What to read?

Is this the longest ‘I’m nearly there…’ in history?

I am nearly there though. (And you’re all being wonderful, tolerant and cheering me on – even though I can imagine the gritted teeth…)

I finished Zoe Heller’s The Believers on Saturday. It had an utterly unlikeable main character and I wondered what I was doing continuing to read (well, it was wonderful despite that.) She was so cruel to her children and I didn’t feel enough understanding of her past to have much compassion for her. We knew a bit… but not enough to empathise. Of course it reminded me of the mother in my own story… and do we know enough, early enough, to identify with her?

I couldn’t decide what to read next… it’s too soon to start the next book club choice. Then I saw this BBC National Short Story Award article and that was it: decision made. The short story volume, Women fly when men aren’t watching by Sara Maitland.(Sara was involved in devising The Literary Consultancy's mentoring scheme.)
I think the universe is trying to tell me something because I’ve just received my prize from Salt Publishing of a copy of Short Circuit: A Guide to the Art of a Short Story, edited by Vanessa Gebbie.

So what’s the universe trying to tell me?

To write some short stories?

To bloody well get this draft finished so that I can try my hand at some short stories.
*

This is the plan

I’m hoping to finish the first draft by the end of November. You can see over on my wordmeter I’m in spitting distance from the end. I’m not 3k away… but more like 6-8k. I think.

But even when I’ve typed ‘The End’ I won’t actually have finished the first draft because I’ve got an extra character, a subplot and a bit of business that needs to happen earlier, that need to be written into the first half of the book.

I also have my mentor notes to act upon.

When I wrote the first 60,000 words, I was receiving feedback from my mentor at TLC. When each report came back from her, I was frantically writing the next 10,000 words to send her. I would read her report but not go back into the text to change anything; partly because my head was now in the next section and partly because I needed to absorb and decide what to do about the feedback.

But. I have had an offer of a read through from someone (it would be stupid to decline) and they need to do this in January.

So. When I get to 'The End' my plans are to go straight back in to write in the new character, the new subplot and a structural change between a minor and the main character.

When that’s done I will let it rest. I will put it in a drawer, let my reader see it in Jan and then start on it again. This is the plan.

My Industry Day

The Saturday before last was my Industry Day with The Literary Consultancy. This is part of the Chapter & Verse mentoring scheme which I began about a year ago.

The industry day gives mentees a chance to gain further insight into the publishing industry and getting published. It was the first one to be held at TLC’s new premises, the Free Word Centre; a gorgeous wordy, booky space – that’s the technical description. The day started with Becky and Caroline from TLC, talking about the scheme and the mentees introducing themselves and their writing.

The first outside visitor was Will Atkins from Macmillan New Writing. MNW was started to keep new fiction alive in a time when it was being strangled because of the heightened risk that new writers present to publishers. MNW take submissions direct from writers and Will talked about how to make an approach. He brought five or six books with him that they had published and the covering letter that each of those writers had sent with their original enquiry. I loved this. There’s information available about the theory of your covering letter but rarely do you have the chance to see the letter that scored the deal! (Coincidentally, if you’re searching for an example, Novel Racers, Fia and Cally, enable you to see just that as part of Cally’s blog tour for her new novel, Heaven Can Wait.)

One of Will Atkins’ authors said that he had spent about fifty hours on the putting together his covering letter. He said he had considered his novel for thousands of hours so it made sense to spend plenty of time on the letter that would go with the manuscript.

After lunch Becky chaired a conversation with Euan Thorneycroft, an agent from AM Heath Literary Agency; Ellah Allfrey, Deputy Editor of Granta Magazine, though recently a senior editor at Jonathan Cape; Will Atkins, see above and Caroline McCarthy, TLC Mentoring Co-ordinator and Literary Scout. After their discussion, it was opened up for questions. Imagine, all that expertise and we could ask anything.

Tomorrow I will condense roughly what was said.

Sunday catch up

Today is Sunday. I expect you know that… and instead of staying in London until Thursday, I am leaving to go home to Kent because my mother has also (in addition to my Dad who broke his pelvis a few weeks ago) had a funny turn and a fall. She is fine; her confidence is shaken but she’s not broken physically.

