Friday Review

Yep, tis that time already. I'm feeling fairly chuffed with my writing week - chuffed is a northern(UK) term for the uninitiated, meaning pleased! For the following reasons, I'm giving myself a good old pat on the back.

• I've almost got my third chapter rewritten ready for submitting for a critique, this one from my pals over at WA - the rewrites go there first as I trust their judgement and their constructive feedback, we've sort of grown up together as writers, so it's a safe place. I have until Sunday to get it in as my week starts on a Monday.
• I wrote and submitted a Muse (creative free write) - the prompt I chose was about a Christmas tree decorations taking a life of their own and I developed a malevolent fairy... fun stuff but could grow into something else, one never knows.
• And finally I've managed four out of five blog entries planned this week. What happened to the fifth? I just forgot to do it yesterday...

So it's that time... POETS day - it still applies even if I don't go 'out' to work Monday to Friday...

Until Later

Keeping on Track

Well, my second submission goal of this week has just been achieved. Having rewritten Chapter 5 The Duke's Shadow following comment from my fellow WA members, it has now been submitted to the Historical Fiction Group... I just loving ticking off these actions in red pen - how sad is that? But that's not the point, I've made a commitment and stuck to it. Now the waiting game for comments... double torture!

I love writing prompts and one I came across today really got me thinking... You find a way to go back in time and are allowed to take one object with you...' Now there lies a conundrum - does a fountain pen and pad count as one object?

Until Later... 

By The Skin of My Teeth

My main goal today, was to upload a new first chapter of The Duke's Shadow for critique over at Critique Circle. 

I've been a member there for some months and have been building up my credits as I plan to submit all chapters for a third read there. They have already gone through my online group Writers Abroad, then over to Historical Fiction Writers but after a third edit I thought it would be useful to review the changes. I know, it's like self induced torture! It's my first time being on the receiving end over at CC - waiting in anticipation *bites nails*....

Writing Plan Update

You do have a writing plan don't you? No? Well I do, written in January (well, when else should one write one?) Reviewed in April and I've just finished looking at it over the weekend. *Hangs Head in Shame*

The thing is with writing, like many other activities, is that one can get a little 'over zealous' with deadlines and actions. I've always had a problem with setting realistic goals, even when I was working in a 'proper' job. I'm not sure why but I seem to want to knock myself out - on paper at any rate - and then feel despondent and fed up when I've failed to achieve what I set out to do.

So I've looked at a three month plan - where I can make up time whenever I wish - and should take me through until the end of November with the following goals. They are not as 'SMART' as they could be but nevertheless, they mean something to me and easy to measure.

1. Rewrite 7 chapters of The Dukes Shadow for critique. The first critique will be over at Writers Abroad and the second at Historical Fiction. I plan also to start sharing with some beta readers at Critique Circle...
2. Rewrite 3 chapters of the The Good Life to submit as monthly challenges at Writers Abroad - this is my fun thing, a bit of personal indulgence and therefore a treat.
3. Review status of 'Wolf Moon' - the fantasy novella I started and have completed around 13k word
4. Take part in NaNoWriMo 2012 - I've done some research and need to start some characterisation, again a different part of the writing process so hopefully will weave in fairly well.

And December? Well either free for catch up when I come to review this post or a long, long sleeeep.

Until Later, 

Musin'

Well, almost the beginning of a new month, so I've ended this one with a Monday Muse... yes, I know it's Friday but I have to let it mulch for at least four days. At Writers Abroad we have a regular Monday Muse - members take it in turns to submit some creative writing prompts and the idea is to free write. Yep, write without thinking, but of course most writers do think. I write the muses down on the Monday and by Friday (usually) I've got an idea. Then I do sit and free write for 20 minutes (or 500 words approx) and submit my piece on site. The idea is NOT to produce a finely polished story (though many members are good at doing this) but to allow yourself the space and the routine to just write.

It feels good to muse, I always see it as an accomplishment because it is a new bit of writing. It might not set the world on fire in its raw state, but many WA members have gone on and had fully edited and sparkling pieces published on the basis of a muse. So can't be all that bad.

Now onto Chapter Six of The Dukes Shadow...

Organising my Writing LIfe

Well, I know I said daily but it has been the silly season, and it's been 40 degrees and above... and I've had my lovely son staying...

So now I'm getting back on track and this morning have spent most of the time sorting out computer problems and organising my OneNote folder. I'm using this Microsoft product because it came already loaded but I do believe there is another free version called EverNote. It's a handy tool for gathering research, information and images from the net, emails etc all in one place...

This afternoon I shall be trying out my new digital pen, see I'm slowly being dragged into the 21st Century!

