I should also let you know that my blog will be moving very soon, over to a new website that should be going live in the not too distant future.
I might take these post over there, I'm not sure. But chances are that once that site's live, I will probably close this one down.
Just thought I should give anyone interested a heads up.
Sunday, 6 March 2016
I am still here… sort of.
Well, I'd totally forgotten about this blog here, as you might have been able to tell from the fact I haven't posted or updated in several years.
Guess what? I'm STILL working on the same book! It's sure been a long slog. I never thought it'd take this long.
I did finally manage to get the first draft finished – all written out in longhand, I should add. I had thought, foolishly as it turned out, that the second draft would be a fairly easy affair. Just transposing the manuscript from my notebooks onto computer, with a little tweaking and adjusting to put a few things right and tighten it up. If only…
It had taken so long to write the first draft and I'd completed an MA in Creative Writing during that time and learned a lot about writing along the way, that when I started to read through the manuscript, I found the writing wasn't as good as I thought. It was Hemingway who said, "The first draft of anything is shit" and he was absolutely right, especially where my first draft was concerned.
To be fair, I had just tried to get the story down on paper and so it was all going to be very rough but even so, it was way different to how I'd imagined it to be.
The long and the short of it is that the second draft turned out to be a massive rewrite of the whole book. I had the story down but I rewrote every scene, changed the order of scenes, cut some, added new ones – just tried to write it better.
It took about a year. Then I read through it again. It still wasn't right, as good as I wanted it to be. It still felt a way off. So, I went through it again, right from the beginning, rewriting and changing as I went. By the end of this draft, things seemed to be getting better but still not good enough.
I did yet another draft before I was ready to show it to anyone and sent it to a couple of close friends for their honest feedback. I made it clear I didn't want them to worry about massaging my ego but to tell me honestly if they thought there was anything that wasn't working or that they felt was wrong. While they were reading it, I went through it again myself, making further changes.
When I got their feedback, it was very helpful. I made some changes based on what they said, though in hindsight, perhaps I should have made more.
Anyway, as it was, with the fifth complete draft done, I was finally ready to send it to my agent.
The feedback I received was very positive overall but it still needed some work. There were a few things that they thought I should change. Although there were only a few things, they effected the whole book. Just as I started on another major rewrite, things in my personal life meant I put the book aside for what turned out to be a whole year.
After a long break, I'm back to it, rewriting it yet again. Trying to do the best that I can.
Guess what? I'm STILL working on the same book! It's sure been a long slog. I never thought it'd take this long.
I did finally manage to get the first draft finished – all written out in longhand, I should add. I had thought, foolishly as it turned out, that the second draft would be a fairly easy affair. Just transposing the manuscript from my notebooks onto computer, with a little tweaking and adjusting to put a few things right and tighten it up. If only…
It had taken so long to write the first draft and I'd completed an MA in Creative Writing during that time and learned a lot about writing along the way, that when I started to read through the manuscript, I found the writing wasn't as good as I thought. It was Hemingway who said, "The first draft of anything is shit" and he was absolutely right, especially where my first draft was concerned.
To be fair, I had just tried to get the story down on paper and so it was all going to be very rough but even so, it was way different to how I'd imagined it to be.
The long and the short of it is that the second draft turned out to be a massive rewrite of the whole book. I had the story down but I rewrote every scene, changed the order of scenes, cut some, added new ones – just tried to write it better.
It took about a year. Then I read through it again. It still wasn't right, as good as I wanted it to be. It still felt a way off. So, I went through it again, right from the beginning, rewriting and changing as I went. By the end of this draft, things seemed to be getting better but still not good enough.
I did yet another draft before I was ready to show it to anyone and sent it to a couple of close friends for their honest feedback. I made it clear I didn't want them to worry about massaging my ego but to tell me honestly if they thought there was anything that wasn't working or that they felt was wrong. While they were reading it, I went through it again myself, making further changes.
When I got their feedback, it was very helpful. I made some changes based on what they said, though in hindsight, perhaps I should have made more.
Anyway, as it was, with the fifth complete draft done, I was finally ready to send it to my agent.
