Moving on

I get through a lot of pens and notebooks.
Switching to recycled materials seems logical to me.

Since I last posted here I have had my critique on my novel and a couple of weeks to mull things over. The critique was much as I expected in a way. My doubts about it bore out and I think it is time to put this one to bed for a while now. I've worked with it for too many years and am too close to the character and the story to yet take it apart. Some parts are easier to rectify than others but I am lacking is a hook and a more gripping beginning. That said my character is rather unlikable though I like him immensely! By changing him I'm afraid I will lose who he is. However, there are better things, apparently I'd got his voice and I have a lively way of writing.

The main problem with this novel is that I started it without a plan. When I began writing it I wasn't even sure if it was going to be a novel. Then once I realised it was going somewhere I had to plot. It's all been done backwards in a way. Maybe this is one that will be for my eyes only. I'm certainly not in a position to do anything with it now.

So, what's next on the agenda? Not novel writing. I'm not sure I have the stamina for the long haul and I don't think my ideas are strong enough. I have decided to forget publication as such for a while and just enjoy writing. I love my writing group and enjoy being with them. There is so much laughter between the buzz of timed free writing sessions. And I am still doing my write-a-poem-a-day-for-a-year challenge. Today I move into week twenty-two. And because poetry writing is my first love I signed up to write climate crisis poetry with Live Canon. This is a twelve week online course with a group (like a forum for students to chat and get feedback) and Live Canon will give personal feedback on the poems submitted. I am really enjoying this. It's been a long time since I have had feedback on my poetry and I am finding it very constructive.

Two books I have recently read

I am also going to lots of author events. The first one was in a local library where William Shaw and Mark Hill (both crime writers) were speaking. It was a lovely evening. I have read books by both authors and they obviously know each other very well as they sparked off one another. It was a lovely evening.

On offer on the night....couldn't resist!

October is always Wimbledon Book Fest, two weeks of events. Last night I went along to the opening night at Wimbledon Library to hear Joanne Harris in conversation. I've read all Joanne's books and her latest The Strawberry Thief is the fourth in the Chocolat series. Joanne was very entertaining to listen to and I shall look forward to reading the next instalment of Vianne and her daughters.

I have tickets for three more events which all take place in a number of tents on Wimbledon Common. The next one for me is on Saturday afternoon after which I have to rush off to take part in a charity concert in Kingston. I am going to miss the pre-concert rehearsal but hopefully arrive in time to sing with the choir. I believe we are first on!

Sunday week I'm off to Belfast with my husband for three nights, a break I booked back in November last year as part of a Black Friday deal. Getting quite excited now.

A day late, here is my poem for National Poetry Day. It is based on my writing session with the writing group on Tuesday.

Writing Session

I see the streak of lightning through the café window

and soon rain bounces off the pavement like marbles

while I scribble away in my notebook on the theme

of plasters!

A sticky little number in a heavy atmosphere bearing

down in charcoal clouds, and my head and wrist ache

while minutes tick by amid sounds of pages turning

and words hastily written.

And here I am under the thunderbolts and teeming rain

writing about a cut, a magic plaster and time shifts,

the meeting between dead and alive siblings - one

offering forgiveness.

Yet none of us can plaster the cracks where water

comes in, where drips feed buckets and enter windows;

we have no time for distractions because our characters

are feeding off our darkest thoughts.

The best bits of 2018

Hello everyone. On this last day of 2018 I should really be doing a review of my year in writing, but I'm not! I'm just going to stick to the highlights. These were having three poems published by The People's Friend and having a poem published in Light Through The Mist Anthology late in the year. I also made a few appearances on the website of Visual Verse and Paragraph Planet. I am not dwelling on the rejections!

On location

Best workshop was the one I attended at CityLit on dealing with negativity/rejection in the writing world run by the most excellent Helen Cox, also the workshop on Flash Fiction by Michael Loveday at the Hastings LitFest.

At present I am editing a novel ! wrote three years ago and recently I went off to do a little research in the area where the house my character lives in is set. I had to clear up a few things that looking online doesn't really sort out. If the place you set a short or novel in is made up then you don't have to worry about this. However, if you set your piece in a real village, town or city then you need to get certain facts right. Of course the writer does have licence to alter some facts to suit the story, but otherwise it is great to have some first hand knowledge of the place you are setting your story in.

This time (because the house is most important) I have floorplans and have enjoyed placing the furniture on the plans! In fact it is so easy to get carried away with the research that it can interfere with the writing. I find I go off in all directions when I find something of interest which probably has nothing to do with the story.

Taking photos when out on location is essential. That's no hardship for me as I love taking photos. It's another thing I get carried away with it.

Wishing you all a very  HAPPY NEW YEAR and I hope you will join me again in the next.

Learning how to do it - novel writing

If you follow my other blog you will see that I am currently reading Talking to the Dead by Harry Bingham. Harry runs the Writers' Workshop and I have just finished his video tutorials in how to write a bestselling novel. I now have all the tools I need to make it. If only! However, I have learned so much from these videos, stuff I didn't know and stuff I probably did but had never really stuck. Maybe it's the type of learning (voice over a Power Point presentation) that works for me. I don't know. Harry comes across as natural in the videos. He is a pleasure to listen to. He has a good writing career and he uses snippets from his books to illustrate points as well as using a range of other popular books.

I feel I have a way into editing now. I need this as I have hit a wall. If after I go through what I've learned it doesn't add up I shall have a task on my hands, or I'll abandoned that idea. I'm still not ready to tackle the editing but I feel I'm getting closer to that point. That is a positive. I think completing a novel was such a buzz for me I thought editing wouldn't be so bad. Huh! Sometimes I think I might not ever be ready to submit a decent manuscript!

