Taking the Slow Road

Well, first things first. The "thumb flap" has healed, leaving me a slightly pinkish mark as a memento. I know how worried you've all been, so just wanted to reassure you that it hadn't turned gangrenous and fallen off. ;-)

Secondly, I went to see Much Ado About Nothing at the Wyndham's Theatre last Saturday. It was an excellent production, and made me remember how great the script is, especially the dialogue between Benedick and Beatrice. It actually crackles. Love it.

Thirdly, the rewriting of Matti is going ... slowly. But I've realised that that isn't a bad thing. Taking my time to analyse the manuscript and make considered changes is actually going to make it a lot stronger, in terms of story, character and language. I recently read the advice about revising on Fantasy Faction's website: http://fantasy-faction.com/2011/revisions-part2, which has helped to clarify the techniques I have been trying to use. Holly Lisle's method (see link in the margin to the right) involves doing all the stages at once, but I've realised there isn't enough space in my head to process like that, regardless of how many coloured pens I use.

And finally, I am working on something new. Well, it's really taking old things but making them work together. A sort of Frankenstein's Monster of a story, if you will. I am fleshing out the idea of it at the moment, but hope to start writing it properly as soon as I have all the kinks figured out.

Thank goodness it's another Bank Holiday on Monday!

Berlin

I've been slogging my guts out recently, trying to get this draft of my novel finished. I'm currently almost halfway through, and hoping to finish by next weekend. It'll be champers and cocktails afterwards, I'm telling you.

It is difficult to write when you have a full time job, but not impossible. It takes a lot of discipline, something that I never thought I had, but have managed to procure some from somewhere. I've found I can write in 90 minute chunks before my concentration and bladder get the better of me, so in the evenings after work I've been managing to write somewhere between 1,000-2,000 words, and at the weekends (when I'm not working) I can polish off on average 2 and a half chapters.

Which is all very good, except I'm becoming a bit of a "novel bore". The only thing I can think about is the novel, the only line of conversation I have outside of work is writing, and I've had no time to see anyone or do anything even remotely worth blogging about. Have booked a holiday to Berlin, so now I at least have something to look forward to.