Saturday, 27 September 2014

Hmmmm

Ok, so yesterday's task was to draft chapter 19, and edit/rewrite the prologue, and chapters 1, 2 & 3.

Didn't quite go to plan.

Not for lack of trying I should add!  Yesterday I worked from 9 to 5, with a few breaks, and managed to edit the prologue and the first two chapters.  I'm really happy with both, and not planning on changing either now until after it's been sent out to an agent, but boy was it hard work!

Hehe yeah I keep telling you how hard it is.  Probably because I don't think anyone believes me.

Yesterday by 5.30pm when I shut down the PC and went to my parents, my eyes were sire, head ached and I was so tired.  Editing really pushes your brain into high gear!  Analysis in every word. With all the notes from Sweden I thought it would be easier, but I think it just focussed me more on what I was trying to say.

A wise man (Gentle Ben) said "take your weekends off" something I've not done these last few weeks. I was planning on doing that from now on, but I think I might make today an exception just to catch up.  I'm also thinking that I can't edit and write new chapters in the same day.  The mental process is different; free flowing writing and deep analytical thought.

So my task for the end of the weekend: edit chapters 3 & 4.  The Monday write chapters 19 & 20.

Have a great weekend all.

Thursday, 25 September 2014

Final push: day one

I'm up and ready to go... ish.  Cuppa tea and then sitting down to write.

Today's aims: draft chapter 19, and edit chapters 1-3 plus prologue.  I'm hoping to get into glos today, and then a meal at my parents tonight to share photos.

See ya tomorrow!


Life is for living

So I've decided to make a series of short blog entries each morning, everyday, until I send off my novel to an agent. There is quite a away to go, but my recent trips to Lincoln and then Sweden have really set me up nicely. If I don't finish, I'll have no excuses and only myself to blame.  I'm giving my self just over two weeks to finish. This will give me four/five days of "holiday" to spend time with my grandparents who I've not seen since last year.

I'm 18 chapters down, which need editing/rewriting, based in discussions in Sweden, and the write the final chapters which I now have a very clear blueprint for.

I arrived home in the very early hours yesterday morning around 1am, and most of Wednesday is a blur to me. I woke up this morning intending to write, but each time I sat down nothing came to me.  For the last three weeks I've looked at my writing everyday, so I guess a break is ok :)  instead I've taken myself off into the woods. Currently sat by a stream with no one else around, reading a novel which isn't mine and writing this. I feel so at peace. So relaxed.

Tomorrow I start writing.  The idea of the morning blogs is to layout my aims for the day, and then say if I achieved the previous days ones. Sort of a self motivation blog :)

I'll be honest, I'm starting to miss work and the people there. Just that daily contact. I've not heard anything so I'm assuming all is well (not to well, I need to be missed a little bit). But I'm on the home straight now. It's do or die time. I've been given this opportunity and the next few weeks will determine if I'm ... I was going to write winner or loser, but I think its different to that. If I do this I will have achieved something. Something that a few years ago was unreachable, and unthinkable.  If I don't, then I'll have missed a trick, missed a chance to put myself out there and take a risk.

Just a few moments of risk, of stupidity, of growing some balls and taking a chance, could lead to a life changing experience.  Taking it safe may be comfortable, but it's also not moving forward.

Life is for living.

Sunday, 21 September 2014

Sweden - Crayfish, Game of Thrones and hangovers

First Swedish blog!

Its been a really fun, but full on couple of days :)  We were up at 4am on Thursday to fly over to Stockholm from Gatwick.  On landing, Ian and I were picked up by Anki and headed straight off to a seaport called Vaxholl.  Burger and a beer by the ships - all for research of course.  We then went to an old fort on an island which protected Stockholms waterways.  Joking aside, this was all really good for my book.  Its set in a port town, so Stockholm and the surrounding places are perfect.  That evening we had a few drinks whilst going through and fine tuning what I had written. We only managed 4 pages :S

On Friday we were up early again, and spent the day in Stockholm. We first visited a military history museum under the king's palace. This is where we saw costumes from the tv series Game of Thrones. Really interesting. A lot of the costume designs had been based on Scandinavian clothes from varies centuries, so the exhibition showed the actual ones from the tv series against historic garb.


