Writing Plan
New Writings, Old Problems
30/03/24 23:01
For too long I’ve not been in the habit of writing. I’ve just been dipping in and out of it haphazardly. Hell, even the blogs on the site seem to be influenced by rare freak weather events from the Sahara. I know I really need to get in the groove for it as it’ll be impossible to finish any longer form pieces if it’s not more formalised into my week. And I really do want to finish at least one novel, preferably starting with at least one of the two I’ve started and got quite far along with.
To that end I’ve got a couple of new writing projects on the go (short stories with my own derived prompts). There’s a possibility I suppose they may turn into something in themselves, even if it’s just a few stories posted on here. But really the main point is to get myself into the habit of writing regularly and stretching my head with some random ideas. I’ll keep you posted as to whether this works and if it does lets see what comes out of it. Both in terms of the short stories and whether it gets me finishing off a novel or two.
Onwards and Upwards. Predictably and planned (or more likely pantsed).
To that end I’ve got a couple of new writing projects on the go (short stories with my own derived prompts). There’s a possibility I suppose they may turn into something in themselves, even if it’s just a few stories posted on here. But really the main point is to get myself into the habit of writing regularly and stretching my head with some random ideas. I’ll keep you posted as to whether this works and if it does lets see what comes out of it. Both in terms of the short stories and whether it gets me finishing off a novel or two.
Onwards and Upwards. Predictably and planned (or more likely pantsed).
Comments
Words, Words, Words
01/08/20 10:50
Looking at getting stricter with my writing which is partly why I want to record it: as a document of success or failure and a rod for my own back (or something like that). I’m not sure what to aim for. It will probably be a matter of finding what works for me as I get into the writing daily habit. Be it 300 words or 2000 words (hell, I know it won’t be that initially).
I found a website called The Daily Word Counter <www.wordcounter.net> which had an article giving an idea of the daily word count of many famous writing as follows:
Ernest Hemingway - 500 words
Stephen King - 2000
Jack London - 1500
Tom Wolfe - 135
Mark Twain - 1400-1800
W Somerset Maugham - 1000
Sarah Walters - 1000
Sebastian Faulks - 1000
Michael Crichton - 10,000
Kate DiCamillo -600-900
Nicholas Sparks - 2000
J.G. Ballard - 1000
Ian McEwan - 600
Lee Child - 1800
Anne Rice - 3000
Arthur Conan Doyle - 3000
Arthur Hayley - 600
Graham Greene - 500
Holly Black - 1000
I’m not sure of the voracity of these numbers and whilst they show a wide difference; most are between a pretty manageable 500 and 2000 words. Given I can crack off a blog of 300-500 words or a flash of 365 words in less than an hour then having a daily word count of 500-1000 words should be achievable, I’ve also done NaNo successfully twice, which equates to 1666 a day.
I don’t think having the NaNo tick-tock is necessary but it certainly helps over the relative short term of a month. Without it maybe the very act of recording it will be the kick up the backside.
So let’s see how I go with achieving 500-1000 words on projects (not counting blogs) – incidentally this will be about 380 words.
Writing even that much/little will drive me into more projects and ideas i.e. finishing existing ones and getting me to new ones. Let’s see where I get to come November . In theory that should be 45-90.,000 words. Ha, we shall see.
First thing I’ve done is write down where I’m up to in various projects in terms of current word count so I can check up on progress.
Current Word Counts and aims:
TWO1 - 56,267 : 80,000
TM2 - 3946 : 6000
SC1 - 601 : 4000
TT1 - 1193 : 50,000
THS1 - 73 : 50,000*
* may get broken down into multiple short stories.
I found a website called The Daily Word Counter <www.wordcounter.net> which had an article giving an idea of the daily word count of many famous writing as follows:
Ernest Hemingway - 500 words
Stephen King - 2000
Jack London - 1500
Tom Wolfe - 135
Mark Twain - 1400-1800
W Somerset Maugham - 1000
Sarah Walters - 1000
Sebastian Faulks - 1000
Michael Crichton - 10,000
Kate DiCamillo -600-900
Nicholas Sparks - 2000
J.G. Ballard - 1000
Ian McEwan - 600
Lee Child - 1800
Anne Rice - 3000
Arthur Conan Doyle - 3000
Arthur Hayley - 600
Graham Greene - 500
Holly Black - 1000
I’m not sure of the voracity of these numbers and whilst they show a wide difference; most are between a pretty manageable 500 and 2000 words. Given I can crack off a blog of 300-500 words or a flash of 365 words in less than an hour then having a daily word count of 500-1000 words should be achievable, I’ve also done NaNo successfully twice, which equates to 1666 a day.
I don’t think having the NaNo tick-tock is necessary but it certainly helps over the relative short term of a month. Without it maybe the very act of recording it will be the kick up the backside.
So let’s see how I go with achieving 500-1000 words on projects (not counting blogs) – incidentally this will be about 380 words.
Writing even that much/little will drive me into more projects and ideas i.e. finishing existing ones and getting me to new ones. Let’s see where I get to come November . In theory that should be 45-90.,000 words. Ha, we shall see.
First thing I’ve done is write down where I’m up to in various projects in terms of current word count so I can check up on progress.
Current Word Counts and aims:
TWO1 - 56,267 : 80,000
TM2 - 3946 : 6000
SC1 - 601 : 4000
TT1 - 1193 : 50,000
THS1 - 73 : 50,000*
* may get broken down into multiple short stories.
Writing, Damn Writing
28/07/20 21:58
It’s been too long since I’ve done any proper writing. A 365 word flash fiction once a week doesn’t count and neither does VSS365 or the other occasional Twitter prompts or prompt rants I get involved in. I mean writing on specific projects.
I did some writing for the defunct/no longer defunct GetIntoThis website between March and June and when this went I realised I should force myself to write to my own deadlines on the pieces I want to write, be it blogs on the website or projects for potential publication – or just furthering my writing practice.
And so I need to get back to it. Thinking I may do a weekly diary on the blog. This could act as a kick up the backside as well as a simple record. So my thoughts as of today (Monday) is that I’ll start that from next weekend. As it’s a nice date to start with Saturday being the 1st of the month. It’ll give me a few days to make my plans on the projects and to get back up to speed on those already started.
I am particularly wanting to finish the ‘Wobbly Odyssey’ which has some five chapters to go (some 20-25k words). I’ve been reading it again lately and quite enjoying it – which is weird to say about your own story but hell I am. I’m wondering how difficult it will be to get back into the groove with the characters and the story after so long away from it. I am thinking it will be quite hard, but willing to be pleasantly surprised.
Then I’ve got the story for another project to rework or start again for the umpteenth time. That’s only about 5-6k and I’ve done my usual trick of saying too much upfront rather than just running hard with the story from the starting pistol – I also wonder if it would just be better as a longer story in any case.
The other thing about recording my writing progress this way is it makes me write a blog post every week which keeps the blog updated regularly too. It could be a win - win: but only if I actually keep up with writing regularly. It’s actually been quite difficult lately with work being long and hard; making me tired when I get home and not in the mood for writing (or just falling asleep not long after tea). I’ve got to experiment to see what works. If I wake up early perhaps I should spend some of that time writing rather than hoping for the best in the evening. It’s a difficult concept as a certified night owl, but needs must.
Anyway between now and the weekend I’ll have a think about the projects and how best to write and record a blog about it – and do the writing itself of course. I guess something short and simple will be best to avoid eating into writing time, and to ensure I do it in a timely manner (should be easier for any reader too). Or maybe something largely visual. I’ll have to come up with a snappy title for this part of the blog too and decide where to put it i.e under Writer’s Block or a new sub titled section under the Writings section. I am minded for the latter, lest it get lost in this blog with all the general hubbub of Open Min, Reading and Work blogs. Anyways, watch this space...
I did some writing for the defunct/no longer defunct GetIntoThis website between March and June and when this went I realised I should force myself to write to my own deadlines on the pieces I want to write, be it blogs on the website or projects for potential publication – or just furthering my writing practice.
And so I need to get back to it. Thinking I may do a weekly diary on the blog. This could act as a kick up the backside as well as a simple record. So my thoughts as of today (Monday) is that I’ll start that from next weekend. As it’s a nice date to start with Saturday being the 1st of the month. It’ll give me a few days to make my plans on the projects and to get back up to speed on those already started.
I am particularly wanting to finish the ‘Wobbly Odyssey’ which has some five chapters to go (some 20-25k words). I’ve been reading it again lately and quite enjoying it – which is weird to say about your own story but hell I am. I’m wondering how difficult it will be to get back into the groove with the characters and the story after so long away from it. I am thinking it will be quite hard, but willing to be pleasantly surprised.
Then I’ve got the story for another project to rework or start again for the umpteenth time. That’s only about 5-6k and I’ve done my usual trick of saying too much upfront rather than just running hard with the story from the starting pistol – I also wonder if it would just be better as a longer story in any case.
