Time for a change?

While the kettle was boiling I decided to Google my name - my real name that is not Gonna B. Anyway, I have discovered that I had a beautiful wedding (although I don't recognise my husband or the Maid of Honor who apparently gave a terrific speech) which can be seen on Facebook. There is another me with a page on Bebo and I also write poetry which I do occasionally but not the poems that I came across on the internet.
Maybe I should change my name, it's clearly far too common.

Spot the difference

I've just been going through my list of what stories have been sent where and I realised that 2 stories were rejected by the same magazine. One took 6 days to be rejected and one 3 months. What was the difference and what can I learn?
I ask this question in the hope that I can try and work out what makes an editor tick.

What works for you?

I've read on several blogs recently aboutwriters who are plotting their novels some to a very detailed stage and I was thinking that I envy them. So far I have two novels (both sadly still sitting in the bottom drawer) and a third in progress. On each occasion I have gone about the writing process the same way.
I have started with a premise and I have known where I wanted to end up. I also have my central character. Then I start to write. Sometimes, especially in the second novel things develop in a way that I hadn't anticipated but when the pen was in my hand it just felt like the way it would be.
The odd thing is that when I'm at my day job things are planned with military precision and I have to be in control of any situation that I am responsible for. But then, I suppose when the pen is in my hand I am in charge in tat situation too.
My most recent efforts is at an early stage but i am trying something slightly different. Normally i would write in long hand and then type up in sections of 5000 words or so and edit as I go along. This time I plan on writing the whole thing in a first draft before starting to type it. Thats the plan at the minute though I just finished a passage last night that I've been writing for a while and have found quite difficult to do and I was tempted to put it to one side and start typing on more than one occasion. However that's done now and I can move on to the next part. However, and this goes back to the planning thing. When I first started writing the passage I didn't like the character that I was wrting about but last night when I put the last full stop in place I found that I sympathised with them and they really weren't hat bad. Thw whole book took a different direction.
So I don't know if working in a more structured way would work for me.

Distraction

How distracting is the internet????
VERY!!!
I came back from taking the little fella for a walk almost an hour ago and decided to check my emails with a coffee before getting down to some writing in the spare time that I have this morning. Yet here I am, still logged on. It's Sunday morning for goodness sake. Who did I think was going to have emailed me since I checked them late yetsreday afternoon? My good friend Tuesday Moon might have as she lives in a different time zone but no-one else. Well nothing that I would want to read anyway.
Then once you're actually on the internet you might as well do a bit of surfing.
But can anyone explain to me why time seems to go faster when you're living in the virtual world of the internet? Why is it that what felt like 10 minutes was actually nearer 40?
I think that's a question for Captain Black. It's probably something to do with the vibes given off by computers.
However with that said I am going to spend the next hour and 40 minutes writing. I am turning the computer off now. Well I might just look at one more website first.

A dilemma

I don't know what to make of an email that I received this morning.
Remember that I told you last week that I chased up on a story that had been with an editor since December? In my experience this magazine either reject a story within 10 days or accept it after 6-7 months. As they had had this particular story for almost 9 months I just queried the state of play. Bearing in mind the length of ime it had been with them I have to say that I was hopeful of a sale. However this morning, a week after my query I received an email saying no thanks so to speak. It was the standard curt email rejection that I have had several times before but like I say it has always been within 10 days before.
So my dilemma is, should it have been rejected before Christmas but the message either wasn't sent or didn't arrive or have I hacked off the editor by querying the story?
I do hope it's not the latter because she is sitting on two more of my stories.

Back on the road again

I haven't submitted much in the past few months. There's been too much going on with the day job to give much time to my second job. However, that's sorted now and I've had a two week break so I'm feeling recharged and ready to go back on the submission road again.
This week I've submitted two stories to magazines, entered one competition and chased up on a story that a magazine has had since December.
Said magazine has published three of my stories before and I'm used to them taking a long time to decide but they've never had one of my stories for eight months before. They've actually had two more stories for five and six months respectively but they bought my first story after seven months so I'm not chasing up on those two yet.
Even though it feels great to submit again and be full of expectation I am of course risking rejection but we won't dwell on that. We'll just keep our fingers crossed.

Knowing when to stop

I've spent the morning editing a couple of stories for submission.
What a nightmare!!!
I go through the text looking for errors in spelling and grammar and correct them. I change the odd word or phrase. I'm on the look out for any inconsistencies. Then I go through the whole process again and I might change something else. God help me if I go through it a third time because I guarantee that I'll find something else to tinker with.
When do I stop???
I think that if you keep going over a piece of writing there is always something that can be changed. It's hard to know when you are fiddling with something just for the sake of it.

My Downfall

One final post (I promise) on "wanting it more than life" etc etc.
I've had a lot of thinking/relaxing time over the past two weeks and I have spent some of that time thinking about my writing, why I write, what I want from it yada yada yada.
I thought about what I had written here in the last week and I asked myself "Do I want it enough?" Well I clearly think that wanting it more than life is a little excessive so maybe I don't. Maybe not wanting it enough will be my downfall.
But those of you that have been visiting for a while might remember the dark time that I went through last year. That darkness started a year ago yesterday so I have been thinking about it a lot. While I am happy to report that the world is bright again I think that remembering last year is what makes me feel the way I do about "wanting it more than life." There are so many more things that are more important than writing - for me anyway. If I was offerred the chance to be a best selling author OR some of the things that I know are really important I know which I am going with everytime.
So after accepting that I am unlikely to succeed in the best selling author stakes because I don't want it more than life , will I stop writing. DEFINATELY NOT. I enjoy writing, I enjoy seeing my name in print from time to time, and I certainly enjoy the odd payment that I receive. Nothing will stop me from doing that.
If there is anyone reading this who is likely to be asked to give advice on how to be a successful writer can I ask a favour? Please tell us something that will really help like, how to make our submissions stand out from the rest or how to impress an editor or ( and this is a problem for me) the mother thing. Is it M or m?
Anyway enough of this. Like they say in Russia - Moscow.

Although I'm off for a couple more days I now consider my jollies officially over ya boo hiss!!!
Anyway, just to follow on from what I posted last week.
I was reading a magazine earlier in the week which was published a few months ago. I found it and realised that I hadn't finished it. There were still a couple of stories to read. There was also an interview with an author who's books are regularly found on the shelves of all good book shops. Anyway they were asked what advice they would give to any would be writers and they said and I quote, "You've got to want it more than life itself."
OH COME ON!!!!
It's not the sentiment that I'm on about. Obviously we all want it, maybe not as much as life itself, but we do want it. But this is someone who earns their living from writing and I would have hoped that they could have come up with something less cliched.

Taking a break from the holiday

Just taking a break from the holiday. Doing nothing is very hard work. Actually we have been doing something, we had three days shopping with pub lunches and wine in the afternoon and three days of therapeutic work on the kitchen. Himself is doing the hard work, I'm just nesting really which is a bit of a worry. We've been off a week so there must have been another day but as I don't remember what we did it must have been nothing. Phew!
I haven't really written anything at all apart from an hour or so editing yesterday morning which I spent editing when everyone else was still in bed. The same thing this morning but instead of editing I thought I'd check out what was happening in blogland.
I thought that I'd have a muse while I was here.
I have often heard/read people say that they just "have" to write. At the risk of offending some people which is not my intention I would like to challenge that.
As a person you "have" to breathe, you "have " to eat, you "have" to sleep etc etc but you don't "have" to write. I know the point that they are trying to make but I just think that its a bit OTT.
I personally love to write and would love to earn a living doing so. I say earn a living not necessarily my living. Lots of best selling authors still have jobs that they do in the real world. And people that do write for their living don't just write and write all day, every day even though that is what I fear many would be bestselling authors aspire to.
No, as I said, I love to write and if my lottery numbers came up last night and I didn't have to go make to work a week tomorrow I would still write. I would have more time so I probably would write more but I wouldn't "have" to. I would be doing it then for the same reason that I do it now and that is because I enjoy it.
What brought all this on was something that I read recently where a woman said (I am paraphrasing here as I no longer have the article to refer to.)
"I just have to write every day, I couldn't live without it. It is as vital to my life as anything else in it." I actually wanted to shake this woman and tell her to get a life. Writing is great but living is better
She also went on to say that she was certain that her perseverance would pay off and that one day she would be a best selling author. She said that she would like nothing better than to sit at her desk and write all day long. Where would her new ideas come from? What would be her inspiration? How would she ever have clean clothes?
Sorry if I have offended anyone. Sorry if one of you recognises your words in what I paraphrased and feel that I've been unkind. I wouldn't hurt anyone's feelings for the world.
I just wanted to share my opinion on something with you all. It is of course only my opinion.
Must go - very busy day ahead.
1. Take coffee back to bed and read for an hour or so.
2. Walk the dog.
3. Eat breakfast.
4. Read for another hour or so.
5. Make lunch.
6. Eat lunch.
7. Have a nap.
8. Have a bath.
9. Share a bottle of wine with Himself.
10. Relax.

