Thursday 15 March 2012

It's Wobble Time, I Mean Submission Time

I've only got one chapter to edit! Then it's submission time. And I'm not nervous at all.

Yeah, right.

Gosh, The Wedding Favour started as a chapter in the Mills and Boon New Voice competition, in September 2010, and here we are, approximately 18 months later with the finished product. To be honest, it should have taken me less time, but occasionally I concentrated on other writing assignments, such as my Writers' Bureau (and being a full time mum, the kids would get in the way). And I wrote 33,000 words for Perfect Isn't An Option. That was a month.

My inspiration for Steve.
Anyway, watch this space. And watch my word count to the right. I'm going to start writing more of Perfect Isn't An Option very soon. I want this to be the novel I submit to the RNA New Writers' Scheme. So I want it finished, and edited (though probably won't be as polished) by end of June. End of July - latest! Because I don't want to be one of those people who hand it in last minute. I've estimated that if I do 1000 words a day (which is doable) it should take me just over a month to write. If I start writing from about the 24th March I could be finished by mid May.

I'm going to put what I've written so far onto my Kindle and read through, so I can brainstorm what gaps need filling, what scenes need adding. 

Buff firemen with tattoos!
And then, while I wait to hear the verdict on that with the RNA, plus the rejections flowing in for The Wedding Favour (ever the optimist), I'll be writing my third novel.

It doesn't have a title, and needs serious amounts of brainstorming. But the hero is an ex-fireman, come now a landscape gardener (I'm imagining him nice and big and buff, and with tattoos). The heroine needs some more thought. But they're going to be neighbours who can't stand the sight of each other, because really they fancy the pants off of each other. And when her house catches fire (need to decide to what extent) and she moves in with her buff neighbour while her house is renovated, that's when the fireworks really start.

This story idea has stemmed from one tiny scene I had in my head. A man picking up a hysterical woman, slinging her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, to get her away from a scene that's distressing her.

Anyone else get these silly little scenes and feels the need to make them grow?

I also want to try and find some homes for some shorter pieces that I've written. I need to get more stuff out there. It's juggling the time to do it all though.

Right, back to the grindstone ... And buy that second diary so I can block out work time for different pieces.

15 comments:

  1. Good luck!! You can do it. Re the scenes, yes happens to me all the time. Only yesterday outside school there was a rather flash dad with a flash car. He stood next to it, watching the kids come out and my mind wandered...

    We shall see whether anything comes out of it.

    I like the idea for your new story!

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  2. Good luck with your submissions. It's an exciting time but terrifying too!

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    1. I know. And you get told to expect rejections so you sort of think, why the hell do I want to do this? :-P It's madness really.

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  3. It all sounds very exciting, Teresa, can't wait to hear what happens next! Good luck, you can do it! xxx

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    1. Well, of course, I will keep everyone posted. Every rejection lol!

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  4. Good luck with your submission. Looking forward to hearing all about it.

    I love the buff fireman/tattoo picture, too!

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    1. I have used that picture before. But it is sort of the physique I want for him. :D He has his reasons for being an ex-fireman too.

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  5. Wow you're a busy woman. I'm drooling over that picture, thank you :P

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    1. I don't feel I write as much as I should. I really should be trying to get more stuff 'out there' albeit short stories or something. But I fail miserably. Running around after two kids can be the problem ;-) But I'll get there in the end.

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  6. Wishing you lots of luck with the submission!

    It is difficult juggling life with writing. It's one of those typical not enough hours in the day scenarios.

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    1. Thanks, Rebecca. I will keep you all posted. Yes, and it is a juggling process, because kids always throw spanners into the works. Usually a day when I have planned out - even booked in advance, one of my kids will be ill lol!

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  7. Best of luck with the submission Teresa-know what you mean re juggling writing with kids.

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    1. Yes, I thought it would get easier with them both at school, but I had to take on another little job (Dinner lady at the school), and that does eat into some of my time, too.

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    2. And thanks for being follower number 75! :D

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