The feedback I received was very positive overall but it still needed some work. There were a few things that they thought I should change. Although there were only a few things, they effected the whole book. Just as I started on another major rewrite, things in my personal life meant I put the book aside for what turned out to be a whole year.
After a long break, I'm back to it, rewriting it yet again. Trying to do the best that I can.
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
October
So… pretty much done with work on the flat and finished my MA dissertation, which I got in on deadline day, with about an hour to spare. With all that out of the way, I can finally get back to working on the book. It's proving a little difficult to get back into the flow of it again. Been almost two months since I last did any work on it and I seem to have forgotten where I was in terms of some of the ideas I had back then. Still, reading back through the rough draft pages and notes, I'm getting new ideas. I just need to keep working at it and I should find my way back into the story.
As a little reward for finishing the MA and getting the dissertation done, I sat myself down and finally watched the whole of the first season of 'The Wire'. Great stuff. Now I just need to start hitting my 1000 words a day target again and I'll allow myself to begin season two.
On the book front, I've bought a few more books recently - even though most of my existing books are still boxed up from the move and spread between the old place and the new. I've got so much to read, I'm really looking forward to finally having time to indulge myself. Once the book's done though.
For the moment, I'm re-reading stuff. Who would have thought that with so much new stuff to read, that I'd be going back to books I've already read. But, there you go. Some things are so good that you find yourself wanting to go back and re-experience them. My recent Elmore Leonard spree being a case in point, although I did intersperse some of the old ones with new ones that I hadn't read before.
Just now I'm re-reading 'Prince of Thieves' by Chuck Hogan, which I mentioned before. Loving it second time around too. When I finish that, I'm planning on reading 'Point Blank' by Richard Stark once more. After that… well, I don't know. I'll have a rummage and pick something. Heard good things about 'The Twelve' by Stuart Neville, so may well give that a go.
As a little reward for finishing the MA and getting the dissertation done, I sat myself down and finally watched the whole of the first season of 'The Wire'. Great stuff. Now I just need to start hitting my 1000 words a day target again and I'll allow myself to begin season two.
On the book front, I've bought a few more books recently - even though most of my existing books are still boxed up from the move and spread between the old place and the new. I've got so much to read, I'm really looking forward to finally having time to indulge myself. Once the book's done though.
For the moment, I'm re-reading stuff. Who would have thought that with so much new stuff to read, that I'd be going back to books I've already read. But, there you go. Some things are so good that you find yourself wanting to go back and re-experience them. My recent Elmore Leonard spree being a case in point, although I did intersperse some of the old ones with new ones that I hadn't read before.
Just now I'm re-reading 'Prince of Thieves' by Chuck Hogan, which I mentioned before. Loving it second time around too. When I finish that, I'm planning on reading 'Point Blank' by Richard Stark once more. After that… well, I don't know. I'll have a rummage and pick something. Heard good things about 'The Twelve' by Stuart Neville, so may well give that a go.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
One Year Later…
…Almost a whole year since I last got round to updating my blog. It's been a busy year. Unfortunately, I still haven't managed to finish work on the novel - although I am very close to finishing my first complete draft.
Work was put on hold for the last month or so, as we moved and I had to spend all my time fixing up the new flat. Now that the work on the flat is pretty much complete, I've had to jump straight on to finishing of my MA dissertation. Only once that's done and out of the way will I be able to get back to work on the book. Watch this space, I guess. Anyone that's interested that is.
On a different note, I saw trailer for a heist movie called 'The Town' which looked pretty good. When I read a synopsis of the plot, I thought, wait a minute, that storyline sounds familiar. Being a bit of a geek about books and films, I checked the credit block at the end of the online trailer and found that, yes, it was indeed based on a book I read some time ago.
The book was called 'Prince of Theives' by Chuck Hogan. The title change was probably made because some people might have got it confused with the Kevin Costner movie 'Robin Hood: Prince of Theives' I guess. Anyway, the book was ace. So much so, that I have hunted around in the various boxes housing my books and dug up my copy of it to read again. So good, I'm gonna have to read it again.