Its all go!!!

A jolly time

I am currently on my jollies from the day job and although we are spending this break at home Himself and I have been and plan on being very busy. We are decorating the kitchen and doing another couple of things that we have been putting off forever and also having some time shopping, visiting places, pub lunches etc. Consequently I don't anticipate a lot of writing being done in the next two weeks. But that's okay because I'm on holiday.

A Good Day

I had a surprise when I got home from work today when I had a letter informing me that I had received a royalty payment. This was totally unexpected so made me very happy. Then when I was getting changed, out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of a couple of pieces of paper in the bottom of thw wardrobe. When I fished it out I was amazed to see that it was something I had done about 6 years ago. It was a grid that I had filled in following an article that I had read about Iain Pattison and how he came up with ideas for his stories. It 's a forerunner of the Cally/Sally story generator. So now I have loads of ideas for stories. Two lovely surprises in one day.

Ray of hope gone

That last ray of hope I had was shattered when the other story came home today. YA BOO HISS!!! However I am pleased to say that I did send it to the person I meant to AND called them the right name so I need to be more careful about what I record and that will save me the concern.

I also need to work out how to work smarter.

Oh Well

So much for that clutching at straws nonsense. Fat lot of good it did me. The story that had been with the unnamed editor for 3 and a half months came home yesterday or it might have been the day before. All that matters is that it came home. Pity really because I like the story a lot and I know there's a market out there for it somewhere. Nil desperandum, said editor is still holding a story that was sent 4th April so I haven't given up hope on that one. However this is the story that some of you may remember me mentioning before. I either recorded who I sent the story to wrongly or I called the editor by the wrong name. I hope that it's the former and I guess I'll find out in due course.

Clutching at straws

I know this might give you a laugh but hey so what I'm among friends. I've just been analysing my "sent" list and discovered that I've got about half a dozen stories that have been out there a while. The longest is 7 months and then there is a 6 months but both of those are to magazines that have taken that long before when they've said yes so that's okay. However I have two stories with an editor that I dearly want to impress (okay three but ones only been there a month.) In the past when said editor has rejected a story they have had it for an average of 2.7 months. The two stories that they have at the moment have been with them for 3.5 and 3 months resepctively. I mention this to you but I won't dwell on it mainly because I have a memory like a seive and by the time I've had a coffee and read a chapter of my book I'll have forgotten about it but also by the fact that they once had a story for 3.5 months and then rejected it. I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Thinking Time

During a quiet period at work today I had time to think about my writing, where it is going and what I want to achieve from it.
It all started after I spent some time trying to come up with an idea for a short story. I hadn't managed to think of anything and I reflected on how good I am at short stories. I have had limited success in this field and last year only managed to sell 4 or 5 short stories. However I do have about half a dozen that have been with magazines for a long time so I am hopeful that I might sell at least one of those. I seem to struggle to come up with ideas and without that I'm stuck.
So I started think that maybe I should give up on that form of writing or at least not give myself such a hard time when I'm struggling to come up with an idea. Maybe I should stick to longer stuff.
You just watch, now that I've said that I'll have ideas popping into my head every few seconds.
Hopefully.

Another Novel idea.

I'm sure that we all have a novel or two on the go or hidden away in a drawer.
My first novel was finished about 4 years ago or maybe 3 I'm not sure. I sent it our to an agent or two but with no joy. Then an author of dozens of novels under 3 different names who clearly has more knowledge of this sort of thing pointed out that there would be a problem with the book that I won't bore you with. She was by the way completely right, I just hadn't seen it before. I thanked her for her advice and we agreed that I should concentrate on another book which I had just started and we thought would have better prospects. That book was finished a couple of years ago. That too has been sent out but still with no joy. Everyone I have sent it to has been very positive about the writing but say that they're just unsure of where they would place it. I still really like that book and hope to see it in print one day. Then I started my third book which was I thought an even better idea than the second one. But when the dark stuff was happening last year it got neglected and as yet I've still not found my way back into it. This week I started my fourth book and I think this is the strongest idea yet.
I'm only a few thousand words into the first draft but I do believe that this will be my best so far.
So as each one gets a bit better than the one before, presumably as I get more experience and learn the craft, how many do you reckon I will need to write before one is good enough to be accepted?
Just out of interest I'd love to know how many books you have written or on the go.

I was at work this morning when completely out of the blue the name of a character came into my head. Then a sentence followed that. Lucky for me it was almost lunch time and I remembered it. So I just went with it and probably did about 300 words or so before it was time to get my nose back to the grindstone. I'm not sure where the character or the idea will go because at this stage there's been no planning just some flowing juices. I'll keep you informed.

Happy Birthday dear blo og...

This blog is one year old today. I was looking at the first things that I wrote and I'm amazed how much hs changed since then. There was that whole very dark time that I went through towards the back end of last year and on a better note all the things that I've sold. The cherry on the cake of course is all you guys that I've met along the way. Thanks, it's good to know you.
x

Ideas Anyone?

An editor I have worked with a few times has suggested that I should have a website. I've been reluctant to have one before because I'm not sure what I will put on there that is of interest to people. I know that it's a way of promoting my work but do I have enough experience to need a website. Isn't that just for established authors? I will do it but I'm struggling with myself about what should be on there. Ideas anyone?

Advice anyone?

Some time ago (and I mean some time ago - several years and a few more probably) I bought a correspondence writing course safe in the knowledge that if I completed the course without earning what I'd paid I could get my money back. I'm sure you can guess that I haven't completed the course in fact, it must be over a year since I completed the last assignment. I think me next assignment is to write a radio play but I'm not sure, it's that long since I looked at it. I'm sure that I'm not the first person to lose my enthusiasm for a writing course so has anyone any advice on how to get back on track? I have paid for the course, I would like to finish it.

Random thoughts etc

Heard overnight that a story I wrote and entered into a competition has made it through the first stage of judging. I know that doesn't really mean a lot at this stage but I've not had a lot of luck with competitions in the past so at least it's something.
I thought I hadn't done much this week but on reflection its been okay. I've written a couple of articles, submitted a story and come up with a couple of ideas to be developed. That's not bad.
I was just thinking yesterday how great it would be to have a writing mentor. A bit like a driving instructor, someone to tell you what you are doing wrong until you get it right. It was just a random thought that I had and anyone who has been with me since the beginnning knows that once its written on here it stays on here.
Speaking of which, thanks to womag I looked up when I started this blog and it will be a year old on Thursday 26th June. I'm nearly one year old.

Our Dad's

If you are a father - Happy father's Day
If you're seeing your father today - look after them.
If you're remembering your father today - remember them fondly.

Today is a special Father's Day for us and I hope it's a good one.

Oh Woeful Week on the Learning Curve

Don't know why I feel the need to share my misery with you but I do. This has just been the worst week of my writing life so far.
I have had three rejections (it might be four but I don't want any more misery so I'll stick to three if it's all the same to you.) On top of that I've discovered that I didn't win three competitions that I entered. So much rejection. AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!
I know that you have to risk rejection to gain acceptance but does it all have to come in such a short space of time?
If this is not a cake afternoon I've never had one. Actually it's nothing like that at all. I don't feel the least but like heading to the cake tin. It's just one (or six) of those things and I've already put it behind me.
I know that one of these days I will make get more success with my writing and this is all part of the learning curve.

The production line

I've managed one new short story this week, well in the draft form at least. On a good week I might manage two. I was wondering what the average is amongst you guys. Also if any of you use writing as your main source of income, how much do you produce a week? I am seriously impressed by anyone who uses writing as their main source of income. If I did we would be in a lot of trouble. Maybe one day.

Hourly rates.

There's a fab thread on womag's blog at the minute about what an author is worth. I wanted to make a point but I didn't want to hijack that thread so here goes.
I was paid £50 today for a 2000 word story. Some might think that this is derisory but I was quite happy with it. First of all that might be because I knew what the fee would be before I submitted. Also, when I thought about it, it took me about three hours in total to write, edit and submit that story and as an hourly rate thats darned sight better than the day job pays.