Anyway, I decided that I should read one of Harry Bingham's novels - see the master in action! So, right now I'm 55 pages into the first in his DC Fiona Griffiths series. The words flow. Oh for that! I don't really write crime, not the full blown crime thriller. I write what I call the edges of crime, the dodgy dealer, petty criminal type of character in some of my short stories or flash fiction. I've had one go at a crime novel and am way out of my depth! But crime fascinates me and even if I don't write about it I never tire from learning about forensics and crime scenes. And I am interested in how the mind works.

Still, back to my writing. I have much work to do and hope that by putting what I have learned into practice I might achieve something publishable in novel form one day.

Meanwhile, I continue writing and submitting short stories and flash fiction. I heard yesterday that I have been shortlisted for Retreat West quarterly flash fiction competition on the theme of green. Thrilled! Results come out at the end of the month. Fingers crossed.

Characters asserting themselves!

I was reading a comment on a writing community group page on Facebook recently. Someone asked if anyone had every created a blog for any of their characters. Wow! Now there's an idea. I've been thinking about this and not sure how it would work but I rather like this.

Anyway, while I'm not currently doing any novel writing or editing my old characters still buzz around inside my head sometimes. I wonder what they are up to now and whether I will ever revisit them, give them other stories.

One I want to return to at some time is Ashington (though I've never tried conventional publication, and to be honest I just love writing it. I adore the characters and thinking of new situations for the villagers to cope with). I have a few ideas for a next book but no overall running thread through a revisit. However, last night I wrote what you see below - a letter from one of the characters to me, the author. I thought I'd share it with you. It was fun to write and that's what this business of writing is about in the end. Of course it may stir your interest as to what I did to these people and want to read it should it ever gets into publication!

Dear author of Ashington,
 There is a rumour going around that you have made some notes about the village and are bringing in a new family. You do know you still have some loose ends to tie up after your last visit? I mean, really. How could you do that? And what’s this I hear that you are writing those flashy fiction things. They’ll never get you anywhere. You need our story and if you don’t get back here soon some of the villagers are threatening to write their own parts. Just imagine if Kev does that. No one will be safe.
 I’ve had Ted out keeping the garden nice for when you come back, though why after your treachery, I do not know. Jason is now doing the morning papers. Pru’s only gone and given him his own set of keys for the shop. Oh you knew that. I don’t know why you allowed that to happen. It has disaster written all over it.
 And I really think you should put a stop to Ivy and that Italian man. They slobber over one another like teenagers and now you’ve given him the café next door. If you think I’m going in there you are mistaken. And what did you do to our poor vicar? He was a nice peaceful man before you brought his wayward brother back into his life. I still don’t know what that was all about. I don’t like it that you don’t tell me anything and Ted’s no use. He’d never make a spy. Maybe you should just stay away. But if you have to write about us all I’m telling you now, I want a bigger part – bigger than Pru’s, and I want another term on the PCC so I can stop these modern ideas taking hold. We are a traditional church here in Ashington and don’t you forget it!
 Your truly,
 Audrey Harris (Mrs)

Round up of November delights

Fallen leaves are like words; each have their own story to tell

I haven't been here for a month. Sorry about that. I have been rather caught up in things. I've been writing the first draft of a novel as well as editing flash fiction and short stories. I had a new 75 word flash fiction published on Paragraph Planet in November but I didn't get round to writing here about it. The piece will now be in the archive if you'd like to read it.

I'm also doing an online course with Faber Academy entitled Read Like a Writer. We've been examining extracts of stories to see the elements authors use in their novels and now we are coming to that point of submitting our own work (a 1,000-2,000 word piece) Mine is about done. The course ends in a week's time.

Submissions slowed down after the October splurge but I have submitted three stories this month. I also took one of my stories to the writer's group I belong to. I had a query about it. As a writer it isn't always easy to take a back seat and read it differently but I did know what might be wrong with it. It was too long to get feedback on the whole thing, so I read half and emailed the total script to members later. I was amazed to find they didn't think I should change anything and the part that worried me was okay. We also discussed the age group for the piece. I didn't feel it was for adults but it wasn't children's. Someone said they thought it was Young Adult. A first for me!

Feedback is so important. That is what I'm lacking with the longer pieces of work, novels in particular. I have drafts of  many different length stories. Where to go for help is the thing. I've looked at different online community writing websites and signed up for a couple but I'm still not happy with them, Most are based in the USA and some of my work is very English. Not sure Americans will get me. So I've come to a standstill for the moment.

As for poetry I've more or less given that up. I had another rejection today. I send out less and less poetry and I write even less new poems. I honestly don't think I'm going to get published in any 'good' magazine. I've been trying a long time and now my heart isn't in it. I now write poetry for my own pleasure and may think about self-publishing at some time. People I read my poetry to love it but it obviously doesn't fit in with what small press magazines want. There comes a point when you just have to accept that. And the thing is it doesn't bother me as much as it once did. I think that says it all. It seems to be one of a few things I'm shedding this year!

I've had far more success with my fiction. I love writing stories, living in other worlds, fleshing out my characters. The need to write poetry is dwindling but I still enjoy reading it and hearing new poets read.

I had a very interesting conversation with the lady who runs the writing group. She'd doing an MA, I think, in Creative Writing and she's really struggling with experimental writing. She has to write an essay on it and she doesn't understand it. Her tutor is mad about it. She explained what this experimental writing is and I agreed. I've seen it in poetry and it leaves me cold. I don't get it. I didn't even know that stories were written this way with words missing and set out weirdly. I read for enjoyment for the plot and the characters. I don't get what this is about apart from trying to look clever. Maybe someone could explain it to me?

I have more or less decided that next year is going to be the year for learning. I have several how to books with exercises. I want time to go through them and try out some different writing, see where it leads. I also want to continue writing short stories and flash and perhaps find some way of getting feedback on one of my draft novels. That's all I will say for now because these are tentative goals for next year and I'm still thinking things through.

The all-consuming write

Busy at it. Detailed notes in my spiral bound book.

All the talk is about NaNoWriMo. I have to say I've been tempted to join in this year but last week I started something new and am already almost at the 20,000 word mark! Yes, the writing has been obsessive.

