Inspiration from Books

I recently read "Fault in Our Stars" by John Green. I'm not posting this to review the book, though I'll say I loved it.

What I was inspired by is the quality of the writing. It was one of those books which I closed and thought 'Damn, I'll never write as good as that.' I also thought, 'how do I make my writing better.'

In John's case, I loved the voice in his writing, the way he writes and sounds like a person. I believed I was reading a book where the girl was telling me her story. I don't always, even when I have loved reading a book.

Another writer who has inspired me is Lauren Oliver, especially "Before I Fall". It was not so much the voice in this which inspired me but the imagery. She has a real way with metaphor, for me, and similarly, I put the book down and thought, 'how do I make my writing better.'

Which writers or books have done this for you? What have you taken away from reading a book?

I would love to hear as I am sure I am not the only one.

First Drafts or Revisions?

Dear readers, I am currently in the throes of line edits for my WIP.

As I edit, I've been thinking about the different parts of the writing process, and what I enjoy about them.

Each part gives me satisfaction in a different way. The first draft streams out of me. I think about it in the shower or when I should be sleeping. I can't wait to get it out and down on paper. I enjoy spending time with characters and a story just becoming new to me.

Big picture revisions are fun too. I can see the building blocks falling into place. I feel like 'real work' is being done in getting the story to work.

Line edits are satisfying in a different way. I can see the prose tighten and improve in front of me. I feel the style and quality of my writing truly gets better at this point.

There is a point, during both sets of revisions, where my motivation becomes more about completing the act and getting to the end, than about the drive to edit.

How about you? What do you enjoy about different stages in the writing process? Do you have a stage you like best?

Do you keep a diary? Is that your blog?

This weekend a group blog I am part of launched called: The Writer Diaries.

I join a group of awesome ladies - all far more fabulous than I - and am excited to be part of it. Please do check it out, and let us know what you think. We aim to share our innermost thoughts on the journey to publication, we write for a mixture of age groups, and would love you to come join us.

There are several group blogs around, all of which perform a wonderful function and all I hope is that people will add us to their visits and that we can find our own wee niche.

Being part of this has made me wonder: do you keep a diary? Do you consider your blog your diary? Do you have a 'private' blog where you record your thoughts? I read lately that 83% of today's teenagers still keep a paper diary. I find that fascinating, because I'm sure if most of us were writing a 'diary style' book we might wonder if that should be a blog. But people still keep private thoughts, private.

So I ask you: do you keep a diary? Is your blog enough of an outlet?

I don't keep any sort of diary or journal. I'd like to, but between blogging/tweeting/facebooking/writing I don't know how I'd find the time.

Would love to know what you think. Would also love to know what you make of The Writer Diaries - anything you'd particularly like to see?

Writing Chat: The Sound of Silence

Before I go into my writing chat for the day, if you are interested please go to my post and sign up to 'Celebrate the Small Things' on Friday. With new added badge. Cheers me dears.

I am envious of people who speak with excitement about their writing playlists. What fun it must be making them up, and putting them on to get you 'in the zone'.

See, I cannot listen to music while writing. Am I the only one?

When I focus on something, I REALLY FOCUS. If I am writing, Ryan Gosling (or say Jensen Ackles, or Jack off Revenge) could do the naked highland fling in front of me, and I would not notice. Half an hour later I'd be all 'Huh? Ryan, did you want something?'

If I put music on, I either:

a) won't hear it. This may be the point, you may say. You don't listen to it, but it helps get you in the zone. It's there, informing the words. The atmosphere. Perhaps, but it's more likely it's just annoying my neighbours, or that
b) I will listen to the music instead. The music becomes my sole focus, and I am not writing any more.

Therefore I tend to write in silence. Maybe the TV on SUPER QUIET, also not being paid attention to (Ryan, Jensen and Jack (Nick? I think the actor's called Nick) can watch it, while I'm ignoring them).

