A Wednesday Self-Centred Rant...

It's my own fault really for agreeing to be in Jekyll and Hyde. I'm resenting the time it's draining from me already. My hair is getting skanky and I don't have time to wash it (eugh - too much detail!). I'm turning into a fifteen year old greaser all because I'm never at home. My flat is a tip. I have no food in the place, nor any clean cutlery. I won't have time to do a shop until Friday. So I'm annoyed right now. Wouldn't be feeling so peeved if I felt the rehearsals were worthwhile and the chorus was valued in the show. It's not. And all we get to do is sing this one song five times, and do choreographed head movements every two lines in a verse. And be there twice a week. Boring. Next!

I've been reading The Sandman graphic novels (I keep getting told off for calling them 'comics'), and have realised that I have a crush on Morpheus. Is this normal? Probably not!

Inter Vivos is all typed up and ready to go (to be made into a second draft). Need to print it out, but have forgotten my memory stick today so can't do it right now. My printer at home is out of ink, and I can only get a new cartridge from Dell, but they need you to actually physically take the parcel from the postie's hands, which means I can't order one as I'm never at home. Rah!

Hmm, am in a bit of a ranty mood today, and have only just noticed. Good job I don't have to talk to anyone right now, isn't it?!

Weekend

This weekend, I went to London and watched The City by Martin Crimp and Piranha Heights by Philip Ridley. Piranha Heights was definitely the better play. Disturbing and violent and very funny, it was extremely fast-paced and well acted. The City was alright, but, well, it wasn't easy to sit through. I mean, Crimp's dialogue is painfully awkward and unrealistic (stylistically this is what he's going for), scenes dragged for ages, and his women are terrible. Clearly, he doesn't write to get laid.
I also bought seven new books. This is after I told myself I wouldn't buy any more until a) I bought a new book shelf and/or b) I read the ones I've already got. Felt very decadent though to be buying them, and carried them nicely all around London so they wouldn't get creased, and they are now all sitting on a chair at my dining table. Not sure if I'll have enough money to eat with by the end of the month, but at least I have more books to add to my ever expanding collection!
Have been making great headway on my Dorcas Grubb sequel (can you have a sequel before you've even written the novel?). It's a short story about Tabitha, Dorcas's little sister, who in the Dorcas story is about 18 months old, whereas in this short, she is 15. It's all rather cool, and it's also allowing me to flesh out Dorcas's world more, which should help when I come to write the novel in November.
Inter Vivos has come to a little bit of a standstill, simply because I now have to type it all up before I begin draft 1b, and I haven't been near a computer recently. Hopefully though I'll have it all typed up by the end of the week.

What's Your Story?

I've just entered Waterstone's What's Your Story? competition, where you have to write a short story with only 600 characters to fit onto a postcard. It was really difficult, but fun too! You also get to customise your postcard. Some of them are really good.
Anyway, you can read mine (easiest to find if you view by date in the Gallery section - mine was uploaded today, called 'Time Bandit'), you can read other submissions, and also enter yourself at: http://www.waterstoneswys.com/

Done!

At 22:10 last night, in the David Wilson Library, I finally completed the first draft of Inter Vivos. Well, I am calling it Draft 1a, as I need to go back and fill in a few missing blanks that I skipped over in my quest for the finish line. I also need to come up with a couple of important names, so will be using Behind the Name again to see if I can find anything suitable. Then I'm going to spend a few days typing up what I've written (yesterday I wrote 22 A5 pages in 1 and 3/4 hours and my hand got cramp), and then I will go back and write it all out again with corrections and the missing sections completed. I'm hoping to have Draft 1b completed by 20th June at the latest. And then I will be giving it to a few friends to read (let me know anyone if you're also interested), and then will begin my second draft, to be finished by October 2008 at the very latest.

So yippee to me for finally getting to the end!

Tick, Tock, Tick

I'm feeling really frustrated because I want to be a writer, but I don't have anything written! I know that sounds absolutely ridiculous, but that's just how it is. I've been reflecting on my own writing style and habits, and I've come to the conclusion that my weakness is story. Don't get me wrong, I can get Character A and Character B from X to Y with a few subplots inbetween perfectly well, thank you, but when someone asks me 'What's it about?' I get stumped. I vaguely have a notion of what I would like the story to say on a deeper level, but find it difficult to get my story to reflect that. I know, "practice makes perfect", but noone's getting any younger. I read in this book I got out of the library (can't remember the title right now), that having one child = two books (in terms of time, energy, etc). It was controversal when whoever said it said it, but I can kind of see what they mean - I have friends who have kids and they don't even have time to have a conversation with their husbands, let alone write a manuscript. I really want to get a book published before I have a child. Not that I'm planning on having children in the next few years, but it's something to think about (especially when everyone around me seems to be 'up the duff'). I feel better for ranting now, so hope you'll excuse me!
I've been thinking of radio, and so I emailed Amanda and asked her for her advice, as she's written quite a bit for radio now. She told me that radio is a lot more intimate than theatre, and sent me one of her radio scripts to look through. This is where story comes along, as radio is all about the storytelling. Think I might have a go and adapting Hoodies and High Street Aphrodite for the airwaves.
In terms of Inter Vivos - still not finished. Am thinking that maybe I should just trust my inital feelings and set it in the near-future, rather than in it's own dimension. Should not let people sway me before a) I've finished and b) they've read it.

Nox Update

Well, Inter Vivos is finally coming to an end, and my most recent contributions to the story are absolute rubbish. But, I'm moving on from this, and thinking of ways to fix it. I think draft two will be written in the third person. Whereas some of the chapters and scenes work really nicely as first-person narrative, the Maiden is turning into a Bond villian - telling their life history and motives to the captured hero before they plan to kill him. Not good. And there are some things that Nox (my narrator) just wouldn't know, that feel false to add in, and yet are pretty vital in setting up my universe.
I want to buy lots of books at the minute, but just haven't the time to read them. I'm currently reading Charles De Lint's Moonheart, and, well, it's a little bit boring. I think part of it is that it hasn't aged well - there's a bit with a Jamacian musican which seems very un-PC to my 21st century ears, and everyone is smoking all the time, and the story has just taken too long to set up - but anyway, I don't want it to be another Glass Book, so I'm going to stop reading it, and move on to something else. Possibly Le Guin. I'm also reading The Book of Lost Things, which is quite good, but hasn't hooked me yet, American Gods, which is ace, and I've been listening to Labyrinth (the Kate Mosse version; sadly not the Davie Bowie movie), which is quite dull, so far. Any good book recommendations are more than welcome.

Decision

Have decided that I'm going to concentrate on my writing, and so am not going to audition for 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'. So there.

Twisty Knickers

People get their knickers in a twist about anything. Right now it's the Rosen vs. Rowling story-that-never-was. I keep promising myself never again to read the comments on Guardian blog, but I inevitably do, and then I get pissed off again.

I'm trying to decide whether to go and join KPAOS and do Thoroughly Modern Millie. The problem is that the group rehearses on a Tuesday (which is fine), with Monday rehearsals for principals, which is not good, as this will clash with rehearsals for Jekyll. Pros for joining are that it's based in Leicester, so no more expensive train fares and waiting around late at night at dimly lit railway stations, and that I might get a part. Cons are that I might just get chorus, and it looks like I may have to quit Jekyll, which I'm just starting to enjoy. One to ponder, I think.

I've still not heard back about Calypso, and it's been forever! Well, three weeks, but that's still a very long time. I wonder what the longest some one has had to wait before finding out if their submission has been accepted?

IV still not finished, and the five pages I wrote on the train last night coming back from rehearsal really stink. Let's hope a second draft will save it all, eh?

