Let the Writing Commence!

I haven't been blogging for a little while. I also haven't written my personal diary in quite a while. This is for one simple reason: I'm writing!

This photo perfectly illustrates how it's been going.

I used KM Weiland's amazing plotting books to help me with my outline and extended outline. I really enjoyed writing my extended outline because it allowed me to get the story out, go back and make changes, edit and include everything I wanted to put in without writing out endless pages. I don't have to think about the wording or the exact ideas, while getting the story out.

It's been great.

I miss the extended outline days.

It's the opening to my novel that I'm struggling with the most. I love this book, I think I've finally hit upon an idea that really works, that has depth and that I really enjoy writing. Well, I did enjoy writing it. It's the opening to this story I'm finding tricky.

I want it to set the scene. I want to introduce the main character. I want to intrigue the reader. I don't know why I'm finding it so difficult.

I can see the scene in my head. It's raining. Lexi, my main protagonist, is upset that she's had to move house.

This is my current opening line:

'The rain clouds were so thick that lunchtime felt like evening. The streets were busy with hurrying umbrellas and gleaming raincoats. Lexi glared through the car window as heavy raindrops pattered the glass. The weather was miserable. So was Lexi.'

What I'm hoping is that this opening line is enough to make the reader ask a few questions:

1. Who is Lexi?
2. Why is she miserable?
3. Where is she going in the car?
4. What's going to happen in the rain?

But will they ask questions or will they not read on? From the looks of all the authors I follow on Twitter, we all have this crippling self doubt. 

I've just written a version of the opening that I really like and I've sent it over to a beta read to check through for me and see if it works. He also read previous versions of the opening but hopefully this one works the best. 

I've written a further 7 scenes in this draft of the book, based on the outline and extended outline I made. I just keep coming back to this opening which is slowing progress. 

I think, however, I'm going to start writing the scenes out of sequence. I do have their plans very detailed written in order. I even added extra bits as I needed them when referenced in later scenes, zipping back and forth throughout my outlines. 

This explains why I have been absent from my blog, however. It's because I've been writing my book by hand and not using a computer at all. 

The thing is, I'm wondering if it might be easier, now that I have written my extended outline, I should write my first draft on the computer? I did find it much easier when I typed up a version to email to my beta reader. 

I'll give it a try. I certainly type faster than I write by hand! 

Happy New Year everyone! May 2018 be your year for happiness and good health! 

How to Write Your Best Book

I was struggling with my novel. I knew something wasn't right about my book (see my previous blog posts). Even reading it myself I knew I'd gone wrong somewhere but I couldn't put my finger on it.

So, I asked a published author what they do.

Science Fiction author, Scott McGlasson, who wrote Nock pointed me in the direction of K. M. Weiland's book, Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success. I'm not really someone who reads 'How to' books, not since Sol Stein was talking about using language to suit your character. He said that kindergarten teachers don't use 'big words'. (I teach the kids about phonemes and digraphs, but anyway.) I wasn't too chuffed by the characterisation.

K.M. Weiland's book has been amazing!

I now know what was wrong with my book: conflict! There wasn't any! Apart from the main plot, there was no conflict in scenes, between characters. There was nothing to encourage the reader to keep reading.

I've been scribbling some new scenes since reading K. M. Weiland's book and there is more conflict, plot progression and characterisation in those few scenes than in my entire 4th draft!

I'm now focusing on following K.M. Weiland's tips and I'm replotting the novel. I'm trying to let everything I've read so far guide the path of the story. I know where I want my characters to end up, but I'm looking more about the conflict in each scene, if the story moves forward because of my plot and if we learn something about the characters. I'm also looking at character arc, which I think my first drafts lacked.

I find character arc quite difficult. I like my characters, like my children, and I don't think they need to change. However, that's the problem. They do need to change because that's what happens in books.

Take Lexi for example. She's bold and fearless, she's impulsive
and inquisitive but this means she gets into risky situations. I'm trying to make her arc so that she learns to think before she acts. She's going to get into a situation where she thinks being bold and impulsive is the right thing to do, but it has disastrous consequences so she self reflects and realises that she needs to change.

But, that hasn't happened in the drafts so far. I'm going to be able to do that now I'm being really reflective and plotting this new novel in lots of detail.