I didn't intend to start another novel, especially when I've still not finished the last! On the train back from Winchester last Monday, watching the lovely trees and the sunshine a 'what if' moment came into my head. It is far from the beauty of the countryside and very different from anything I've written before. I feel it working on me when I'm writing. It's there in my head when I'm not working on it and it flicks through my dreams.

I began with only two names and no notes and was several chapters in (they are short chapters) before I decided I needed to do some chapter plotting - something I hardly ever do! So I sat and wrote outlines for about half the book - no further because I know I will change things! So far this is working well. I will need to do some research at some point but I will do it when I have to. I don't want to stop the flow. I feel I need to write this one and get it done. Maybe this is because of the content. I find it changes my mood and I even have a special music mix (you know me and my music mixes for writing!) which itself has become an obsession. It's on replay when I write. I need it because it creates the right atmosphere. Even the music haunts me when I'm not at my laptop and I find I'm humming bits of it.

I'm in need of a break away from this all consuming write. I'm averaging around 2,000 words a day and I get twitchy if it's getting late and I haven't written anything. I really need a day out. So I'm planning of getting up to London later in the week.

I am very unsure about what I'm writing for all sorts of reasons, but I read a great line from an article in Writing Magazine (by Steven Chapman - Does it have to be a box?) - Don't edit to satisfy your inner chicken. That's what I've been trying to avoid with this. I've even told myself that I can write it for me, that I don't have to try and get it published. Who am I trying to fool?

I have no idea where this novel will end up, not just whether it stays on my laptop, but where the story ends up. I've not worked that out yet. The whole thing is developing along with it's characters as I go. Unlike most of my other work there is very little humour in it. It's dark, suffocating and I'm trying my best to convey that in the atmosphere I'm building with it.

Just as I'd decided humour was going to be my genre for writing along comes this. Still, I've never been one to fit a mould.

A stand alone story - a free read

This is one of two stand alone stories I've written, spin offs from the novel about Austin Stapley. Hope you enjoy it. If you do, please comment. Or even if you don't!

The art of manipulation

He looked across at Natalie Garman with the innocence of a child, though in Austin’s case innocence wasn’t something he’d had for a very long time. Even at five he knew how to lie well. However, the second part was right. Being a child was very much Austin’s forte.

               ‘You see how it looks on the books, Mr Stapley,’ Natalie was saying.

               ‘But of course,’ Austin added suitably demurely. ‘But then how was I to know my mother would be rushed into hospital.’

               ‘You could have phoned to let us know.’

               ‘In advance?’

               Natalie swallowed. ‘No, after it happened. Or at least as soon as possible. Not turning up for an interview…well, that…’

               ‘Yes, yes.’ Austin was getting fed up with this. He’d already been sent away once because he turned up too early for his damned Job Centre appointment. Too early, for goodness sake. They wouldn’t let him wait. In fact they were quite rude about it. There was no pleasing this bunch of half-wits. Now because he’d bailed on an interview with some logistics company (moving things from one place to another, let’s not get fancy about it), he was being threatened with withdrawal of his Jobseeker’s Allowance. Okay, his mother hadn’t really been rushed into hospital. He’d actually been having a lie with the magazine with the brown paper cover marked ‘maths’, at the page of Anthea. He’d had a heavy night at the King’s Head wallowing in self-pity and he needed comfort not another grilling about his previous track record with jobs by some toffee-nosed prospective employer.

               Austin’s mother had her uses. She cooked his meals from a limited menu (nothing foreign, though the dishes themselves often looked alien), and washed his clothes. She was easy to wind up, which could be tremendous fun as long as she didn’t have hold of an offensive weapon. And she came in useful as a reason for non-attendance at interviews. However, Austin was running out of legs she could break, arms she could fracture or fires in the kitchen. He needed to do something because it wasn’t only the Job Centre on his back. Stella Stapley was demanding money with menaces, namely housekeeping, or she would stop cooking.

               Austin hadn’t the guts to admit to his mother that he’d lost another job and was currently unemployed. There were only so many nights he could stay out (he’d been a night watchman). It was time to have a new job, to make something up. He’d have to back it up somehow, but Austin was used to winging it. Now what did he fancy doing? A fishmonger? No, his mother would expect cheap fish. A car salesman? No, he’d never managed to pass his driving test. She’d suss that one, though it might make her worry about the Austin A30 malingering in the garage. His father’s pride and joy which only saw the light of day at weekends, and then only on the driveway, despite it being bequeathed to him after his father died. He couldn’t go there right now. Besides, Natalie was trying to get his attention. She’d been in the process of calling over the security guard because Austin hadn’t moved in several minutes and she thought he was having a mini stroke. When his head shot up she cried out in shock, or was it relief?

               Austin assured her he was alright. ‘Worried about mother,’ he said.

               ‘Of course.’ The sympathy was back in her voice. Austin revelled in that for it wouldn’t be seen again in a long time, if at all.

‘I thought I was going to have to write an obituary to my poor dear mother,’ Austin went on.

‘Well, she’s making a recovery surely?’ asked Natalie in concern.

‘You can never tell with mother.’ One true sentence in a whole lot of lies. But it was at this point that Austin had a brain wave. He would be a reporter to the local rag. He’d always fancied himself as a writer, and this held a certain prestige that his mother would like to brag about, and unsociable hours he could play with. As Austin eased himself out of the chair and out of another tight situation he caught his smile in the window of the Job Centre. It wouldn’t solve his money problems, this non-job, but he’d work on that while he worked on his mother. He passed Greg, the obnoxious security guard, on his way out and he gave him the finger.

Micro writing and waiting for my characters to call.

I've been doing more reading than writing lately. The new comedy novel is proving slow and at one point I had to stop because the current scene I was writing didn't feel right. I had to mull it over and play it out in my head. I went back to it the next day and re-wrote it. However, I have left it alone for the past few days. I decided I needed to do other things - catch up on reading, go out more. The 'out' has mainly been in the garden reading! The weather had been wonderful and this always pull me outside.

