NaNoWriMo 2012

Ten days ago I turned 23. I am two years away from being a quarter of a century on this earth. Dear god let's make next year a good one. I had a bit of a wobbly in the kitchen last night when nothing was going right. I had a Gordon Ramsey moment of swearing (not as fun as it sounds, but very cathartic) and said something along to lines to my mum about how I can't get a proper job. She replied, 'try harder'. Which is totally true. If at first you don't succeed, go on a reality TV show.

I have my novel roughly planned. since it's based on a fairy tale (with a lot of artistic license), I'm ready to approach this year's challenge with some actual gusto. It's a good way to train myself into writing, and rediscover the fun you can have in the process.

Rules for myself.

If I'm watching TV, then I'm can write. If I'm honest there is very little TV I really enjoy watching, it's just background noise for me most nights.

Not to beat myself up if I don't make the min word count.

It's all fun and the spirit of month.

Not to think too hard about the past of the writing, but to carry forward like a charging rhino.

and also try very very very hard not to buy a netbook or ipad mini until I've at least paid off a credit card or saved up the money!!

Where literature leads you.

This week has been a bit of an adventure. I got to write my first ever tripadvisor review, and I wasn't a total bitch about it. Sure the service could have been better, but for £30 for a night in Manchester, I can't complain about the fact the woman serving breakfast gave me ideas for a story, (as well as getting her life story in 5 mins...).

It's funny how you end up meeting famous people you aren't overly bothered about.  I know a bit about Red Dwarf, and that it's had a revival in its new series. I didn't know the name of the actor who plays Kryten until someone at the event I was volunteering at mentioned it. Since it was quiet duty wise, I got to sit in on the event and listened to an hour's delightful readings from various talented writers.

I text my friend to say Robert Llewellyn was reading, and it was funny to imagine how she was reacting to the news. Robert Llewellyn read a bit from his new book, and I was delighted at the voices he put on. Afterwards my friend begged me to get his autograph, so I shyly approached him to ask for an autograph and asked him to sign it in my friend's name. I know some famous people can get sniffy about signing any bit of paper or body part pushed at them, but he was polite and his signature put mine to shame. The boyfriend of my friend has given his blessing for me and my friend to marry. He's pretty chuffed on her behalf. So I've come away meeting someone famous and a have a marriage proposal. Time for the hers and hers bath towels.

The Leaves are Turning

It's gently come to that time of year where winter in on my doorstep. The leaves are just starting to set on fire  and have not yet engulfed the trees in their inferno. I don't know why I love this time of year so much, but the air feels fresh, it speaks of winter around the corner. It does of course promise wet afternoons, cold evenings, but the rare days of dry sunshine are so rewarding. I adore the harvest moon as well, so big and bright, the halo of moonlight that glows on a clear night.

I have finished my MA, and celebrated with a friend from the course in the proper student fashion, ie, ending up on the bus drunk at 6 in the evening. Quite fun, a bit strange, a great day to feel the relief of no more deadlines. For a time anyway. I'm currently volunteering for an online woman's charity, which I may have to pack in soon for other work. It makes a good mark for my CV, but I am due to start a new care job that pays well. I have time to sleep when I'm dead, I joke. 

Next week I'm off to volunteer for the Manchester Literature festival which promises to be interest and a great time. It's just booking somewhere cheapish to stay. Staying in a dorm room isn't the best for me, given my talking in sleep tendencies.

Work Experience

I have a cup of decaff coffee (the weary writer's best friend) and some time to myself, so I thought I'd better update this little place of the going ons (or lack of) of my literary life.

Big Fat Zero.

Well, not quite. I've been volunteering for a new organisation which is proving you need to be focused and disciplined (which I haven't got much of at the moment) to get work done for someone else. The vague deadline of my dissertation is looming ever closer, but I am slowly chipping away at it. There's been little support for the dissertation so far, so I'm going with the freedom of what I want to do and hope it actually gets a passable mark. I want to do well, but my marks so far as good passes (average of marks in the 60's). 

To add an excuse, my work life has become a bit more demanding since my dad is away from the pub during the week, even though we have bar staff, time just seems to crawl away from me at the moment. Of course there are the mornings wasted when I sit in front of the computer surfing the internet. Damn you internet! Excuse over now, I've gotta pull my socks up and achieve something this year.

New Toy

I caved in a few days ago and bought myself a blackberry PlayBook. It's a neat little thing but I don't think I could type hundreds of words on here given how small the keyboard is. The best part is that I can use my phone as a mouse and keyboard. Maybe with some practice I'll get the hang of this.

Overall I think it could be good for my writing once I get a decent wireless keyboard so I don't strain my neck looking down at this whilst it's in my lap. The documents to go is basic but good, it's very usable for quick stories or notes on the go. More so it can fit in my handbag!!!

I joined a website called my writers circle which is an online forum. Feeling a I wasn't getting much writing done a member suggested I do the monthly flash fiction challenge. I threw something together a and entered it. Few days later I found out I had won! The prize is that I get to host the next monthly challenge. Should be fun to see what people make of my prompt.

I think I've finally woken up

Yes I do. I'm going to look at starting a business with my friend. But I've got to carry this through unlike a lot of other things in my life. I'll start researching all of this. 


Watch this space.

When to stop?

I'm half way through my masters and I'm leaving the comfort zone of the course, in a matter of months I need to be looking for a job, and not just some bar tending to keep things ticking over, a proper job with a dress code and cheap coffee from a nasty machine that is never cleaned. I've been looking at several correspondence courses, and now I'm wondering those really live up to their promises. 

The British College of Journalism promises that with their freelance journalism course you're guaranteed to make back your course costs with your first four assignments or they will refund the difference. as good as that sounds, I get the sneaky feeling it's just to pull you in. Some research on the internet reveals very few people who have completed the course, it is hard finding reviews about it. I did get in touch with one young woman has done it and confirmed that the feedback from the tutors was frustratingly little, and it has taken a while for her certificate to arrive, but her media pass has arrived. Now one must wonder if that media pass will work, or if someone just photocopied an old one. I am being cynical, they are keen to sign me up, even dropping the course from nearly £400 to £245. Sounds like they need to fill a few spaces up. The course content to me is aimed at beginners or people who want to dip their toes in, though the young woman who did the course confirmed it had been useful to her. 

The next course I researched was a copy writing course promising I could earn £££ part time or as a new career choice. And guess what, after a few weeks of not replying to emails, they're willing to knock £60 off the course, just after I enquired! It's hard to tell if any of this is what I want to do. A friend said that if you can't pick it up on the job, then God save us all. So that suggests copy writing is a good help for creative writers, as we're still keeping on the pulse of creativity. 


I don't really know where I'm supposed to go with all of this. Maybe barmaiding is the life for me.






Just kidding. I'm getting out of this hell hole soon.