This doesn't mean music doesn't inspire me. Of course it does. I listen to a song and it sparks off an idea. Lyrics especially inspire me. I love songs which tell a story (Stereophonics 'Local Boy in the Photograph' gets me every time) or songs which inspire a mood (Florence and the Machine do this I find). I watch or read Twilight and I COMPLETELY SEE the influence of Muse. I can see that she listened to them.

Music inspires me, but I don't listen to it while I write. Maybe I could playlist for inspiration while out and about, but in the meantime the sound of silence accompanies me.

Am I the only one? How does music inform your writing?

New Blog Schedule incl. Plugging You and Celebrations

Hello Dear Peoples of the Internet.

As part of my blogging this year, I want to keep to a regular schedule. I will know when I'm posting, and hopefully people will know when to visit.

The aim therefore, will be as follows:

Monday: Chit Chat about Writing (including WriteMotivation in months where I have time to join in).
Wednesday: BlogHop posts for IWSG, YA Highway's Road Trip Wednesday and other bloghops which happen. Also joining in other people's launches etc.
Friday: Celebrate the Small Things Blog Hop: Weekly, launching this Friday) and thanks to those who voted.

I hope these posts feel like things people will read, and I hope they prove useful/interesting. This won't be a strict schedule - if an ace bloghop happens on a Monday obviously I'll join in that, and there may be some Wednesdays where I am not able to join in anything. However, I will keep to it as much as I can!

For the Wednesday bloghop, I like joining in IWSG and YA Highway, so will endeavour to do that but also: if you, dear reader, have a book launch, or new blog launch, or blog tour, or cover reveal, let me know. Even if it doesn't quite fit in with my Wednesday schedule I'd be happy to move that post for the week to help plug! Just drop me a comment and we can organise.

I hope this will be interesting for people to read, I'm excited to get started! I have seen people discussing their word for 2013 and mine is 'positivity'. I blogged about positivity for IWSG this week (here) and decided that will be my word of this year! Let me know yours.

Anyway I choose to be positive that this will be a good blogging year!

Poll: What Feature Should I Have? Please Vote!

I started my blog this year and have spent some time getting used to blogging. Next year, I'd like to introduce a weekly feature or two, and also to post more regularly on set days. I find it easier to follow other blogs when I know what's being posted when.

I'd also like to post something which 'gives back' to this wonderful writing community.

I therefore have a wee poll. Would any of these be of use or interest to you?

•  Weekly or semi-regular post interviewing authors (agented, self-published, whoever will speak to me) asking how they got that break. 
•  Poll about the craft of writing (eg plotter or pantser? 1st or 3rd person). Not to say 'this is most popular thing therefore it's best'. Just that it might be interesting to see the splits and spark off debate. 
• Weekly 'celebrate the small achievements' post where we celebrate writing that chapter, or tidying out that cupboard! 
• Weekly or semi-regular post where I look at what I can learn from a TV Show or Book which has taken a particular aspect of writing and done it well. 
• Poll about something else - you suggest?

Please vote and let me know what you think in the comments? Any of these of any interest? Anything else you'd like to see?

What Feature Should I Have?

Please Give me Your Links: Useful Tips and Posts Wanted

I have had a computer disaster. In that my computer is dead as the dodo. It won't turn on. I hopefully will be able to retrieve my data from it, which is good as I haven't done a full computer backup in a while. So if you are reading this: BACKUP NOW.

Luckily, I do email myself my works in progress at regular intervals and am grateful for that paranoia as it meant I haven't lost too much writing. (Just a week or so since I last mailed self).

What I HAVE lost however, are all the internet bookmarks I have made. I don't think I will get these back. Over time I have bookmarked:

Useful Writing Advice - e.g. words to cut out, phrases to look out for, checks to do before submitting.
Software and Editing Wizards - e.g. autocrit, scrivener
Useful Writing Bits - e.g. Save the Cat Beat Sheet
Editorial and Critique Services - e.g. Teen Eyes

I have lost ALL OF THESE. Obviously, some of these I can google and find again, like I have above.

