Alchemator
my god if you don't have an iced tea for me when i
Hold your horses, donkeys, and various quadrupeds, mods. This ain't an advertisement. This is a
BLOG
Ok not quite that either. Let me explain further:
As many of you will already know, I'm a writer and budding author. Interestingly, back when I was younger I hated writing short stories and the like (I guess I was suffering from premature writer's block), but as I've grown older I've found it more and more entertaining to write stories and come up with interesting characters and so on. I even delight in putting themes and symbolism into things, which is pretty weird for a 16-year-old Brit. I should instead enjoy getting off my face on vodka and vomiting all down myself. Each to their own.
Now, after that little ramble there, I'll bring you back to the beginning: "As many of you will already know, I'm a writer and budding author." -- perhaps you'll ask, "Hey, Alch, what's the difference?", and I guess the answer to that is "Gotta be published to be an author, man!"
So that's what I intend to do, and I figured you guys might be interested in seeing how I get along in the world of full recycling bins and deleted emails, and some of you might even be able to help me on my quest. Obviously this isn't going to be a fast process -- publishers just love to make you wait -- so expect contributions with as much as a month between them. Of course, it would be awesome to hear your opinions/experiences on/of publishing.
Yes this thread is quite scatty so far: I just spent the whole day working on preparation for a submission, so my brain is mushed. Writing synopses is definitely not fun.
So, like I said, I've spent the day preparing for my virgin submission [not a euphemism for sexual assault], which I plan to set in motion tomorrow. Instead of giving you a run-down of the novella I plan to send off, I'm just going to show you exactly what I'm sending to the publisher.
Wish me luck!
Oh, and one more thing: I welcome criticism, but please keep it constructive. I'm self-conscious enough as it is.
And the accompanying synopsis:
BLOG
Ok not quite that either. Let me explain further:
As many of you will already know, I'm a writer and budding author. Interestingly, back when I was younger I hated writing short stories and the like (I guess I was suffering from premature writer's block), but as I've grown older I've found it more and more entertaining to write stories and come up with interesting characters and so on. I even delight in putting themes and symbolism into things, which is pretty weird for a 16-year-old Brit. I should instead enjoy getting off my face on vodka and vomiting all down myself. Each to their own.
Now, after that little ramble there, I'll bring you back to the beginning: "As many of you will already know, I'm a writer and budding author." -- perhaps you'll ask, "Hey, Alch, what's the difference?", and I guess the answer to that is "Gotta be published to be an author, man!"
So that's what I intend to do, and I figured you guys might be interested in seeing how I get along in the world of full recycling bins and deleted emails, and some of you might even be able to help me on my quest. Obviously this isn't going to be a fast process -- publishers just love to make you wait -- so expect contributions with as much as a month between them. Of course, it would be awesome to hear your opinions/experiences on/of publishing.
Yes this thread is quite scatty so far: I just spent the whole day working on preparation for a submission, so my brain is mushed. Writing synopses is definitely not fun.
So, like I said, I've spent the day preparing for my virgin submission [not a euphemism for sexual assault], which I plan to set in motion tomorrow. Instead of giving you a run-down of the novella I plan to send off, I'm just going to show you exactly what I'm sending to the publisher.
Wish me luck!
Oh, and one more thing: I welcome criticism, but please keep it constructive. I'm self-conscious enough as it is.
Query Letter said:Addresses and suchlike.
Dear Sir / Madam,
It pains me to start a letter so impersonally.
'Halfway into the Fog' is a 40,500-word contemporary bildungsroman set in the fictional, Scottish town of Morgon, a relic of the formerly-bustling fish industry, and clinging to relic-like beliefs. This completed work is primarily targeted at an audience between 14 and 19 years of age, but its message is relevant to both the younger and older generations.
In the midst of financial troubles, the Robins family is forced to sell up and move to Morgon, a dilapidated town perpetually plagued by fog. Ostracised by both his peers and the mysterious school principal (the time-obsessed 'Marshal' Mendel), their son Dan takes solace in the quirky Beth. Soon, however — even with his family disintegrating under the weight of the town's out-of-whack faith — he must work to protect the ideas he hates. He needs to win Beth's heart, too.
'Halfway into the Fog' is a punchy novella that aims to use wit and colourful characters to make deep issues accessible to a teenage audience. It deals with unhealthy introversion, bereavement and prejudice, and yet engages with both irony and the occasional deplorable pun.
Writing has always been a huge part of my life: I enjoyed writing short stories from an early age — after all, it's like reading, except the plot goes exactly in the way you'd like. After enjoying success in school writing competitions for many years, I then decided to turn my hand to extended pieces of writing at age 14. This resulted in a text numbering almost 51,000 words, but generally I was unsatisfied with the narrative style and — on a smaller scale — the language choices I had made. Since that time, I have been tirelessly honing my style, culminating in the production of the work I put to you today. At age 16 I believe I already have much to offer, capitalising on my younger perspective of the world, and hoping to build on my skills as I grow older.
Enclosed is a more-detailed synopsis of the manuscript, and I would be very grateful if you might take the time to read it.
Thank you for your consideration,
Alchemator [Affectionately known as Alch!]
And the accompanying synopsis:
Synopsis said:Synopsis of ‘Halfway into the Fog’
Genre: Bildungsroman
Word Count: 40,550 [Synopsis word count: 1,072]
By: Alchemator [Alch / Alchy / Alchmeister / Al Alchemist / Alcheroony
Appearances can be – no, they are – deceiving. Dan Robins and his family find themselves in Morgon, where everything is a shade of sickly grey, even the sunken eyes and skin of its residents. However, the smoking chimneys of the fishery and the grizzly faces of its workers belie dangerous ideas.