What else?

Oh yes. I had my industry day yesterday with the Literary Consultancy. I think this deserves a full post so I will do that tomorrow.

It only remains to say that words this week were only 1498. I am rather pleased with any words at all. But once settled at my parents, I think I shall be able to get on again. I look forward to hearing Sheepish's words... there'll be no threats about putting her in the hot wash from me today... just a feeble arm raised to toast her wordcount win and thank her for keeping my nose to the grindstone.

Bits and pieces

So here's a bitty post.

I fly tomorrow night. I have stuff in London to do first but it's a blessing that I'm going to the UK, because I can stay longer (thanks to half term and a lovely Husband) and go down to see my folks once I'm done with stuff in London. (My Dad's been moved to a cottage hospital but is moving a bit more now, though still in lots of pain.)

'Stuff' includes, among other things, the gorgeous and talented Lenny Henry in Othello (oh be still my beating heart) as well as my industry day with The Literary Consultancy.

And this is the final picture in the Pratunam series: the ladies who make the costumes.

Call yourself a writer?

DJ tagged for this meme. I am off on a writing course all day today at the Neilson Hays Library, so this is a perfect post for today.

1. Which words do you use too much in your writing?
Words which dictate meticulous detail of the physical movement of my characters. I think I’m a frustrated film director.

2. Which words do you consider overused in stuff you read?
The ones that should have been edited out.

3. What's your favourite piece of writing by you?
Anything that makes me laugh because then I feel terribly clever.

4. Which blog post do you wish you had written?
Anything that makes me laugh because I am very envious of people that can consistantly write funny.

5. Regrets. Do you have a few? Is there anything you wish you hadn't written?
Nope: it’s waste of energy (but so is worrying and I do plenty of that.) I would be sad to think I’d written something that might have hurt someone.

6. How has your writing made a difference? What do you consider your most important piece of writing?
I am surprised at how it alters my mood for the better. I suppose the most important piece is the piece I’m doing here and now (whenever that is.)

7. Name three favourite words
I’ve done this before in a meme on TeaStains, so I had to go looking for it. According to that meme my favourite words are: ‘Bollocks,’ ‘vituperative’ and ‘elderly.’ I also like ‘presbyopic’ and ‘discombobulated.’

8. ....And three words you're not so keen on.
Uhm, I can’t think of any though my BF, The High Priestess of Punk-chew-ation loathes the word ‘moist.’ If you talk to her about moist belly buttons, she’ll really freak out.

9. Do you have a writing mentor, role model or inspiration?
I’ve just finished the six sessions with my mentor through The Literary Consultancy and have the industry day and the ms read to go. Also the friends I’ve made through the Novel Racers have been a huge inspiration and support.

10.What's your writing ambition?
To write entertaining stories well.

I am passing this on to YOU. Please take it if you like it. I'm going to be late for the library...

Blimey

Yesterday I received my final report from my mentor with The Literary Consultancy. I can’t believe I’ve written 60,000 words.

In October I’m back in London for my ‘Industry Day’ which is where mentees get to meet and learn about publishing from agents and publishers. (I booked my hotel today for my London stay, where I intend to write, go to the theatre and eat veggie food.)

The final part of the mentoring is that one of TLC’s readers critiques the whole work.

My next step, then, is to put down the knitting and get back to the writing.

More on mentoring

I thought it was about time to come back and tell you about the mentoring process as I’m experiencing it with The Literary Consultancy. I'm far enough into the process now to see some of its results.

I can submit up to ten thousand words, six times to my mentor. She (in my case) will report back within two weeks (usually around a week in my experience.) You can find further details of what the mentoring deal includes here.

Someone once said to me that I was brave submitting a first draft to anyone to look over, but the truth is, it’s not a first draft. I write the ten thousand words and then I edit them. They aren’t finished, but not are they as rough as a first draft either.

My first ten thousand words were ready to go as soon as the agreement was made. I had been working on these for such a long time that several friends were concerned I was only ever going to have ten thousand, fully polished, words. While I waited for the first report to come back I worried. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to write another ten thousand words in six weeks; I worried what the report would say. The report came back with a good balance of positive and critical comments.