The only thing I have been writing is very short pieces. I started to follow #microprompt on Twitter. They put up a new word every day and invite you to write a piece with that word in it. I've written about four so far. I don't do it every day but I do enjoy the challenge of writing even more concise pieces. I try not to go for the obvious in order that my piece stands out. I was rewarded with a comment of 'gorgeous' from microprompt after one of my tweets. I was thrilled and it has encouraged me to continue as well as reacting to others who tweet using the prompt.

The Poetry Book Fair is holding a poetry competition for those of you who are poets, and the fair is on Saturday 17th September. It's a great place to pick up poetry books and hear poets read.There is always a buzz around it. I'd recommend it.

As well as reading books I'm catching up with Writing Magazine, enjoying the articles and refueling the enthusiasm to get writing again,. It will come. Eventually, my characters will be shouting at me to come back and get on with their story. In the meantime I've left my main character with his head in his hands at his office desk. About how I feel sometimes!

Branding...the all important word

I've been thinking about this 'branding' term ever since I attended the writer's conference in Brighton, and have decided that I need to take this seriously and pick a genre I'm most happiest writing and see if I have the potential to write a second novel in that genre. I've come to the conclusion that seeing as the novel I'm editing and want to send out there into the world of agents is the humorous one. So I set about looking for a follow up idea and I have some! It's not a series but different characters. A new story entirely.

I've began making notes, finding characters and  ideas for a plot. I've jotted down some scenarios and am beginning to get to know my characters, asking them questions, looking at their backstory and connections. I now have a working title and have written the first 700 words. An opening scene came to me and to get it on paper (or computer screen) makes it real. There is a lot research to do and I still need to get into the heads of my characters. The lead one is easier, the others I need to live with for longer. Still, there is no hurry. Even so, as I was writing I was conscious how good it felt to be creating again and I fell into the humour like a duck to water.

I've also been thinking about writers' conferences. I have decided not to attend the one in Winchester this year but have been looking at Swanwick. The full programme is not out yet. Last years looked brilliant. Lots to think about.

Have a Happy Easter everyone.

The next move?

Food for thought - maybe a bowl of homemade soup
will help me think through my next move!

I seem to be stuck right now. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing. I read an article the other day which said that when you have written your novel you should set it aside for six months. Six months? I do see the point in a way. After all I often put my poems away for a while because when I came back to them stuff shouts out at me. The longer I leave it the louder it shouts!

My problem is this: I finished my comic novel in December. I did the first read through/edit earlier this month and then after only six days I went straight into the second edit which I finished a few days ago. That's fast....probably too fast. There are, I know, things I want to add and I'm especially concerned about the beginning, even after re-writing the first few paragraphs. Last time I looked I bracket round a paragraph I'm thinking of deleting! I suppose I should leave it for a longer time and do something else. But what?

There is my first novel festering away after several edits. Just thinking about it makes me turn my back and consider anything but this! I've tried changing the viewpoint in the first few chapters and I don't know if it works better or not. I seem to have become bogged down with it and am worried that too much editing might leave it in a state where I have over done it. Does anyone know what I mean?

To take my mind off all that I have booked myself a place at the Beach Hut Writing Academy one day conference in Brighton on 12th March (if anyone else is going let me know). There are opportunities to meet agents but I'm not sure I am ready for that again, both mentally and at the right stage in my manuscripts. The venue overlooks the beach - I fear my eyes will wander! The programme looks good and hopefully I will learn something.

The other thing I have been doing is searching for some outlets for some poetry. I'm not sure how I feel about poetry competitions right now but I did submit one to Magma earlier this month and have just sent two off to the Kent & Sussex Poetry Society open poetry competition. I have a couple of other poems ready to go to a magazine but I cannot submit until February, so they are waiting.

I know I'm going to have to tackle the editing issue of the first novel soon. I was pleased with it when I wrote it but I have written a lot of other things since then. Each time I write I think 'this is the one', so the first novel falls further down the list. And there is my goal of getting a novel to an agent this year (even if it does come straight back). The two nearest ready are the comic novel and the first novel. I'm reluctant to flit to the detective one (50,000 words written during NaNoWriMo in 2014) because it will drag me away from the other two, especially as it needs so much work, research and insider advice on all things Police (though I do have a potential person for that).

Recently I was looking for older things I have written and was searching on several memory sticks and came across something I didn't recognise. It took me a while to confirm it was my writing and not something I'd copied for a course I'd done. What made me consider the writing was that I liked it and automatically thought 'this isn't mine!' But it was. Written some years before I started the first novel it had echoes of it which is when it dawned on me that this was my writing. It's the start of another sort of time slip novel - different characters, different story. I have no idea where I thought this was going, so if I want to resurrect it I will have to do some major potting etc. It's now in my holding file. Maybe I could turn it into a short story instead of a novel. What was so good was the writing and how it surprised and excited me. I can only hope my writing has this affect on any agent I might submit my work to!

Pondering on ways of writing and the influence of comedy

Rough notes for 'Austin Stapley'.
 I don't mind sharing this as it won't mean much
to you, but it does to me. This is only one
half  anyway.

While uploading the second episode of my online soap I noticed something strange. Before I cut and paste from my Word document, I take one last read through for any errors or wording I want to change. It's like I am looking at it for the first time and I find things (this morning there was a typo), like a word I'd prefer to use. I hope this doesn't mean I should have done further edits, but no I am not worried, particularly, I am excited. I am re-living the whole story and being with my characters again is like coming home. Writing this taught me a lot about planning. On the whole I worked out what was to happen in each episode a few ahead, but not by much because I didn't want a rigid structure. Often I will think things will go one way and then suddenly a character will say I want to go this way. Sometimes I had complete light bulb moments and connections I'd not even realised where there. The only real rules I had was to keep each episode within an approximate word count (1,200 - 1,600) because I don't like reading long stuff online, I'm much more a book person, and how many episodes it would run to. I also tried to keep the tension going by quick-ish scene changes.