Others, I have lost. And so I ask you: please share your bookmarks! Or, links to your own posts. If you have posted useful writing tips, share the link here! If you have links to fab writing bits and bobs, please share.

If I get a few, I will do a master list and maybe it will be of use to other people too!

Please do share, and I thank you if you do.

(and backup that computer!)

What Makes us Like a Character?

What makes you like the main character of a novel?

Is it that they confide in the reader their darkest fears and secrets? That they feel 'real', showing us their insecurities? Or the opposite - do you like a character who is gung ho action? Does it have to be a good combination of the two?

When you are creating a compelling, likeable, sympathetic characters, are there things you think about?

I ask because I have been thinking a lot about character lately. I have read books where I don't necessarily 'like' the main character, but their voice feels so compelling and real, that it draws me in anyway. Yet a main character who I feel for, who speaks my inner fears, who makes me laugh - those stay with me.

So is the question a compelling character, rather than a likeable one?

Interested to know your thoughts.

Na-Nomore + Focussing on one thing at a time

My quest for Nanowrimo has hit a snag.

I received really useful crit on my MS and that has been distracting me. The MS is calling my name. Imagine it in a closed drawer, shouting at me. Though in reality it's 0s and 1s saved on a hard drive, being in a drawer feels more visual. The corners of the pages lift up and form a mouth, in my head.

I thought I could focus on both - at least, to let the MS sit, while I drafted anew. I have had two ideas going for a while - planning and roughing out bits of one while drafting the other. It's been good. Work on one while the other sits. I've found it helpful.

However, now I'm at editing stage, I can't do it. I can't now draft the other. Though I should let MS 1 sit while I draft MS 2, probably, so I can return to it fresh. Perhaps after this edit, I will feel more able to set it aside. Maybe I need to set it aside and just read others' work, not try to draft anything new.

Either way, I am not going to finish Nano, but I don't feel bad about it. You spend the time doing what's most useful. If my brain can't finish MS 2, I won't force it.

I ask you: can you focus on two MS at once? Let one rest while you draft another? How do you spend the time while you let an MS rest?

How is your Nano going?

If Writing is Subjective, How Do I Improve?

I recently took part in an event that brought it home to me how subjective writing is. I was a finalist in a local book festival for a piece of 250 word flash fiction. 12 of us read out our pieces, and we voted for a winner.

All these pieces were 'good', however you want to judge good. They were tight, they followed their character's POV or their theme through, they contained deft imagery and interesting description.

You know what? I liked some of them more than others. There were pieces on flying machines, sister-in-laws coveting their brother-in-law, anecdotes about grandchildren and stories of an understudy going on stage. Yes, interesting writing and a 'good writer' will hold my interest on any topic, but I have little interest in flying machines to begin with. However well written his piece was, however much it held my interest, I was naturally more predisposed to like the piece about the understudy because it was more 'my thing.'

Red Green Ok Not Ok Icons clipart
from Clker.com

I only had a couple of votes to cast, so however great the flying machines piece was, *it did not get my vote*. The grandchild anecdote was funny, so everybody voted for that in droves. (This has really made me think about the role of humour in my writing - I tend to write fast paced, thriller type pieces - can those be funny too? Can I be funny? *pulls face*)

I realised this is exactly what agents face. They have tons of submissions and some of them, yes, can be dismissed because they see the writing as weak or the character unbelievable or the plot makes no sense.

But some of it? Just isn't their thing, and however interesting you  make it, they aren't going to take it. They only have a couple of votes.

I often see people say that writing is subjective, and I agree that there is no magic level of writing that will guarantee you an agent or publication of any kind. Luck comes into it.

But having been to this event, I do realise how a well written piece about flying machines held my interest more than a badly written piece would have. Even if it didn't get my vote. I do know how useful writing advice on websites has been, and from critique partners, in improving my own writing. I do feel like my writing gets 'better' whatever better is, and however subjective that is.

