Categories
Writing

Inside a mind

What time is it? Only 5:30 AM. Why am I up so early? I must go back to sleep but if I think too hard about it then I never will. What have I got to do today anyway? How long until I have to get ready for work?

It’s what goes on inside my mind

Ooh I’ve got an itch on my neck, I hope it doesn’t turn into a rash. Maybe I’m allergic to my necklace. I must make a cup of tea, that’ll get me going. Yes, that’s right. I’m going to be going strong today, stronger and better than ever before

It’s what occurs in my little brain

I’m glad I chose to walk to work today…oh gosh I didn’t finish my cup of tea, what a waste, oh well…it gives me time to enjoy music, enjoy the fresh air and hopefully lose a bit of weight for weigh day tomorrow…eeek

It’s what goes on inside my mind

I just smiled at that man a bit too enthusiastically as we passed each other in the street but then it may brighten his day and keep him smiling too. I musn’t be embarrassed for passing happiness on, oops I forgot to smile at someone I know. I hope they don’t think I’m rude

It happens to us all

He’s in a good mood today, they’re not at all, I guess some people like mornings and some don’t… ooh what’s this tune on the radio I like it, but what has happened to the radio it’s all jittery I can’t be having that

No matter how our mind goes on

Right I’ve got to do this, this and this, but which shall I do first? I’ll serve this lady and then consider what order to get things done….OH NO! THE BACON!

We always leave room to forget

I wonder how my Grandad is getting on since moving back home, I must sort out paying a visit to him soon.

But we never forget the important things

I’ll just sort through this pile to clear my head before starting to write. Boots vouchers, receipts, rubbish – MY CAR TAX! Whoops

Unless it has anything to do with finance

That bottle of Prosecco is really very cool, gold! The candle suits it. Is it too early for a drink? Yes stop being silly, you’ve got work to do

And no matter how much the mind takes us away

Focus, focus, focus, there’s plenty of time to procrastinate but now isn’t it. Drink can come tomorrow after your lovely relaxing yoga class. Peppermint tea is yum and I need to dust my desk

We always return to reality

Categories
Writing

The Diary of my novel writing process: A First Attempt (section 1)

This is something that I wasn’t sure I would publish before sending my novel out to those who will judge it from knowledgeable expertise, but reading it again I think it is quite interesting and perhaps useful to those in similar positions to me.

Here is a glimpse into my diary that I wrote during the process of completing my first ever manuscript. I’m almost ready to take this piece of work further into the big wide world but here is an insight into how it all began!

(There are many more entries that I will let you see soon!)

02/09/2018 12:20pm

For quite some time now I have known that I want to write. I’d love to make a living out of it too one day but for now I am finding my niche and doing as much as I possibly can of what I love the most – writing.

Earlier this year I took the plunge and sent off an idea to over one hundred agents in the UK. The basis was an extension from my dissertation that I had completed last year at university so after speaking to my tutor who told me to go for it, I did just that. The responses that I have so far received have been more encouraging than I had ever expected, and I even have a strong interest from one agent who sees potential so watch this space. . .

While waiting for responses though, which came flooding back thick and fast but over a matter of months, I thought a good use of my time would be to try to write a complete manuscript of a first novel. By this time, I had decided I wanted to be a published author having never been able to put a title to what I would like to do. While sat on an open top bus in Dublin I came up with the opening of my book.

Now about half way through and beginning chapter fourteen tomorrow, I thought I would start to log my experience of the process. Overall, I am loving every minute and very happy with the progress I am making week on week. However, honesty is the best policy and I would be kidding myself if I didn’t address the challenges that I sometimes face.

I think the style that I have chosen to write in has helped masses because each chapter is a different stage of my protagonist’s life so each time I finish a chapter, it’s as if I have a fresh start on the next one which definitely keeps my motivation levels up. I also have given myself a particular wordcount each time which acts as a finishing line and on days when the inspiration is non-existent, I fight through to get to the 3,000 word mark by the end of each week.

As well as lack of motivation some days and looking at the thing as a whole being quite daunting, I occasionally get into the rut of ‘this might all not be worth it.’ I could write an 80,000 novel and send it off to hundreds of agents for them all to come back with a big fat NO. Then again, it only takes one for my dream to be made a reality. Perspective.

I’d rather look at the challenges of writing such a mammoth piece of work as a journey that I am happy to complete. A journey that is going to improve my writing abilities. A journey which at the end will bring me pride no matter what the outcome.

With the biggest challenge I face being writers block which is definitely real, the majority of my time spent writing is therapeutic. An escape from this world into one that is entirely made up and created by moi.

Categories
Observations Writing

Sods Law

Whenever you’re in a rush to get anywhere you can guarantee that you’ll not be able to find your keys. Of course you won’t. Why would they be in the place that you have kept them in for the duration of your life.

You’ll get in your car and the fuel gauge will be almost at empty. Of course, who needs fuel anyway? It will probably be just enough to get you there.