End of this particular road.

Topsy reached the end of this particular road - but thats okay.
Regular visitors will know that my Topsy project was started to get me through the worst time of my life last year which is hopefully behind me now. Writing generally but writing this in particular helped me get through. So if for no other reason, this project has been a huge success. When I recently decided to pitch the idea to publisher I wasn't sure why I did it but it did seem like the right thing to do and I was thrilled when they wanted to see more. They decided that they didn't want to persue it but I'm okay with that. I was in a bit of a panic that they would want to see the full manuscript because as I went through it again I realised that there was more work on it that I wanted to do.
So I'd just like to say thanks to Dan (the publisher) for his encouragement and his kind words both when he delivered the bad news and afterwards. I now know what I need to do and I'm thinking that it is something that I will do.

Lovin' those emails

It really cheered me up on what has to be said was a very dreary morning yesterday to hear that I've sold another story. I love getting the emails saying that someone wants to buy what you have written.

My week

Despite a couple of rejections, I'm quite pleased with my writing week.
As well as my early start on Wednesday which saw me getting a lot done I was up early yesterday, long before anyone else got up and wrote about a thousand words or so. I also wrote a short story, well the first draft anyway. Then there's the publisher interested in my Topsy project. I'm not sure how much further their interest will go but even if this is it at least it's made me finish it. I submitted a couple of stories to magazines too.
I think that was all.

The perfect way to work

For reasons that I won't bore you with, Himself dropped me at work at 6.50am. A ridiculously early time I know but needs must and all that. I'd told him that it was fine because I would be able to find things to do and I could have but none of them would be very interesting. However I received an email yesterday from a publisher that I had approached with my Topsy project who had originally asked to see a brief outline saying that they would like to see a full synopsis. So that's what I've been doing for the last hour and a half. It's so quiet here (well it would be, there's only me here) and it's been great. For once I haven't faffed around looking at this website and that, checked emails or anything. I just got down to it. I have to say though that I don't know where that hour and a half went to. If anyone had asked me I would have said thirty or forty minutes. This may well be the perfect way for me to work.
I'll send the synopsis off tonight probably. I'll go over it a couple more times first. I don't know what will come of it because the publisher said that their list was full for the next 18 months anyway so it wouldn't be an imminent project and they're not quite sure if the subject matter is right for them. But tey asked to see it so that's encouraging.
Anyway, as it's getting on for 8.30 now I should maybe think about the day job - or at least about putting the kettle on.

A new character

I've just been having a rummage through my work in progress folder and come across some things I'd forgotten about. Now that I see them again I remember having the ideas but I had forgotten that I'd ever had them (if that makes sense.) One of the best things that I came across was an outline for a character. I love her. Unfortunately I didn't know what to do with her then and I still don't. Oh well, something might come to me.
I also came across a poem that I wrote about a million years ago but which is missing one line. I'm going to try and come up with that line this week and get that tatty bit of paper out of the WIP folder. And I found an address that I'd meant to send something to so I'm going to check that out too.
I haven't gone through the rest yet. I wonder what else is in there. Hopefully the nugget that's going to make me a household name. Having said that I don't know if I would want to be a household name.I'm quite a private person and I don't know how easily I would deal with mega success. I'll not worry about that until it happens though.

Kicking myself

I'm kicking myself because I think I may have made a very basic boo boo.
I wrote a story a while ago which I submitted to a magazine on 4th April. I duly recorded on my submissions list that I had sent it to the magazine. However when I was going through some letters I see that the covering letter for that story is for another editor at another magazine AAAGGGHHHH!!!!
I'm hoping that I've recorded the wrong magazine on my list because if I've sent it with a covering letter to the wrong person I'll be black balled forever. I've had a look at my list and in the past the magazine that I think I sent it to have taken 2 - 3 to get back to me with a rejection so I'll have a while to wait until I find out.
On a brighter note I did receive a nice fat cheque the other day from a magazine that's had a couple more of my stories for over three months which is promising.
I'm still kicking myself though.

My week

Like I said in my last post there's been upheaval at work this week and it has been quite big so I haven't been left with much time or energy to write. In fact, I'm sorry to say that I have hardly thought about writing. I did enter a competition the other day though so the week wasn't a total write off (no pun intended.) This morning however I started to work on the new idea that I was so excited about last weekend. I've only written a few hundred words but I'm happy with them. Without realising it I've given my central character a couple of traits that will come in very handy later on. I hadn't meant to make her that way it was just how she turned out.
I'm going to try and get my head around some serious writing this week. What's happening at work will continue to happen regardless of me so I may as well take my mind off it by doing something that I enjoy.
I am pleased to tell you all that the other thing that occupied my mind this week, namely the surgery to the dogs nether regions has turned out okay. he was back at the vets on Friday for a post op check and they were happy with the way that it is healing. the vet said "They're still a bit red," which made me laugh. What does he think his would look like only 3 days after surgery?

On the back burner - again

Okay, for some reason only the title of this post was posted (as it were.) Just to recap, what was/is on the back burner is everything that I've been working on recently because I got a new idea the other day and it had taken over my writing mind. Unfortunately for me, upheaval in the day job and surgery to the dogs nether regions have taken over most of my mind this week so it hasn't got very far. I have at least planned the story and the serious writing will start next week when I've got the hassle at work sorted and the dog has forgiven me.
Hopefully it will post properly this time.

Competitions

I was reading through Writers News this morning and I've been looking in a few other places recently and come across some competitions that I would like to enter. I also came across a list of competitions that I'd planned on entering but forgotten about. I need to come up with a diary I think or at least a list that I remember to refer to.

A good week

This week has been a good writing week. The other day I received a relatively large cheque (well the most I've ever been paid for a single item) in the morning and another smaller one later on. The second one may have been much smaller but it represented something valuable. It was a royalty cheque and that's what real writer's get. They get royalty cheques and that's what I got the other day so that must mean.....(you know where I'm going) Then yesterday I had an article accepted for a magazine. There's no date for publication yet but it's good to know that they want it.
The article is related to the Topsy project that I was working on which is a bit weird as I've said before that that was something I initially started just for me. I guess I was meant to share at least part of it.
All three things were very different which is good because it started me thinking that maybe I'm not the one trick pony that I thought I was. I think that if I want to make even a small second income from this I have to be able to turn my hand to lots of things.

Fate???

I managed to get a couple of hours off work on Friday afternoon and Himself picked me up and took me to the rescue centre that we got our previous dog from. We hadn't planned on going then, we were going to go today but something was dragging us there. We looked around the dogs and all of them were barking apart from one who just sat at the back of the kennel quietly, then came to the front on the cage, looked at us for a while and then went back to the back of the kennel. This is exactly the way that our previous dog had behaved so we asked to see him and when he came and snuggled up to our hands we were hooked. We agreed to adopt himand found out that his name was Zac - our previous dog was called Zoe. Fate or what?

A week off

I decided to give myself the week of writing as my head just isn't in the right place for it. I did submit something this afternoon but that will be the limit of it this week.

Not a time for writing

Not really in the mood for writing at the moment. My beautiful dog had to be put tp sleep yesterday and I am so miserable. I miss her so much. It all happend so suddenly and I wasn't prepared for it.

Whatever works

I've been around a fair bit this week because I've been on holiday from the day job. It has given me the opportunity to get on with a couple of small projects and one big one. I've just finished the first edit of that big project and I started to think. I have read in lots of places that some writers let "trusted" friends and family read their work and give them feedback. I must confess that is something that I've never done. No-one gets to sdee what I have written until the editor of my chosen market sees it. I don't know if this is the right thing to do but it's what I do. There is no right and wrong in this game. It's whatever works for you. Then I started to think about who I could trust to give me an honest opinion and I couldn't think of anybody. Maybe that says more about me and my friends than I care to think about.

Going it Alone

It's not something that I've ever really considered but it does seem to be a growing industry. I'm talking about self publishing. Maybe one of the things that has stopped me from considering it myself is the fact that I remember the era of vanity publishing. Unscrupulous publishers took money from people desperate to be published and the writer received a second rate product in return. I know that when I worked in a charity shop we used to come across some of these books and frankly they were dreadful. One author even donated us 50 copies of their book and we couldn't give them away.
I know that self publishing is different but I still don't see it being for me (sorry captain black) How many times have we been told that people should pay us to publish our work and to run away from anyone who asked for money from you. Also I've never looked into it but I would assume that it is expensive and I don't think that I can justify the expense.
I would be really interested to hear your views. Has self publishing worked for you? Maybe if I was better informed I could make a proper judgement.

