Flaming Nora

This is me as a writer, in my head. This is me as a writer, in reality.  Two chapters are written and the third is underway. I'm on a deadline to produce and submit six chapters before I go away on my jollies next month.  That's OK, it's doable. I've done myself a schedule. Ooh, it's a lovely schedule, on a spreadsheet, all colour co-ordinated with a nice font and I love tweaking it and updating it and...  ... it's so easy to get distracted. It's so easy to do anything other than sit down and write. But when I do, I get lost in the power of words, the power of my story, the power of being me as a writer. The me I have always wanted to be.  (Note to self: that's far too cheesy a thing to be admitting in a public forum). So the writing is going well, as is the tweaking of the schedule and the colouring-in of the spreadsheet.  But I'm worrying too. Is there too much dialogue? Not enough? Are the characters coming alive for the reader ...

It's the end of week two of my novel writing adventure and here I am with another blog post. This week has been busy with research. I've immersed myself in a time and a place. I've been talking to people, to experts in their field, researchers, writers.  I've handled objects from decades ago; held original documents in my hands that have made me cry; pored over maps. I've visited museums and walked the village in which my story is set, walking the streets as my lead character, seeing it all through her eyes. Our spare room has now become my working and writing room, taken over by corkboards to which I've pinned pictures, maps and notes. I am almost ready to write. Many months ago, before writing a novel was part of my plan, I booked an afternoon of meditation to help calm my creative, busy mind. That afternoon is tomorrow, the day before I begin to shape my thoughts into words. Perfect, perfect timing. If you missed it,  week 1 of the diary is he...

I'm writing my first proper novel. And now here I am writing a blog post about writing a novel. There may be more blog posts on this subject. There may be none.  I'll see how it goes. Week 1  has been research, research, research. It has also been the week in which my email address I've used for almost 20 years finally gave up the ghost and died. Stressful? Oh, yes. And it's been the week in which I discovered a novel set in the place I want to set mine has already been written. 'So what?' you may say. Well, the similarities were too great, including the lead character's name and the area where the story was set.  Uncanny, I know. But no idea is original. At least it shows I'm on the right lines with place, plot and what-not. However, my idea has an extra bit to it that I've not been able to find in any research, so I do believe it has a USP. We'll see. This week has been spent locked away in a library sweating over old tomes. And wh...