Storytime

Oh yes...the fun...the joy....the bitterness...the depths of despair...the OMG WHAT HAVE YOU DONE. All of the above happens when you are working on something you have written, worked on, and are now doing a big redraft. The hard part, well ONE of the hard parts, is of course you begin a novel days ....weeks...months....  years ago. So the voice has changed, the tone has changed...rhythm and nuance have been tweaked. I have also changed the names of two characters - which leads to OMG WHO IS THIS PERSON when I'm on page 197. I'm sure characters hairstyles have changed (and perhaps colour too)... I'm also noting down time lines, character arcs...the whole IS THIS CHAPTER NECESSARY? And WHAT DOES THIS CHAPTER ACHIEVE? All good things to focus on. It's often so difficult to see the big picture, no matter how long you leave a piece of work. In your mind you know what motivates that character, and why this character has an intense dislike of relationships...bu...

So I'm working on an edit of a WIP. I have given this work to a cold reader, so I have her notes as I go back and work through. Looking at the big picture stuff as well as all those tiny niggly details. Some details are not tiny, as I've changed two characters names already...OMG the mistakes that causes! I have begun to research how writers go through this structural edit. I have looked at the Hero's journey...and all the many variations. I have noted where my novel meets these milestones...the 'call to adventure'.....the 'threshold guardians'. And I have... Gone off to play in the garden and dream of what will be. This appears to be one of the many  problems I face. Getting down to it. I'm so easily distracted. I know I should be doing work. Research. Getting my head around... But frankly I would much rather... Be on a beach. Somewhere. Anywhere. I put down some more notes, work on a chapter. Realise that s...

I put my hands high in the air, I am easily distracted. Doesn't have to be by much. Could be by a plant, a bit of sunshine, a bit of rare rain. I'm easily distracted and therefore I procrastinate. I should be writing but heh, it's a good day and the garden needs work. I should be writing but it's sunny and there is washing to hang out. I have a million excuses, some of them even good excuses, why I can't be writing right now. There is family and frankly that is very important. I have my husband and children...in-laws...and very much loved grandchildren. Children won't be children for that long, they grow so fast. So if there is a choice between family and writing, family will win time and again. Then there are other distractions... These distractions are easily avoided but, alas, most are so much fun. This is where choice comes into it. In an attempt to not be so easily distracted I have my laptop set up so all I do is write on it. An...

A few years ago I attempted Nanowrimo...well not only attempted I successfully put down over 50 000 words. I put it aside for about a year, then finally looked at it. Surprising myself that there was actually something there to work with. I did a bit of rewriting...then left it for a long time. Being brave I gave the opening chapter to my writing group...they all wanted more. So I printed the whole mismatch out and on our writing retreat I worked on it. This led to a major rejig of time line and since then I've been slowly plodding away on it. I'm 9/10 of the way through when bang... I have discovered A HUGE HOLE. Why I didn't notice this earlier I have no idea. Perhaps I was too focused on getting there. I had the end in sight and I was merely putting one foot in front of the other. Whatever the reason, here I am with a hole. A gap. A huge slice of emptiness that needs to be filled.  Interestingly enough I had thought the plot made sense. And it doe...

What to pack when heading off for a writing retreat. 1. SUSTENANCE. There is nothing worse than being so involved in your work that hours pass and you pause to find your fingers curled into talons, your back needs to be crunched and your stomach growling for food because you have happened to have missed breakfast, lunch and dinner. In truth, this has NEVER happened to me but...I believe for some people, it can, may, and does occur. So when going away, it is always great to have a selection of easy meals and snacks. Healthy snacks such as fruit and nuts, rice cakes and hummus. 2. THAT PIECE TO WORK ON. I mean you have to take your major WIP (work in progress) with you...why else are you going away with a bunch of fellow writers? Surely, some say, you could work on said piece at home. Alone. Or with assorted children/ grandchildren/ pets/ siblings/ parents/ spouses surrounding you. (AS IF) Writing, surely, is easy. Sit down and do it....this is often said by those that do...

So you get the mojo happening, well a flicker of mojo...perhaps a mojette...you get writing. You feel inspired, you feel there is a story to tell...you are actually...wait for it...enjoying yourself. And you write and you write and you write... Before you know it, this little children's story has gone on and on and you are left wondering 'where the hell do I stop?' Knitting is easy. You get a pattern, use the correct needles and wool and begin. It takes you step by step until you stop..and heh presto, something is completed. After a while you can begin to twist it up, use differing needles and wools, alter patterns within the pattern itself. But you always know when it's finished. Cooking is the same. A new recipe is always followed faithfully. Soon though you add your own tweaks...add some rosemary or perhaps throw in some mushrooms. Flavour with lemon instead of vanilla. Once again you know when it is finished. A garden is a bit different again. It...