Faber – Session 2 Creating Ideas/Planning

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

I arrived in Bloomsbury with plenty of time to go to the London Review Bookshop. I discovered last week that they have a cafe (oooooo), but as I started the diet (again) today, it was just a Latte and a writing session. The cakes looked amazing though, I have to say *pouts*

A quick butchers around the shop (oh dear, how did that Philip Roth find its way into my bag?) and it was off to class 🙂

Really enjoyed last nights session/class 🙂 We talked about planning, our concerns (mine was/is endings lol) and we were sent away with the first piece of work (by a fellow student) that needs critiquing 🙂 Ive got a date for mine now…. 26th November, which means I have to actually submit it the week before *gulp*

We talked about different methods people use to plan their novels. Tim is in favour of index cards, but also gave us some tips on what files he uses on his computer.

We did a couple of writing exercises (a quick synopsis and a descriptive piece) and some free writing. I was shocked that some of my fellow class members had never done free writing before.

So in the way of homework this week i have to read and critique my fellow class mates work, read the 2 handouts, and do a bit of research on some of the books that came up in the discussions (fiction and writing guides).

Ok, but I bet what you really wanna know is what exactly I’ll be submitting?

Well, I spoke to a fellow student in the break who gave me a bit of advice (on whether to use a new novel or one I’ve got further on with) and then I collared Tim as we were packing up. And the news is….. Tim advised me to compromise lol (actually I had to twist his arm up his back because initially, he refused to comment saying that he couldn’t make that decision for me….but i persisted lol). The plan is to submit 5000 words, 1000 of those being a synopsis, of……But Not Forgotten, and let my class mates give me an opinion, on whether they think I should continue with it…scary huh? If they think its a no goer, as my second piece, submit The View Outside. I told him that But Not Forgotten is a mess, not finished and that I’ve lost heart. He said that all that can be sorted, and that after the critique, I’ll have a much better idea of where I’m going.

So I guess I’m feeling relieved 🙂 But, still a little anxious. I’m going to change The View Outside into 3rd person, see how that feels and then quietly work on the synopsis for But Not Forgotten.

The question is…. Do I write the synopsis using the exact same messy plot that it has now? Orrrrrr come up with a new one?

I dunno, I don’t make things easy for myself do I? Lol

The To Do List 22nd to 28th October

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Last week was a stressful week. Have I ever said writing is easy? I hope not, because, trust me, it isn’t lol. I’m always as honest and open with my readers, so can I just say that this week sucked! lol.

I needed to start writing my piece for the Faber course, I asked everyone’s advice, made a start, got to 2321 words then had a major melt down 😦 I’ve written it in 1st person and I’m just not gelling with it. Perhaps I’m a 3rd person kind of girl? Perhaps it’s the wrong thing to write? Perhaps I’m over thinking? Lol. I dunno….but what I do know is that this writing malarkey is hard work! 🙂

So, how did I get on with last weeks list?

1. Faber homework. Well, I’ve made a start, but, it’s not going well 😦 I read all the handouts and made some notes. I’m beginning to wonder if starting a new novel from scratch was a big mistake.

2. Finish reading current book. Nope, in fact I haven’t done much reading at all this week 😦

3. Get out winter clothes and boots. Done! But I’ve not put the summer stuff away lol

This weeks list…

1. Continue with Faber homework. We’ll probably get more handouts tonight.

2. Do synopsis for writing group. For which novel? I seem to have 4 now lol

3. Change Faber piece from 1st person to 3rd person.

4. Finish current read.

5. Make some decisions. Yeah, my brain aches. I seem to have two WIPS, Nano looming, and it seems my tutor liked the piece I submitted to Faber in the first place.

Going tonight, so might have a chat to him, see what he thinks 🙂

What are your writing plans for the week?

Faber – Introduction Session 1

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Those of you who are on FaceBook will know what an awful time I’ve been having (and I’m still having) with my phone network since last Friday 😦 So the idea of travelling up to London with no phone and no map was not really a prospect I was looking forward to 😦 I jokingly say to people that if its going to happen, it’ll happen to me, and it usually does! Proven by the fact that hubby’s phone which is on the same network, same phone, same number apart from 1 different digit, is working fine!

I guess I shouldn’t have been shocked then when the moment i left the house it started to rain and when I got to the station i discovered that my train had been cancelled and that there wasn’t another one for an hour (I ended up taking a different route which cost me more money).

So I finally arrived in Bloomsbury, hungry, tired (I fell asleep on the train) and with frizzy hair! Lol

After a quick stop in Costa I made my way over to The British Museum, managing a trip to the loo and a peek at their wonderful jewellery collection in their shop, before being turfed out at closing time.

