Probably should have come here first—haha!

[kjjcarpenter]

Hello all!

The name is KJJ Carpenter, but you can all call me Kev. Or KJ. Whatever tickles your fantasy–see what I did there? Lame? Yeah, all right, I'll quit the puns while I'm ahead, or very far behind as the case may be.

I'm a writer, editor and a reader. I have a novel currently being assessed by a publisher; I hold a Diploma of Publishing (Professional Book Editing, Proofreading and Publishing); and I am studying further, having almost acquired an Advanced Diploma of Publishing and a Diploma of Editing. So I guess that makes me the technical nerd when it comes to writing, haha.

I was looking for a place to share my love of reading and writing, and there were a few places with like a bazillion members. I was like "Um, no thanks, I think I'll pass". Instead I opted to come to a much smaller and cosier place to procrastinate when I should be studying Uni or writing rather than be swallowed up in the forums where every second member has a head too big for their shoulders.

Anyway! Looks like a very cool place and I can't wait to start wasting my time away here instead of on Facebook!


Peace out,
Kev

 

[chris7]

Nice intro Kev, I prefer much smaller, cosier places too, You get much more of a feel for the place.

Larger community's are hard to get into.

Have fun !!!

 

[kjjcarpenter]

Thanks very much, Chris! Looking forward to lots of interesting conversations here.

 

[Black Dragon]

Hi Kev,

Welcome to Mythic Scribes. It's great having you here.

Congratulations on getting your novel assessed by a publisher. That's not easy to do. I personally haven't made it that far in the game yet, but I hope to soon.

I've been transitioning into fantasy writing from the world of academic journals and books, and things seem to work very differently in the realm of fiction. I have been told, for example, that it's very difficult to get a publisher to look at a novel until you first acquire an agent. Was this your experience?

At any rate, we are really looking forward to hearing more about your sojourn into the world of publishing and editing. Oh... and please be gentle when I mangle grammar, because I will from time to time.

BD

 

[kjjcarpenter]

Greetings BD!

Glad to be here.

Thanks very much for that! It is a hard process and takes far too much time and energy than what it should, especially for novels with heavy fantasy themes. The basic idea of getting publishes is to, yes, acquire an agent who will then "find" a publisher for you. By this, I mean there is no guarantee they will do any such thing and you can be left on a contract with no promise of success, and they take up to 20% of all your profits after the initial 67% taken by a publisher. I attempted to find an agent at first, but living in Australia I soon discovered there were a total of 32 literacy agents active in my country—an absolute joke. So with all the facts compiled, I gave up on that and just let my manuscript sit there for a year while I continued my studies. I found my publisher rather by chance in a marketplace manual, she was one of the few who accepted unsolicited material, and for that I'm thankful.

Do not worry about grammar! Everyone makes mistakes, even editors. Haha! I get so much gripe from my friends when I make a typographical error. It's quite annoying, so I am lenient toward others. Unless someone is sarcastic with me and decides to spell "you're" as "your", then the fury is unleashed.

Best of luck with your writing! I'm sure you'll do wonderful, as long as you're motivated. If, at any time, you require an editor or proofreader, I'd be more than happy to look over your work. I ran a small editing practice last year but quickly decided it was too much work, and I retired it.

And there I go, getting carried away with writing a response again! I do most of my work and schooling from home, so you'll see me around here quite a lot. And I look forward to lots of fun and adventure ... you'll just have to try and ignore my overtly long responses.


Kev

 

[Black Dragon]

I do most of my work and schooling from home, so you'll see me around here quite a lot. And I look forward to lots of fun and adventure ... you'll just have to try and ignore my overtly long responses.

Actually, Kev, I've been enjoying your long responses. They are never dull.

It's good having you hang around here. The primary reason that I started this site was to break the feeling of isolation that can accompany writing. You may know what I'm speaking of. I'm surrounded by people all day. At work I have my colleagues and students. At home I have my wife and daughter. But the process of writing itself always feels solitary.

My belief is that by bringing together writers with common interests, we will be able to keep each other motivated and inspired. Be sure to check out the thread entitled Vision for Mythic Scribes, as it lays out the master plan for where this is headed.

In any case, it is a pleasure having you here. I can tell that you're a very interesting guy, and your presence among us enriches the community.

 

[kjjcarpenter]

Thanks for the words of encouragement, BD; although, I must also give you some compliments otherwise I may seem rude! You're an intelligent person and I can tell your stories are going to have a distinct depth to them, much like "The Name of the Wind". It feels great to have a conversation with someone who values my opinion and understands what it is I'm trying to communicate.

Being here is nice for a variety of reasons, but one stands true for me: I haven't come across one person who speaks in abbreviations, or "text speak". A breath of fresh air to see that there actually exists a place on the internet housing people with an actual care for grammar and punctuation.

Out of everyone I know, bar my girlfriend, there is a complete disregard for reading, and I'm not even going to get into the opinions on writing of everyone I know. As I said, my girlfriend is the only exception. She reads, and she is even writing a short story, with my assistance, based in my universe. I can tell you that is a rich experience and a lovely bonding activity, but when it comes to getting down and dirty with my writing, I cannot agree with you more. It feels like solitary confinement.

Had a look at the thread you linked me. Impressive. A marketing campaign, this is sure to go down nicely. I'm glad I found this place while it's still small, and I look forward to watching it grow over time. I've also been thinking about an article I could perhaps write on the front page, the lack of reading in our current society, and I'll use the submission guidelines soon—sometime within the next week or so.

 

[Legerdemain]

Nice to meet you Kev! I've appreciated your thoughtfulness in responding to articles, it make it less of an "I agree, I disagree" forum and more of a conversation.

Oh, and if you can get 20% that's great, academic writers have to fight for more than 15%, but it's good to hear fantasy and fiction can go for more! Keep us posted on your progress!

 

[kjjcarpenter]

Hey, Legerdemain—can I call you Leg for shot? Nice to meet you, also!

Yes, it is possible to get 20%, it's all about weaving your way through the system. It is even possible, although extremely hard, to acquire upwards of 50% if you self-publish and market yourself. Bookstores, especially franchise bookstores such as Dymocks here in Australia, are very happy, and willing, to take on local, self-published authors. The only problem with this options is getting people to recognise your book. I guess it's all about what you want to decide to do, just keep in mind there is always a catch.

Regardless, I'm heading to my publisher again tomorrow to discuss things further and will definitely keep you all up to date!

 

[Black Dragon]

I've also been thinking about an article I could perhaps write on the front page, the lack of reading in our current society, and I'll use the submission guidelines soon—sometime within the next week or so.

That sounds wonderful, Kev!

 

[Legerdemain]

Sure, if I can call you Kev... I'll call Black Dragon - BD, Juiceman may be just Juice... and I'll shorten the rest too... easier to type that way... I just like my full name for the sound... LEGERDEMAIN.... epic...

Hey, Legerdemain–can I call you Leg for shot? Nice to meet you, also!

Yes, it is possible to get 20%, it's all about weaving your way through the system. It is even possible, although extremely hard, to acquire upwards of 50% if you self-publish and market yourself. Bookstores, especially franchise bookstores such as Dymocks here in Australia, are very happy, and willing, to take on local, self-published authors. The only problem with this options is getting people to recognise your book. I guess it's all about what you want to decide to do, just keep in mind there is always a catch.

Regardless, I'm heading to my publisher again tomorrow to discuss things further and will definitely keep you all up to date!