First glimpse of success

In an attempt to maximise the amount of feedback I'd get from this year's Get Writing conference I entered the first three pages of my novel to this year's Get Writing Cup competition.  I had a quick check on the website Sunday to see who'd made the short list and had the shock of the year when I saw that my entry had made the final ten and was on the short list !!  This is the furthest I've got so far with my creative writing and it's given me such a boost .... whether I end up being placed or not it's made my year so far.  The conference is this Saturday (20 April) and am really looking forward to the whole event as well as gaining some feedback on my project through my 10 minute face time slot as the 5 minute pitch session.

Rejection Number 2

Life's Breath didn't make the Chicken House long list .... I'd known it wouldn't but somewhere inside there was that ho hum feeling of disappointment, and another rejection to chalk up on my spreadsheet... Total is now 2:)
I'm in the middle of a major edit, have made quite a few changes and am about to hack into two middle chapters which I suspect are too far fetched even for the world my heroine is living in.  I've booked my slot for this year's Get Writing Conference in Hatfield.  Last year I said that I wouldn't do any more pitches (especially the terrifying 3 minute ones)... the day before I booked my place I announced I wouldn't be pitching this year.  So what did I go and do ..... of course, booked myself a 10 minute face time and 5 minute pitch as well.  It's spurred me into action and I'm now ploughing through the edit so it's in good shape for the conference.

Made it ....

So I didn't manage to write the extra 14K needed by the 14th BUT I did finish the novel, synopsis, plot plan and covering letter and get into the post in time to make the Chicken House deadline.  Was a little unnerving shoving my manuscript into the sack slumped next to the post office counter ... it was far too late to make any changes or even retrieve it from the bag as the next person in the queue dumped a huge parcel on top of mine.  
I've had my first rejection which I'm very proud of as you've got to start somewhere.  I entered it into a competition run by a specialist publisher dealing in science fiction/fantasy ... didn't think it would fit in with their list but it was worth a shot and now I can legitimately create a spreadsheet detailing submissions/rejections. 
Since posting it off I've taken a couple of weeks' breather and started on a new idea ... this time for an adult novel.  It's a theme I've been picking over for ages and have written a few hundred words as a starter.  It's gone off in an entirely different direction than I'd originally planned which is great as every time I dip into it something new comes into my mind. 

How long ???

So I knew I hadn't posted anything on here for a while but since April???? that's nearly half a year ago.  My very valid excuse is that I've been concentrating all my writing time on my YA novel that's nearly completed.  It started as a very casual conversation with my two girls one morning last October ... that conversation mulled and worked its way around my subconscious till it came out as a plot for a YA urban fantasy novel, well not just one but a series of three. 
I started writing towards the end of last year and it has kept me up till way past midnight for more days than I'd like to think of trying to get it finished .... I've just started the final chapter and then its there.  It came with me on a couple of holidays this year so I've been able to do quite a bit of editing in the car/on the train so hopefully it won't be such a long job as if it was still in a raw first draft state.
I discovered that Chicken House have a competition running this year and I've got till 26th October to hone it down, write a synopsis etc and send it off ..... good job I double checked the submission guidelines as I'd assumed they'd only need the first three chapters but they want the whole thing sent in the post.  So long as I don't go to bed for the next couple of weeks it should all work out fine.  BUT then I found a link to another publishing house that are looking for novels of 70k and over to be emailed by 14th October .... I'm currently 14k short (been working to a 60k word count) but it's so tempting to submit it to them as well ... why go for one rejection when there's two out there??  Not sure if I'll be able to write another 14k by the 14th as well as complete the editing .. but it's worth a shot. :)

Having completely immersed myself in my latest writing project Jazzy Jam Jar has again been consigned to the bottom of the pile.  I think it's something i will get back to in time but for now it's back in the jam cupboard

Classic FM ....

I'm about half way through Chapter 10 and have broken through the 20,000 word barrier.  Assuming I'll reach the magic 60,000 that means I'm 1/3rd the way through already .... ok so I've got 2/3rds to go but I'm working on that.  Our computer is stuck in a corner on the otherside of a small wall - in the corner of which stands our tv.  I do the majority of my writing in the evenings when the tv's on.  I was finding it difficult to concentrate - trying get writing done when you've got the Dave Channel permanently blasting into your right ear isn't ideal.  Then I discovered Classic FM ... it's simple, I plug myself into whatever programme's on ... usually Smooth Classics ... and type away into the night without interruption.  I tried going onto You Tube and choosing favourite tracks but I ended up being carried away with watching the videos, looking for other tracks/bands and generally having so much fun that I forgot I was supposed to be writing .... but who could resist Led Zeppelin/Pink Floyd/Jethro Tull/James Taylor/The Style Council/Judi Tzuke/Slade etc. crooning into your ears at 11.30pm?  Once I'm plugged into Classic FM there's no words to sing along to .. or look up when you can't remember them ... just some great background music to block out the monotony that is Dave :)

No G&T :(

OK, I'm admitting that I didn't make my aim to finish chapter 7 by the weekend ... I got to 1,578 words but not the magic c.2,500 so I didn't get the G&T.  Maybe I'd set my sights too high.  I'm getting on with chapter 7 though ... now around the 2,000 mark so nearly there.  My new goal is to have finished chapter 7 and have started chapter 8 by Sunday evening ... more manageable, even if chapter 8 startes with one sencence :)