The other thing about recording my writing progress this way is it makes me write a blog post every week which keeps the blog updated regularly too. It could be a win - win: but only if I actually keep up with writing regularly. It’s actually been quite difficult lately with work being long and hard; making me tired when I get home and not in the mood for writing (or just falling asleep not long after tea). I’ve got to experiment to see what works. If I wake up early perhaps I should spend some of that time writing rather than hoping for the best in the evening. It’s a difficult concept as a certified night owl, but needs must.
Anyway between now and the weekend I’ll have a think about the projects and how best to write and record a blog about it – and do the writing itself of course. I guess something short and simple will be best to avoid eating into writing time, and to ensure I do it in a timely manner (should be easier for any reader too). Or maybe something largely visual. I’ll have to come up with a snappy title for this part of the blog too and decide where to put it i.e under Writer’s Block or a new sub titled section under the Writings section. I am minded for the latter, lest it get lost in this blog with all the general hubbub of Open Min, Reading and Work blogs. Anyways, watch this space...
The Once Poised Pen
05/09/19 11:18
I've officially left the Poised Pen writing group, in so much as such a thing can be official when there is not a membership per se–basically you go to a meeting and you pay your dues, that's your membership. I haven't been going for the last 20 months, so I've asked to be taken off the mailing list, as it gets frustrating reading the apologies. I stopped sending them in as it seemed superfluous when people aren't expecting me to be there. There are PP members now going who I have never met.
I think I went to one, maybe two, meetings once they changed from having the meetings in a real ale pub (the Fly in the Loaf) to the backroom of a restaurant (Porto).
.
It's a shame to cut the ties in some ways but I've just not been going and can't see me going back in the short to medium term. Ultimately I know where they are if I find I want to return in the future. The PP was my first and only writing group where I read out any of my stories, following my few appearances reading poetry at the Dead Good Poets. It also gave me my first opportunities to be published with the Poised Pen anthologies and I can't thank them enough for that: these were 'Half Baked' (2014) and 'All Things Considered' (2016).
I used to be a very regular attendee, pretty much ever present after I started going in 2013. I helped produce Half Baked including sorting it out for the Kindle and using my photo for the cover: unfortunately I was also responsible for a typo on the spine. I enjoyed meeting at the Fly as it combined two of my loves (ale & writing) and cutting one out was the driver for me stopping. Time is a finite resource and something had to give. The writing community outside of the group from, amongst others, the Flash Dogs and VSS365 guys and gals, has given me the confidence and pals I can call on for reading queries or writing advice–albeit without the pint in hand and a post reading chin-wag.
So I'll take this opportunity to say thanks to the Poised Pen for the friendships, the opportunities, the experience, for meeting a lovely group of writers, and for some of the best meetings ever. Good luck to all who sail with her and I look forward to reading your work in the wild–or hearing it on the radio or seeing it on the telly-box. I expect I'll still bump into you; be that in the Fly or at some book or screenwriting extravaganza.
Keep writing.
I think I went to one, maybe two, meetings once they changed from having the meetings in a real ale pub (the Fly in the Loaf) to the backroom of a restaurant (Porto).
.
It's a shame to cut the ties in some ways but I've just not been going and can't see me going back in the short to medium term. Ultimately I know where they are if I find I want to return in the future. The PP was my first and only writing group where I read out any of my stories, following my few appearances reading poetry at the Dead Good Poets. It also gave me my first opportunities to be published with the Poised Pen anthologies and I can't thank them enough for that: these were 'Half Baked' (2014) and 'All Things Considered' (2016).
I used to be a very regular attendee, pretty much ever present after I started going in 2013. I helped produce Half Baked including sorting it out for the Kindle and using my photo for the cover: unfortunately I was also responsible for a typo on the spine. I enjoyed meeting at the Fly as it combined two of my loves (ale & writing) and cutting one out was the driver for me stopping. Time is a finite resource and something had to give. The writing community outside of the group from, amongst others, the Flash Dogs and VSS365 guys and gals, has given me the confidence and pals I can call on for reading queries or writing advice–albeit without the pint in hand and a post reading chin-wag.
So I'll take this opportunity to say thanks to the Poised Pen for the friendships, the opportunities, the experience, for meeting a lovely group of writers, and for some of the best meetings ever. Good luck to all who sail with her and I look forward to reading your work in the wild–or hearing it on the radio or seeing it on the telly-box. I expect I'll still bump into you; be that in the Fly or at some book or screenwriting extravaganza.
Keep writing.
The Writing Habit
05/09/19 09:40
It's so easy to come up with reasons not to write sometimes. I mean there is always a film to watch (sometimes again), a box-set to finish or a new one to start, then again there's that once in lifetime (or once in a week) sporting occasion. These damn essential unmissables. Then there's the whole shopping, cooking and eating thing. And don't even mention that washing and ironing thing.
Do you want to fucking write or not? Well let's not fall at the first hurdle, let's just assume you like writing a bit. You're doing some, probably not enough of course. But then again where are you finding the time and how much time do you need? On the face of it not that much if you get into an effective habit. Just get an envelope out and write out a few ideas. If you can find half an hour to write 350 words every day that's over 127,000 words a year. There is your first novel with words to spare. And if you could do 500 words in a day then you're up to 187,000. That could be two books–five hundred words.
So if you want to get to a book's worth of words in a year it could be about finding just half an hour a day and getting into a habit, could't it? Pick a time, in the morning before work, at lunch time, or at the end of the day–maybe over a beer. Whatever works. I will if you will.
Okay, I will anyway. Will have to keep some sort of writing diary and see how it goes.
I'm sure it's all about good habits.
Do you want to fucking write or not? Well let's not fall at the first hurdle, let's just assume you like writing a bit. You're doing some, probably not enough of course. But then again where are you finding the time and how much time do you need? On the face of it not that much if you get into an effective habit. Just get an envelope out and write out a few ideas. If you can find half an hour to write 350 words every day that's over 127,000 words a year. There is your first novel with words to spare. And if you could do 500 words in a day then you're up to 187,000. That could be two books–five hundred words.
So if you want to get to a book's worth of words in a year it could be about finding just half an hour a day and getting into a habit, could't it? Pick a time, in the morning before work, at lunch time, or at the end of the day–maybe over a beer. Whatever works. I will if you will.
Okay, I will anyway. Will have to keep some sort of writing diary and see how it goes.
I'm sure it's all about good habits.
Becoming A Writer
06/06/19 11:47
Have just read another book about writing: 'Becoming A Writer' by Dorothea Brande. It's an interesting one. And is not about the rules of writing and there are no plans or plots in there. It is more about the methods of getting into it. Turning off and switching on. Or something like that.
It is from 1934 so one can only wonder at what she would say about TV and Social Media. Basically, I dare say, she would say 'Turn it off and just write, you damn fool!' Then look at that stuff, if you must — once you've hit your goal. It's not exactly mystical: don't read before you write, or else your writing will be affected by it. Ditto listening to radio or films, or even conversations; basically, avoid anything with words in it.
'Becoming A Writer' Dorothea Brande (1934)
A decent read with some nice writing exercise ideas. Strangely she says nothing about word processors or writing software. She does suggest having two typewriters (one desktop and one laptop). ;-)
To save you reading it: make some me time, make it quiet, relax, get into the zone… then get stuck in. Or something like that.
It's a worthwhile read and it's made me think about my writing. This blog is called 'Writerer's Block' but other than some flash and VSS365 related things there hasn't been much about my writing lately. It's largely been music, football and beer.
I am going to replan my writing and attempt to get into a groove or at least try to manufacture better habits. I won't herald what I am doing quite yet. I will give a few things a go and see what works for me in terms of getting things done, including new writing projects and finishing the almost mythical TWO.
#amwriting
It is from 1934 so one can only wonder at what she would say about TV and Social Media. Basically, I dare say, she would say 'Turn it off and just write, you damn fool!' Then look at that stuff, if you must — once you've hit your goal. It's not exactly mystical: don't read before you write, or else your writing will be affected by it. Ditto listening to radio or films, or even conversations; basically, avoid anything with words in it.
'Becoming A Writer' Dorothea Brande (1934)
A decent read with some nice writing exercise ideas. Strangely she says nothing about word processors or writing software. She does suggest having two typewriters (one desktop and one laptop). ;-)
To save you reading it: make some me time, make it quiet, relax, get into the zone… then get stuck in. Or something like that.
It's a worthwhile read and it's made me think about my writing. This blog is called 'Writerer's Block' but other than some flash and VSS365 related things there hasn't been much about my writing lately. It's largely been music, football and beer.
I am going to replan my writing and attempt to get into a groove or at least try to manufacture better habits. I won't herald what I am doing quite yet. I will give a few things a go and see what works for me in terms of getting things done, including new writing projects and finishing the almost mythical TWO.
#amwriting
A Story Setting
14/01/19 13:26
When you could print out a bridge in fifteen hours, how long would it be before it was a house, a road, a school; a city? How long before the haves and have nots would be separated by a wall printed over night?
