Blog Schedule

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Now that the April A-Z Challenge is finished (which I’m so chuffed at completing by the way lol, but you already knew that didn’t you lol) it’s about time I became a bit more organised lol.

I didn’t realise how much people would enjoy my characters, and although I will kinda miss creating so many, I’ll still get my fix, because I do them in my notebook on a regular basis. So from now on, I’ll share one, once a week 🙂

I’ve been trying to find my feet since I started this blog, so now I’m ready to work to a routine, so I’ve been thinking about all the things I want to include…..

A Characterisation – Along the lines of what I did for the challenge.
WIP – I don’t often talk about my work(s) in progress, but I’m ready to share 😉
A Film Review – From a writers perspective of course lol. You can learn so much from films IMO, and I watch loads.
Silent Day – That’s gunna be hard, as I can chat for England! But I need a day off. Sooooo, as I’m doing a 365 photo project, I’ll post a pic that i think may give you a story idea.
A Book Review – Again, from a writers perspective. There will be a lot of talk about Writing Books, as I’m an addict! 😉
Free Writing Day – I really enjoyed my “Place” experiment last month. So I intend to do a Freewriting session every week from now on.
Ideas & Notes – I’m always coming across ideas, stuff to improve my writing and most of it gets scribbled down in my Note Book….so I’ll share stuff I think we could all do with knowing, or being reminded about 😉 Will probably include links to other blogs that I think are useful.
Weekly Goals List – I spend most of my week procrastinating, and not really achieving much. Perhaps, if I write my goals down each week I’ll have more chance of actually getting something done lol
Prompt Talk – I do a prompt a day, but I don’t go into much detail about them do I lol

Ok, so perhaps a pattern will emerge, a set day for each type of post? I’ve noticed a lot of bloggers do that. so what do you think? I want my blog to have purpose, at the moment (pre A-Z Challenge) it just seems to amble along without any form of direction lol. I need to focus on a single topic with each post, not ramble away like I normally do lol.

So pull up a chair, grab a coffee and I’ll begin…..

The Cast List…..Reviewed

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Well, that’s it, I did it…..I achieved a whole month of characters for the A-Z Challenge! Pleased is an understatement lol 😉

It’s funny, so many people asked me if these characters were real. It didn’t even enter my head to base them on real people, consciously, and anyway, I don’t know 26 people lol. But reading them back, I can see little parts if myself in some of them, and a couple are probably too close for comfort for a couple of friends. I think the one who is most like me is Scarlet so she’s the one I have a soft spot for. She has my personality, and most of my physical attributes. I didn’t mean her to be me it was an accident lol

My favourite? Ooooo, I think it would have to be Queenie and the one I’d most like as a friend is Gloria as I’m sure she would be fun to be around.

If I was single (and if he was real of course), I would definitely go on a date with Harry as in my head I think he looks like a younger Hugh Grant *swoon* lol.

So now what? What to do with all these people crying out for my attention? Begging me to write their stories 🙂

I have a plan……I had already decided what I was going to do for Nano 2012, but now, I’m thinking that can wait until 2013, this project will be my novel this year 🙂 I am excited, but apprehensive, as I know how much work will be involved.

I’m going to try to connect all the characters stories into one story, a daisy chain so to speak 🙂 So in theory, 26 short stories of about 4,000 words each, which means I’ll have to do one a day *gulp* I’ve done 65,000 words in a month, so I know what a struggle this will be. I guess I’ll have to start thinking about my ending (remember Adele Parks? Lol) and how they can all be pulled together 😉

So thank you readers, for taking an interest, your comments have been brilliant, and definitely stirred up some ideas I can use….if it ever gets published you will all get a thank you in the back of the book, I promise 🙂

I can see some natural connections already….. Like Queenie & Fred or perhaps Harry & Scarlet (ah, see, I will get Hugh Grant! Lol)…..is Gloria the single mum who lives next door to Ella? And I think Ivy definitely gets her hair cut by Benjamin. Could they all be linked together via Zac in some way, or is that too naff? Or how about they all live in the same street? Turn it into a soap opera? Lol

So my question today dear reader, is, should I actually bother? lol 🙂

And if my husbands reading this, I’ll apologise in advance…..November 2012 will be a stressful month, I hope you have lots of chess matches booked *snigger* 🙂

Z is for…..

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Zac, who has been removed because I want to use him for my Nano 2012 novel.

Sorry you missed it 😦

A-Z Challenge

Well, that’s Zac, and yep, he’s a dog 🙂 I never said all my characters would be people did I 😉 The obvious thing that springs to mind is that Zac gets lost, or stolen, but don’t worry, he will be reunited with his family, I’m sure of it 🙂

So that’s it, 26 days of characters! Wow, it’s been hard work, but I’ve enjoyed it 🙂 the question is, did you? 🙂

Y is for…..

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Yasmin, who has been removed because I want to use her for my Nano 2012 novel.

Sorry you missed it 😦

A-Z Challenge

Ok, so that’s Yasmin……I’m thinking that something could definitely happen with the boyfriend, or, she gets so addicted to the money she’s making at the club that she decides to give up on uni? Choices choices lol

Yesterday’s prompt, about daddy’s pride didn’t really inspire anything so I’ll have a go at it tomorrow, when I do saying goodbye 🙂

X is for…..

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Xavier, who has been removed because I want to use him for my Nano 2012 novel.

