I have been very guilty of this recently. I haven`t written a blog or worked on my Novel for months. I have had all kinds of excuses, some good some bad.
In June we moved from the flat from hell into a fab house. Our flat was a downstairs 2 bedroom housing trust flat. We had a psycho girl above us ( I will write about that experience one day!) and mould in every room. Writing was hard in the flat and the new house was to be a new lease of life for my writing.
The house needed things done like painting, cleaning and the garden was a forest!
Then a month after moving in I found out I was pregnant. We had been trying for a second child for years, seen IVF doctors and had been told it would be unlikely we would fall pregnant naturally. I fell within weeks of moving house.
Up untill 10 weeks I felt sick all the time and exhausted. I could have slept the days away. Then I started to feel better, had a new burst of energy and thought maybe this pregnancy would be an easy one unlike my last.
Then I reached 12 weeks and started bleeding. I went to hospital and miscarried, losing a lot of blood in the process.
That was 3 weeks ago now. I am not a negative person, things happen for a reason although I haven`t worked it out yet.
I need to get back into my writing. Sometimes I think to myself, "Maybe you`re not meant to be a writer."
The voices in my head disagree!
I must make sure that writing goes to the top of my To Do list. The cobwebs will just have to wait.
Now I just have to work out a way to stop my dog from sitting next to me and farting while I am writing!
Monday, 24 September 2012
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Flash Fiction- The Box
Alfie sat in the back of the car looking out of the window. There wasn`t much to see just trees as the car made its way round the winding lanes.
Mum and Dad sat silently in the front, there was always silence now. They used to be so happy now they barely spoke to each other.
Alfie remembered back 2 nights when he had listened in on them talking. They had spoken of something called IVF. Alfie had no idea what that was. Maybe it had something to do with all the appointments mum seemed to have to go to. They said they could no longer afford it and would have to give up.
Dad stopped the car on the side of the road, "I`m sure the engine is making a funny noise!", he said getting out to take a look. Mum sighed and got out too.
Alfie stared out of the window and could see something on the grass verge. Opening the door he got out to take a look."Don`t wander off !", Mum called.
"I won`t"
Alfie picked up a small wooden box. It was plain except for the fact it had his name on it! Concealing it in his coat he crept back into the car.
Back at home Alfie raced up to his room and closed the door. Sitting on his bed he carefully opened the box, jumping back when he saw the contents.
A small girl emerged from the box jumping onto his bed. she was only a few inches tall at first but grew rapidly until she was the same size as him.
"Who are you?" Alfie finally managed to find his voice.
"My name is Lucy, I have been sent to be your friend!"
"Sent by who?"
"The worry fairies thought you had a few too many worries and no one to share them with!"
Alfie was excited about his new friend, they went everywhere together. Lucy went to school with him, ate dinner with him and went out in the car everywhere they went. The great thing was he was the only one who could see her!
Mum and Dad thought it a little weird listening to him talking to what they called his imaginary friend. Mum still let him set a place at the table for Lucy though! She was pleased that Lucy liked vegetables and very pleased when Alfie tried new foods too!
Mum and Dad seemed happier as well. They were talking cheerfully again.
"We have something we want to talk to you about!"mum said over breakfast.
Alfie looked up.
"Dad and I have been talking and we have decided to look into adoption.
Alfie knew what that meant; they were going to adopt a brother or sister for him!
"That will be great!"Alfie screamed excitedly. "I have to tell Lucy!"
Where was Lucy? She hadn`t been there for breakfast.
Lucy was sitting on his bed. He told her the great news.
"I have a little secret," said Lucy. "You will have a sister."
"How do you know?"
"Mum is pregnant!" she whispered.
And with a giggle she and the box were gone.
Mum and Dad sat silently in the front, there was always silence now. They used to be so happy now they barely spoke to each other.
Alfie remembered back 2 nights when he had listened in on them talking. They had spoken of something called IVF. Alfie had no idea what that was. Maybe it had something to do with all the appointments mum seemed to have to go to. They said they could no longer afford it and would have to give up.
Dad stopped the car on the side of the road, "I`m sure the engine is making a funny noise!", he said getting out to take a look. Mum sighed and got out too.
Alfie stared out of the window and could see something on the grass verge. Opening the door he got out to take a look."Don`t wander off !", Mum called.
