Hello again Readers,
As I mentioned in my last post, I'm taking part in something called NaNoWriMo; or to give it its full name, National Writing Month. It's an annual event that takes place in November where writers from around the world take up the challenge to write a 50'000 word novel in one month. And this year yours truly is taking part.
As I also mentioned in my last post, I'm quite easily distracted and a bit of procrastinator so when I heard about NaNoWriMo, I thought it would be the ideal motivator to kick me up the arse and get on with finally writing a book. It's something I've always wanted to do so this seems like the perfect opportunity. At the moment I'm only at about 3'500 words which is pretty slow going and currently presenting me with a bit of an uphill struggle. But, I've finished my first chapter and have a layout of the next one all ready to go! I'm also making sure I get a bit done every day, even if it's only a sentence or two. Hopefully, I'll get some time in the middle of the month to sit down and really hammer away at it. In the meantime, I'm quietly confident that by the time November 30th rolls around, I'll have my 50'000 words done. Maybe I'll even exceed that target, who knows!
One thing I feel I must stress, is that at the end of the month, if I have managed it; I'll by no means have a full finished novel ready to try to get published. I'm using NaNoWriMo to get my first draft done. No doubt it will take a fair few drafts and hundreds of revisions before it's ready to even start submitting to agents, let alone be good enough to publish; but it's a start in the right direction and that's what matters at the moment.
I'll be updating the blog with my progress as time goes on and hopefully on December 1st I'll be writing a celebratory post; we shall see. In the meantime wish me luck!
Thanks for reading,
Tim
Wednesday 7 November 2012
Monday 5 November 2012
Hello Again?
Hello readers! (if, indeed, there is anybody reading this),
I'm not really sure what this is. It's not a revamp as I haven't made any changes to the site, in terms of design or layout (although, this is something I've taken under consideration). I guess you could call it a relaunch, even though its not like this was an extensive blog site with lots of content that's changing its identity and welcoming back hoards of old fans and followers. But it is me starting again with a blog that has been long neglected and bereft of anything that could remotely be described as dedication or even a concerted effort.
Originally, the point of this blog was a place where I could post my short stories, samples of more extensive writing and works in progress. The idea was that I could put myself, and my work out there; build up a readership and hopefully make some contacts in both the worlds of writing and publishing. Unfortunately, as with so many things, real life got in the way. I tried to concentrate on work, telling myself that a career as a writer was merely a pipe dream and that I should focus on getting an 'actual' career, or as my teachers used to call it, 'a proper job'. I could carry on the writing in my spare time and maybe one day, if I was really lucky, my dream job would fall in my lap. Sadly, as already stated, life got in the way and the writing, and this blog, fell by the wayside.
Well, no more. It's time to have for a little self belief and a little more dedication to what it is that I actually want to do with my life. I'm getting back on the writing horse as it were, and I'm going to use this blog to help (hopefully). I'm going to carry on with (actually) posting some of my work on here as well as using it as a kind of journal. As I carry on writing, I'll be posting about my experiences in the land of letters, words and other literary nonsense; random things that pop into my head when I'm trying to concentrate on writing and my arch nemesis, Procrastinatron, rears his ugly head (more on him in the near future) and finally, any handy tips or inspiration that I stumble across or happen to come up with myself. My hope is that as well as giving myself a much needed kick up the backside, this blog will serve as insight into the life and mind of someone who desperately wants to make it as a writer and his journey to make this ambition come true.
But why? I hear you ask. Why after so many years of saying this is what I want to do with my life, after all the times I've tried and failed or just plain given up, why now am I doing this in such a concerted and enthusiastic way? Well, there are many reasons but for now, I'll just go over a few of them. One, is that November is also Nanowrimo, or in layman terms, National Novel Writing Month.Basically, this is an online event where wannabe writers, actual writers and anyone who fancies it, takes up the challenge to write a 50'000 word novel in one month. I'd never heard of it until last week so I've decided to give it a go and use it as the motivation I need to finally get that pesky first draft finally written and done. Whether I'll succeed or not, remains to be seen but rest assured loyal readers, you'll be the first to know.
Another reason happened just last night. I received a text message containing a very exciting, writing related opportunity that's just too good to pass up. I'm not going to go into it now, but keep your eyes peeled on this blog for more news in (hopefully) the very near future.