Weekly Post

For some reason, I am currently only managing to write one post a week. How strange. I will endeavour to write more regularly in future.

However, despite the inactivity of this blog, I have been very active in terms of my own writing, though I have to confess that IV still isn't finished. "Almost" is all I can really say at the moment. Nearly finished draft 1a, and then it's on to draft 1b, before the fun begins with the second draft. Oh joy! Isn't it weird though how, even though I'm trying to concentrate on writing this one thing, other ideas keep popping into my head, pleading with me to write them instead. The Dorcas idea is practically wetting its pants with desparation, but that has to wait til November. And I've had a few ideas for short stories, and for turning play ideas into short stories until I get round to writing them as plays. So at least my procrastination is productive.

I got a short but sweet rejection email from 'Podcastle' for Lupus, which could be due to the fact that it's not quite fantasy enough, or its too rude, or too short, or its just not their cup of tea. Oh well. Still haven't heard about Calypso yet from the other place. Two weeks and counting. I am so not a patient person.

I went to see Chess in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, which was really brilliant, though was annoyed that Svetlana has an extra song in this production than she did when I played her. Josh Groban, Adam Pascal, Kerry Ellis and David Bedella were amazing. Marti Pellow was not.

The Sun is Out, The Skies are Blue...

For some reason, I'm feeling proper head dizzy today, like I'm drunk but sober, or have been spinning around for ages and have just suddenly stopped. Very weird. At first I thought it was low blood sugar level or something, but I've had tea and a plum, and that hasn't helped. Peculiar, and not very nice.
Anyway, this blog isn't supposed to be 'Hypocondriac's Haven', it's supposed to be about writing. And I have almost finished Inter Vivos, which is very exciting news. Nox is in prison, about to meet the person who holds all the answers and then in about 10,000 words time, I'm done. Whoop!
However, I have a long way to go after that, and I've already started planning my rewriting process, how to make sure my story is structurally consistant, and so on. But with a bit of look I can send out the first draft to friends to give me feedback (volunteers anyone??) sometime in July.
I have also been researching places that I can submit short stories to and which might actually pay me for them. I've got a couple of shorts in production at the moment, so it would be nice if I could find a home for them. Fingers crossed, etc.
Still haven't heard anything regarding my submission of Calypso, but it has only been 6 days. Really am not a patient person at all!
And I have recently lost two friends to 'The Motherhood', that exclusive cult where they turn their backs on normal activities, such as drinking, staying up late, and watching Desperate Housewives, in favour of all-day morning sickness, falling asleep before 9pm, and wearing elasticated-waisted gypsy skirts (because 'maternity clothes are too expensive'). Seriously, though, Congratulations you guys!

Nearing 'The End'

Sorry about the lack of posts recently. I wish I could say I've been busy writing, but unfortunately I've been busy with work. I have since been to Canterbury, which was lovely; though I got lost trying to find the exit at the Cathedral, I managed to write another 7 pages of Inter Vivos. I *think* (fingers crossed, etc) that I shall have finished the first draft by my deadline. Then it will be time to go over it with a fine-toothed comb, and fill in the missing bits, and possibly change the narration from 1st to 3rd person, I haven't quite decided. Guess I shall see how it reads once I've reached the end.

Isn't 'The End' a wonderful phrase? Though I don't think creative work ever really has an 'end' as such - there's always editing and proof-reading to be done, and I don't think anyone is ever 100% happy with what they've written. Rather than 'The End' maybe it should be 'I can't stand to fiddle with it any more - I'm done!'. Also, in terms of stories, characters always tend to live on after the book is finished, and, especially in these days of cash-in spin-offs and sequels, they will sometimes reappear elsewhere later on.

So on that note, I can tell you that I've finished my short story Calypso, and have sent it off to see if it's considered worthy enough for publication. We shall see.

Snooze. Snore. Grunt.

I am really tired as I write this, so please excuse any errors, etc. I'm at work, and really thirsty but don't have time to go and make myself a drink - how silly is that? I am out of the office for two days for work (going to the New Forest), so am trying to get all my work done today. But am seriously falling asleep, and not looking forward to going home as I have to take work home with me. Sigh. Yawn. Zzzzzzz.

Anyhow, I finished my Calypso story, more or less - well, I've written to the end by deadline date anyway. Odysseus is causing me problems, so when I'm away I'm going to go back and work on him a little bit more and then hopefully be able to send the finished story out to places on Friday.

Oh, too tired to think properly now. Catch you later.

More Deadlines

Well, I had a think, and decided, as all good girls do, to come up with a schedule of what I want to have written by when. Let's hope all goes according to plan!

Calypso short story - 21st April 2008

Inter Vivos first draft (so close I can almost smell it!) - May 12th 2008

Mouse short story - June 2008

Second draft of Hoodies - June 30th 2008

Tabitha Grubb short story - July 2008

And, obviously, Dorcas Grubb will be written in November 2008, to be completed on 30th November 2008.

Wish me luck then!

I've been doing a bit of writing each day, even if it's just 200 words or so, and I'm feeling better about it (although I'm feeling better about everything - I think it's the vitamins I've started taking, and I don't care what anyone says!).

I'm really close to finishing Inter Vivos, as I've said. Just had to invent three characters to house Nox in the snow, but aside from that little detour it's all going well. Calypso, on the other hand, has me stumped right now, and it's due in at the end of April. I bet it's going to be one of those 'night before' jobbies (see: http://lucyannwade.blogspot.com/2007/05/its-your-fault-guybrush.html!). Still, at least it gets done.

Yawn!

I am so tired today! Possibly because I stayed up until 1am reading Further Adventures of a London Call Girl (the title is misleading as she quits about two pages into the book). I do like Belle de Jour, but I'm annoyed with her at the moment (in this book I mean), because she's still with her boyfriend, even though she knows for a fact that he's going out with at least two other girls at the same time as her - because she loves him. I know love etc is very complicated, but I just want to go and shake her bony little shoulders and tell her to dump the idiot. Anyway...

I think my new vitamin pills have done something funny to me. My imagination seems more vivid since I've been taking them. OK, that has meant that I've been crying over TV shows alot, and having vivid dreams about dogs with cancer, but it's good news in terms of my writing. Perhaps there is something to this 'healthy eating' lark.

Have been working on my Calyspo story - think I have found my angle at last! All I have to do is write the damn thing now. And I've been plotting a short story that's related to Dorcas Grubb (which I'm not allowed to write until 1st November 2008), about her little sister Tabitha, when she's all grown up. Nox is currently walking through the snow trying not to freeze to death on her way to meet The Maiden (all Inter Vivos stuff - makes sense to me at least!), which means my novel is moving ever onwards to the point where I can finally type 'The End'.

Feeling less blue now than I was at the beginning of the week. Still can't think about my audition without cringing, but I guess life is made up of incidents like that. Just push them to the back of my mind and get on with something more positive!

Audition Blues

My audition was rubbish. My chesty cough meant I couldn't transition between my chest and head voice properly, which meant that my voice actually cracked at one point, and my head voice sounded all snotty. Plus, the other girls auditioning had turned up in bleeding costume whilst I was just wearing my jeans and trainers. Sigh.
I guess on the bright side, if I don't get a part in the show (which is pretty much guarenteed now), I can focus on my writing more.
I'm just feeling really down about myself at the minute. Hopefully it will pass soon though.

Quickie

Just a quick post as I haven't posted in a while. I have been whizzing about the country for work and also I've been ill, and still am ill, so haven't really felt like writing. Hope you didn't miss me too much!

Inter Vivos still isn't finished, although it isn't far off, which is good. What I have written so far is a big pile of poo though, but I guess that's what rewriting is for!

