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Saturday 21 March 2015

Reading at Croydon Library and feedback arrives

Having booked a spot at Croydon Library's Poetry Hour I went along with two poems. There were around twenty or so people and we each had the chance to read one poem to start with. A friend came along to support me but I was as nervous as the first time I read there. I was third or fourth on the list. Unfortunately, the microphone wasn't working well and it was a strain to hear sometimes so I tried to make sure I projected my voice. My first poem was an amusing one about being in space, written especially for this session (theme was universe). It seemed to go down well and certainly created some laughs and my friend loved it.

After everyone from the list had read others came up to read and then people could go up for a second time. I read a sonnet about Easter which I'd had published by Areopagus. There was a guy sitting behind me who just turned up to see what it was all about. He actually wrote throughout the hour and eventually was persuaded to go up and read, even though he said the poem wasn't finished. We all enjoyed his rap-style poem about the universe. He was very brave to perform with a quickly thrown together poem and I can see talent there. I think it likely he will be back.

All the hand written edits from the second session, now on computer and being edited again!
Last time I blogged I mentioned that I'd emailed the first two chapters of my novel to a friend. I now have her feedback and was amazed to find positive comments. Keep writing, she said. She also said she'd be happy to read more. I know the genre is perhaps not her favourite and I think she was a little confused by the second chapter but she read it blind - no synopsis or blurb to help (her choice). I was pleased that she identified with the main character and she had already formed an opinion of one other particular character in the way I'd hoped. I guess I keep going then! I've taken on board her remarks and will look at one particular scene. This is good news. Sometimes I just get overwhelmed with it all. it seems there is never an ending in sight. Another friend asked me how many edits I will do. I just don't know. I never set out to aim for any particular number. There will definitely be a fourth. After that, who knows? It all depends. At present I'm not quite half way through the third edit but it is coming together. Yesterday I deleted a whole section which I put in on another edit because I I decided I didn't need it. It did not add anything to the story.

A few days ago I opened up the file containing the novel I drafted for NaNoWriMo in November. I haven't looked at it since I finished it. My first reaction was - this is better than the first novel! Probably I feel that way because it is a totally different genre, very different characters and it comes at me new, whereas I'm working on the current novel virtually daily. I couldn't resist a few tweaks and had to stop myself going on. I really should get one thing done at a time, I think. I could feel myself being drawn into that story and I have to be in the zone for the current one. I can switch between poems and stories but I think it's too confusing to switch between novels. Anyone have thoughts on this?

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