More on the New Year

I have not consciously sat down and wrote myself a bunch of new years resolutions, or even one resolution. I'm too old to change and too old to be influenced by that old chestnut.
However, two weeks into 2014 and I haven't done badly at all.
Ephesus  is underway again. There was one transitionary point in the story that seemed to work okay in script form but I have been stuck on how to make it happen in novel/novella format. I have commenced a Creative Writing correspondence course which has increased my motivation tenfold. As part of this course it wants me to work on a current project so I picked up where I left off on Ephesus and it was as if the problem hadn't been there in the first place. Ephesus is back underway, and watch this space, it should be out soon.
My quest to have a short story winner continues, and I am attending a workshop in Cambridge on 25th of January.
Finally I have got my place at my 5th Get Writing Conference in Hatfield in March, where I will be attending four workshops, seminars and have a 5 minute pitch to a publisher/agent booked. More of that later.
If all of this had have been part of a plan stemming from New Years Resolutions, then how lucky we writers are. Most people resolve to do less of what they enjoy, like smokers giving up, foodies going on a diet etc., whilst writers resolve to do more.

Happy New Year

Start the year with a blog post, that's what I say. Well my blogs were a bit thin on the ground during December.
Happy New Year to one and all. I looked for a suitable literary quote relating to the new year, and this was my favourite: "The only way to spend New Year's Eve is either quietly with friends or in a brothel. Otherwise when the evening ends and people pair off, someone is bound to be left in tears."
- W.H. Auden
My favourite resolution was from comedian Sean Lock who said on the 8 out of 10 Cats Christmas Special "My new year's resolution is to be more chivalrous to feminists."
On the subject of resolutions I'm with Brigdet Jones who said "I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second."
However, after saying all of that on the resolution front mine is the same as last year, I'm going to write more and when I'm not writing I'm going to read more.
I'll just add a few hundred words to my current project then that's day one under my belt.
Enjoy the holiday :-)

Yuletide Blog Greetings

Merry Christmas from the Screenscribbblers house. I am sharing a picture of our cat George, who as you can see is full of festive cheer.

Have a great holiday, and I'll see you in the new year

John x

November Summary

My NaNoWriMo awareness month is over and congratulations to all my friends who have completed this epic journey, especially Deborah.
Unfortunately, as a non-participant, a demanding day job would never allow me the time and energy to go for glory with my story. However, watch this space in about four years time.
Until then, November, for me, will remain a period of literary self-discovery.
I was born in November, So it's natural for me to reflect around this time ot the year. Blog writing is as good as anything  for helping me do this.
That's why this will be my fourth post this month.
So if 50,000 words in a month was not an option for me, what has November meant to me?
I have a short story and a TV script currently being judged in separate competitions with another short story underway. I have been inspired by a great comedy show in London and I have taken to using an iPad & pen with handwriting recognition software for my first drafts. My laptop is needed for subsequent edits.
On the negative side, work has been absolutely dire, so I have been lacking in time and energy and stress has sucked some of my creative juices from my bone marrow. My short story has suffered because of this and although I know where the story is going the pace is very slow. It may have to go on the back burner whilst I work afresh on something new.
Cosolidating the positives and the negatives, I think the overall picture is I have done enough this November to keep me motivated to continue writing through the festive season and into the new year.

Mid-November update

I can now declare myself as a Screenscribbler in every sense of the word, now that I am making good use of handwriting recognition software on my new iPad ( thank you Karen x).

My handwriting is not fit for human consumption and should carry a Government Health Warning. Indeed it is a serious challenge for myself as the writer to decipher. .

As a youngster I had a pen-pal (long before email was even considered to be science fiction), my great-aunt. 

Aunty Gertie, amongst other things, had once been an English teacher so my letters would not only have an interesting reply she would also correct any grammatical errors and send me handwriting exercises, both of which were lost on me. 

To find software that can make sense of my senseless scrawl is beyond science, it's witchcraft. If nobody has started a list 'Seven wonders of the technological world,' can I please reserve the number one slot for Handwriting Recognition Software? Okay it isn't perfect, but the amount of correction that I have to do. after my scrawl has been converted to text is minimal. 

Has anyone any ideas for the other six wonders can be?

Deathship 666

Today we went to the West End Premier of Deathship 666. It was a truly mad mad mad lovable comedy parody show experience. Not a second of stage time of this fast paced production was wasted leaving the audience totally captivated. Well done to Box Step Productions, Gemma Hurley, Michael & Paul Clarkson and their amazing cast. They are names to watch out for. Here's the link to book tickets before they all sell out. Deathship 666

 

November Diary (Off to a good start)

Good as my word, I am going to make November count in terms of writing, as best I can, considering I am unable to commit to NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).^st.

I suppose for me my own personal NaNoWriMo alternative got underway about mid-October because I have been working hard on a script which had a deadline for submission on November 1

Since then, in between working 12 hour shifts and some fairly long distance travelling to catch up with family on days off, I haven’t given much time to my favourite pastime. So today on November 5^th I am starting off by a long overdue blog post.

I have another competition entry to be getting on with during this month and of course Ephesus to complete and publish.

For me reading is part and parcel of the deal, and I must say I am very excited to have discovered Linwood Barclay.Trust Your Eyes has been my best read of the year so far, and it has been an excellent year for me. It has been a long time since I have read a book so full of....STORY. It's a great read and I highly recommend it.
It’s a great feeling when you find a new author that can press all your buttons.

Long journey’s visiting family also is valuable reading time, and I have just finished my second Colin Bateman audiobook, Prisoner of Brenda…Curses, Nurses and a Ticket to Bedlam. 

Reading or writing, either way, I think I am keeping my literary juices flowing, and in my own way am going to make November count for me in a small way.

Good luck to all my writer friends on FB, Twitter and those who follow this blog (especially Deborah), who are entering NaNoWriMo. I don’t expect to hear from you until December.