I'm also working on my Calypso story, and the problem with that at the moment is that there isn't actually any story to it, so I'm going to have to get even more creative with that one.

I am also preparing to audition for the local amateur production of Jekyll and Hyde, though I'm filled with doubts as to whether to go for it or not. Pros - I'll get to be on stage again, I might get a really good part, I'll see all my theatre friends again. Cons - I might get a crap part and resent spending time away from writing, I'll be spending time away from writing, it'll cost me £10.80 per week to do it for 6 months.

Anyway, sorry there's not more news. Will think of something interesting to say next time.

Easter Greetings

Hi y'all. Sorry about the lack of posts recently, but I've been all over the place for work, and since last blogging, I've been to Portsmouth, Reading, Lewisham and Hendon. Am feeling quite knackered. Still haven't recovered from being up for 20 hours after my Hendon trip. Am definitely feeling old at the moment. Also resenting the fact that I've had to come in to work for a few hours on Good Friday whilst everyone else is at home with family, watching High School Musical 2 or eating hot cross buns. Oh well. Sure I'll get over it.

I'm still quite tired, so can't actually think of what to write - this is more of a 'I'm still alive' post I guess. Sorry to be boring. I've read Good Omens since I last blogged, which was good, and I'm currently reading Caitlin Kiernan's Threshold, which I'm really enjoying, though can't read before bedtime as it leaves some pretty vivid images in my mind. Still haven't finished The Glass Book of the Dream Eaters. One day...

IV update: Nox still hasn't left Thaddeus's house, though I'm getting closer to that part. Have been trying to type up what I've been writing whilst I've been away, which is a job and a half. I really pity people who write long-hand all the time - no wonder they work full-time at writing - it must be all that typing up they do! (joke).

Right, am off again now. Will hopefully be able to blog again next Friday, when I will have finished my travels for now.

Post-Manchester

I shouldn't be allowed to go to the theatre. It's too distracting. I went away to Manchester for 2 and a half days for work, hoping to come back with plenty of Inter Vivos written, and I return with 2,500 words of IV, half a short story on Calypso, and two pages of dialogue for a new play. Well, I say 'new'; it's actually the Munitionettes story, but seeing as the novel wasn't going anywhere (and now that I'm a sci-fi/fantasy writer, darlings...) I am writing it as a play.
The Royal Exchange Theatre was a very inspiring space. It's in the round, with 2 galleries looking down on the stage almost like a telescope. Hoodies, in the way that it is written right now, couldn't be staged there, but if I changed the location of the play from loitering outside of a shop to loitering in a park on a kiddies roundabout, maybe add a swing set, it would look wonderful. It's great how you can take one thing you've felt has gone a bit stagnant and flip it and make it fresh again.
The play I saw on Wednesday, The Children's Hour, was a really good, strong production (though the first act was better than the last). As an aside point, it was also nice to have a play with a majority female cast that didn't make a point of the fact that it had a majority female cast, and the actors weren't there simply as someone's wife/daughter/sister/mother. Sometimes these days it seems like the playwright/director/marketing people are trying to Raise Issues when they do a play with women as the main characters, but this was a good story that just so happened to have women characters in it. Kate O'Flynn was particularly impressive as the manipulative school girl Mary.
So anyway. Theatre = good. Inter Vivos is coming along - Nox has met Thaddeus and learned a bit more about The Maiden, so we're edging closer to the start of the final act. I'm getting close to writing one of the scenes that I've been imagining in my head for the past two years, which is exciting. Aside from my day job being knackering, I'm in a really good place creatively so far. I will keep my fingers crossed that it stays that way.

Deadline

Right, it may be foolish of me to post this on my blog, but I am giving myself the deadline of the 1st April to finish the first draft of Inter Vivos. Yes, ok, so I have about 25000 words to go (if not a few more), but at least if I write to the end of the story before the end of March, then I can go back and expand and explore and rewrite the bits that need it. I will have the clay then to be able to mould out my novel.

And if I don't get it done, then I can claim it was all an April Fool's joke.

Blogs

I'm becoming a little disheartened with blogs and forums and message boards. I don't mean the ones set up by my friends, but the ones that are in the public domain, like the imdb ones, or the Guardian ones, as well as some fan-based/special interest ones. People are just so mean on them sometimes. It's like they sit there in cyber space, waiting and waiting and getting more angry and more grouchy, and then start threads or make comments basically picking apart everything the author/previous poster has just said, sometimes missing the point, or misinterpreting the meaning entirely, basically jumping to conclusions like they've been personally attacked somehow and need to defend themselves, to prove their own superiority or something. It's annoying when people jump down someone's virtual throat out of spite, and also quite sad that someone can get so worked up about something trivial and not even there to offend, rather than reading it as someone's viewpoint (which blogs/forum threads tend to be) and putting forward their disagreements (if any) in rational, logical ways. Nit-picking about the correct use of a semi-colon or "quoting" "random" "words" "out of" "context" to try to prove a point is just pathetic. Perhaps they just have too much free time on their hands. I mean, I'm all for passion, but willful misinterpretation to make yourself somehow feel superior (and a constant need to do this in the same comments section/thread) can't be a good thing.

Tremors!

I'm a little annoyed because the other night I managed to sleep through an earthquake, and only managed to wake up when it set off all the fire alarms in my building - and even then, once I realised that the sound eminated from my hallway and not my alarm clock, I went back to sleep. So I didn't have a cool "I survived the quake" story when I went to work the next day.

I have been working on Inter Vivos to try to move the story along (I felt like they've been having dinner for months now). I'm trying to figure out when and how to introduce an important character, and he's already tardy for dinner. I don't want it to be a big 'ta-da' moment, so may have him sneak in some time after they've all retired for cigars and brandy.

I've just ordered a load of books from amazon in the name of sci-fi/fantasy research, as recommended by the agent I spoke to a couple of weeks ago and by Damien. I included a couple by Neil Gaiman too, as I've just finished Stardust and really enjoyed it. I think it will take me a little time to read them all though, as I've still got books to read from Christmas (and Valentines Day), and Good Omens is next on my list.

In other news, on BBC4 last night was a programme which I think was the first in a series, entitled The Worlds of Fantasy. This week's episode was about the child hero/heroine in fantasy fiction, although I was a little disappointed that it seemed to be focused on children's fiction, and that the programme consisted almost entirely of the views of celebrities and other authors, rather than containing any academic criticism. Perhaps I expected a little too much from the Beeb. Anyhow, I shall watch again next week as they're doing a programme about the 'epic imagination', so maybe that will be better. Plus it slots in nicely between So You Think You Can Dance and the results show on Living TV!

No particular reason for the picture above, except I think she's pretty cool! We have a poster of her having tea with her cats in my office.

A Mid-Way Book Review

I am half-way through reading The Glass Book of the Dream Eaters, and it has turned into a chore to read. For one thing, the chapters are painfully long (the one I'm currently reading is 74 pages!).
My main gripe is that I still haven't been told any more about 'The Process' since they described it in the first twenty pages, and the story hasn't actually moved on since then at all, aside from the characters physically going from this house to the next in search of some answers to a question they are not entirely sure of. So we get the same events told three times over, and our three narrators aren't defined enough to make the narratives different or interesting, relying heavily on stereotype to bring the characters to life but doing little to explore these stereotypes or make them anything more than two-dimensional. There are a few erotic passages which do break up the monotony a little, but they don't seem to serve any other purpose except to say "the Process makes you lose your morality", which has been (over-) stated already. It tries to be a mystery novel, but the mystery doesn't seem to be all that exciting, or dangerous, or mysterious enough for me to actually care if they solve it or not (I'm optimistic enough to think that perhaps that's because there's an exciting part to the puzzle that has not yet been revealed, but I'm starting to lose hope).
I'm just thoroughly bored now, but determined to read to the end. I hope the ending is worth this effort. There's actually a sequel coming out, which makes me think that if they don't conclude things in this book (at 784 pages), then the writer has some serious issues.

