Time for our monthly meeting of the Insecure Writer's Support Group! Hosted as ever by Alex J. Cavanaugh, the aim of the group is to offer a safe space where writers can share doubts and insecurities without fear of being judged. This month's co-hosts are Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jacqui Murray and Natalie Aguirre.
This month's optional IWSG question is: Ghost stories fit right in during this month. What's your favorite classic ghostly tale? Tell us about it and why it sends chills up your spine.
This is a really good question for October and I don't claim to be as au fait with the horror genre as I'm sure many among us are. I've never really tried to write it and I respect how hard it is to create that suspense and dread. However, one story that sticks out for me since reading it is The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. It's a classic of the Gothic horror genre and really set the blueprint for that whole trope of the split personality. In fact the phrase "Jekyll and Hyde" has become ingrained within our lexicon to describe anyone displaying such traits. I suppose what endures about it is the quiet sense of mounting despair and the idea that we all potentially have evil within us that could totally take over in the right circumstances. It's not a long book with a rough count of around 27500 words, but it certainly accomplishes a lot.
So what have I accomplished since we last met? Well, I've begun edits on my novel featuring an evil AI interface (hey, that could easily play under the horror umbrella now I think about it... a semi-autonomous force, supposedly beneficial but with the potential to go totally haywire). I'm only a couple of chapters in and the verdict is it's very messy but better than I remembered. Looking forward to getting stuck in properly. And I'm still continuing my querying journey on my completed novel on a cloning and gender identity theme. Just realised I'm a year into this, but I'm probably only just getting started, especially since I rebranded from YA to adult/crossover. I'm still waiting for a bite but I continue to be encouraged by the personalised rejections complimenting the "fantastic premise". Hopefully the universe will tip something in my favour soon.
Well, that's about it for another month. I'm sure all of you will have some wonderful spooky suggestions on this month's theme. Look forward to checking them out! As ever, all those posts can be found at the IWSG site here. See you next month.
15 comments:
Fingers crossed that positive comments ultimately lead to a big bite for your book. Happy October!
That's awesome that you're getting personalized rejections. As weird as it sounds, it's a really good sign for your book. I hope you'll use my data base and read my new agent spotlight interviews for leads. I find agents and agencies I never heard of all the time.
Evil AI is definitely a scary thought.
While the querying process isn't ghostly, it's a scary process to me because I'm afraid no agent or publisher will like my manuscript. Good luck querying and—so I'm told—persistence will pay off.
Hi Nick - I'd forgotten the story about Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde ... I was reminded about The Canterville Ghost - some humour in their ... odd for Oscar Wilde! Cheers and well done for progressing with your edits ... sadly AI is invading us ... very surreptitiously ... take care - cheers Hilary
An evil AI interface is scarier than most of the horror out there. It's the stuff that could really happen that is the most frightening.
Thanks for introducing me to a new phrase: au fait. I'm also not a horror fan. Sounds like you're making good progress on your WIP. Does your AI interface have an evil AND good side? ;-)
Good luck with the querying. It does seem like it takes forever, doesn't it?
It's interesting reading everyone ghostly favorites -- and those who just don't like 'em!
Happy IWSG day! I loved Jekyll and Hyde. And yes, a crazy AI interface could definitely fall under the horror umbrella these days. Thanks for sharing!
Recently enjoyed rereading Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. My all-time fav "ghost stories" are the chicken skin tales of marching spirits and ghostly appearances in Hawaii.
Nick! So good to visit your site again! I've never read Jekyll and Hyde but that's one I should probably at least try to read.
Good luck on all your current projects, I'm sure you'll get someone to bite!
Oooo, bravo, Nick. All the luck with this next AI scary story. You can do this, crossover or not. Good for you getting what I call "positive" rejections--"fantastic premise." Never give up. Never surrender.
Good news, Nick! Congrats. I know anyone who doesn't write won't understand, but those who do will. The personal "No" is a huge step forward.
You mentioned an excellent classic horror that can't be beat in the horror category. Poor Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Great post today.
https://cleemckenziebooks.substack.com/p/a-spooky-first-wednesday
I had no idea Jekyll and Hyde was only 27K. A lot was accomplished in that word count, wasn't it? Wishing you much success on your current and finished WIP Here's to the universe tipping in the 'write' direction.
Post a Comment