Three days to go. 'Til Christmas? Well, yes but also to the deadline that Christmas creates.
I have until Christmas Eve night to finish this latest part of the secondary-world fantasy trilogy, print it out, wrap it up and pop it under the Christmas tree.
I suppose it's going okay. Some days are better than others. Sunday and Monday, for example, were pretty darn crap, resulting in me writing a note to myself on Monday night which simply read: 'WRITING!! F'ING DO IT!' Seriously.
The note seemed to do the trick for Tuesday, though, as I managed to churn out over three thousand words. Wednesday let to another thousand or so. Today... zilch. But the day is yet young (or rather the evening hasn't properly arrived despite the darkness) and I'm sure I'll manage to get something done.
So for all that my writing has been more irregular than I'd hoped, I am at least progressing. Again - as ever - whether it actually makes any kind of coherent sense is an entirely different matter.
I think part of my problem with that two-day block lay in the fact that what I needed to write was something I have been planning for years (so no pressure then) and was a greater level of fantasy than I've ever written before. I'm not even sure if that makes sense. See how much it has turned my brain to mush?
And I still have a few Christmas presents to wrap - which I will probably do tonight while watching Antiques Roadshow. Yeah, I'm cool. And if I manage that (the wrapping, not the antiques-show-watching) I might even be able to walk around my oh-so-cluttered room without doing some bizarre impression of those action-film-folks who are trying to pass through the laser-maze without triggering an alarm.
Hopefully I won't have to resort to writing angry notes to myself to get it done.
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
First Draft Complete!
I have finished the first draft of Hide and See! Yipee! *Confetti*
On the whole, I think I'm pretty pleased with it. Of course I haven't read it all the way through yet so that might well change as soon as I do. But I'm letting it stew. If I go back and read it now I'll read what I wanted to have written, not what I actually have.
And so now I've moved on to writing the latest chunk of the secondary-world fantasy novel (or trilogy of novels) which I began about seven years ago. I started it on my older brother's request and have given him sections of it for special occasions ever since - birthdays, Christmas, that sort of thing. I normally gave him some when he went to the US and came home again, as he did every summer for several years. This year was the first that he didn't go so there have been rather fewer chapters than normal.
The last time I wrote some of this novel was in March for his birthday - and I left it on quite a bit of a cliffhanger. Major character death. Oops. And I really hadn't intended to leave it so long but the whole Hide and See thing happened and here I am, nine months later, and I need to dive right back into the story again.
I re-read the last section on Monday night, ready to use my train journey up to Bath on Tuesday to plot out what I was going to write. The original plan I wrote several years ago has morphed a fair bit since then so I tend to re-think a lot, although the major events and the ending have pretty much stayed the same.
The planning flowed quite naturally, I am pleased to say, and I managed to plot not only the section I'm going to write but also the rest of the novel (which, being the third, would complete the first draft of the trilogy). I don't know when I'll actually get round to writing all this but planning it out in my weird little flow-charts did make it seem a little more manageable. Or maybe I've just got into a finishing-first-draft mood lately.
I started writing the actual section this afternoon. I've only got about 700 words in but it's better than nothing. The sections I write tend to be around 6-7k and I should imagine (fingers crossed) that I'll be able to get it done by Christmas Eve. This is providing that Real Life doesn't get in the way.
Because, alas, it looks like that might be a possibility.
I have a job interview tomorrow. Now, this is the point where I should be going 'YAY! A chance at employment! At last!' Unfortunately, I am a neurotic head-case and thus have been a churning mess of anxiety since the recruitment agency phoned this afternoon. I have only had one proper interview in my life before and I didn't even apply for that job. I wasn't really that committed to getting it. I figured it'd be good experience and just went along for the ride.
This time, it feels like there's rather more at stake. I've been out of uni and among the (growing) unemployed masses for several months now. I really should be getting a job and not being a bum. And yet the idea of the interview and the possibility of a subsequent first day at work fill me with something rather close to terror.
And I'm worried that I won't have as much time to write. Which makes me grumpy.
So in summary: I am stressed at the idea of the interview, grumpy at the thought of not writing, and annoyed at myself for not being happy about finally getting a job interview. Good times all round.
And there's an opportunity to apply for an internship (paid or unpaid, I don't yet know) at the Jane Austen House Museum coming up early next year which, let's face it, pretty much sounds like my idea of bliss. But if I have to be a grown-up-type-person I probably won't be able to do that. Seriously: Jane Austen, all day. In her house. Jane Austen. That author who I tend to randomly drop into all other subject matters or go crazy-ranty if someone calls her work chick-lit. Yeah: I want.
