Writing Update & Reflection

[girlycomic]

Due to a very annoying virus I didn't do much writing for most of February. However, I managed to pull it round in the last week:

• Light Fingers (3993 words) submitted to the Terror Scribes Anthology.

Having now written three short stories in three months It seems appropriate to reflect on some of the things I need to work on in my writing:

• Endings - I always struggle to come up with endings. One of the reasons I have lots of half-finished stories from previous writing attempts.
• I will hate the story halfway through. The initial idea is enough for me to get started and to halfway or so. Then I decide the whole thing is crap and there's massive resistance to writing any more. I just need to accept this and push through it.
• Formatting - I get a bit confused about where to indent and where not to. Initially I wasn't indenting at all (apart from speech) and breaking things into chunks as I would a work report. Then I started indenting too much!
• Contractions - I use them far too much outside of speech & feedback suggests it's not a good idea.
• Commas - not using them enough!
• Mannered/formal writing style - think this comes from working in academia. I suspect a better style will only evolve by writing, writing and some more writing.
• Titles - I am awful at coming up with them. I've been driving Jay round the bend with that problem...

Think that's enough to be concentrating on to start with!

Next targets:

1. Write a novella pitch by 15th March.
2. Write another short story by the end of March.