Friday, 1 July 2011

Night Off

After three hours of work I'm surprised that I turn into a useless, tired mess. Tonight I've just read (and now I'm updating my blog) and drunk pear cider! But deservedly so, because I've been scrutinising over my first three chapters of The Wedding Favour, and a synopsis for the past couple of weeks.

Well no more! Last night I sent it off to Jane Holland, the editor of Embrace Publishing, ready for my appointment next week at the RNA Conference. I'm not even opening the 'sent' email for fear of spotting some ludicrous typo or a comma out of place!

Steve's photo shoot with some glossy magazine
So now, what am I going to do? I need to get back into writing Perfect Isn't An Option. I'm missing Steve. (Is he missing me?) But first, I've decided to finish my 2nd fiction Writer's Bureau assignment. I'm on a tight schedule for the May - You Write Your Novel challenge, and to be honest, I'm not sure I'll get my novel finished by the 19th July... and it's been a while since I checked in with my tutor.

This weekend is likely to be a write-off. I'm rubbish; my writing suffers when I've been at work. A combination of up at the crack of dawn, on feet for 6 and a half hours, and a constant (fake) happy disposition in front of the customers (hence I hide in the freezer and swear my head off during the 'bake-off'), plus I go to bed earlier, giving me less of an evening! Unless you do it, I don't think you realise how physically tiring working in retail is. (Makes me grateful of my office days!)

A quality a writer needs amongst thick skin and a good imagination, is motivation.You need to self-motivate. It's easy, when one project finishes, to find yourself in a slum, and sometimes, even picking up an existing project feels daunting. I'll start reading through Perfect Isn't An Option. That'll get my fingers twitchy and my brain back onto Steve. Adam (The Wedding Favour) will be on a back burner for a while.

I'm starting to be more open about my writing. I was even talking to a customer at work today about being a writer. I get such a positive response, yet it's funny, I'm so reserved about it, I almost feel like I'm coming 'out'.

2 comments:

  1. Well done for sending your chapters off, and I know exactly what you mean about not daring to look at the 'sent' email:)

    I've been in retail in the past. I don't envy you at all!

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  2. Thank you. I've relaxed about it now. Nothing I can do but wait. Jane has emailed me to confirm she's received them, too. So they're not lost in the realms of the WWW.

    Yes, I so want to be successful with writing and making a living (though do need to pull my finger out there) so that I can give up the 'weekend' job.

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