But it’s never that simple. Events don’t happen in isolation. There are needs and wants. We are creatures quite simply needing to balance energy in and energy out. Then’s the procreation desires. That used to be simple. One way of life and all that. Now each one of us can literally contain multitudes without the complication of personal interactions.
Our minds are massive complicated beasts, ostensibly tameable but often fragile. They need stimulation and freedom not containment and control; sometimes freedom.
Always freedom.
We have never craved conformity, not completely. A Ford ’T’ with a furry dice. A front door painted pink. A left field band. A tattoo. The love of art, of music, of architecture. The love of the wrong girl; the wrong man. A dangerous liaison.
We are not the same and we should glory in that.
Then there’s power. People who have it will do anything to keep it. Monitor the people: Stop the people. Manipulate. Build a wall. Build many walls. Close the cities down, until you can’t trust anyone. Art is banned. Free speech is banned. You are not safe in your own home. It is not your home. Your life is the government’s now.
Life is precarious. Freedom was special.
And you don’t miss your water until your well’s run dry.
But it’s never that simple. Events don’t happen in isolation. There are needs and wants. We are creatures quite simply needing to balance energy in and energy out. Then’s the procreation desires. That used to be simple. One way of life and all that. Now each one of us can literally contain multitudes without the complication of personal interactions.
Our minds are massive complicated beasts, ostensibly tameable but often fragile. They need stimulation and freedom not containment and control; sometimes freedom.
Always freedom.
We have never craved conformity, not completely. A Ford ’T’ with a furry dice. A front door painted pink. A left field band. A tattoo. The love of art, of music, of architecture. The love of the wrong girl; the wrong man. A dangerous liaison.
We are not the same and we should glory in that.
Then there’s power. People who have it will do anything to keep it. Monitor the people: Stop the people. Manipulate. Build a wall. Build many walls. Close the cities down, until you can’t trust anyone. Art is banned. Free speech is banned. You are not safe in your own home. It is not your home. Your life is the government’s now.
Life is precarious. Freedom was special.
And you don’t miss your water until your well’s run dry.
Writing Plans 2019 (WIP)
10/01/19 11:07
Still working on my planning for this year's writing. Have the two NaNoWriMo projects to finish off and after that I'll then consider the re-editing and completion of one or both of these. Then there's the consideration of other projects. I've a couple of ideas which could spread across several stories/books, including YA and SF. One of these ideas may come to the forefront.
I'm going to keep an eye out all year for publication options for short stories - whether it being anthologies or competitions. I've already got one lead which looks promising.
I've the few memoirs pages on the website to continue adding to - it looks from the current Twitter vote the next one will be about my Glastonbury experiences, which is going to be fun to recall.
One thing under consideration is a weekly serialisation - of something between say 1000-5000 words - being put up on the website under the Writing section. It seems a neat idea in terms of getting into the swing of writing regularly a decent size chunk and getting it out there.
Anyways, the plans will be firmed up soon. With or without a serialisation... watch this space.
I'm going to keep an eye out all year for publication options for short stories - whether it being anthologies or competitions. I've already got one lead which looks promising.
I've the few memoirs pages on the website to continue adding to - it looks from the current Twitter vote the next one will be about my Glastonbury experiences, which is going to be fun to recall.
One thing under consideration is a weekly serialisation - of something between say 1000-5000 words - being put up on the website under the Writing section. It seems a neat idea in terms of getting into the swing of writing regularly a decent size chunk and getting it out there.
Anyways, the plans will be firmed up soon. With or without a serialisation... watch this space.
Check Out Any Time You Like
29/12/18 12:32
Had a wee bit of a strum today playing Hotel California - such a fab song. When I played with a few mates back in the 1990s one of them had written out the lyrics for it, but we never got around to playing it. It predated Google and all that and I realised today that he'd got a few words wrong, which is quite off-putting when you're playing along. Anyway, got them sorted now. Shows how long it is since I've been into playing; handwritten lyrics as (mis)heard from the LP?
Decided to record my playing it. A minute and a half into it though I noticed Footy Focus was starting so had to pause the TV (I wasn't going to miss it with Liverpool being top of the league). It was quite funny so I've left it in the vid anyway. The end of the song is a bit nothing. But I'll re-record it at some point. The question now is whether I'll learn the song and play it at one of the Open Mics in 2019?
Anyway, should you like a laugh then my strum is here....
I do like the Eagles. I was lucky enough to see them in Moscow back in 2001 or so. Funnily enough they played their gig in two sets and opened the second set with Hotel California. Russians being Russians most of them missed it as they were beneath the stands still drinking. The gig ended with the Russian audience chanting 'Cal-if-forn-I-A, Cal-if-forn-I-A...'. They were gutted when they didn't come out to play it again. Still makes me laugh now.
I am currently reading 'VOX' by Christina Dalcher. Nice easy read and over half way through now so should finish it before New Year, which will mean I'll have read 34 books this year (according to my GoodReads records). A bit down on last year, but it is what it is. Need to make some plans for my reading next year and more importantly my writing. It's been a mixed year for writing for me. I got published just the once which is the least I've been published since I first was back in 2014. That said I was made up with this publication, with it being the third of the Infernal Clock anthologies: 'Deadcades'. I've been lucky enough to had stories in all three of them and they are all excellent, this year's though seems a cut above. Unless we're going to get to a situation where Infernal Clock get to Part 5 of a Trilogy, in a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy style, then I'm going to have to find some suitable places to submit stories for. And this must form a decent part of my planning. I've still got to find a home for the original story I wrote for the Infernal Clock: Calendark too.
The other positive was finishing NaNoWriMo for the second time. It was a bit chaotic this time, but I think I've learnt a lot from that which makes it worthwhile in itself. I need to go on and finish that in 2019 and then edit, re-edit etc if I think it is worth it. At the same time I've got to consider whether to finish and rewrite the NaNo from 2017.
As you can see I have some planning to do. Now I've finished strumming for the day - and writing a quick blog - then it IS planning time. Well as much as I can before watching the Liverpool v Arsenal game with a couple of mates and some ales.
No doubt will report back on here with writing and reading plans. It's kinda what the blog is for really.
Decided to record my playing it. A minute and a half into it though I noticed Footy Focus was starting so had to pause the TV (I wasn't going to miss it with Liverpool being top of the league). It was quite funny so I've left it in the vid anyway. The end of the song is a bit nothing. But I'll re-record it at some point. The question now is whether I'll learn the song and play it at one of the Open Mics in 2019?
Anyway, should you like a laugh then my strum is here....
I do like the Eagles. I was lucky enough to see them in Moscow back in 2001 or so. Funnily enough they played their gig in two sets and opened the second set with Hotel California. Russians being Russians most of them missed it as they were beneath the stands still drinking. The gig ended with the Russian audience chanting 'Cal-if-forn-I-A, Cal-if-forn-I-A...'. They were gutted when they didn't come out to play it again. Still makes me laugh now.
I am currently reading 'VOX' by Christina Dalcher. Nice easy read and over half way through now so should finish it before New Year, which will mean I'll have read 34 books this year (according to my GoodReads records). A bit down on last year, but it is what it is. Need to make some plans for my reading next year and more importantly my writing. It's been a mixed year for writing for me. I got published just the once which is the least I've been published since I first was back in 2014. That said I was made up with this publication, with it being the third of the Infernal Clock anthologies: 'Deadcades'. I've been lucky enough to had stories in all three of them and they are all excellent, this year's though seems a cut above. Unless we're going to get to a situation where Infernal Clock get to Part 5 of a Trilogy, in a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy style, then I'm going to have to find some suitable places to submit stories for. And this must form a decent part of my planning. I've still got to find a home for the original story I wrote for the Infernal Clock: Calendark too.
The other positive was finishing NaNoWriMo for the second time. It was a bit chaotic this time, but I think I've learnt a lot from that which makes it worthwhile in itself. I need to go on and finish that in 2019 and then edit, re-edit etc if I think it is worth it. At the same time I've got to consider whether to finish and rewrite the NaNo from 2017.
As you can see I have some planning to do. Now I've finished strumming for the day - and writing a quick blog - then it IS planning time. Well as much as I can before watching the Liverpool v Arsenal game with a couple of mates and some ales.
No doubt will report back on here with writing and reading plans. It's kinda what the blog is for really.
Real Life in Fiction
12/03/18 09:38
I haven't yet decided whether to run with Project Jaipur or Sarah Hughes yet, but I have done a little more thinking about Jaipur. It is (expected) to be a buddy road (well probably rail) movie with beer - okay an epic pub crawl across many miles and days. It would like to grow up to be a comedy, but who knows?
I've already set out the nine chapter headings, which are largely geographically based, and I've the three main characters (and the princely sum of 2769 words down in Scrivener for it).
So it's basically the story about a pub crawl. I should be on firm ground here, right?
