u/turi_guiliano

Hey y’all! I’m an aspiring fiction writer and motorsports enthusiast. I’ve started working on a novel set during the Group B era of WRC (between 1979-1986). The protagonist is Swedish and his arch rival is a Finn whose brother was a rising rally star who died in a crash before the events of the story. There is also an Italian Michele Mouton equivalent. As you can probably figure out, mortality is a central theme in the novel.

I’m not really sure where else to ask this and there are so few (if any) fiction novels written about rallying, so I figured this sub and r/WRC would be better places to ask for input. What would you want to see in a fiction novel about Group B-era WRC?

Article about the origins of auto racing in Australia and its unique position in global motorsport.

I’m new to the area and am a YouTuber with some freelance video editing experience. I want to network with other video editors/videographers in the area or fellow YouTubers. Is there a specific place where creators/digital media types hang out here? Also doesn’t have to be in CH/Carrboro, Durham, Cary, Apex, and other places nearby are fine too.

As title says. It is for a Germanic folklore inspired tattoo.

Took in some of the feedback from my last attempt and did some more last minute polishing of my manuscript. Also looked for more comps.

Dear [agent],

I’m writing to seek representation for my 86,000-word work of upmarket fiction, Velocity. It will appeal to fans of Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Endurance by Kate Woodcock, and Rush. This work can either stand alone or be part of a series.

French endurance racer Pierre Durand has earned a seat on Porsche’s factory team in the World GT Championship, where careers are built and destroyed across grueling hours-long races, rival manufacturers, and relentless media scrutiny. Unfortunately, no one believes that he earned his seat. Pierre is the son of Philippe Durand, a three-time world champion and one of the most celebrated endurance racing drivers of his generation. To the paddock, Pierre is just another rich heir cashing in on his father’s name. For Pierre, having been brought up in the garage, racing is the only world he knows.

Durand is determined to prove to the rest of the world, and more importantly to himself, that he belongs in the paddock and among the sport’s greats. Not only does Pierre want to escape his father’s shadow, he wants to surpass his father altogether. Standing in his way is his Aussie rival, Tom Perkins, himself with something to prove. Pierre’s teammate, Carlos Barros, also a multiple-time champion, is likewise hellbent on not being humbled by his young upstart teammate. Pierre’s obsession with winning on the track is driven not only by ambition, but by the fear that without racing, he has no identity at all. After a violent crash leaves him sidelined, his bookish and introspective girlfriend, Charlotte, pushes him to imagine a life beyond garages, podiums, and championship titles.

Set against the backdrop of the global endurance racing scene during the late 1990s and early 2000s, Velocity is a character-driven sports novel about ambition, legacy, masculinity, and self-perception with romantic and interpersonal elements.

Drawing on a lifetime of immersion in automotive history and motorsports culture, Velocity is my debut novel. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
[insert name]

Dear [agent],

I’m writing to seek representation for my 85,000-word work of adult upmarket fiction, Velocity. It will appeal to fans of Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, and Rush. This work can either stand alone or be part of a series.

At twenty-three, Pierre Durand has finally earned a seat on Porsche’s factory team in the World GT Championship. Unfortunately, nobody believes that he earned it. Pierre is the son of Philippe Durand, a three-time world champion and one of the most celebrated endurance drivers of his generation. To the paddock, Pierre is just another rich heir cashing in on his father’s name. Every mistake confirms the doubts and the rumors. Every success is dismissed as favoritism, or the work of his teammates, or the virtue of having a better car.

Determined to escape his father’s shadow, Pierre throws himself into the brutal world of international endurance racing, where careers are built and destroyed across twenty-four-hour races, rival manufacturers, and relentless media scrutiny. But as the pressure mounts, Pierre’s obsession with proving himself begins to consume every part of his identity. 

Set against the backdrop of the global endurance racing scene during the late 1990s and early 2000s, Velocity is a character-driven novel about ambition, legacy, masculinity, and self-worth.

I am a lifelong motorsports enthusiast with a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Central Florida. My background in history and international politics has served my writing well and has given me a wealth of material from which to draw inspiration for my projects. Velocity is my debut novel. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
[insert name]

I (28M) am a lifelong motorsports enthusiast with a humanities and digital media background who wants to get involved in the industry. I got a BA in history and I have a partnered history-adjacent YouTube channel with hundreds of thousands of views and thousands of subscribers. I’m also active on TikTok and Instagram promoting my channel. Work-wise, apart from YouTube, I’ve done freelance video editing work locally and I have a few years of customer service experience. Also, I have a blog where I write about the intersection of economics, politics, and motorsport.

I would like to be either a motorsports writer/journalist or something centered around the digital media side of things. I live in North Carolina, so moving to Charlotte is on the table. Also open to traveling. Other than being around cars and tuning my entire life, I don’t know anyone in the industry or where to even begin.

What are some good barber shops around here that don’t charge an arm and a leg? Preferably barber shops that work with “ethnic” hair.

I am wrapping up the editing phase of my manuscript and am starting to draft query letters. How does my query letter look?

Dear [agent],

I’m writing to seek representation for my 85,000-word work of literary sports fiction, Velocity. It will appeal to fans of Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, and Ford v Ferrari. This work can either stand alone or be part of a series.

Being the son of a legendary racing driver sounds like a wonderful upbringing to most, that is, unless you want to be a legendary racing driver yourself. Having been signed on to Porsche’s factory team in the World GT Championship for 1996, 23-year old Pierre Durand is eager to make a statement in his debut season. This would be quite the task, as his father, Philippe, was a three-time World GT champion and took four class wins at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

From the very outset, Pierre is treated as the kid who bought his way in with Daddy’s money. Pierre not only has to contend with drivers from rival teams, but also his egotistical veteran teammates, motorsports journalists willing to sensationalize his life and career to make a quick buck, and most importantly with himself and his identity.

Pierre’s world is solely defined by how many races and titles he wins. To him, racing is the end all, be all of life. As Pierre advances through the global endurance racing circuit, he learns to view himself as more than just a man who races cars for a living. The other drivers in Pierre’s orbit, his hot-headed teammate Carlos Barros, his long-time rival Tom Perkins, his good friend Ron Carson, and Dieter Köhler, his protege, are likewise forced to confront the question: “In a world defined entirely by winning, what makes you actually worth something when you’re not winning?”

Velocity is a character-driven novel about ambition, identity, and rivalry set in the world of international endurance racing during the late 1990s and early 2000s. 

I am a [bio stuff]. While my academic work has been published under [insert name], Velocity is my first foray into fiction.

I (28M) just moved back to NC from Florida and was wondering if anyone else in CH/Carrboro would be interested in playing bar trivia with me or allowing me on their team? I love trivia and I’m really good at it (used to play quiz bowl competitively in college). I’m flexible on location and time. If this interests you, definitely reach out!

I will be relocating to Chapel Hill from FL in less than two weeks to job hunt in the area for a few months. I have roots in the area and have been planning a move back for a while. Any summer jobs I can do other than Uber Eats/DoorDashing?