Sorry for my moment of weakness

Sorry you lot for my moment of weakness and self pity which I suffered about half an hour ago. I was sitting on the sofa writing (couldn't stop myself and didn't even try to) when I got over the way that I was feeling when I made my last post. I just had to come back and say sorry. I have been published in loads of places. I can write good stuff. It just happens that the story I sent the magazine wasn't suitable for them for whatever reason. And their reasons are their reasons. Or maybe they just didn't like it. That's allowed to happen. God knows I don't like everything that I read. There are lots more magazines out there.

A low point

I've hit a bit of a low point this afternoon. The postman has just delivered another rejection and I'm left wondering if there's any point with my going on with it. Not with writing because I do that for me but with the trying to get published. But I write to get published. I write so that others can read what I have written. I want others to read what I have written. I do write for myself but I want it to be of a standard that is good enough to be published. I don't write for the money (thank God otherwise we'd starve) and if we won the lottery I would still write but I would still want it to be good enough to be published.
I guess what's beating me up is the realisation that my work isn't good enough. I'll get over this I know because I have before but right now it feels bad.

Nothing in particular

I've been writing this morning but seem to have hit a bit of a spot. The juices just won't flow so I thought I'd come and check if I had any emails. Apart from one form Uswitch and an offer of cheap car insurance that was a no so I figured I'd drop in here and see what was going on. I've read a few other blogs and left a couple of comments. Then I thought I'd just pop over here and say Hi. I've submitted a couple of things this weekand received an acknowledgement from one this morningsaying that they'd get back to me as soon as possible. That makes 33 things out there under consideration at the moment. One of those is something that I sent to Readers Digest last August but I'm not giving upon them just yet because I was talking to someone who had a piece accepted by them out of the blue after a year. I am of course just waffling now and I haven't succeeded in getting the jiuces going again so its time for plan B which involves a cup of tea and some cake.

My writing week

I've had a busy writing week this week - well busy for me anyway. I submitted a short story, I submitted a non fiction piece and I entered a couple of competitions. Oh and then there was the story that I sold.
I sometimes get annoyed with myself when I read other blogs and see how much more prolific some of you guys are and I am looking at ways of fitting more writing into my schedule. I read on one blog the other day of someone who has already submitted over 50 things this year. I'll be lucky if I do that in the whole year.
But relatively speaking it was a busy week for me and a good week for me on the writing front.
In fact, I've just realised that I've done myself a dis service. I submitted 2 short stories this week. Go me!!!

1st one of the year

I got my first hit of the year yesterday. Woo hoo!!!!
I like womag's theory that hits are like buses and now that one's arrived hopefully there'll be another one around the corner.

A warning

A friend of mine had a comment on their blog this week that included a link. When they clicked on that link their computer became infected with multiple viruses. Just thought I'd mention it as a warning.

No worries for the tax man

For one reason and another which I won't bore you with this hasn't been a good week on a personal level. However on a different level it was a great week. (How very cryptic) But the great news outweighed the bad news so thats good. Life's a bit like that. None of it had anything to do with writing though.
On a writing front I've written two short stories this week. Well if I'm being honest I've written
1 3/4. I need to finish the second one but it's almost there.
The stuff that wasn't to do with writing did make me realise that I HAVE to focus (I know I've said it a million times before - well maybe not a million but a few) With that in mind I made a list yesterday of things that I need to do. I have yet to attack that list but I'll make a start on it later today.
With the financial year ending the other day I made a list of everything that I'd been paid for last year and I regret to say that I didn't worry the tax man. Maybe next year.

A Topsy week.

My Topsy day has turned into a Topsy week. I found that once I settled on doing just that it was all that I wantedto do. I'm probably going to finish the first edit today.
On a more disappointing notea story that I sent to Take a Break at the beginning of the year was returned yesterday. Oncemore I have failed to impress Norah. Not to worry, I'll have another look at it and send it out again.
There are a couple of competitions that I entered ending tomorrow so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for them.

Thanks MotherX

I'm trying to follow motherx's advice about doing one thing one day/week and another thing another. Today is a Topsy day. I chose this to start with because
a) like I've said a million times it needs to be put to bed.
b) I learn something about writing because it's not a style I normally use.
c) I learn something about me.

Although I thought I would just be putting the final touches to this project, I find as I'm working it that Topsy is still growing.

I'm looking forward to getting on with it after lunch. Food must come first.

Aarrgghh!!!

I have been asked from time to time what I write and my standard answer is usually something along the lines of "Whatever I feel like at any given time."
What I mean by that is that I like to write lots of different things. I am not a novelist, or a short story writer or a poet etc etc because I am all of them. However, and I know I'm harping back to something that I've mentioned before, I want to focus more. I have so many things on the go I can't possibly be doing justice to any of them. I was pleased yesterday that I'd submitted 3 short stories but it's ages since I worked on my novel. And surely if I'm going to do that properly I need to concentrate on it. Then there's my topsy project. I really want to put that to bed but that's a personal project. It's all very confusing.
Do I concentrate on short stories in the hope of selling a few and making a name for myself or do I work on my novel which could ultimately, possibly, maybe bring greater rewards if I'm in the right place at the right time and the wind is blowing in the right direction.
Aarrgghh!!!

Three out of four aint bad

Three out of four of the short stories that I have written in the past few weeks have now been edited and submitted. The fourth one is the one that I could remember writing it but couldn't remember what it was about (see a couple of weeks ago.) My theory is that as I couldn't remember it the day after I'd written it then it probably needs a bit more work.
One of them is I believe one of the best that I have ever written (there's my neck on the line.)
The other two are as good as I could get them but one of them is a bit experimental for me and so I don't know if I've got it right. But if it's as good as I could make it even if it's rejected I'll have learnt something. I try to learn from all my rejections but I find that it's sometimes hard to be critical about something that you've sweated over (metaphorically speaking that is.)
So I have to be honest and say that I'm pleased with what I've achieved this week. My submission rate has fallen off in the past month or so and it has been good to get some things sent off.

Waiting Game

I've submitted 20 odd things this year ( my rate had sadly dropped in March) and as yet I have only heard about one of those things and that was the story that was rejected as soon at it had been read. (I have to believe that they did actually read it otherwise why are we bothering) I have had no hits this year - not one. I also have stuff that was submitted towards the end of last year that I haven't heard about.
Maybe all my acceptances will come at once - hopefully.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone!
And to those of you who like me woke to a covering of snow - keep warm and upright.
I wrote two more short stories this week. I even worked one of them as far as getting ready to submit it but I couldn't get out to buy stamps and I'd run out so that will have to keep until Tuesday. It's probably better to wait until after the bank holiday anyway.
I love that particular story. Unusually for me I planned it from beginning to end before I started writing and then it just sort of flowed off the pen. When it was finished I really liked it. I just hope that my chosen editor likes it too.
I also edited the other story that I wrote this week but I'm not happy with it yet. I need to work on the word length as its not right for my chosen market yet. I haven't done anything with the stories that I wrote last week yet.
I guess that's how I'll be spending my bank holiday - oh and I will enjoy it it.

Opinions sought

I'd be interested to know what you think about simultaneous submissions. I'm reluctant to try it but sometimes it is months before you get an answer from an editor and if that answer is negative it's time wasted. I'm not sure what the protocol is these days. I know that it used to be frowned upon.

2 stories.

I've written two short stories this week. One of them is a ghost story which I have never written before so that was fun and the other one is...to be honest I don't remember what the other one was but I do remember doing it. It's still in the pocket of the jacket I wore to work that day so I'll need to go and have a look to remind myself. I'll do it later though because I'm very comfortable where I am with my feet up on the end of the sofa and the laptop on my knee.
I've also been working on my screenplay experiment and I believe that the first planning stage is now completed. It's proving more difficult than I thought it would be.
On a different note I have just realised that it is 6 weeks since I invoiced a magazine for some work that they published and I still haven't been paid. I think I'll give them this week and then politely send them another one. It is quite a lot of money so I could certainly use it.
Just going back to the two stories that I wrote, I was thinking the other day that I don't think I edit as much as a lot of you out there do. I tend to write the first draft in longhand with a pen and paper. Edit as I type it up and then maybe tweak it a bit before sending it off. maybe that's where I'm going wrong.

Doing it for the love

How many of us want to give up the day job and write full time? Show of hands please. I thought so, quite a few of us.
Well, according to an article I read the other day and sadly for us (me included) apparently there is no money in writing and the chances of being able to being able to write all day long without another means of supplementing our income are remote. So what of the six figure deals that we all dream of? It seems they are very rare and are exaggerated.
I guess we'd better carry on doing it for the love.