Dan hopes to God (well, not really…) that he’ll fit in at his new school, but the signs don’t look good: the cruel principal, ‘Marshal’ Mendel, immediately seems to dislike him. The other kids set about testing the strength of Dan’s “Sticks and stones—“ mantra, and indeed the strength of their actual sticks and stones. All Dan wants to do is to fit in, and so he finds an ideal friend in Mike. Maybe, though, he’s too ideal…
Convincing himself that he needs to get revenge, Dan sets out to track down his bullies, but is caught by Marshal Mendel. His punishment: to be held back in the pointless ‘Social Support’. Fortunately, he manages to while away the time with Beth, an intelligent (and not-too-unattractive, I suppose…) girl, who oddly refuses to give her surname.
Attending Church that Sunday as a matter of politeness, a distinctly-slurred sermon is given by Pastor Carlton. He vomits out a skewed interpretation of the Bible, and the congregation wholeheartedly agrees with it. After all, it was the only thing they’d ever heard. Dan begins to realise just how dangerous Carlton’s effective dictatorship can be, and tries to take solace in Mike, who has no answers. He is forced to turn to Beth, a believer.
The next week, Beth claims that there is treasure – the greatest treasure known to man (and probably woman, too) – under the school, and invites the cynical Dan to join her. To his surprise, they discover a trapdoor in Marshal Mendel’s office, leading to a dank tunnel. Finding a ramshackle wine cellar its end, the two soon discover that they are underneath the church – Carlton is a drunkard. Meanwhile, The Pastor’s estranged son returns, and – after failing to reconcile with his father – sets fire to the church, with Dan and Beth trapped inside. Beth reveals, to Dan’s horror, that she is Mendel’s daughter, and then she prays for their survival. Dan talks to Mike, who has oddly appeared, before falling unconscious.
Staring at the ceiling of a hospital, Dan discovers that Carlton’s son saved him from the burning wreckage, along with Beth. Soon afterwards, however, the fire had struck the wine cellar, causing an explosion and killing their rescuer. Stricken with grief, Carlton disappears from Morgon, and does not return. Dan’s father is happy that the church was destroyed, and claims it is a sign that there is no god. His mother, however, disagrees, saying Dan and Beth’s survival was miraculous. His father’s vehement opposition to his wife’s apparent conversion causes many arguments, leading to his mother leaving entirely.
Beth invites Dan to stay with the Mendels, to give his father some space. Though initially apprehensive, Dan discovers that Mendel is not the heinous character he portrays at the school, and is actually wise and compassionate. In order to give them more time to recover from their injuries, he sends them to a mansion on the edge of the town, which supposedly houses the old Henry Thorne.
The children are surprised to discover that Thorne, though haggard and arthritic, is still alive, sitting in the entrance hall of the mansion. He tells them he has sat there for years, disconnected from the world. Amazed by the structure of the mansion, despite its dereliction, Dan and Beth beg Thorne to show them the other rooms. Reluctantly, he agrees.
Leading them to the music room, Thorne reveals that he was once a piano teacher, and (with difficulty) tells them the story of his isolation through one of his compositions – ‘The Broken Man’. Decades previous, he was to marry the beautiful Teorna, but Carlton would not permit it, as she had previously been a prostitute. Hated by Morgon and ostracised by Carlton, Teorna eventually takes her own life. This leads Thorne to hate the town and everything it stands for, and hides himself away in his mansion, in many ways hoping to be forgotten.
Reflecting on Thorne’s story with Mike, Dan realises that the hatred of religion – and not the religion itself – has caused the problems in his life. He goes to reconcile with his father, and finds that he has locked himself away in the house. Recognising that his father would eventually become like Henry Thorne, Dan convinces him to reconsider his views and live his life. On the way back to the Mendel household, Dan discovers that there are plans to build a new church, led by the personable Rob Glough.
Beth wakes him the next day, and points outside – reporters fill the previously-empty streets of Morgon, having been tipped off about the construction of the new church. They aim to stop the build, and mock Mendel, Glough and religion as a whole. Without hesitation, Dan realises he must defend Morgon’s beliefs from mockery, in order to preserve peace in the town (and, as Thorne recognises, to curry favour with Beth). However, he does not know how to do so.
Returning to Thorne, Beth realises that they must show the reporters what hatred can do, by playing ‘The Broken Man’. Dan points out that Thorne can no longer play well enough, but Beth correctly deduces that Mendel was once a student of Thorne’s. Commandeering the school’s piano, they take it to Morgon’s central square, where Mendel reveals he struggles with his left hand. Thorne states that Dan will be able to play, despite having no prior experience, and so Mendel and Dan sit down together to play the piece.
Some weeks later, outside Thorne’s mansion, Beth and Dan relive the piano-playing. The reporters had simply ended their broadcasts and left – it was almost miraculous. The town’s doctor steps outside and informs them that Thorne has indeed died, but passed away peacefully, having written a characteristically tongue-in-cheek letter for Dan, and entrusting him with the crumbling mansion.
A year on, Dan and Mike sit on the Morgon shore, reminiscing about Thorne and Dan’s awkward-half-relationship-sort-of with Beth. Dan decides that he need no longer be so introverted, as he is no longer an outcast in Morgon. With a final witty exchange, Dan says goodbye to his imaginary friend, and Mike fades away into the fog.