"I won`t"
Alfie picked up a small wooden box. It was plain except for the fact it had his name on it! Concealing it in his coat he crept back into the car.
Back at home Alfie raced up to his room and closed the door. Sitting on his bed he carefully opened the box, jumping back when he saw the contents.
A small girl emerged from the box jumping onto his bed. she was only a few inches tall at first but grew rapidly until she was the same size as him.
"Who are you?" Alfie finally managed to find his voice.
"My name is Lucy, I have been sent to be your friend!"
"Sent by who?"
"The worry fairies thought you had a few too many worries and no one to share them with!"
Alfie was excited about his new friend, they went everywhere together. Lucy went to school with him, ate dinner with him and went out in the car everywhere they went. The great thing was he was the only one who could see her!
Mum and Dad thought it a little weird listening to him talking to what they called his imaginary friend. Mum still let him set a place at the table for Lucy though! She was pleased that Lucy liked vegetables and very pleased when Alfie tried new foods too!
Mum and Dad seemed happier as well. They were talking cheerfully again.
"We have something we want to talk to you about!"mum said over breakfast.
Alfie looked up.
"Dad and I have been talking and we have decided to look into adoption.
Alfie knew what that meant; they were going to adopt a brother or sister for him!
"That will be great!"Alfie screamed excitedly. "I have to tell Lucy!"
Where was Lucy? She hadn`t been there for breakfast.
Lucy was sitting on his bed. He told her the great news.
"I have a little secret," said Lucy. "You will have a sister."
"How do you know?"
"Mum is pregnant!" she whispered.
And with a giggle she and the box were gone.
Thursday, 23 February 2012
Reading a book that blows your mind.
I wanted to share with you an experience I just had after reading a book.
I bought a romance by Sue Moorcroft called All that Mallarkey. I finished reading it this morning 2 days after starting it. I loved it! I was completely hooked from the first page. I was desperate to get to the end to reach the happy ending. I knew it was coming but I had to see it. The ending was everything I wanted it to be, a real aahhh moment. The thing was I found I was gutted it was finished! I feel a bit sad now!
I am writing a romance myself at the moment and have become very inspired by that book. I hope one day I can evoke those kind of feelings in the readers of my books.
It has been many years since a book has hooked me in like that, I will have to read more!
I bought a romance by Sue Moorcroft called All that Mallarkey. I finished reading it this morning 2 days after starting it. I loved it! I was completely hooked from the first page. I was desperate to get to the end to reach the happy ending. I knew it was coming but I had to see it. The ending was everything I wanted it to be, a real aahhh moment. The thing was I found I was gutted it was finished! I feel a bit sad now!
I am writing a romance myself at the moment and have become very inspired by that book. I hope one day I can evoke those kind of feelings in the readers of my books.
It has been many years since a book has hooked me in like that, I will have to read more!
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Making twitter work for you
Twitter took me ages to get used to. I only had a handful of followers for the first 6 months.
Once I started really following other writers I learned alot. These are my observations.
I have alot of self published writers following me. I do not have a book published as yet.
Some writers follow and constantly plug their books, sending private messages with the links. I personally find this off putting.
Then there are the writers who i love. They tweet to say hello, use my name, tell me they have read my blog. They don`t send me links for their books because they don`t have to. These writers plug other writers books, they retweet other writers, mention other writers. You know what they say about give and you will receive. These writers get their books to many more followers this way.
If you had a friend who had written a book, you would want to read it. You would want to check out their blog.
I love twitter and there are many of my followers who are a joy to follow. I really want them to do well.
Once I started really following other writers I learned alot. These are my observations.
I have alot of self published writers following me. I do not have a book published as yet.
Some writers follow and constantly plug their books, sending private messages with the links. I personally find this off putting.
Then there are the writers who i love. They tweet to say hello, use my name, tell me they have read my blog. They don`t send me links for their books because they don`t have to. These writers plug other writers books, they retweet other writers, mention other writers. You know what they say about give and you will receive. These writers get their books to many more followers this way.
If you had a friend who had written a book, you would want to read it. You would want to check out their blog.
I love twitter and there are many of my followers who are a joy to follow. I really want them to do well.
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Murdering People.
I recently finished a first draft of my second novel. It started out as a romance. I had my main characters buzzing in my head. I had it all planned, or so i thought.