Must try harder

Its been a quiet sort of week writing wise. I did submit a story on Monday that was promptly returned on Tuesday. That's always a disappointment.
The screenplay experiment is still in its planning stage. I'm pleased that I stoppped myself from racing in head first because the plan has changed more than once. At one point I had the first 9 scenes planned but as of yesterday I was back to scene 5 (again) and the only scenes that haven't changed are 1 and 2 which run for about 3 minutes. I think its safe to say that progress is slow.
Apart from that I don't think I've done anything else but I can't really say why. This week has just sort of passed me by. I can't even say that I've been particularly busy at work but I did have to use my day off doing other stuff.
Therefore, I find myself with very little to say other than I will try harder next week.

Quick turn around

Tuesday morning - short story submitted by email
Tuesday afternoon - offer of short story politely declined - also by email

Why is it that I've never had an acceptance as quickly?
I have to assume that the story was read and in a way I'm glad they were so quick to tell me that they didn't want it. At least this way I'm not hanging on and hoping.

Wonderful writing community

One of the things that never ceases to amaze me is how friendly and helpful the writing community is (or at least the one's I know.)
I had a question the other day about a story and knew of someone, a very successful writer who would be well placed to advice me. My only link to this person is that we have twice appeared in the same publication. I figured that I had nothing to lose and sent of my email. I had a reply from them within ten minutes telling me everything that I needed to know and suggesting what I could do.
I'm not going to mention names here but to that person and you know who you are and you were familiar with me blog (which did my ego the power of good) thank you. I'll be resubmitting the story tonight.

Mothers

Happy Mothers Day to mothers everywhere. To those of us that are still lucky enough to have our mothers with us love them and treasure them because she is special - even when she treats you like a two year old. You always will be two years old to her so accept it.

Diverting from my usual route

Yesterday I remembered something that I wrote towards the end of last year. It was just a page and a half, the start of something that I would get to eventually. Well, I got very excited about it yesterday and last night when I was going to bed I couldn't wait for this morning so that I could get on with it. So, the first thing I did when I got back from grocery shopping this morning was pick up my pen, pull out my book and start writing. ThenI realised that I was going at it like a bull in a china shop and I need to slow down.
You see I'm trying to write this idea as a screenplay which is something that I've never done before and I think I need to approach it in a more structured fashion. I forced myself to put down the notebook and come away from it. I need to tackle this project differently, I need to plan.

No writing but still a good day

Haven't written anything today, in fcat I haven't done much of anything. We paid a surprise visit to our parents instead. They're all getting on a bit now and we live a long way away so we don't see them that often. The last time was just before Christmas.
I have officially given myself the day off writing.
So, since returning I've had a cuppa, a bath and put the dinner in the oven. Now I'm going to watch Dancing on Ice and then hang out with Himself this evening.
I feel so relaxed today - its fab.

What I did this week

The weather was really bad yesterday so we decided to stay at home. I did some tidying in the garden which was pretty yucky but not a lot of writing - just jotting down a few ideas mainly. I was thinking about what I have done this week and I think that I'm happy with what I've achieved.

• My topsy project is now 12,500 words through it's second draft. For those of you that don't know I call it my topsy project because it just sort of grew out of nowhere.
• I found some very old ideas/notes in the back of a cupboard which I've added tp my WIP folder.
• I've worked on some of the old ideas, finished one and submitted it.
• I've had fun

Plus away from writing I've got some really yucky jobs thatI've been putting off for a while done.

Like I said, the weather was really bad yesterday and the power went off last evening so the clock in the bedroom wasn't set. I woke up and thought it was later than it really is ( I thought it was about 6.30 it was 4.15) but I was wide awake and thought I might as well get up. I spent a while writing an email to a friend who has sponsored me to do The Race for Life. It was just going to be a quick thank you but then I realised that there was loads of stuff I hadn't told her so that took over half an hour. I've also done a couple of other things but it's still only 5.50. Once I'm awake I'm awake but I'll suffer for it later. I think I'll go and put the coffee pot on and then do a bit more of topsy

Topsy update

I gave myself a day off the yucky jobs today. I had to do the grocery shopping this morning (some might consider that a yucky job) and then I had to go and deal with some stuff about the car. That took way longer than I had anticipated so I can't face anything nasty like cleaning cupboards or something similar.
I've spent an hour or so working on my topsy project and thats coming along nicely. I've got twelve and a half thousand of the words typed up already but I have come to the conclusion that it won't be finished this week but its moved on a long way and I'll finish it soon.
Himself is taking the day off tomorrow and will probably want to go out for the day so I can't imagine there'll be much done then. I'll get more done on Saturday and Sunday but then it's back to work ya boo hiss!!!

Time for bed

Today's yukky job was to strip all the covers from the sofa and wrestle them into the washing machine and wash them. Of course there's still the fight to get them back on which is always a challange. I have also emptied the washing basket and cleared the ironing pile. So I am now quite rightly in my opimion proud of my achievements on the domestic front and have given myself the next hour of to surf the net, check out blogs or whatever I want. After that it'll be back to my topsy project which I have been working on.
This particular project as some of you will know is one that probably won't ever be seen by the public at large but will rather be a record of how I felt at a particular point in my life. But like I said last week it's something that I'm ready to put to bed now. Then I will concentrate on some other stuff.

Yukky jobs and emails

Todays yukky job was to clean the cooker (URRGGHHH.) It's not really a long job it's just a messy job which is why I tend to put it off. Anyway, its done now and the rest of the day is my own.
I have also this morning typed up a story that I finished last night so I am feeling like I have achieved something today already and its not even 10 o'clock yet. Imagine what I could have achieved if I hadn't spent half an hour trawling the internet and checking emails for acceptances that weren't there. Well you never know, I have a few pieces submitted in other countries in different time zones, there might have been an email that I needed to see.
In all seriousness though, I wonder how much time I waste surfing the net and checking emails./ Do I really need to do that every day? I was reading an interview with a prolific author who said that they never check their email on a writing day. I suppose the difference is that they have made it and I'm just hoping that a short story is accepted an a paying magazine.

Finding treasure

I decided that on each day of my holiday I must do a job that I've been putting off. Todays was that I cleared out the space above my wardrobe. I found all sorts of things in there including an old notebook. I've just read through it and now I have more things in my Work in Progress folder. Actually there were a couple of ideas in there that I really like and I will be working on.
It is just a tatty old notebook but it was like finding something precious. It was full of things that I was thinking and planning at some point in the past and now I get chanceto develop them.

Is a month long enough?

I discovered this morning that I hadn't finished reading December's Writing Magazine. I was flicking through it to see what I'd missed and read an article by Michael Gasson in which he says give an editor time to evaluate a story you have sent them before querying their reply. He advises leaving at least a month before conatcting a magazine about your submission. I wonder if a month is long enough. I have only had one positive reply to a short story in a month and that was when Billy Higgins was covering Jill Finlay's maternity leave at The Weekly News. In fact, most of my positive responses have come when an editor has had my story for 3 months or even longer.
There are 2 things I have had to learn as a writer.
1. Patience becuase editors can take a long time to get back to you.
2. Not to take rejection personally, they are rejecting my work not me.

A small thing

I've spent a lot of time this week thinking about what I'm going to do on my week off but I did manage to submit two things too. One was my novel to a competition and the other was a short story. I also remember writing something, an idea down on a piece of paper but I can't remember what I did with it. I'm sure if I root through my pockets I'll find it.
One thing that I did do this week though was sign up to do Cancer Research UK's Race For Life in July. At the moment there's just me and one volunteer from a Cancer Research UK shop doing it but by the time I've finished badgering them I hope that a few more volunteers will sign up too. It's a cause that I firm;y believe in and am passionate about. It's just a small thing but it's something.
I still haven't decided what to concentrate on this week but I am determined that by the end of it I will feel like I have achieved something.

So much to do - so little time

The goulash can wait a minute.
I'm feeling a bit in the same boat as Sally (see her recent post) in that I'm struggling to decide what best to do.
I have next week off work and much as I would like to spend the whole week writing that's just not going to happen because there are so many other things to do. Like I said in my last post there are some short stories that I want to place or polish. I would also like to work on my novel although I haven't totally reconnected with that yet, maybe because I've been neglegting it to write short stories and try to get work published. Then there is the topsy project that filled up so much of my time last autumn. I really feel like I want to work on that because it's time to put it to bed. Oh, and didn't I say that I wanted to sort out the writing drawers. Everytime I pick up a notebook or a piece of paper there's an idea or the start of a story written on it. Oh yes, amd wasn't I going to try and produce one non fiction article each month. AARRRGHHH!!!
What to do - where to start.
I need a plan because otherwise I'm going to spend so much time doing so many things yet doing any of them properly.
HELP!!!