That's where I am at the moment, thinking about all of this. It's making my head spin a little bit but I am enjoying the challenge. Hopefully, I will create a story that's fun and different and page turner-ing!

Is It Time to Step Away?

I'm swamped with the crippling self doubt - again.

I know where this book is going. I don't want to spoil the ending but I know what happens at the end. I know what happens at the start. It's getting from the start to the end and making it a wild adventure on the way.

I have sought out the advice of amazing published authors and as a result, I'm going to take a step back from my manuscript and read Outlining Your Novel by K.M. Weiland.

I'm so happy with this book, the characters and the story. I just want to tell it at it's absolute best. I want the impact of the story to be as strong as it can be.

I need the story to capture and entertain the readers as much as I can.

I want this book to be pure science fiction indulgence. I want this to be a book I'd like my own children to read, especially my daughter. I want my main characters to play with alien technology, to fly spaceships. to defeat the baddies by using their smarts. They're going to figure out what's going on and uncover mysteries.

Maybe when I step back and read the outlining book, I'll be able to look at my novel with fresh eyes.

The trouble is, I'm not sure whether this novel should tell the full story of how Tim and Lexi find out about aliens or if it should be a few chapters of a book where Tim and Lexi leave the Earth entirely. I want it to be magical. I want the reader to say 'Wow!' I want the reader to be amazed, awed and astonished by what they see in this book.

I definitely think I need to step away and replot. I think when I did my first rewrite, I kept in the mistakes I'd made in the first draft. I think maybe I should consider a dream state. What would be the most amazing thing to happen to my two protagonists?

I need to think about what children enjoy in their reading. What captured imagination for the children when they read Harry Potter or Twilight or Hunger Games? Why was Enders Game so popular? I don't want to write like those other authors, I don't want to create a carbon copy. I think the experience of other authors is something to think about and not copy, not emulate but learn from and adapt my writing accordingly.

I do have a lot to think about. I think the last draft I wrote will need to change. I really like this story and I am not going to give up on it. I just need to make it as

perfect as I can.

I need to remember that I only started writing it in July and even to finish the book by now is an achievement. A little rewrite of the events in the book is a minor part really as I have the characters and a direction for the plot.

Wish me luck as I very reluctantly step away from my manuscript.

This is Where I Am With My Writing

I went through my novel and I re-plotted it.

All the orange ink on this page are the corrections! When I say corrections, I mean parts of the book where I wanted to add more detail, close a plot hole or change the entire scene completely.

I thought I was ready to submit but now I'm checking the book

over again and actually retyping it - entirely!

I'm 4000 words into the rewrite and hopefully it's improved by the rewrite.

I'm also firming up the characterisations. I want to check that Lexi doesn't say something that's out of character for her. Or that Tim does something that he wouldn't normally. I don't want my reader to stumbled over bad writing.

On that note, I actually read in my own work, "Please wake up, she pleaded." Arg! I may have to confiscate my own pens if I actually write things like that.

So, that's where I am at the moment. Another rewrite. I'll be on draft 4 but this is only a minor step as once I've plotted it scene by scene and put it on the happiness scale, I'll need to read it through again, put the scenes into chapters and rewrite any paragraphs that still read clumsy.

If you're thinking, 'don't over edit' I don't think I am. I'm just trying to polish what I have and eradicate any more 'please, she pleaded,' rubbish!

This book is an absolute passion of mine. I'm sure I've got a good story and I'm keen to share it.

Another Rewrite?

I was watching the TV this evening and I was inspired. The trouble is, I'm inspired to rewrite the lot. I'm thinking if I compress the first book into Act 1 of a new book, and then

flow straight into what would have been Book 2 in Act 2.

This would mean an utter and complete rewrite of the entire novel.

I'm plotting out what it would look like now.

This would be the third version of this book but I just want to make it perfect. I want it to be a really entertaining, so that my readers enjoy the story.

There's a bunch of good stuff in the version I have now so I'd have to move that over and adjust it accordingly.

Am I fidgeting with the story for the sake of fidgeting with it or will this really benefit the story? Maybe if I plot out the story properly I would be able to make sure that every element of the story moves the narrative on. It would also highlight the journey the characters make.