I did manage to write the second ten thousand words and I sent them off after the six week interval. I worried again. This time I worried that the first section had been a fluke. I thought that my mentor would come back and say ‘Oh, what happened? The first section showed promise … what happened to these words?’ The second report came back and instead of the above, there was a good balance again of positive and critical comments.

I was beginning to believe that I could get the words down. I had written two lots of 10k of words… I could probably write another 10k, couldn’t I?

However, the third ten thousand words were much harder. I really needed the growing belief that I could do it. The novelty had worn away a bit and it was hard slog. I had quite a few personal issues to worry about. It was Christmas and I was going away with my family but I would have to work while on holiday as I was a behind with the words. I sent off the third section with a covering note saying that I had struggled with these words. My mentor wrote back saying that the process is flexible and next time to take a bit longer until I am happier. That way, her comments are extending me rather than correcting things I already know. When the report came back she had included lots of positive and critical comments and told me that in general, it felt underwritten. This was a crucial comment that helped me understand my pattern of work.

Bitterly disappointed that I’d let myself down, I sat down to write the fourth ten thousand words. Somewhere during this writing, I discovered that I had two distinct heads (metaphorical heads, silly!) The reason I hadn’t been able to get the third lot of words into order was because I had creative head on and in order to polish, I needed editing head and I simply hadn’t recognised that. As long as I knew which head I needed to sit down with I was able (mostly) to conjure the right attitude. I also realised that I always need to return and flesh out … hence the underwriting.

So here I am two thousand words into the fifth ten thousand words. I know what’s coming in the story but I have absolutely no clue as to how I am going to get there. BUT, I have a developed a relaxed attitude to this, a faith almost, that it will happen. I hadn't had any idea either how to get from one word to one thousand words, but that had happened and more.

It’s like being an alcoholic, one day at a time or in my case, one scene at a time.

Writing Course in Thailand

I’ve no idea if any writers in Thailand read my blog.

I tried to let writers in Bangkok Women’s Writers Group know about The Literary Consultancy’s proposed writing course on Koh Chang in April. Unfortunately, my first email didn’t receive an answer.

It’s a great opportunity for writers, already based in Thailand, to join a top class writing course with only a short flight down to Koh Chang. It’s only too easy to feel remote from the publishing world and its activities out here.

So I sent the email again with a little note wondering if it had been received or not. This time I did get an answer. It said that the Bangkok Women’s Writers Group ‘is a very large group and many members get a lot of emails’ and therefore the BWWG admin prefer to keep mailings to group activities. Apparently this is ‘so that members can trust that a mail is about the group and its activities.’

I do understand wanting to keep the email address safe from irrelevant promotions. I am sure that their care with our personal details is valued by everyone. I could even see that if I profited in some way from the TLC writing course that it might be considered wrong to promote it. But I don’t profit. My interest in the course is purely as a potential attendee and I contacted BWWG to let any other serious writers know that the opportunity existed.

I had thought that anybody writing seriously might value the tip off that a prestigious organisation, such as the Literary Consultancy, is holding a course in Thailand: I know I would. ‘The only exception [to this rule] would be if one of our members published a book or something like that’ said the BWWG reply. I suppose I had hoped that it might fit in to the ‘or something like that’ criteria.

So if anyone knows any writers in Thailand perhaps they’d like to pass the details on. I’m not on commission you know.

Happy New Year

I’ve woken up with a clear head this morning. I only had a glass of wine and was back in my room by 10.30 or so… Sad, eh? A hotel is a weird place to spend NYE because you get the feeling that ‘fun is compulsory’ and that makes me feel less sociable than ever. Our NYEs back home have always been spent with our best friends – The Archivist and the High Priestess of Punk-chew-ation so I’m always a bit sad when we aren’t together.

Now it’s time to pack up as we’re catching the night train to Bangkok tonight. We’ve had a lovely holiday but I’m ready to go home. I’m tired of salty clothes and not having the book I want right by side… I’ve still got two thousand words to do for my mentor (due 9 Jan) so I need normal again.