Daily Journal

I can't believe how long it is since I last blogged. Can't say I missed it, otherwise it wouldn't have taken me 8 weeks! But I decided that it was time to revisit. 

I've been looking and enjoying other peoples blogs, particularly the simple ones, the ones that don't particularly educate but share and enlighten, or just simply provide an account of what the blogger has been up to.

So that's my next attempt. This is blog is going to be a daily journal about my writing day, what I planned to do, what I didn't get done and hopefully will give me the impetus I need to get back on track.

The Dukes Shadow
I have completed the rewrite of Chapter 6  and will be submitting it to Writers Abroad for a critique *bites fingernails* this week. I have not finished writing the new Chapter 1 yet thought I've done an edit. I'm fretting about the all important 'first lines' and wonder if they have enough impact. 

Other Projects
Most of which have taken a back seat, but these are the ones I need to get back on track with

• The Good Life - Tales of Penny and George
• Wolf Moon - Fantasy Novella
• NaNoWriMo 2012 - I have a working title! The Pope's Mistress but that's all I'm sharing for now.

Fact or Fiction

It's been a tough week in an unrelated to writing way, so things have been a little slow. 


However I have completed over 13,000 words of rewriting for The Duke's Shadow and am now working on a new Chapter 1 and polishing off Chapter 6 for a critique.


One of the issues that has arisen with feedback is the obvious eye on historical facts. One of the reasons I chose an historical critique group was to develop a sense of time and era from those who are interested in that kind of thing. I'm no historian but I do love reading and writing historical genres. I must say that it's been a mixed experience. At one end of the scale there those writers who are knowledgeable of the time and place and who like to flavour their writing with snippets and details that will draw the reader in and add to the story being told. On the other hand there are those who are so trapped in the historical detail that their suggestions would strangle the fiction out of the story being told. So I've had to pick my way through comments, suggestions and sometimes downright rudeness at my ignorance in deciding what advice I should follow. One fellow critiquer, James, has been most helpful, particularly following a damning critique that nearly sapped my confidence. To him I shall be always grateful for developing another shoulder pad that we writers need to protect ourselves from the nasty critique.


And for me, it will always be story first, with an eye on the historical detail to ground it, but always as a flavouring. And I now have this quote fixed in front of my desk to remind me, what and who I am...

The historian records, but the novelist creates. EM Forster

Until Later... 

In Memory of Ray Bradbury

I'm dedicating this weeks blog to a man who has shaped writing and writers for many years. There is nothing I could write which would match his style or motivation. So here are some of his most famous quotes. 

• “Don’t think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It’s self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can’t try to do things. You simply must do things.”

• “The trouble with a lot of people who try to write is they intellectualize about it. That comes after. The intellect is given to us by God to test things once they’re done, not to worry about things ahead of time.”

• “What can we writers learn from lizards, lift from birds? In quickness is truth. The faster you blurt, the more swiftly you write, the more honest you are. In hesitation is thought. In delay comes the effort for a style, instead of leaping upon truth which is the only style worth deadfalling or tiger-trapping.”

•  “I know you’ve heard it a thousand times before. But it’s true – hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice. If you don’t love something, then don’t do it.”

• “We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.”

•  “Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.”

•  “You fail only if you stop writing.”

• “Don’t talk about it; write.”

• “You will have to write and put away or burn a lot of material before you are comfortable in this medium. You might as well start now and get the necessary work done. For I believe that eventually quantity will make for quality. How so? Quantity gives experience. From experience alone can quality come. All arts, big and small, are the elimination of waste motion in favor of the concise declaration. The artist learns what to leave out. His greatest art will often be what he does not say, what he leaves out, his ability to state simply with clear emotion, the way he wants to go. The artist must work so hard, so long, that a brain develops and lives, all of itself, in his fingers.”

• “A writer is a magnet passing through a factual world, taking what he needs.”

• “A story should be like a river, flowing and never stopping, your readers passengers on a boat whirling downstream through constantly refreshing and changing scenery.”

• “My readers must become the main character. In ‘Dial Double Zero’ they must be Tom, confronted by a miracle, trying to understand . . . the mysterious voice that keeps calling him on the telephone.”

• “The real fear isn’t rejection, but that there won’t be enough time in your life to write all the stories that you have in you.”

To Blog or Not To Blog

My posting has been a bit erratic lately. A number of reasons or excuses, call them what you will. The main being my head is firmly stuck into rewrite of The Duke's Shadow and turning all the great feedback I'm getting into improving my manuscript. As I have given it top priority, that's fair enough and I'm really enjoying it so it works all round.