So, it looks like I'm starting again from scratch. It'll depend on what my beta readers say, but if the story would benefit from Book 2 starting in Act 2 of Book 1, then I'm going to do it.

Ready to Submit

Well, that's not technically true. My manuscript is now with my beta readers and awaiting feedback.

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that. It is in good hands. I think what I really want is for my beta readers to enjoy reading my book. I want them to enjoy the story and feel as if they want to know what happens next.

I hope I've created intriguing characters that draw my betas in and help them to connect with the story. That's what I'm hoping.

My Next Job

So now, it's to research publishers and find out the submissions guidance for contemporary middle grade science fiction.

I have read my story to children who are not quite in the age group I've aimed it at and they've enjoyed it. I think.

That's what I'm doing at the moment, anyway. Researching. Plus the day job.

Wish me luck!

So, How's It Going?

Just to provide readers with an update on how the editing process is coming along. It's coming slowly.

The trouble is, I'm fairly honest and realistic about my writing. It's a fact that the start of this book is better than the ending. I'm trying to unpick why and change it accordingly.

One thing I didn't like was that my female protag was asking too many questions of my male protag. It was as if she couldn't make a decision on her own.

I changed that pronto.

Then there are other elements, like little asides that give the tone of my writing in the first half of the book but fall to the wayside in the second half. They needed to be added in for that extra perspective.

And then, once I've edited a section of text, if I flick back to that page for any reason I spot more imperfections that either I missed or are caused by the edits I've made.

But, I think there are always going to be little things I pick up on. Sometimes I change which protag said what depending on the situation and the message I want to give about that protag.

During my edits, I've also added a bit more foreshadowing. Lots of, 'Lexi wondered if she'd ever [do that] again.' I'm trying to add a few more mentions of the Moon, etc.

I have been told that an author can't edit their own work. I have spotted a few spelling mistakes or where I haven't

capitalised the start of a sentence or a name, for example. I've restructured some scenes, I'm writing new scenes as one of the locations in my book appears from nowhere. Now it appears earlier in the book and isn't quite so convenient. I also purposely excluded a scene from the book but now I think it really needs to be in as an event happens suddenly. There is foreshadowing for it, but I don't think that's enough. I think the reader may need to just see it.

I have also deleted any unnecessary telling and replaced it with showing, however it is a children's book so there needs to be a certain type of telling which also shows.

If I can get my editing done by the end of the week, hopefully I can get the manuscript to beta readers. It'll be good to step back from writing for a little while during the beta reads. I may even carry on with my cross stitch!

Wish me luck!

Engrossed

An odd thing happened today.

I was on the bus, reading my manuscript. Usually, I'm ready to hop off the bus as soon as it stops as I'm eager to get to my day job.

Today, however, the driver got off the bus before me! I was so

engrossed in my own manuscript I didn't realise that I had got to my stop.

How does that happen?

What I'm hoping is, if I, as the author, find the story engrossing, does that mean it is good?

I think it is important that we, as the authors, write a book that we enjoy reading. It has to be a story that we have enjoyed reading.

Actually, I'm not sure 'enjoy' is the correct word. Perhaps I should say that the story should be enthralling even to us who know it inside and out.

I know everything about Tim and Lexi, my protagonists. I know Tim's TV show and what Lexi likes to eat for breakfast. I know every single move they make and yet, I still find their story riveting.

I'm not trying to blow my own trumpet here. I think I'm actually amazed that I wrote something so absorbing. I genuinely didn't think I could do that. I hoped I could, of course.

I'm just starting chapter 2 of the manuscript. Every page has some edits to do and I should be able to put those in place for my beta readers fairly quickly.

I'm actually quite nervous about handing over my manuscript to beta readers. I'm not sure how I'll cope with criticism about my baby.

To be fair, though. The ending of my story was a little rushed as I was so keen to see what happened next. Even with the ending rewrite, there is still an element of rushed, I think. I believe the quality of the story is much better at the start than at the end.

I had better get on with it! Keep reading for more updates!

It's Finished!

I've finished the middle grade contemporary science fiction novel that I started in July. I wrote the last line in the story and now I'm feeling... wow.

The last line of the story is the set up for the next one and I just wanted to keep on typing but a story has to stop at some point, I suppose.

