IWSG Day, ROW80 Check In, Schedule for the Upcoming Writers' Conference (watch this space!)

I've thought about doing this a couple of times, and now I'm finally getting around to it: Funniest, Most Ridiculous Blog Spam Comments:
who are these people?

pencils!

I think the pencils one is my favourite. These don't even have links - what are these spammers trying to accomplish?

At least they're positive in tone! Which leads me to... Insecure Writers' Support Group Day!

I don't feel insecure, necessarily, but I generally feel as though I'm lagging behind. No agent in sight yet, editing for second novel not progressing...

But that's not keeping up the positive tone. I've got to think of what I have done (ROW80!): Another rewrite of the query for Out of the Water under my belt, and 6000 words typed up of Fred and Lyne's story (I'm also working on a title!). I'm thinking of giving that query one more chance in the online world, this time at the Gearing Up To Get An Agent Blogfest, hosted by Deana Barnhart!

I've also started organizing the Virtual Surrey Writers' Conference, to take place from Friday to Sunday, 19 to 21 October. Here's the first draft of the schedule, keeping the same terms for events that SIWC uses:

Friday

8 to 9.30 am - roll call on the Compuserve Forum

9:30 am to 5 pm - writers' workshops (themes to be announced) (lunch and coffee breaks not included, as participants will be assumed to be eating and drinking in front of their computers)

SIWC includes a Night Owl session; Virtual Surrey will of necessity be an all-night-owl event, as participants will be joining from many different time zones.


Saturday

9 am to 5 pm - more workshops, including such items as troubleshooting (dialogue giving you problems? or perhaps you need help with deep POV?) and quicker-paced "the doctor is in" sessions (fire away with questions!).

If you would like to offer suggestions for other sorts of things you'd like to see, feel free. Shall we share sample pages? Dissect each other's pitches and blurbs? You decide!

5:30 pm - book fair (there will be giveaways!)

9 pm - movie night!


Sunday

8:30 am - trade show: free for all marketing. Talk up your book!

9 am to noon - more workshops

noon - lunch and farewell

There might be a wrap up session over the next day or two to discuss what worked and what didn't, and to hear stories from those who participated in the real Surrey.

Hope you'll all join us!

Comments

S.P. Bowers said…
Yay! looking forward to virtual Surrey!

Loved the spam comments. The ones I've been receiving aren't that interesting.
Zan Marie said…
Neat schedule. I might be in and out as the days RL tasks require, but I'm looking forward to this Virtual Surrey
Nas said…
Thanks for posting the schedule. Looks awesome. Will be lurking around!

Ohhhh? Spammers? Some are funny but most are irritating.
Hi Deniz .. I have to say spammers just irritate me and I don't read their rubbish - just make sure it is rubbish spam!

Have fun with the viral Surrey workshop .. I'm out of town - so will lurk too -

Good luck with the writing though - cheers Hilary
Golden Eagle said…
LOL. I've been getting some weird spam comments, too; and the ones without links really puzzle me. It doesn't seem to benefit anyone.
Susan Fields said…
Sounds like you've been busy - good luck with everything!
Michael Di Gesu said…
Those spam comments are INSANE... Too funny.

I know how you feel about lagging behind. Me too. Two novels written and nothing. But we keep positive and keep trying. What choice do we have, right?

And thanks for the links and info on the VSWC. I'll definitely check it out.
Michael Di Gesu said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Many spammers baffle me with their poor command of English and no link. And it's always clear they have not read the blog. Very strange...
Deniz Bevan said…
Thanks Sara and Zan Marie! I keep meaning to share on the Forum but haven't had a chance to log in in days. Soon, I hope!

Thanks, Nas!

Most of the spam is awful and very annoying, Hilary, and Eagle. Why do they waste their time? I don't get it either.

Thanks, Susan!

I hope you can make it to the Virtual Conference, Michael!
Anonymous said…
Haha! The spam comments are so ridiculous! The one before the pencil one doesn't make any sense! What's the point??
Deniz Bevan said…
I know, so ridiculous! Do people actually click on these things?