Cold

I have a horrid cold, and I feel like crap. Aren't colds just horrible? I caught this one from a guy in my office, who had the sniffles for one day, took lemsip and was fully recovered the day later. He clearly has the immune system of a Greek god. Me? Well, my immune system is buggered, so I'm snotting all over the place with teary eyes and a body temperature like a whore's knickers (frequently up and down). Just want to go to bed, but instead am at work, because I feel like such a prat calling in sick because of a common cold. Urgh. Can anyone tell me: why can't they cure a virus?

Juno...your caseworker

Juno is a really good film. I'm not very good at film reviews, suffice to say it was, well, really good, and I wish that I could write something as real without it turning into sentimental bullshit. My inner greetings card often gets the best of me.

Things I like this week:

1) Toblerone Martinis (courtesy of The Lansdowne). A bit sickly, but nice.

2) Shopping for B&Bs in Canterbury. They're so quaint!

3) Pigeons in Leicester. Well, to look at anyway. I'm starting to get over my bird phobia, and pigeons are actually quite pretty, in their way (that bit of irredescent green on their necks is rather cool).

Things I don't like this week:

1) How thin my new coat has turned out to be. Brrr.

In terms of my writing, Inter Vivos is currently laying neglected, as my job has suddenly become a) very stressful and b) very busy. I think I'm going to have to quit my second job, or at least not take on any extra shifts for a few months; I've not had a two-day weekend since 19th January, and I can't even remember when the one before that was. I think one of the problems with Inter Vivos at the moment is that Nox still isn't really that well defined in my head - I know what happens to her, but not who she is. It's like she's under a layer of glass, like at the zoo. I know how to fix the problem, but will probably have to leave it until I've coughed up this first draft - I'll just add it to the pile of revisions I need to do!

On the plus side, I've had loads of great ideas for Dorcas Grubb. It's really coming along now, and I haven't even written one word. I'm so glad that I didn't start to write it as soon as the inital idea popped into my head, as I know it would have constricted the story too early on, and it has really benefited the plot to have the ideas bubbling and expanding in my brain (the characters pretty much appeared fully formed the instant I created them).

Sorry about the long post, but I hadn't blogged in a while, and when I was drafting this in the pub last night (fuelled by the aforementioned toblerone martini), I realised I had quite a lot of catching up to do!

To Sci-Fi or Not to Sci-Fi

Saturday was spent productively at the Writing Industries Conference in Loughborough. It's all a little bit intimidating thinking about marketing my book and the long slog I will have once I've finished the damn thing to actually get a book deal (if that ever happens), but I'll worry about all that once the writing's finished.

The agent was a lovely bloke who said he liked my writing, and recommended some Sci-Fi authors for me to read. Yes, dear readers, unbeknownst to me, my story is of the sci-fi genre. "But surely you knew what you were writing?" you may ask. Well, not really. I just wrote the story that came into my head, without really thinking of genres as such. I mean, there are lots of authors I admire, most of which are of the sci-fi/fantasy persuasion, but I'm a bit wary about launching myself into this genre. Why? Well, firstly, because it seems a little bit constrictive to be 'labelled' as one thing. What if Inter Vivos is my only sci-fi book, and everything else I write hereafter is erotica, or western romance, or something? What if sci-fi doesn't sell? Second on my list of doubts is that I don't really know of any female sci-fi writers (or any who would care to admit it). So perhaps the market is ripe for a great female sci-fi writer, or perhaps the market isn't ready at all. Thirdly, I don't really know anything about science, let alone science fiction. As I mentioned, the agent was really nice and recommended some sci-fi for me to read, with the promise to send me names of more authors, so at least this last point is something I can do something about.

I think now that playwriting is not so restrictive as book publishing. I mean, you can write plays about anything, without people expecting your next one to be exactly the same (but different) as your last (think Dan Brown as an example). But if Inter Vivos does get published, then it probably means I will have to write Munitionettes as a play or TV drama instead (not necessarily a bad idea).

So yes, the conference gave me lots of food for thought. Was nice to meet people and hobnob and all of that, and learn more about the 'writing for a living' side of writing and how to go about making that happen. Good, but daunting. Will get the book finished first though, and try to push all of this to the back of my mind until then. (I feel like Scarlett O'Hara with her 'I'll think about that tomorrow' attitude).

Author's Will

Just a quick link to Neil Gaiman's blog, who reminds us that all writers should create a will to protect their intellectual property in the event of being hit by a bus, and provides a pdf of an example will that you can use. Good idea, I think.
http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2006/10/important-and-pass-it-on.html

Am feeling extremely hungover due to too much wine at a work do last night. My face and fingers are all tingly and I just want to go back to bed, rather than be here working. Going to go back to feeling sorry for myself now.

Agents

Just a quick post to say that I've got a one-to-one session with an agent at the Writing Industries Conference, based on the first three chapters of Inter Vivos. All very exciting. Have to go and do some research now.

New Ideas

Right now I am developing a piece (I think as a short story, though it may end up as a dramatic monologue) about Calypso, the goddess from The Odyssey. It details what happened from her perspective when she held Odyseuss prisoner, seven years of 'sexual imprisonment', and then was forced to let him leave by Zeus. She's a little bit 'the woman scorned' but also it examines the double standard that exists even today where men are forgiven their infidelities whereas women are not - it's the whole stud/whore thing really. Well, the starting point of this story is anyway.
*
I am also very tired right now, as this new job is draining. I may have to quit my second job just to have time to get my head together again, though considering I only earned £28 last month, giving up three Saturdays hardly seems worth it.
*
*Picture is from http://www.flickr.com/photos/absolutechic/533955531/ by the way.

Being Lazy

Hi there y'all,

I am in an incredibly lazy mood at the moment, and seem to be stuck in a rut. My house is a complete sty, and I've not written anything for about a week, due I think to being tired and still adjusting to my new job and new routine. In my old job, I could write at lunchtimes, but I've not been able to yet where I am here. I know that's not much of an excuse, but there it is.
I've been up in Blackpool for work, and it was extremely windy and cold, and deserted. I was able to mull on a couple of ideas inspired by my location, but didn't have a lot of free time to execute them.
I am going to try to get motivated again soon. Guess everyone has peaks and troughs, right?
By the way, in case you were wondering, I decided to read The Glass Book of the Dream Eaters and am currently about half way through. 'Tis good so far, though has very long chapters, which isn't a good thing when you want to read a chapter before you go to bed.

Making Headway

I've been thinking lately about my Dorcas Grubb story. Seeing how it is set in Leicester, just wandering about the city inspires new characters and plot devices. It's all very exciting. I also had this great idea of developing Dorcas as a graphic novel (perhaps I've been reading Neil Gaiman too much), but I think it would work really well - it's basically an adventure fantasy story, with some really weird, sinister characters in it. However, my drawing skills never matured past the age of eight, and so I think I will continue to write the story in novel format, and then if when it is done I'm skill keen on the idea, then I will try to find some artists.

I am really enjoying mulling this idea around in my brain, and it's great because nothing is fixed yet (well, not really), and so I can alter plot and characters and philosophy at whim, and it is all now starting to swirl into something that I think, when it's finished, will be very cool indeed.

I have also completed the prologue and the first three chapters of Inter Vivos. I may, of course, need to revise them when the whole novel is written, but for now, they are pretty much as good as I can get them. I have also (drum roll ready) worked out how Inter Vivos is going to end. This is extremely exciting, because now I have something to aim for, rather than just writing randomly to see where it leads (which in my case was nowhere fast).