Okay, I think that's me done whinging for now. Let me check... yep, I'm done. Blogs are like free therapy.
To conclude with an upside, did I mention that I'd finished the first draft of Hide and See this week? Here's me, ending on a 'Whoop whoop'!
On the whole, I think I'm pretty pleased with it. Of course I haven't read it all the way through yet so that might well change as soon as I do. But I'm letting it stew. If I go back and read it now I'll read what I wanted to have written, not what I actually have.
And so now I've moved on to writing the latest chunk of the secondary-world fantasy novel (or trilogy of novels) which I began about seven years ago. I started it on my older brother's request and have given him sections of it for special occasions ever since - birthdays, Christmas, that sort of thing. I normally gave him some when he went to the US and came home again, as he did every summer for several years. This year was the first that he didn't go so there have been rather fewer chapters than normal.
The last time I wrote some of this novel was in March for his birthday - and I left it on quite a bit of a cliffhanger. Major character death. Oops. And I really hadn't intended to leave it so long but the whole Hide and See thing happened and here I am, nine months later, and I need to dive right back into the story again.
I re-read the last section on Monday night, ready to use my train journey up to Bath on Tuesday to plot out what I was going to write. The original plan I wrote several years ago has morphed a fair bit since then so I tend to re-think a lot, although the major events and the ending have pretty much stayed the same.
The planning flowed quite naturally, I am pleased to say, and I managed to plot not only the section I'm going to write but also the rest of the novel (which, being the third, would complete the first draft of the trilogy). I don't know when I'll actually get round to writing all this but planning it out in my weird little flow-charts did make it seem a little more manageable. Or maybe I've just got into a finishing-first-draft mood lately.
I started writing the actual section this afternoon. I've only got about 700 words in but it's better than nothing. The sections I write tend to be around 6-7k and I should imagine (fingers crossed) that I'll be able to get it done by Christmas Eve. This is providing that Real Life doesn't get in the way.
Because, alas, it looks like that might be a possibility.
I have a job interview tomorrow. Now, this is the point where I should be going 'YAY! A chance at employment! At last!' Unfortunately, I am a neurotic head-case and thus have been a churning mess of anxiety since the recruitment agency phoned this afternoon. I have only had one proper interview in my life before and I didn't even apply for that job. I wasn't really that committed to getting it. I figured it'd be good experience and just went along for the ride.
This time, it feels like there's rather more at stake. I've been out of uni and among the (growing) unemployed masses for several months now. I really should be getting a job and not being a bum. And yet the idea of the interview and the possibility of a subsequent first day at work fill me with something rather close to terror.
And I'm worried that I won't have as much time to write. Which makes me grumpy.
So in summary: I am stressed at the idea of the interview, grumpy at the thought of not writing, and annoyed at myself for not being happy about finally getting a job interview. Good times all round.
And there's an opportunity to apply for an internship (paid or unpaid, I don't yet know) at the Jane Austen House Museum coming up early next year which, let's face it, pretty much sounds like my idea of bliss. But if I have to be a grown-up-type-person I probably won't be able to do that. Seriously: Jane Austen, all day. In her house. Jane Austen. That author who I tend to randomly drop into all other subject matters or go crazy-ranty if someone calls her work chick-lit. Yeah: I want.
Okay, I think that's me done whinging for now. Let me check... yep, I'm done. Blogs are like free therapy.
To conclude with an upside, did I mention that I'd finished the first draft of Hide and See this week? Here's me, ending on a 'Whoop whoop'!
Thursday, 8 December 2011
MAs and Chapter Countdowns
I got my MA results through the post today - several weeks before I was expecting them, that's for sure. Not only did I pass, but I also got a Merit! I may or may not have squealed in excitement and yelled 'yes!', complete with fist-pump in the air.
Needless to say this is beyond what I was expecting and a lovely surprise to get through the post! And I do love surprises! (Nice surprises, obviously. Not like 'Surprise, there's cat sick on the carpet. Again.')
Now I just have the agonising financial expense of getting them hard-bound. Probably wouldn't be too much bother to someone with a job - alas that I don't fall into that category.
But yay I officially have a Masters! Stick with the positives here, people. And I also managed to buy some things for Christmas today in Romsey which I have been looking for since around September. So good day all round chaps :D
As for the writing shenanigans, I'm still on schedule. I started Chapter 49 today. After that, it will only be two freaking chapters left. Of this book, obviously. When I was writing out my more detailed flow-chart planny businesses for Chapters 48-51, I was already thinking 'and then in the first couple of chapters in the second book I could...'