What do you think? Do you welcome writing advice? If it is all subjective how do you know what's 'good' and 'bad'?

And can I make my thrillers funny? Anyone know a good joke?

Word Count: What's appropriate?

I have been reading a lot of competition entries lately and see varying word counts on the summaries.

I am curious to know: what do you think are the limits for a word count for a debut author seeking representation? I am specifically talking YA but if anyone wants to weigh in with NA/MG/Adult ideas, do.

For YA I have gone by the rule of thumb greater than 60k and less than 100k are a good spot to aim for. Shorter or longer than that raises flags, was my understanding.

I got this useful link (thanks to EllieWrites who linked to it) which says:

MG: 25-40k (average 35)
YA: 45-80k for mainstream, up to 120 for paranormal but under 100 best.

They have guidelines for adult genres too if you are interested. It is just one ex-agent's take, but interesting.

It seems to be for MG 35/40k and for YA 60/70k are safe word counts to 'aim for' and that genre may make a difference.

ETA: The best word count is the minimum you need to *tell your story* without being overlong and without leaving out key factors, of course. I am talking here I guess about a) whether too short/long hinders you getting representation and b) whether having a too short/long MS should raise a red flag to you that you perhaps haven't cut enough or put enough in....?

Any opinions? Do you plan for a specific word count when you start? Do your books always come out the same? Do you add if your YA is say 45k or cut if it's 120k?

Interested to know!

#writemotivation & Fast Draft Report & Revisions

Over the past few weeks I have been taking part in #writemotivation, aided by Fast Draft, as I mentioned in my post here.

My #writemotivation goal was 25000 words in September and I wrote 55000 (over two ideas) so I think I succeeded in that one ;)

I was taking part in Candace Havens Bootcamp and I thought you might be interested to know how I found it.

The aim has been to write 5k words a day over 2 weeks. We had a planning week first (which really helped) and are about to revise for a week. If I had succeeded in 5k a day for 2 weeks I would have 70k now. I didn't. 55000 averages to 3928 words a day.

I discovered:

• The importance of butt in chair time. Because my 'aim' was more words than I usually do in a day, I found more time in the day. I squeezed in half an hour here, and stayed up later there.
• The importance of motivation. Because we were all doing it together, encouraging each other, I felt motivated to succeed.
• The importance of planning - I plan anyway -  and I did realise how much of a help it is for me in getting the words out.
• Drafting quickly helped me maintain the voice/plot in my head easier, without lots of going back over things.
• That 5k/day was too much for me. 3k is probably my 'sweet spot' where I can rely on the words to be okay and over this they were starting to be pedestrian. Given that my usual daily word count would have been 1-2k, this has shown me what is possible.
• That it's okay in a 1st Draft to make a note and carry on. If I had forgotten something or wanted to change something I merely added a comment, and carried on. Now in my first revision I'll deal with those. This helped me maintain the flow.

Overall this has been a very positive experience. I don't believe in word count over everything, and if I had felt that I was really producing rubbish I would feel negatively about this. But you know what? I didn't. Okay the last few paragraphs of the day were always pedestrian and need work, but that was the point where I allowed myself to stop. I didn't achieve the overall 70k aim but I achieved a heck of a lot more than I would have in 2 weeks otherwise!

The aim of getting words out every day really propelled me forward. I have become more disciplined in finding time and writing every day. I am going to carry that on as I a) finish my stories and b) revise.

Which brings me to revision! How much revision to do? How do you approach it? Revision Motivation Club anyone? :)

I asked a similar question before about editing and got interesting answers and I ask again now ;)

Why Twitter is good for Writing and Writers

I have been on twitter a while, but I’ve only recently discovered all the joyous ways it can help not just writers to meet and talk about writing, but also help in the art of writing. Bear with me.

Let’s break it down.