It's all coming together, and although there's still a long way to go, I feel a lot better about everything now.

I am currently re-reading Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, and have made the monumental decision not to begin re-reading the HP books again straight afterwards (yes, I am feeling ok, thanks for your concern!). Instead I am going to read one of the several new books I received/bought myself over Christmas. Only problem is trying to decide which one to read first...

Wet!

At the moment, I have wet legs up to my knees thanks to the downpour outside; hard, icy rain that seemed to be impervious to my umbrella. Good old English weather!
I am currently working on rewriting the second chapter of Inter Vivos. It is not going very well. I know what I want to write, but I just don't seem to be very disciplined at the minute. It's the same old story with me, unfortunately. I am too easily distracted, or busy doing other things to give 100% of my time to it. Writing is hard work. Don't let anyone ever tell you any differently!
I haven't written any theatre for ages, and I'm thinking that I should start up again soon, especially if we want to get our Semper Festival project off the ground. I don't want to be distracted though by too many projects, so I think I'm going to just concentrate on IV now, and perhaps have another bash at Hoodies or Red in a couple of months.
Here is a link to a game I saw posted on Neil Gaiman's blog journal: http://www.freerice.com/index.php It improves your vocabulary and helps third world countries all at the same time. I am ashamedly poor at this quiz, though I'm hoping that if I do it every day, I will begin to educate myself (and feed starving folks around the world too!).

Chuckle

Just had to post a link to this. Some people are just having way too much fun reviewing pens!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000JTOYLS/ref=cm_rdp_product

Moan

Right, I'm having a moan now, because my writing seems to be crap again. Or perhaps it's just me not being able to get back into the swing of things after the christmas break? Anyway, I had a horrible dream, which I've interpreted as watching my ambitions of a writing career going (literally) down the drain, and it was horrible, and now I'm scared that I'm just crap and am going to be crap forever, or worse, that I just won't be able to find the time to write, and so will never ever be a writer. Am getting myself into a bit of a tiz about it all (so much so that I'm finding it difficult to concentrate on writing ... and so the circle goes on).

At least there is good news in the fact that even postwomen who have received bucket loads of rejection letters can win literary prizes.

New Year, New Job

Happy New Year to you all! I am now blogging from my new office, though I don't yet have a desk or my own PC... oh well! Hopefully by next week it will all be sorted.

Just a quick update really. I didn't do as much (ie any) writing as I had intended over the holiday period, and instead got depressed by how fat I've become, and worked on my letter to apply for a one-to-one with an agent at the Writing Industries Conference I'm attending.

And that's about all I've been doing, creative-wise, over the past two weeks. Time to put away the tinsel and get back to work, I think!

Almost Christmas

It's almost Christmas, and this may possibly be my last post before the New Year.
I would never have imagined that this year I would complete the first drafts of not one, but two novels. Thea Gael, my NaNoWriMo effort, is not too bad as first drafts go, but nothing really happens in it, and so I don't really want to spend time editing it at the moment. I finished The Dragon Prince last week, which is possibly the first book in a series, aimed at children aged between 7-10. I'm still playing with the tone of the story, but the essentials are all there. Now all I need to do is to finish Inter Vivos and I'll be set!

So I will be starting the New Year with two first drafts to work on, as well as a semi-completed first draft of IV, and two budding ideas - one for a stage play and one for a novel (Dorcas). Also, I was thinking over High Street Aphrodite this morning as I got up late, and also Hoodies.

I think next year looks to be a busy, but productive, year, and that's just the way I like it.

Merry Christmas everyone!

The £1.95 million book

I'm a bit flaggergasted at the minute upon hearing the news that J.K Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard sold at auction for close to £2 million. I mean, I can understand it, in a way, because if I had millions of pounds floating around my bank account, I would have paid that too! The woman could sell her shopping lists and she would make a fortune.

Lack of Concentration

The writing is not really going ok at the minute. I'm back in the same writing state that I was in early on in my NaNoWriMo experience; basically, writing 50 words and then going to get a snack, and then writing 10 words and then going to make a drink, and so forth. I will be 15 stone if I carry on this way, so I've got to work on my concentration some more!

I spent about two hours on Inter Vivos yesterday, and wrote about 800 words, and I'm still not any further on in the story. Guess this is where patience and discipline come in. Think I'm coming down with a cold, and consequently everything seems a little bit darker and glummer, which is probably why I should leave IV for today and work on something that won't leave me feeling utterly depressed if it doesn't go right.

Zit

Question: How come I can look in the mirror at 8 o'clock and have perfectly clear skin and then look again at 10 and have the most enormous pus-filled zit on my face? Where did it come from? Have my friends and co-workers been monitoring the gradual appearance of this monstrosity whilst I have been sitting here for hours, oblivious to the whitehead that is slowly trying to take over my entire head? :-(

Well, I have finished reading Inter Vivos, and it's actually not that bad. Which is great news! I can see how lazy I was when I was writing the first part, skipping over bits or repeating bits from earlier, so I have a lot more work to do to add to the story. However, I am going to leave what I have already written for the time being, and continue onwards with the story. Once I have reached the end, I will then go back and correct, rewrite and flesh out the bits at the beginning. And then my first draft will be complete! Hooray!

Got to go get some Clearasil and a paper bag now...

(PS I was going to post a picture of a zit on here to accompany this post, but just looking at them has made me feel a bit sick, so I thought I would spare you).

Festive Greetings

Hooray, it's almost Christmas! I am so fed up at work, it is unbelievable, and I'm also nervous because I am supposed to start my new job in January and I've not yet had my job offer letter. I just want a break now. A nice long holiday.

In terms of writing, I have not done any since I finished NaNoWriMo. I am reading through Inter Vivos at the moment and making notes, and am going to do some more tonight. My house is a sty from not cleaning for a month whilst I wrote my novel, and I just can't be bothered to start trying to tidy it up. So I'm currently living like a pig.

Wish I didn't have to work, especially two jobs. But I've spent way too much on Christmas presents, so my dreams of unemployment are a long way off yet!

NaNoWriMo Won!

I have made it! I have, just this lunchtime, completed my novel, just over 50,000 words of complete narrative. I, Lucy Ann Wade, have actually written a whole novel. It still hasn't sunk in yet, but I am so happy to have finally reached that goal. It has proven to myself that I can be disciplined and focused when I want to be. So tonight, I am going to go home and break open the Marks and Spencers quarter bottle of champagne that I bought last night and celebrate my achievement.

But, it is ever onwards, and I've been thinking a lot about Dorcas Grubb, my feisty eight year old heroine and her family of Time Keepers. I don't mean they are all watches and clocks, but that they are the keepers and martials of time, and just so happen to live in Highfields in one of those lovely houses, right next to the drug dens and the aslyum seekers. Anyway, I am still rolling her story around in my head, and plan to start writing it in early December. It's not quite ready yet.

And then there is Inter Vivos. Sigh. I am going to read what I have written so far over the next couple of days and then get going again, applying the skills that I have developed this year with NaNoWriMo and getting to the end of my first draft. I hope to have the first draft completed by the end of February at the latest. Hopefully the cold winter will inspire me when I write the last section of the book (though I very much doubt we will get the snow I would like).

Yay to me!

5,673 words to go!!!!