When I first began to write it, I mainly wanted it to be fun. The serious stuff came later, and I had to edit earlier episodes to make sure it was a natural progression. My way of writing certainly seems to be an idea first, write the first chapter, or some piece in my head that needs to be set down. After a while I realise I am going nowhere! This is when the planning comes in - notes, timelines, back history, character profiles, research. Once I have enough rough stuff I continue writing. But it never ends there because other things crop up, new characters, something I want to write about which needs researching (if I have no personal knowledge).

At present I am writing a series of short chapters on Scriggler with a working title of The Adventures of Austin Stapley. This is a piece of humorous writing which started as whole scenes in my head one night when I couldn't sleep. I got as far as Chapter 5 and then I left it to concentrate on other things. I came back and couldn't see a way forward. So, yesterday I began my planning. It's a rough outline, subject to change and order. These are mere outline notes. I have only published two chapters on Scriggler so far. I want to keep a few chapters ahead because once on I cannot edit again! Not on there anyway. It is a working draft and far more immediate than the year it took me to write and edit the online soap. There is no way I could have put that up as I did it!

Writing is still a learning curve as discover new or easier ways to work, but I've always been imagination first, the rest later. Maybe that will change in time, who knows. I am not sure that I could ever write something totally serious. Humour is in my blood (I blame my Dad), I see the funny side in most things (which my Dad did). Looking at comedy my favourite TV programmes are the silly but great comedies - Dad's Army, Blackadder, Monty Python, 'Allo 'Allo. I love the humour in Doc Martin (I was beside myself on Monday when I watched) and I love Coronation Street for the same reason. It has serious issues but humour is never far away. I love reading the serious stuff, but I'm not sure if I could write it.

Writing update

Sunsets and sleep (my ideas often come at night)

It seems an age since I posted anything here. There's been a lot going on but not much to talk about. Submissions happen now and then, a few poems, a couple of pieces of flash fiction, but mainly I have been editing. I changed the first chapter of my novel into third person viewpoint, added a few edits and sent it to a friend who has looked at it before. Her feedback was good, but I seem to have lost interest in it as other things have taken off. I need a great deal of time for the novel, which I don't have right now.

The more I write the more I think that the current piece is the best I've done. Hopefully that is right, but my writing has become different too. I guess I am still experimenting with genre and styles. I had decided that I would not write anything new until I had finished my current edits, so I had at least one thing ready. Then one night when I couldn't sleep a whole piece began running through my head. In the morning I just had to write it. At present I have no idea where it is going, how long it will be (there is a tentative idea on 50,000 words?) and have hardly any notes. What I can say is that it is that this is a humorous story, a bit off-the-wall and over exaggerated. The chapters are short, around 1500 words and I decided to publish as I write on the writing community website, Scriggler. I have a couple of poems there too. Do go and have a look. So far I have written five short chapters - the working title is The Adventures of Austin Stapley - but I have so far only put the first chapter on the site. Writing has stopped with this as I really feel that I have to finish the edits to the current  project, which I will tell you about soon (I hope).

I was talking to a friend recently and she said that she felt time was running out in life and she had so many things still to do. Well, I'm eight years older than her and feel much the same! So, I am going to get my writing out there, good or bad (hopefully it's good!). I do not want to spend years submitting and sitting on abandoned manuscripts until I am too old to bother. I'm not in it for the money. I love writing and sharing my writing. I may not be the best, but I'm not the worst. I know that much. It's enough. And, for someone who claimed she had nothing to talk about, I'm now going off to work. See you soon.

Are you a splurger or planner?

Writers come in two types but mainly a mix of both. I am definitely a splurger but it can lead me into trouble. I mainly go with my gut feeling for something and see where it leads me. However, a lack of planning means that the structure may fall apart. There has to be some kind of planning even on a flexible scale. And this is me on the whole. Too much planning can be too rigid if you stick to it come what may, and I think it limits creativity.

When I first started writing my planning was minimal and ended up with me dropping stories because I had no idea where they were going - my ideas dried up and stories were shoved into a drawer. Luckily, I never throw anything away (don't let my husband hear that because I accuse him of hording!) and several of these dead end stories have recently been resurrected, one is my first novel, the second is something I am currently working on, now in its third attempt and almost finished.

What changed? Planning. Yes, that word I find hard to use! I have to say the planning was loose but without it I don't think I would ever have finished. I needed to know how my story would end and have some scene ideas on the way to the finish. However, I don't plot out each scene in advance because often I find that my characters guide me. Something happens when I write and ideas spin off from one another. They are like little branches, rooted to the main trunk but offering new and exciting places to visit. These ideas seem to come from nowhere but I suppose as my characters interact things come up that I had never considered before. I love those little quirks and I always go with them. If you stick to rigidly to a plan you might miss that. I really do have to go 'off plan' as I hate being stifled in my writing.

Maybe for others the plan really does work. It can be a safe way to work, knowing every step of your novel is planned from beginning to end. It certainly sounds easier. I'm surprised I don't work this way because I'm a logical person and like to plan things in advance in my own life. I mean, when I go on trips I have the travel plans down to the minute almost. Itineraries are planned in advance, or if not, as soon as I can on arriving! Even so, I am quite a contradiction! I was never a Girl Guide but I am always prepared. When I go to London I always take a map/s, (including a tube map) sometimes guides, camera, a drink and a book! My motto is you never know what might happen and often I might decide to visit several other places in London if I finish the planned one early. Sort of on the spur of the moment (see that? on the spur of the moment - off plan!), yet there is nearly always a loose plan in place. Loose sounds better than vague - vague is a little too scary for me!

