It's hard to believe that I have worked on my novel for 100 days! Of course, that sounds longer than it actually is. I haven't worked 24,000 hours if that's what you are thinking.
A day represents any period of time, be it 30 minutes or four hours, in one particular day, spent on my book. I was going to add up all the hours but I couldn't be fagged at this stage - maybe I will post it later.
How has the experience been so far? It has had its ups and downs, depression and excitement. Overall, I feel like I am heading in the right direction and that, so far, it has been worth the effort. My only major gripe is, given that I have a full time job, progress is slow. I would probably average one hour a day of writing which isn't great. This is evidenced by the fact that it is Day 100 and I haven't even started on Chapter 1 yet!!!
There is definitely something to show for my 100 days of work though. I've researched and written copious notes. I've completed a detailed outline of the story. I have prepared character profiles. And I am a few hours off finishing my 3,000 word treatment, ready for submission to Greg Mosse for his thoughts and views.
So all in all, not a bad first 100 days. I've stuck with it; that's the main thing, and at the moment, I believe I have a pretty entertaining book in development.
Here's to the next 100 (chink, chink) - that's the sound of champagne glasses, if you were wondering.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Mr Mosse's Deadline
DAY NINETY-FOUR
I haven’t even started writing my first novel yet and already I am at the mercy of an imposing deadline. Not self-imposed either; this is a fair dinkum submission deadline that could affect the outcome of my proposed writing career. Always the drama queen, aren’t I?
In July, The Jingo and I are heading to the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival in, well, Harrogate. Three days of fun filled seminars, interviews and drinking sessions with some of the best known UK crime writers as well as a few US authors thrown in for good luck. I’ll write up a prelude soon.
In addition, the organisers are putting on a full creative workshop day on the Thursday, which I have signed up for. It includes sessions on writing and publishing by those who know what they are talking about.
On top of all that, there were limited spaces available to have a free critique of continuous text or treatment/synopsis by the author and creative writing teacher, Greg Mosse (husband of Kate Mosse – no not that one, this one) and a one-on-one session with Mr Mosse for twenty minutes at the festival.
Well of course I fell over myself to sign up for this one! Great opportunity for a critique by an expert!
After much deliberation, I opted to submit a 3,000 word treatment for my first novel, instead of the first chapter. My theory was that feedback on my plot is more important than on my style (and my style will feed through the treatment anyway). Whether that theory is wrong or not, I’ve gone too far down the track to turn back now.
Deadline is 7th July – a week before Harrogate. I’m aiming to finish the week before the deadline, just in case things go teats up.
The good news is: I’ve finished the first draft of my treatment. It clocks in at 3,227 words and therefore a bit of culling is required. However, this is a far cry from the 5,885 words I was faced with at the start of the week. Subplots had to be solemnly removed; minor characters wiped off the face of the screen amidst much protestation, and the use of semi colons was stepped up a level; really cuts out the excess words; you know what I mean; I’m sure you do.
All in all, despite the fact that the plot looks nothing like what I started with, I’m happy with the first draft and I believe it will serve its purpose. I just need to do a bit more trimming, move a few things around and come up with some character names and it will be done.
Side note: Character names! The bane of my existence! Ideas are welcome.
What I want out of my session with Mr Mosse is his advice on whether my novel’s plot will work or not, whether it is exciting enough, whether it is saleable or whether it just sucks the root. Be it expressed with thumbs up or thumbs down (or even a slap to the face), his opinion will be quite invaluable. Better to find out how crap it really is now, then when I’m trying to flog off the finished product to a bunch of unforgiving agents.
Whatever comes out of the session and the creative writing day, I am going to take it all on board – its all going to help, no matter how harsh the criticism. Looking forward to it!
Well wish me luck; I’m off to eliminate 227 words off the face of this planet we call Earth.
Help me semi-colon, you’re my only hope.
I haven’t even started writing my first novel yet and already I am at the mercy of an imposing deadline. Not self-imposed either; this is a fair dinkum submission deadline that could affect the outcome of my proposed writing career. Always the drama queen, aren’t I?