The second is our WA Anthology, Foreign Encounters, which I posted about last week. I have to pull out of the bag a fiction and non-fiction piece (I wouldn't attempt poetry) and submit to my fellow members for critique well in advance of the deadline. So I've been rolling ideas (a bit of a grand term really, just nuggets really) around but still not any further than that.

Thirdly, sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself on here, that's not unusual - I'm used to my own company. Blogging can sometimes feel like a chore, especially if you feel you don't have something to say that is witting and interesting, and I suppose that's why readers will read or not. So posts will continue to be a bit intermittent but I will do another character profile soon, I need my Duke to develop some redeeming features...

Until Later...

Foreign Encounters

For the third year running, Writers Abroad will be calling for submissions for their annual anthology. This years is entitled 'Foreign Encounters' and we're looking for stories, non-fiction articles and poems about  relationships around the world. It can encompass people, animals and places. An encounter or alliance, a connection or kinship, love or liaison, written from an ex-pat view point.

We opened the doors three weeks ago and have had 25 submissions already, which is great news on one hand. However, some entries have had to be declined because they don't meet the specified word count (1700 for short stories, 1000 for non-fiction and 30 lines for poetry). Now, the first thing I ever learned about being writer was to follow the submission guidelines to the 'T'. They are there for a purpose and certainly word counts are critical to the final productions. So if we've asked for 30 lines don't give us 120, because sorry, it won't get read.

Secondly, the theme is critical to our Anthology. If you look at our previous Anthologies, they've all been ex-pat focused and had a general theme to write around. Last years was food, drink and cooking around the world, this year it's relationships. So make sure that your piece fits the theme. It maybe that you have one in your 'needs a home' file which is great but please edit, rewrite and polish so it meets our particular needs.
Finally, you've still got plenty of time! The deadline is the midnight on the 31st July 2012 and entries must be via the link on the Writers Abroad page for Foreign Encounters Submissions.
We look forward to receiving and reading some great stuff!

Oh, and if you are selected you'll be pleased to know you'll be helping others in return. All proceeds from the sale of the Anthology will be going to Books Abroad, a very worthy charity I'm sure you'll agree. And what to you get? The glory of publication my fellow writers :)
Until Later...

Critiques and Revamps

I've been drowning in a sea of critiques and feedback. All constructive I might add but I must confess to a bit of a colly wabble at the beginning of the week. I've joined an historical critique group where I'm feeding chapters that have gone through the mill on Writers Abroad. Now because my lovely pals over at WA are so brill at critiquing the story line for The Duke's Shadow is shaping nicely and most of the technical/proofing errors have been spotted by eagle eyes. They also do comment on historical facts and seek meaning.

Because I was concerned about the historical accuracy of my writing, I thought a group with experts in that particular genre (and many of them published I might add) would be a useful place to be. And it is. But also quite scary. I became a little overwhelmed with the attention to detail and fact but it's exactly what is needed.

What I now need to do is sift through some of these observations, rewrite where necessary, check out facts and ensure that I maintain the story whilst being as historically placed as possible. So, my task today (and probably much of the weekend) is to tackle chapter 3 for submission to WA and make notes for further research before revising for the historical lot.

And talking of revamping, I've changed the design of my blog. Dynamic, blogger calls it. Not sure about that, but it looks 'clean'...

Until Later...

Call For Submissions - Foreign Encounters

Foreign Encounters Anthology

Call for Submissions - Short Stories, Non-Fiction Articles and Poetry.

Organised by expat writers group - Writers Abroad

Writers Abroad will be publishing their third Anthology entitled ‘Foreign Encounters’.

We are seeking submissions of short stories and non-fiction pieces and poetry on the general theme of relationships around the world. The anthology will be print published and later available as an e-book.

This year Writers Abroad will be donating all profits made to charity, Books Abroad.  Books Abroad believes that education is required to solve the world's problems and is therefore helping educate school children worldwide by providing free, carefully chosen school books. Books Abroad is currently working in 84 countries and serving 977 educational establishments. This includes Africa, Asia, Central & Southern America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

Author, Julia Gregson, whose best-selling novel 'East of the Sun' won the prestigious Prince Maurice Prize, will be writing the foreword.

To see our previous Anthologies (2010 & 2011) please visit Writers Abroad

Title: Foreign Encounters (Genre: Short Stories and Non-Fiction and Poetry)

Theme:  Relationships around the world. Your short story, non-fiction piece or poem can encompass people, animals and places. An encounter or alliance, a connection or kinship, love or liaison written from an ex-pat view point.