Finally I was inspired by a very unlikely source. Felix Baumgartner, the man who jumped from the edge of space and broke the sound barrier without the aid of any powered vehicle. Whilst watching this, quite frankly, crazy bastard make history after ten years of preparation and practice, I thought to myself 'hell if that guy can come up with a plan to do that, co-design a suit that assures he won't explode, implode or melt his face off; if he can then go up further than anyone has ever gone before, IN A BALLOON! Then I've got no excuse to not sit at my computer and fill a blank word document with enough words that are coherent enough that one person may want to read them.'
So here we are, at the beginning of what I hope is the first day of the rest of my life. What may become of all this? who knows, but I hope you'll all stick with me on this and continue to read whatever drivel I may spout.
Thanks for reading,
Tim
I'm not really sure what this is. It's not a revamp as I haven't made any changes to the site, in terms of design or layout (although, this is something I've taken under consideration). I guess you could call it a relaunch, even though its not like this was an extensive blog site with lots of content that's changing its identity and welcoming back hoards of old fans and followers. But it is me starting again with a blog that has been long neglected and bereft of anything that could remotely be described as dedication or even a concerted effort.
Originally, the point of this blog was a place where I could post my short stories, samples of more extensive writing and works in progress. The idea was that I could put myself, and my work out there; build up a readership and hopefully make some contacts in both the worlds of writing and publishing. Unfortunately, as with so many things, real life got in the way. I tried to concentrate on work, telling myself that a career as a writer was merely a pipe dream and that I should focus on getting an 'actual' career, or as my teachers used to call it, 'a proper job'. I could carry on the writing in my spare time and maybe one day, if I was really lucky, my dream job would fall in my lap. Sadly, as already stated, life got in the way and the writing, and this blog, fell by the wayside.
Well, no more. It's time to have for a little self belief and a little more dedication to what it is that I actually want to do with my life. I'm getting back on the writing horse as it were, and I'm going to use this blog to help (hopefully). I'm going to carry on with (actually) posting some of my work on here as well as using it as a kind of journal. As I carry on writing, I'll be posting about my experiences in the land of letters, words and other literary nonsense; random things that pop into my head when I'm trying to concentrate on writing and my arch nemesis, Procrastinatron, rears his ugly head (more on him in the near future) and finally, any handy tips or inspiration that I stumble across or happen to come up with myself. My hope is that as well as giving myself a much needed kick up the backside, this blog will serve as insight into the life and mind of someone who desperately wants to make it as a writer and his journey to make this ambition come true.
But why? I hear you ask. Why after so many years of saying this is what I want to do with my life, after all the times I've tried and failed or just plain given up, why now am I doing this in such a concerted and enthusiastic way? Well, there are many reasons but for now, I'll just go over a few of them. One, is that November is also Nanowrimo, or in layman terms, National Novel Writing Month.Basically, this is an online event where wannabe writers, actual writers and anyone who fancies it, takes up the challenge to write a 50'000 word novel in one month. I'd never heard of it until last week so I've decided to give it a go and use it as the motivation I need to finally get that pesky first draft finally written and done. Whether I'll succeed or not, remains to be seen but rest assured loyal readers, you'll be the first to know.
Another reason happened just last night. I received a text message containing a very exciting, writing related opportunity that's just too good to pass up. I'm not going to go into it now, but keep your eyes peeled on this blog for more news in (hopefully) the very near future.
Finally I was inspired by a very unlikely source. Felix Baumgartner, the man who jumped from the edge of space and broke the sound barrier without the aid of any powered vehicle. Whilst watching this, quite frankly, crazy bastard make history after ten years of preparation and practice, I thought to myself 'hell if that guy can come up with a plan to do that, co-design a suit that assures he won't explode, implode or melt his face off; if he can then go up further than anyone has ever gone before, IN A BALLOON! Then I've got no excuse to not sit at my computer and fill a blank word document with enough words that are coherent enough that one person may want to read them.'
So here we are, at the beginning of what I hope is the first day of the rest of my life. What may become of all this? who knows, but I hope you'll all stick with me on this and continue to read whatever drivel I may spout.
Thanks for reading,
Tim
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