Stewing

It's a stew afternoon but instead of making the aforementioned I've spent the last hour or so checking out a few websites and doing a couple of things on my writing to do list.
I think that I mentioned the other day that I need to do some tidying up and get a bit of structure into my writing so, I decided to look at my short story folder just to see what was hanging around.
In my SS folder there are 22 stories of which 4 are not finished, 14 are submitted to various places and four are just sitting there. Therefore, if I do nothing else next week when I am off I will try to place those four lost souls and maybe finish at least one of the stories.
Must go, it's not quite stew but goulash is calling.

First time for everything - so they say.

Just over a year ago I finished my novel BTL and I sent it out to 3 agents last year. I was encouraged by the fact that they all took the time to reply to me personally and a couple of them even said good things about it but none of them offerred representation. I had another agent in mind to send it to but one of the things on my to do list was to check out a competition to find a new novelist. I've never entered a novel into a competition before and I've never won a writing competition but don't they say that there's a first time for everything. I hope this is mine.
Wish me luck, the winner is announced in May.

A better week but still more to do.

This week was better than last, writing wise. I made three submissions and chased up a story that has been with a magazine for three months. It's a foreign magazine that I haven't tried before so I'm not sure what their turnaround time is but I think I'm withing my rights to query it after three months. I also spent some time researching an article. It's still in the notes stage at the moment but I'm hoping to work on it this week. I think I mentioned in a previous blog that I'm hoping to write some factual stuff as well as fiction. Fiction is my first love but there are so many more outlets for factual work.
I was about to say that I haven't come up with an ending yet for the story I started two weeks ago, and it's true that I haven't. However that implies that I've actually tried to come up with one and that's not true. To be honest I haven't actually looked at it even though the story is written on three sheets of paper that is still in the pocket of the jacket that I usually wear to work. Okay, here's the deal, I'm going to look at it tomorrow lunch time at least and try to come up with a suitable ending.
When I got home from work yesterday I found out that we had lost the broadband connection. I knew that there would be security information that I would need when I rang up about it and I knew that the piece of paper that said information was on was in one of my writing drawers. It took me a while to find that piece of paper because of all the stuff that is in those drawers. they are full of bits of paper, note books etc. And when I say full, I mean full, choc full to the top, all three of them. I'm on holiday the week after next and I think that one of my projects during that week will be to sort through those drawers and get them into some sort of order.
I'm still working my way through the to do list that I started last Sunday and I have added a few more things to it.
So much to do - so little time to do it.

Five ways I raise my vibrations

Make a list.
I love to make a list becuase there is something very satisfying about ticking things off the list when they have been completed.

Have all my men together.
My boys are men now with lives of their own so we don't spend as much time together as we used to. I love it when we are all in the same room at the same time and I'll do anything I can to make it happen.

Walk my dog.
She is the daughter that I never had (completely spoiled of course) and I love walking with her in the woods or through the feilds.

Curl up with a good book.
This one is possibly a little cliched but I don't get the chance to read as much as I would like so if I get a spare afternoon and can curl up on the sofa with a good book and a cuppa I'm in Heaven.

Have a "stew" afternoon.
One of my work colleagues and I have this thing that if ever we have the afternoon off work we call it a "stew" afternoon i.e. we are going home to make stew. If I do have just the afternoon off I do tend to go home and cook although it's rarely stew. I don't like having the morning off and then working in the afternoon but I do like it the other way round and try to arrange it from time to time. I had a "stew" afternoon last week and it was great. It was like bunking off school early but without the dentists appointment.

Thanks for tagging me Moondreamer. With apologies if you've already been tagged, I tag Sally Q, Womagwriter and Captain Black.

An ordinary story

A few months ago I entered a story into a competition. I thought it was a good story and liked it a lot. I was a bit disappointed when it wasn't even shortlisted because like I said I thought it was a good story. This week I read the story that won the competition and I have to say that it made mine look soooooooooooooooooo ordinary. It was fantastic and I really don't mind losing out to it.

Honestly Mr H

After saying how happy I was with my efforts in January I have to be honest and say that I haven't been so good this week. My reason for this (yes Mr H (my former boss) it is a reason not an excuse) is that the person I work with was on holiday last week so I had more to do. I did write one story though. It's not quite finished yet because I need to decide upon the ending, then of course it will need editing and polishing but I'd like to get it submitted before the end of the month. I have prepared a manuscript for submission tomorrow when I buy more stamps so thats a move in the right direction.
I'm desperately trying to get more organised with my writing tasks but I haven't worked out the best method for me yet. This morning I was going through the latest edition of Writers News and making myself a to do list. I didn't get all the way through yet and I've already given myself plenty to do.
I'll let you know how I go.

None starter for 60 word stories

Remember that my 60 word stories were declined the other day? Womagwriter suggested that I try Woman's Weekly. Unfortunately, I heard from Gaynor Davies today that Woman's weekly have decided to drop the 60 word stories from their fiction specials. Not the news that I was hoping for but I appreciated the email.

A look back at January

So it's the end of the month and I thought this would be as good a time as any to evaluate the the first writing month of the year.
I submitted 12 pieces of work to various places which is well above the minimum of 5 a month that I set myself. Not all of them were new things, some were stories that were from the work in progress folder so that was something else that I wanted to do. I did produce at least one new piece of work each week. I also worked on my novel NMBK. By the time I'd edited and deleted what I'd written it was probably only about 1000 words but bearing in mind that I haven't worked on it for ages it was something to build on.
The only thing missing from this month was an acceptance - unfortuanately there was a rejection or two. But you have to risk the latter to get the former so it goes with the territory.
Overall though, I think I am pleased with the way that this month has gone. I think I give myself an 8/10 which is a high score to live up to.

Mixed news

remember the delicate problem that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. Well I'm happy to say that was resolved this morning and I can look forward to a pay day in the very near future. But you know what? I think there might be something in that whole good/bad balance thing because when I checked my email this afternoon I discovered that 4 stories that I sent to My Weekly in October have been declined (Note I didn't use that r word.)
They were four 60 word stories so if My Weekly don't want them I don't quite know what I'll do with them but hey ho. At the time I wrote them 60 word stories were about all that I could manage so I guess they've already served their purpose.
I know it can't be good news all the time and I suppose if the good news and the bad news come in equal measure it won't be so bad.

Good idea anyone?

I remember Captain Black mentioning that he was going to make himself a writing timetable and I'd love to know how that's working out.
What does anyone else do? Someone else (it might have been Sally) said that they were making themselves a writing calendar and I'm curious about that one too.
I'm not the most organised person writing wise so I'd love to hear some success stories that I might be able to pinch.

6 things about me

Thanks to Sally and Moondreamer for tagging me.

The small print: Link to the person that tagged you. Post the rules on your blog. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on his/her website.

1. When Himself and I were in Prague 2 years ago we were in the Old Town Square when suddenly came round the corner. Bodyguards jumped out of 5 of them and surrounded the little guy who got out of the 6th. We saw the back of the Dalai Lama's head as he walked into the Town Hall.

2. When I was 6 I was hit by a car which left me in a coma for four days and partially paralysed down my left side. I made a full recovery and the only reminder of it is the scar that runs from front to back of my head where they stitched my head back together. Fortunately my hair covers it.

3. Following on from number 2, although the accident was an ordeal for everyone else I have no memory of it. In fact I can only remember 4 things that happened to me before that day.

4. My 2 sons were born in the same room in the same hospital and the same midwife was there at both births. They were also both exactly the same weight.

5. I never wear shoes unless I have to which probably explains why my feet look Fred Flintstone's.

6. I called my first car Jaspar and cried when I drove it to the garage to trade it in.

I tag womagwriter, A Writer and Ginny Swart. I know that's not 6 people but as far as I can see everyone else has been tagged.

I enjoyed this one a lot because it made me remember things that I 'd forgotten.

A short message

Just wanted to stop by as it is Sunday but I don't have a lot of time as Son number 2 wants to borrow the laptop and it's part of the bargain if i want to watch Dancing On Ice.
Just to say to Sally and Moondreamer who both tagged me for a meme. I've been giving it a bit of thought and I'll post tomorrow when I have more time.
I didn't do much writing this week but then I knew that I wouldn't get chance to. I did manage to write one story though. It's not very good yet but its something to work on.
I did get one rejection this week but I also submitted one story so its still 21 things out there.
Okay, I'm getting the evil eye from the child and I did tell him I'd only be 10 minutes about half an hour ago. However I will be back tomorrow.

