When 'Its Just Not Happening'

Today I had such plans - and the opportunity.  But it just isn't happening - I have two short stories bubbling away at the moment.  I'm eager to get them completed so I can submit them to TABFF but my head has other ideas.

I don't like to use this blog to share my personal life BUT I'm sure I'm not the only person/writer to feel this way and to be overwhelmed by such feelings.  What feelings?  My oldest two children have left home, one for independence, the other for Uni.  All normal and part of life but for some reason its really hit me today and I can't concentrate on my work and I'm indulging in baby pictures and old forgotten school projects.  Daft isn't it - in reality I should be pleased that they are out there living their lives and making their own way.  Don't get me wrong I'm proud of them both but missing them is hurting, a physical ache.

I'm sharing this because there must be others who have these days too.  But tomorrow is another day and I must wait to see what a new day brings.  Who knows, maybe there's a new story to be told. So I suppose what I'm actually saying is one unproductive day isn't the end, life as a writer isn't over.  Believe in yourself, pick yourself up and carry on writing.

It's Marinating

Firstly, Hello and Welcome to the new peeps. I hope you stick with me and find this blog either amusing or useful.  As for me, I enjoy the company.

The story I blogged about on Tuesday is finished and I have left it to marinate until next week.  I'm really pleased with it.  In fact I was so pleased and happy with my progress I delved into my archives and pulled out a story I'd written last year but was never satisfied with.  The idea of the story was good but I'd not been able to bring it to life.  But now, I can see it really does have potential.  With a polish here and a small re-write there I hope to submit it to TABFF in time.  However tempting never throw away or delete any piece of writing even if it isn't doing what you'd like it to.  You never know when it could come in handy.

I'd ask you all to forgive any small typo's as Reggie, my kitten, is very fond of my keyboard..

Feel free to leave me any comments I'm always happy to chat.

Some You Do And Some You Don't

Do you ever get a feeling about a story?  Either whilst drafting, editing or anywhere along the line - I do.  My latest short story is aimed at TABFF (Take-a-Break Fiction Feast).  The truth is, yes this is going to sound really pretentious, but I dreamt the first line of dialogue of the story.  Now I know a lot of my fellow writers keep a notebook by the bed, as do I.  But the words stayed with me even after showering and eating breakfast, I knew I had to use them.  And I have.  I have a really good feeling that this story could be the one to set me on my way.  The one that makes all previous disappointments almost worth the pain.  Time will tell.

It's odd though, I really want to write novels but I cannot leave short stories alone.  I've tried but the ideas always manage to sneak into my thought stream somewhere along the way.  Maybe I should try harder at doing both.  After all I do have a novel that I've written.  Okay so it needs a huge injection of TLC but hey, it there.

Back To It

So, the kids have gone back to school, at last.  To me it seems like forever as Cerys has had a nice 7 week holiday due to our move in July.  Problem is, now the house feels so empty it's hard for me to settle.  Reggie, the kitten, is fast asleep at my feet content in his own dreams and I'm wondering if I should pop downstairs and put the TV on.  Not to watch it of course but sometimes silence is really distracting.

I now have 2 stories I am playing with and considering trying my with TABFF again - after all nothing ventured nothing gained.  But, as all writers, I loathe rejection and it dents my confidence so. There's no sense in wallowing so back to it I suppose.  Think big, that's my new motto.

The Good, The Bad & The Really Ugly !!

ARRRGGGHHHH!!

So the Good thing is, well I see it as good is that since getting back down to work since Swanwick I have written 1.5 short stories.  Yes that's right 1.5 - I do have anew kitten to watch out for!!

So that's the good.  The Bad is really bad.  As an ex secretary you'd think I could format documents standing on my head wouldn't you?  But no, not this particular story I'm working on and the worst part is that I don't have a glue as to where I'm going wrong.  At the risk of sounding like a spoilt brat 'it's not doing what I want it to do'.

The Ugly part is my mood...ooh very ugly.  Really I could quite happily sling my laptop through the window and myself afterwards.  It's driving me crazy.  I thought writing the stories was the hard part.  I really have had enough for today, formatting that is.  I'm off for a nice coffee and a scream !!

I'm Back...did you miss me?

I have moved house and attended the Swanwick Writers Summer School since I last posted, a lifetime ago or so it seems.

I'm so out of step with everything I'm finding it hard to know where to start to fill you in.

Let's start with Swanwick, for those of you who are familiar with this wonderful school I'm sure you will agree it is wonderful.  A packed week of inspiring courses and many friendly faces, evening speakers and activities to enable you to let your hair down later on.  This year was my fourth year in a row and although Swanwick will always hold a special place in my heart, I feel it may be time to try something new.

What with the house move and the long school summer holiday it has been difficult to fit in any writing time.  But now we are settled (still a few boxes to go) I need to hunt down my mojo and put it to work.

As always, wish me luck and I promise to post soon.

Gardners & Writers

I once heard, or read, Alan Titchmarsh claim that 'a good garden is never finished' or words to that effect.

Well I'm finding the same with my novel.  The deeper in I get the more work I realise there is to do.  Now it's not that the work bothers me because it doesn't but I have to wonder when does it stop.  When will I know that I have edited and revised every chapter, rounded my characters enough, sewn threads into my main story line?  Does that ever happen?  And as for imagery don't even get me started!  Obviously in a novel as opposed to a shorter work there is much more scope to linger on description and imagery.  But just how much is enough?

This morning I have been working on describing a hall decorated for a wedding reception and to freshen up my ideas I used Google images.  Mistake? Well now I feel I am back to square one as the images have filled my head and made my former description look naff, at the very least and badly in need of  re-writing. Actually I quite enjoy it.  I used to scoff quietly as those writers who confessed they'd spent years writing their novel but slowly I am starting to understand why.

As much as I admire Mr Titchmarsh I do hope his theory on gardens isn't true for writers.