I then made my way over to the London Review Bookshop where I have a 10% discount card for being a Faber student. Yes, ok, I did buy a book alright 😉

Then it was time to ring that buzzer *queue dramatic intro music* The Faber building is stunning! From the outside a row of elegant Georgian town houses, but inside, modern, slick, and very very white. Our class is in the attic, on the 4th floor. I’m sure the view from the windows is stunning, but I was too engrossed in everything else to check. The class filled up quickly and there was lots of chair shuffling when Tim, our tutor arrived (we hadn’t left a seat for him lol).

I won’t bore you too much with the lesson, needless to say we had to go round introducing ourselves and saying what we wanted from the course. I said about my 2 novels and that I needed to be more focused. When he asked if I would be working on ‘But Not Forgotten’ I was a little bit chuffed, and couldn’t help wonder what he actually thought of it. I told him I wanted to start something new and he seemed to approve 😉 He went on to say, to all of us, that we were there for a reason. That he had read every single submission, and that we had been chosen because he saw something promising in every one of our pieces. That was good to know 😉

The rest of the lesson was taken up with writing exercises (I’ll share them at some stage), reading recommendations (books about writing) and a pep talk about sacrifice and commitment to being a writer. I think we all secretly squealed inside when he told us that a 3rd of the class from last year now had agents!

Homework for next weeks session is to read up about “planning” (a print out Tim gave us) and to read the other notes we were given. There will be a “peer critique” every week, where one students work is analysed *gulp* so I guess I better start working on my first piece. It has to be under 5,000 words so I’ll probably get cracking on the new novel…..exciting….and more about that tomorrow!

Right, I spose I better get some sleep, but I’m buzzing! A great night! Can’t wait till next week now 🙂

ps….I went for the red top 😉

The To Do List – 10th to 16th September

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Well, hello September! 🙂

It’s actually my favourite month. Not too warm (I burn easily see), not too cold (I’m always cold, ask the hubby). It’s just perfect 🙂

Yeah yeah, I know it’s been September for a while now, but I’ve had hubby at home on “staycation” so things have been a little up in the air. It’s good to get back to normal, if you know what I mean 🙂

I didn’t do a “to do list” last week, there wasn’t really much point. I did manage to achieve most of what was on the previous list though 🙂 So, this week….let’s see 🙂

1. Finish current read and start Tim Lotts book. Tim is my tutor at Faber, so I should really read at least one of his books shouldn’t I?

2. Carry on with the planning of Sorrento Sunrise Yes, yes, I know it’s a naff title, but this is Mills & Boon remember 😉

3. Sort out stuff I need to do for new writing group. Very exciting, and more about that at a later date when it’s all set up!

4. Continue reading romance guides. I’ve got about 6 on the go at the moment lol

5. Do a timetable inc setting aside time for exercise. *groans* I have a severe case of writers bum, so I need to get back to the gym 😦

6. Start the diet again. Oh dear, note the word again lol

7. Keep up to date with my prompts.

There, that shouldn’t be too hard should it? 😉

what are you up to this week?

Finding A Persona

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Vikki Thompson

The last 2 exercises on my course have brought up a very interesting point…….

If I’m brutally honest with myself, when I write from a 1st person POV the persona of the narrator, doesn’t change much lol….. That’s ok if you take each individual short story separately……but, if you look at a couple together, compare them, it could quite possibly be the same person telling both stories 😦 Hmmmmm….. I really need to sort that out don’t I *slump* lol

So I managed to get 2 exercises done (YAY) and get them up on my other blog which I’m going to use as my Learning Log for the OCA.

Also managed to finish my short story (1800words) called ‘What Lies Beneath’ although hubby seems to think there was a film called that so I might need to change the title. It’s going to be submitted in a competition, after some extensive editing. Pleased with it though 🙂

Talking of my course, I’ve discovered, that, to achieve the degree, my next module will be a whole 9 months of poetry study/writing *huge groan*…..I can’t do it, I really can’t 😦 So at the moment, I’m looking round for alternative Creative Writing Courses…… Not found another degree one which is a bummer, but I quite like the sound of the one run by The London School of Journalism but there’s no actual qualification…..and then of course there’s Faber & Faber’s The Faber Academy which is outrageously expensive. No qualification with that one either, but looks good on the old CV don’t you think? Lol.

Then again, I could just go back to the good old OU….but I wouldn’t be able to start their diploma course until September 2012 *pouts*…..if they’ll have me back that is…..looooong story lol

Anyway, I’m not going to worry about it too much over Christmas….think about it again seriously in the New Year 🙂