In July, The Jingo and I are heading to the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival in, well, Harrogate. Three days of fun filled seminars, interviews and drinking sessions with some of the best known UK crime writers as well as a few US authors thrown in for good luck. I’ll write up a prelude soon.
In addition, the organisers are putting on a full creative workshop day on the Thursday, which I have signed up for. It includes sessions on writing and publishing by those who know what they are talking about.
On top of all that, there were limited spaces available to have a free critique of continuous text or treatment/synopsis by the author and creative writing teacher, Greg Mosse (husband of Kate Mosse – no not that one, this one) and a one-on-one session with Mr Mosse for twenty minutes at the festival.
Well of course I fell over myself to sign up for this one! Great opportunity for a critique by an expert!
After much deliberation, I opted to submit a 3,000 word treatment for my first novel, instead of the first chapter. My theory was that feedback on my plot is more important than on my style (and my style will feed through the treatment anyway). Whether that theory is wrong or not, I’ve gone too far down the track to turn back now.
Deadline is 7th July – a week before Harrogate. I’m aiming to finish the week before the deadline, just in case things go teats up.
The good news is: I’ve finished the first draft of my treatment. It clocks in at 3,227 words and therefore a bit of culling is required. However, this is a far cry from the 5,885 words I was faced with at the start of the week. Subplots had to be solemnly removed; minor characters wiped off the face of the screen amidst much protestation, and the use of semi colons was stepped up a level; really cuts out the excess words; you know what I mean; I’m sure you do.
All in all, despite the fact that the plot looks nothing like what I started with, I’m happy with the first draft and I believe it will serve its purpose. I just need to do a bit more trimming, move a few things around and come up with some character names and it will be done.
Side note: Character names! The bane of my existence! Ideas are welcome.
What I want out of my session with Mr Mosse is his advice on whether my novel’s plot will work or not, whether it is exciting enough, whether it is saleable or whether it just sucks the root. Be it expressed with thumbs up or thumbs down (or even a slap to the face), his opinion will be quite invaluable. Better to find out how crap it really is now, then when I’m trying to flog off the finished product to a bunch of unforgiving agents.
Whatever comes out of the session and the creative writing day, I am going to take it all on board – its all going to help, no matter how harsh the criticism. Looking forward to it!
Well wish me luck; I’m off to eliminate 227 words off the face of this planet we call Earth.
Help me semi-colon, you’re my only hope.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Dat Library Thang
You may have noticed an addition to the blog on the left hand side. It is a visual representation of the last five books that I have read; a more whizz bang version of my list that I included in a previous blog.
This list comes courtesy of the Library Thing website - a website that helps you catalogue the books that you own. Quite an ingenious thing, a nice central place to list the books in your extensive library.
I'm in the process of completing my list, but you can check it out as it currently stands by clicking on the "my library" link to the left.
This list comes courtesy of the Library Thing website - a website that helps you catalogue the books that you own. Quite an ingenious thing, a nice central place to list the books in your extensive library.
I'm in the process of completing my list, but you can check it out as it currently stands by clicking on the "my library" link to the left.
Monday, May 14, 2007
On Assignment
DAY SEVENTY ONE
The moment has arrived where I can finally get cracking on with writing my novel. Well almost.
Way back when I started planning and researching, I knew that one of my writing course assignments required a 750 word synopsis and four character profiles. I incorporated this assignment into my approach, hoping for expert advice and feedback from my tutor on the synopsis for my first novel. It was an opportunity not to be missed.
And now that time has come, and over the next few weeks, I will be focusing on that particular assignment.
I will be looking forward to reading any feedback my tutor will have on the synopsis, hoping that she will provide tips on improving the novel's content and give me a little more confidence in the story and my ability to write it.
It won't be my only chance to receive feedback mind you, I also have something else in the pipeline which will also definitely help me and which I am extremely excited about; more on that later.
Looking ahead, once my assignment is submitted, I will commence writing the FIRST CHAPTER! How exciting! It seems like it has been ages since the germ of an idea formed in my head for this novel (in fact, it was July last year!), so to finally be at the point of starting it, is both exciting and scary.
