Saturday 28 May 2011

Day 28

My full-of-good-intentions resolution to submit short stories hasn't got off to a flying start. I was a little disheartened to be not included on three competition short lists this week, which knocked my sense of being able to write anything good ever.

So, I've been concentrating on the novel challenge. After typing The End sometime last week, I printed it out - all 149 pages of it - and have been reading through and scribbling notes all over it. I've added some sections, I've worked out more research that needs to be done, I've rearranged sentences so that they now make sense. I'm going to ban myself from working on the computer until every page has at least one note on it. Then I'll let loose and see how many words I can add.

I've used this method before, but without the willpower of not touching the computer. I've sat down, altered a sentence or two, but then immediately wanted to type it up. Hopefully, the way I'm working through the chapters this time will make a much more fluid read by the end.

A benefit of working on the page is that I can curl up on the settee, music playing in the background - actually, that should read foreground - with a cuppa in my hand, and enjoy the words I've written. It's much more comfortable that sitting at my desk in my cold study, rubbing my hands together to get the circulation flowing again.

4 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear about the competitions. Sending virtual wine and chocolate your way :)

    I love working from a paper copy. You seem to spot so much more that way. I actually prefer writing by hand but had to train myself out of it because of how long it takes me to copy type. It'll be lovely curling up on the sofa with a book - especially when the book is one you wrote!

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  2. Wine and chocolate gratefully accepted! Although if that was always my response, I'd be sozzled all the time!

    I have a beautiful fountain pen that I write with - the words flow much more easily than on a computer screen.

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  3. I'm sorry that you weren't shortlisted. It really can be a knock to your confidence can't it. Glad to hear you have picked up the novel and continued writing. I love sitting down with the printed out words and working on them on the sofa. My pen of choice though is a pencil. I love the smoothness of pencil on paper. I hope it goes well.

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  4. Nothing beats paper and pen for editing, but it sure eats up the ink and paper supply!

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