I started of thinking I should use real pubs, to almost produce a travelogue that could really be followed. There are several issues with this. For a start I'd need a week or two off to 'research' this which would be costly (if fun) - and the notes each day would get progressively more patchy and scrawly. Of course the way the pub business is things change so fast that by the time the story was finished a couple of the places would probably be closed, have their names changed or at the very least refitted - and the people change all the time - making any focus on real life descriptions pretty pointless.
While as a real ale fan and even more a fan of actual pubs it was quite attractive to make these places real. But in reality it is the story and the characters which matter most. The settings will be important, but they can be totally fictionalised. Should the finished article ever get read by anyone the important thing will be the story not whether the pubs and bars are real places and they could in fact distract the reader if I did a bad job of it.
So whilst I may use some real pubs in my head to set the stories in I'll change the names in all the cases to protect the innocent (and the guilty). This will mean less worrying about getting descriptions 'right' and more focus on getting the story right. When I wrote 'Fergie Time' I had a few real named places in it, but there were a lot less of them than would be in this story and the settings were less important than the narrative.
In summary, with Project Jaipur I have decided that while I will have lots of real venues in mind I'll change all the names. It'll be important to evoke the sense of these venues be they genuine or totally fictitious. Of course there will be plenty of real named places in Jaipur - just not the pubs - let's drink to that.
Over the next week or so I'll be deciding whether to run with Jaipur or Sarah. Looking forward to making the decision and then going with it.
I've already set out the nine chapter headings, which are largely geographically based, and I've the three main characters (and the princely sum of 2769 words down in Scrivener for it).
So it's basically the story about a pub crawl. I should be on firm ground here, right?
I started of thinking I should use real pubs, to almost produce a travelogue that could really be followed. There are several issues with this. For a start I'd need a week or two off to 'research' this which would be costly (if fun) - and the notes each day would get progressively more patchy and scrawly. Of course the way the pub business is things change so fast that by the time the story was finished a couple of the places would probably be closed, have their names changed or at the very least refitted - and the people change all the time - making any focus on real life descriptions pretty pointless.
While as a real ale fan and even more a fan of actual pubs it was quite attractive to make these places real. But in reality it is the story and the characters which matter most. The settings will be important, but they can be totally fictionalised. Should the finished article ever get read by anyone the important thing will be the story not whether the pubs and bars are real places and they could in fact distract the reader if I did a bad job of it.
So whilst I may use some real pubs in my head to set the stories in I'll change the names in all the cases to protect the innocent (and the guilty). This will mean less worrying about getting descriptions 'right' and more focus on getting the story right. When I wrote 'Fergie Time' I had a few real named places in it, but there were a lot less of them than would be in this story and the settings were less important than the narrative.
In summary, with Project Jaipur I have decided that while I will have lots of real venues in mind I'll change all the names. It'll be important to evoke the sense of these venues be they genuine or totally fictitious. Of course there will be plenty of real named places in Jaipur - just not the pubs - let's drink to that.
Over the next week or so I'll be deciding whether to run with Jaipur or Sarah. Looking forward to making the decision and then going with it.
Whittling
21/01/18 09:53
The other day I sat down with my notebook from last year and looked at the plan for 2017. Boy, it was full of good ideas and intentions, but I failed to deliver. My bad.
I'd have been better off just choosing one to go with and attack that, surely? Maybe, maybe not. When I raised this on my beloved Twitter the other day Steph said write for all the projects and see which ones work the best and I think that is probably a fine idea - as long as I don't use it as an excuse to procrastinate.
So for this year I've whittled the projects down to five (yes, that does not sound like serious whittling) - and I haven't even included the Semi-Mythical "Fergie Time" from NaNo.
As I sat looking at the notebook I found myself asking some questions about the projects, including; which stories (or premise of) were the most interesting and which ones would be fun to write and get invested in? I think if it is going to be fun and/or most interesting to write I am more likely to get stuck in and run with it.
So from having five projects which were pretty equal in possibilities I got to a point where I could put them into a priority order.
The short story anthology could be relatively easy to complete, but I'm more interested right now in writing a novel or novella length piece so having that as an aim will just take me away from focusing on that aim. There is a similar argument with the none-fiction work - which also may be of limited interest. That leaves the three novel ideas. For the first one (HbSt1) I have a good idea for world setting and I think it has great possibilities, but I don't have the story to tell yet in that world. Clearly, unless an idea pops into existence within my grasp, that project should be put on the back burner. As for Projects 2 and 5 I have the story ideas together already.
That means then I have indeed whittled - I really have - and come down to two novel ideas to work on: 2HAB and TT1. It'll be much better to work on two than five. And then if one takes off then all the better.
Before I get stuck into these two beauties I need to do one thing though... I can't call them "Project 2" and "Project 5" and certainly not "2HAB" and "TT1". I need to give them cooler project titles. So what do you give them? Well, me being me, naming the projects after beers or breweries seems like a mighty fine idea (and can be extended infinitely). Here we go then:
2HAB is now Project: Jaipur
TT1 is Project: Sarah Hughes
and for completion's sake, and a bit of fun, in case I dip back into the others:
HbSt1 is Project: Neptune
PS is Project: Tiny Rebel
LRA is Project: Plum Porter
I'd have been better off just choosing one to go with and attack that, surely? Maybe, maybe not. When I raised this on my beloved Twitter the other day Steph said write for all the projects and see which ones work the best and I think that is probably a fine idea - as long as I don't use it as an excuse to procrastinate.
So for this year I've whittled the projects down to five (yes, that does not sound like serious whittling) - and I haven't even included the Semi-Mythical "Fergie Time" from NaNo.
- Project 1 - HbSt1 - Fantasy
- Project 2 - TT1 - YA Fantasy
- Project 3 - PS - Short story anthology
- Project 4 - LRA - None Fiction
- Project 5 - 2HAB - Fiction (comedy)
As I sat looking at the notebook I found myself asking some questions about the projects, including; which stories (or premise of) were the most interesting and which ones would be fun to write and get invested in? I think if it is going to be fun and/or most interesting to write I am more likely to get stuck in and run with it.
So from having five projects which were pretty equal in possibilities I got to a point where I could put them into a priority order.
The short story anthology could be relatively easy to complete, but I'm more interested right now in writing a novel or novella length piece so having that as an aim will just take me away from focusing on that aim. There is a similar argument with the none-fiction work - which also may be of limited interest. That leaves the three novel ideas. For the first one (HbSt1) I have a good idea for world setting and I think it has great possibilities, but I don't have the story to tell yet in that world. Clearly, unless an idea pops into existence within my grasp, that project should be put on the back burner. As for Projects 2 and 5 I have the story ideas together already.
That means then I have indeed whittled - I really have - and come down to two novel ideas to work on: 2HAB and TT1. It'll be much better to work on two than five. And then if one takes off then all the better.
Before I get stuck into these two beauties I need to do one thing though... I can't call them "Project 2" and "Project 5" and certainly not "2HAB" and "TT1". I need to give them cooler project titles. So what do you give them? Well, me being me, naming the projects after beers or breweries seems like a mighty fine idea (and can be extended infinitely). Here we go then:
2HAB is now Project: Jaipur
TT1 is Project: Sarah Hughes
and for completion's sake, and a bit of fun, in case I dip back into the others:
HbSt1 is Project: Neptune
PS is Project: Tiny Rebel
LRA is Project: Plum Porter
Writing and Twitter Democracy
12/01/18 20:34
This week I've written three (yes three) FlashFeeds and one Microcosms; not bad over a five or six day period. They were all between 300 and about 370 words. The one day I didn't write I was out putting some thoughts on paper together on what my main target(s) could be for this year's writing. Anyone who follows my Twitter feed knows I am struggling with a multitude of ideas and not sure which to target yet. I think that Steph Ellis who suggested getting on with all of them and seeing which runs best seems a fine idea - if a tad MA-HOOSSIVE.
The other writing I've tasked myself with is doing some memoir pieces and to that end I put out my first ever Twitter vote with the choices between; Russia, Turkmenistan, China, and Nigeria. The results are in ...
It's the fabulously bizarre Turkmenistan. Where the hell am I going to start and end with that one (other than Turkmenistan)!?
Thanks to all the bods who voted. Just glad to receive more than a couple of votes! Who says democracy is dead?
The other writing I've tasked myself with is doing some memoir pieces and to that end I put out my first ever Twitter vote with the choices between; Russia, Turkmenistan, China, and Nigeria. The results are in ...
It's the fabulously bizarre Turkmenistan. Where the hell am I going to start and end with that one (other than Turkmenistan)!?
Thanks to all the bods who voted. Just glad to receive more than a couple of votes! Who says democracy is dead?
Writing Plans. Sometime.
05/01/18 22:28
All this thinking about reading and writing.... well? Well, when am I going to get time to think about it? Not got a Scooby.