The very act of writing a tweet involves, um, writing. The fact they are short and snappy involves a particular skill, I admit, which may seem at odds with novel writing for example. However let's be positive, I think some of these skills can be applied to your broader writing (I think any writing we do, is a good thing). For example:

• Twitter teaches you to be concise: How often have you to reword a tweet to get it within that pesky limit? Taken out unnecessary words or rewritten your whole sentence? This is a great exercise to apply to writing. Take 100 words of your draft and cut 5 words out. Now another 5. 10. (Look at an author like Jacqueline Wilson, and try and cut 5 words from a page. It’s hard.)

Get those scissors out.
And yes those are my scissors.
And kitchen counter.

• Twitter is your voice: Look back at your tweets. How much do they reflect who  you are? What idea do you get of people you’ve maybe never met, just from their tweets? I bet quite a strong one. This is the kind of voice your MC needs. Try writing out a few tweets for them, whatever time period they live in. Are they an ‘OMG THIS JUST HAPPENED’ tweeter? A snarky tweeter? Get this sort of voice in your novel. (I think a ‘tweet as your MC’ tweet/blog hop sometime might be fun. Though confusing, maybe!).

• Twitter is about grabbing attention. By this I mean, how often do you reword a tweet to make more people pay attention to it? Make it funnier, or more informative, or simply ‘snappier’? By this I don’t mean that every joke in a WIP has to be super hilarious or every sad moment super sad, it has to be appropriate to the character and moment. I just mean there are sentences we can all polish to stand out more. It is easy to do when you only have 140 characters and harder when you have a lot.

As well as the art of writing there are obviously all the social aspects of twitter, helping you to meet other writers, to get support if you need encouragement to finish that piece of writing. You can also hear about competitions or see links to interesting and useful blog posts about the art of writing.

These are all ways of connecting you note, and for me that’s what it is about. Twitter feels like ‘broadcasting’ and a lot of people do use it, very successfully, as a way of self-promotion and broadcasting about what they’re up to. Which is great.

But the best parts for me are the @ connections you can make and the conversations which happen. I know people who say, I don’t tweet, who cares what I have to say, and my response is, it’s not about that. Or it isn’t for me. It’s about starting a conversation. The writing community is hugely supportive, as I've found on this blog, and twitter is an extension of that.

Another great thing are the hashtags which help you meet new people and discuss writing tips and the like.

Some of my faves are:

#amwriting – does what it says on the, er, tin

#1k1hr – race to get to 1k in an hour (love this one)

#askagent – sessions run where agents take and answer your question

#writemotivation – monthly group run by KT Hanna (every other month I think). You set goals, and encourage others to meet them and get encouragement.

#writeclub – a new one! Started by @MeganWhitmer I believe for writers to find other people currently writing (started on a Friday night when a few people were all writing. And NOT to be confused with DL Hammons writeclub which did throw me at first.)

#YAWritersAAT – Sunday night chat where you can ask teens a question for research, started by Leigh Ann Kopans I think and transcripts go up on yamisfits. (Must catch up on the transcripts, as am asleep for the chats being UK, which I think it 9 EST).

Here are two great posts listing all kinds of hashtags  - here and here – though am tempted to write a master list sometime (If anybody would want to help with that project, let me know!)

Does anyone agree with my list above of how it can help your actual writing? Will you try any of these? Would a master list of hashtags or some MC tweets be fun?

Are you on twitter? If you are and I don’t already follow you, please leave your @ name in the comments or follow me and I’ll follow back.

My twitter button is on the right, please connect with me there, and if you like this post, let me know what you think – or tweet me about it!

Next Big Thing MeMe

Thank you for the tag Tara and Kyra - I have seen this MeMe going round and it looks fun!

 I thought I would talk about my WIP CaraStoneSucks.com, to encourage me to finish it! (I have another WIP about clones but thought I'd do this one! I have been tagged twice so I could do the other one another time.)

What is the working title of your book?
Cara Stone Sucks.Com

Where did the idea come from?
Various celebrities being insulted on twitter. I started to think about cyberbullying in general and how when I was a kid I never had to worry about that. At first I thought about a sci fi type setting as I like to write sci fi but it fit better as contemporary!

