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.
Monday, 27 July 2009
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.
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Still Here
Hi,
It's been a little while since I last posted anything here, I know. I have meant to but it's usually ended up being too late at night when I'm struggling to keep my eyes open and so I keep putting it off until tomorrow and, well, you can guess the rest.
The writing's been going in peaks and troughs but I have pretty much managed to try and write something every day on the novel. Some days are easier than others. I had a good spell last week. 2000 words one evening when I really got into the scene I was writing and another good day when I hit my 1000 word target quite quickly. If only more days were like that.
I'm currently reading "The Echelon Vendetta" by David Stone, which was highly recommended at last years CWA Dagger Awards. I am actually enjoying it very much. It's a great thriller.
Other than that, I don't really have much to report. Have gotten into Guitar Hero on the Wii, along with bouts of ultra violence playing Madworld.
I think perhaps the end of the novel is coming into sight. Things are getting slowly easier with it and I'm starting to really drive towards the end of the first draft.
Then there's just the rewrite, some research, then another run through the whole thing, polishing and sharpening it - and hopefully the manuscript will finally be ready to send to my agent. That's the plan anyway.
Will keep you all posted.
It's been a little while since I last posted anything here, I know. I have meant to but it's usually ended up being too late at night when I'm struggling to keep my eyes open and so I keep putting it off until tomorrow and, well, you can guess the rest.
The writing's been going in peaks and troughs but I have pretty much managed to try and write something every day on the novel. Some days are easier than others. I had a good spell last week. 2000 words one evening when I really got into the scene I was writing and another good day when I hit my 1000 word target quite quickly. If only more days were like that.
I'm currently reading "The Echelon Vendetta" by David Stone, which was highly recommended at last years CWA Dagger Awards. I am actually enjoying it very much. It's a great thriller.
Other than that, I don't really have much to report. Have gotten into Guitar Hero on the Wii, along with bouts of ultra violence playing Madworld.
I think perhaps the end of the novel is coming into sight. Things are getting slowly easier with it and I'm starting to really drive towards the end of the first draft.
Then there's just the rewrite, some research, then another run through the whole thing, polishing and sharpening it - and hopefully the manuscript will finally be ready to send to my agent. That's the plan anyway.
Will keep you all posted.
Monday, 16 March 2009
Weekend Break
Had a writing free weekend, visiting friends in Jersey. It was wonderfully relaxing, although I was a bit hungover on Saturday. Spent some time trying to play computer games and generally failing to be any good. I wasn't too bad at Guitar Hero though…
I'd meant to get back to work on the book this evening but went to a screenwriting presentation at Warner Bros. I didn't get back until after 9.00 and what with having dinner and watching the news on TV, time just seems to have slipped away this evening. Had to do some invoicing for the day job and send a couple of email, that's why I'm on the computer, so I thought I'd just quickly update my blog.
Really must sit down to work on the novel tomorrow evening. 1000 words, hopefully more and I'll be well happy.
Cheers.
I'd meant to get back to work on the book this evening but went to a screenwriting presentation at Warner Bros. I didn't get back until after 9.00 and what with having dinner and watching the news on TV, time just seems to have slipped away this evening. Had to do some invoicing for the day job and send a couple of email, that's why I'm on the computer, so I thought I'd just quickly update my blog.
Really must sit down to work on the novel tomorrow evening. 1000 words, hopefully more and I'll be well happy.
Cheers.
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Liar's League
Have been writing this evening - hooray!
Didn't get as much done as I'd hoped - booo!
Was out last night, to a meeting of the Liar's League in central London and what a great evening it was. Liar's League is an event where writers submit short stories on a certain subject - last night it was Art & Science - and actors read the chosen stories out. Rather than just read them, they kind of perform them, really bringing the stories to life, capturing and expressing the 'voice' of the narration. For those of you that remember 'Jackanory', it's a bit like that, except it's in a pub, so a lot more fun. And the stories are more grown up too.
It's all very informal and highly entertaining, so if any of you are interested, I'd certainly recommend you go along. Although having said that, I think they may need a bigger venue soon, as last night was pretty crowded. We were lucky though, we managed to get some seats.
If you're interested, here's a link to the Liar's League for more info:
http://liarsleague.typepad.com/
As they say:
Writers write. Actors read. Audience listens. Everybody wins.
Good stuff.
Didn't get as much done as I'd hoped - booo!
Was out last night, to a meeting of the Liar's League in central London and what a great evening it was. Liar's League is an event where writers submit short stories on a certain subject - last night it was Art & Science - and actors read the chosen stories out. Rather than just read them, they kind of perform them, really bringing the stories to life, capturing and expressing the 'voice' of the narration. For those of you that remember 'Jackanory', it's a bit like that, except it's in a pub, so a lot more fun. And the stories are more grown up too.
