I have finally finished novel number two. When I say finished. What I mean, is that after five drafts (that’s the number of my word document – there have been many more drafts that’s for sure) I have come to the point that I need to pass it on. It’s not finished in the sense that I can save it and upload it to an online platform and publish it. I now need to hand it on to beta readers or an agent to see if it is publishable.
This book was the first one that I started, but I moved on to another idea that came along (That other book is also finished* and it has been sent to publishers/agents to see if it’s publishable).
Having worked my way through the second novel again, I think that the story holds up, but I think that I will alter my approach when it comes to writing novel number three. I’m not bored of the process of writing and I have a few ideas percolating away in my mind what that book will be. I know that it will be in the crime genre and I have a definite setting for it. I have already jotted down about 2,000 words, but I will leave them for a few weeks when I’m ready to give it the attention it deserves.
For now, I have a few smaller writing projects that I would like to do. I feel like I’m in that between projects limbo, but it’s a good place to be as I’m glad that I have completed this element of writing book number two.
My book charting the history of Tears for Fears is finally released today. As the cliche goes it’s available in all good bookstores. You can also order online at Bookshop.org or Burning Shed.
It’s been a while since I updated this neglected blog. There is a half-finished post in that I was going to spell out my writing resolutions for the year, but that remains unpublished – that post remains in to-be-published hell taunting me of my impetuous foolishness back at the start of the year. Especially when I knew I would be busy with other things.
Other things you might ask? Well, there’s the day job. I moved from teaching freelance in several places, to a new full-time job in July. I’m enjoying that so far.
My writing has been continuing alongside that and I have been overtaken by a project which I wanted to write about, but I have been quiet about while I got on with it. That is now coming to an end.
The project is a published commission of a non-fiction book. It’s something of a labour of love and it is following one of my passions writing about music. The subject of the book is Tears For Fears. They are a band that I have been a fan off since the 1980s. The book is for Sonicbond Publishing, which produces the ‘On Track’ series. This is a book series that covers a band/artist’s career through their albums/songs.
My timing was perfect. I pitched the idea in September and the next month Tears For Fears announced that they would be bringing out their first album, The Tipping Point, in 18 years. It was also a book that the publisher had been looking to commission. I had been procrastinating about pitching the idea, but my teaching workload (or reduction in it) gave me the opportunity and time to undertake this project.
The new material from the band had long been rumoured and everything seemed to kick start after I had signed my contract to write the book. What followed was a flurry of media appearances, tour announcements and videos. The promotional campaign has been something else. From a fan’s perspective, it was great to read about the band. From a writing and research point of view, it’s been very helpful. There’s been a wealth of information has been published. A lot of it talks about the new album, but also a great deal covering the back catalogue. It’s been a fun process putting this book together.
I have enjoyed the chance to review the new album which came out in February of this year. In a nutshell, it’s great. Also, I have been listening to a lot of their old material too – all in the name of research. I did get to see them live in London, in July. Although I was due to see them again in Lytham-St-Annes, that gig was cancelled due to a rib injury suffered by Curt Smith. The only negative in the band’s year.
Today, I have completed the final edits of the book and the cover has been finalised. The deadline was due to be the end of September, but it has been put back. The book will be available to buy on 28th October 2022 and it is available to pre-order at Bookshop.org or Burning Shed.
There’s the story about JK Rowling having had ‘loads‘ of rejections before she published the Harry Potter books. I have had none. That’s not me being smug, because the reality is that I have not sent out either of my novels to agents and publishers.
I have entered a couple of first chapter competitions, but I haven’t had that letter (it’s more likely to be the email these days). The badge of honour among authors.
Through a number of reasons, some mainly to do with procrastination and some the fear of rejection. This is something that I have neglected to do. I need to change my strategy if only so I know where my novels can be pitched when it comes to market. Even if I don’t get published in the traditional sense, I may get feedback that will help me shape my writing going forward If I choose to self-publish my work in the future.
So, the plan in the coming weeks is to open the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook and circle a number of the names that I would like to send my book out to. In the hope of getting closer to my novels being published. Here’s looking forward to the rejections flooding in…along with that one acceptance.
Given how busy work has got recently the writing has well and truly been parked up for another year. I’m still doing the 200 words for BXP, there was a tentative notion of doing NaNoWriMo but that is certainly on hold for another year.
The editing has stalled and the idea of writing the third novel will have to wait for now. I have simply taken on too much work and that is beginning to kick in now roll on the new year. The lockdown starts again tomorrow. That seems to be removing the fun but keeping the fact that I have to physically have to go to work.
As I get myself ready to get back into the classroom, the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t seem to be slowing down. As I type this the North East is rumoured to be going into a fuller lockdown. The Liverpool City region is also close to the following suit. This is offset by rising figures of people catching the virus and the so-called world-class test and trace system seemingly in disarray.
It is always with trepidation that I start a new term. Years have gone by where I have said that I wouldn’t want to start teaching again. That would explain my current freelance situation. The anxiety is heightened by the so-called new normal
Since 2015, I have been trying to extract myself from full-time lecturing, but with little success so far. In 2018, I went freelance and I have been working at BIMM, Salford and I returned to an old job at Chester, last year. Given the current pandemic, many things have changed and have made the whole process of lecturing less of an enjoyable experience. The classroom stuff I enjoy, but the endless admin is a total bind these days.
