suits you) for half an hour of muscle-flexing. Even if you don't write poetry, just give lyrical language a go. Try out an exercise on scientific world-building. Use creative moves you've not tried before. You might be surprised.



This summer, we hope you get all the kicks you want.


Next week, Nancy Freund on Voice.

Images by Julie Lewis

Highlights from the Triskele Lit Fest

When the Triskele Books' one day Lit Fest came to a close in September, we knew that the conversations generated across the five panels were far too good not to share with a wider audience.

Thanks to sponsorship from Matador Books and sound engineering expertise from Live Box (who overcame some significant challenges in the form of noise intrusion from dance classes in the room above) we were able to record the panels and upload the videos to our YouTube channel.

Here are some of the highlights from the day, which we hope will tempt you to delve into the videos to watch the discussions in full.

Sci Fi and Fantasy

We kicked off the day with a lively discussion with Sci Fi and Fantasy authors Felicia Yap, CS Wilde, Jeff Norton, Eliza Green and Yen Ooi, chaired by Jack Wedgbury from Matador.

The panel showcased the vast range of modern Sci Fi and Fantasy. Felicia's upcoming Yesterday is a thriller about a murder being investigated in a world where most people only remember yesterday. CS Wilde's A Courtroom of Ashes is a fantasy about a lawyer in hell. Jeff Norton's MetaWars explores what happens when humans retreat from the real world into a digital one. Eliza Green's Becoming Human imagines humans competing for resources with another race on a distant planet, while Yen Ooi's Sun; Queens of Earth harnesses the powers of dreams to provide energy.

Between them, they reveal their inspiration and discuss how SFF liberates them to explore big themes from what it means to be human to the destruction of the Earth, but to view them through a personal perspective.

What do an oyster card, an iPod, a set of Bose headphones, a paintbrush and a passport reveal about their writing processes?

Romance

In the second panel of the day, Triskele's Liza Perrat talked to Romance writers Isabel Wolff, Charlie Maclean, Sareeta Domingo and Carol Cooper.

Isabel is an accidental novelist who began her fiction career when a newspaper column about the singles scene was turned into a novel. She has since written ten more novels.  Charlie Maclean's Unforgettable is a 'Sliding Doors' type story that explores the consequences of asking someone on a date ... or not. Sareeta Domingo's The Nearness of You, about a young woman falling in love with her best friend's boyfriend, also examines themes of bereavement and depression. Carol Cooper's multi-stranded narratives follow an array of couples at different stages in their lives.

They explore how far a Romance novel can play with the RWA's definition of "a narrative centred around two individuals falling in love and struggling to make their relationship work." They consider the role of sex in a romance novel - does it have a place in moving the plot forward and revealing character, or should the author keep the bedroom door closed? When men write Romance, does it get 'elevated' into a different category? What happens when you try writing in the dark?

And a pocket watch, a photograph, some music and a bottle of bathroom cleaner reveal surprising secrets about their writing process.

(With apologies for the poor quality of sound in the audience segments on this video)

Crime and Thrillers

Next, Ben Cameron of Cameron PR talked to Crime and Thriller authors Kate Hamer, Adam Croft and Chris Longmuir.

Kate Hamer's The Girl in the Red Coat is a dual narrative about a mother and her lost child. Adam Croft's Her Last Tomorrow is also centres round a missing child, but in this case the father receives a ransom note with an impossible demand. Chris Longmuir's Devil's Porridge is a historical crime novel based around the first policewomen in Scotland, guarding a munitions factory during WWI.

They contrast the challenges of the different types of stories they tell, reveal the horrible secret of what Devil's Porridge really was, explore the new concept of Grip Lit, and explain how a bottle of perfume, a literary award and the scan of one's unborn child continue to inspire their writing.

The empty seat at the end of the row belongs to Nigerian author Leye Adenle, who was prevented from getting to the Lit Fest on the day. Catriona Troth caught up with him a few weeks later and you can read her interview with him here. 