What genre does your book fall under?
Contemporary with a 'who done it' element.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie?
Ah well the main character would be a young Kate Middleton (think shiny very conditioned hair and lots of outfit changes) and the love interest would be a Josh Hutcherson type.

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book? 
When Cara discovers a website solely dedicated not only to hating on her but revealing all of her secrets, she sets out to find out who's behind it and stop them, before their threats turn real.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? 
Gosh got to finish it first!

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? 
Still writing. I started on Monday as part of Fast Draft and am 14k in. (How many of them make sense, we'll see).

Who or what inspired you to write this book? 
See above!

What else about your book would pique the reader's interest? 
I am having fun writing lots of banter between my main character Cara and the love interest Logan. I haven't written banter like this before and it's coming quite nicely!

I tag anyone who'd like to do this - feel free and hook me up with a link here I'd love to hear what you are writing on!

So what do you make of the above? I am worried about the stakes so hope it's tense enough when it's written! If anyone is interested in reading a draft when it's done btw, I am happy to swap a 'readers report' type CP with you! (I will be pestering my current CPs with the clone story see!)

Writemotivation and How Fast Do You Draft?

September is another #writemotivation month and my aim this month is simple:

Write 25,000 words of my WIP.

So far I have about 5k, so a bit behind.

As a result of my general aim to get some of this draft out, I have signed up for Fast Draft Boot Camp (deets here). Hopefully I will learn to get this draft out quicker than the last.

(I don't believe in rushing things in a desperate bid to cross the finish line, but I suspect that the draft won't be too much worse off my usual for speeding it up. We'll SEE.)

I will let you know how it goes!

In the meantime:

How Fast Do you Draft?

Is there an average? Do you knock out a draft in a week you speedy ones? Or do you take six months? How long does your editing take (do you think there's a correlation? Long First Draft = Less edits?)

Fill me in. In the meantime if you have an entry in a contest anywhere good luck, hook me up with the links.

I wanted to be amusing in the above post, however I am tired. Instead, I leave you with a bad joke:
The Scarecrow was outstanding in his field.

What Do You Love About What You Wrote This Week?

This is an experiment. It's quite simple.

Tell me what you love about what you wrote this week.

Share a sentence or two. Tell me that you solved a tricky plot point. That you reached 20k words. That your main character's voice is falling into place.

Share an achievement about your writing this week and let's celebrate that!

Partly inspired by the Love Lists I saw floating around after YA Highway's Road Trip Wed which themselves were inspired by Stephanie Perkins, but also I thought: let's celebrate those small steps as we go along. Let's celebrate getting that scene right or just getting the words out.

Please do join in, blow your own trumpet (or hey, someone else's if you like) in the comments. Please tweet/blog so a few people join in if you can.

I'll kick us off in the comments.

First Drafts: Permission to suck?

After a long time working on my completed MS, I am back to a first draft. I have been having trouble getting going, discarding one idea after another and rewriting the same part of one of the ideas I DO want to go with over and over.

I have realised why this is. I had become too used to working on a finished, polished, shiny draft that the first draft, in all its awkward rusty glory was unwieldy. It didn't move smoothly under my hand. The ordinary descriptions and stilted dialogue leapt off the page like sore nails.

I wanted to stop and polish, to make that first sentence, that first paragraph perfect. I wanted it to be the final draft.

But it isn't. It's the first draft, and the joy of the first draft to me is getting it out, letting the words fly out, not *worrying* about them, just letting them be.

If I stop to polish, I will never get anywhere. I know some people work this way, polishing each chapter before moving onto the next, so that when they get to the end it needs little revision.

I can't work like that. I do work to a plan, in the hope that by the end massive rewriting won't be needed. But I have realised in my first draft I need to Get The Thing Out. Just write it. Warts and all! I need to give myself permission to suck. Nobody need see it (save the poor CPs who may offer and even then, I can revise before I share it.). I need to get the words out, on the page, so that I have tools to work with.

