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Glossary beginning with R

Glossary terms

--Roundfiresearch for term
An Imprint Of John Hunt Publishing. Whether it's literary or popular, a gentle tale or a pulsating thriller, the connecting theme in all Roundfire fiction titles is that once you pick them up you won't want to put them down.See also: John Hunt Publishing
Radio 4 Book clubsearch for term

Useful Arts and Books page about books in the news. The site includes past, present and future book recommendations, advice on setting up and running a book group, and a message board to help readers contribute to the debate and get involved. www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/bookclub/

Raimondi & Campbell Literary Agency Ltdsearch for term
Ralph Lewis Awardsearch for term


University of Sussex Library, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 9QL

Phone 01273 678158

Fax 01273 678441

p.a.ringshaw@sussex.ac.uk

Established 1985. Occasional award set up by Ralph Lewis, a Brighton author and art collector who left money to fund awards for promising manuscripts which would not otherwise be published. The award is given in the form of a grant to a UK-based publisher in respect of an agreed three-year programme of publication of literary works by new authors or by established authors using new styles or forms. No direct applications from writers. Previous winners: Peterloo Poets (1989--91); Serpent's Tail (1992--94); Stride Publications (1997--99).

 

Ralph M. Vicinanza Ltdsearch for term

Founded 1976, and merged in 1978 with the agency founded by Lurton Blassingame in 1928.

Specialises in science fiction, fantasy, mystery/suspense, and romantic suspense.

Random House Children's Bookssearch for term
Click for Random House Children's Books Publishers References listingSee also: Random House UK, The Bodley Head
Random House UKsearch for term
Penguin Random House have more than 50 creative and autonomous imprints, publishing the very best books for all audiences, covering fiction, non-fiction, poetry, children’s books, autobiographies and much more. Click for Random House UK Publishers References listingSee also: Cornerstone Publishing, Ebury Publishing, Random House Children's Books, The Bodley Head, Transworld Publishers, Vintage Publishing
Rare Bookssearch for term

International UK-based service for finding difficult-to-locate books. www.scfordham.com

Rate My Storysearch for term

New writers' site where you can upload your work and receive comment, whilst commenting on other people's. http://ratemystory.net/word/?page_id=2

Rating Zonesearch for term

Site which enables you to start rating material online (although you do need to create an account before you can start). www.ratingzone.com

RDC Agencia Literaria SLsearch for term
Read at worksearch for term

If you've ever wanted to read at work whilst looking as if you're hard at it, this joky site will enable to work your way through some poetry, short stories and classics, heavily disguised as inofffensive Powerpoint presentations. www.readatwork.com

Reading Groups Onlinesearch for term

Affiliated groups using different combinations of internet modalities to create book discussions on the Web www.readinggroupsonline.com/

Readitswapitsearch for term

Interesting UK site which provides mechanism for arranging to swap books you no longer want with other members of the site. 363087 books available on last visit. http://www.readitswapit.co.uk/TheLibrary.aspx

Rebecca Strong International Literary Agencysearch for term
Redhammer Management Ltdsearch for term

Specialises in works with international potential.

Unpublished authors must be professional in their approach and have major international potential, ideally book, film and/or TV.

Submissions via agents website

Children's clients include Donna Ballman, Peggy Brusseau, Gary Bushell, Brian Clegg, Maria (MG) Harris, Lucy Johnson, Amanda Lees, Michelle Paver, Kellie Santin, David Yelland.

Synonyms: Redhammer Management
Rees Literary Agencysearch for term
Reference Desksearch for term

Not for profit American website with access to huge amount of reference material, providing an essential reference tool. www.refdesk.com

Rejection Collectionsearch for term

Subtitled 'the writers and artists on-line source for misery, commiseration and inspiration' this entertaining and friendly site works on the basis that having a good moan about your rejections will make you feel better. www.rejectioncollection.com

Reviewerssearch for term
Reviews of the software which is available to help writerssearch for term

There are a number of software packages to help writers. We will be reviewing these and would welcome any contributions from users. For those interested in scriptwriting or poetry, there will be separate listings. Scriptwriting (for film, radio and the theatre) is particularly well supported by software packages using specialised word-processing packages which respect the presentation conventions of a script.

Rex Features search for term
This big library has clocked up half a century in the business of providing ‘quality stills with a certain edge’ and has over 1 million images available online, with 1,000 being added every day - and a library of 15 Million photos.
Richard Curtis Associates Inc.search for term

All types of commercial non-fiction.

Foreign rights handled by Baror International.

Do not represent stage plays or screenplays, short fiction/non-fiction, poetry, children's books or young adult books. Guidelines

Does not accept queries or submissions by fax or email unless personally requested.