I’m really excited about this writing year. The mentoring with TLC has given me much needed feedback. The constructive criticism is essential for picking up faults that that I haven’t noticed I have. The praise is wonderful because prior to this I didn’t know if I was doing anything right. (I am doing things right, though, and I appear to write dialogue very well – how about that, eh?) The continued support from the Novel Racers has been fantastic – though I reckon the wider writing community we’re all part of is wonderful too. Real friends: that’s what I’m making here.

On a personal note: what will this year bring for us? Hhhmmm. Well, I don’t know. Husband doesn’t know. Do his employers? We don’t want to be greedy, but we would just like to keep Husband’s job please. We realise the world is financially fragile, but we’d like to get Son through GCSEs before we have to move: he’ll be half way through in July 09 so really, please can we ask for one more year in Bangkok at least? Then, if you want, we’ll consider moving.

Pants Update

Sweet housekeeping lady eventually reappeared to return the second batch of laundry. I got quite excited about the prospect of returned pants and asked her if they were in the package…

“Oh… just a minute.” Yep; you guessed it. I never saw her again.

Several hours later that afternoon, a mysterious Thai man I’d never seen before turned up with a package for us: two pairs of pants. I uhhmed and I ahhed; I opened the package and made close investigative examinations…

YES, yes: they were Husband’s pants. Hurrah: we’ve all been reunited.

Fantastic feedback

Since I started the TLC mentoring, my writing habit has improved enormously. In order that I have 10,000 words to send in every six weeks, I’ve got to write most days.

I think it’s a bit sad that at my age I still need the help of somebody else’s deadline to make me do something I do really want to do. I hate the feeling of panic when I’ve left everything to the last minute so I am getting better at the motivation thing.

Knowing how brilliant I’ve found TLCs’s feedback, let me tell you about fellow Novel Racer, Caroline, who runs BubbleCow. She’s holding a Christmas Competition with a fantastic prize. It’s a lucky dip, offering a free in-depth edit and report on a manuscript of up to 100,000 words.
The deadline to enter is midnight GMT November 30 2008. The rules and details can be found HERE.

MY FIRST REPORT

I’ve got my first report back from my mentor. It came last night while we were watching The Dark Knight on the hotel’s big screen. I wasn’t much interested in Batman but in the spirit of being sociable … once my Blackberry flashed and I saw it was from my mentor that was it. Husband said ‘You’d better text me and let me know if it’s safe to come upstairs.’

So what was it like?

I have a good eye for detail. This works for and against me: I have to learn when to desist from shovelling more and more on with a spade. Less is more.

Sometimes I write with ‘great verve’ and sometimes I try too hard and it sounds ‘pedestrian.’ *winces* I wonder if I can work out which passages are which.

If I cannot come up with a simile or metaphor which says, with originality, exactly what I want it to say, I shouldn’t use one. When I have come up with a corker, I should desist from shovelling more and more on with a spade. I should also abstain from repeating myself when I think I’ve said something clever!

My main character needs more work. My more minor characters are shaping up nicely.

My dialogue is on the whole strong. I have a good ear for the way people talk at cross purposes and fail to finish sentences. My long dialogue scene between Marina and Jean is excellent, and Marina’s response is totally believable.

My mentor enjoyed my story. She thought it was a good read with the promise of some really good conflict. She is interested in the characters and wants to know what will become of them.

So very useful: assuming I can identify the pedestrian from the ‘great verve.’ It would be absolutely typical of me to edit out all the great verve and leave in the dull. My other main concern is the development of the main character.

“Statement of the bleedin’ obvious”

I am feeling all relaxed and light of problems. This is my last day on Koh Chang and the rainy season has gone away for the day … but still I’m at my laptop. (I ♥ my laptop.)