Historical Fiction

In the last genre based panel of the day, four very different authors discuss Historical fiction with fellow author Jane Davis.

Orna Ross's Her Secret Rose is a fictional account of the real life lovers WB Yeats and Maud Gonne. Radhika Swarup's Where the River Parts looks at the largest displacement of people in human history, following the Partition of India, through the eyes of a young Hindu woman. JD Smith's Overlord series takes us all the way back to 3rd Century Syria and the life of Zenobia, the warrior queen who nearly toppled the Roman Empire. Alison Morton's Roma Nova series is an alternative history in which the Roman Empire survived into the 20th Century.

The four authors reveal why the chose their particular stories to tell, the different challenges and responsibilities of writing history from the recent and distant pasts, how to create a voice appropriate for a different time period , and the discovery that surprised them most in the course of writing their books

And an index card, a bracelet, 'the only book I have ever defaced' and a photograph of a Roman gladius reveal secrets about their writing process.

Preserving the Unicorn - conversations with literary authors and their editors.

The last panel of the day was a discussion with literary authors and their editors, chaired by Triskele's Catriona Troth. Sunny Singh discusses her novel, Hotel Arcadia, and the fascinating role her Dutch translator played in honing the manuscript. Alex Pheby and his editor from Galley Beggar Press, Sam Jordison, discuss his novel, Playthings, the fictionalised story of Daniel Schreber, of one of Freud's most celebrated case studies. And Rohan Quine and his editor Dan Holloway take the lid off the process of editing Rohan's latest novel, Beasts of Electra Drive.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Sunny reveals inspirations ranging from Dante's Inferno to Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas. Alex  explains how his novel grew out of frustration with blinkered 20th C analysis of Scheber. Sam  describes how he absorbed the emotional impact of the book and imagined telling a reviewer, "I've got this book and it's going to destroy you," before deciding "of course we've got to publish it."  And Rohan describes his book  as a 'love bite to the world,'  while Dan calls it 'a beautiful spectacle compiled of horror.'

Part way through the conversation, Alex Pheby threw a provocation to the audience. "All forms of masculine activity are vile and pernicious and should be weeded out." Sadly, time ran out before the implications of this could be explored. After the event, though, Orna Ross came up with some great questions for Alex. We hope to get the chance to put those questions to him in the new year. If so, we will publish his responses in Words with Jam.

Writers & Artists - Self Publishing in the Digital Age - Report

By Gillian Hamer

I can honestly say this was the first time I have come away from a conference with a profanity in the forefront of my mind. But so it was that 'Don't Write Shit!' became the motto of the day.

On Saturday 29th November, Writers' & Artists' put together a collection of experienced names to discuss and advise on various aspects of publishing that face writers considering the self-publishing route. With over one hundred delegates in attendance, it's clear self-publishing continues to gain popularity. I was there as part of the Triskele Books collective, live tweeting (#selfpubtips) throughout the day and on hand to answer questions at the Triskele-sponsored drinks reception.

Chaired by Dr Alison Baverstock, the morning session concentrated attention as a 'How-to-Guide' with presentations from a cross-section of service providers - from editors or cover designers to publishers. Whilst the afternoon focused more on author experiences and discussed their different routes to publication.

Alison Baverstock opened the event with an introduction to self-publishing, and key findings of her research into the boom of indie authors. For example, would it surprise you to learn that self-published authors are a 65/35% split of female/male or that 60% of self-published authors fall into the 41-60 age range?

Roz Morris (photo by Henry Hyde)

Next we moved onto the vital role of editorial services. Roz Morris discussed the differences between development edits, copy edits and proof reading and mistakes often made by novice writers. Roz suggested a checklist for self-editing, before passing onto beta readers, and then calling in the services of professionals.

Next came our very own designer, JD Smith, who captivated the audience with a selection of slides that took us through the journey from author conception to finished book cover. We also had a giggle at some less than professional covers on the market today and discussed the price implications of illustrators and designers.