If the film has stuck to the story of the book, it should be fantastic. I was torn between whether to go see the film or read the book again. It's been a while since I read it, so I wouldn't really be comparing the two, which is lucky, as films of books usually aren't as good. I remember going to see 'LA Confidential' at the cinema just a couple of weeks after I'd read the book. I steeled myself for it not to be exactly the same but I was still very disappointed in the film version – AT THAT TIME. I saw it again, six months or so later, without the book fresh in my mind and I absolutely loved it. So that's the dilemma I am sort of having with 'The Town'.
I liked the book so much though, I've decided to treat myself and read it again. Maybe I'll give the film six months and watch it then.
Work was put on hold for the last month or so, as we moved and I had to spend all my time fixing up the new flat. Now that the work on the flat is pretty much complete, I've had to jump straight on to finishing of my MA dissertation. Only once that's done and out of the way will I be able to get back to work on the book. Watch this space, I guess. Anyone that's interested that is.
On a different note, I saw trailer for a heist movie called 'The Town' which looked pretty good. When I read a synopsis of the plot, I thought, wait a minute, that storyline sounds familiar. Being a bit of a geek about books and films, I checked the credit block at the end of the online trailer and found that, yes, it was indeed based on a book I read some time ago.
The book was called 'Prince of Theives' by Chuck Hogan. The title change was probably made because some people might have got it confused with the Kevin Costner movie 'Robin Hood: Prince of Theives' I guess. Anyway, the book was ace. So much so, that I have hunted around in the various boxes housing my books and dug up my copy of it to read again. So good, I'm gonna have to read it again.
If the film has stuck to the story of the book, it should be fantastic. I was torn between whether to go see the film or read the book again. It's been a while since I read it, so I wouldn't really be comparing the two, which is lucky, as films of books usually aren't as good. I remember going to see 'LA Confidential' at the cinema just a couple of weeks after I'd read the book. I steeled myself for it not to be exactly the same but I was still very disappointed in the film version – AT THAT TIME. I saw it again, six months or so later, without the book fresh in my mind and I absolutely loved it. So that's the dilemma I am sort of having with 'The Town'.
I liked the book so much though, I've decided to treat myself and read it again. Maybe I'll give the film six months and watch it then.
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Still At It
So OK, I haven't been blogging as much as I said I would. I guess rather than writing here, I've been trying to spend my time working on the book.
Unfortunately, I didn't manage to finish the first draft before I went away on holiday and other things just seem to have kept getting in the way since I've been back. I am making steady progress but little by little, rather than one big push. I'm hoping that one day I'll be working away and the mental floodgates will open with the end of the novel pouring forth in a flood of ink onto the pages in front of me.
Yeah, right. I'm sure I'm not the only writer to ever wish for something like that.
Being made redundant has allowed me to spend more time on the writing but now financial worries are becoming a major distraction. I've been trying to find some suitable part-time work, so that I still have time to write but in the current economic situation, that's not so easy.
I'd much rather finish the book, then find a regular full-time job but I'm not so sure I'm going to be able to afford to.
For the moment, I'll keep going to try and finish the first draft. Every page written, is a page closer to completing it, after all.
Unfortunately, I didn't manage to finish the first draft before I went away on holiday and other things just seem to have kept getting in the way since I've been back. I am making steady progress but little by little, rather than one big push. I'm hoping that one day I'll be working away and the mental floodgates will open with the end of the novel pouring forth in a flood of ink onto the pages in front of me.
Yeah, right. I'm sure I'm not the only writer to ever wish for something like that.
Being made redundant has allowed me to spend more time on the writing but now financial worries are becoming a major distraction. I've been trying to find some suitable part-time work, so that I still have time to write but in the current economic situation, that's not so easy.
I'd much rather finish the book, then find a regular full-time job but I'm not so sure I'm going to be able to afford to.
For the moment, I'll keep going to try and finish the first draft. Every page written, is a page closer to completing it, after all.