So that's what I am going to do.

How about you? Have any trouble with first drafts? Do you stop to polish or do you Get The Thing Out? Let me know!

Write ON + Magic 8 Ball: Pls Help - Which Way?

Like most people I have been busy with Write On Con this week, and very interesting and useful it has been too. I have a longer post about online critiquing for another time, but suffice to say I found it helpful. I had a Ninja Agent visit and give advice, which was very exciting!

Another year I would probably go there with a finished piece rather than WIP, as next to all the beautiful polished pieces my WIP felt very rusty, but I have to say getting feedback on the WIP was v. useful.

 In the meantime: I have been tagged (or handed!) the Magic Eight Ball by the lovely Suzanne Furness!

The Rules

1. Post button + link to http://blog.jayceedelorenzo.com.

2. Share excerpt of WIP or something you are struggling with and can't get right

3. Ask a Question about your excerpt

4. Tag 8 people

I am going to be slightly different. I have 2/3 ideas I have planned, thought about, and now am writing they Just. Aren't.Working (two are the same as I took to Write On Con). So here, dear blogger friends, are a brief description of the ideas and a very brief sample of each. I guess my question is please: What GRABS you, or doesn't, about any of these?

Hoping someone's comment will spark off... something in my brain to get me back into them. Or one of them. So I can Write On, you see!

And I TAG: EVERYONE. Or ANYONE who wants to do it. Seriously. And please link ME so I can see it and feedback.

1) YA Contemp: CaraStoneSucks.com
Brief:
When 'Anon' sets up a website dedicated to hating her, Cara determines to find out who it is and get her own back. When the mean comments turn to threats, is Cara going to have to fight for her life, not just revenge?

Sample:
Whoever said 'words will never hurt you' never had a website dedicated to just that. Hurting me. The words were bullets, shooting off the page and through my skin, which wasn't as thick as I thought. They tore into my heart, making a hole in my soul, tearing it into pieces. The site made me hate myself, for whatever I'd done to cause this. Why won't they stop? Why can't I make them stop?

I clicked the link. The headline on the website had changed to: Cara Stone Deserves It. And in Two Weeks She'll Get It.

Deserves what? What was going to happen in two weeks?

2) YA Sci Fi/Psychological Thriller - Cracked Counterfeit  (Genre problem? confusion?)
Brief:
Suffering memory loss, Emma is convinced she's not who she's told, and cannot figure out why the doctors, including her apparent father, want to convince her she is. Once home, she discovers she's already been through this and left herself clues. When the clues point towards Emma being a clone, she has to ask if she is actually just losing her mind.

Sample:
I examine the photo. I tap to enlarge my chin and a half-inch white scar is visible below the curve of my bottom lip. In the mirror, I don’t have a scar on my chin. I don’t have any marks on my face. I remember thinking how lucky I was to escape the accident without a scratch.

Fear prickles like small needles across my back. Where’s the scar gone? If this girl isn’t me, who is she?

3) YA: Sci Fi (does it sound dystopian? write what you love and all but should one avoid this?) UNTITLED
Brief:
In a world where your online comments and status updates dictate your role in life, Lara can never say the right thing. The job profiling tests on her statuses reveal her to be good at precisely nothing except being lippy. Using this to her advantage, she builds up a large following who love it when she tears down the system. Until a large corporation offer her money to advertise its products, wanting to cash in on her anti system 'image'. This is money Lara's family desperately need. Will she be a sell out and take the job?
Further, why does Mr Perfect Profile (in every way) the President's son insist on hanging about? Why does everyone, including Lara, want him when he's such a do gooder?

Sample:
"You think I don't want to be seen with you? I'll prove it."