Next to take the stand was Jon Fine from Amazon KDP - he of the legendary 'Don't Write Shit!' advice. And despite the profanity, it's spot-on advice. If you want your readership to grow and stick by you, then as Jon said, it is vital to entertain your readers. He went on to detail the relative ease and wide range of options now available via Amazon to publish your book.

Final speaker before lunch was Jeremy Thompson of Troubador Publishing who offer a self-publishing service through Matador. Jeremy discussed alternatives to Amazon, what services they are able to offer as a small independent UK publisher, and how publishers can assist with the issues of marketing and exposure.

After lunch, bestselling author Mark Edwards took the stand. Mark is almost a cult figure in indie publishing. He now has a deal with a major publisher, and is on the brink of selling half a million books, but his journey through self-publishing with co-writer Louise Voss is legendary and gives inspiration to all. His advice in terms of promoting your book was to concentrate on three vital elements - hook, cover and description. He explained the benefits of building a strong author platform and importance of retaining your readership.

Interviews with authors Nick Spalding and Talli Roland followed similar themes. Long process, hard work, gaining loyal readers, developing author platforms and maintaining presence online and at literary events. And that writing the book was probably the easiest part!

Last to take the stage was JJ Marsh of Triskele Books to discuss the benefits of collaboration and how and why to make an author collective successful. There was a lot of interest and Q&As from the audience about how to share finances, editorial input, and how the lonely journey of a writer could be improved by the backing of a collective.



JJ Marsh

Following a summary of everything we had learned on the day from Alison Baverstock - including the favourite quote - everyone moved onto a drinks reception sponsored by Triskele Books and KDP, where books were on sale, free Prosecco was consumed, and delegates got the chance to talk to speakers and representatives from Amazon, Writers' & Artists' and Triskele.

From discussion with various authors, it's clear the day was a huge success. Everyone felt they had benefited from the advice on offer, both from experts and authors who had faced the same problems as every other writer in the room. What I discovered from the event is just how committed indie authors are, how determined they are to see their work published, and how they absorb information like a sponge. Questions throughout the day were intelligent and informed, and despite having already published four novels, I found myself jotting down notes and ideas.

From discussions with the staff at Writers' & Artists', I know they are already planning similar events throughout 2015, with plans to regionalise the meetings. So, if you get the chance to attend, I would more than recommend the experience as I am sure you would come away buzzing with ideas and motivation.



JJ Marsh, JD Smith, Gillian Hamer of Triskele Books

The Inaugural Indie Author Fair - Chorleywood Lit Fest

By Gillian Hamer (Triskele Books)

The place to be between 2-5pm on Sunday 16th November was Chorleywood for Triskele Books' inaugural Indie Author Fair - or #IAF14 as it shall henceforth be known.

The idea. A pop-up bookshop for indie authors to show off their abundance of talent to the general public and allow a mix of writers and author services to meet up. 

The reality. Forty authors, spread across two halls; support from the Alliance of Independent Authors; sponsors that included Ingram Spark, Reedsy, Matador and the presence of Kobo's Diego Marano, there wasn't a spare inch of space in sight.

As well as opening up a pop-up bookshop for members of the public, contributors also managed to cram in author readings, children's story time, professional photo shoots, Huffington Post interviews, Ingram Spark video-blogs - not to mention afternoon tea and cake.

#IAF14 was a wonderful event. An eclectic mix of authors from across genres, getting together not only to socialise but to sell their wares.

The odd hiccup - microphone batteries, copious amounts of steps, water supply running dry mid tea-time - meant a steep learning curve. We can see room for improvement, but the feedback was overwhelmingly positive and everyone seemed thrilled with the concept and eager to take part again.



Triskele table at IAF

But don't take our word for it ... let's speak to some of the authors who took part in the event.

