Could Be A Sign I'm Crazy

I've just submitted The Wedding Favour into the Tibor Jones Pageturner Prize thanks to Sally Quilford! 

It closes tomorrow - so no, it's not a hasty decision at all. Not. 

It's all Sally's fault because she said they were accepting first drafts, and well, The Wedding Favour is just that.  But it is complete.  The first couple of chapters are maybe more polished than the rest of the novel - which is what they're going to read first at the end of the day.  They'll soon decide after first couple of chapters (or pages), won't they?

My only minor concern is that it's not formatted correctly... i.e. indented paragraphs.  This is because when I format the document like that, then try to post it on something like LJ for my betas to read, it loses all it's formatting and becomes the block of doom!

It was free to enter, and decided I didn't have a lot to lose! So fingers, toes and all that crossed.  They will alert the winner 21st March - so not a long wait.

It Doesn't Help I'm Indecisive!

This morning I received an email from the Students Services at Writer's Bureau.  They're happy for me to switch to the fiction part and have forwarded the first two assignments (numbers 11 & 12).

They look FAB! Still hard work, still challenging, but the first assignment (11), looks like I have to write a short story and say the market I've written it for - I've already bought plenty of magazines to research, so that bits done too.  I've virtually have a short story written already.  I'd only have to do the two exercises, and obviously read the modules!

The thing is, my tutor responded before them and was happy for me to write pieces for assignment sake, even agreeing about using the museum, as she feels the non-fiction assignments will also help with my fiction.  (See previous post) And so I will finish the 7th Assignment now - as we went to the helicopter museum and all three parts are written, just need a polish! 

However, I am wondering if it is a waste of an assignment if I then continue on to number 8, and I'm doing them just for the sake of it, not really studying the market.  My tutors advice is invaluable, and wouldn't it be best used on an article that I'm considering to send off to a publication? Giving it a better chance of being printed?

So should I follow my heart, and go with the fiction assignments - as I really want to get a short story published!  And the fiction modules may help with the editing/writing of my novel. 

Or continue, with my head, and do the non-fiction?

I think one of my worries is that if I give up the non-fiction, I may not get the same tutor back - and I like my tutor, which is why I am hesitant to switch.

Any advice gratefully received!  Because I'm now confused.

Climbed Out Of Limbo Land

Look! Real helicopter we can 'play' in!

Last Friday I received a response from my tutor saying she'd be happy for me to cover a museum (as I'd suggested) instead of a trade fair (as there weren't any for a while that I could attend, and felt it was holding the assignment up).  So yesterday we took the boys to the Helicopter Museum, and I was taking notes (well taking photographs of information I might need - it's easier!) as we walked around.  I only need to write a 500-750 word colour piece, so it's more to grab the sense of atmosphere really.  Have absolutely no idea where I would send this, might try the Mercury for a spot of free publicising for the museum.

The boys loved the trip out!  Already asking when they can go back.  Kieran had to know what every single helicopter was called - and his dad had to tell him, not me!  They were both fascinated and walked around with interest.  Maybe they will become the fourth generation of engineers in the Morgan family?

Boo!

The hanger was cold, so we warmed up afterwards with lunch in the café and the ticket allows us now to come back for free for a year!

Cheese!

Finally I have my material for my 7th Assignment! I've even started a ghost story that was for Writing Magazine competition, but as it's due the 14th March, and my betas have suggested things to take it over the competition's word count, I might just write it and see if I can sell it to a short story magazine. I also started writing the last story of my series in my fan fiction.  It's romance, so will be good practise and at least I'm writing!

I never had writers block as such, I just didn't know what to write, and with this damn assignment, and the feeling of wanting to finish it, hindering me, I wasn't doing any constructive writing.

So, yes, now, I want my RSI to completely disappear and then I can just get on with it.  But it looks like I'll be tackling this stuff in bite size chunks (to manage my RSI), yet at least I now know what I want to be writing about.  I've got some projects to keep me busy until editing The Wedding Favour, which I'm not going to start until April.