Contributions: Expat or former ex-pat writers, or those writers who are living outside the country of their birth.

Word Count: Fiction – up to 1700 words (flash fiction is welcome) Non-Fiction – up to 1000 words. Maximum of 30 lines for poetry.

Submission and Entry Rules - please read carefully as submissions may be rejected if they don't comply

• All submissions must be previously unpublished either in print or on-line.
• Submissions from ex-pats or former ex-pats only.
• Submissions should be received by midnight July 31st 2012.
• Submissions must be in English
• References to pornography or racism will not be accepted
• Manuscripts must be submitted via the link to Submittable at Writers Abroad
• The approximate word count should be inserted at the end of the submission
• Author name and title of the story or non-fiction piece should be placed in the left header of the document and page numbers in the right footer
• Manuscripts should be presented with double spacing and Times New Roman Font size 12.
• Queries only can be made via the contact button on the Submissions page
• Entries are free, only one entry per author, plus a short bio of 30 words at the end of each submission would be appreciated.
• Successful authors will be informed within two weeks after the closing date
• It will not be possible to provide feedback on submissions but successful stories may be edited and authors may be required to undertake minor changes for publication purposes
• Copyright will remain with the author and the stories will be published in an anthology in a number of formats.
• All proceeds from publication will be donated to the chosen charity.
• All entrants must be over 18.

Writers Toolkit - No 1 Favourite: Pen and Ink

Last month I mentioned my three favourite writing tools. Today I'm going to be talking about the first, my fountains pens and ink bottles. I know that makes two, but you can't really have one without the other, can you?

My obsession with pens started a long time ago as a child when my primary school teacher, whose name escapes me, started to teach me to write 'joined up'. I just loved the way the letters formed and flowed and how we were taught between three lines to make sure that we had the tall and the short parts of the letter in  a uniform fashion. That was probably the only time my writing was legible.
My passion for pen and ink developed as I grew up and observed my father making lists. I have lists of lists, written in all kinds of colours and styles. My OH hates them, especially if I put his name at the top!
But it was he who rekindled my love with the fountain pen. He bought me a 1950's Parker Snorkel pen as a gift several years ago and I fell in love with it. I was taken with the notion that maybe some other 'writer' had held this pen and it would afford me special gifts. It hasn't of course, but I have a collection of fountain pens which I use regularly and most often to write letters to family and friends.
Some of my writer buddies think I'm mad writing in long hand for first drafts, but that's the way I do things. It's not that I can't write directly onto the PC, that is how I write my blogs, but I just love to watch the paper fill up with ink.

However, there are some new fangled Digi pens out there, that write like a real pen (hallelujah!) but also store the words you have written and then it can be downloaded onto your PC. Up to 100 pages of A4, apparently. Sounds like progress and it won't make my fingers all inky.
But I don't think I will ever get rid of my collection, just the opposite, I hope to add to it using the fruits of my writing labours! Well, we can all dream can't we?
Until Later,

Character Interview: Penny

I've decided to start some character interviews - from my several works in progress, just to see if I can represent them as standalone and hopefully not too cliche... this is the first...

Name: Penny but George (see third question) insists on calling me Poppet.

Title of the book you appear in: The Good Life - a light-hearted romp about emigrating to Italy

Married: Yes, to George

Children: No, I am immature enough and George just wouldn't cope. We do have a Springer Spaniel called Hector though.

Job: In between them at the moment and not sure if I'll ever have a proper job again!

Favourite Music, Song or Lyric and why: Its Raining Men because wouldn't that just be wonderful? As long as they weren't all like George. Maybe a little George Clooney mixed with a spoonful of Brad?

What happened on the day you were born: The world rejoiced… no it snowed and it snowed an it snowed and my little brother had a hissy fit and wanted me to be sent back. He still feels like that a little still today...

Do you have a hobby: No, I try many things, mostly diets and exercise but honestly none of them work. Oh, wait probably eating cakes, with cream… and chocolate. No wonder I can't fit into that dress…But when we get to Italy I'm gonna have to learn how to grow vegetables, because George says we're going all self-sufficient. I always thought I was?

What is the one thing people don't know about you: I used to be a ballet dancer. Honest! Up until I was around thirteen then I was thrown out when I got too tall for the leading man to pick me up. That's tall not fat. And I get blisters if I do the ironing.

Are you organised or do you fly by the seat of your pants: Well, I love making lists. For George that is. He doesn't like them but I tend to find if I highlight all the outstanding items at breakfast he gets on with it. And I like crossing them off once finished in red pen. I blame my father.

Who would you invite to a last supper : Sarah McGillican (comedienne), John Carter (out of ER) and the Dowager Countess from Downton.

