Good evening! 3964 words edited on Black Blood this afternoon. I think it’s going to be a slow process, but if I’d done the note taking as I was writing it in the first place then I wouldn’t have to do it now.
I am also going to try and step up in my preparation for writing a story. I mentioned the other day that I’ve sketched a little of the location in a story I’m working on. Well, today I’ve printed maps out of the area and will be making notes on them and sketching out details for the story. It takes place in the future in a real town, so that’s helped a lot.
The way I’m seeing this developing I think it’s going to pay off really well all the background work I’m doing. I’ve had a lot of these thoughts for stories 8n the past but have failed at including them because I forget about them as I’m writing. So all these notes I’m taking I’m going to add them to the scene notes tab in Scrivener and hope I don’t forget them!
Right! That’s me done for the night. I’m going to watch the end of this movie (Spirited Away), and then call it a night. I’ve got an early start tomorrow so a good nights sleep is important.
I can’t describe how hard 2020 was for me, and not just because of Covid. If I took Covid out of it I still had the worst year of my life, but it was also the best year. And it’s the good that is driving me forward.
The changing of a calendar isn’t going to magically make life like it was pre-2020. It really doesn’t work like that. I know a lot of people don’t want to hear that, but it’s true. The reason why I got out of 2020 in the good place I am in now is because I’ve worked my arse off to get here. To make the best of the world around me and keep my head high, and my eyes focused on the next goal.
Do I fall down? Yes, I fell down over Christmas and it took its toll on me, but I get back up and moving forward again. I don’t dust myself off until I know I’m not at risk of being sucked back into that dark little corner of my soul again. I stop that from happening by talking to friends and family, being productive with writing, going to work. I defeat the negative elements of my mind by engaging with the people I love, the communities that have embraced me, and just being me. This last six months has taught me I don’t need to be scared to show who I am to the world. Because despite what I’ve thought for most of my life, I’m not worthless.
This year will see the release of my first novella. That’s the only release that I have scheduled for this year, at the moment. I’ve got to do better at finding markets to submit to. I’m not just going to focus on word counts and look at completing more projects, submitting more, and knocking items off my to-do list.
Last year I had stories published in three anthologies, which I think might be my best in a calendar year to date, don’t hold me to that though. So, I’m aiming for at least four pieces published this year.
Okay, on to today. I kinda overlaid, like till almost midday! So I’m a little behind where I wanted to be, but I needed the sleep and I feel pretty good for it. I’ve posted my first video of the year to my YouTube channel. It’s also the first one where I’m talking to the camera. A little nerve racking, and I know it’s not the best but it’s a new venture for me where I’m stepping out of my comfort zone, and like with everything else, the more I do the better I’ll get!
I will be getting into the Black Blood read through/edit shortly as well. I’ve edited about 2000 words a day over the last few days so I’m looking at doing about 3000 today.
I doubt I’ll be writing a lot of new words today. I’ve got a short story that I need to have written and off to the publisher by April but I need to think it out a bit, get some brainstorming done on it, before I can start writing. I’ve got a good idea of a major element of it, but I need more to it. At the moment it’s a few lines and an idea. Which isn’t enough.
Enough talking, time for action! Have a good day folks! No one is going to make this year good for you, people can help, but it’s You who will make this year, and your life, good or bad.
Good evening folks. I didn’t get anything done yesterday in the end. Real world came in and took priority.
Today I’ve got 2200 words edited. I won’t have this edit done by the end of the year now. Not a chance. I’ve got an errand to run after work tomorrow so that’ll limit my time then.
New Year’s day I may dive in and get a decent hit on it, see how I get along.
Okay folks, just a short and sweet one tonight. Early start in the morning, have a good one everyone!
Good afternoon folks, I am going to dive into the edit of Black Blood this after noon. I’d love to work my way through about 10,000 words this afternoon, but I’ll see how I get along.
I’ll be starting after some lunch.
Something I’ve been thinking about doing is a reflection of the last twelve months, but I’m not sure I’m comfortable bringing a lot of that up at this point. Some of it I’ll never blog about either as it’s not fair on others. I’m also of the mindset that, although I’m learning the lessons of the last twelve, eighteen months, I want to be looking forward. I’ve got a lot to look forward to in the next twelve months, both on a personal level and a professional one.
I will just say one part of my life is not good, and potentially won’t be for a long while. It’s a driving force though, and I’ll make sure when it changes I’m in the best possible position I can be.
New hat selfie!
Right, dinner has been eaten. I’ve chilled out a little and now I’m going to get to work before my body tells me its time for a nap!
I didn’t get into working my way through Black Blood today. I spent a lot of it switching the file from Pages to Scrivener. I will one day figure out a quicker way to do this, I know there is but I’m also quite inpatient and today instead of have a play around I just wanted to dive in!
So I spent a lot of time doing that, and then I started working through some of the comments I had on the Pages file, transferring them to a paper pad.
Raven, exploring one of my bookcases.
In case you’re new to my blog what I’m going to do is read through an almost completed draft, making notes as I go and then hopefully by the time I’ve done this I’ll have a better idea to write the ending, which at the moment is unfinished.
I need to keep better details of what I’m writing because the amount of times I’ll forget place names, or character names and so on. If I’ve got all I need on paper next to me, or on the Scrivener file then I won’t have to stop and look and then loose my for flow. I loose a lot of time to that, so it’s something I really need to get my head around.
