Talking of the end… I have written the end of my novel!!! I was given
some advice a little while back from Julie Cohen, a writer I have had the
pleasure of meeting and learning from, that in order to get past the part where
I was stuck, I needed to write the end. I would then know which direction I
needed to be heading in. So Julie, I hope you are proud that I finally followed
your advice, sorry it took me a while!
By writing the end, I finally know where I’m going and the realisation
that I’ve actually written more of the story than I thought. So with that in
mind, once I’ve finished the epilogue, I have taken the decision to try and
step back for a bit, to catch up and see just how much I have done. Not easy
when new thoughts keep popping into my head, but will attempt to do at least! I
need to get everything typed up so it’s all in one place, making it easier to look through as a whole and mark up what goes where, BEFORE writing anything else
new. Otherwise there is a danger of going too far and not only getting lost again, but forgetting
what I’ve already done and re-writing parts without even realising I’ve already
had that very same idea before.
I’m trying to use time where I can. For example, travelling on the train
for a weekend away sparked new ideas as well as being useful writing time. I
try to write every lunch time during the week, but I sometimes feel it’s just
not enough. I want to start using weekends more too, before they start to get
busy again. January can be a relatively quiet time, so I need to be using that
to my advantage. And I have in some ways, so I need to continue that moving
forward where I can. It’s very easy to fill weekends and evening with lots of
other things, and push the writing to the bottom of the pile. And don’t get me
wrong. Sometimes that needs to be done, particularly when the weekends are the
only time I have to catch up on the jobs that need doing, or enjoying some
other creative tasks. It’s getting the balance right. And by feeling determined
in all different aspects of my life, it is certainly helping the mind-set. By
keeping my writing log, it’s useful to see just what I have done. This is particularly
prevalent to look back on on any off days. I happy to report that there haven’t
been many recently and I hope this continues. It gives me that allowance to accept
that I can have time to do other things too and not feel guilty. But I still
try to write on those days when I feel like I’m struggling. Words can still
appear from ideas or trying to pick up from where I’ve left off. And okay, so I
may not really like anything I scribble
on these days, and I feel stuck, but then there is that small ray of hope that
these words can be rewritten when the time comes and the mood is better. At the
time I’m frustrated as to why I feel like this, and there is no real reason to
pinpoint why I feel like this, especially when the day is much like any other.
But I know I can come out the other side, I’ve done it before and I can do it
again.
There has been time where I’ve had the chance to work on some other
writing projects, and the space from my novel, just for a short while cannot
really be a bad thing I don’t think. I’ve been working on an idea for a short
story that I hope will be ready in time to submit for a competition. I’ve had a
few ideas for a while now but have only just recently begun to write the story.
It may be a bit late given that the deadline is only a few weeks away but I now
I would regret it if I didn’t at least try at having a shot at it. Besides it’s
been a bit of a breath of fresh air, to work on something completely different in
style, voice and subject. So we will see what happens! I might be taking a
little break, but I think any writer needs that now and again, but at least I’m
still writing and it gives me a chance to explore my ideas. Talking of ideas,
there are still plenty of column ideas to work on, but at least it keeps me
going for a bit! By taking that little bit of pressure off, I’m finding things
a little easier, so I’m not prepared to give up on the column writing just yet!
I will continue to try and surround myself with my own inspiration and my desk
and room seem the obvious place to start, I just need to take the time to look
at what I have and use it in a positive way. Otherwise what’s the point of
having it there? I’ve chosen pictures and quotes for a reason after all.
‘It’s not where inspiration comes from, it’s where it leads.’
So as you can see, a mostly positive start to the near year, so long may
it continue and be a sign of what the year ahead may bring….
The novel continues to grow....