No. Stop it. Finish the first bloody book first. Sheesh.
Yeah, that's so not going to work is it? Dear oh dear. And I now need to maybe get a polished draft of Hide and See done by March as I'm considering entering the 'Good Housekeeping' novel competition as recommended by Reb. It all depends on whether I can actually force myself to do some meaningful editing. Hmm, miracles do happen I suppose...
Right, back to Chapter 49. I've left them all smack bang in the middle of a gunfight. Oops.
Needless to say this is beyond what I was expecting and a lovely surprise to get through the post! And I do love surprises! (Nice surprises, obviously. Not like 'Surprise, there's cat sick on the carpet. Again.')
Now I just have the agonising financial expense of getting them hard-bound. Probably wouldn't be too much bother to someone with a job - alas that I don't fall into that category.
But yay I officially have a Masters! Stick with the positives here, people. And I also managed to buy some things for Christmas today in Romsey which I have been looking for since around September. So good day all round chaps :D
As for the writing shenanigans, I'm still on schedule. I started Chapter 49 today. After that, it will only be two freaking chapters left. Of this book, obviously. When I was writing out my more detailed flow-chart planny businesses for Chapters 48-51, I was already thinking 'and then in the first couple of chapters in the second book I could...'
No. Stop it. Finish the first bloody book first. Sheesh.
Yeah, that's so not going to work is it? Dear oh dear. And I now need to maybe get a polished draft of Hide and See done by March as I'm considering entering the 'Good Housekeeping' novel competition as recommended by Reb. It all depends on whether I can actually force myself to do some meaningful editing. Hmm, miracles do happen I suppose...
Right, back to Chapter 49. I've left them all smack bang in the middle of a gunfight. Oops.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Not long now
The end of November seems to have snuck up on me very quickly. The weather has been playing tricks, keeping the leaves green on the trees and the sun relatively warm, thus fooling me into thinking that it's a lot earlier in the year than it actually is. I've barely got any Christmas shopping done - I'm normally very efficient with that sort of thing - because December feels ages away (as opposed to, you know, TOMORROW).
I'm off this afternoon to Yateley in order to be a bridesmaid tomorrow. I will return home in December and realise I am shocking behind.
Fortunately, my writing schedule doesn't take account of the weather. I am doing it week-by-week and have still (a little surprisingly) managed to stay on track. I've written two of this week's three chapters, and will hopefully get the third done when I get back from the above-mentioned wedding. I haven't really done any meaningful job searching so far this week (apart from an interview with Barna Shields recruitment company) so you can see how my priorities arrange themselves. If only writing were a real job.
It's quite a scary thought that I've only got six chapters to go. I just recounted it on my fingers. Yep, definitely six. It doesn't really feel like the end though. Book two is already starting to take shape in my head, even though I know I probably won't get round to actually writing it for a while (she says). Other things have to take the lead first. Like actually properly finishing book one, for instance.
Right, back to packing/ironing/fussing/panicking. Why panicking, you ask? Because I have a fear far more terrifying than the idea of only have six chapters to go - that I will trip over walking down the aisle in front of the lovely bride tomorrow. I can really see myself doing that. Vividly. In full colour, live action detail. Ah, the joys of a writer's imagination.
I'm off this afternoon to Yateley in order to be a bridesmaid tomorrow. I will return home in December and realise I am shocking behind.
Fortunately, my writing schedule doesn't take account of the weather. I am doing it week-by-week and have still (a little surprisingly) managed to stay on track. I've written two of this week's three chapters, and will hopefully get the third done when I get back from the above-mentioned wedding. I haven't really done any meaningful job searching so far this week (apart from an interview with Barna Shields recruitment company) so you can see how my priorities arrange themselves. If only writing were a real job.
It's quite a scary thought that I've only got six chapters to go. I just recounted it on my fingers. Yep, definitely six. It doesn't really feel like the end though. Book two is already starting to take shape in my head, even though I know I probably won't get round to actually writing it for a while (she says). Other things have to take the lead first. Like actually properly finishing book one, for instance.
Right, back to packing/ironing/fussing/panicking. Why panicking, you ask? Because I have a fear far more terrifying than the idea of only have six chapters to go - that I will trip over walking down the aisle in front of the lovely bride tomorrow. I can really see myself doing that. Vividly. In full colour, live action detail. Ah, the joys of a writer's imagination.