So no update yet on a plan. I am however thinking that I should just make sure I set a daily target, something like 500 words a day. I think that would make a good target whatever the words may be spent on. Just making the concerted effort of regularly getting anything down on paper will be a good habit to get into however well aimed the words may be; 5 days in to 2018 and I ain't written much at all yet.
I'm of on a beer trip tomorrow so this 500 word goal I'll start from Sunday.
Will let you know how I get on (with the words on Sunday and the beer trip!)
So no update yet on a plan. I am however thinking that I should just make sure I set a daily target, something like 500 words a day. I think that would make a good target whatever the words may be spent on. Just making the concerted effort of regularly getting anything down on paper will be a good habit to get into however well aimed the words may be; 5 days in to 2018 and I ain't written much at all yet.
I'm of on a beer trip tomorrow so this 500 word goal I'll start from Sunday.
Will let you know how I get on (with the words on Sunday and the beer trip!)
Planning to Plan
27/12/17 22:31
God, where does the time go when it's not around here? (apologies to the BNL there) It only seems like a couple of days since my last Blog update but it's 8 days. FFS. Long days delivering and a couple of days for Xmas and that's it. Click and it's gone.
And so now we are in this weird limbo week between Christmas and New Year where many people have lots of days off and it feels like some sort of hiatus whilst we wait for the new year ahead to begin. Of course it's also the time where we look briefly over our shoulders and then look forward with plans and things for the year ahead and beyond.
Today I see another of our FlashDogs - Stella - has got her planning on the go and it looks damn good so far. Check it out ...
So I've gotta start thinking about the plans for 2018 over the next couple of weeks; when I've got a minute.
Whatever my plans are it will prove more successful than this - soon to be last - year's plan; whilst the plans were sound the implementation was pants.
I dare say my plan will be posted up here sometime in early January.
Looking forward to putting a decent plan together - it's nice to spend that time thinking about something larger in a holistic way.
Best of luck to those of you out there with plans in mind too!
And so now we are in this weird limbo week between Christmas and New Year where many people have lots of days off and it feels like some sort of hiatus whilst we wait for the new year ahead to begin. Of course it's also the time where we look briefly over our shoulders and then look forward with plans and things for the year ahead and beyond.
Today I see another of our FlashDogs - Stella - has got her planning on the go and it looks damn good so far. Check it out ...
So I've gotta start thinking about the plans for 2018 over the next couple of weeks; when I've got a minute.
Whatever my plans are it will prove more successful than this - soon to be last - year's plan; whilst the plans were sound the implementation was pants.
I dare say my plan will be posted up here sometime in early January.
Looking forward to putting a decent plan together - it's nice to spend that time thinking about something larger in a holistic way.
Best of luck to those of you out there with plans in mind too!
November Writing Project
03/11/17 20:06
There was the little decision earlier in the week not to drop in and try a second NaNoWriMo. It was a pretty easy call to make without any plan in place and more pertinently a lack of surety of my available time this month. The writing projects I had in mind at the start of the year have stalled and are still in sight of the starting blocks. Rather than invent yet another goal (to complete NaNo) I have decided to get back on to one of the original projects and after a little deliberation I have decided that it will be: Project 1 - A Short Story Collection. Let's face it, it shouldn't have taken too much thought to come up with doing the damn things in the order I came up with them!
Project 1 is a series of 12 short stories, initially aimed at being between 1500-3000 words each, that's a total of 18k-36k. Given I've done two already then that means probably about 1000 words a day if I aim to do them in November - or a short story ever two days or so (compared to a consistent 1667 a day to do NaNo).
In terms of achieving 12 stories that work, are independent of each other and stand up the key thing in such a short space of time will be the number and depth ideas. So this month driving time = ideas time.
Of course whilst this is to some extent to replace NaNo as a driving force to complete a 'work' it's not like I won't have achieved anything if I don't finish them all by the end of the month; I'm not going to issue myself with an internet Badge for completion or reward myself with a T-Shirt. If it goes over by a week or even more then so be it. But the main thing is to drive something forward and to at least attempt to complete one of the goals I set myself at the start of the year.
Not crossing that bridge, yet.
The ultimate aim will be to get 12 stories together that I am happy with and that I can self publish some time in the new year. It'll probably just be Kindle, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Then again if I have 12 stories I'm happy with then maybe I'll just have a bank of 12 stories I can submit to publications... Anyway, like I say, get over that bridge when I get to it.
Project 1 is a series of 12 short stories, initially aimed at being between 1500-3000 words each, that's a total of 18k-36k. Given I've done two already then that means probably about 1000 words a day if I aim to do them in November - or a short story ever two days or so (compared to a consistent 1667 a day to do NaNo).
In terms of achieving 12 stories that work, are independent of each other and stand up the key thing in such a short space of time will be the number and depth ideas. So this month driving time = ideas time.
Of course whilst this is to some extent to replace NaNo as a driving force to complete a 'work' it's not like I won't have achieved anything if I don't finish them all by the end of the month; I'm not going to issue myself with an internet Badge for completion or reward myself with a T-Shirt. If it goes over by a week or even more then so be it. But the main thing is to drive something forward and to at least attempt to complete one of the goals I set myself at the start of the year.
Not crossing that bridge, yet.
The ultimate aim will be to get 12 stories together that I am happy with and that I can self publish some time in the new year. It'll probably just be Kindle, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Then again if I have 12 stories I'm happy with then maybe I'll just have a bank of 12 stories I can submit to publications... Anyway, like I say, get over that bridge when I get to it.
NoNaNoWriMo 2017
31/10/17 08:05
Briefly yesterday I considered a last minute log on to NaNoWriMo to sign up for a second year of 'writing a novel in a month'. For those who don't know the aim is to write a 50,000 word minimum novel in the month of November (National Novel Writing Month). In previous years November for me has involved growing a moustache for Movember but now I'm mostly bearded anyway I haven't done that for a few years. Last year I did NaNoWriMo for the first time and managed to get to the magic 50k words a day or two before the end of the month.
The story I chose to work on last year was one I'd sketched out previously for a Writing on the Wall competition: 'Dragon's Pen' which I presented in front of such luminaries as A.L. Kennedy at Liverpool's Bluecoat several years earlier. Having the broad idea sketched out made the 50k words achievable as it was like writing ten short stories - having each chapter ostensibly as a set piece. This year, although I have two ideas for novels, I don't have them sketched out anywhere near as much. Perhaps if I did I would go for it again. But I don't.
In any case, at the start of the year I had a Writing Plan and that has been hardly touched. So instead of diverting my attention to NaNoWriMo I will use the month to get on with one or other of the Projects I had in mind at the start of the year. Over the next two days I'll decide which one to get on with and use 'Month NaNoWriMo' to get one of these a lot further down the line.
Anyway this year it's No NaNoWriMo for me. Good luck to anyone doing it this year. It is a great experience and brilliant to know that you can get so many words down on a single project - basically with 'just' 1667 words a day. It doesn't sound that difficult when you say it quickly.
The story I chose to work on last year was one I'd sketched out previously for a Writing on the Wall competition: 'Dragon's Pen' which I presented in front of such luminaries as A.L. Kennedy at Liverpool's Bluecoat several years earlier. Having the broad idea sketched out made the 50k words achievable as it was like writing ten short stories - having each chapter ostensibly as a set piece. This year, although I have two ideas for novels, I don't have them sketched out anywhere near as much. Perhaps if I did I would go for it again. But I don't.
In any case, at the start of the year I had a Writing Plan and that has been hardly touched. So instead of diverting my attention to NaNoWriMo I will use the month to get on with one or other of the Projects I had in mind at the start of the year. Over the next two days I'll decide which one to get on with and use 'Month NaNoWriMo' to get one of these a lot further down the line.
Anyway this year it's No NaNoWriMo for me. Good luck to anyone doing it this year. It is a great experience and brilliant to know that you can get so many words down on a single project - basically with 'just' 1667 words a day. It doesn't sound that difficult when you say it quickly.
Reading and Plans
19/08/17 11:40
My reading plans at the start of the year was to read 40 books including the following:
Non-Fiction
'White Mughals' - William Dalrymple
'Return of a King' - William Dalrymple
'Jerusalem' - Simon Sebag Montefiore
'One Summer' - Bill Bryson
Classics
'Macbeth' - Billy Shakes
'The Tempest' - Billy Shakes
'Something or other' - Charlie Dickens
'Name of the Rose' - Umberto Eco
SF and Fantasy
'Gormenghast' - Mervyn Peake
'The Silmarillion' - Tolkien
'The Golden Compass' - Philip Pullman
I'm well on for the 40 having read 32. But of the eleven above I've only read four (The Tempest, Macbeth, Jerusalem and The Silmarillion). The remaining seven are all a bit to hefty to carry around so I can't see me completing all of these. In general though it's been a great reading year, even if I stopped now. But of course why would you stop?
