MPH Writer's Circle

Went to first meeting of MPH's Writer's Circle yesterday in the 1 Utama store. Quite an experience, the Booker Room was completely packed with what I suppose must be aspiring writers. Oon Yeoh who writes on IT for The Edge and is the author of Transition — Making Sense of the Digital Age was supposed to speak on the editorial process. I say supposed to speak, because although he began very well indeed (talking about the small publishing company he has set up with the intention of helping local writers); and about the pitfalls of self-publishing, discussion really got hijacked by the audience who were hungry to ask questions and share experiences about publishing.

Some of the topics touched on:

- if you want to produce a quality book, you need a professional editor - but this is where most people who self-publish try to cut corners

- the books that do well on the local market are self-help books, cookbooks and kids books

- if you manage to sell 3,000 copies of any book locally, you have a best seller on your hands

- local fiction hardly sells - maybe 10-20 copies!

There were some success stories though from an enterprising young novelist called John Ling and from an inventor called Bugs who has had his book of local fairy tales published with Periplus.

I got nudged by Leah, who was sitting next to me, to make an announcement that I would soon be running classes for anyone interested in creative writing. And afterwards was positively beseiged with enquiries, so for sure there is a market.

Friday was, for me, the day when all my hope birds came home to roost. I should soon have course up and running at a couple of different venues. Will tell you soon. Am full of bright shiny hopefulness.

Marred only by the fact that I am not myself at the moment and probably won't be for a few weeks more until I am on the right medication. I need my head back! I'm going crazy now, lost in a fug of wrong chemicals which affects body, mind and soul. At least I know what's wrong ... and am no longer scared of the men in white coats.

Leah was wonderful good at being there for me.