All part of the Apprenticeship

After I'd visited here the other day I did some more work on NMBK. In all I probably wrote about 1000 words. This morning I scratched about half of them. I realised that I had one of my characters reacting to a situation in a way that they wouldn't. It wasn't a wasted excerciseethough because these are characters that I haven't worked with for a while so I need to get to know them again.
I wrote a short story yesterday and edited it this morning. I'll give it a couple of days then polish it again and then I'll submit it. I have a magazine in mind but I'll wait until after the final polish to say for certain.
I submitted 5 things this week so that makes 13 this year. If I can get a positive response to a couple of them I'll be happy. Writing, submitting and getting stuff out there is all part of the apprenticeship. I currently have 22 pieces out there but 1 of those I can give up on. It was to a place that only tend to let you know if you have been successful and as it's been so long since I submitted i guess I haven't been. So let's say that I have 21 pieces out there at the moment.
You know what? I have actually started to think of myself as a writer. Before I was just someone who liked to dabble in writing short stories but in the last few weeks I have started to connsider myself a writer. I'm only on the first rung of the ladder I know but I now realise that I am on the ladder.
Got a busy week at work ahead and Tuesday and Wednesday will be write offs as far as writing goes but I'm going to get some done in the rest of the week and I'll make sure that I sub at least one thing.
How much subbing do you guys do in an average week?
A book is calling me so I'm off now. I am reading Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir. It's about Lady Jane Grey and I can barely put it down. That's the kind of book that I want to write.

A Satisfactory day

Today is an extra day off for me, one that is dedicated solely to me. So it was without any guilt about not hoovering or ironing etc that I gave my morning over to writing. What a productive morning I've had. First of all I submitted two stories to a competition (the same one) then I checked out www.helium.com which I read about in Writers News. I'm not quite sure what I'll get out of it but it was worth a look. It looks like they have weekly free to enter competitions so that might be worth keeping an eye on. Then I pitched an idea to an editor for an article I've been working on. Finally I've just spent the last hour re-accquainting myself with NMBK which is the novel that went on the back burner while the ugly stuff was happening. I read through the last part that I wrote probably back in October or sometime like that and then even managed to write some new words. Only a couple of hundred or so but it's a start. I was going to have a look at the BBC Writers Room website because it's a long time since I was there but I didn't get round to that.

Anyway, just thought I would share my satisfaction with you all. I would be really interested to hear about your writing day.

Must go, I'm off to the hairdressers now. Two hours of pampering - yay!!!

A Meme

I'm off work for a couple of days so I was browsing through a few blogs that I visit on a regular basis and I found that Sally had tagged me. She called it The War and Peace of meme's and she's not wrong.
Here goes

What's the last thing you wrote?
A short story.

Was it any good?
I liked it, but I've liked a lot of things that I couldn't interest a publisher in.

What's the first thing you ever wrote that you still have?
A story that I started on the morning of the day that the Twin Towers were attacked. It was supposed to be a novel but didn't have the legs for it then. I plan on revisiting it sometime.

Write poetry?
Sometimes

Favourite genre of writing?
I don't know what genre my writing falls into (agents have said the same thing.)

Most fun character you ever wrote?
George in BTL.

Most annoying character you ever wrote?
Ellen's mother, also in BTL

Best plot you ever wrote?
It's still in my head.

Coolest plot twist you ever wrote?
I liked the one at the end of BTL (Sorry to be a bit vague but this is something that I hope to sell)

How often do you get Writers block?
At least once a week.

Write fan fiction?
No.

Do you type or write by hand?
The first draft is always done by hand.

Do you save everything you write?
Yes.

Do you ever go back to an old idea long after you abandoned it?
I tend not to abandon work just stuff it in my Work in Progress folder.

What's your favourite thing that you've written?
My personal favourite is Elaine which was published in Sexy Shorts for the Beach in 2006. It was what made me get serious about writing.

What's everyone else's favourite thing that you've written?
No idea, no-one has ever told me.

Do you even show people your work?
Only editors and publishers

Did you ever write a novel?
Yes. That would be BTL

Ever written romance or teen angsty drama?
I've written romance, whi hasn't?

How many writing projects are you working on right now?
Probably about half a dozen.

Do you want to write for a living?
That would be a big yes.

Have you ever won an award for your writing?
I was placed second in a competition when I was 15 if that counts.

Ever written something in script or play format?
Yes.

Do you ever write based on yourself?
All the time. I think you have to put something of yourself into your writing.

What character that you've written most resembles yourself?
Ellen in BTL.

Do you ever write based on your dreams?
Yes, I wrote something recently that was based on a dream. I only wrote the first couple of hundred words so far so it's more of an idea than anything concrete.

Do you favour happy endings, sad endings, or cliff-hangers?
I like an ending that works. Unfortunately life is not full of happy endings so it's wrong that all stories/books should have one.

Have you ever written based on an artwork you've seen?
Yes. I wrote a story last year that was inspired by a greetings card that I'd seen.

Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?
Always. Even in my emails at work which winds some people up.

Ever write something entirely in chatspeak? (How r u?)
No.

Entirely in L337?
Excuse me?

Was that question completely appalling and un-writer like?
Possibly, who knows?

Does music help you write?
It doesn't help, but it doesn't hinder either.

Quote something you've written. The first thing to pop into your mind.
"Her dad had said it was too expensive but Helen had bought it for her anyway." Taken from The Purple Pashmina which I wrote recently so that's why I can remember a quote.

Looks like Sally got there before me with most of the tags. However, I tag Captain Black

Missing payments and defunct machinery

Can you believe it's almost the middle of January already. Where is this year going? I was just kidding but in all seriousness time is short, life is short, time does pass quickly, so if there's something you want - go for it now.
The Festive Season is well and truly behind us now and life is back to normal. It was good to get back to doing the day job normally but that meant that there wasn't so much free time to write. I managed to get a fair bit done though. I edited a short story that I'd written the week before and submitted that. I also re-polished an old story and submitted that and entered a competition. And I started working on a non fiction article yesterday.
I've had fun and games with my printer this week. It will print everything but a Word document or more accurately, anything but a saved Word document. That is frustrating because it holds everything up. I've had to send things to myself and then open the attachment somewhere other than home and print it off there. ARRGGGHHH!!!! Himself was going to reload the drivers yesterday while I was at work. I guess I'll see in a minute if that's worked. I fear the thing may be for that place where all defunct printers go which is even more annoying because I've just bought cartridges for it.
Got a bit of a delicate problem which I'm hoping will be sorted this week. I had two stories in magazines in December and as yet I haven't been paid for them. I hope that I hear from them this week because if I don't I'm thinking that I may have to contact them and okay, I accept that they owe me money for a serivice I provided but it's not a problem I've had before so I'm not sure how to deal with it. The thing is that the filters on my mailbox have been sending stuff to the junk file that shouldn't go there so maybe they have tried to contact me and the message has been sent to the wrong place. The payment would be made electronically so they would ask me to provide information. Working on the premise that they probably pay at the end of the month they will be preparing that payment run in the middle of the month which hopefully will be this week.

Life's rich tapestry

Well, what are we now? Six days into the new year? So far so good. I have written every day and have already submitted 3 pieces of work. Two were short stories and one was a letter which probably doesn't count as a piece of work but it was a submission. I also wrote a short story which would have fit the Mother's Day market but as that falls on March 3rd this year I've probably missed the boat on that one. So I adapted it slightly to fit a more general market and I'll give it another edit and submit it either this week or next.
I think I'm going to revisit NMBK this week. I'll maybe edit a bit of what I've already written and read through it. I need to get a feel for it again and then make some progress.
I had a quick count up earlier and found that I have 15 pieces of work out there at the moment though I can discount a couple of those I think. They have been with their relative editors for so long I'm guessing they are "no's." I know editors are busy people but a quick email saying "thanks but no thanks," wouldn't have taken too long to send and would have been appreciated. I guess though that as they were both sent to small press magazines they may have gone out of business now so I'll not worry about it. It's all part of life's rich tapestry.
My alto ego Roxie has started to wake up last week with a couple of ides so maybe she'll do some writing this week.
So all in all I'm pleased with my efforts in week 1 of 2008. Like I said before I've written every day and I've already submitted my monthly quota. Hoever I won't sit back on my laurels and I'll be writing and submitting more this week.
Exactly what will be revealed next week.

