Quote for today

"The first rule of intelligent meddling is to keep the pieces."
Aldo Leopold

A year on.....

Well, I started this blog on the 22nd October 2007 with every intention of completing a novel in the year. This did not happen. "But why not?" I hear you cry. "You had all that time." Especially as I gave up work and became (for a few months at least) a 'full time writer' (otherwise known as unemployed!!)

I know. If it was me looking at someone else. I would have said "You lucky buggers. It'll be easy if you aren't working," and then "What did you do in the year then?"

I have already done a review of my life during the first 6 months - full of excuses, excuses, excuses - although I do think having a miscarriage and an operation to remove a cyst that did not go as planned are better than having a cold or not having the time..... I also completed my NVQ Teaching Assistant course and worked as a Teaching Assistant one day a week. Currently I am working 3 days a week for the library services (started full time 17th July, down to 3 days since 17th September). So, I am sticking with one of my favourite quotes: There is nothing wrong with failure. The real sin is not trying.

And the big excuse I am giving you today is the fact that I am 14 weeks pregnant. God that really is an excuse - what with morning sickness (horrendous for 2 weeks) and the tiredness (currently easing off) writing has had to be moved to the bottom of my list. Its enough making sure I go to work, eat well and keep the house and car and animals running smoothly. Although I am pleased to report I have kept (just about) up to date with my pregnancy blog - so I have managed to do some writing!!

So, what next?

Looking at my list of dates, competitions etc. I realise how long it has been since I have even thought about writing something. When I started this blog I took part in NaNoWriMo 2007 and managed 18,377 words. However, we are already 5 days in and I have not started. Although saying that I didn't complete all the 30 days last year so I could try the month backwards.....I have looked on the official site and some of the other participants seem to have got off to a slow start. Perhaps I might be able to catch them up!

I have received my first email bulletin with regards to the 2009 Debut Dagger - closing date: 7th February and I would love to enter something again this year. I don't know whether or not to abandon the novel I started in 2008. I have received mixed reactions about it and again I seem to have collected loads of paper and in reality not enough writing has been done. Lots of ideas, but nothing concrete. However, that would give me 3 started (and not finished) novels.

If I am going to start a new novel. I need to do it properly this time. Ideas / Synopsis / Timeline / Chapter by Chapter - then start and keep writing until the words The End appear before me. I know I have been guilty over the last year of aiming for perfection and what happens is that I can't get past the first few chapters as I am constantly checking and tweaking and therefore The End never even comes near.

Well, I am pleased with my little self tonight, as have finally managed to address the 'writing' pile and feel I have got somewhere. Perhaps the tiredness is finally easing off...

Off now to look for ideas......

Writing Through Adversity....

I particularly liked an article received from www.writers.com/ (Vol. 11, No. 10October 2008) so I hope they don't mind if I copy some of it below:

The more writers I work with, the more I admire them as a whole and as individuals. Writing is hard work. Few writers work under ideal conditions and most, at some time or another, face real adversity. I've worked with novelists with serious health and disabilities -- although I'm usually not even aware there are any problems until after the fact. Folks who can handle raising children and making a living while still finding time to write on a professional level are unsung heroes who probably need more sleep than they ever get. I've worked with writers who are dealing with emotional demons on a daily basis, but who still deliver the goods.

We all face rough patches in life, Sometimes a series of minor stresses mount up to major trauma. I've seen writers deal with life's small bumps and bigger piles of problems and still keep on writing.

Any form of work can serve as both a curse and a cure, but I begin to think writing has a particular power to bring order, calm the turmoil, relieve emotional pressure, and repair at least some of what unravels in the fabric of one's life. Psychologists and psychiatrists have, for more than twenty years, been proving that writing about traumatic, stressful, or emotional events (often called "expressive writing") can improve physical and psychological health. But that's not what I'm talking about here. Nor am I referring to other forms of self-healing or self-discovery claimed for writing. I'm merely saying that the act of creating a fictional world and its characters, composing an essay, trying to meet deadlines, or simply putting words into meaningful order and paragraphs into a whole can -- despite the challenges, frustrations, and stress that writing can evoke -- bring order to your life and release from its anxieties.

What Next?

I know, its a long time since my last post. Have I given up I hear you cry? Not yet....

Recently I took the original novel which I had written in the first person, and tried to re-write it in the third person. I was quite proud of my effort but I sent it to two friends who had seen - and not liked - the original start and they still don't like it!! They wrote; 'still think u arnt writing in your usual style'. I am not sure what to do now....

However, the Poison Pens have organised a workshop with writer Tim Wilson www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/tim-wilson/ this Saturday and as part of this he has received a copy of my first chapter. I am going to wait and see what he says before deciding on my next step.

A Quote to Remember...

'Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.' Mark Twain

Quote for Monday:

'Every great and original writer, in proportion as he is great and original, must himself create the taste by which he is to be relished.' William Wordsworth

Things to do....

Not sure what I have been doing lately or how focused I have been. I have certainly 'gone off' writing for a while. One reason may be the writing of a 'Things to do' list; things to do in the coming year. Things I feel I have not yet accomplished in my life. Big birthdays make you do these mad things.....

I have, however, put

1. Finish one (if not all) of the 3 Novels I have started writing, and
2. Have an article and / or short story published on the list......

Only trouble is there are 36 other 'Things to do' on the list!!!