This is one of Cersei's dresses



Joffrey


Me lol


Tyrion's black water armour

Anyways, I'll post more after this blog :)  that afternoon we visited a zoo - I kinda love zoo's.  And spent a really nice afternoon out in the sunshine. 

In the evening we again went through my novel, this time reaching the end of chapter 3! Progress.  Actually I'm really appreciative of Anki and Ian spending time helping me. It's all fine tuning on what I've already written, ironing out where sentences don't flow! and adding a bit more detail when it's needed. They are both really getting into the story :) thanks guys

The next morning was Anki's birthday.  We were having a crayfish party in the afternoon/evening, but in the morning Anki wanted to ho through more chapters :)) we managed to finish on chapter 8, and really rolling. That actually took most of the morning and into the afternoon, skipping lunch. The food here is amazing, and I was looking forward to the meal later. 

Wow, what party!  The swedes went full on Viking, and well I can't go into all the details, but there was a lot of drink, laughter,bashing of heads, falling down, and other stuff. At 1am ish everyone crashed.  I'm writing this Sunday afternoon whilst everyone else is asleep :) when they wake up it'll be more reading from my book. 

I'll try to post another blog before Tuesday when we fly home late, and some pictures. 

Hope you are all well and missing me :)

Matt




Pictures from Sweden

Real canon balls embedded into walls in Stockholm

Wolf


Palace guard


Anki and an old house





My wonderful Swedish hosts - Anki and Peter. Thank you guys :))




Sunday, 14 September 2014

Writing is easy, editing is hard

So I'm currently lying in a settee trying to get the feeling back into my back, and the dizziness out of my head.

This morning, against the backdrop of a grey sky over a duck pond, with the constant hum of jet skis roaring in the background, I've been editing.

The plan was to edit the first 17 chapters of my novel and then move on to some writing drills. I'm 6 chapters down, each chapter taking between 30mins and an hour to go through. It's tough work.

If I had a pound for each time I've written "does this make any sense" then I'd have enough for a steak dinner for two, with an expensive bottle of wine and change for an ice cream on the way home.

So best get back to it.

Saturday, 13 September 2014

Steam punk huzzah!

So this is where I went today. Lincoln for the worlds biggest Steam Punk festival... It was smaller then I expected.


I have no idea why, but I was really nervous going into Lincoln today.  Its my first face to face experience of Steam Punk, although its a culture which has interested and intrigued me for a few years now.

I could feel the butterflies growing as the Cathedral came into view.  It was probably excitement filled anxiety, like when you build something up in your head and then hope its all that you hoped for.

Well I learnt four things today...

1) Lincoln is really steep!  Both landscape and parking prices!
2)  The people who immerse themselves in Steam Punk are really friendly.  Like full on nice people
3)  They are also incredibly talented!  I saw a steam punk Lara Croft, Darlek,  and Lone Ranger.  All the outfits were amazing to look at.  I got more on my camera, and only a few on my phone, so the pictures don't really do them justice.


4)  It came across like a really nice community.  Everyone knew each other, were posing for photos and I sensed that what I as a member of the general public was allowed to see, was merely the tip of the iceberg.

Unfortunately Lincoln Castle, which was where the event was taking place, was having major rebuilding works done to it.  So much was closed off.  But I spend an enjoyable morning pottering around there ands the Cathedral, taking in the atmosphere and having a good time (despite the grey overcast weather).

Why did I go to a Steam Punk festival?  Well my novel has a distinct Steam Punk feel to it.  Its not pure Steam Punk, which takes alternative look at today's world, but it basis is a battle between Magic and Engineering.  My Engineering is all steam punk based.  So it was research.  

And I do feel inspired.  Tomorrow will be a full on day of editing and writing.  Wi-fi isn't great here so I probably wont blog tomorrow, but I will get my head down ready for Sweden where I'll be talking through my novel with two people I trust to give me honest feedback.

So thats my Steam Punk experiance.  I felt a bit like an outsider whilst walking around, which goes to show how comfortable the genre is, but its something I'll be looking more into, thats for sure.