And things are always changing.
In a major revelation, I have decided that a detailed plot line / synopsis is required. Originally, if you recall, I was going for a hybrid of approaches: mapping out the majority of the plot but leaving enough holes (and in particular, one big chasm called The Ending) unfilled to keep the writing fresh and exciting for me.
But reading through my notes again, I happened across a bit of advice from George Pelecanos: "For your first novel, remove all obstacles". Not having any idea of the ending to my novel comes under "Obstacles" in my opinion, so I plan to deal with that. Of course, the ending can always change (like everything else) but I think it will be beneficial to have something in place, albeit temporary.
So, the end of the planning and researching is upon me; all that is left is two to three weeks worth of synopses and character development for my assignment.
Then on to Chapter One.
LAST WEEK
Read: Lazybones by Mark Billingham
Watched: Dead Man's Shoes by Shane Meadows
Heard: Black Holes and Revelations by Muse
The moment has arrived where I can finally get cracking on with writing my novel. Well almost.
Way back when I started planning and researching, I knew that one of my writing course assignments required a 750 word synopsis and four character profiles. I incorporated this assignment into my approach, hoping for expert advice and feedback from my tutor on the synopsis for my first novel. It was an opportunity not to be missed.
And now that time has come, and over the next few weeks, I will be focusing on that particular assignment.
I will be looking forward to reading any feedback my tutor will have on the synopsis, hoping that she will provide tips on improving the novel's content and give me a little more confidence in the story and my ability to write it.
It won't be my only chance to receive feedback mind you, I also have something else in the pipeline which will also definitely help me and which I am extremely excited about; more on that later.
Looking ahead, once my assignment is submitted, I will commence writing the FIRST CHAPTER! How exciting! It seems like it has been ages since the germ of an idea formed in my head for this novel (in fact, it was July last year!), so to finally be at the point of starting it, is both exciting and scary.
And things are always changing.
In a major revelation, I have decided that a detailed plot line / synopsis is required. Originally, if you recall, I was going for a hybrid of approaches: mapping out the majority of the plot but leaving enough holes (and in particular, one big chasm called The Ending) unfilled to keep the writing fresh and exciting for me.
But reading through my notes again, I happened across a bit of advice from George Pelecanos: "For your first novel, remove all obstacles". Not having any idea of the ending to my novel comes under "Obstacles" in my opinion, so I plan to deal with that. Of course, the ending can always change (like everything else) but I think it will be beneficial to have something in place, albeit temporary.
So, the end of the planning and researching is upon me; all that is left is two to three weeks worth of synopses and character development for my assignment.
Then on to Chapter One.
LAST WEEK
Read: Lazybones by Mark Billingham
Watched: Dead Man's Shoes by Shane Meadows
Heard: Black Holes and Revelations by Muse
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Waiting for Something to Happen
DAY FIFTY SEVEN
I can almost see them. I can certainly feel them.
Standing at their positions, waiting for their cue. Primed ready for action, anxious to be getting on with it.
They're talking amongst themselves, shuffling their feet and smoking cheap cigarettes. They are nervous and impatient despite the feeling that once it all kicks off, things are not going to go well for them. They are still keen to start. Whatever mayhem and destruction awaits them, it must be better than this, standing around, waiting. Or so they think.
They are the characters in my head, waiting for me to start my novel, waiting to explode into life and get things under way. They are impatient and are ready to kick my head in if I don't get on with it.
But, the research must continue . . .
I can almost see them. I can certainly feel them.
Standing at their positions, waiting for their cue. Primed ready for action, anxious to be getting on with it.
They're talking amongst themselves, shuffling their feet and smoking cheap cigarettes. They are nervous and impatient despite the feeling that once it all kicks off, things are not going to go well for them. They are still keen to start. Whatever mayhem and destruction awaits them, it must be better than this, standing around, waiting. Or so they think.
They are the characters in my head, waiting for me to start my novel, waiting to explode into life and get things under way. They are impatient and are ready to kick my head in if I don't get on with it.
But, the research must continue . . .
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