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Sunday, October 29, 2006

Extra hour. I seem to have done loads today, although sadly, no writing. I've cleaned my house from top to bottom, got to the early morning Church service, did all my washing (it was such a beautiful day, one of those days you get at the end of Autumn, when Summer has a last hurrah!) I did two critiques on the critique circle, and I am about to get my new DVD recorder installed. Yay!
Life is grand.
Course, I'll have to do a whole load of writing tomorrow to catch up.

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Just spent the day at a dance workshop. I had so much fun! But I have discovered how unfit I am, so I'm going to have to do soemthign about that. Ideally, I'd just sit and do nothing tonioght, but I'm off to a barn dance, in aid of a children's charity. I'm a masochist.
Still, all this mixing with people is great for isnpiration, characters, dialogue, plots....Mwhahahaha!
Back to writing tomorrow.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Little woman, you've had a busy day!
Today, I wrote 1500 words new to my story, and also rewrote a scene in the first chapter that all my critters found confusing. Hopefully it's sorted now.
Then I took home baked cookies into the newspaper office and bribed the reporters. If that doesn't get our stories in the paper, nothing will!
I bought the breast cancer calendar, "Beauty and the Breast". Brilliant calendar done by people I know. They've all had breast cancer, and they had artists paint their bodies and they made a calendar. Superb. All profits to Cancer Bacup.
Then I critted four stories on critique circle, signed up for tap dancing, signed up for a dance workshop tomorrow, agreed to go to a barn dance tomorrow night.
Oh and I posted my entry to the Literary Consultancy competition and wrote a letter. All in all, a productive day.
I'm off to bed now. When every muscle aches after tomorrow, I will remind myself I haven't danced for some years.....
Last night, I watched the first two episodes of the Dr Who spin off "Torchwood". Huh? How come I am not making money from writing and this dross is? Am I aiming too high and assuming my readers are more intelligent than they actually are?
What with this and the new Robin Hood, starring the usually reliable Keith Allen, I despair. At least Robin Hood has the saving grace of appealing to five year olds. And I like to think it's meant to be tongue in cheek... But the BBC seems to have decided that their audience don't have two brain cells to bounce together.
It isn't the actors. In both series, they are fairly reliable. It isn't the direction. Well, not totally. The directors can only work with what they have got. And the best director and actors in the world cannot save a poor script. Alien sex gases? Puleese! How old was that writer?
OK. Rant over. The world is not fair. Official. All I can do is go out and try and make it a little fairer. And the only way I can do that is by writing and selling. So, I'm off to write. One out of two ain't bad.
By the way, the coffee didn't completely get me yesterday. I wrote 2000 words. Eventually.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Oh boy! Why didn't anyone tell me there was coffee in tiramisu? I am very allergic to coffee. (I know, it is an unfair world). I spent all today really, really sick. Imagine the worst hang over you ever had, double it, add a tummy upset, a migraine headache and sleepiness, and you'll get the idea.
I belted out 1200 words when I finally rejoined the land of the living. But I will never touch that evil stuff again.
Oh well, off to see if I can add to my word count. Though I doubt it. I am so tired.

Also entered a play competition. The Literary Consultancy. I've entered Sammy. Fingers crossed.
And the auditions for Hansel and Gretel went well. I think our beloved director has more or less made his mind up now.......

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

I am on a roll. Yesterday I did 2500 words to my novel. Today I did another 900 so far. Over the weekend (Friday to Sunday) I did an average 1500 words per day. And I am pleased with it as well. It isn't just a quantity of rubbish. It's working.
I've gone from no writing at all, to a fantastic amount. Just in time for Nano too.
Now all I have to do is make some money......

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Ten days to NaNo, and I am like a kid at Christmas. I am so excited. Don't know why. Maybe it's because I haven't been writing as much as I sued to, so it will actually be a challenge to do 50,000 words in a month. Maybe it's because I'm doing it with friends instead of alone. Maybe it's because I am looking forward to a fresh story....
So, with ten days to go, I find a second wind for Tymerys, my fantasy story. Always the way! I had got a bit jaded with it, wondering whether I was wasting time and effort. Crisis of confidence, I suppose you'd call it.
Someone actually said they thought Tymerys was a real place the other day. Hadn't realised I had built the land in my head. I suppose that is a compliment.
I've also been working on The Price of Firewood. Got to speak to people just back from Darfur, and what they told me will really deepen the story. I got the impression they were holding back, so what they saw must have been horrendous. They are my heroes.
I've joined the 21st century as well. Bought a DVD recorder. Apparently, I can put all my videos onto to DVD now. Think of the space that'll save! And no stretched tapes. Just as soon as I can figure out how to programme the thing.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

After due consideration, I have my NaNO story ready to begin. The synopsis is done, the characters are waiting in the wings (that is allowed). Roll on November 1st. Meantime, I am getting as much of my fantasy novel done as possible. Trouble is, I need to sell something and I wonder if the fantasy market is a bit flooded at present?
Being on the Critique Circle (a web site where writers crit each other's work) gave me an idea. What if, when someone has done an essay, they could get it critted by someone with fresh eyes, someone who would point out proofing mistakes, tell them where their sentences were not too clear, or didn't make sense, where they have contradicted themselves, that kind of thing. Do you reckon there would be a demand? What it would NOT do is correct content, do research for the student or that kind of thing.

Monday, October 09, 2006

AArgghh! Why is it life always gets in the way of plans? Just when I know what I want and need to do to get my writing career up and running, real life intervenes. I have never been so busy!
But every cloud has a silver lining. The increased activity has increased my energy, and led to an increae in productivity. Three short stories are written, a fourth is nearly done. The first three chapters of my fantasy novel are almost perfect, and the first chapter has been submitted to Novel a Year 2. Being registered with that should keep me writing. I need a deadline.
I'm also going to spend November doing NaNoWriMo. You ahve to start a novel froms cratch on November 1st and write as much of the first draft as possible by November 30th. Doesn't need to be perfect, or polished. Just down on paper (or disk, as the case may be.) The goal is 50,000 words in the month, and the idea is to get all those people who are "going to write a novel one day" to actually get their fingers out and get started. I ahve a new novel in mind, so I'm going to go for it. I reckon 2000 words a day is reasonable, and that will give me 60,000 words by November 30th. Watch this space.

Monday, October 02, 2006

Well, I did some proof reading, which didn't make me rich but I can now say I worked a little. And I have been writing short stories which, in my dreams, will set the women's magazine markets on absolutel fire. Yeah.
Seriously, if anyone knows a paying market for short stories, please let me know. Also paying markets for plays, sketches, poems, songs, magazine articles.... novels take a little longer, so are basically out.
Oh and I'll type up notes, check and edit work (which involves proof reading, plus making suggestions where wording or meaning could be made clearer - you decide whether to take or ignore the suggestions).
I don't do pornography - I don't think I'd be very good at that. Lack of practice/experience.