The more I write the more I have begun to plan. It really does help with structure to have this loose building block. This leads me neatly into themes. This one came up at one of the masterclasses at Winchester Writers' Festival (as did splurging and planning). I realised that in fact I have done this naturally - the theme bit to create structure. Themes include things like calendars. Writing in diary form (think Adrian Mole and Bridget Jones) or chapters based in different places around the world. You could use pieces of music, different people (for different view points). Looking at some of my stories I have written events over one week and another naming each day as it arrives. Sometimes it helps to do tha,t but of course all stories won't be or need to be written in this way. I found my 'diary' method came when I realised I was getting confused over scenes which meant the reader would to. So I stuck in dates and it has worked.

So, whether you are a spluger or planner it doesn't matter as long as it works for you. You will find the one that you are happy with, but never be afraid to try something new. As for themes - if your story isn't working consider using a theme to hold it together. Which one doesn't matter. Just have a go.

Submission guides - how to beat the slush pile

Having finally 'come down' from the Winchester Writers' Festival I am gradually thinking through some of things I leaned, not only about writing, but the writing business side - agents, publishers, what they look for and so on.

Today I thought I'd tackle guidelines. I'm pretty sure I've discussed this subject in the past when talking about submitting poetry and if you want to stand any chance of an agent or publisher reading your work, you must adhere to them. I am amazed at the people who still flout the simple stuff, do their own thing (because that's the way they work) and ignore what is required. If a guideline asks for two chapters, don't send them three, if it states they want the first 5,000 words, don't send them 6,000. Stick to the rules. Some other pointers:

• If you have any queries, ring and ask. This is much better than assuming.
• Make sure you have a completed manuscript. Don't just send what you've written so far.
• Wait until your manuscript is the best it can be. Check the spelling, the punctuation and look for inconsistencies. Get someone to proof read for you.
• If the guidelines specify that your submission should be in 12pt Times New Roman and double spaced send it that way. There may be other guidelines. Stick to them.

It was interesting to hear agents walk about submitting a synopsis. Some agents don't even read them, just the cover letter then go straight to the first line of the manuscript. However, if they ask for a synopsis, send one (and stick to the guidelines on this too). If you have never written one, as I hadn't, research them online. It is confusing though, because you get lots of information which often conflicts. The agent Scott Pack said he didn't want to be told the genre or which age group it was written for because he would make that choice! That is different advice to what I found online..

Likewise, with covering letters, don't say things like 'I've tried everyone else and now I'm trying you', Keep it business like, say a bit about yourself, mention who on their list you like and read, so they know you have done some research. Again, research it and don't waffle!

If after all this your manuscript survives that initial process the agent will look at you first line. And that can still make or break you. Without a great first line your manuscript may well be binned without any other words being read.

It's heartbreaking. It's brutal. But it's true. You've spent a year, two years, or more on a piece of writing and it may never get more than a cursory glance. You have to do everything in your power to make your writing stand out. In the workshop I attended on 'Planning for your Success' with the excellent Simon Hall, we did a whole section on first lines alone. Look at other books, how they start. Practice a few one liners yourself. In the workshop we all had a go at writing them. Mine was 'If only I'd met you on the first day.' There were great ones written by others. All made you want to read on. That's what you have to aim for.

Finally, there is the bit you have no control over and that includes (don't laugh), the mood the agent is in on that day - known as timing! If your manuscript arrives just as he or she is packing up to go home they may not want to bother. If they've had a rough day, likewise. And there is also the fact that they may have just signed someone with a similar idea to yours. However brilliant your work may be they are not going to sign you.

If you receive feedback (and not all do give it), read it, learn from it and carry on.

After all this you may be thinking you will never get published. However, if you stick to the guidelines, do a good covering letter and synopsis and have a brilliant first line, you have done all you can to improve your chances. After all the writing you will have done on your novel, don't blow it by ignoring the guidelines, and do pick an agent who fits your genre. (Look at The Artist & Writers Year Book). One suggestion is to go for a smaller publisher. Those with big names on their list are less likely to pick you up unless you are brilliant.

Now go write and submit!

Final day........Planning for Success

Festival programme

I've been a very good girl and gone back into my last post and added all the links I should have done the first time round (tiredness is my excuse).

I am now home, still tired, and it will take me a while to digest everything I learned at Winchester Writers' Festival.

The final masterclass was with Simon Hall entitled Planning go Success which left me wondering afterwards whether I should just re-draft my novel after all he said! Seriously, it was brilliant. He went through everything a writer should do to get published, what he calls the Six P's - Premiering, Place, People, Plot, Professionalism and Persistence, all of which add up to the Big P - Publication. Simon had us doing little written exercises and then at one point he had us all close our eyes. None of us knew what he would be doing which created suspense (which is what he wanted). He kicked a chair over, he sprayed (over our heads) his cologne and deodorant and breathed on the back of some heads. Wow! He told us he once got a friend to tie him up and put him in the boot of his car and drive him around so he could see what it felt like -- what he could hear etc. (What would have happened if the friend had been pulled over by the Police, I wonder - 'Yes, sir, and you say he asked you to do it? Of course, sir!)

The session was very interactive and Simon was great at creating those 'tension spots' by starting or saying something that he would go back to later, so it leaves everyone wondering. He does write thrillers, so he's good at this. Simon went into great detail about each 'P' and I think the whole class got tons out of it. Before any break time he'd set a little puzzle. Most were lateral thinking, which I am hopeless at. The logical ones I'm better at - it's the way my mind works.

So, it may be a few days before I get back to my writing. The novel will sit for a bit longer yet. I think some deep mulling is required to take in everything I have learned before I go and edit again. I need to catch up on sleep first because my brain will not work on short rations! A great, if exhausting, weekend and I'm so proud of myself for actually plucking up the courage to go.

My purchases

It's nearly all over....Winchester Writers' Festival

My room for the weekend

I am recovering after a very grueling day at The Winchester Writers' Festival. This should have been the easier day but somehow it ended with me feeling washed out and a headache borne out of lack of sleep over the days, information overload and two one-to-ones. But don't misunderstand me - I am exhausted but happy!