Monday, 27 July 2009
Randomness
Hi,
So, what's new? Work on the novel is progressing. I've roughly planned out the next few sections and am getting stuck into writing them. Not too far to go now to finish the first draft. I'm already looking forward to editing it all. I know that I'll probably cut loads and rewrite big chunks of what I've already written. The good thing is that with the whole story down on paper, I'll have a blueprint in front of me to work from. Hopefully this will help the editing go faster than the initial draft, which has been hard work. That's not to say the editing won't be hard work - it will - but it'll be very different. I'm looking forward to getting to it. That's when the craft element of the writing comes into it. It's a little bit like sculpting. The first draft is just getting the shape of the stone or clay right. You can knock it about into rude shape at this stage. Editing is where you actually start to chip away at your material, shaping it and revealing the detail. Then I guess you fine tune it and give it a little polish and flourish. It's an exciting process.
I'd love to get the first draft completed before I go away on holiday in a couple of weeks and will be working with that aim in mind. Other than that, what can I tell you all? I recently turned 40, so have been partying a bit. Got together with friends I haven't seen in a while, which was really great. Right, onwards and upwards…
All the best.
So, what's new? Work on the novel is progressing. I've roughly planned out the next few sections and am getting stuck into writing them. Not too far to go now to finish the first draft. I'm already looking forward to editing it all. I know that I'll probably cut loads and rewrite big chunks of what I've already written. The good thing is that with the whole story down on paper, I'll have a blueprint in front of me to work from. Hopefully this will help the editing go faster than the initial draft, which has been hard work. That's not to say the editing won't be hard work - it will - but it'll be very different. I'm looking forward to getting to it. That's when the craft element of the writing comes into it. It's a little bit like sculpting. The first draft is just getting the shape of the stone or clay right. You can knock it about into rude shape at this stage. Editing is where you actually start to chip away at your material, shaping it and revealing the detail. Then I guess you fine tune it and give it a little polish and flourish. It's an exciting process.
I'd love to get the first draft completed before I go away on holiday in a couple of weeks and will be working with that aim in mind. Other than that, what can I tell you all? I recently turned 40, so have been partying a bit. Got together with friends I haven't seen in a while, which was really great. Right, onwards and upwards…
All the best.
Friday, 10 July 2009
Back to Blog
Hi all,
Okay, well I'm finally back here to post. It has been a long while since I last got round to writing on my blog and things have been happening, so at least I have some stuff to say.
Things were really busy for a while. I was juggling work, writing a novel and doing an MA, all at the same time. That didn't allow for much free time and I guess my blog was one of the things that I had to let slip. As a knock on effect of the credit crunch, my work as a freelance graphic designer, has all but dried up. This has come at a time when I am really trying to finish the first draft of my novel – I'm close but not quite there yet. At first I was quite worried about finding more work in the current economic climate but after I thought about it for a while and talked with my wife, we decided that I should take a couple of months of from regular work and concentrate on finishing the novel. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be able to do that. It's still taking time but I feel that I am making some real progress now.
Today though, I am taking the time to write something on my blog. I'll be venturing out and about later, with a camera and a notebook to do a little location research for the novel.
I guess that's about it I guess. Hopefully I'll be a little more regular on here from now on.
All the best.
Okay, well I'm finally back here to post. It has been a long while since I last got round to writing on my blog and things have been happening, so at least I have some stuff to say.
Things were really busy for a while. I was juggling work, writing a novel and doing an MA, all at the same time. That didn't allow for much free time and I guess my blog was one of the things that I had to let slip. As a knock on effect of the credit crunch, my work as a freelance graphic designer, has all but dried up. This has come at a time when I am really trying to finish the first draft of my novel – I'm close but not quite there yet. At first I was quite worried about finding more work in the current economic climate but after I thought about it for a while and talked with my wife, we decided that I should take a couple of months of from regular work and concentrate on finishing the novel. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be able to do that. It's still taking time but I feel that I am making some real progress now.
Today though, I am taking the time to write something on my blog. I'll be venturing out and about later, with a camera and a notebook to do a little location research for the novel.
I guess that's about it I guess. Hopefully I'll be a little more regular on here from now on.
All the best.
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