What would be on the menu: Onion Bhajis, Steak Salad and Chips, Profiteroles and lashings of red wine.

Marmite - Love it or Hate it: Love it only if it's spread on hot buttered white toast and eaten within seconds

In the Spotlight

The Duke's Shadow is getting lots of attention. It feels a little like being in the spotlight (or is that under the spotlight?) and I'm amazed how different the feedback has been and all of it incredibly useful, but I do feel that some decisions are going to have to be made. And how do I know if I'll make the right decision?

For instance, one critique has said that my first chapter is too fast paced, they like the multiple point of view and I need to bring some more to the show. The other has said that the pacing is right but I need to focus on one character, make him more redeeming and bring in some more description. I agree with  both, but will I lose anything in the rewrite? At this stage it's all a learning curve and one that I am enjoying more than I thought. I am getting positive feedback, despite that nasty gremlin on my shoulder who insists I'm a rubbish writer. And I am developing my story, making it stronger and , hopefully at the end of the day, a more satisfying read. After all, the reader has to be the focus for the challenge.
So, I shall rewrite, re-read and hopefully polish my first chapter and that's an achievement in itself!

So how do you make those crucial editing decisions, is it the majority vote, your gut feel or maybe just crossing your fingers and hoping for the best?

Until Later...

Oestre The Goddess of Easter

A short blog today, although here in Italy Good Friday is not seen as a Bank Holiday. So we've been making the most of the fine weather and getting the orti (veggie plots) ready for the busy planting time. So my writing hs taken a bit of a back seat but it's never far from my mind.

Oestre is the Anglo Saxon goddess of Easter and she is always depicted with the hare and eggs. Apparently, according to legend, the hare was once a bird who had its wings clipped and so the original egg is linked to this story. I only know this because this was one of our Monday Muses over at WA, although I've been a bit tardy and not submitted anything... yet. I love myths and legends, got me thinking about a theme for this years NaNoWriMo!

Oh, and by the way, I've started submitting The Duke's Shadow to an Historical Critique Group and have had some great feedback on Chapter One (which has already had the WA treatment so this is the icing on the cake). I've downloaded a bit of software called Natural Reader - recommended by a fellow writer and have listened to my story. It's a great way of finding errors you seem to skim over when reading yourself. The free 'voice' is  a little irritating at first but you soon get used to it.

Happy Easter whatever you may be celebrating it with - off to munch on some chocolate!
Until Later...

Kindle - Does it Light Your Fire?

Did you know that the word 'kindle' not only means to light a fire, or to arouse but also means a brood or litter, especially of kittens? (Thanks to the Free Dictionary for the information). Nowadays, when someone mentions a Kindle, it only means one thing. An electronic reader. I still jar when I hear the term. But as you know from a previous post, I did download the Kindle App to my PC to try it out. And I'm going to share my love - hate relationship with this piece of technology which many have embraced like a long lost friend.

Three Negatives about Kindle

1. Most importantly for me because of its 'feel'. I know I only have the app which just means reading it on my computer screen, but I have held and read on the real thing and it still feels like a computer, just a tiny one. I can't get the feeling I do when I flick through a real book, or the smell of the paper, or the patterns of the words, it's just not the same. Even with sound effects.
2. The books I've downloaded - which in the main have been reference books - have lost some of the printed benefits in the formatting. I know this is probably a publishing issue, but even so, tables and quotes and references are often lost. I've paid for a product which is corrupt.
3. Finally, the price of many reference books in their Kindle edition is just not competitive with their hard copy cousin. And with the issues of formatting, I feel as though I get a shoddy deal.

Three Positives about Kindle

1. One of the main reasons I downloaded the app was the speed at which I could access the publication. With a click of the button, the book was magically 'there' in front of me, and for an expat who has to rely on postage through two countries, then this is a big advantage.
2. Space. I'm running out of it in my bookshelf, which are bulging with how to and reference books on writing. Do I need anymore, my other half asks? Well, is the Pope a catholic is my usual response. This way I can squirrel away as many 'book's as a like without taking up any space - well not space that can be seen anyway.
3. I'm struggling with a third reason, but I want to be fair and I suppose I have to mention the environment. A Kindle owner must be added to the list of those who are 'saving the planet' in terms of paper production and the disappearance of trees and woodlands.

But I'm afraid, once a Luddite, always a Luddite and the book in printed format for me is the only way. But I'm up for a litter of kittens, if that helps....

Until Later...

Writing Goals - On Target?