It's all very informal and highly entertaining, so if any of you are interested, I'd certainly recommend you go along. Although having said that, I think they may need a bigger venue soon, as last night was pretty crowded. We were lucky though, we managed to get some seats.
If you're interested, here's a link to the Liar's League for more info:
http://liarsleague.typepad.com/
As they say:
Writers write. Actors read. Audience listens. Everybody wins.
Good stuff.
Monday, 9 March 2009
Go Slow
I had hoped to really get stuck in to writing this evening, especially as I had a good day yesterday. Unfortunately, today was a much slower day. It just felt like a real effort. Perhaps it's just a Monday thing? Maybe I ought to have stuck at it for longer yesterday, while I was really with it?
Anyway, only managed about 500 words this evening, which isn't fantastic, especially as I was hoping to hit at least 1000. Still, if it ain't gonna happen, it ain't gonna happen.
I'm out tomorrow evening, so not sure if I'll manage to do any further work, but who knows - if I get in and I'm in the mood, I shall certainly have a crack. If not, then I hope my mind will be more agile on Wednesday and that I'll manage 1000 words with more ease than this evenings paltry 500.
Speak to you again soon.
Anyway, only managed about 500 words this evening, which isn't fantastic, especially as I was hoping to hit at least 1000. Still, if it ain't gonna happen, it ain't gonna happen.
I'm out tomorrow evening, so not sure if I'll manage to do any further work, but who knows - if I get in and I'm in the mood, I shall certainly have a crack. If not, then I hope my mind will be more agile on Wednesday and that I'll manage 1000 words with more ease than this evenings paltry 500.
Speak to you again soon.
Sunday, 8 March 2009
I'm back
Okay, so I haven't actually been away anywhere. I've just been busy and bad at sitting down to blog. I fully intended to on a few occasions but it always ended up being too late and I was too tired to write anything.
Tonight the time's getting on but I thought I would make a concerted effort to get back into the swing of it and hopefully better keep a record of my progress with the novel.
For the last week or so, I've been a little preoccupied with working on a screenplay. So far I've written the first draft of Act 1. The feedback has been good and I'm hoping I'll manage to tighten things up and improve it in the second draft. Anyway, that's what's kept me busy and unfortunately away from working on the book.
Today however, I woke up and got back to working on the novel. I read over four or five pages of the last section I'd written, to get back to where I was at with the story but I'd left things in the middle of events that I'd already mapped out in my mind, so I managed to get into it fairly smoothly. I worked on one particular scene today and managed to work through 1000 words, finishing on almost 1500 for the day, which isn't too bad.
The evening has kind of runaway though. I did think that I might pick up and try to carry on tonight but that hasn't happened. I ended up watching TV.
I am raring to go for tomorrow. I'll get straight into it when I finish working at the day job, the one that pays the bills.
I think the end of the first draft is coming in to sight. I've heard that things begin to speed up a little as you near the finish and I think it's true. Knowing that you're close to finishing a book, is a great incentive to work a little harder. Once the first draft is finished though, there's still the prospect of doing some research to fill a few holes and a complete re-edit of the first draft.
I'm looking forward to tackling these though. For me, the real writing will be done as the first draft becomes the second.
I better get off to sleep now. It's been good rambling on here - for me anyway.
All the best.
Tonight the time's getting on but I thought I would make a concerted effort to get back into the swing of it and hopefully better keep a record of my progress with the novel.
For the last week or so, I've been a little preoccupied with working on a screenplay. So far I've written the first draft of Act 1. The feedback has been good and I'm hoping I'll manage to tighten things up and improve it in the second draft. Anyway, that's what's kept me busy and unfortunately away from working on the book.
Today however, I woke up and got back to working on the novel. I read over four or five pages of the last section I'd written, to get back to where I was at with the story but I'd left things in the middle of events that I'd already mapped out in my mind, so I managed to get into it fairly smoothly. I worked on one particular scene today and managed to work through 1000 words, finishing on almost 1500 for the day, which isn't too bad.
The evening has kind of runaway though. I did think that I might pick up and try to carry on tonight but that hasn't happened. I ended up watching TV.
I am raring to go for tomorrow. I'll get straight into it when I finish working at the day job, the one that pays the bills.
I think the end of the first draft is coming in to sight. I've heard that things begin to speed up a little as you near the finish and I think it's true. Knowing that you're close to finishing a book, is a great incentive to work a little harder. Once the first draft is finished though, there's still the prospect of doing some research to fill a few holes and a complete re-edit of the first draft.
I'm looking forward to tackling these though. For me, the real writing will be done as the first draft becomes the second.
I better get off to sleep now. It's been good rambling on here - for me anyway.
All the best.
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