I was in my inlaws conservatory when it happened. I thought i was in control of the story, but i wasn`t. My hero turned into a psycho! The beginning was the same he had just turned into a psychotic stalker.
I have to admit it was very exciting! I loved writing the story and before i had written the first chapter i had an idea for the sequel.
I had a very clear picture in my head of my two main characters.I murdered people in very violent ways. It is great being a writer, being able to do these things on the page.
I have put the first draft to one side and am now working on a romance. This one will be a romance honest! I will start editing my thriller in february hopefully. I enjoy alternating the two genres.
I was in my inlaws conservatory when it happened. I thought i was in control of the story, but i wasn`t. My hero turned into a psycho! The beginning was the same he had just turned into a psychotic stalker.
I have to admit it was very exciting! I loved writing the story and before i had written the first chapter i had an idea for the sequel.
I had a very clear picture in my head of my two main characters.I murdered people in very violent ways. It is great being a writer, being able to do these things on the page.
I have put the first draft to one side and am now working on a romance. This one will be a romance honest! I will start editing my thriller in february hopefully. I enjoy alternating the two genres.
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
Writing a whole novel!
A very daunting thing to do. A whole novel with killer beginning and ending, subplots, twists and turns.
I always used to be a pantser, starting with a basic idea and writing away with no idea where i was going.
I should have known it wasn`t right for me, I am a planner in every other part of my life.
The first novel i actually completed was a romance. It was going round in my head like a film. After about a month of it running over and over i realised it was a fully formed plot. I wrote out a synopsis and started work on it. Six months later it was finished, though a little short at barely 50,000 words. It had some seriously bad writing in there but it was a complete story, still to be edited!
I am a daydreamer and my brain never shuts up! I laugh to myself, talk to myself and can cry when my characters do. I have found the best thing to do is put headphones on so people think something you are listening to is the cause rather than the fact i am stark raving mad!
I have had a full story pop into my head while riding on my bike, complete with characters. They don`t come when it is convenient though.
I always used to be a pantser, starting with a basic idea and writing away with no idea where i was going.
I should have known it wasn`t right for me, I am a planner in every other part of my life.
The first novel i actually completed was a romance. It was going round in my head like a film. After about a month of it running over and over i realised it was a fully formed plot. I wrote out a synopsis and started work on it. Six months later it was finished, though a little short at barely 50,000 words. It had some seriously bad writing in there but it was a complete story, still to be edited!
I am a daydreamer and my brain never shuts up! I laugh to myself, talk to myself and can cry when my characters do. I have found the best thing to do is put headphones on so people think something you are listening to is the cause rather than the fact i am stark raving mad!
I have had a full story pop into my head while riding on my bike, complete with characters. They don`t come when it is convenient though.
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
How To Books
Everyone has an opinion about them. Should you read How to write books?
I think you should read anything you can get your hands on.
You shouldn`t take what you read as gospel. You should write your own way.
I have read some brilliant books. "The Novelists Guide," by Margret Geraghty is my favourite. I never bought it, I borrowed it from the library dozens of times.
I take what i want from them and ignore the parts that i don`t need. I keep a book of prompts that i fill with ideas i come across, just incase i find myself unable to write.
I don`t personally believe in writers block, writing is like exercising, use it or lose it!
I have always worked with pen and paper, I`m sure it will shock some writers to think someone still writes like that! It is making life hard for myself, but it feels right. NaNoWriMo meant i had to work straight to word. It was strange and made me realise how many silly mistakes i make. Writing with pen and paper made me lazy about grammar, something i will have to put serious effort into if i want to be published.
I think you should read anything you can get your hands on.
You shouldn`t take what you read as gospel. You should write your own way.
I have read some brilliant books. "The Novelists Guide," by Margret Geraghty is my favourite. I never bought it, I borrowed it from the library dozens of times.
I take what i want from them and ignore the parts that i don`t need. I keep a book of prompts that i fill with ideas i come across, just incase i find myself unable to write.
I don`t personally believe in writers block, writing is like exercising, use it or lose it!
I have always worked with pen and paper, I`m sure it will shock some writers to think someone still writes like that! It is making life hard for myself, but it feels right. NaNoWriMo meant i had to work straight to word. It was strange and made me realise how many silly mistakes i make. Writing with pen and paper made me lazy about grammar, something i will have to put serious effort into if i want to be published.
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