It's Been An Odd Day

I have a poorly PC, so I'm tapping away at the keyboard of my laptop. But I'm getting frustrated because the keyboard is so much smaller than my ergonomic one, and even though I like the sound of my nails tapping at the keys, it takes me longer to type. I tend to have to go back and correct lots of words.

This week has been feeling a bit strange. My eldest son is away with the school for a week. He's been beyond excited about it. However, today, throwing all plans out of the window - almost - I've had a poorly boy at home, too - my youngest. That has scuppered me a little, I couldn't do my pilates or go for a run. I did keep my appointment and give blood, Kieran coming with me as he hadn't been sick or anything, in fact by this point he really wasn't 'ill'. He liked the chocolate biscuits! Oh and so that I don't feel guilty about the lack of exercise I've done today, the nurse did say I should skip the exercise - so I will. :)

Kieran woke up with a temperature this morning and did seem under the weather, but brightened later. (That's not what we could say about the weather). However, as I was cooking tea, he fell asleep on the sofa. He awoke grumpy, with no appetite, and ended up going to bed at 5.50pm.

I hope he sleeps well and wakes up better tomorrow as I really need him to go to school. I have way too much to do - like pick up a Christmas present for the boys (a second-hand pool table).

It doesn't matter how organised you are and how you plan your diary, it all goes to the wall when you have a poorly child. Grrr! It's bloomin' hard being a work-at-home mum. (Although I do feel that being a writer doesn't get taken seriously enough as being self-employed - but that's another blog post!) And even working part time, I am stressing that if my son is off Friday, I can't go into work, and I can't get paid!

In my writing news, I have started to edit the first three chapters of my third book. It may need some additing too. I've got a couple of new beta readers too, as my usual beta is busy doing Nano amongst other things. One of my betas lives locally, so it means we'll be able to make an excuse of it, and meet for coffee :) Currently working on the first three chapters, but haven't looked at those since last week. :(

I did manage to do something constructive today (while Kieran watched lots of TV). I sent off another blog questionnaire as I'm guesting on a couple of blogs over the Christmas period. So not completely unproductive. I have another to do, but this blog post has taken longer than intended and I'm dying to put my feet up and read my book - A Game of Thrones.

p.s. Not only do I remember the soldiers fallen today, but I remember my nan. It's three years since her passing. Rest in peace x x x

Slogging Away At Editing And Additing

For the last two nights I've sat at my computer editing and it feels good. No longer do I feel like a little lost lamb in my writery world.

The first draft was some 90,500 words, so I need to get it down to about 81,000. Hmmmm ...

At the moment I am editing, taking words away, but very poorly. Only lost 200 words so far. But to be honest, I'm just whizzing through it, reformatting, taking out obvious words like 'just' and trying to fix the bigger issues. But my brain works chronologically. I know that something needs fixing at say around chapter 20, but I have to read through and fix minor things on the way.

I've been noting down stuff too. Something recommended by Sophie King in Writing Magaznie a few issues back in her 'How To Write A Novel' section. Like if one of the characters mentions or does something, and I need it to appear earlier, or later, I'm making a note of it, so that I keep up the consistency ... making sure the gun that appears in chapter one, does get fired in chapter ten sort of thing.  (Yes, I know I'm writing romance and there is no gun, but you know what I mean!)

I read it through via my Kindle initially and that was good to see pace and realise what I'm repeating. (Throw it all at the wall in first draft!). So I know there is plenty of words than can come out.

Not sure if there is a right or wrong way, but this is how I feel comfortable doing my editing. It took me a while to get into it, wasn't sure where to start, but I'm chugging along nicely now.

It will get another read through, another nit pick to reduce words - I think it will be easier to do one word at a time, too (that's how my brain works). So at the moment I'm editing and additing (where I add stuff in).

Additing is a word I created for NaNoWriMo 2006 - I completed the novel, but knew it would need more stuff, to back up the consistency of the story and I called it additing, and it stuck. And that's my word for Morton Gray's Word Challenge!

At least one person can back me up that I've used this word, and created it from NaNoWriMo 2006 - she knows who she is!

Not sure how the editing and additing will come along this weekend as I have to work, however, I might make time to do some reading or even tackle assignment 12 (2nd fiction).