I was reading to my own kids in July, and I thought, I wanted to create a story that I'd want them to read when they're older.

If no one publishes it, they'll be the only ones who do read it! Hahah!

But seriously, I am a huge Sci Fi fan and I would love to share my enjoyment with my own children. The aim of the book was to appeal to both my son and my daughter. I have a strong female character (who's personality is very much like my daughter) and a brilliant male character (who again has a very similar personality to my son) and their dynamic is something I'm really happy with.

So, what's next?

My next step is to print out the manuscript and heavily edit with a good, old fashioned biro.

I did try putting a novel on my Kindle (using it as a USB with a screen) and editing it from there but I just got too frustrated that the writing wasn't perfect.

I will give my novel a heavy edit and then pass that edited manuscript on to Beta readers. Any volunteers?

I do have two very kind readers queued up to read the finished story and hopefully others who will be brutally honest with constructive feedback.

Then, once everything has been changed and is ready to go, submission. I'm not entirely sure where to submit my story this time. That's if it's any good, let's see what the beta readers say.

I have heard that some people say to walk away from your manuscript for a month and to just let it all sink in. I think I'll read through, do the edit, submit it to betas and then step back until my betas are ready to give feedback.

I just really want to write a story that is entertaining and that children enjoy reading.

Finding it a Bit Tricky

So, I've been trying to rewrite the ending to my middle grade novel. That's where I've been hiding all this time and why there haven't been many blog posts.

Well, writing book is really the reason there aren't many blog posts.

It's the ending I've been finding tricky. I think I must have written the ending at least five times by now.

The annoying thing is, I love this story. I really enjoy writing it and reading it! The reason why the ending is so rubbish in the first place is that I was so excited to see what would happen next that I completely rushed it.

It doesn't make sense. People appear and disappear all over the chapters and it's too foggy to see what's happening.

I've tried to find the point in the later chapters where the story begins to fall apart. That was too complicated because there was a lot of information in those chapters that I wanted to keep. Then I tried to simply edit those chapters but there was too much bad writing that it was depressing me and switching me off to writing.

In the end, I've decided to completely rewrite the end chapters. I've put away my hastily written hand copy and now I'm typing it directly onto the computer. Something I only do for blog posts! Gasp! (As you can tell from my poor spelling.)

It is certainly going better now that I've started to simply rewrite the ending. I can just delete anything I don't like and edit it a lot quicker than I can when writing by hand.

This may be the end of writing by hand for me.

More about that later.

I am continuing with the ending rewrite. I've been posting about it quite often on my Twitter feed. I think I'm winning. Everything is happening as I wanted it to but I just want it to be beautifully and seamlessly written. I want it to be exciting and enjoyable and page-turning.

Fingers crossed that's how it goes.

My Process

I am so excited about this middle grade contemporary science fiction I'm writing. I realise that perhaps no one else would be interested in it, but I'm excited to read it to my own children once it's finished.

I started writing this novel at the beginning of the school summer holidays in July. It began as a few ideas here and there until I could rewrite the entire thing and work with the first draft I have today.

My Process

The way I write my books is like this. (If there is a better method, please let me know!)

First, I write my novel by hand. This is slow and sometimes infuriating as I can't write it as fast as I think it, and I certainly type a good deal faster than I can write. However, I find that I'm more careful about the words I use when I have to write it slowly.

So the first draft of all the books I've written and the future books I write will most likely be hand written. I think I went through four pens writing this book. I didn't quite finish my pad of paper, however.

Second Draft

After that, I spend time typing the hand written copy onto the computer. This is mainly a copy typing exercise but I do some editing along the way.

I leave notes to myself when I'm writing the first draft for changes to make when I type up the second draft. I may include a new scene or completely rewrite a paragraph or two.
I type the manuscript double spaced so that when I type it out I can scribble corrections or alterations all over it.

Third Draft

Once I've typed up and printed the second draft, that will be scribbled all over, making it into my 3rd draft. I'll also add scenes or delete scenes where needed and rewrite paragraphs yet again. I find it easier to edit the paper copies. I can carry it around with me and read it whenever I want to.

This is a precious draft. It's the first time my book will have been printed on paper in a sort of book format. Hopefully, it won't be the last.