Lily Forbes at IAF

LILY FORBES
author of 'Growing up under The Mango Tree.'

https://www.facebook.com/lilyforbesauthor
 

We pulled up outside the impressive War Memorial Hall in Chorleywood for the 2014 Lit Fest. I located the well-worn steps on the right that I would soon be treading with my boxful of books. A visit to the heaving Red Lion Pub for a quick thirst quencher whiled away the twenty minutes of pent up excitement before I joined a gathering of a ‘family of independently published authors’. Every 61cm square table tantalisingly displayed an array of beautifully designed and intriguingly titled books. Each one of them could have been purchased for a bedside read or a Christmas present for a fellow book lover. Twelve readers chosen to represent a variety of Genres gave a indication of the calibre of the books on offer. The camaraderie throughout the afternoon from the stalwart organisers, the eager participants and the inquisitive crowd of buyers was palpable.

JANE TURLEY

The Witty Ways of a Wayward Wife.

I loved the Indie Author Fair at Chorleywood and the opportunity it gave me to engage with readers and to read from my novel. There’s no doubt in my mind that the vast majority of book lovers are only interested in the end product and not in the publishing process. It’s not about who you’re published with or how big your back catalogue is, it’s purely about entertainment. As awareness of the professional independent sector increases, readers will find that it is as rich, diverse and entertaining as mainstream publishing – if not more so – because there are no boundaries, no self-interested parties taking control. Events like the Indie Author Fair will thrive because they put writers back at the heart of publishing and, ultimately, it is the relationship between the reader and the writer that really counts – everything else is peripheral.

Carol Cooper at IAF

CAROL COOPER

author of One Night at the Jacaranda

http://pillsandpillowtalk.com/

The Indie Author Fair was a great experience for getting to know other authors. Perhaps less so as a platform for indie books, but only because a small basement room in Metroland might not be the optimal arena for showcasing our varied work. But from small acorns... So here's to the next opportunity, wherever it may be, and many thanks to the organisers.


JOAN FALLON
https://www.facebook.com/joanfallonbooks

My thoughts on the IAF are I didn’t sell many books but I gained a lot in other ways - talking to like minded writers, sharing doubts and problems, all helped me come away feeling revitalised. It helped me to clarify what I am really trying to do - ie write good books. So, yes, a worthwhile trip from Spain.

CATRIONA TROTH

author of Ghost Town / member of Triskele Books / chief organiser of IAF14.

After six months' planning, the whole day seemed to go by in a blur. So much could have gone wrong, yet somehow the whole Heath Robinson contraption stayed on its wheels. We even survived the home-made PA system failing to work on first try. Everywhere around me, I felt so much energy and good will - the creativity and generosity of indie authors made manifest.

 DEBBIE YOUNG

http://www.authordebbieyoung.com/

It was inspiring to be in the same hall as so much indie author talent, and I really enjoyed meeting some that I had previously met online but never in real life, as well as meeting old friends and making new ones. There was a lot of interest in ALLi, and with so many members present, the atmosphere was very conducive to joining our influential and ever-growing organisation. The event was also yet another example of the power of the authors' collective, showing incredible synergy among the members of the renowned Triskele group.

Debbie Young at IAF

One highlight for me personally was being asked to read a couple of my short stories aloud in the hall. It could have been daunting and difficult to be heard above the buzzing throng, but it turned out to be a really attentive audience, who went quiet and stood still for every author reading. It was a privilege to be a part of the readings programme, and my confidence has been boosted by the kind comments I received after my readings.

I was also really glad I said "yes" to all the other benefits offered - namely an interview with Ingram Spark, which will run on their blog after editing, and a professional photo shoot at a very reasonable price with a terrific photographer who had been brought in for the day. Like most people, I hate having my photos taken, but in a very short space of time she produced some shots I was really happy with, and all the pictures I saw of other authors that she'd photographed were super.

I hope this will be the first of an annual programme of events. I've been recommending attending to other author friends who weren't there, and to those who provide services to the indie author community too (ALLi partner members), so I think next time we're going to need a bigger venue!

Huge congratulations to the Triskele team for making it such a success.