You read that right, folks. I have 5,673 words to go to 'win' NaNoWriMo this year! There are a couple of problems on the horizon however that may stop me from reaching that total; the biggest is The Sims 2 Bon Voyage game that I got for my birthday. Must just ration it away and make sure I complete my words before I play it. My house is a sty, I'm a little bit sleep deprived (though I have been 'catching up' by sleeping in most mornings and being late for work), but I do think that for some reason this year, NaNoWriMo has been quite easy. I will rephrase that so the Gods don't spite me for my premature confidence: the words that I have written so far were easy to come up with, and I found it easy to fit in the 1,667 words per day. The hardest part was actually making myself sit down in front of my pc and type them without getting distracted. But I made myself do it and I did, and now I'm almost to the end, and I almost have a short novel in my hands. I am going to celebrate on the 1st if I manage to get it all done. Fingers Crossed!

Time Travel and 35K

Well, folks, I am still NaNoWriMo-ing, and still on schedule. I've just passed the 35K mark, which is an achievement in itself, and the novel is actually getting easier to write. I can knock out 1500 words during my lunch break (so in about 30-40 minutes) so it's not bad going. Of course, I am resigned to the fact that my novel is turd - there doesn't actually seem to be any drama in it, and my main character spends most of the novel whining about her love life. Oh well, less than 15K to go!

I do at least now feel more like a real writer, in that I am writing something rather than talking about writing something. I don't think I'm going to audition for the next musical on Wednesday due to my increased commitment to writing, and I spent a lot of yesterday evening (as well as being in agony with sharp stomach pains) rolling an idea around in my brain and lazily day dreaming into existence the world and the characters. I'm feeling confident and self-assured. If it is possible to write a pretty poor novel in a month, then surely it's possible to write a masterpiece in a year, if I keep at this velocity?

Anyway, tonight Alex is going to explain the scientific principles of Time and time travel to me before I get bored or my head explodes, for my new story. If any one would like to give me their thoughts on the theory of time travel, etc. then please be my guest! I am doing initial research so that I can then disregard it all and write my own version (or maybe not, depending on how much I understand).

NaNoWriMo Week 3

Well, I reach my third week as a NaNoWriMo participate with 26000 words tucked firmly under my belt. I'm extremely pleased with myself for sticking with it and continuing writing even though at times I just wanted to give in. This new-found dedication has also made me more focused that this - producing works of literature - is what I want to do with my life. Sigh.
The story is on track, though I'm still not sure if it's any good or has potential, but I'm passed the stage of caring right now. Just have to keep on with it. I do like some of my characters, though my main character is extremely whiny; I'll have to do something about that if I ever redraft.

In other news, it's freezing cold today, and I don't have any winter clothes, nor can I afford any. Guess it's a good thing that layering is still in fashion. Just wish I owned one item of clothing that did not have a fault with it, be it a hole, a tear or a dodgy zip. Poor poor me!

New Spice Girls Song is a Pile of W**k Shocker!

Saw The Spice Girls new video last night. It amused me that all the girls' vocals had been layered to try to disguise the fact that they can't sing; well, everyone's except Sporty Spice, who sounded like she had swallowed a fog horn in comparison when she opened her mouth as she was the only one whose voice hadn't been digitally tampered with. Absolutely rubbish.

Twenty-K

Right, well, I've hit the grand old 20K mark for my NaNoWriMo novel (still untitled), and I'm starting to ease back in to the story, after spending a difficult two days documenting everything that my main character did just to keep momentum going ("Thea boiled the kettle. Thea got two cups from the cupboard. The cups had flowers on them. Thea found the tea bags in the jar next to the microwave" etc). I've now taken my characters on a night out and have had one of those 'zing' moments where something has popped into my head that will take the story in a different direction (and hopefully provide an additional 5,000 or so!). So I think I'm doing ok. Still a bit foggy, in terms of writing block, etc, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Hitting 20K is a bit of a landmark for me. Regular readers of this blog will know that the current novel I'm working on (Inter Vivos) currently stands at around 20,078 words, and that has taken me a year to write. I'm pleased with my progress this year, but also wish I had done better last year. Still, when November is over with, I'm hoping to take my new-found skills of discipline and dedication and apply them to IV.

I have to keep telling myself that all this hard work will pay off eventually, and hopefully I will have something to show for my efforts and can then go about trying to become the recognised writer I want to be. But I can't be a writer until I've actually written something (and completed it to the end), so it's back to the grindstone and the Word document for me!

Disaster

Well, I'm up to 13,059 words of my NaNoWriMo novel, and I think it's all just awful. Last night I wrote the worst 400 words of my entire life. Absolutely terrible prose. And the story is cliche and on the verge of boring me. But I can't give in, because I have to reach 50,000! I miss Inter Vivos. So I'm just going to moan about my new novel on here for a while. There are some good bits in it, and some good bits coming up that I've yet to write, but on the whole it's just bad. I have a whole immigration sub-plot that I'm looking forward to writing, so much so in fact that my actual main character is just moving from place to place to get me up to the part I'm excited to write. Perhaps I should have a coup and kill off my main character in favour of the supporting character? That's a thought worth thinking about.

Anyway, despite the appauling state of my NaNo novel, I've also been having lots of ideas about other things to write about (sure enough, if you're working on one idea, ten more will pop into your head). I've come up with a new character, called Dorcas, who I've yet to find a story for, but I think she may end up in a children's book. I have ideas for plays that include music and dancing, and I'm loving the 1940s and 50s right now, so may find some inspiration there. I especially like the 40s/50s pin-up posters (see above for an example), so may have to write that in somewhere.

Had a meeting with Sabrina last night to make a crack at the Arts Council Grants form for our Semper project. Basically, we're going to try to organise our own theatre festival in Leicester. I realised as we were filling in the form, that I've actually got quite a lot of experience! It's always good to remind my inner critics that I'm not completely hopeless!

An Interesting Article

To give me hope that writers do not get penalised for writing in more than one form.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article2745652.ece

NaNoWriMo: The Journey So Far

Well, at the time of typing this blog, my word count for NaNoWriMo is 7,412, which means I'm slightly ahead of my RDA of words for the weekend, but obviously behind on today's total (seeing as I haven't started writing for today yet). So far so good.
I've found that the hardest thing about doing NaNoWriMo this year is not the story - that's relatively simple at the minute (touch wood) - but actually making myself sit down at a computer for long enough to type something. I never fully realised how undisciplined I've become. On the first day, I would sit, write maybe fifty words, and then get up and get a drink, or have a snack, before coming back and writing another fifty words, and then doing a word count check and going to clean the bathroom, before coming back to write again maybe half an hour later. It was painful, and not because the story wouldn't come, but because I was too lazy and/or distracted to actually write it.
I'm getting better though. On Sunday I sat and typed in bed for about 30 minutes straight without getting up and doing something else. As the month goes on, perhaps a newly developed increased attention span will be added to my list of achievements, as well as a 50,000 word novel.

NaNoWriMo Eve

I think everyone should have a group of aspiring writer-friends who, whenever you meet up with them, leave you with a filthy hangover. Whenever our Semper group gets together, that's exactly the state I am left in the next day, although this weekend I was extremely worse for wear and couldn't really enjoy Morph's hallowe'en party properly (ie with alcholic beverages).
Now having fully recovered from hangover and back on solids again, I am trying to mentally prepare myself for tomorrow and the big kick off of NaNoWriMo 2007. Whoop! So tonight, I am going to do all of my washing up (strenuous in itself), tidy around my desk, and then compile all the notes I've made about this forthcoming novel into one handy word document. I'm going to give it my best go this year, and with no theatre to distract me, I'm hoping that I can really get into it. I have a slight concern in the fact that I don't really have a plot as yet, but I'll worry about that in December. The countdown for midnight has begun...
Happy Hallowe'en everyone. Tonight I shall be making treacle toffee and indulging in a little candle magic in celebration (after doing the washing up of course!).