But FFS my bloody writing has been really neglected. Perhaps I can kick-start it with an attempt or two on Shake's 'CalenDark'. Once I've blocked that off, or at least given it a good go, I can get back to one or two of the items on my original Writing Plan. There are real life things going on, for this next few months which will take a few days and hours out, so perhaps I'll let the reading go a tad and focus on some writing.
Non-Fiction
'White Mughals' - William Dalrymple
'Return of a King' - William Dalrymple
'Jerusalem' - Simon Sebag Montefiore
'One Summer' - Bill Bryson
Classics
'Macbeth' - Billy Shakes
'The Tempest' - Billy Shakes
'Something or other' - Charlie Dickens
'Name of the Rose' - Umberto Eco
SF and Fantasy
'Gormenghast' - Mervyn Peake
'The Silmarillion' - Tolkien
'The Golden Compass' - Philip Pullman
I'm well on for the 40 having read 32. But of the eleven above I've only read four (The Tempest, Macbeth, Jerusalem and The Silmarillion). The remaining seven are all a bit to hefty to carry around so I can't see me completing all of these. In general though it's been a great reading year, even if I stopped now. But of course why would you stop?
But FFS my bloody writing has been really neglected. Perhaps I can kick-start it with an attempt or two on Shake's 'CalenDark'. Once I've blocked that off, or at least given it a good go, I can get back to one or two of the items on my original Writing Plan. There are real life things going on, for this next few months which will take a few days and hours out, so perhaps I'll let the reading go a tad and focus on some writing.
Big Little Update
28/05/17 22:29
Flip, it's been over a week since my last update. Not been too much writing from me in last week. I wrote a Memoir piece on some musical history: Smithdown; the band. And wrote a few small bits and bobs for nothing in particular. Unfortunately I missed Microcosms, which was a bit of a shame as I liked the theme idea this week (I even picked my book for it). Time defeated me after a very hot Friday at work.
I went back to reading my NaNoWriMo story from last November to see whether it has enough meat on its bones to turn into an actual fully fledged story. And... well I think it does. So yes, I am going to attempt to edit and polish it. It'll probably take a couple of months, but would be great to finish it. So bloody hell, I'm going to bite that bullet.
Heard from a mate who doesn't do that much reading who got around to reading my story in Infernal Clock and really enjoyed; he actually said 'gripped'. That made me happy.
So all in all whilst not much writing it is a big week for me... I'm going to finish writing a bloody novel. And now I've said that out loud, haven't I. So I have to. Watch this space.
I went back to reading my NaNoWriMo story from last November to see whether it has enough meat on its bones to turn into an actual fully fledged story. And... well I think it does. So yes, I am going to attempt to edit and polish it. It'll probably take a couple of months, but would be great to finish it. So bloody hell, I'm going to bite that bullet.
Heard from a mate who doesn't do that much reading who got around to reading my story in Infernal Clock and really enjoyed; he actually said 'gripped'. That made me happy.
So all in all whilst not much writing it is a big week for me... I'm going to finish writing a bloody novel. And now I've said that out loud, haven't I. So I have to. Watch this space.
A Globe Trip
10/05/17 14:57
London: The Globe Trip
Only had one night there but had a cracking quick trip to London. Had the £10 Virgin tickets to London. The hotel up near Arsenal wasn't up to much but everything else went swimmingly!
The trip started well. A full English in the Shiraz in Liverpool then off to Platform 8 for the Virgin train to London. Ended up sat next to a woman on her way to Zambia for a trip with students from the University of Central Lancashire. Had a nice chin wag about traveling and reading. She was reading Lord of the Rings in paperback.
A guy who got on at Stafford overheard us talking and joined the conversation. Turned out he had some books with him. That he'd written. Cool! And who was he? Leaf Fielding. Okay, I hadn't heard of him either. But that's what Google is for. Flip! Think I'll have to buy that first book now.
I'd booked my ticket for Nell Gwynn at the Globe the previous night and went for the standing option. Glad I did. Standing was fine (no different to going to a gig (including have the issue of tall people in front of you). The play was brilliant laugh out loud fun. It was designed for the Globe originally and it worked fantastically. Didn't know the lead, but she was excellent. A few of the actors I recognised from the telly.
Talking of which I sat next to Mark Rylance in the Swan Bar before the show (yep, Wolf Hall and all). Rubbing shoulders!
On Tuesday it was a quick walk around the Emirates stadium, home of Arsenal. A bit antiseptic as a new build stadium, but worth seeing as it was round the corner from the hotel. Then on for an hour walk around the never to be missed British Museum, before heading to a few pubs... including the oldest surviving pub in London the George Inn (near the Globe actually) and then up to Pimilico for Cask, and to Euston for the Bree Louise and the Euston Tap.
A great trip.
Uploaded some pics onto Flickr. First time I've Flickred for ages.
Only had one night there but had a cracking quick trip to London. Had the £10 Virgin tickets to London. The hotel up near Arsenal wasn't up to much but everything else went swimmingly!
The trip started well. A full English in the Shiraz in Liverpool then off to Platform 8 for the Virgin train to London. Ended up sat next to a woman on her way to Zambia for a trip with students from the University of Central Lancashire. Had a nice chin wag about traveling and reading. She was reading Lord of the Rings in paperback.
A guy who got on at Stafford overheard us talking and joined the conversation. Turned out he had some books with him. That he'd written. Cool! And who was he? Leaf Fielding. Okay, I hadn't heard of him either. But that's what Google is for. Flip! Think I'll have to buy that first book now.
I'd booked my ticket for Nell Gwynn at the Globe the previous night and went for the standing option. Glad I did. Standing was fine (no different to going to a gig (including have the issue of tall people in front of you). The play was brilliant laugh out loud fun. It was designed for the Globe originally and it worked fantastically. Didn't know the lead, but she was excellent. A few of the actors I recognised from the telly.
Talking of which I sat next to Mark Rylance in the Swan Bar before the show (yep, Wolf Hall and all). Rubbing shoulders!
On Tuesday it was a quick walk around the Emirates stadium, home of Arsenal. A bit antiseptic as a new build stadium, but worth seeing as it was round the corner from the hotel. Then on for an hour walk around the never to be missed British Museum, before heading to a few pubs... including the oldest surviving pub in London the George Inn (near the Globe actually) and then up to Pimilico for Cask, and to Euston for the Bree Louise and the Euston Tap.
A great trip.
Uploaded some pics onto Flickr. First time I've Flickred for ages.
Pull Your Finger Out!
11/04/17 22:11
Writing... Focus
Not much writing been done over the last week. I did manage a few hours work on Project 2 last week on a day off and to enter a Flash into Microcosms for the first time in a few weeks. Other than that writing has been a bit thin on my ground.
Work hours have been messed around with - with a late start and consequent late finish it has messed things up in many ways at home and socially. And as per my last post there has been some great TV which has eaten into my time (okay, I know that is my choice). On top of that I have been reading... including The Infernal Clock.
I finished reading Infernal Clock yesterday and have given that a solid 4 stars (why can't you give 4.5?). Some cracking story telling on all sorts of horror themes. Aim to get a review up on Amazon and GoodReads over the weekend if not before. Um, that will have to count as part of this week's writing - look I'm desperate to count everything.
Great to see that the offer to get the FlashDogs 'TIME' for FREE on Amazon for the week has resulted in great sales (is it sales if it's free?). Good to see Flash getting out there in book form and not just on web pages. Get yourself on Amazon if you haven't already.
'Clock was my 16th book that I have read this year which is good. Still well ahead of my target. Have read more books than I've bought this year (just) which means I'm ticking off some of those long unread books on these shelves of mine. Huzzah!
Got to focus on my Projects.
Focus! I tell you. Oh look, washing up to do. Is that another Trump tweet? Oh my lord Sean Spicer. Can I just watch that again. Oh, I could watch that Firmino goal again - that was top. There's washing up to do too. Did I say that earlier? Focus, I tell you!
Not much writing been done over the last week. I did manage a few hours work on Project 2 last week on a day off and to enter a Flash into Microcosms for the first time in a few weeks. Other than that writing has been a bit thin on my ground.
Work hours have been messed around with - with a late start and consequent late finish it has messed things up in many ways at home and socially. And as per my last post there has been some great TV which has eaten into my time (okay, I know that is my choice). On top of that I have been reading... including The Infernal Clock.
I finished reading Infernal Clock yesterday and have given that a solid 4 stars (why can't you give 4.5?). Some cracking story telling on all sorts of horror themes. Aim to get a review up on Amazon and GoodReads over the weekend if not before. Um, that will have to count as part of this week's writing - look I'm desperate to count everything.
Great to see that the offer to get the FlashDogs 'TIME' for FREE on Amazon for the week has resulted in great sales (is it sales if it's free?). Good to see Flash getting out there in book form and not just on web pages. Get yourself on Amazon if you haven't already.
'Clock was my 16th book that I have read this year which is good. Still well ahead of my target. Have read more books than I've bought this year (just) which means I'm ticking off some of those long unread books on these shelves of mine. Huzzah!
