writing – Page 9 – Ruth Livingstone

50,000 words and onwards…

Today I hit the 50,000 word NaNoWriMo milestone. Actually, I raced past it at some speed.

So, I’ve collected my certificate, some stickers for the blog, and – when November is over and done – will find some free goodies in the end-of-NaNoWriMo winner’s bag.

BUT – and this is important – I’ve not finished my novel. Yes, I’ve got over 50,000 words down and that is quite an achievement. No, I haven’t got to the ending yet.

This is my promise to myself: this year I WILL finish my NaNo novel.

After that, of course, what I’ve got is a rough first draft. A very rough first draft. Then the hard work really begins.

November = NaNoWriMo month

Why am I doing NaNoWriMo again?

Last year I sat down and started writing during NaNoWriMo month. Was I a NaNo winner?

Yes, I achieved the 50,000 NaNo words.
No, I didn’t finish the manuscript.

In fact, there are 4 unfinished books sitting on my hard drive.
I’m not exactly a completer-finisher.

So last year I decided I would definitely not begin another manuscript until I’d finished at least one of my previous NaNo projects. Continue reading “November = NaNoWriMo month”

How blogging improved my writing.

You never know what will happen when you start publishing your thoughts to the world. Some of the unexpected outcomes are…

Blogging is a strange art.

It’s a form of self-publishing, but without the extensive editing and revision that most authors inflict on their self-published prose.

As a result, the content and quality of blog posts can be scrappy and variable. Poor grammar, dodgy spelling and clunky structure are commonplace. And, all too often, blog posts are prime examples of unrestrained egotism, being supremely uninteresting to everyone except the blogger themselves; acting more like personal diaries than public publications.

And yet, blog posts can be riveting, giving insights into topics you would not otherwise consider, and presenting intriguing snapshots of other people’s lives. The instant aspect of publishing a post also gives blogs an immediacy, a vibrancy, and a topical relevance that makes blogging more like journalism than other forms of writing. Continue reading “How blogging improved my writing.”

Stuck in the mud: July

I’m no nearer to my goal. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy writing.

5 Year Writing Goal: July update

I’m taking part in Misha and Beth’s Five Year Project and my five-year goal is to write a novel and get it published.

I have been looking for an agent for my historical novel, The Reluctant Scribe. But, after four standard rejection emails, with no requests for the whole manuscript, my search has ground to a halt.

A way forward?

Thank you for everybody’s suggestions and advice last month. I’m now convinced I need to revamp the opening of the novel. Continue reading “Stuck in the mud: July”

June: and rethinking the opening of my novel

My aim was to approach a new agent every week. But I’ve failed to keep up with that self-imposed schedule. The whole process is very time-consuming – and stressful. What should I do?

5 Year Writing Goal: June update

I’m taking part in Misha and Beth’s Five Year Project and my five-year goal is to write a novel and get it published.

I’ve been looking for an agent for my historical novel, The Reluctant Scribe, without any success so far.

My aim was to approach a new agent every week. But I’ve failed to keep up with that self-imposed schedule. The whole process is very time-consuming – and stressful. So it’s easy to find other things to do! Continue reading “June: and rethinking the opening of my novel”