Fear and Loathing in the Chilterns

By Perry Iles

There’s a church on a hill, but the bells are pre-recorded because it’s more reliable than campanology. The sound system is more expensive than real bells, so the locals consider it a status symbol. Down the street, retired bankers live in million-pound houses behind high hedges and alarmed gates. There’s a no parking sign by the car park and no turning signs everywhere one might consider turning. It’s too old-fashioned for footballers and too uncool for internet billionaires. Every Saturday morning there are small traffic jams made of Volvos as yummy mummies take Orpheus and Chlamydia to the pony club.

Fear and loathing in the Chilterns. But in the middle of all this, set squarely in the Prosecco-and-Cambozola belt just north of the M25, there’s Chorleywood Literary Festival (cwlitfest.org — be careful with that W, guys. Chorleywood may only be one word but sometimes discretion is the better part). I’ve come from the land of the ice and snow, from the Tennents-and-chips belt just north of Hadrian’s Wall, in a ten-year-old car with 150,000 miles on the clock, full of moody diesel that should by rights be in a tractor. My wife made me sandwiches and packed a sixpack of Pepsi Max, so I’m full of pickle and flatulence as I prepare to rub shoulders with David Suchet, Bill Bryson, Kate Adie and Sirs Ranulph Fiennes and Terry Wogan. The stars of Downton Abbey will be there, as will Tony Benn’s daughter and Hadley Freeman off of the Guardian. And the cast of Triskele Books, an independent group of publishers looking to change the world and make it a better place, hoping to lead us all closer to home, like Grand Funk Railroad only prettier. I’d met them online over the years, but never in more than two dimensions, and their third dimensions were worth the 750 mile drive. Jill, Gillian, Kat, Jane and Liza are remarkable women. They have worked in close proximity for over two years and don’t hate each other yet. This is the first time in my life I’ve ever known that to happen, and I’m quite old now. They have carved an ethos in the ether and formed a partnership on paper. Their books have a style and an imprint that sets them apart and gives them a sense of individuality. Each writer is allowed total artistic control, there are no agents and nobody tells them what to put on the cover (well, you know, within reason…)

Over the last ten years self-publishing has taken over from the vanity trade, so anyone can write a book, design their own cover and hurl it into the world like a small plastic bag full of dog eggs. Because the result is invariably crap. Off-centre block-pastel covers with bad fonts, crushed up front matter, chapters that start on the wrong page, typos, spelling mistakes and the sort of English that makes Dan Brown look like Shakespeare. The Triskele collective does not allow this sort of thing. They have stipulations, including layout and proofreading and the ultimate power of veto. They’re fussy buggers, thank God. They read each others’ books, comment, suggest, hone, polish, sharpen and improve. They do this from the profound and extensive pool of their collected knowledge, which means the books wind up being pretty good. Then they put the results out to independent editors and proofreaders and insist that their covers are designed by Jane Dixon-Smith, who does not inhabit the same universe as us. Jane has three children under five and has moved house three times in the last six months. Nevertheless she runs Words with Jam magazine when she is not busy designing book covers for a lengthy queue of people. Jane has discovered wormholes in the space-time continuum and has harnessed them for the benefit of mankind. Some say that in real terms she is 84 years old, and that she is also The Stig.

Triskele (rhymes with Jellied Eel, by the way) symbolizes the power of the collective. Read their “how we did it” book, The Triskele Trail, by downloading a copy from Amazon. It’s full of good advice which may at first seem rather daunting, but these are the hoops you have to jump through if you want to spend a few years turning yourself into an overnight success. And this is why Triskele exists. The group can call on a vast network of resources and helpful forums, giving their authors a much greater chance of success. Their authors, rather than being cosseted stars who are jetted from one book signing to the next, become part of that process, encouraging dynamic growth and endless input, giving and receiving. On Saturday morning at Chorleywood, they explained how they did it, and released three new books into the world: Liza Perrat’s Wolfsangel, Kat Troth’s Ghost Town and Jane Dixon-Smith’s Overlord – the Rise of Zenobia. Discover them at www.Triskelebooks.co.uk. The three writers and their colleagues set themselves up for nearly two hours as a human resource library but couldn’t hope to cover all the ground that’s in the book. Then all five Triskele founders explained their ethos before letting the audience have a taste of the three most recent releases.