Calistro left a comment yesterday that made me laugh; she said: ‘…that’s utterly astonishing… Have I missed something? How did you go from writing 100 words a day on Helen’s blog to well over a 1000? I want some of that fairy dust please!’ and then after chuckling again at her tone of total incredulity, it made me think. These are my tips:

1. Sign up for a mentoring scheme in which you will submit 10,000 words for critiquing when in reality you have only 4,000 words of your ‘masterpiece’ written.
2. Have a lovely Husband, who despite writing course being cancelled, lets you ago anyway to gorgeous jungley island all on your lonesome while he holds the fort at home.
3. Have people on your sidelines, shouting for you: encouraging, having faith and then shouting some more. (I know it’s not the most exciting blogging; me telling you how many words I wrote today, and what DVD I’m watching… so thank you for still appearing here!)

In truth, it’s not just those points, and it’s funny that it was Calistro that made me think about it, because it sort of started with her.

It’s hard work, this writing lark. I know that – if you came here telling me it was just sitting on my lardy arse and typing, well, I’d say ‘it’s not, it’s hard work.’ I knew that. I’d read it in multiple ‘how to’ books, I’d heard it from writers, I’d read it on the internet. I knew.

It started a few weeks ago when Calistro got her agent. I was so pleased for her – she really has worked hard for it … and she works full time. I felt utter delight; I knew I wasn’t near that situation so my reaction didn’t involve an iota of envy. I was 4,000 words in and I could see that I had a long way to go before justifiably feeling ‘why not me?’

It spurred me on. It made me think ‘I want that to be me…’ So I began to think about it: about how to do it, about how to get to that situation so that even if there are no guarantees, at least to get to a place where your manuscript goes out.

My TLC writing holiday got cancelled and I felt sad but I recognised my need for feedback. I’d got no real idea if what I was doing was right. So fast forward to the idea of mentoring with TLC: my excerpt came back with some good things on it. It was better than I hoped for and it had suggested to my reader that, albeit assessed only from one chapter, I might possibly be in possession of the skills required to do this.

‘I did that chapter,’ I thought. ‘It was hard but I shaped it and put the things into that she thought demonstrated that potentially I might possess the ability to do this. So right … (can you hear those cogs turning?) if I can do it with one chapter, I can do it with the next.’

Slowly – because clearly I’m not very bright – it began to dawn on me. The writing is really tough. It’s HARD. Am I the only one who hadn’t comprehended this? Am I the only total twit who hadn’t grasped the fact that, not only is it not easy, it’s actually, really bloody difficult?

So, if you’ve read this far, you’re going to say ‘Yes? And your point, JJ, is what?’

And, well, I suppose my point is – I suppose I have a couple of points: that ability or talent is irrelevant if you don’t do the hard graft … there really isn’t any ‘fairy dust’? And while I knew all along that it was tough, I guess I didn’t really quite believe it; until now.

Two bits of news

Two major things have come out of the TLC writing course being cancelled.

One is that I kept my internal flights to Koh Chang – couldn’t get the money back anyway – and last Friday night, after Music & Lyrics, I decided that I would go and write. So tomorrow I fly down to “Elephant Island” for nine nights to make progress on my book.

The second is the cancellation brought into focus my awareness of my … confidence issues and my inability to keep to my own deadlines. Each time I’ve had any sort of crit I’ve had a corresponding ‘Ah ha!’ moment. I feel sure that had I been in the UK I would by now be doing the OU course, or an MA (Husband's permission permitting). But, I’m not, so a couple of weeks ago I sent my first chapter to The Literary Consultancy to see if they would consider me in a suitable place with my wip for their mentoring programme. This consists of a one to one mentor in the form of an experienced author critiquing up to 10,000 words on six occasions through the year. At the end of the six sessions you can submit the whole manuscript to be read and critiqued by one of their readers.

I heard back from them on Saturday regarding my first chapter. The mentoring co-ordinator was ‘impressed by these opening pages’ and thinks that I have the qualities ‘firmly in place’ that they are looking for in mentees. From the little they've seen 'the novel already ticks a good number of the current publishing boxes.'

I met Julia Bell through TLC who supply writers for Skyros’ Writer’s Labs – Julia used to read for TLC and she speaks highly of them. I have corresponded with Rebecca Swift regarding the holiday and the other services they offer. I also have been in touch with Zinnia regarding her experience and I am impressed with the way that TLC dealt with Zinnia’s criticism and complaint.