I find that sometimes it's easier to read printed text than it is on the computer, and I sometimes miss mistakes if they're on the computer.

Fourth Draft

Once all the changes have been added to the third draft, my forth draft goes to Beta readers (any volunteers?). From there, I take on their ideas and suggestions and make the changes that are needed.

Final Draft - Complete

This copy of my book contains all the changes, the suggestions and ideas that have appeared in the process. This copy is the one I will send out with queries. Hopefully then it has been edited and changed and adjusted within an inch of its life, it's the best it can ever be.

High Hopes

When I had a bout of writers block during this process, I thought about what I wanted from my book: I wanted to write the book I'd like my son and daughter to read.

They are only young and don't have much experience of Science Fiction. I wanted to write a middle grade novel that would be a good introduction to Science Fiction. Children already know about aliens and space, but I hope that this story would inspire them to think of Science Fiction more seriously.

I really love this story. It has two plucky protagonists, an evil antagonist, mystery, questions, a problem to solve. I hope that my own children enjoy reading it and the other children I read it to.

That's my first hope for this book, that the children I read it to enjoy it. I hope it inspires the children to imagine their own adventures and to introduce children who don't know about Science Fiction to the genre. If I could inspire children to read or watch other Science Fictions, that would be amazing too.

So, fingers crossed it all goes well! I'm currently typing up my second draft.

I am on 11,623 words so far this draft. I wrote about 5000 words today and will in theory write the same all this week. If I can, I'll have this second draft finished so that I can start editing the paper copy.

I'm really looking forward to holding the paper copy of my in development novel.

Second Draft

After the huge panic of the complete rewrite, I've caught up and only finished the entire novel!

There is nothing like the feeling of actually telling the story you want to tell. When I wrote 'The End' at the bottom of my manuscript, it was just the best feeling.

My last book, the Young Adult Science Fiction story I last completed, I wrote the ending when I was half way through. I'd had a clearer picture of the ending than the middle of the book, so I didn't have this feeling of completion.

My Middle Grade Contemporary Urban Science Fiction, I wrote in the order in which the events happened, with the exception of a few ideas I'd had, so writing The End was really the end of the first step in my journey to completing my novel.

It is far from finished, however. At one part, I was just scribbling to get the story out as fast as I could before the ideas ran away, and the ideas were coming so fast that I didn't write them down properly. I know those scenes will need a complete rewrite with a heavy edit.

Also, I'm pretty sure in some of the scenes, my characters are acting out of character. This is ok in some circumstances as I know we don't always act the same in every situation, but at the same time, I don't want them behaving in a way that isn't in their nature.

The Next Step

So, next I will be typing up my manuscript. I find it easier to edit as I go and then to edit what I've typed. I know this is a lengthy process but I hope that means I've really gone through the story with a fine tooth comb.

yWriter

I am writing my story up in word, so I can make sure all the spellings are correct, and then I'm dropping it into yWriter This helps me keep track of my scenes, my word count and lets me track people and objects through the story. (There's not much in it just yet!)

I like this story a lot. I think it might be The One. I like the characters, I like the twists. I like how the characters grow and change and learn. I like the equality and the ending.

I hope my audience likes it too. Crossed fingers!

Complete Rewrite

Okay, so the book needs a complete rewrite from the start.

That's fine, I'm being really zen about it. I will admit, I wasn't very zen about it last night when I realised this isn't my best work.

I am zen about it now and looking forward to really bringing out my story in a way that will delight and inspire awe.

What I've done to help me realise my dream is to print out some artwork I've found online which is inspiring. Some pictures that will keep me focused and on track. I've printed out some drawings of how I envision my characters and hopefully that will keep me on the right track.

I wish I had a writing room where I could put these pictures up and use them to focus. Polly Pockets in my folder will have to suffice.

One of the elements that was letting me down was not having a title. Working title is Galactic Team. This title is crap but it helps me to focus on the end game here. The book will not be submitted under this title but the gist of the thing is there.

So... word count right now is currently: 0.

New Characters

Tim and Lexi

My current work in progress features two protagonists, Tim and Lexi. I wanted both a male and female character not because the female character needs the male, but because I wanted to show equality.

I wanted to create realistic and fun characters that are cheeky, brave and impulsive. I don't go into a lot of detail about what they look like because to me, that's not important. I want the children reading my book to imagine themselves and their friends in the roles of Tim and Lexi.