Monday, 21 November 2011
Not forgotten; just...stewing
I'm still on schedule in my goal of finishing Hide and See before Christmas, which is just as well because I've got something else to write before then too.
It's a Secondary-World fantasy fiction, started when I was in college. I began writing it at my brother's request and have produced instalments for him on special occasions - Christmas, birthdays etc. I started it with perhaps a vague idea of it just being one novel (I say vague because I didn't really have any idea how to plan back then) but it has since morphed in a trilogy.
Based on the word count and where I am in the story, I am on the third book. I always said I wanted to get the whole first draft done before going back and editing the beginning. This is my policy for everything I write simply because otherwise I'd never finish anything. However in the case of the fantasy trilogy, it has been something like seven years since I wrote that first bit of the novel and I'd like to think that my writing ability has evolved since then.
Translation: the beginning of the first novel (or perhaps the entire first novel) is mostly bollocks. It really does need some major editing and it's not something I'm looking forward to. As I like to rant on a fairly regular basis, I don't like editing.
But, according to my own self-imposed rule, I don't have to worry about that just yet. It's the actual writing which will need my focus before Christmas. I left the last instalment on rather a massive cliff-hanger and that was in March. I usually write more than two instalments a year but my brother has had less special occasions than normal so I'm blaming him. That and the fact that I've been writing Hide and See. Although I'm normally writing numerous different stories at once. So no, I'm blaming my brother. All his fault.
So for now, it's back to Hide and See. According to the Mystical Schedule of Amazingness I should be finished with the first draft by Saturday 17th Dec, thus giving me one glorious week to write around seven thousand words of the novel I haven't looked at for nine months. Yeah, not difficult at all.
It's a Secondary-World fantasy fiction, started when I was in college. I began writing it at my brother's request and have produced instalments for him on special occasions - Christmas, birthdays etc. I started it with perhaps a vague idea of it just being one novel (I say vague because I didn't really have any idea how to plan back then) but it has since morphed in a trilogy.
Based on the word count and where I am in the story, I am on the third book. I always said I wanted to get the whole first draft done before going back and editing the beginning. This is my policy for everything I write simply because otherwise I'd never finish anything. However in the case of the fantasy trilogy, it has been something like seven years since I wrote that first bit of the novel and I'd like to think that my writing ability has evolved since then.
Translation: the beginning of the first novel (or perhaps the entire first novel) is mostly bollocks. It really does need some major editing and it's not something I'm looking forward to. As I like to rant on a fairly regular basis, I don't like editing.
But, according to my own self-imposed rule, I don't have to worry about that just yet. It's the actual writing which will need my focus before Christmas. I left the last instalment on rather a massive cliff-hanger and that was in March. I usually write more than two instalments a year but my brother has had less special occasions than normal so I'm blaming him. That and the fact that I've been writing Hide and See. Although I'm normally writing numerous different stories at once. So no, I'm blaming my brother. All his fault.
So for now, it's back to Hide and See. According to the Mystical Schedule of Amazingness I should be finished with the first draft by Saturday 17th Dec, thus giving me one glorious week to write around seven thousand words of the novel I haven't looked at for nine months. Yeah, not difficult at all.
Monday, 14 November 2011
Deadlines, good; Word limits, bad
My self-imposed writing schedule is working quite well. It seems as if I'm only capable of getting significant amounts done if I've got a deadline to meet, even if it's one I've created myself. I'm sure that says something profound about me as a writer but I can't be arsed to figure out what.
I passed the 75k mark last week which is - as so many things are - both good and bad. Good because yay, progress! And bad because I think I'm waffling too much. Or, to phrase it in a slightly more positive way, I'm going into too much detail.
I have my chapter plan and for the most part I'm stuck to it, though I've had to re-jig a few things and cut out a couple of conversations which I had planned because I'd reached my limit on that chapter. I'd figured I would probably have to do that, though, so it's no big deal.
The problem potentially exists in the amount of words I'm doing per chapter. I've created a limit of 2k. In most of the chapters, I have gone over this by around one- to two-hundred words. My university-brain says 'well that's okay, it's within the 10% margin' - but my actually-we're-not-at-uni-anymore-brain points out that these extra words mount up over all the chapters.
As a result I'm trying to write a few slightly smaller chapters. I aim for around 1700-1800 words - and come in closer to dead on 2k. *sigh* So should I therefore be aiming at that all the time? Or should I get my act together and actually produce what I bleedin' well say I'm going to?