I arrived on a beautiful warm sunny Thursday and dragged my suitcase from the station to Winchester University and checked in somewhere around 3pm. Anyone who has been to Winchester Uni will know when I say that the accommodation is up a steep hill and through various parts of the General Hospital! There was no shuttle bus for Thursday arrivals so it was a walking job. Tough. A student also here for the weekend was trailing her case up the hill so we joined forces, ended up in the wrong building and some kind lady told us where our accommodation was.

I have to say, though basic, I love my room. I have a desk by the window - bliss - and I brought a few home comforts - kettle, tea bags, treats! After unpacking I headed off down into the City and to my favourite cafe, Eighteen 71, and had a cream tea. Then I went for a short walk along the river Itchen and sat for half an hour listening to it flow past. Second bliss of the day!

There was no dinner laid on that night but I had some food with me, so no problem. I headed over to the pub opposite where 'Thursday arrivals' were apparently meeting for networking. When I arrived I couldn't see anyone with badges. Then I spotted them all outside. There were no seats left and I'm afraid that out of my comfort zone (entering a pub on my own) I did a runner! I later found out I wasn't the only one to do that.

Friday was the masterclass I had chosen 'Polishing and Perfecting Your Finished Work' with Lizzie Enfield. Thank goodness I made notes because already I'm having difficulty remembering what we did! We looked at structure and plot, frameworks, viewpoint, themes, getting feedback, literary consultants and the final edit. We did some exercises including writing a bio about us and our novel in 50 words and writing two or three 'book club' questions about our novel. I learned a lot from it, while also confirming that some of the things I'm doing are right.

There were plenty of breaks for coffee and time to look at the book fair and all day one-to-ones were running. My first one-to-one came just after lunch. I was seeing Liz Bonsor from the Blair Partnership. Sitting outside the room where all the agents were was like sitting in the waiting room at the dentist. You could feel the tension! I thought I'd clam up and not be able to speak but Liz put me at my ease and I was amazed that she liked my writing. She suggested a couple of things and said when I was ready to send it out to agents to include her agency. I was on cloud nine and floated out of there. That alone made my weekend.

After dinner, where I met another great bunch of people, I went off to hear Julian Stannard read from his latest poetry collection The Street of Perfect Love (which I bought from the book fair) and Carole Burns from her book The Missing Woman.

Today was another early start with a nine o'clock keynote speech from Sebastian Faulks who was brilliant, amusing and informative. He pitched his talk so well for us writers and fledgling writers. After that there were a series of talks to attend. My first one was 'Do I Need A Literary Agent' with David Headley. It was interesting to hear what an agent actually did and how his agency works with writers to get the best deal. I should say that all the talks lasted about an hour. My next choice was 'Why I Won't Read Past The First Page of Your Manuscript' with Scott Peck. He was so funny but very informative, though many I think felt quite despondent afterwards! He was honest. Simple things like keeping to guidelines to me are obvious, but not to some it seems. Why make things even more difficult for yourself? It's bad enough without ruling yourself out from the start.

After lunch I had my one-to-one with Julian Stannard. I was more nervous about this than I expected. I'd hardly considered my poetry at the time because I was so keyed up about my novel. At first I wasn't altogether sure I really agreed with what he said. At times I felt he was trying to make me write they way he does, but there were other aspects I understood. He was quite radical and I wondered why no one had said these things before. I found his one-to-one more stressful and more personal, yet I felt I was really getting something here if I allowed myself to 'get over myself'! My first thought was I need to write differently, I need to 'massacre my babies'! It was all quite daunting and I left feeling I been through some traumatic experience. In fact my next talk was his, entitled 'Cut. Cut, Cut'. He knew I was coming! Disappointingly there were only five of us. Three then left to go to one-to-ones and the other person booked the talk thinking it was on editing fiction. I was the only poet there! Talk about stressful. Even so, it was good to do. Leaving there I got to my final talk 'Means to an End' with Adrienne Dines' on how you get from start to finish in a novel. I was struggling and longed to just come back to my accommodation and sleep! It was a good session though, well worth attending.

I wasn't longlisted in the poetry competition and as I hadn't opted for the big festival meal I took the shuttle bus back to my room and went to bed to recover! Not that I slept. I needed to think a few things through and get ready for tomorrow.

The masterclass tomorrow is 'Novel Writing: Planning for Success' with Simon Hall but I need some serious sleep, My brain won't switch off at night! However, I am so glad  I took the plunge and came here. I've met some lovely people and had a chance to discuss writing with like minded people which is so good. The authors and agents giving talks are so supportive.

I am wondering if when I get home (I leave straight after the masterclass tomorrow) I will even feel like writing for a while! However, I have started a complete re-draft of the poem Julian gave me feedback on. It was hard to cut all those lines!

Here are a few pictures of my time here:

Cream tea at Eighteen 71

Winchester University

River Itchen, Winchester

View from my window

My accommodation

Panic over the first chapter

Having a bit of a panic. Okay, quite a major one. I looked at the first chapter of my first novel today and am now thinking - do I have time to re-write it? I wonder if it's because I've read it so many times that I'm over familiar with it. Yet, there's other bits I still love to read.

I have borrowed a book from the library entitled Beginnings, Middles & Ends by Nancy Kress. I am finding it very useful and am currently reading through the second chapter. My first scene, I think, fits the criteria mentioned. My second scene, I'm not so sure about and this is the bit I think I might try and work on, My first chapter is very short (it is the first chapter I have to submit in advance of the Winchester Writer's Festival for my one-to-one). I wonder if my chapter break is right. Is my first chapter enough? All these things are going through my head. Then I decided that the likelihood of my novel being picked up by this agent are pretty slim (confidence going down), so perhaps I should just use this experience for the feedback I will get. This, after all, is the first full length novel I have written. The more you write the better you become - hopefully. People frequently write several novels before one makes it.