Well, as we start to enter a new month, I thought it was time to review my writing goals. These were written three months ago, long before life got in the way, but that's the world we writers live in. I only posted these on the blog about 6 weeks ago, but I think if you have goals you need to assess where you are at least monthly, so running behind on those terms...

1.      To write at least 5000 words per week, towards any project (a bit behind on this one for various reasons) I'm not sure - I'm rewriting the Dukes Shadow at the moment so I am writing new stuff but not recording it as such. I've restarted my morning journalling which means I probably write about 750 words at least 5 days per week. I'm not sure if a wordcount is the right way to assess progress, but how else can one do it

2.      To edit 'The Dukes Shadow' (my 2011 Nano project)

a.       First edit by Feb 29^th

b.      Second by March 31st Well I'm only at stage a. with this one but I've made the start and really enjoying it. Have posted first edits to WA with some great feedback and just joined an Historical critique club for the second edit... so progress is being made.

c.       Third by April 30th

3.    To revisit 'The Morning Gift' (Historical novel set in Saxon times, written 2011) and devise plan for editing. I'm going to print this off and read like a reader, then start the re-writing process.

4.      To revise at least one Penny and George story per month, with a view to completing series by the end of the year – December 2012 I've started to edit my fourth chapter, I had to take time out to re-visit it as I haven't actually worked on it for some time, but it's a fun project.

5      To participate in the 100k in 100 days challenge for 'Wolf Moon' (fantasy story started as Monday Muse – Xanthe submissions) but will start Feb 1^st. This hasn't happened. I have penned around 13k and need to get it onto Scrivener to assess where I am.

6      To research options for Nano 2012 and make decision by June 2012 I have plenty of ideas, so hoping something will pop out.

7.      To submit short stories to the Telegraph book club on monthly basis Mmm not happening - I managed it in January but I'm shelving short stories because I don't have the time with the other projects ongoing... decided I can only split myself so many ways... and already feel like I have multi personalaties!

8.      To submit at least two Monday Muses a month on Writers Abroad I have reached this target this month but would like to increase it as it's good writing practice.


So off centre but not way off beam. Let's hope April is as productive, if not more. So key tasks are

• Continue rewrite of The Dukes Shadow , at least one chapter per week and seek feedback.
• Maintain Morning Journal which includes writing the Monday Muses and hopefully complete one
• of those per month
• To read The Morning Gift through once as reader and then identify gaps
• To Scrivener Wolf Moon and plan for completion of first novella (30k)
• To continue marking progress on this Blog, at least weekly if not more (I can hear the yawns now!)

Until Later.....

Writers Toolkit

My Man Friday just loves gizmos and gadgets. In fact when one of those pamphlets arrive with just about everything ever thought of in a gadget, like a talking tyre gauge, I try and get it hidden away in the recycling bin for he could browse for hours. But I do speak ill, because he does invest in very useful gadgets, like the strimmer and the chain saw for instance and which he takes great care of overwintering, cleaning and making sure that they have enough and the right fuel. I wouldn't know where to start!

For a writer the need for gadgets and gizmo's is a little more limiting, though I'm sure there are many of you (probably those who are far more technical than I a confirmed and happy Luddite) who have plenty! I try not to make too much room for them in my writing life, because I'm wary of them becoming just another distraction, and I have enough of those. However, I will be blogging about my favourite three things over the next few weeks.

1. Fountain Pen and Paper - you can't have one without the other!
2. Reference Books - Dictionary and Thesaurus particularly
3. Scrivener - a software programme , way off beam for a Luddite I know, but I'm learning that it can be very powerful for writers

So what tools, gadgets or gizmo's do you have lurking in your toolbox?

Until Later...

Researching the Past

Researching a novel in any genre is quite a big undertaking. But when writing in the historical genre, getting facts right is a golden rule. I know that I'm allowed some room to make things up and perhaps even place characters based on a real person appear somewhere they've never been. However, the essence of the historical era you are writing about must be based on some base of fact. I'm discovering that it's very important to develop a sense of place when writing an historical novel.

For example, The Duke's Shadow in reality spans two eras, the very late Regency and Victorian ages. Now, there are subtle differences that are important to both eras but which very much define them as being unique. Dress is one of them and moral attitudes is another. For the ease of my sanity and because the story actually begins on the cusp of a new time I have allowed myself some poetic licence and moved events so that they are set all in the Victorian era and so I can really concentrate on building a good 'sense' of place. I'm loving all the research, and if truth be known, I would have loved to have lived through this age, despite the restrictions put on women, I would have had fun trying to turn it upside down!  The one draw back is that it takes an awful lot of time and because I live abroad, access to a library is not available, which means I do everything online. And you know that not everything online can be verified, so a lot of caution is required.