Synonyms: Richard Curtis Associates
Richards Literary Agencysearch for term
Richford Becklow Literary Agencysearch for term
Richmond Reviewsearch for term

Online UK literary magazine with an excellent selection of stories, poetry, articles, essays and reviews: www.richmondreview.co.uk

Ride the Pen Blogsearch for term
Robert A. Freedman Dramatic Agency Inc.search for term

Plays, motion picture and TV scripts.

Robert Dudley Agencysearch for term

Specialises in history, biography, sport, management, politics, militaria, current affairs

No reading fee. Will suggest revision. All material sent at owner's risk. No MSS returned without sae.

Founded 2000.

Robert Lambollesearch for term

Robert LambolleRobert Lambolle

Robert Lambolle, WritersServices' specialist Scriptwriting editor, brings a huge amount of professional experience to the assessment of scripts, plays and screenplays. He also assesses manuscripts about cinema and the performing arts.  He set up his own literary consultancy in 1985 and is a reviewer, writer, creative writing teacher and editor. Over the years he has helped many writers from all over the world get their work into shape for submission and publication.

Robert also has professional theatre, film and TV experience as writer, director, producer and actor, including productions at the Royal National Theatre. He is still involved in performance, with his own theatre company and is currently enjoying a revival of his parallel career in Performance Art. He has also lectured in Theatre, Literature and Film at various British and American colleges. 

Robert Nilessearch for term
Expert on web research helps you get started with masses of links to US information sources. www.robertniles.com
Robert Smith Literary Agency Ltdsearch for term

Non-fiction only: autobiography and biography, topical subjects, history, lifestyle, popular culture, entertainment, true crime, health and nutrition, illustrated books.

No unsolicited MSS. No reading fee. Will suggest revision. The agency does not represent screenwriters, but rather sells rights for books to film and television industries.

Founded 1997.

Synonyms: Robert Smith Literary Agency
Robinson Literary Agency Ltdsearch for term

Fiction, general non-fiction, popular culture

Documentaries and TV presenters.

No reading fee. Will suggest revision.

Synonyms: Robinson Literary Agency
Rochelle Stevens & Cosearch for term

Drama scripts for film, TV, theatre and radio.

Preliminary letter, CV and sae essential. No reading fee.

Founded 1984.

Specialises in film and TV. Agent represents approximately 70 writers working in film, TV and theatre, as well as directors.

Unsolicited enquiries welcome. Please send CV or showreel, covering letter and synopsis along with an sae.

Rocking Chair Books Ltd. search for term
Rogers, Coleridge & White Ltdsearch for term

Set up in 1967 and shortly afterwards was joined by Pat White. Rogers, Coleridge and White was founded twenty years later, when Gill Coleridge left Anthony Sheil Associates to join them in 1987.

Full-length book MSS, including children's books (home 15%, USA 20%, translation 20%). No unsolicited MSS, and no submissions by fax or email.

Children's fiction and non-fiction (home 15%, USA 20%). Handles novelty books, picture books, fiction for 5-8 and 9-12 year-olds, teenage fiction, series fiction, non-fiction and reference.

Submissions should include a covering letter telling about yourself and the background to the book.  In the case of fiction they should consist of the first three chapters or approximately the first fifty pages of the work to a natural break, and a brief synopsis.

Non-fiction submissions should take the form of a proposal up to twenty pages in length explaining what the work is about and why you are best placed to write it.   Material should be printed out in 12 point font, in double-spacing and on one side only of A4 paper.

No unsolicited MSS. No submissions by fax or email. No reading fee. Will suggest revision.

Synonyms: Rogers, Coleridge & White
Rosalind Ramsaysearch for term
Rosemary Sandberg Ltdsearch for term

Children's writers and illustrators, general fiction and non-fiction.

Absolutely no unsolicited MSS: client list is full.

Founded 1991.

Synonyms: Rosemary Sandberg
Rosica Colin Ltdsearch for term

All full-length MSS (excluding science fiction and poetry); also theatre, film and sound broadcasting.

No reading fee, but may take 3-4 months to consider full MSS. Send synopsis only in first instance, with letter outlining writing credits and whether MS has been previously submitted, plus return postage.

Authors include Richard Aldington, Simone de Beauvoir (in UK), Samuel Beckett (publication rights), Steven Berkoff, Alan Brownjohn, Sandy Brownjohn, Donald Campbell, Nick Dear, Neil Donnelly, J.T. Edson, Bernard Farrell, Rainer Werner Fassbinder (in UK), Jean Genet, Franz Xaver Kroetz, Don McCamphill, Heiner Muller (in UK), Graham Reid, Alan Sillitoe, Botho Strauss (in UK), Rina Vergano, Anthony Vivis, Wim Wenders (in UK).