After all that, I went in search of lager and discovered that Chorleywood is scary. I’m from Scotland and Chorleywood is darker. I’d gone to abandon the car at the hotel so I could get drunk like everybody else, and I walked back across the common, where the path gave out and left me flailing in waist-high wet grass in total darkness. My phone wouldn’t work. There were no signals here, less than twenty miles from London, so I struck off through the grass, expecting a group of well-spoken and impeccably-mannered natives to appear in front of me at any moment and torture me by taking me to an antiques fair or making me read the Daily Mail or something. When I finally stumbled, wild and disheveled, onto the road across from the pub, I found everyone ready to go home again. Now, like any other ginger haired Scottish bastard, I wanted beer, so I had to go all the way back to the hotel and get the car and find, in this wilderness, a branch of Aldi where the lager wasn’t made from hand-rubbed Ruritanian hops and as a result didn’t cost £5 a bottle. The best I could hope for was something Mexican from Tesco Express, and thus armed I returned to the fray.

Here’s a sign of culture. If the food hurts, you’re somewhere posh (unless it’s Japan, where the food wriggles too). Here, the Chinese takeaways proved their true cosmopolitanism by filling their spicy chicken with… well… spices, to threshold of pain levels. I swear the lager hissed as it went down. My mouth hadn’t hurt this much since I was last in Switzerland and cut it to ribbons on Toblerone. I am a man of simple tastes, so my journey back to Scotland was a happy one. I ate what remained of my wife’s sandwiches, swithered between Maccy D’s and Burger King when I got hungry again and used up the last dregs of my wrongly-coloured diesel. My wife, I think, was surprised to see me again, considering as she did that the literary world was filled with loose-moralled floozies who would swoon at my every utterance like a gay man at an Oscar Wilde gig. My wife sees my better attributes, and occasionally forgets that they are framed within the body of a fat, bald sweaty bloke that’s knocking on sixty. I got home in one piece, still slightly hung over, a little bilious and marginally liverish. My first literary festival. No pretensions, no fuss, no prima donnas or over-sensitivity, just a good time with a great bunch of people and a fair amount of alcohol. Triskele books; brimming with talent and ability, populated by real people from a real world with stories to tell.

Go read them. 

How To Organise a Launch Party

We’re writers, not a wedding planners. So it comes as a surprise, even to us, that Triskele Books and Words with JAM have successfully launched eleven books in the last year. We’ve made a few mistakes and learnt some lessons after organising two real live parties, and here we pass on everything we've discovered - from perfect timing to pink fizz.

1. Location 
Triskele writers are based in three countries; Gilly, Jane and Kat are scattered around the UK, Liza and I live in France and Switzerland respectively. So London was the obvious choice – accessible to all. The 2012 venue was The English Restaurant, in Spitalfields. Between Tracy Emin’s gallery and Jeanette Winterson’s veg shop, it’s easy to find, has a separate function room for 50 people and superb food. The staff couldn’t have been more accommodating.

For 2013, we needed more space. Foyles Bookshop on Charing Cross Road has a third floor gallery which can cope with 120-180 guests. David Owen, Gallery manager, is extraordinarily helpful, and book launches are his speciality.

 
2. Timing 
Six months before you’re planning to publish, check the calendar, literary and general. Our first event coincided with the Queen’s Jubilee, and our second with Crimefest. This meant several guests were unable to attend. Could do better. Weekends are ideal for obvious reasons, and we’ve found that a Saturday afternoon gives people time to travel home or go for a less formal knees-up afterwards. Send out a Save the Date email three months ahead, including an ‘RSVP for a formal invitation’ request. That way you have a clearer idea of numbers and can start thinking about practicalities.