He took out his InfoPad and typed his status, right in front of me, his long, delicate fingers entering: Hanging out with Lara, she's not as angry as she looks.
He ended it with a smiley face. A smiley face. People who used emoticons should be strung up by their fingers, however cute they were and however much I wondered what else those fingers were good at. Emoticons were so two decades ago. He flashed me a wide smile, his even white teeth gleaming, and my stomach squirmed. Why did everyone want him? Why did I want him?

That's all folks! Thanking anyone who comments and apologising if this went on a bit long. Please do link me to any of yours.

Shiny New Idea Syndrome

Shiny New Idea Syndrome should be a medically recognised condition. I am working on a draft, possibly editing it. All has been going well when suddenly a Shiny New Idea grips me. A flash of inspiration strikes and I can’t get rid of it. I turn this idea over in my head all the time. I think about it when out running, in the shower, on the tube. I can’t work on my current idea because I am so distracted by this one. I start to plan the novel out in my head, and I become forced to sit and write the first chapter, just to stop the nagging voices. 

Yes I realise I sound like a crazy person when I say that. It takes over. The current MS gets forgotten.

The positives of this are:

• I am not writing to a publisher’s deadline. It doesn’t matter that my current MS gets put aside for SNI. 
• This may be the idea which gets me published.
• The current MS may simply need a break. I can return to it with fresh eyes later.

The dangers of course are:

• I may never finish anything. This Shiny New Idea will become a current MS, and I’ll be distracted from it by another SNI.
• My poor unloved manuscript. Lots of work has gone into it, it was a Shiny New Idea once, and now it’s languishing, sad and alone, in a drawer.
• Sometimes the shine wears off a SNI and underneath is a dull worn idea, less original than the current MS.

The best option? Work on both I say! 

I am currently editing a manuscript so it’s a good time for a Shiny New Idea to grip. I can spend time honing lines on my current MS, and then have a break and write a new bit of the SNI.

Any thoughts about what to do when a SNI grips, and does anybody else have this problem?

Writing=Editing=Training for a 5k

I have recently started training for a 5k. I have never enjoyed running, mainly because whenever I have tried I have gone full tilt round the local park, got only half way round, then collapsed in a red faced heap. I couldn't understand why I wasn't The Flash. Or Mo Farah. It looks so effortless when Mo runs.

It’s the same with writing. With my first drafts, I expected to pour out greatness my first attempt. I couldn’t understand why my first draft wasn’t as beautifully structured and written as the books I saw on the shelves. I thought I must be terrible and lacking in skill, the same way I beat myself up for not being immediately able to race around the park.

The thing is: I can’t see the hours Mo puts into training, or my favourite authors put into their writing. I can only gawp at the finished product and feel inadequate. But all the athletes we’ll be marvelling at when they come to London for the Olympics this summer have worked, day in day out, early mornings, no holidays, to get to where they are. So do successful authors. They work at it. They hone their writing muscles, the same way athletes do. They put the time in.

I had this post ready to go, then I read Lauren Oliver's latest post where she discusses the importance of practice (See here). I completely agree, and I loved her post on the subject.

So. I am putting the time in, in all cases.

I started the NHS Couch to 5k series of podcasts. The first podcast asks that you run for 60 seconds at a time, interspersed with 90 seconds of walking. I could manage that. The aim was to get to the end; to get started. Gradually I built up my speed and stamina. I practised breathing and moving my arms. With each podcast my stamina improved, and I could go that bit further that bit quicker. Soon I was running 20, then 25 minutes in a row. This was unheard of a few weeks ago. I still can’t believe that I, who hated cross country at school, is willingly racing round the park and what’s more, enjoying it.

When I first wrote my novel the aim was to get to the end. It was to get started. Then I honed it. I have edited and re-drafted. I have changed the POV and tense, cut scenes and expanded others. It flows better. I can pick less holes in the continuity or structure. I don’t see glaring mistakes in it everywhere. This was unheard of a while ago. With every piece of writing, I feel it is better than the piece before because of everything I have learned.

I will never be a Mo Farah, and I may never be as good as my favourite authors, but if I work at it, I will get that bit closer. So don’t give up: train.