New Year and all that

With the New Year just around the corner I guess thoughts turn to plans for the future. I know mine certainly do. Along with all the usual stuff (lose weight, excercise more, be kind to people you can't stand) there are things that I hope to do with my writing. In the past I have been pretty non specific about exactly what. It amounted to "I want to be a writer." But my writing has come on so much in the last year and now I need to be more focused. Or I should probably say that I want to be more focused. In 2007 I had my best year ever in terms of success and although that success is incredibly modest when compared to most people's it was my success and I am proud of it. So what if I only had 6 pieces published in 2007. That's 5 more than in 2006 which was 1 more than any year before that. I submitted 47 pieces of work so 12.7% of them were successful. So okay it's not great but it's a start. The first step.

So in 2008 I aim to

1. Submit a bare minimum of 5 pieces of work a month. - That would take me to 60 which would represent an increase on 2007's output of 27.6% which any company would be happy with.
2. Work on the WIP folder regularly. There are some ideas in there that just need developing.
3. Finish the first draft of NMBK. It's been left alone for a while while the other stuff has been going on and I don't need to but would like to get back to it.
4. Make a contract with myself to work a minimum number of hours each week on writing. Twelve and a half would take my working week up to 50 hours. That should be achievable especially if I can get a few hours in on Sundays.
5. Continue to enjoy writing. Afterall, if the big break doesn't come in 2008 I've still got the day job to fall back on.

So there you have it. In a nutshell they are my New Years writing resoloutions.

Happy New Year everyone!!

Merry Christmas

Just wanted to stop by and wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Enjoy your day doing whatever it is that you do with hopefully people that you love. That's what I'll be doing.
Lots of love
Gonna B
x

Santa's on his way

With just 2 more days until Christmas the day job shows no sign of slowing down - at least until 4pm tomorrow. At least the good thing about this time of year is that the public are generally in a good mood, or at least most of the time. However it also means that there's lots of work to do. In fact, I'll be working today and I have to tell you that doing the day job on Sundays is one of my pet hates. The only saving grace is that I work for a charity which does sweeten the pill slightly.
Anyway, my writing week. There wasn't a lot of it to be honest. I looked at a couple of stories from my WIP folder and even tweaked a bit but nothing substantial. I came up with an idea for a short story, or at least a title which I wrote down and shoved in the pocket of my jacket. Must retrieve.
I also finished something this week. I finished the first draft of the project that I've called Topsy. It was such an achievement because it means so much to me personally. Writing it helped me through such a difficult time. I don't think that I will try to get it published in the big wide worldbut I do intend to work it to the end and turn it into some sort of "book" just for me. Not everything I or any of us write has to be for profit or mass publication. Sometimes we need to do stuff just for us. This was/is one of those things.
As I sit here in my living room with my laptop on my knee and the Christmas tree a few feet away with presents under it I feel calm and to be honest a bit warm and fuzzy inside. When I was little I used to dream of writing something that was published and wanted to see my name in print more than anything else. I have achieved that now but the feeling is still there only now the goalposts have moved. Now, I want to see my name in print MORE OFTEN.
Anyway, that's about it really. I'm going to have a cup of coffee and walk the dog before I go to work. Or it would probably be more accurate to say that Himself will walk the dog while I follow him round dropping Christmas cards off at the neighbours' houses. Then after work it's going to be a long hot bath and then cook a ham. Tomorrow won't be so bad because I'll be working with a dear friend and we plan on playing the Chipmunks version of Jingle Bells for the last hour . If you've never heard this particular rendition of this festive classic you should because it is hysterical and the first thing I'll do at work this morning is play it a couple of times. Then on Tuesday I'm going to have a day with my menfolk and the dog and reflect on how blessed I am to be loved by some fab men. What more could a girl want for Christmas?
Hope yours is all you want it to be.
x

This blog and other stuff

as you may know I have been thinking in the past couple of weeks about my writing and where its going etc. I was also thinking about this blog. I love making entries here because it's like catching up with an old friend. But sometimes it'll be Friday night and I'll realise that I haven't visited here all week. Sometimes it's because I've been too busy doing other stuff but other times it's because I've not had anything to say.
Sunday is a day when generally I have the time to blog and so I have decided that each Sunday I will tell you about my week. I know that it works for some people so I'm going to give it a go.
So let me tell you about my week.
As I mentioned the other day I sold a story this week which is always good. Yesterday I received my contributers copy of TL Fast Fiction (Summer Special) I always feel a bit odd seeing my name in print. Maybe I just haven't gotten used to it yet. Ginny Swart had a couple of stories in there and I also saw one from Sue Houghton so I'm in good company.
I'm still editing my Topsy project but that is therapy more than anything else. It doesn't seem like a real writing project any more.
That's my writing week in a nutshell. Not really a lot but it's been that kind of week.

w/c 16/12/2007 This week I'll..

nothing. Or at least to commit to nothing. In case you hadn't noticed it's Christmas in 9 days. It's the busiest time of the year in my day job and I'm working every hour God sends and then on top of that I haven't bought Himself a present yet. I've no doubt that I will do some writing but I'm not sure what.

A second job

I have been thinking about what I want from my writing next year and trying to work out how I am going to achieve that. I have decided that I need to take on another job and that job is freelance writer. I have discovered recently how much can be achieved when someone puts their mind to it so if I'm serious about writing I need to make a serious commitment to it. What I need to do now is work out the minimum amount of time that I can commit to writing and contract myself to that time.
I hope that there'll be plenty of over time available.

Twice as nice

I sold another story today which is always a good thing to do. It was one that I wrote couple of months ago when I was writing as a distraction so it has now paid off twice. First there was the distraction value and then the hard cash that I'll be paid for it. Can't be bad.

Christmas

I found these questions on DJ Kirby's blog and thought I'd give it a go. I'd be really interested to know your answers

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Paper

2. Real tree or artificial?
Both The main tree is artificial but we rescued a small real tree a couple of years ago. It’s rooted so has lasted a couple of years but if I’m honest it does look a bit ill this year.

3. When do you put up the tree?
Usually around 10th December

4. When do you take the tree down?
As soon after New Years Day as I can get away with.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Never had it

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
A doll with hair that grew, unfortunately I can’t remember what it was called

7. Do you have a Nativity scene?
Yes

8. Hardest person to buy for?
The mother-in-law

9. Easiest person to buy for?
My other half is pretty easy to buy for. We’ve been together a long time

10. Worst Christmas Gift you ever received?
A jumper bought by someone who shall remain nameless. It was polyester and powder blue, need I say more?

11. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Scrooged.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Around October

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yes

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?The whole roast turkey dinner. It comes as a package so you can’t pick out a single thing. It’s just all yummy.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Clear at the moment but there have been coloured

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Silent Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Home

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Yes

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Morning. Himself and I open our stockings in bed and then we open the rest as a family after we’ve walked the dog.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
The greed and commercialism

w/c 09/12/2007 This week I will...

1. Evaluate what it is that I want from my writing and start to form a plan.
2. Finish the first draft of Topsy.
3. Continue to edit Topsy.

I'm still here

Like I said last Sunday, the week that we have just had was going to be a huge week for me away from writing. As a consequence of that I haven't thought about writing much (other than the short story that I subbed by email). But I am here, I am alive and I am well. A cloud that has been hanging over me for the last few months or so has lifted at least temporarily and at this moment life is good.

Setting goals

I've given some thought this week to what I want from my writing in 2008. I've come up with a couple of things but one of the things I have to be realistic about the amount of time that I will be able to give to writing. Unless I win the lottery sometime soon or get a call from an editor who thinks that they made a mistake by turning down my novel I'll be earning my living from a full time job. That has to come first of course (unfortunately.) Then there are my family commitments.
I don't want you to think that I'm making excuses already because honestly I'm not. I'm trying to be realistic so that I don't set myself unachievable goals. There would be nothing more disheartening fo rme as a writer if I felt like a failure because I'd set my goals to low. On the other hand though I don't want to set them too low either.
I think I need to give it more thought.
Watch this space.

w/c 02/12/2007 This week I will

1. Continue to edit Topsy (it's very slow progress)
2. Develop another idea from the WIP

Won't commit myself to too much this week as I have a couple of big days pewrsonally this week. On these days especially Wednesday I don't see me doing any writing at all.

Just to add one more thing, I'm going to try and come up with an ending to the story that I worked on from the WIP folder last week.