So having had my first chapter critiqued over at Writers Abroad, I've got some very essential and constructive critiques to work with and I am trying to represent the world in which my characters live in. In my head, I know where they are but I have to somehow put this across on the written page.  Now off to readjust that timeline...

Until Later...

The Good Life...

One of my WiP's (that's works in progress if you haven't read this blog before) is a blend of fact and fiction. Okay, I know that is not uncommon, but this project - referred to originally as The Good Life but now only as 'Penny and George' - has been based on the diary entrants regarding our decision to move to Italy and the first year here. It's a humorous take - well it's meant to be - and started life as a joint writing project with my luomo chi fa (my man that does). The first draft was way too literal, so now I'm reviewing the whole project, creating additional and fictional characters and having quite a time making a load of stuff up, which upon reading, even close family and friends will not know whether to believe or not.

I'm not sure if it will ever come to the dizzy heights of publication but it does represent the real trials and tribulations along with the many, many benefits of moving to a new country, with a new language and new culture to learn. Whenever I say to people where I live, I see that dreamy look cross their face as they imagine me lying by an azure filled swimming pool, heated of course, with a glass of something fizzy in  hand and a bronze tan deepening by the minute. The only real bit of that vignette is possibly a glass of fizzy, now and again. Definitely need to think more Tom and Barbara style with muddy wellies, animals in the kitchen and home made haircuts...

It's been gathering dust a lot lately, although I have had two or three pieces critiqued over at Writers Abroad and been received with some enthusiasm. Hence my determination to finish what I started.

Until Later...

Spinning Plates is an Art

I've decided to expand my blog entries to three a week - I can hear the groans but it's more for me than anything else. Thing is I have three fairly big projects I've chosen as priority for my writing goals (well, there are more but I may combine them for reporting progress purposes). So, to help keep the momentum swinging and my motivation singing, I thought I'd blog about progress on them.

Wolf Moon is a story which began as a Monday Muse on Writers Abroad. Monday Muses are essentially creative writing prompts designed to encourage writers to... that's correct - WRITE!

So Xanthe is a young girl, not of the earthly kind but she doesn't know that yet, who was born through a muse and she has a mission to fulfill on the Island of Tasosia. Yes, you've guessed it, it's a fantasy genre and perhaps more targeted to young adults, though I'd quite like to think that older readers would welcome a bit of escapism too. I've outlined three novella's, around 30k words in each and I'm halfway through the first draft of the first story. I'm loving the fantasy genre, making up worlds and beings and just being able to really let loose on the imagination. Contrast that with my love of the historical genre which has to have some degree of fact in it, fantasy is quite liberating in a different kind of way. I think I was born in the wrong era, either historical or another land would be really my cup of tea, but I do live a little of those lives, through my writing.

I suppose my point is that it's useful to have more than one writing project on the go. When your words dry up on one, they may spill out for another and it helps to free the mind to allow things to develop. But it's also quite an art I think, in terms of dedication and focus, which requires some skill that I probably will never perfect. So how many plates do you have spinning?

Until Later...

The Editing Journey Has Begun...

Well, time for celebrations. Just edited my first chapter of 'The Duke's Shadow' and submitted it to my Writers Abroad mates for their perusal. It is one of the most scariest writing moments of my life. Not that WA members are witches or unkind critique-ers, far from it, it's just that there is a high standard of writing in our Chapter Group already. I'm not sure I'll make the mark but I'm willing to learn.

I think that is what I need to keep in mind during this 'rewriting' phase. It is a learning process, a big one and one which I've avoided so far in all five (or is it six) of my big writing projects. Of course, I've edited short stories and flash fiction but thousands of words just seemed a step to far. But it feels so good to have made a first step and I'm not in any doubt that it's a hell of a long road!

So what are the learning points this week from the process?

• Read through the manuscript first, familiarise yourself with the writing as a reader would do
• Don't permanently delete anything. Always keep a copy of the original work - I work with versions so I can always retrieve something if necessary
• Back up you work and remember where! I use Scrivener and had a fit today when I couldn't find the revision I'd done yesterday. Finally found it lurking where it shouldn't be
• Make the first step and don't expect to get it all right in the second draft. I'm sure that this chapter will change again before I'm happy with it. Getting started and thinking about improving the writing is quite invigorating
• Remember this is the real writing! The other stuff is just preparation, but as always a good preparation  helps

So, now I've made a start I'm hoping that the flow will continue and that I don't bore you to death in the meantime...

Until Later,

Kindles,Rewriting and Polishing

And no, I don't mean the feather duster type of polishing. 