Small Ray Of Sunshine

I wished I'd saved my daffodil photo until now!

Thanks to the world of Twitter, a friend tweeted me (@Natalieroberts1 - a fellow Writer's Bureau student) congratulating me on my letter being published in Sainsbury's Magazine.

I'd totally forgotten that in January I'd sent a letter off to them and had even forgot to note it on my spreadsheet.  (I note everything I've sent to keep track of it).  I also keep all of my sent emails, but this one had gone into a different folder.


Anyway, though I am yet to see it for myself - I'll try to wait until Friday when I'm meeting a friend for coffee at Sainsbury's cafe, they do a wicked cappuccino! - apparently I've had my letter published.

I panicked initially too.  What if it was March issue and I'd just missed it? (I know it's March, but magazines like to publish a month ahead - not even sure what that's about).  But phew, it is the April edition.  

After the last couple of days feeling a bit depressed with my writing (or the lack of it) this was a nice little bonus.  Okay, it's not a paid published piece, but it's still a letter, and they're not easy to get published.  I'm assuming this counts to my writing CV?  Well, I'm making it count.

Two letters published and it's only the 2nd March! Whooo hooo!

Oh and I will say, (as they published my letter!) Sainsbury's Magazine is only £1.60 and is a good read, with some smashing recipes.  Considering Good Food or Good Housekeeping is around £3.60, it's an excellent, value for money buy. 

I'll keep trying to get an article in there...

Pinch Punch

And years ago, when I was a silly teenager, we had the saying, "flea injection, shield all over," before anyone could pinch us!  I wonder if any of my readers (they'll know who they are) remember that.

My daffodils - officially Spring is here!

So yes, it's the first of March. Daffodils are flowering on my front lawn, and I have clusters of mini daffodils (like above) along my front path.  But where did the last two months go?

I swear, having kids, and them being in school, makes time fly.  Before you know it one term is ending, then another beginning. My son is half way through Year 1.  It feels like yesterday he started Reception!  At this rate, Kieran will be off to school in no time (this September), and I have mixed feelings about that.  On the one side, I'm going to get six hours a day, five days a week, to concentrate on writing (plus housework and exercising).  I might even get some of my evenings back to relax a little, not that I don't enjoy writing in the evening.  I enjoy writing full stop.  On the other side of the coin, my baby is growing up!  And although he drove me barmy today, I will actually miss him.

Yesterday was his swimming lesson, even his tutor, Karen, thinks he's going to be a great diver!  (Should I be laughing at him?  He sometimes has me in hysterics).  He sort of swims like he's riding a bike in water.  Too bent kneed.  But he'll get there, eventually.  But he loves going under the water and jumping in.  The boy has no fear.

Tonight I started reading The Freelance Writer's Handbook by Andrew Crofts.  I've been feeling lost and unmotivated the past few days, the 7th assignment hanging over me and failing to write, not sure what to start etc.  In limbo land.  A friend recommened that I just concentreate on something else, so that's what I will do.  After some discussion through Twitter too (if you can do that in 140 characters), I also sorted out my study a little.  Tidy study, tidy mind, or something like that?  And last night I did email Writer's Bureau.  I may swap over to the fiction side of my coursework - still in two minds about that (hate the idea of quitting, yet I will come back to it, just my brain feels hell bent on wanting to write fiction), yet I'll see what they say.  So, I thought I'd start reading this, chapter a night, or every other night, to get it to sink in, maybe help motivate or inspire me.

I've also booked an appointment with my friend (who's a beautician) for a massage.  I think my back is full of knots and tension, which is not helping ease my RSI. 

I think the main reason I'm depressed this week is it's, you know what... I'm always low, ratty, frustrated, and generally on a downer this time of the month.  Next week I'll be full of sunshine and energy - you watch!

Now off to take a look at a ghost story I started...