Writing diary 12/11/2010
I've started writing again. Not Savannah but the short story that I would like to enter in a competition. The deadline is 15 December and I have about half the thing so if I stick to it, I should be able to make it. After that, I can only cross my fingers and hope/pray. Some of the language is a bit rude and I'm not sure the magazine would be ok with that. It's Writing Magazine. If it didn't win, I could always try and have it published in our local newspaper (some of the shorts they have published in the past were I found to be of questionable quality which is why I think they might take my stuff - erm, it says a lot about how much I believe in myself!)
I find it hard to stick to the writing for more than an hour at a time and I feel bad about it because if I'm lucky enough for my daughter to sleep for over an hour, shouldn't I make the most of it? I hope that it has to do with not having practiced in a while. I don't know if I'll manage to stick to writing every day, even though that would be ideal, because I have my course to do and work from time to time (when I have work). Add to that the fact that I'm not a quick writer. It doesn't - or rarely - pours out of me, probably because I think about it too much and the thinking interferes with the creative flow. Or maybe it's just the type of writer I am!
As for Savannah, I went through a big period of doubt when I was thinking of just binning it. I think the plot - or my masculine character at any rate - is too old fashioned to make it as a Mills and Boon and I'm not sure I would be able to turn it into what they want. After some good thinking, I think it might still be saved. I'm only 8 chapters in after all. I think I'm going to have to rework it and cut the bits I don't like for a start and then do more work on my characters before I can really get on with it. I know that when I work on my characters more ideas will come and the plot will change or develop so that's good. The downside is that they is an amount of research involved and I'm not free to do what I want with my time. I mean, days spent doing nothing but reading are long gone. I just have to admit that it is going to take me a long time to get there and stick to it.
I'm thinking of using Storybook which is an Open source software for writers to work on Savannah. It will serve 2 purposes: testing a writing software and making me feel like I'm really doing a professional job. If the storybook thing is no good, I can always go back to good old Word.
I'm listening to an online writers radio, Writers Radio, during the day when I can't read and the silent house drives me nuts and I don't want G. to be in front of the TV - which is mediocre, most of the time anyway.
There you go. At least, I'm doing something and not feeling like I'm sitting there waiting for Death to come and get me!
I find it hard to stick to the writing for more than an hour at a time and I feel bad about it because if I'm lucky enough for my daughter to sleep for over an hour, shouldn't I make the most of it? I hope that it has to do with not having practiced in a while. I don't know if I'll manage to stick to writing every day, even though that would be ideal, because I have my course to do and work from time to time (when I have work). Add to that the fact that I'm not a quick writer. It doesn't - or rarely - pours out of me, probably because I think about it too much and the thinking interferes with the creative flow. Or maybe it's just the type of writer I am!
As for Savannah, I went through a big period of doubt when I was thinking of just binning it. I think the plot - or my masculine character at any rate - is too old fashioned to make it as a Mills and Boon and I'm not sure I would be able to turn it into what they want. After some good thinking, I think it might still be saved. I'm only 8 chapters in after all. I think I'm going to have to rework it and cut the bits I don't like for a start and then do more work on my characters before I can really get on with it. I know that when I work on my characters more ideas will come and the plot will change or develop so that's good. The downside is that they is an amount of research involved and I'm not free to do what I want with my time. I mean, days spent doing nothing but reading are long gone. I just have to admit that it is going to take me a long time to get there and stick to it.
I'm thinking of using Storybook which is an Open source software for writers to work on Savannah. It will serve 2 purposes: testing a writing software and making me feel like I'm really doing a professional job. If the storybook thing is no good, I can always go back to good old Word.
I'm listening to an online writers radio, Writers Radio, during the day when I can't read and the silent house drives me nuts and I don't want G. to be in front of the TV - which is mediocre, most of the time anyway.
There you go. At least, I'm doing something and not feeling like I'm sitting there waiting for Death to come and get me!