As some of you may know from my previous rambles I have at least five and a half 'works in progress' sat around my desk. I hesitate to call them novels, because they aren't, but they could be. Perhaps. They are all in first raw draft. Some written for the NaNo challenge, others, particularly the first painfully scribbled over the first few years of my serious writing endeavours and probably the one that should be sent to the writing refuse bin in the fire.

I have written about editing (what I call rewriting) before, but as you can see I waffle on about it to my hearts content but actually getting down to the task has proved really difficult. I don't think this is because I can't do it from a skills point of view, I think it's more psychological. I'm not sure why it should be but I have a sneaking feeling it's to do with confidence. 

So following a recommendation I purchased a copy of 'Revision and Self-Editing'  by James Scott Bell. The person recommending this book has written real novels, and ones that have been published so it was based on good experience. But I didn't buy a hard copy - with the dreadful weather at the time not even efficient Amazon could have got the book here in time to sieze the moment. I downloaded a... Kindle Edition. What! I hear you say - but you don't have a Kindle. No, I don't but I do have the Kindle App for  my PC. I shall report on that particular experience later.

Anyway the recommendation was sound, it has bitten through my fears of approaching what seems an impossible task and has helped me understand my 'stories' at a deeper level. So much so I now can't stop thinking about the rewriting - of all of them! But one step at a time. I'm starting with the most recent and have committed to submitting chapters to my faithful gang of writing supporters over at Writers Abroad. So I have to get on with it. And the polishing? Well that can always wait, can't it?

Until Later...

Beware the Ides of March

Or not. Did you know that there is an Ides in every month? Apparently it's just a way of saying the 15th of the month but Shakespeare developed the saying to warn Caesar of his impending death.

Anyway, March is also a month of new beginnings. It is the time for renewal, rebirth and new life which is quite an apt way to think about my writing. After a period of little, okay then, zero activity I start the first day of this new month with a good word count on my new project, Wolf Moon. My plan had been to have written the first of a trilogy of novellas. I've written 13500 words which is not so bad considering that February has been a difficult month to get back into things.
And I've started 'editing' my NaNoWriMo novel, The Dukes Shadow. I hesitate to use the word editing as it implies that the story is complete and it's not, no where near. It is in fact going to be I think more of a rewrite -which for me probably represents the process of editing much more realistically.

So I'm feeling pretty positive now that my writing 'freeze' has started to thaw (I refuse to call it block, sounds so terminal) and in the month that also displays the activities of the mad March hares, I'm going to continue my fight for the right to write!
Until Later...

Writer Returns from the Wilderness

It's been a long time I know. After a prolonged stay in the UK to support family, I came back to a major snow storm that lasted almost fourteen days and a week after the snow has finally stopped falling we're now thawing out, both literally and figuratively speaking. I have missed my writing but haven't found the energy or the motivation - up until now. As from yesterday, I entered my 50th year and as this looming date features heavily in my writing goals for this year, I thought I better kick myself back into action. So for starters - here are my goals. My reasoning is that if I post them in as many places as I can, I shall be shamed into making it happen! A lot of fairy dust maybe and not much reality but hey... a girl has to aim high.

This year I'm going to focus on writing historical fiction (with a bit of fantasy for distraction) and becoming published by my 50^th birthday in February 2013. I'm going to take a page out of  a WA members book and write hard, read hard and develop my craft by accessing some online courses which are targetted to developing a particular writing skill. I'm also going to be investing some time into our Family History, which is something I've always meant to do and who knows -  I might find a few ideas along the way.

1.      To write at least 5000 words per week, towards any project (a bit behind on this one for various reasons)

2.      To edit 'The Dukes Shadow' (my 2011 Nano project)

a.       First edit by Feb 29^th

b.      Second by March 31st

c.       Third by April 30th

3.    To revisit 'The Morning Gift' (Historical novel set in Saxon times, written 2011) and devise plan for editing.

4.      To revise at least one Penny and George story per month, with a view to completing series by the end of the year – December 2012

5      To participate in the 100k in 100 days challenge for 'Wolf Moon' (fantasy story started as Monday Muse – Xanthe submissions) but will start Feb 1^st. as you can probably guess I'm already behind on this but as of yesterday am catching up... again!

6      To research options for Nano 2012 and make decision by June 2012

7.      To submit short stories to the Telegraph book club on monthly basis

8.      To submit at least two Monday Muses a month on Writers Abroad

In Absentia

Apologies for not being around but a family bereavement turns everything on its head. Will be back when I'm ready but needless to say very little progress for this writer at the moment... but I will return.
Until Later...