What do I/you want for Christmas?

[Nuffaluff]

I find it very hard to know what I want for Christmas, but this year I’ve decided I just want stuff to do with my hobby/obsession/future part time job. Writing is what makes me truly happy, much more than smellies, etc.
So what gifts could I ask for that would be useful? I want a good quality dictionary. Can anyone recommend one? When I looked on amazon I discovered there was such a thing as a ‘writer’s dictionary’. Is that worth getting and how is it different for a normal one?
What is the single most useful reference book you own?
I’m really after some proper good reference books that will really help me with my writing. I’ve got a thesaurus and I find it surprisingly helpful. I also have scrivener. I’m writing a novel and it’s going okay -35,000 words of first draft done (plus 50,00 already in the trash bin).

[stripyeyes]

What about a writing course? A local college one or an online one? (Can recommend Curtis brown creative)

Books such as King's On Writing and the Emotion Thesaurus are also great, and if u get to the end, the writers and artists yearbook is a must have for submitting to agents!

(Most of my presents are writing related )

[Nuffaluff]

Thanks stripy, that’s exactly the kind of advice I’m after. What are you writing?
Writing course is a great suggestion. I’m already doing one and it’s so much fun and useful for getting feedback. It’s an evening one, so the only drawback is most of the people are doing it for fun only, which is obviously fine, but I’m so (too?) serious about it that I’d like more criticism than chit chat iyswim.
I’ll have a look at Curtis Brown Creative. I’ll also have a look at the books you suggested.

[Hettieinvestigates]

How about the Writers and Artists yearbook? It has a list of all the agents in and some helpful articles too.

[Hettieinvestigates]

What type of novel are you writing Nuff?

[Nuffaluff]

Thanks hettie
Yes, will definitely get the ‘writers and artists yearbook’, but If I buy it now, it’ll probably be out of date by the time I’ve finished writing!
My novel is probably ‘general fiction’, but it has an element of romance. I think ‘general fiction’ is the right term, but my DH says that’s wanky. He insists I’m writing chick-lit. Now, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with chick-lit at all, but I never read it (apart from Marian Keyes), so if I’m wrong and I actually am writing chick-lit then I’m in trouble!

[AllSouls]

I often recommend Sol Stein's Solutions for Novelists to people who may be embarking on redrafting a novel -- it's essentially a very pragmatic book about editing yourself effectively. (He also has one Growing a Novel, which I've never read, but which might be useful if you're in the halfway doldrums..?)

Does your DH read 'chick lit'? If not, is he really likely to know whether that's your genre?

[Nuffaluff]

allsouls Those books sound pretty good - thank you. I’m getting quite a list going now.
No, my husband does not read chick lit. He says an author like David Nichols writes chicklit (One Day, etc.). It’s confusing me, because I can see where he’s coming from. I love that writer - it’s popular fiction definitely but I’m not sure if it’s chicklit. My writing teacher thinks my novel could be quite commercial so maybe that’s what DH means.

[AllSouls]

Is he confusing 'chick lit' (a label I loathe) with 'commercial fiction'?

I would call David Nicholls (well, have only read One Day, and some time ago, so basing it entirely on that) 'commercial fiction', which I would define broadly similarly to this, from the director of Curtis Brown -- when a "novel’s strongly story-led and with potentially broad appeal. Commercial fiction is less about style, voice and innovative use of language/form than literary fiction but there’s also an area where the two meet and blur – that’s often called ‘sweet spot fiction’ and it’s top of many publishers’ wish-lists.’’

I don't think David Nicholls could possibly be considered 'chick lit' (again, at least on the basis of One Day) -- which usually requires being written by women writers for a female readership, and with a female protagonist whose femaleness is important to the plot rather than incidental, and also being distinctively marketed (pastel covers, shots of high heels, certain typefaces etc etc).

[Nuffaluff]

Yeah, I think he is confused.
I think chick lit is a derogatory term and I don’t like it either. Because, as you say, it’s only written by women. Same as ‘women’s fiction’, another sneery term. There’s no equivalent for men.
DH thinks I’m a snob because I read a lot, but rarely read genre fiction. He says my novel is chick lit in the same sentence as ‘you’re a literary snob’. I’m not (well maybe I am a little bit).
I think my teacher thought my book could be commercial because of the story. But I am playing with language and form, so I suppose I’m aiming for the sweet spot. Never heard that before, but I have heard of ‘upmarket commercial’ which I think might mean the same thing.
Shame at the moment that it’s still more often ‘shit spot’, but I shall keep going.

[Sweetpea15]

If you like notebooks I recommend I Am Stationary Co.

www.iamstationeryco.co.uk/shop

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

What I actually want is a massive trifold notice board for planning.

Book recommendations - seconding The Emotion Thesaurus, also Brown and King 'Self Editing For Fiction Writers'.

A toy I have near my desk is one of those poseable artists lay figures which occasionally I fiddle with when I am thinking about body language.