Meanwhile, I have been working on the synopsis and the covering letter. I think both are about there, or the best I can achieve for a first time. I know I'm not alone in these feelings, but sometimes it feels like it. The sad fact is that I put a lot of my thoughts here because I have to have somewhere to sound off. I'm sure my family and my friends are sick of me going on about 'things of the writing persuasion'. Unless you write you cannot understand the high and lows, how you beat yourself up about things and convince yourself that you deserve to be in the slush pile.

Moan over for today! I'll take another look at my first chapter. I really want to get my submissions in next week. I've barely thought about the poem I will submit for my other one-to-one. Still, after all this, sending a poem will be doddle. Or will it?!

Second edit has begun.

My work space for the second edit - a chair and the floor!

January has certainly been a 'bit of a month'. Lots of personal frustrations and the house seems to be rebelling by fusing its lights and the internet came out in sympathy. All sorts going on which has affected my moods. I haven't been able to make any decisions or get any enthusiasm for anything let alone writing. I felt I should be signing up for a poetry course but couldn't physically do it and when my next art history course was cancelled because the tutor could no longer run it I was quite relieved. I've even cancelled things because I wasn't up to it. I've been a right moody cow. Music just about kept me sane.

I ran off the first twenty-five pages of my novel ready for the second edit but then put it away without a second glance. One quiet morning last week I pulled out the file, picked up my red pen and started on the first paragraph. Since then I have used that first hour of the morning while I am alone to edit. I'm taking it slowly and only edit a few pages at a time then go back the next morning and re-read the alterations, maybe do further edits and then carry on to a new page.

This edit is very different. I do it in silence which is opposite to how I normally write with music pounding through headphones. It feels serious and I think it is good to have different ways of working at different stages. I've no idea how others do it. I know Ian Rankin has certain CD's he uses when writing so I am in good company!

The more time I edit the nearer I get to the decision on sending the novel out there which is both exciting but overwhelmingly terrifying. With novels there is so much time and effort spent and if no likes it enough to publish you have to either consider self-publishing, stuff it away and start again - or give up writing which I can't see I'd ever do. I'd write for myself if all else failed.

I'm feeling a little more positive about things today which is why I'm blogging. Small steps, small steps.

A small success and the editing begins

One of my poems has been commended in the Kingston Libraries Poetry competition. This is just what I needed as I've been having a bit of a 'low' right now. So this was a nice surprise and made my day. The prize event takes place on 7th February and though I've not been asked to read, the main winners will be, along with Alison Hill (Judge and local poet) and others. Apparently there will also be music - how can I refuse! Sounds great. So I will pick up my £10 book voucher on the day and sit back and enjoy myself.

Meanwhile I have completed the first very quick edit of my first novel. This was mainly to sort out inconsistencies, typos, spelling mistakes and words or speech marks left out. I did of course make some changes, do a quick cut and paste in one part and added another 2,000 words. While I know there is much more to do the good thing was that I still liked the story and I got completely caught up in it and found it difficult to stop reading.

Never having written something so long and dreading the editing process I found I enjoyed it and was surprised how quickly I got through it. But now comes the more difficult part. I need to run off the pages and see how it looks on paper. Although I have breaks between parts I still haven't pinned down chapter breaks. I think I will do this better when I can handle the pages. I also feel I need to slow down and concentrate on each part, not get carried away with the story.

I have lots of notes and questions to refer to as I edit. Maybe after I've put all the edits onto the computer it will be time to let someone read it. I feel I need the opinion!

For now I'm having a short break away from it. I have a busy week coming up so maybe I'll go back to it after that.

Looking back to 2014 - the round-up

2014 was the most productive year ever for me. I had intended it to be more a year of reading poetry that writing it but I still managed to send out a lot of poems. I’ve received more rejections than acceptances but that’s the way it goes. As well as poetry I also submitted four flash fictions pieces and one short story.

I had another go at a pamphlet competition, entering ten poems to the Pighog Pamphlet Competition but I wasn’t lucky in that. Not to be put off I have entered another pamphlet competition which I’m still waiting on.

I had successes with Areopagus, including a poem in their Anthology (now out) and OU Poets Anthology. Highlights include my poem Aftermath going on display at the Willis Museum in Basingstoke in September, attending Winchester Poetry Festival, the Poetry Book Fair and coming second in The New Writer Prose & Poetry Awards in 2013, though publication and prizes came in 2014.

I don’t only measure my progress by the amount of acceptances/rejections I get. This year I have achieved drafts of two novels, something I never thought was possible. I attended some great poetry readings and met some lovely people.

I wonder what awaits me in 2015? My big project this year is to edit my first novel. I have already made a start doing the basic stuff like correcting typos/spelling mistakes, sorting inconsistencies, and doing some minor re-writes. There is a long way to go and probably a lot more edits to come but I’m taking it bit by bit and doing a little every day. I’d also like to spend some time editing some of my older poetry. I have a lot sitting around which needs working on to bring it up to standard so I can submit them. Again I have made a start and sent off three poems to the OU workbook. Once they are in the workbook I have to wait a year to see which one (if any) gets voted for to go into the next Anthology. What’s left is then available to submit elsewhere.

Having achieved my goal of reading more poetry in 2014 I intend to carry on finding new poets to read. There are many good poets out there whose names are not famous and don’t win big prizes but write stunning stuff and it’s a shame they fall under the radar. I’d like to get to more festivals and readings and perhaps take a one or two courses. I need to learn more about story/novel writing (and find out whether my writing is any good…..yikes!). I feel have a lot of work to do in that respect. I won’t be doing another NaNoWriMo (please remind me I said that when November comes!). When I write my next novel (gosh I said when not if!)I will set my own goals, which strangely I’m quite good at!

So although I didn’t have many acceptances last year I do feel I have achieved a hell of a lot. This year? Bring it on!