3. Guests 
Another advantage of a collaborative launch is the broad network. We each invited family and friends, along with other writers (traditionally published, self-published, unpublished), journalists, agents, book bloggers and various industry pros. The hit rate seems to be about 70%. Yet, even though there were five of us covering the room, we hardly seemed to spend more than a couple of minutes with people. Be prepared for constantly being distracted. It’s a good idea to state there will be a specific signing time – eg, half an hour before the event winds up – so you can spend more time talking (and drinking pink fizz).

4. The event 
Three hours seems to be the optimum time for such an event. An hour’s greeting and chatting, 45 minutes of ‘event’ and the rest of the time networking and trying to get to the buffet. An MC works well – someone who’s not you. We asked writer Lorraine Mace to play host at the first event, while our own Liza Perrat took control this June. If possible, it’s worth rehearsing, to get the logistics right, working with the microphone, and ensuring the music/background noise is not intrusive. Keep readings short. On our second occasion, which launched An Earthless Melting Pot, the anthology of Words with JAM competition winners, as well as four Triskele releases, we chose to ask only the winners to read. The Triskele authors participated in a brief Q&A, keeping the atmosphere lively, but informative.

5. Food and drink 
Overcatering. On both occasions, we ended up throwing food away. Lesson learnt: provide simple nibbles (crisps, nuts, breadsticks), keep the fizz flowing and just let people chat. Order wine, champagne etc on a returnable basis. That way, you’ll not run out, but unopened bottles will be refunded. Juice, water and soft drinks can be ordered the same way. We used Majestic’s service which includes a Party Planner. http://www.majestic.co.uk/Services/Parties If you’re launching alone, or with authors in a similar genre, you might consider thematically related comestibles. A horror author recently threw an excellent vodka-fuelled bash in a basement, with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre flickering on one wall. A group of chicklit authors went with cupcakes and pink champagne on a sunny terrace, decorated with pastel balloons.

6. Books 
Order in plenty of time so you know copies will be there on the day. Print a large, clearly visible price list. Bribe a family member to act as salesperson. Provide a float and a record list of how many of which book has been sold. Bring something other than a chewed Bic for signing and take the time to practise first, especially if using a pseudonym. Invest in some book display stands and menu holders for pricelists, etc. http://www.stand-store.co.uk/acatalog/shop.html

7. Photographs 
The photos are vital to post-launch promotion, so grab the chance to get some pics with guests and books. Ensure you have dedicated posing time, ideally before the guests arrive, so you can focus and have a moment of calm. Give the photographer a list of shots you need and ask others to send their good ones. Amazingly, for a bunch of females, we forgot to discuss what we would be wearing. But through pure luck, our outfits happened to go well together on both occasions.

8. Promo materials 

We ordered generic posters and bookmarks, along with postcards for each book (cover on the front, blurb plus QR code on the back to facilitate ease of e-purchase). Don’t forget Blu-Tak. Book-sized paper bags for purchases, already primed with bookmarks and postcards are handy for people to carry their goodies away.

9. Cost 
Factor in the price of venue, catering, promotional materials, print and transportation of books. Do check which services add VAT (ahem). The cost of these two events has averaged at £1500. Not something we could have considered alone, but sharing the costs between us makes it less painful. Takings on the day are unlikely to cover the outlay, but the subsequent bump in sales, not to mention positive publicity, goodwill and the fun of an afternoon in the company of writers and booklovers makes it absolutely worthwhile.

10. Follow up 
Thank people for coming. Send those links you promised and pass on introductions. Set a Google Alert and find out who’s writing it up. Comment and say thanks. Write up your own version and share via social media. Then start planning all over again.
As for our next event? Something a little different and rather exciting. Watch this space ...


By JJ Marsh – author, reader, Triskelite, journalist, Nuancer, reviewer and blogger. Likes: pugs, Werner Herzog and anchovies. Dislikes: meat, chocolate and institutionalised sexism. Short story collection out now.