I will be working in several different places again next year. So far, the race back to work is chaotic, to say the least, some timetables have not been revealed despite being two weeks away, some take a lot of deciphering, especially with the blend of online and in-class teaching. This is offset by seeing colleagues wearing visors for their teaching sessions. That takes some getting used to.
The uncertainty about campus life as a result of the pandemic is also stressful at the moment. Each day something shifts with regards to that. So that adds to the uncertainty.
Today Sunday, I have been up since 6 am and have been working a full day just to get on top of things. Tomorrow I’m back teaching so hopefully that will go okay. It does feel like a roll-on Christmas sort of vibe at the moment.
The calm before the storm – an empty classroom awaiting students
It’s back to the day job today. Well, not the teaching, but the prep. There’s a lot of that to get through. It feels like summer is well and truly over. Despite what’s going on in the world with the pandemic, it’s been a good summer for me personally and professionally. I have redrafted one novel and another one has been completed, drafted, and ready to submit to publishers. I submitted a book proposal for something else.
I’m ready for that for the next project. I’m undecided what it will be, but think it should be about the music which has been neglected because of other things that I have been doing. I have still to finalise my work timetable but I’m hoping that there is enough time cleared for the other things that I want to do. At the moment it’s time to take stock this week and put some plans into place.
This time of year always brings with it the new starts to term and the endless possibilities. It also brings the sleepless nights and the worry about the new term and how that’s going to shape up. I’m at that stage. Ever since I have been lecturing, I have always likened September to being at the top of the slope and being pushed down it whether you are ready or not. That’s where I am at the moment with the new term, I have four employers and I’m a little worried about how It’s all going to fit in. It is also up the wall in terms of the timetable in most of the places. Instead of stressing myself out, I’m just going to get on with it.
Here’s to the next year it looks like it’s going to be a bumpy old ride, here’s hoping it’s not.
The Pennan Inn, where they filmed Local Hero. A summer holiday destination.
What a year it’s been, there are four months to go. No one would have guessed the way the last twelve months have gone – that’s both on a personal level and with everything that’s happened with the Coronavirus.
I’m just getting myself back into the swing of things creatively after a week away in Scotland. I’m not haste to get back to any form of work just yet – both writing and teaching. I have some down time before I get back to the day job and I have to tie up the novel that I was editing. The last chapter needs to be edited. Then I will sit down and read through the novel as a reader, and not the writer.
It’s certainly been quite a productive summer, I have been busy with work and other things, but I have managed to achieve a few of things that I set out to do. The lack of commute and working from home has given me more time, I’m certainly not in the mood for getting back into the old commuting routine just yet and I’m hopefully that I can put off doing that for another few months.
It’s July and we’re past the halfway mark of the year. It has been a difficult one given the pandemic and lockdown. Thankfully I have been okay and my family too. Although a few of my neighbours have been affected. They are thankfully on the mend.
At the start of the year, I set out a few of my writing ambitions for the year. Having been something of a sporadic writer, I decided to be more productive and committed this year. I signed up for the BXP Challenge to write at least 200 words a day. I’m pleased to say that I have not missed a day doing this and I’ve written 48,458 words for the year. This has been helped by writing whenever I could. That would have been on trains in the morning, instead of doom scrolling on social media. A few notes on my phone or a laptop in coffee shops has enabled me to build up a head of steam. Not having to commute since March has helped, especially in my most busy periods May and July when I was busy marking. I still managed to get something written.
One good thing about being this productive is that it enabled me to finish a few things that I had been planning to do. My first novel, Difficult First Album, was waiting for one final edit before I could send it out to publishers. That’ll be done. My second novel is close to being redrafted.
Yesterday I finished my submission for the 33 1/3 series for a book on the band Tears for Fears. This is an idea I have had for a while and I have had a few notes hanging around that needed finishing. They have call-outs every year for submission ideas, I have missed the boat for many reasons. Thankfully this time I have managed to get something finished.
It may be an obvious thing to say, but the whole idea of showing up and getting things done has worked for me. I will carry on in the same manner for the remainder of the year.
It’s the summer, although it might not be noticeable given the recent weather, and it’s usually a time when the teaching and the marking subsides and I can do my own thing. Which is usually the more creative things; music and writing that I like doing.
Before I can get on with doing that, I have had a sort out of the house. I have bought a few things to brighten up the place. I may even get the paintbrushes out and give the walls/ceilings a lick of paint. Needs must, as I have been come to notice the imperfections of the place more due to the lockdown.
I have also had something of a clear-out of a few things around the house. One thing that has not been culled is the piles of books and CDs DVDs that I own. The fact is that they have increased over lockdown.
What is noticeable about the piles of books that I have is the amount of those unread. This almost accounts for three shelves worth of books to be read. I know I won’t be able to adopt a policy of not buying any books because as I type I know that I have a couple of books on the way to me via delivery. I haven’t got the willpower to not buy books. When I step foot in a bookstore again, I won’t be able to resist.
I’m slowly getting to the point where I am looking at the shelves and thinking that I will never get around to reading a lot of these books.
Ulysses is on one of those shelves gathering dust. There never seems to be the time to sit down and read that. I know that it’s a big undertaking and I know that you have to be in the right mindset to able to do it. There are many others, that made sense to me when I purchased them, now I don’t have the desire to start reading them. I know I won’t get rid of them and the piles will keep on getting bigger.
You can follow what I have been reading over at Goodreads.
Here’s an interesting Radio 4 documentary on bibliomania