Whether or not this will remain true after I've edited the second draft, I don't know.
This is what I have so far.

Lexi

Alexia comes from a single parent home. She has a brother and a sister who live with her dad and his new girlfriend, and she has her mum. She recently moved with her mum to the town in which Tim lives and have moved in on the same street as Tim.

She's loud, outgoing and plucky. She loves adventure but there's something quiet about Lexi. While she is loud, she has a quiet thoughtful side. She has a thinking side of her which processes what's happening and makes her ask questions that are important but are also unexpected.

Lexi is an experience collector. She likes to do things and find out what happens later. However, she's not completely careless and knows when she needs to use caution. She has her own boundaries and is very happy with them. She is smart and while her impulsiveness doesn't always allow her to show how smart she is, she has a depth of maturity that is very heartwarming.

Tim 

Timothy is the youngest of two boys. His older brother David is a teen

and the possessor of all the best computer games, which Tim covets. It's not until he meets Lexi that he's brave enough to pinch one of his brother's games to play with her.

Tim is used to being one of the cleverest people in the room. At school, he's learnt that the teachers know he's clever and he acts accordingly. He's reserved, thoughtful and proud. Yet, there is a vulnerable side to him. He knows he's not as clever as people make out and he's not as 'spur of the moment' as he would like to be. He envies Lexi's ability to just give things ago and see what happens.

Tim is not an experience collector. He picks and chooses what he wants to do and if he feels a bit out of his comfort zone, he may withdraw. The one thing that makes Tim shine is where something is out of his comfort zone, particularly in the climax of Book 1 where Tim can put aside his worries and reservations.

Tim is kind, loyal and friendly. He welcomes Lexi as a friend on their first meeting and while he doesn't agree with everything she says or does, he accepts her immediately as someone he can trust and be friends with.

How I Feel 

I really like these characters. When I'm writing about them, and I know
other writers have said this as well, I almost picture my own children. They are very loosely based on my own children although my own are much younger than the characters here and haven't quite settled on their own personalities yet.

What I Wanted to Achieve

I want to show that while they are different genders, there's an equality between them. Lexi and Tim both have strengths and weaknesses and they support each other. I want to say that it doesn't matter that one is a boy and the other is a girl, they are both people who can achieve anything they want to.

Overcoming Writers Block

My Tips

I've been struggling with writers block while writing these contemporary middle grade novels. I was starting to think that maybe I'm just not a very good middle grade writer. That may well be the case, but with my experience I think maybe not as awful as I was thinking.

The problem is, I haven't been giving myself breaks when I needed them.

Having two wonderful children, I've been trying to squeeze in as much writing as I can when they're asleep or otherwise distracted. This means I can't write when the muse inspires me but when I have the time. That's fine, but I was putting pressure on myself to write as much as I could in the little time that I had. This meant that what I was writing wasn't always of good quality and I didn't like it when it was all done.

What I've started to do, when I feel the writer's block descending, is to stop writing. I've started doing something else, reading more again and simply distracting my mind.

I have found that when I'm not forcing myself to write, what I do write is of better quality and makes more sense. Mainly it comes when I'm relaxed and chilling out and what I produce in that time is much better than what I'm forcing myself to write.

This has helped me in other areas of my writing as well. I have rewritten one scene in my current work in progress three times because instead of being a tense scene where my protags are in danger, it becomes a sinister scene for completely different reasons and that's not the tone of the book. Normally, this would really dishearten me and I'd be wondering why I can't get this scene or character right. Instead, now I'm giving myself a bit of a break, having a think about it and coming back to it afresh and with different ideas.

So my tip, when writer's block descends is to take a step back, have a break and think about anything else.

I hope that helps!

Stories of my Absense

Have been fairly accurate

So where have I been? And why haven't I been blogging? Well.

I just finished a contemporary middle grade fantasy where the main protag flies away to a magical land where she meets a number of interesting characters, solves the mystery of why she, over everyone else, was chosen to go to this magical land and... well, I can't give away the ending.

It was nice, and a cute story. I read it to some children who found it gripping. They don't pick up on the subtle clues, though, but it was ok. I pointed them out. Ha har! I had the Faraway Tree

And now?