Despite the above whinging, I'm not actually too worried about my excess words. It's been a habit of mine to go over on word counts for several years now and I always manage to cut it down in the end. In fact that's mostly what my editing process consists of. If I took that away, I'm not sure I'd know what to do. Which doesn't exactly bode well for the uber-editing-session I have planned (for my other novel) once I've finished the first draft of Hide and See.
Who reckons that I'll just end up starting another novel instead?
I passed the 75k mark last week which is - as so many things are - both good and bad. Good because yay, progress! And bad because I think I'm waffling too much. Or, to phrase it in a slightly more positive way, I'm going into too much detail.
I have my chapter plan and for the most part I'm stuck to it, though I've had to re-jig a few things and cut out a couple of conversations which I had planned because I'd reached my limit on that chapter. I'd figured I would probably have to do that, though, so it's no big deal.
The problem potentially exists in the amount of words I'm doing per chapter. I've created a limit of 2k. In most of the chapters, I have gone over this by around one- to two-hundred words. My university-brain says 'well that's okay, it's within the 10% margin' - but my actually-we're-not-at-uni-anymore-brain points out that these extra words mount up over all the chapters.
As a result I'm trying to write a few slightly smaller chapters. I aim for around 1700-1800 words - and come in closer to dead on 2k. *sigh* So should I therefore be aiming at that all the time? Or should I get my act together and actually produce what I bleedin' well say I'm going to?
Despite the above whinging, I'm not actually too worried about my excess words. It's been a habit of mine to go over on word counts for several years now and I always manage to cut it down in the end. In fact that's mostly what my editing process consists of. If I took that away, I'm not sure I'd know what to do. Which doesn't exactly bode well for the uber-editing-session I have planned (for my other novel) once I've finished the first draft of Hide and See.
Who reckons that I'll just end up starting another novel instead?
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Time to get serious about not growing up
I bought some Christmas paper today. And some bows. This is scary for two reasons:
1) It is only November 6th - what the heck am I playing at?
and
2) I have vowed to get the first draft of Hide and See completed before Christmas and buying Christmas-related products is making that seem awfully close.
When I wrote my chapter plan and made my above-mentioned-vow, I set myself the task of writing three chapters a week. After having numerous deadlines for the MA it felt a little strange and unproductive to suddenly have none. Therefore, I am turning myself into my own little university-lecturer-deadline-setter. Except, you know, without the university qualification thing at the end of it.
Thus far (one week in) it seems to be working fairly well. I have completed this week's three chapters. Gold star for me. Whether they're any good remains to be seen. One chapter I'm not very happy with, one I think is okay, and the third I'm quite pleased with. Not bad really. At least I don't think all of them are utter bollocks.
My new book arrived a few days ago but I'm only one chapter in. This isn't because the book isn't any good - on the contrary. Much of my time this week has instead been spent looking for jobs, not finding them and then stressing about said lack of progress. That stressing part has been done with particular gusto.
This is part of the motivation behind completing my first draft before Christmas. If I really am serious about doing the whole novel writing thing and hoping to publish one day (fingers, toes, everything crossed) then I'd better crack on. No use sitting around wishing it would happen. Here's me being proactive. Or delusional. Or both.
The fact of the matter is I go a little insane if I don't write - I might as well try and get paid pittance for it.
1) It is only November 6th - what the heck am I playing at?
and
2) I have vowed to get the first draft of Hide and See completed before Christmas and buying Christmas-related products is making that seem awfully close.
When I wrote my chapter plan and made my above-mentioned-vow, I set myself the task of writing three chapters a week. After having numerous deadlines for the MA it felt a little strange and unproductive to suddenly have none. Therefore, I am turning myself into my own little university-lecturer-deadline-setter. Except, you know, without the university qualification thing at the end of it.
Thus far (one week in) it seems to be working fairly well. I have completed this week's three chapters. Gold star for me. Whether they're any good remains to be seen. One chapter I'm not very happy with, one I think is okay, and the third I'm quite pleased with. Not bad really. At least I don't think all of them are utter bollocks.
My new book arrived a few days ago but I'm only one chapter in. This isn't because the book isn't any good - on the contrary. Much of my time this week has instead been spent looking for jobs, not finding them and then stressing about said lack of progress. That stressing part has been done with particular gusto.
This is part of the motivation behind completing my first draft before Christmas. If I really am serious about doing the whole novel writing thing and hoping to publish one day (fingers, toes, everything crossed) then I'd better crack on. No use sitting around wishing it would happen. Here's me being proactive. Or delusional. Or both.
The fact of the matter is I go a little insane if I don't write - I might as well try and get paid pittance for it.
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