Of course there are still no guarantees of anything – they don’t take on only those they think they can whip up into shape for publishing – but I am excited about receiving feedback on a regular-ish basis to the hard work I am doing. I’m really motivated to get on and receive some feedback and am sure that the deadlines imposed will help me to focus and stop … playing Bejewelled.

Give me a slap

I’m feeling pitifully sorry for myself today. I need a good slap because it’s not life and death but nonetheless I’m feeling wretched.

It started on Friday evening. Daughter was at a sleepover with four friends; Son was watching TV and Husband had braved the tropical rain storm to get home for his last phone meeting of the week.

Through the wall I could hear Husband on the conference call – him talking loudly as though to someone slightly stupid and the tinny voices of his colleagues from the speaker phone. I was finishing off Two Caravans when the email bleeped red on my Blackberry.

Every time the thought had entered my head that the writing course might be jeopardised by the political unrest here I gave it a firm whack away. It would be fine, I said, it’s in Koh Chang not in Bangkok.

Yesterday the news came: The Literary Consultancy has taken the decision to cancel the course. I’d tried so hard not to think this might happen but at the same time I understand. If I were in the UK thinking of coming to a country under a State of Emergency... well, I don't think I would.

Lovely Husband is telling me to go anyway… it's all in the diary, got everything in place at home - have a break, he says, but I don’t need a break – I need a writing course.

See, I just need a good slap for being a spoilt and selfish.

My new mantra

The last week – ten days has been a disaster writing wise. No time to do anything. Today I’ve got to take the artwork for the banners to MBK where they will … do something with their software to make them into banners and print them for us. Then I’ve got other errands to run. Tomorrow the children need picking up and dropping off and totally different time of day in different parts of Bangkok. I want to go to the Thaicraft fair in the middle of the day; Husband and Daughter have piano lessons in the afternoon and then on Sunday Husband’s off to India. It’s so busy.

I’ve really got out of the habit of 100 words a day, and need a big boot shoving up my backside. The part that I’m working on has turned into a ‘I simply can’t work this out’ kind of project so rather than open it, harrumph, close it again I have to take it a sentence at a time. I can do that: one sentence at a time.

I have earmarked next week to write (apart from Thursday). I have two weeks before my writing course on Koh Chang and I’m feeling an amateur, fraudulent and devoid of imagination; but also quite a bit excited.

One sentence at a time is my new mantra…

I must NOT buy any more books

Whenever people say 'I must not buy any more books' I think: 'Why?' I've always felt no harm would come if I went on buying books. I mean, I read them and as long as I'm able to pay for them... it's okay, isn't it? Until now, when I am wondering how I am going to take my purchases home. I brought five books with me from Bangkok and now . I have acquired many books in the three weeks that I've been here. All of them are essential, obviously.

Anyway, there's been a photograph your bookshelf meme thing going around and mine is interesting (possibly only to me) because it consists of what I brought with me and what I've purchased while here. A little snapshot, then, of what I HAVE to travel with and what I must ACQUIRE.

Five books were brought from Bangkok with me.

And then I have purchased:
research books for WIP
non-fiction books of interest
charity shop bargains
two for Husband
two more ‘how to’ manuals
One to read before my writing course in September with the Literary Consultancy because Kate Mosse is a tutor there.

Back in Bangkok

Of today

Son is fourteen today; I’m not sure how this is possible.

Husband’s birthday is today too, but he is much older and yesterday he began to make grouchy noises about this fact. I am of the opinion that being older is much better than being … not any older.

Of elastic deadlines

My break has done me good. I am quite desperate to get writing again. My self-imposed deadline is nearly here and I haven’t done what I wanted to do. But. I can’t stop so there’ll be no more talk of quitting.

I am cheered too by an email from Julia Bell who told me that The Literary Consultancy is holding a writing holiday in Koh Chang in September. You can see the news here, and their website is here and will go live at the end of April. I am not making a new deadline but I do want to attend the course with some writing under my belt.

Of Monday

I AM FLYING TO ENGLAND ON MONDAY NIGHT AND CAN BARELY CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT.

If you live there, what is the weather like? What clothes do I need to unearth and pack?