Got to focus on my Projects.
Focus! I tell you. Oh look, washing up to do. Is that another Trump tweet? Oh my lord Sean Spicer. Can I just watch that again. Oh, I could watch that Firmino goal again - that was top. There's washing up to do too. Did I say that earlier? Focus, I tell you!
Fabulous TV Eats Time
04/04/17 20:17
TV Eats Time Until There Really Is No Tomorrow
There has been rather a lot of great TV on for the last month or so. And I've loved watching lots of it, but it has slowed my reading down and, even more, my writing. Whilst work takes up so much time I really can't help that. TV though... I should make harder choices about what to watch or not, but flip there have been some cracking shows on. So rather than feel any guilt about it I'm calling it 'research into writing'. Just in case I end up doing any screenwriting.
Current and recent TV must watch for me:
At least Taboo, No9 and Follow the Money have finished (and UC and OC have only the Finals to go) so I may have more writing and reading time without the need for making difficult telly-box decisions over the coming weeks.
Keep Writing - Stop Watching.
There has been rather a lot of great TV on for the last month or so. And I've loved watching lots of it, but it has slowed my reading down and, even more, my writing. Whilst work takes up so much time I really can't help that. TV though... I should make harder choices about what to watch or not, but flip there have been some cracking shows on. So rather than feel any guilt about it I'm calling it 'research into writing'. Just in case I end up doing any screenwriting.
Current and recent TV must watch for me:
- Taboo
- Line of Duty
- Homeland
- Follow the Money
- Inside No 9
- University Challenge
- Only Connect
At least Taboo, No9 and Follow the Money have finished (and UC and OC have only the Finals to go) so I may have more writing and reading time without the need for making difficult telly-box decisions over the coming weeks.
Keep Writing - Stop Watching.
Writing and Writing
25/03/17 10:19
Performance Monitoring - It's Not Good News
I'm behind, I am. Tick tock. The plan is there to motivate, surely. Tick tock. Or else it is there to measure failure. Arghhhhhh!
I should be three or four stories into Project 1 - and Project 2 should be properly started. Shouldn't it?
Well. Well...
Okay, I'm behind. But it's catch-up-able. Blasted out a quick 500 words on Story 2 of Project 1 this morning. Will print out the thing and see how much work it needs (and if it's any good yet). Then hopefully complete by say... Monday? Then I can get onto Story 3. Again.
Still, 500 words is better than none. Right? Hell yeah!
And I may get a few more done later on Story 2 and Story 3 as it stands (or at least some notes on where to go with it).
Dang! I just thought of a decent idea for a book - or at least the structure of one - maybe add that to the list for Project 4. My god, stop it already and finish one of the others first. And lord, look I'm talking to myself. Indeed shouting to myself (in a quiet inwardly no-one else would notice kind of way). Arghhhhhhh!
Of course there's the Angry Hourglass challenge going live later. The decision will be whether to write 300 words or so on that today or tomorrow or use that time on one of these stories or Projects. Decisions. Maybe I'll just see what the prompt is before calling that one.
Hope to do a little on Project 2 later whilst on the move. That'll be a worthwhile investment of time.
My only other writing this week (other than a couple of blog updates) has been a job application; now that is definitely a worthwhile investment of my time!
Come on AJ. Get with the Plan. Keep writing. And writing. And tick some of these little buggers off the list...
I'm behind, I am. Tick tock. The plan is there to motivate, surely. Tick tock. Or else it is there to measure failure. Arghhhhhh!
I should be three or four stories into Project 1 - and Project 2 should be properly started. Shouldn't it?
Well. Well...
Okay, I'm behind. But it's catch-up-able. Blasted out a quick 500 words on Story 2 of Project 1 this morning. Will print out the thing and see how much work it needs (and if it's any good yet). Then hopefully complete by say... Monday? Then I can get onto Story 3. Again.
Still, 500 words is better than none. Right? Hell yeah!
And I may get a few more done later on Story 2 and Story 3 as it stands (or at least some notes on where to go with it).
Dang! I just thought of a decent idea for a book - or at least the structure of one - maybe add that to the list for Project 4. My god, stop it already and finish one of the others first. And lord, look I'm talking to myself. Indeed shouting to myself (in a quiet inwardly no-one else would notice kind of way). Arghhhhhhh!
Of course there's the Angry Hourglass challenge going live later. The decision will be whether to write 300 words or so on that today or tomorrow or use that time on one of these stories or Projects. Decisions. Maybe I'll just see what the prompt is before calling that one.
Hope to do a little on Project 2 later whilst on the move. That'll be a worthwhile investment of time.
My only other writing this week (other than a couple of blog updates) has been a job application; now that is definitely a worthwhile investment of my time!
Come on AJ. Get with the Plan. Keep writing. And writing. And tick some of these little buggers off the list...
More Thinking Time Than Writing Time.
15/03/17 22:55
Time, Time, Time
Writing when you work for a living can be a right problem. Unless you write for a living of course. Then it's a whole other kettle of fish I expect.
Today though was a case in point. Expected to be back home by 5:30 or 6:00pm but got home at around 7:30. That's up to 2 hours of potential writing time out of the equation. And when the other parts of the equation include eating, dishes and winding down it leaves actual time pretty slim. I had hoped to get the bulk of one of my Project 1 stories finished tonight, but I haven't.
Still, whilst driving around north Wales on my deliveries today I did get some good thinking time for two of the stories I am doing so hope to get stuck into them and should finish them by the end of the weekend still. So that'll be fine.
There are other things of course that could help free up a bit more time... denying myself any Social Media time for one. Or having an absolute No TV rule. And maybe that 'Winding Down' time could be after the writing. But then again writing before winding down may lead to some unusually sweary and erratic writing; then again that may help with some stories.
Next time I'm short of time but keen to get something actually FINISHED then maybe I'll pre-wind write. Today I chose to write just a bit and leave it (got about 400 words down on a story). So I've got a foundation (some words). I've got my scaffolding (my ideas). It's now up to me to set aside the right write time over the next few days.
In the meantime at least it was a lovely day down/up/along here. It was stunning all day in Llandudno and Penrhyn, and the first day of the year I spent all day without a jacket on. Shorts are a-coming!
And I even had myself a (late) post work ice-cream in Rhos-on-Sea. Nice!
Keep Writing!
Writing when you work for a living can be a right problem. Unless you write for a living of course. Then it's a whole other kettle of fish I expect.
Today though was a case in point. Expected to be back home by 5:30 or 6:00pm but got home at around 7:30. That's up to 2 hours of potential writing time out of the equation. And when the other parts of the equation include eating, dishes and winding down it leaves actual time pretty slim. I had hoped to get the bulk of one of my Project 1 stories finished tonight, but I haven't.
Still, whilst driving around north Wales on my deliveries today I did get some good thinking time for two of the stories I am doing so hope to get stuck into them and should finish them by the end of the weekend still. So that'll be fine.
There are other things of course that could help free up a bit more time... denying myself any Social Media time for one. Or having an absolute No TV rule. And maybe that 'Winding Down' time could be after the writing. But then again writing before winding down may lead to some unusually sweary and erratic writing; then again that may help with some stories.
Next time I'm short of time but keen to get something actually FINISHED then maybe I'll pre-wind write. Today I chose to write just a bit and leave it (got about 400 words down on a story). So I've got a foundation (some words). I've got my scaffolding (my ideas). It's now up to me to set aside the right write time over the next few days.
In the meantime at least it was a lovely day down/up/along here. It was stunning all day in Llandudno and Penrhyn, and the first day of the year I spent all day without a jacket on. Shorts are a-coming!
And I even had myself a (late) post work ice-cream in Rhos-on-Sea. Nice!
Keep Writing!
Project One: More Storifying.
13/03/17 23:49
Project 1: Short Story Writing
I'm behind time a little bit with Project 1 of my 2017 plan, but I have a (sub)plan to get two short stories completed this week for it. I've started the third one, just to get it rolling. It's an idea I've had for a while and hopefully will come out fairly easily ultimately. That's the theory, anyway. We'll see.
I intend to finish Story 3 this week and then go back to the story with the 1000 word start; as starts go it's not a bad one.
The lack of good telly each night should mean I've no excuse other than lethargy and sloth. And there the answer may be coffee.
Pretty sure with both Story 2 & 3 these are relatively low hanging fruit and then I can get back on target for my 'one story a week' aim.
Will report back on here with my progress by next Monday. So fingers crossed.
In the meantime I did start taking a look a my NaNoWriMo 'novel' at the weekend to see whether it was any good and/or worth looking at doing more work on - perhaps as Project 3. Only read the first two chapters again so far and I'm thinking I need to read the next two to make a more reasoned determination. But it's not a 'no', yet...
Anyway folks, keep writing!
I'm behind time a little bit with Project 1 of my 2017 plan, but I have a (sub)plan to get two short stories completed this week for it. I've started the third one, just to get it rolling. It's an idea I've had for a while and hopefully will come out fairly easily ultimately. That's the theory, anyway. We'll see.
