Tag: The Twitchers

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Novel Number Two is Finished*

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.

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Rejections are Inevitable

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.  

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Finishing What You Start

Difficult First Album Word Doc

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.

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All the Time in the World

BXP Challenge
The BXP Challenge

At the start of the lockdown, there were several articles published about having all the time to finish that novel. That is something I had been trying to do since the start of the year, so I was ahead of that curve. 

So, while, everyone else went off at a rate of knots doing the Joe Wicks workout, baking banana bread or painting the house, I was editing, using the extra time that I was saving on the commute. 

Weirdly with more time, comes more distractions to occupy the creative time. First was the latest series of Curb Your Enthusiasm to get through and there was the Tiger King. There’s the Star Wars Skywalker Saga boxset that’s been released on DVD. Then there’s the work which has luckily for me has not disappeared because of lockdown. Instead, I have had to adapt to teaching online using Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Thankfully that has gone smoothly without any hitches. There’s no commute which is a blessed relief, not having to battle with the daily clown show that is Northern Rail. 

Why is that my word count for April was less than it was for the preceding three months? I’m still doing a minimum of 200 words. April was mainly reading and re-editing so the new words may have replaced those that were no longer needed. 

As we enter May and June, it’s marking season. That means my creative projects get put on hold. Here’s hoping that I can keep the writing streak going. 

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Writing Momentum

Difficult First Album Word Doc Final Draft

I’m not one for doing New Year’s resolutions, but this year I did and I resolved to write more. Yep, that one again. Usually, by this time of the year, I would be still building up to this happening. With the usual excuses of writer’s block or that I didn’t have the time due to work. The work situation is still as busy as it has ever been, with the usual bundles of prep and marking to get through. 

As we enter weeks of lockdown, I have been taking stock of what I have written this last year. I have racked up 28,764 words so far. This is from various projects new or that needed editing. 

This has been done by signing up for the BXP Writing Challenge that sees writers producing 200 words per day. Before the lockdown, I did this by writing on the train and which was often delayed on the way to work – it made a frustrating regular occurrence all the more productive. 

Sometimes it was easier to write more, sometimes it was a struggle to get to 200 words, sometimes the words flowed freely, sometimes it was an effort to drag the words out. 

It was worth signing up to and I realise that I am not that focused unless I have some sort of goal. I would recommend it any writer out there.