NEW TOOLS AND GADGETS

Are Big Distractions
As many of you who may bother to read my ramblings will know - I've had a very sick computer. Considering it was over 6 years old (which must mean millennia in computing terms) I suppose I've had my penny's worth. So yesterday a lovely new PC arrived and I've (well me and my Man Friday) spent the last how many hours transferring, downloading, getting tetchy and sitting back and marvelling at all the new things. So have I written? Not a lot as you might imagine.


I did manage to upload a piece on 'How To Create an Online Writers Group' the new How To website who are looking for authors. One of my pals, Alyson, on WritersAbroad nudged me about a competition they had. And I have a list of pieces I wanted to submit by the end of the month. What? That's tomorrow you say?! Well, as usual the damn deadlines come around quicker than I can say 'edit' and that's several more opportunities I've missed. How can I fulfil my ambition to get published if I don't submit? Well I can't and neither can you. So what are you doing reading this blog? Get on and get that manuscript polished until it shines and then hit the Send button. Quick, Go On!


Don't Think Just Write

MISSING DEADLINES

Is so Frustrating!
I bragged in my blog last Friday how much writing I had achieved that week. I had got one last competition entry to submit to by the end of the month - or so I thought. So I worked on it all day Saturday (so I could have Sunday off) and at around 4pm went on-line to make the necessary arrangements. Only to find out I was too late... the competition had closed the day before - 26th February not the 28th as I had in my head. And I have a lovely leather filofax which I carry about and write all these important dates in. Helpful if you look in it to check then, I hear you say. Yep! What a numpty I am. And only myself to blame. One consolation is that I still have the story to submit to another market. So all is not lost. But deadlines are now going to be written in a week early, so that if I do get the date wrong, I have a bit of leeway... if I check the diary that is. 

Don't Think Just Write


Visit Writers Abroad

ADMIN AND PAPERWORK

Current Work: Editing, Drafting and Admin
Listening to: The boiler - the heating has just been switched on.
Reading: Shadows in the Wind - I don't want it to end

The End of the Week
In some ways I relish Fridays. It's the end of the week and now spring is in the air. But I usually do my admin on a Friday and that means gritted teeth and a few choice words. Why? Well because it usually involves technology of some sort or another and it takes so flippin' long! I'm seriously considering going back to a manual, written record, but I don't want to be seen as some kind of Victorian writer locked in the anals of history. But some things work better, the old way. How old am I? Only a mere 46, going on 96 methinks...

Short Stories
I'm trying my hardest to get a short story published. Now I've had a little success on the non-fiction side, it's given me a little push to dip my toe in the water. But as ever, I have a problem with deadlines, which are even more of a problem if I have to post off submissions. As I live in Italy I have to post at least 5 days before and even then I'm not convinced it gets there. Not all short stories have deadlines, but you know about my procrastinating habit. But I'm a girl who gets going by the clock. As those little hands whir round to the last day and hour...my fingers fly and I manage to hit the deadline with a press of the button, but only if emailing submissions is allowed. You see, that's why I must get 'modern'.

Something for the Weekend?
Well, I hope the garden and a chat with my two granddaughters who will be 4 and 1 respectively on 8th March - International Women's day. Now thats what I call planning!

CATCHING UP

Current Work: Editorial and writing blog.

Listening to: My horoscope

Reading: Rosalin Franklin, The Interpretation of Murder, and the UK

papers sent in a ‘red cross’ parcel from my father!

Thought for the Day
Memories are interpreted like dreams. -Leo Longanesi, journalist and editor (1905-1957)

Monday Mumblings
Got lots of plans for my writing this week just hope I’m going to be able to fit it all in! I have my writing plan now proudly printed and on file so I can look at what I’ve promised every day… sometimes it can be motivating, sometimes a bit threatening, but as Alice in Wonderland once said ‘If you don’t know where you’re going, how do you know when you get there?’ Well, actually, I think it was the Cheshire Cat who said it, but all the same, its true isn’t it.

On Saturday I was busy trying to finish off a short story before I went to the post office in our nearest village. One of the disadvantages of living abroad and entering competitions by post is that it shortens the time you have to submit. Which gets even shorter still if the publication you submit to also arrives much later than its publication date. I keep telling myself that time pressure is good and should make me more organised but on Saturday I wouldn’t have thanked you to remind me. I must get next months sorted well before otherwise my poor Man Friday will have another flea in his ear!

Memories and Mugshots
The provision of a professional looking photo with a piece (as long as it is relevant) is becoming much sought after. I am learning to take my camera with me every time I go out. Usually however, the only time I forget to, you can bet it’s the time that the perfect setting or scene presents itself. The other morning out with the dog at some unearthly hour was so beautiful, I can hardly describe it… a kind of purply, pink almost bruised sky with the outline of the next village in the distance.

My son also bought us one of the best Christmas presents I’ve ever received. I had said that we didn’t want presents, to donate the money somewhere, but he’s never listened to me! Anyway it was a digital photo frame, where you can put a photo card in with all your favourite piccies and set it to slide show. It’s like a moving photo board but with regular updates. And it means we can have our favourite subjects constantly in our view, five sons, two granddaughters and a divine collection of dogs throughout the years. I’d recommend it.

And Finally the Last Word of the Day:

pneuma

PRONUNCIATION:
(NOO-muh, NYOO-)

MEANING:
noun: Spirit, soul.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Greek pneuma (breath, wind, spirit). Ultimately from the Indo-European root pneu- (to breathe) that is also the source of pneumatic, pneumonia,

CALL YOURSELF A WRITER?

Publication at Last!
Well, I'm just 'chuffed' to pieces (it's a northern term I was told by a guy from Sheffield). As well as the piece I talked about last week, I have had a feature written and accepted within a week of my first query. That's going some by any standard I'd say. Last Friday (after I'd written my blog) I whizzed of a query to a publication I'd read about in Writing Magazine. On Monday the Editor accepted my pitch and asked for copy asap as (luckily for me) my query complimented a feature they were already working on. I submitted the feature last night and the purchase order arrived in the post today! Wow, now that's fast work.
I can't take all the pomp and glory though, as I must acknowledge the input from my Man Friday as this was a first person piece about a personal experience of ours. Writing features first person was harder than I thought, especially when I have been writing very factual, tight pieces for e-publication. It has been a very refreshing and thoroughly enlightening experience. I realise that this might not be the general experience of many writers but I feel like making myself one of those name badges with ' I'm a Writer' written on it!

The second feature I talked about has been submitted, but now there are a few issues with images (not my strong point I must admit, but I'm learning fast!) Anyway it seems to be ticking along...

Finally we have more relatives arriving (for the majority of October in total) so I've been trying to plan out some targets for the next month. I've written almost 36,0000 words towards my novel and at the moment the characters are living with me day and night. I've never quite had this 'invasion' and it feels really good and just like how I've heard other writers talk about the writing process. I have some way to go though, to get achieve my deadline for November and whilst I had planned for the beginning, I'm now thinking that the end (of November) is more realistic. Anyway the way my characters are behaving - they won't leave me in peace until I tell it how it is!

Finally on the Bedside Table
I finished The Road Home - absolutely fabulous read and a fairly happy ending (I like happy endings...) but it had some real 'aha' moments for me, especially about some of the hardships immigrants can face.
I am now reading The Chimney Sweepers Boy by Barbara Vine and it has me hooked. Its about a writer and his family and secrets and it really is a classic page turner. I've never read any of hers before but I shall definitely be looking forward to other titles.