(not sofas r so good)
So far (yes, it's only the 2nd January) I've been better at the things I wanted to be better at this year - this mainly means I've been more focused on writing and when not writing I've been more relaxed, and also more active (offline).
I've been working on my book, my mystery book - my not - a - novel - not - a - biography - not - non fiction - book book. If work on it keeps a steady pace I'll start talking about it here. I don't know about you, but I definitely can't talk about ideas when they are in the early stages. It's not a superstitious thing, it's more that I'm still working things out and saying things about whatever it is can make me think 'eff off, that's crap'. Also, it has a few different possible directions and I want to know which one I'm taking.
BUT yes. I feel good. I hope the new year has brought optimism and ambition for your writing too.
A few links that might interest you:
Vanessa Gebbie, who recently landed a contract with Bloomsbury to publish her first novel, took my request that she writes about the pre-publication process on her blog and has gone one better, starting a brand new blog where she'll share the journey from a novel being accepted to its publication. I'm really glad that Vanessa took that mini request and is being so generous as to share what must be an exciting, but often overlooked, and no doubtedly full-on in terms of hard work, part of the process of being a published author.
Two of my real-life writer friends started blogs recently: Anna is inspiring, she writes with honesty and bravery at Whatever Works and Kendal over at Ava and the Snowman is a new Mum conjuring thoughtful and beautiful prose. Go see...
I'd like to add to the blogs I follow, do you have any you'd like to recommend? Tell me about your daily must-reads.
8 comments:
There are blogs I read by writers I admire or aspire to be as successful as etc, such as Rainbow Notebook, Vanessa Gebbie's or Sara Crowley's, Women Rule Writer, Tania Hershman's etc and then there are blogs that I read because they make me smile, blogs like Steven's Golden Fish or Golden West (all on my side bar). I like to nosey on blogs of people who are just getting on with the stuff of living. And your blog is my must read!
I'm not a daily blogger though, more cyclical; ebb and flow like the tides. The thing about routines is they can all too often feel like work and that's just no fun!
Unless it's writing....
Great news Tree, you stick at it and you'll have a novel before you know it.
I know you've read some of mine but I'm going to stop talking about it for a bit as I feel it thins the experience. Also I've had great feedback on Chapter 1 from you and several others and that's enough impetus to know I'm on the right lines. Now I know I am, and the best thing for me is to keep it secret, keep it safe, keep it pure so that it's undiluted.
I can't recall which writer said this but he said talking about your novel while you're writing it is like cheating on your lover. I get that.
Having said that, I'll always be keen to hear about updates and how you're getting on because it always inspires me to get on with my work. Probably because I'm so competitive.
Hugs xxx (and kisses, those were kisses)
I'll check out Kendal's blog, I haven't yet.
M
Rachel - thanks, I'll nosey down your sidebar later. I used to do that a lot more when I first started using Blogger, take leads from what other poeple displayed links to. I'd like to find some new treasures (not distractions, honest) that's why I thought I'd ask what other people would recommend. And, you, thank you for reading this one. I'm pretty happy that I've had a really good experience of keeping a blog, I don't think I expected I'd keep it up. And I've had plenty of good fortune from it.
Miles - ha, that's funny you say you're competitive - only last night I was slagging you and your word count off. With love. Yes - there's something about talking about your creative ideas that can take the urgency out of them. Hard to not sound poncey when someone asks about one and you're all vague. Poncey or inept. Poncey AND inept.
Love.
I love this quote from Thomas Wolfe: 'My purpose as a writer is to loot my life to the very walls.'
Pretty awesome. Let's go looting x
My daily reads: Guide to Literary Agents, always useful...yours, of course, to let me know that I'm not the only one doing this crazy writer thing...and SlushPile Hell for giggles!
Miles - good quote. Are you looting a quote book? You big looter x
Becky - hello, thanks for commenting and for reading! Nice to 'meet' you. SlushPile Hell - I've heard of this - must check it out asap. Thanks :)
I follow Advice To Writers on Twitter and they post daily quotes which are almost always awesome.
Ooh, nice alliteration...
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