I intend to finish Story 3 this week and then go back to the story with the 1000 word start; as starts go it's not a bad one.
The lack of good telly each night should mean I've no excuse other than lethargy and sloth. And there the answer may be coffee.
Pretty sure with both Story 2 & 3 these are relatively low hanging fruit and then I can get back on target for my 'one story a week' aim.
Will report back on here with my progress by next Monday. So fingers crossed.
In the meantime I did start taking a look a my NaNoWriMo 'novel' at the weekend to see whether it was any good and/or worth looking at doing more work on - perhaps as Project 3. Only read the first two chapters again so far and I'm thinking I need to read the next two to make a more reasoned determination. But it's not a 'no', yet...
Anyway folks, keep writing!
Project 1: and so it begins...
27/02/17 18:51
Project 1: The Short Story Collection
And so it begins... yep, my 2017 writing - other than ubiquitous random Flash - is now off and running! To be in accordance with my plan I need to write a minimum of one short story a week to get a collection of 12 or so stories together in three months. Certainly doable.
Well, I'm now one story in, yep! To be fair, in full on Blue Peter fashion, it was from a story I'd started earlier. It's spot on length wise, being just over 2500 words (aiming for 1500 - 3000 word stories). I'll give it a proper read through in a week or two to see how well it hangs together. It's a story that hasn't seen the light of day anywhere else yet. I'll probably try out at least a couple of them at the Poised Pen meetings over the coming couple of months. The stories are all going to be stand alone ones - the stories are to be held together by setting not theme.
The Thousand Word Prompt
I've also found another half written story which could fit right in for Story 2 of Project 1. There's a 'slight' problem with it... It is written in a well detailed way up to the point it stops; but I have no idea where I was going with the story - I've probably a note in a notebook somewhere about it, but it is now effectively a 1000 word prompt!!
And so it begins... yep, my 2017 writing - other than ubiquitous random Flash - is now off and running! To be in accordance with my plan I need to write a minimum of one short story a week to get a collection of 12 or so stories together in three months. Certainly doable.
Well, I'm now one story in, yep! To be fair, in full on Blue Peter fashion, it was from a story I'd started earlier. It's spot on length wise, being just over 2500 words (aiming for 1500 - 3000 word stories). I'll give it a proper read through in a week or two to see how well it hangs together. It's a story that hasn't seen the light of day anywhere else yet. I'll probably try out at least a couple of them at the Poised Pen meetings over the coming couple of months. The stories are all going to be stand alone ones - the stories are to be held together by setting not theme.
The Thousand Word Prompt
I've also found another half written story which could fit right in for Story 2 of Project 1. There's a 'slight' problem with it... It is written in a well detailed way up to the point it stops; but I have no idea where I was going with the story - I've probably a note in a notebook somewhere about it, but it is now effectively a 1000 word prompt!!
Writing Plan (Draft)
21/02/17 20:31
Writing Plan - February 2017
Writing plan is developing folks, let's call it a first draft. Should be a bit more firmed up over next week.
Project 1 - Short Story Compilation - ebook
Project 2 - Non-Fiction Book - ebook
Project 3 - FT or 2HB - novel
Project 4 - HS1 or TTYA1 - novel or novella
I’m not going to put many details on what these projects actually comprise at the stage other than their general form. As they develop the working titles and contents will come out when appropriate.
Even with ‘just’ four projects I know I’m being over ambitious; at least in terms of finishing all four in the year. But if I work on all of them at different points I expect one or two will take on a life of their own and then the reality of things will become clear. Let's face it if I finish two of them I'll probably be pretty happy and if I finish three I'll be chuffed to little mint balls!
Projects:
Project 1 - is to be a Short Story Compilation of probably 12-14 stories of between 1500 and 3500 words. I’ll aim for c. 2000 words but let the stories get to their natural length rather than force it.
Project 2 - is a Non-Fiction Book I’ve been thinking of getting done for a while and can drop in and out of as and when.
Projects 3 and 4 - novels or novellas both Projects are currently down as ‘either / or’ and will be firmed up over the coming couple of months. If you followed my NaNoWriMo last year then you’ll guess that Project 3 is either 'Fergie Time' or a.n. other novel idea. I’ll make that call over the next week or so.
The Projects aren't necessarily in the order of commencement or completion (but probably are). That said Project 4 would definitely be started after completion (or calling a halt on) of Project 3.
Fergie Time is the only writing project that has any significant writing actually done at this stage. But the three other potential stories in Projects 3 and 4 are partially developed in my noggin and on scraps of paper.
Timetable:
Ha ha! Bit early to get that sorted but I will need to firm up a plan including schedules for all the Projects or else they will likely slip without me even trying.
Project 1. My feeling is that Project 1 should be completable in three months from start to finish in terms of writing the stories, just on the basis of simply writing a minimum of one story a week.
Project 2. Would be c. 3 months to write as well. The issue is whether I can fit the work required within the same 3 months as Project 1; dropping onto sections of it between the fiction writing. Would be great if I could. Undertaking the two Projects simultaneously is certainly a s t r e t c h goal. But back in the day of my report writing days I would often work on multiple reports, letters and proposals in a day (not to mention reviewing reports) so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility.
Projects 3 and 4. Maybe it should be Project 3 or 4? Writing and finishing a novel or novella this year is my biggest target if not my first. Fergie Time may have legs, but if not the three other potential ideas have great possibilities too and it may well be a case of starting writing the other three and seeing which flows easiest… Any of these may take 3-6 months each… er at least…
Other Writing:
Of course there’s other stuff to consider in between.
So much writing. But I have some scheduling to do...
Keep Writing Folks!
Writing plan is developing folks, let's call it a first draft. Should be a bit more firmed up over next week.
Project 1 - Short Story Compilation - ebook
Project 2 - Non-Fiction Book - ebook
Project 3 - FT or 2HB - novel
Project 4 - HS1 or TTYA1 - novel or novella
I’m not going to put many details on what these projects actually comprise at the stage other than their general form. As they develop the working titles and contents will come out when appropriate.
Even with ‘just’ four projects I know I’m being over ambitious; at least in terms of finishing all four in the year. But if I work on all of them at different points I expect one or two will take on a life of their own and then the reality of things will become clear. Let's face it if I finish two of them I'll probably be pretty happy and if I finish three I'll be chuffed to little mint balls!
Projects:
Project 1 - is to be a Short Story Compilation of probably 12-14 stories of between 1500 and 3500 words. I’ll aim for c. 2000 words but let the stories get to their natural length rather than force it.
Project 2 - is a Non-Fiction Book I’ve been thinking of getting done for a while and can drop in and out of as and when.
Projects 3 and 4 - novels or novellas both Projects are currently down as ‘either / or’ and will be firmed up over the coming couple of months. If you followed my NaNoWriMo last year then you’ll guess that Project 3 is either 'Fergie Time' or a.n. other novel idea. I’ll make that call over the next week or so.
The Projects aren't necessarily in the order of commencement or completion (but probably are). That said Project 4 would definitely be started after completion (or calling a halt on) of Project 3.
Fergie Time is the only writing project that has any significant writing actually done at this stage. But the three other potential stories in Projects 3 and 4 are partially developed in my noggin and on scraps of paper.
Timetable:
Ha ha! Bit early to get that sorted but I will need to firm up a plan including schedules for all the Projects or else they will likely slip without me even trying.
Project 1. My feeling is that Project 1 should be completable in three months from start to finish in terms of writing the stories, just on the basis of simply writing a minimum of one story a week.
Project 2. Would be c. 3 months to write as well. The issue is whether I can fit the work required within the same 3 months as Project 1; dropping onto sections of it between the fiction writing. Would be great if I could. Undertaking the two Projects simultaneously is certainly a s t r e t c h goal. But back in the day of my report writing days I would often work on multiple reports, letters and proposals in a day (not to mention reviewing reports) so it’s not beyond the realms of possibility.
Projects 3 and 4. Maybe it should be Project 3 or 4? Writing and finishing a novel or novella this year is my biggest target if not my first. Fergie Time may have legs, but if not the three other potential ideas have great possibilities too and it may well be a case of starting writing the other three and seeing which flows easiest… Any of these may take 3-6 months each… er at least…
Other Writing:
Of course there’s other stuff to consider in between.
- I always go in for Writing on the Wall Flash Competition even though they’ve really stepped back from it themselves. It’s just a tradition for me now.
- NAWG. Poised Pen is a member of NAWG and I should enter a competition or two.
- Would love to give a screen or radio play a try at some point. Will just see if it happens, but currently don't want it to get in the way of the four projects above.
- Similarly submitting to a magazine or podcast would be great, but at this stage only if a piece comes naturally and doesn't get in the way of the above projects.
- And of course random competitions I haven't spotted yet!
So much writing. But I have some scheduling to do...
Keep Writing Folks!