I'm currently writing a contemporary middle grade science fiction. I'm not sure what made me move away from my young adult novel. I still have it, it's not been binned but I'm currently working on middle grade.

I was thinking about my own children when writing this science fiction. I was thinking about what sci fi my own children are exposed to.

I am a huge sci fi fan. I like fantasy and contemporary, I even like historical fiction but science fiction is my favourite.

I was thinking about introducing my own children to science fiction and what I'd want their first experiences of science fiction to be. So, I came up with the current story I'm writing now.

There are two main protags: Tim and Lexi. Tim is smart, knowledgeable and brainy. Lexi is also smart and she's impulsive, brave and practical. Unusual happenings have been in the news and then something particularly unusual happens to these rather ordinary children. Then the adventure begins.

Blurbs are not my forte obviously. I will work on it.

The reason I haven't been blogging is because I have been writing. Furiously! Once my fantasy had finished I was able to focus on this science fiction.

I do suffer with a lot of self doubt as a writer. I wonder if it's any good and if anyone would actually enjoy reading it.

I think that it's a very honoured position to be in, being a successful published author. It sort of means, in a way, that people have looked inside your imagination, liked what they see, and have come back for more. I think it's amazing.

I'm Writing Again!

I have been inspired!

It isn't happening as often as I'd like because I am completely swamped with work. Behold, my to do list! (It's written on an unused page in a diary.) And that is just for one week! Except where it says two weeks.

So, as you can see, writing is taking a little time to actually get going.

I was inspired to start writing again, despite all the work I have to do. I'm going to try to write before I head to bed for at least half an hour. Then at least I'm doing something until I get to the school holidays where I can
commit a bit more of my time.

This will be my third uncompleted work in progress. I have my story about the two teenagers who get split up in space and the story about the girl who discovers she has magic.

There is so much out there to inspire. I am so excited about this new WIP. I think I've been worrying about what people would like to read rather than thinking about a fun story I'd like to tell.

This new WIP is going to all be about the fun. I've got two polar

opposite characters to play off each other and a fun, 'anything could happen' story.

I think part of me is basing the characters on my husband and myself, but as teenagers. Although, I don't think I'm actually going to mention their chronological ages but instead give a clue of their age by what they do, how they look and how they think.

I'm hoping the fun in this story is what will keep me writing and keep me working on this book. I don't want to give up again, with the doubt that all

writers get (will anyone enjoy reading this) and without work swamping my time.

I hope that I will return to my other WIPs. I'm particularly interested in the one that follows three main plots: the two teenagers and a researcher flash back plot.

I also have completed novels that require my attention and a huge edit.

So, that's my update! I am writing again! And I am going to write purely for fun.

So, I'm Not a Writer

Day Job Taking Over

I’m supposing that the main requisite for being classified as a writer is writing.

I’m not writing at the moment.

I feel as if the ideas are stuck in my head because I have all these ideas (usually when I’m falling asleep – typical) but they’re not making it onto paper.

After marking 150 books a day, the drive to continue writing a story isn’t really there. My hands need a rest! Especially from writing.
The problem is, not only am I not writing but I’m also struggling to find time to write blog posts or to tweet fantastically witty twitter tweets. My creative well feels as if it is drying up.

This is entirely due to my wonderfully rewarding yet draining day job, so how do I get over this road block?

Well, I’ve managed a blog post! Yay! Which will be shared over Twitter, so it’s a start at least.

Next, I need to spend time with my characters and get through the tricky part of my stories. I think I have to remember that writing is fun! And I can make anything happen to these characters.

I don’t have to be confined to anything. They live in a world of magic and wonder, or science and exploration, so they can do anything I like. Anything is possible. I don’t have to worry about what’s going to happen next because it’s a fluid and interesting world.

image by Skema9

It’s more than writers’ block that is stopping me from writing. It’s time and energy and, quite frankly, inclination.

I’m really hoping I get a flash of energy and inspiration soon. I know this story is good, this main WIP which replaced my previous WIP. Or maybe I should return to my previous WIP which I’m 15,000 words into.

Aaaaaannnnd, this is another reason why I am getting stuck! I can’t focus on which story needs to be my WIP!


I really need to focus and get on with it!