Represents screenwriters in film and TV; also all other forms excluding science fiction and poetry.

Send synopsis only in the first instance, with letter outlining writing credits and whether script has been previously submitted, plus return postage.

Clients include: Wim Wenders (UK only), and work of Rainer Werner Fassbinder (in UK).

Founded 1949.

Synonyms: Rosica Colin
Royal Literary Fundsearch for term

Old-established British organisation which is using substantial new funds from writers' estates for excellent new scheme offering grants to published writers, who act as 'fellows' helping to improve students' writing in higher education institutions. The fellows each have a page and contact details on the website. www.rlf.org.uk

Royal Society of Literaturesearch for term
This British site may seem rather formal (stated aim ‘to sustain and encourage all that is perceived as best whether traditional or experimental in English letters, and to strive for a Catholic appreciation of literature’), but has a lively series of lectures and discussions involving distinguished authors. Also administers literary prizes. http://www.rslit.org/index1.html
RSPB Imagessearch for term
The place to go for thousands of pictures of birds.
Rupert Crew Ltdsearch for term

Founded 1927 by F. Rupert Crew

International representation, handling volume and subsidiary rights in fiction and non-fiction properties; no plays, screenplays, poetry, journalism, science fiction or short stories.

No reading fee, but preliminary letter and return postage essential.

Also acts independently as publishers' consultants.

Association of Authors' Agents

Synonyms: Rupert Crew
--review newnovelistsearch for term

newnovelist

Creativity Software ISBN 1904286003

£29.99

 

 

Click to visit Amazon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starting out

Everyone knows that writing is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. newnovelist tries to reverse, or at least adjust, this old maxim.

newnovelist seems at first like a bit of a bully. Perhaps that is a bit hard. It’s the ticking clock in the exam room that keeps your fingers moving and the brain engaged. There is no time or excuse now for writer’s block.

The well-conceived prompts and menus ask you to describe your character’s weaknesses, explain their options and much more. This is the inspirational stage. After half an hour you get the newnovelist habit of jumping about to add or amend details in the sketches. The lists seem endless but after describing the characters, the places and setting you have a wonderfully clear and detailed outline.

Now you are ready to write your story

newnovelist gives you ‘chapters’ for your story which you can rename to fit your plan. The titles provided derive from the style you established for your story. This is the key to what the software has to contribute. It takes the much-analysed structure of writing and leads you through these ‘rules’.

So how did it work? Rather well, actually. No time was wasted in thinking. The software makes you organise yourself. We know we should think it all through before we start writing, but we never do. newnovelist prompts you to do exactly that. The payback is that you can incorporate the preliminary sketches into your story.

Sadly it does not actually generate a single word of the text for you. But how could it? Instead it allows you to focus on the characters and then write the story itself. This extra focus is valuable. When you construct the narrative, you copy the character and other sketches prepared earlier and paste them into your developing novel.

If the early stages feel like working on a production line, this is the payback. Progress is rapid and you can quickly embellish a place or character as the story develops. You just add the bits required to the sketch and move on. No time to get emotionally attached to a character or incident. Once you get used to this way of working, it is rather liberating. No daydreaming allowed. You can find your way back to previous text with a couple of clicks.

The software behaves well and is not resource hungry. But I would like some indication which part of any sketches are incorporated. And how wonderful it would be if I could change some characteristic and have the software tell me where I have copied this into the story. Also on my wish list would be a progress meter. The software tells you how much each part of the story should occupy, but you have to count the words yourself.

Nobody ever reads instructions, so no-one can blame Creativity Software for keeping them to a minimum. However, it does take a bit of courage to devote several days to building your characters, not knowing what will become of your hard work. A few words at the beginning to explain the way newnovelist constructs the novel would have been welcome.

This is not the complete answer, nor does it purport to be. It is an excellent training tool and invaluable for part-time writers. The sketches make it very much easier for those who can only return to their masterpiece at the weekend to know where they’ve got to. The notes make it much simpler to maintain continuity and gather up the threads when you pick up your pen again.

Did it work? Surprisingly, it did. The pieces of my puzzle were pasted together into a coherent whole, along with some useful notes from the software. I enjoyed reading what seemed like a new story, once I figured out that ‘generate report’ was the magic button that stuck it all together. So now I am ready for the first revision of my story on the word processor. This is where the perspiration really starts.

 

© Charles Jones 2002

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See also: Attaché software, Muse names, Storybase, Whitesmoke, writers blocks software