The Ending

I'm a little bit worried about the ending of Inter Vivos, in so much as I don't actually know what's going to happen. I sort of have a vague jist, don't get me wrong, but I've still not decided what will happen to my heroine when her journey ends. Over the course of this last year, my novel has become increasingly sci-fi, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'm starting to feel a little confined by the genre. So I'm going to go back to how I originally conceived this story and add a pint of magic realism. That's what I want to write, after all. Both conceits however leave me with the problem of having to research Communism (I hate political theory), but adding the fairy tale elements makes it a little easier to swallow.

It does seem that the more work I do on this book, the more work I create for myself! I started with maybe four rounded characters, and now my character list is getting so long I actually need a Character List so that I can keep track of them all! For example, I am just now devising a dinner party for Nox and Cyrus, with Thaddeus and Lochan Snr. So there needs to be other guests, all with interesting dinner conversation. And serving staff. Urgh! I enjoy it really. But whoever said writing a book is easy is living on another planet!

Plus, it's almost time to give up on Inter Vivos for a month in order to focus on NaNoWriMo 2. I think the story is in a good place for me to break for a while, but I am a little concern about neglecting my baby for a whole month. Still, it should hopefully work out for the best.

Don't Judge a Book...

OK, so I know it's a little presumptuous, especially seeing as I only have a quarter of my first novel written, but I've been thinking about book covers. Now, book covers, in my opinion, are the make or break in whether someone makes a purchase or not. Now then, there's the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. I personally favour the stylish, the clear, concise approach. Not like this.

Panic Over

Panic over, I'm writing again! I haven't done a lot, only about a hundred or so words, but I'm in the right frame of mind, so that should keep me motivated for a while.

I received some good feedback from Sarah Francoise about 'Hoodies' a few weeks ago. Some extracts include: "I was hooked by the dialogue" and "This is a very promising piece". It concludes with "I would definitely encourage this writer to pursue the idea, because once the bones of the play are in place, this could be a very powerful piece". I haven't touched the play since I sent it off to TWP back in May (I think?). I do want to go back and continue with it, and actually work out what's going on and what it's about, but I'm worried that by doing this I'll lose momentum on my novel. I'm sure with some organisation I can manage to do both, but it might have to wait until after Christmas (or at least until after NaNoWriMo) before I tackle it again.

I really like creating characters and the worlds in which they live, and I like to think that I'm good at it, but it's the follow-through, the actual writing down of the story, that I find difficult. I can write background on characters until the cows come home, but find it hard to keep motivated when it comes to writing the narrative. One good thing is that, with Inter Vivos, I feel I'm now writing the "good stuff", by which I mean that I've written the introduction, have settled into the world. and now my story is really starting to take off. It's nice to be finally able to write the scenes that I've watched in my head over and over again for over a year. I'm going to be sad when I have to put it aside for a while for NaNoWriMo (though at least NaNo should hopefully give me a follow-up story to plunge into when IV is finally finished!).

Panic!!

How am I going to be a writer if I never write anything? Aaaaargh!!!!!

Tired!

I am so so tired right now, I haven't caught up on the sleep I lost last week, and my body clock hasn't reset itself to 'work time' yet, so I'm extremely tired in the daytime and wide awake at night. Am falling asleep whilst writing this. To make things a little bit worse, after I've finished work here I've got to go and work at my other job for 2 hours. Still, I get to listen to half an hour of the Philharmonia Orchestra, so it's not all that bad, I suppose. If I can stay awake.

In terms of writing, I haven't done any this week yet. Instead I've been vegging out eating fresh produce and watching rom-coms on DVD. I'm quite enjoying having time to potter about at home, doing little things and just watching telly. I'm not missing the theatre, not yet anyway.

I have signed up for NaNoWriMo. My username is 'Grizabella', so if anyone out there wants to monitor my progress, etc, you know where to find me! Hopefully I'll do better than last year. Wish me luck!

This Week

What I have been doing this week:

• Performing every night in 'The Witches of Eastwick', which involves me as a townsperson, a busy body, a sexy devil bitch and a gospel singer.
• Writing letters all day at work for students who want to open bank accounts. Snore...
• Reading Belle De Jour's blog in my lunchbreak. (it's seriously addictive)
• Coming up with the back story for Tula, one of the supporting characters in this year's NaNoWriMo novel.
• Listening to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on my way to work.
• Talking to everyone in a thick Shil'on/'Inckley accent, seeing as this week I've spent more time speaking to people from over there than over here.

What I have not been doing this week:

• Sleeping. Not getting to sleep until about 12:30 every night after dancing full out for almost 3 hours and then trying to get up at 7 is starting to take it's toll. Zzzzzzz.
• Doing laundry. I'm down to my last pair of socks and have been wearing the same bra for 3 days now. Thankfully tomorrow is Saturday so I can do a quick wash before the performance starts.
• Writing. I'm just too tired to concentrate at the minute, though I'm pleased with the back story I've just created today.
• Seeing my boyfriend. Sob.

Witches of Eastwick

The musical that I am starring in, Witches of Eastwick, started last night at the Concordia Theatre in Hinckley. And it went really well, probably the best first night performance in my personal history, I think! The audience lapped it up, although the blue-rinse brigade were heard to comment that it was "a bit rude". If anyone is interested in coming to watch, you may still be able to get tickets, though I know the latter part of the week has pretty much sold out. Tickets are available from the theatre by calling Claire Pitt on 01455 636627.

The Oldest Profession

OK, so I watched 'Secret Diary of a Call Girl' on ITV 2 last night. And I thought it was good, entertaining and all. What really annoyed me, though, was a few days ago, the prudes on BBC 2's Newsnight reviewed the show negatively; the only reason given for this was that the show glamorised prostitution and, basically, wasn't about crack whores. I live in Highfields. If I wanted to watch drama involving crack whores, I'd just look out of my window. The only woman on Newsnight as part of the reviewing panel (over 50, upper-middle class) was complaining because it wasn't about 'reality' and apparently portrayed the male-fantasy version of prostitution, rather than how it "really is" for the 90-odd% of working girls out there. Let's skip over the fact that the programme is based on a true story. All TV shows, movies, etc are glamorised to some extent. Archaeologists don't all look like Harrison Ford. Men don't all have fifteen-inch penises, like they do in porn films. Prostitutes don't all work in safe, controlled environments, drug- and pimp-free. But isn't that how it should be? Perhaps not the 15 inchers or Harrison Ford, but I mean safe and clean and as unexploitative as possible. If prostitution was legalised, then at least it would get some of these "90-odd%" women off the streets. Legal brothels would mean the girls would get regular health checks, help with drug rehabilitation, lodgings and clothes. It would be safer. And some of these women wouldn't then be exploited by men for drugs and money, they would be the ones doing the exploiting, because they would be trading sex for cash on their own terms. And I want to point out that just because I'm pro-legalised prostitution, that doesn't mean I'm pro-infidelity, but at least you would know that if your future bloke had been with a pro in the past, they were clean and healthy and it was purely a business transaction, and wasn't funding drugs trafficking and terrorism (like pirate DVDs do…). I know the argument above is somewhat naïve, but surely it is acceptable for TV to show how the minority live, as well as the majority, and also highlight how things could be improved? I don't think they have any right to write off a TV show because it's not about prostitution as us Highfields-survivors know it (and I'm sure the woman from the Beeb has probably met more prostitutes like Belle de Jour than the girls who used to work my street corner and leave used condoms for me to clean up down the alleyway to my front door). I am thoroughly prepared for people to comment and disagree (and fair enough if you thought the show was crap!); we're all entitled to our opinions and this is just mine.