The road you travel down will be full of tractors moving slowly along, no sign of speed. Of course, of course. That’s sods law.

Whenever you plan a nice day out, get all the friends together on a particular date and the activity that you decide to do is outside, it will be raining. Of course it will, the weather knew exactly what you’d planned to do.

When you wake up early to get ready for the day, you’ll find the outfit you’d got your heart set on wearing is in the wash, the shoes aren’t appropriate for the conditions outside of your window and you need to wash your hair. Of course, sods law doesn’t consider time management.

Whenever somebody drops by your house unnanounced will be the one time when you’ve left dirty dishes on the coffee table, haven’t wiped the kitchen sides and decided to leave the laundry until that evening. Of course it is, it’s sods law.

Whenever you get a day off, the chance to a luxurious lie in. When you stay in bed feeling ever so more smug knowing that you’d usually be at work. This will be the one day when you wake up happily at 6am and can’t get back to sleep. It’s all thanks to sods law.

Whenever you decide to quickly do something on your laptop adding another completed task to your ever-lengthening list, your computer will crash, low battery – sods law.

Whenever you’re waiting in for a delivery – you know the type, anytime between 8am and 6pm – the doorbell will ring at 5:59pm. Or the five minutes where you decide to nip to the shops will be the five minutes when the courier shows up. Why wouldn’t it be? That’s sods law.

Whenever you go to book a hotel with booking.com and they ask if you have an offer. For example, £10 off when you recommend a friend. You click ‘no’. The next day an offer will arrive in the post as if it is laughing at you just days after you’ve booked it, this is exactly what has just happened to me and it is what has inspired this post. Sods blooming law.

How many times do we find ourselves saying the words in a single day. Sods law knows. Whatever can go wrong will go wrong. It’s just life, it’s just sods law.

Categories
Recommendations Review Writing

Top 5: advice from a writer starting out

I would class myself as a writer. Yes, I’m a writer. I have had things published both online and in print, but I have by no means made it. In fact, I am at the very beginning of my career (if I can even call it that yet).

I blog (as anyone reading this already knows), I write for an online blog (paid, but not much), I desperately try to get commissioned for more articles for a variety of publications and I am working hard to get my first novel polished up so it is ready to send out.

Whether you’re a writer also, perhaps more experienced (which isn’t hard) and haven’t yet come across these useful materials, or simply interested in the writing industry and want to learn more about it, then here are five helpful sources for you to check out whenever you get a chance.

So far they have helped me, inspired me and deeply interest me. Here goes.

The Bookseller

I came across The Bookseller website on recommendation from a research source that I was using and so far I have found it fabulous.

The Bookseller has been the magazine of the book trade since 1888 reporting on all important news and trends within the industry. I personally have found it so great because like just about everything since 1888 it’s moved on and is no longer just a magazine. Now, with a small subscription fee you gain access to the most useful information in so many different forms.

From the official website bringing breaking news and a blog, to the magazine itself and everything in between. My favorite means of accessing this material is through the monthly podcasts containing interviews with authors, the book doctors giving advice on what to read and why, and comments upon general trends in terms of what is selling as well as useful discussions about the complexity of genre, for example. Trust me, this source is fab.

Writing Magazine

I have subscribed to the Writing Magazine for over a year now.

Although bombarding myself with the amount of information inside each monthly issue can seem overwhelming from time to time, having a glance each month, a longer look at what interests me and a pile by my desk to address when needing information or inspiration about writing is crucial to my work and interests.

Not to mention my letter getting published on the Letters to the Editor page in December, that was pretty cool.

Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook

Since undertaking my degree I have leaned on the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook as a bible for my future career and a recommendation by every tutor that I had. The huge volume is packed full of everything you need to know from how to write to which agents to approach when sending out your first manuscript.

It contains agent and publisher listings, magazine and newspaper listings, articles about specific topics from the traditions such as writing a cover letter and what to include in your synopsis, to tackling the most current issues like self-publishing.

Twitter

Twitter is so useful in so many ways. Not only does it keep you right up to date with celebrity gossip, trending news and the latest remarks from Katie Hopkins, but it is very handy in the literary world as well.

I follow every agent and publisher I have ever approached, I follow many authors too and more recently I have been using my personal profile purely from a writing perspective which has in turn increased my following from people within the writing community too.

It is a quick, easy to use and important thing to have both to learn about current writing news and trends as well as upping your following and trying to get both your name and your work out there. Follow me if you wish @MillsWriting

Reading

It almost goes without saying but by far one of the most important and beneficial things to do when trying to become a better writer is to read, read and read some more.

Having recently finished a first draft of a first novel, I can tell you from experience and I know that my work is better when I have been actively reading more alongside my writing.

Reading gives you ideas, inspiration, stylistic tips and the chance to discover what works for you and what doesn’t.

So there we have it, just a few ideas for some useful material if you wish to improve your writing skills, learn more about the industry or merely listen to some interesting discussions about books. Enjoy!