Tag Archives: Writing

Four Days To Go…..

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Until I come to the end of my Project 365 journey. On January the 2nd 2011 I downloaded the Project 365 App to my iPhone and began to take a photo a day, uploading them to FaceBook and the iPhone Project 365 Website

I’m feeling a little sad that it’s all coming to an end…..I didn’t miss one day 🙂 But it’s often been very hard, especially when you’re ill or just not in the mood to go out anywhere lol. A lot of the photos I’ve taken have ended up in my writing notebooks, to use as prompts for stories and character sketches.

Now, the question is…..do I do it again in 2012? Lol…..I haven’t decided yet 😉

I managed to get a couple of early morning hours yesterday to do some writing. I ended up with 3 short plays, a short story and a character sketch. Not a bad mornings work eh? 😉

So, I’ve been thinking a lot over the last couple of days about my new years resolutions. I make them every year, and every year I don’t stick to them (I think I made it to June with one a couple of years ago lol). This year, things will be different. This year I’m only going to make a couple, and maybe, actually have a chance of keeping them 😉

One of the resolutions I’m considering is the 100k in 100 days challenge. I’m not too sure I can manage it, I’ve never really counted how many words on average I write every day…….

*goes off to count how many words excluding this blog and FaceBook status updates she’s written today*

Wow so far today I’ve written just under 1500 words….. But, do I want the pressure of having to do 1000 words every single day? Is that just a little bit too much?

The Wrong Way

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I spent most of yesterday finishing A Walk Between Heaven and Earth and making notes in my notebook. To say that I found it ‘unputdownable’ is an understatement 🙂

There are so many interesting passages and inspiring ideas, too many to mention, but the one that really struck a cord was when Holzer talked about ‘the right way’……

She says that too often we focus on learning the techniques of writing, that this overshadows the writing itself. She goes on to say that “It is hard to get excited about writing, when 90% of what comes to mind is not good enough, or not right somehow.”

Is this the rut I’ve got myself into?

Am i no longer content to just write, for writings sake? I’m constantly trying to improve, do things right, learn the rules…..punctuation, grammar, syntax, nouns, adjectives…..*deep sigh* It’s hard work….. 😦

But, is it still exciting? Does having the constant pressure of having a ‘right way’ and a ‘wrong way’ take away the pleasure? And, if that is indeed the case, whats the answer? Quit my creative writing courses and just write for me? Give up any ideas I have of publication?

No, sorry, I don’t agree with her. I’m enjoying learning, I want to improve my writing. To do that I need to study and I need to do things the ‘right way’. I’ve always been fascinated by learning, eager for knowledge about everything around me.

Yes, having a ‘right way’ and a ‘wrong way’ leads to self criticism and self doubt…… But don’t we need that to strive to be better? Wanting to be good at something and succeed isn’t a bad thing is it? 😉

All I Want For Christmas………

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…….is……..actually, I’m not sure lol….. J K Rowlings life? A room of my own like Virginias? To look like Cheryl Cole? Ha ha ha…..yeah, I’d love all that, but….I am a realist 😉

I managed to get some early morning writing done yesterday. A couple of short stories that could possibly be turned into longer pieces at some stage. I tried my hand at a bit of chick lit, but, I dunno, I’m not sure I can really pull that off. Didn’t I read somewhere recently that chick lit is dying out? Let’s face it, it’s been done to death 😉 When I was 14 I wrote a bit of erotica (don’t look so shocked, I was full of hormones lol) but I’m not sure I could write stuff like that today…..Now, i shy away from sex scenes lol…..Its not something i enjoy writing, and I’m a firm believer in writing something you enjoy (which is why i could never write horror or sci-fi). If you enjoy writing the story, that will come across on the page. My hubby said a couple of days ago that most of my stuff is quite dark…..is that a bad thing? What does that say about me d’ya think? Lol 😉

I was up in time this morning (as I am most mornings) to watch the sun rise. I love this time of the day… So quiet. Its the time I write my Blog and make notes in my notebook. I re-read anything I’ve written the day before and make notes on any characters I’m developing. But being Christmas morning, it’s even quieter, not even the sound of a car going past, and I’m feeling a bit uninspired.

I still haven’t done the 3000 word competition entry….and the closing date is the 31st December! I’m not sure I’m going to be able to get it done. I still haven’t even decided exactly which short story to expand for it lol

Oh well, i must love you and leave you now…..I want to open my pressies…..ESP as hubby has let slip that I have rather a large amount of books 😉

Merry Christmas…..have a good one 🙂

Weekend Writing

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It’s so hard to get any writing done at the weekends. With hubby at home, if I don’t get up early, ie before him, I don’t tend to get much writing done lol.

Don’t get me wrong, he’s very supportive. I just feel bad, like I’m neglecting him 😦 Friday night he watched a film and I was able to finish my current short story. It needs a bit of editing (something I’m hoping to get done today) and then I’ll submit it 😉

He’s not feeling very well at the moment, so I sent him to bed for a couple of hours this afternoon, which gave me enough time to work my way through the next section of the course, and make some notes on the next exercise.

I have to write a piece in my own voice, about something mundane I do every day. After making a list of all the mind numbingly boring things I do every day. I’ve finally chosen to write about tidying the house, something I do every morning.

So now I have the subject, I guess I better crack on and write about it lol. I did consider writing about the daily ‘de-pooing’ of the garden, but thought that would probably be going a bit too far 😉

Research

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Spent most of yesterday researching style. Now, I’m not completely stupid, I know there are different styles of writing, it’s just my own I can’t identify lol

Unfortunately I got distracted quite a bit with the arrival of my first Copy of the Mslexia magazine….and all I can say is wow what a great resource!!!! I’ve read it cover to cover!!!!! There’s a huge section at the back that lists competitions…..gunna try my hand at a couple, you never know……and i never will unless i submit something 😉

Very interesting article entitled “The Case for 4×4 Fiction” all about publishers not being interested in publishing stories that are about the middle classes…..oh dear, that’s definitely my stuff out the window then lol. Both of my Nano novels are about middle class families, set in suburbia. Apparently, if I change my stories, so that they’re about poverty stricken people I’ve got a much better chance of publication lol

My Amazon wish list took a pounding….. After reading said article I managed to add another half a dozen books lol

Today’s task, (in between the washing machine repair man, a friend popping in for coffee and baking lol) is the next exercise on the course, regarding my “audience”….. Who is the invisible reader at my shoulder when I write? I’m pretty sure I write what I like to read (which I’ve now discovered I have no chance in hell of getting published lol).

Sooooo, my audience? 40 something housewife who likes to read about other peoples lives, so she can believe that others are having a shittier time than she is LMAO 😉