Word Count

I've written 20,078 words of Inter Vivos. That's just over a quarter. I'm trying to decide whether Nox should, as is written at the moment, kill the guard in order to escape from prison by slitting his throat with a shard of glass, or have her knock him unconscious with a bottle. I'm sure that I will decide upon the guard's fate as I continue to write, but right now I am a little concerned that the killing might make her unsympathetic as a character. Though I suppose it just depends on how I justify it to the reader. Hmmm.

Calm before the Storm

...Well, sort of. Today is the last day (at work) before enrollment starts on Monday and all hell breaks loose. Good luck to anyone out there starting university next week, but you have no idea how stressful it is to actually coordinate! I think I've just about got every thing sorted. It'll be pretty hectic, so I may not be blogging much next week, just to warn you.
In terms of writing, I have written 23% of my target word count for the completed first draft of Inter Vivos in almost a year. Not very good progress. I am going to put in more effort in the coming months, as I really don't want it to take four years before I have even finished the first draft. I read over some of it before I started to type up my latest addition, and I have to say that some bits are quite good. Some bits really need work, but they'll do for now to move things along, and I'll go back and sort them out later (that's what second drafts are for!). 23% isn't a lot, but I am pleased with what I've done so far. My only problem is that when I get new ideas for directions in the story, I realise how far I actually have to go. It's not an easy story to write. And I'm still not sure exactly what's going to happen at the end. I have a rough idea - it's going to be fun getting there I hope!

The Power of *

I feel really guilty sometimes, as I have a habit of abandoning my characters in the middle of highways, in prison cells, in hotel rooms, walking through snow storms, in orange groves and all manner of other places. I do this because usually my characters have just been involved in an Incident and once that has occured, I kinda run out of steam. OK, Incident occured, lesson learnt, now what? Sometimes my characters are stranded for weeks, years in some cases (I've had two characters stuck in a forest since 1995). So I find it hard to move the story along, to interconnect the numerous different scenarios that make up the story.
As a consequence of this, I have adapted a style of writing where I just write the Incidents and, after each one, use an asterix to mark the separation and passage of time, etc. and then go on to the next. That way, I keep writing, and hopefully will come back after my story is complete to fill in the missing gaps. Sometimes, however, I find that I don't need to fill in the space; an intelligent reader can gather that a passage of time has occured simply by a paragraph break. This also means that I now tend to write out of chronological order, so I write the climatic Incident sometimes quite early on. This helps me keep motivated, and also helps to direct the story, so that if I do get stuck, at least I can review where my characters roughly need to go. Now I have finally figured this out, I have dozens of characters that need rescuing from their respective places of limbo!

Weird Face

I have, apparently, a really 'weird' face when I pose for photos. So after all those years practising trying to look relatively normal in photographs, I am told that I "always look weird"; it was a bit of a shock. Now I'm even more petrified of being in front of a camera. I mean, just take a look at the photos of me of Facebook to see what I mean. This is why I'm much happier on stage acting and performing rather than in front of a camera. At least on stage, if I pull a weird face, it's gone in a matter of seconds, and there's no possibility to rewind or freeze frame.
I haven't done any writing over the weekend. I bought my mum a birthday present and worked for 8 hours at my other job. I also made pork casserole, double chocolate cookies and apple crumble, which had too much sugar in and made my teeth tingle and made Alex a bit wired. The silly thing was that I kept getting the urge to go and write, but I made myself do something else instead. Not sure why that was. Anyway, I'm hoping that this week will see me putting in a bit more effort.
PS that's not me in the photo above!!!

NaNoWriMo 2007

I know NaNoWriMo doesn't start for another couple of months, but I've just decided on the idea that I am going to develop for it this year. Last year, NaNo was a great starting point for Inter Vivos, which, ok, still isn't finished, but it's coming along quite well, I think.

So seeing as last year's novel was sci-fi, this year's is more chick-lit (I really hate that term!). I'm going to try to develop the idea that I've had for quite a while, which is sort of based on the Wizard of Oz. My contemporary Dorothy (Thea, a twenty-something with a shoe-fetish) is searching for a place where she belongs, and along the journey makes her way through three men; one brainless, one heartless, and one who she thinks is just perfect but turns out to be impotent and powerless. Along for the ride are her two best friends, the bitchy Tula and closeted gay Leo.

Seeing as I'm not going to be involved in a show this November, I should (fingers crossed) have more time to develop to writing, and may actually get further towards the target of 50,000 words than I did last time.

Edinburgh

Our little trip to Edinburgh was really lovely, though not long enough. Managed to meet Robin for a drink, but unfortuantely we had to leave early, as we were so tired from our 8 hour drive there! Next time, we're flying, definitely! We went exploring around the castle and saw the Scottish Honours (though Alex wouldn't let me steal them, even though there was only one 'guard' and she looked really bored and overweight, so I think I could have taken her - element of surprise and all that. I've always wanted my own crown...) and then we went shopping and Alex bought loads of books and then we went for tea at the cafe that claims to be the 'birthplace of Harry Potter'. It was really nice cafe, actually. There was a big window with loads of light and a perfect view of the castle, and writing paper in a holder by the fireplace, and they made proper camomile tea and yummy hot chocolates and the food was great too. Alex has his own 'I did this in JK's cafe' story, but I don't think it's fitting to write about it here! We also went and had the most lovely dinner at the Loch Fyne in Leith, with the nicest waiters and waitresses in the world! It was a great trip.
I am now, though, officially Poor, with a capital letter and everything. I think I have enough money to pay for bills this month, but I don't have any money for food or luxury items (like washing powder, shower spray and singing lessons). Luckily, I think I have enough in my cupboards to last me for about a week, if I ration myself, but after that, I'm not sure what I'll do. Guess it'll help me lose a bit of weight, and I still have my vitamin pills, so I guess I'll be getting some nutrients, even if they are in pill form. I've decided not to audition for the next show at the Concordia, as I just can't afford the rail fare to get there. But on the plus side, that does mean more time for writing. Hurray! I'm just so sick of not having enough money to live on. I mean, it took four weeks of saving just to go to Edinburgh on the cheap for the weekend. And I need new glasses, and a hair cut, and I really need to go to the doctors but can't afford the prescription cost, and all of my clothes have chosen this month to fall apart, and it's just so depressing. Sorry to moan, but sometimes you just need to vent, you know?

Stumped

I've come to a bit of a stop with Inter Vivos. I'm not sure whether it's because I'm actually stuck, whether I've got writer's block, or whether I'm just not in the mood. I am quite tired, so perhaps that's why Nox and Cyrus are standing in a prison cell and conversation has run dry.

I'm off to Edinburgh on Friday with Morph, and I'm really looking forward to it. It's such a beautiful place, and it's one of those rare places that for me, it just felt like home as soon as I got off the train. Perhaps I can convince Morph to move there with me...

I really need a break though. The last time I went on holiday was in 2004. I'm only going for the weekend, but at least it's Away.

I keep meaning to send some of my work off to places to see if they'll publish it, but I haven't been able to find a minute to do that. Perhaps next week, after my break, I'll be able to get organised and go for it again.

Sumo review

Well, the thing on Saturday at Sumo went quite well I thought, though I'm not sure how much money they must have raised, as everyone seemed to be there for free. Oh well.

My mono seemed to go well - the whole room was silent listening, so I took that as a good sign. Cat, my actress, was really good too - I'm going to have to write more stuff for her, as she's great! Drank too much and spent a small fortune; I must learn to manage my money better. Still, we were there for 7 hours, so it was a bit inevitable that we would drink too much. We all went for Japanese afterwards, which was the perfect end to a pretty successful evening.

I won a book on the raffle about feminisim during the first world war (how random?!), and have taken it as a sign that I should really get to work on my 'Munitionettes' story, which is about ... feminism during the first world war.

However, need to get Inter Vivos out of the way first. Going to go work on it now, like a good girl.