A longer journey: embarking on a bigger book

Today’s blog is slightly different from the norm, as I’m embarking on something slightly bigger. I’m writing a bigger book. This probably doesn’t sound that big a deal, but to me it feels like one! So I thought I’d write about it, just in case anyone else: feels the same way is thinking about writingContinueContinue reading “A longer journey: embarking on a bigger book”

Words complete! NaNoWriMo continued…

And then we came to the end… Of the book, that is, not NaNoWriMo. As with book 1 in this series, the end rushed up at me. I’d left my protagonist Maisie Frobisher in rather a sticky situation the day before, and I knew I needed some careful plotting to get her out of itContinueContinue reading “Words complete! NaNoWriMo continued…”

On the road again: adventures in NaNoWriMo

I’ve been meaning to write this post for at least a week now, but life and more particularly events and book launches have got in the way. But now here I am, and having got my words for the day done, I have a bit of space to talk about NaNoWriMo. Or NaNoDicto, as it’s becomeContinueContinue reading “On the road again: adventures in NaNoWriMo”

Words complete!

The first draft of the first Maisie Frobisher book (now provisionally titled All At Sea) has marched to its conclusion! Literally, as I’ve been dictating it on walks. I had planned to finish the book today, but as it turned out the book had other ideas, and demanded to be finished on Friday. It droveContinueContinue reading “Words complete!”

Adventures in knitting…new book progress!

A couple of blog posts ago I mentioned that I’d started a new book, and that I was dictating it (here is the blog if you missed it). Things are moving on apace. Most days I’ve been going out for a walk, with the chapter outline in my head and phone in hand. Usually IContinueContinue reading “Adventures in knitting…new book progress!”

A squirrel, a notebook, and a new series!

Some time ago I was in Paperchase, which had a sale on, and I bought myself a lovely notebook. Here it is. A4, hardback, with a magnetic closing flap, a ribbon, and an inside pocket for documents. I mean, I couldn’t LEAVE it there. And it was only £4 in the sale. Like many writers,ContinueContinue reading “A squirrel, a notebook, and a new series!”

#NaNoWriMo final week: In which I write ‘The End’!

Made it! My third NaNoWriMo is safely completed, emailed to myself, put on a memory stick and saved on two different computers. Not that I’m paranoid. As I suspected, things speeded up. Not because I’m bored of writing, or of the story, but I always get faster towards the end. I was practically holding myselfContinueContinue reading “#NaNoWriMo final week: In which I write ‘The End’!”

#NaNoWriMo week 3-and-a-bit: In which I try not to run to the finish!

Having moved at the pace of a glacier made of treacle last week, this week I have been STEAMING through the post-it notes of my plot. To the extent that I did wonder midweek whether I might get to the end before the end, if you see what I mean. I’ve had fun planting aContinueContinue reading “#NaNoWriMo week 3-and-a-bit: In which I try not to run to the finish!”

#NaNoWriMo week 2-and-a-bit: In which I reach the middle

I’m still going. I reached the 25K mark, most appropriately, on the 15th of the month, so you can’t say I’m not consistent, and now I’m almost at 30K, or 60% if you feel so inclined. But right now I feel as if I’ve been wading through the thick, sticky middle of the plot allContinueContinue reading “#NaNoWriMo week 2-and-a-bit: In which I reach the middle”

#NaNoWriMo week 1-and-a-bit: In which I reschedule my schedule…

As you may have guessed from the somewhat haphazard title, this year’s NaNoWriMo has been a bit of a scramble. This is what happens when you think you’re all set and then some extra tutoring work comes along on the 1st of November… I struggled on with the schedule I’d set myself for a fewContinueContinue reading “#NaNoWriMo week 1-and-a-bit: In which I reschedule my schedule…”