As you may have heard, National Novel Writing Month has just been and gone in a chemically-fuelled blaze of plotting and pacing (around the garret, that is). I didn’t take part myself, but I know a man who did.
That got me thinking. Why not have a month for fiction readers? Or, more specifically, for readers of novels and short story collections by new authors. I nominate the month of April, (which just happens to coincide with the release of my own novel, Taking Comfort, and the launch of the Macmillan New Writing imprint).
So, I hereby officially announce that from now on April is designated ‘Read A New Author Month’. Or RANAM. You saw it here first.
It doesn’t matter which book by which new author you read. Just so long as you take a chance on one of us. Hey, what have you got to lose? Remember, there are far riskier ways of spending your money.
There will be a helpline to ring for suggestions. New authors will be seen everywhere, signing books, giving readings. Impromptu reading groups will form in villages, towns and cities. There will be T-shirts. And stickers. And book marks. There may even be mugs. I don’t see why we can’t have mugs.
(Okay, I made all that stuff up, but if I can persuade some publishers to get behind it, why not?)
Most importantly, there will be books. Books by new authors. Of this I am certain. And that’s the most important thing.
The countdown to Read A New Author Month starts NOW!
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6 comments:
Compared to writing a novel in a month, reading a novel by a new author in 30 days would be a breeze.
Hmm, I wonder which new author's book I should read...?
'I wonder which new author's book I should read...?' That's an interesting question, Steve. Let me think about it. [Sits back to let subtle, subliminal messages in plog do their work. Laughs evilly!]
Debra - your love of discovering new authors will certainly assure you pride of place! Two years in Nano - that's a real achievement. Or does it just mean you're a glutton for punishment? (Polite term for masochist.)
Tom - RANAM will include short story collections, of course! Anything by a previously unpublished (new) writer of fiction.
What about reading "presently unpublished" authors? I'm all for reading new writers and will certainly participate in April, but what I would like to see is a lot of readers reading novels by authors that the publishing world has missed (or hasn't found marketable).
Hi Angler, I appreciate what you are saying, but don't really know how you can get the texts out there to people without some form of publishing - self, maybe? Or by making work available as downloadable pdfs maybe? Glad to hear you might be interested in participating in RANAM. I really appreciate it.
Roger.
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