Sorry you missed it 😦

A-Z Challenge

So that’s Xav 😉 I like him (not too sure about the political views, so we’ll gloss over that aspect), he seems like a fairly nice bloke. So how can we introduce a bit of conflict? perhaps he finds himself arrested, because one of the girls he turns down decides to get revenge and tells the police he assaulted her? Or is that too cruel? Lol….. Or perhaps his perfect little family world is about to come crashing down round his ear ‘oles because his wife leaves him?

Yesterday’s prompt was “the idea inside the morning” which I found quite difficult 😦 I ended up writing about a guy who’s eyebrows had all be shaved off…..don’t ask lol. Today’s prompt is your daddy’s pride which should be pretty easy 😉

W is for…..

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Wendy, who has been removed because I want to use her for my Nano 2012 novel.

Sorry you missed it 😦

A-Z Challenge

So Wendy seems happy enough, but is she? Really? I’m thinking that she could start her own business, selling her berets? Orrrr….. She starts seeing her boss again and Clare finds out and turns psycho? Or perhaps she does enter one of those talent shows and completely changes her life? So many options with this one 🙂

I spent most of yesterday getting up to date with my prompts. The one I liked the most was That Sunday afternoon which ended up being about a guy who bumped into a girl in a coffee shop. She then gets her boyfriend to beat him up 😦 I know, I know, but that’s how easily it can happen. You only need to be in the wrong place at the wrong time *shivers*

V is for…..

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Vincent, who has been removed because I want to use him for my Nano 2012 novel.

Sorry you missed it 😦

A-Z Challenge

Hmmmmm…..I can only begin to imagine the pain of losing a child in those circumstances 😦 and the need for revenge would be overwhelming…. But how do you deal with that when you have a strong faith? Perhaps he takes it upon himself to find the killer? Perhaps he finds out that the lad at the cemetery is his daughters killer?

Bit behind with my prompts, it’s been a busy few days lol

U is for…..

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Before I tell you about today’s character I want to give a shout out to Melena at PrefacMe who has nominated me for The Versatile Blogger Award. Thank you so much honey, I’m honoured 🙂 That’s now 2 awards I’ve got to catch up with once the A-Z Challenge is complete 🙂

Una, who has been removed because I want to use her for my Nano 2012 novel.

Sorry you missed it 😦

A-Z Challenge

Poor Una 😦 What a nightmare! Ok, perhaps she could plot to kill her husband? Or, less drastic, just walk out? Something, or someone needs to give her hubby a kick up the arse don’t you think?

No prompt news today as I’m away, so this post has been scheduled 😉 Normal service is resumed tomorrow 🙂

T is for…..

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Timothy, who has been removed because I want to use him for my Nano 2012 novel.

Sorry you missed it 😦

A-Z Challenge

Hmmmmm, so does Tim find out that Cameron is having an affair? Or, is Cameron up to something else? 😉

I haven’t talked much about my prompts have I? Lol….I’m still keeping up with them, just. Yesterday’s one was write about what happens and today’s is That Sunday afternoon….. Both will get done today, but I’m in Birmingham for the next 24 hours and it’s World Book Night lol. Busy, busy, busy…..

Adele Parks Envy

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Sorry, no characterisation for the A-Z Challenge today, I have a day off lol

I went to a talk given by Adele Parks recently and I am now, officially suffering “Adele Parks Envy” lol. Yep, she’s tall, slim, attractive, finds it easy to engage an audience, funny and has written 11 books, all of which have been best sellers! What’s not to envy? Lol *pouts* 😉

Seriously, I thoroughly enjoyed her talk 🙂

Someone in the audience asked her if she plans her novels. She replied by saying yes, but that she knew plenty of successful writers who don’t. She went on to say that when she is reading a novel she can actually tell if it’s been planned or not, because the middle tends to lose its way a bit. Things happen that often don’t fit in with the rest of the story.

Hmmmmm, I’m not sure that’s entirely true, but, I see her point.

Talking about her working day, she said that she looks on being a writer like any other job. Every morning, she goes to her office, sits at her desk, and works. Even if she’s not in the mood. If the words don’t come for the novel she’ll do some characterisation, or catch up with work related e mails. But no matter how she feels, she’ll still show up to that desk. (Ohhhh, if only I had a desk, let alone an office!).

She talked a lot about characterisation (at this stage my ears pricked up) and about how much work she will do on the characters. Their star signs, their background, their likes and dislikes, tiny little details that will never make it into the book, but allow her to know her characters inside and out. Yep, I know that one, and it’s what I try to do with all my characters (I found myself nodding lol).

The one piece of advice I will definitely be taking away with me is that she said when she starts to “plan” the next novel she comes up with the characters first, then she comes up with a dilemma, then she comes up with the ending, how it’s all going to pan out…..only then will she start writing the story.

This is where I completely fall down *slump*……endings *shudders* and is why my novel (65,000 words done in November 2010 for Nano) is still unfinished.

I guess we all have something we don’t feel confident about, something that we don’t think we’re good at or dread doing when it comes to writing. Mine is definitely endings. I love dialogue (and have been told I’m good at it) and I love characterisation (you can all be the judge as to whether I’m any good at that) but endings and tying it all up so that it’s satisfactory? 😦

So what do you struggle with? What do you feel you fall down on? Or are you confident with all aspects of your writing? 🙂

So what did I learn?
(A) I need a desk and an office lol.
(B) I need to plan a bit more, especially my endings.
and
(C) I will never be Adele Parks…..but there’s no harm in dreaming 😉