Tomorrow after work I’m going to start reading through and making those notes.
The rest of today has been playing with my blog. I’ve added a page with all my published works, and tweaked my About Me page. Please have a look at both. I am not skilled in this web stuff but I think they look okay and are clear.
Right, I’m off for the night now. An early start tomorrow, so I’m going for an early night.
I’ve kind of had a week off from writing. I was expecting to use it to get through the Christmas period but I didn’t need to in the end. Yes, it was still tough but thanks to all I’ve learnt, all the help and support I’ve had from the people I love in my life I was able to manage it better than I was expecting to.
Raven going for a majestic look 😊
I was also a little stuck with where I was taking Black Blood. I kept trying to add words but it was becoming very evident that I wasn’t prepared enough to finish this draft. So last night I began making notes. I didn’t start reading through the draft, I just copied some notes I’d scribbled down while writing the later stages of the story and did a few sketches. I’ve never really done the sketches, well not since Owen and I were working on From the Shadows a very long time ago. I found doing the couple I did last night really helpful, okay it brought a problem I hadn’t expected but I think I can find a way around that, or work it into the story.
I’m going to start the read through today, with the aim of having it done by the New Year. It’s a lick over 50k words and I think I can manage that. I’ve looked at my work rota and I definitely think it’s doable. Especially as I’m not going to be doing a full edit. This is a read through to figure out what I need to add and take away. What I need to do to get the ending how I want it, and to give it the depth and weight it deserves.
I think it’s also time to move this draft into Scrivener. It’s going to be helpful to be able to break it down into chapters and scenes and then I can insert or remove sections much easier. I can also have additional information that I’m compiling in there as well. I think that’s the way to go.
Right folks! I’ve got a little tidying before I can start working so I’m hopping off here. Have an awesome day!
Good evening folks, I’ve got a feeling this may end up being a really random post tonight. I’ve not done any writing today, or much thinking about writing. I was up at 4am for a 6am work start. I’ve had 5am, another 6am, and a 4am start this week. So I’ve spent a lot of the afternoons this week napping. I’ve also been trying not to think about writing for a few days. I’ve got a couple of stories where I am stuck with them, and I need to let the dust setting around them.
With Black Blood (still not wild about that title), I am really tempted to do a read through/edit and then write the ending once I’ve done the read through and have a stack of notes.
When I say read through/edit I mean I’ll work my way through what I’ve written and clearing up any grammar errors and more softer changes like how some sentences are structured. A lot of what I am going to do with the read through is write details down; character names, locations, personal quirks. This is a habit I need to get into better when I’m working on a first draft. Then I’m not going to have as many XXX’s as space fillers.
I’ve got a short story I want to get cracking on soon, I just need to think it through a little and have something to build from. Normally when I write I have an image in my head to start from, a foundation that I use to build those first few thousand words. Once I’ve got that, I’ve got a good idea of where I’m going. So I need to muse on that one a bit.
Penal Earth is still sitting. I’m probably going to do something similar to what I plan on doing with Black Blood, and do a read through and sort out the grammar edits and so on. I’m happy with the way the draft has gone, and I’m looking forward to looking through it again.
(yes, I know this post is going up a day after it was meant to be, but I had to stop halfway through the post and didn’t manage to get back to it again.)
I’ve had a few days off from writing. I’ve had other areas where I’ve been focusing my attention but I’m also not in any rush to get back onto Black Blood. I need to think the ending out a lot more deeper than I have done so far. If I rush it I’m going to mess it up, and I’ve got to get it right. I’ve figured out where I want things to sit when it’s done, I just need to figure out how best to get there.
I will be working on writing work over Christmas, I’ve got a short story I’m thinking about trying to dive into and if I’ve managed to figure out what I want to do with Black Blood then I might get working on that. If I’m being honest, I’m half tempted to stop where I am on Black Blood and begin the read through process and then plot the ending out then. I’ll see how I feel.
Just a quick post tonight, I don’t think I’ll be getting a lot of writing this early part of the week. It was very busy at work this morning, and I know for a fact that tomorrow is going to be busier. So this is where I’ve got to be sensible and not over exert myself.
I’m a little stuck with Black Blood at the moment as I well, I think I need to think out this final part before I start writing it.
Right folks, I’m off for the night. Rock on and be good!
Good evening, folks! I wrote 294 words today. My day was a little sidelined when I had to take a loved one to hospital after a fall which has resulted in a broken ankle. He’s okay, but a few hours sitting in my car waiting for his to come out. That was where I wrote. I knew I’d be down there a while and took my tablet with me for that reason.
It also gave me a little time to process a few ideas as well. Nothing major, no new potentially epic tales. Just thoughts about a few little details in stories here and there. A little quiet time can be gold for this.
I’ve a long day at work tomorrow so I’m not expecting an epic word count. I’d be happy if I can match todays count. This goes back to what I’ve been saying recently about pacing myself. Tomorrow will be busy at work, as will the rest of the week. Although I haven’t got long shifts this week I am working everyday until Christmas Day, and as I’m in a supermarket I think it’s going to be a wee bit busy! So pacing myself with writing is going to be key.
A little improvisation 😊
Right, folks. I’m going to put my feet up for the rest of the evening. I hope you’ve all had good days, and rock on!
