I’m getting back on track with NaNoWriMo, the word drought has ended and my neglected characters are being revived. The thing that is constantly amazing me about this process is the way my characters surprise me. They ask questions and go on tangents. They behave in ways I wouldn’t have even considered a couple of weeks ago. They are coming to life. The words may be crude and in desperate need of thesaurus, but the story is taking shape and the characters are becoming beings I enjoy working with. Sat …

Last year I spent Halloween dressed up as a witch, getting hideously drunk at a house party less than two weeks before I was leaving London. Though I had various leaving parties, this was the last time nearly all the people I’d moved to London with and a few I’d got to know along the way.

This Halloween will be considerably quieter and more sober, but hopefully just as significant. At midnight it will be November, and I will be writing the first few words of my NaNoWriMo novel. 50,000 words …

On Sunday I went along to see David Nicholls and Nick Hornby talk about their work and more specifically their latest novels. It was part of the Durham Book Festival. I can’t off the top of my head remember most of what they said, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, and felt more confident about my own writing endeavors as a result.
Something clicked on Sunday night which made me understand why I’m so adverse to joining a writing group, or share my work with other writers in general. I can’t put …

I’ve not been feeling great this weekend. Not properly ill, just a little under the weather. I think it’s the combination of shaking off the last of the tiredness from the past few weeks combined with my lack of exercise. With work being so busy last month the regular exercise came to a complete standstill. Considering how long it takes me to get into an exercise routine I now feel like I’m back to square one. I’m back to feeling unfit and lacking the motivation to move my backside and …

What do I want to do when I grow up? As I’ve navigated my way through life the answer to this has changed, but as time goes on it has become more specific and consistent. I want to work for myself, I want to work with people and I want to write.
There are becoming two strands to this, writing and business. This is where my wish list comes in. The things I’d love to be paid to do. The things I’d still want to do even if I won millions …

Then I will begin…
In The Writers Tale I mentioned (or rather I used Russell T Davies to illustrate) that there isn’t a particular way to write. In fact, despite me obsessing about having the right ‘voice’ for my stories, the story is the most important part.
Particularly Project No.2 I know I have a very strong story, and though no story is original, through research I’m fairly sure my story is different enough. And good enough to eventually be a popular piece of literature (for a couple of months at least).
Story …

Firstly the cold that was starting seems to have made a hasty retreat so I am very happy about this. I am in fact giving myself a pat on the back for doing things to stop it in it’s tracks. Such as getting to bed at a reasonable hour on a Friday night. And actually relaxing, stopping myself from thinking about the exciting things that are happening right now so I can sleep.
In the past it has been full steam ahead, no time for sleep. Exciting things being much more …

I wrote this blog to post yesterday, however by yesterday evening “winter” had set in. With the start of a cold, my stubbornness to not put the central heating on yet and tiredness from all the excitement of this week (it’s been a fantastic week personally and in work but VERY busy!) I ended up snuggling under a blanket and vowing to post in in my lunch hour today… so here it is!

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If I was excited about writing yesterday, I’m even more excited today. In fact my head is full …

If you could do anything in the world for a job what would it be?
Writing.
If you were given £10 million tomorrow would you still want to do it?
Yes.
I started writing because it was a release. I have kept diaries on and off throughout the years. Until fairly recently, when I started seriously thinking of moving into a career in writing, the writing came easiest when I was anxious or depressed.
I think too much. I am well known for over thinking and anyone who’s made the mistake of asking me ‘why’ …

You may have noticed a slight lull in my blogging of late. I’ve had other stuff going on, and although at first my reaction was to beat myself up about not keeping all the balls in the air (hands up who also does that? I can’t be the only one) I have realised that actually it is quite fine to have an off week or two.
That goes for my novel as well. I was meant to be blogging the synopsis last weekend, but when it came to editing what I’d …

I wonder how long you have to be ill to watch all the films in the history of the world? It’s been nearly three weeks and I feel I’ve barely scratched the surface. I also feel like I need a break from movie watching so was thankful yesterday when the cogs in my brain decided to whir into action.
It’s always worrying when I get distant from my writing. Some past projects have evaporated completely. But this one I have been so excited about, unlike anything before. Being ill has been …

Writing is a scary thing. I love coming up with ideas. I love editing. But the bit in between is a huge mountain I’m right at the bottom of. Transferring those ideas onto the page is so difficult. I have a great story. I know it’s a great story. I’ve talked it through at great length with a few people and discussed the general gist and the characters with a few others. Everyone has been captivated and excited about the idea I verbalize. But putting that idea into a blank …

I don’t do being ill. This week I have no choice. Let it be stated that I am not happy about it. As you may have gathered from my blog to date I’m a get up and go person. If something brings me down I just fight it out and move on. Unfortunately physical illness doesn’t work like that. When you’re down you end up having to accept it, for a while at least.
I accepted it on Saturday. Fought it Sunday and Monday. And am now ten times worse. Lesson …

In my previous job I had to get up ridiculously early and I hated it. I am not a morning person in the slightest. So I was surprised to find that when it came to research for my novel I was willing to get up at 5.15am, having taken a days holiday from work. It is funny the affect that dreams and determination can have on you!
The first half (or so) of the book takes place around the area of Colliers Wood and Morden in South London. (Google Map). I …

I decided that as I have a blog anyway, I should make the most of it and diarise the progress of writing my first novel.
In some ways this has happened out of the blue. In others it hasn’t.
I have been writing for as long as I can remember. Anything factual or opinionated I have been happy to share with an audience. I’ve been known to shove articles, blogs and reports under the noses of friends and family for them to read. But my fiction has remained something that I kept …