Everything Is Better With Dragons
Book blogger, Autistic, Probably a Dragon
I am going to be brave and post an extract from my novel Hidden Fire. I am fairly certain it has reached the point where I really need to do something with it, but I don’t know what to do. I’m conflicted. Should I try the traditional publishing route of find and agent and then hope a publisher buys it, or do I self-publish?
Writer’s Forum magazine has a page called ‘Idea Store’ every month. The Fiction Square is supposed to be used with a dice to chose characters, characteristics and situations. This month the squares are also numbered 1 – 30 as a daily writing prompt. I’ve done the first two.
The short stories are just first drafts, written quickly with the prompt. I’m going to post the first two after this post. Enjoy.
I haven’t got a book review for you this week, I’ve been too busy reading for my MA, but I thought I’d share some of my novel progress with you.
Continue reading “Characters everywhere – I have a mind map of them now”
Yes, it’s the weekly update about my MA adventures.
I have my results back for the assignments I handed in at the beginning of term. For my radio drama I got 73% and a suggestion that I might consider writing radio drama for my dissertation. Another tutor suggested I’d have got a higher mark with a less restrictive subject, but I enjoyed it, It’s easy writing stories based on reality because once I get all the character traits and background detail, and the timeline sorted out in my head I can just fit it all together.Continue reading “Uni: Week 4”
Apart from anything else I’ll finally have some money. But that is only a minor consideration. I’m really looking forward to getting back to studying, handing in my assignment and being sociable for one day a week.
I had a last minute read-through of my assignments this morning and noticed a few things I’d missed before, so I’ve just spent half an hour fixing them. I’m getting organised for going back on Wednesday. The little laptop is on charge, and I have finally worked out how to use my digital voice recorder. I need to put the spare batteries in my back-pack just in case, and my laptop charger once I finish charging it up.I thought I’d got the little laptop charged up weeks ago, but I must have forgotten to shut it down properly and drained the battery.
I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. I just need to check train times. My ankle is too bad for me to walk to Habrough to catch the train so I’ll have to get the bus to Grimsby instead. I know what time the train leave Habrough, I don’t know what time it leaves Grimsby. And the bus timetable has changed, so I need to check that too.
I’m really excited. Can you tell?
Update: I have now checked my bus and train times, all is well. I shall get an early bus, go for a coffee at a local indie cafe, pop in to the wool shop and then catch my train in a nice, relaxed fashion. And I will not stress about any of this anymore. (Well, I keep telling myself that.)
Evening dear readers,
Sorry no review yet, I’ve been working on editing ‘Hidden Fire‘.Continue reading “Editing book one – I’m not as appalled by my writing as I thought I would be”
2016 wasn’t a great year for a lot of people and there were political and cultural events that really mucked it up, but for me personally it wasn’t all horrible. Rather than dwelling on the upsetting stuff I’m going to list the positives from last year.
This year, I can only go forwards.Continue reading “2017 – onwards and upwards”
When I started writing this blog in August 2011 I wasn’t expecting many readers, but it seems people actually do want to read what I write and since then 401 readers have followed this site. I don’t know how many are still regular readers and how many were just passing through, but you’re all welcome and hopefully I’ll keep you entertained for a few more years yet.
P.S.
If anyone knows anything about writing radio scripts, get in touch, please. I need help with my MA assignment. I’ve never written scripts and have to write 3000 words (15 – 20 pages apparently). I have a story, I just need help with the mechanics – formatting mainly.
Interesting day today; we actually started and finished the morning workshop on time. We had a bit of a mixed session, giving feedback on submitted work, content about writing short stories was delivered and then we had a discussion about the business side of writing – agents, editor, that sort of thing.
Continue reading “Uni: Week 10 – Poetry results and two more assignments to get through.”
The tutor has taken them home today to mark over the weekend. I really hope I’ve got a reasonable mark. Most of my class mates like my poem. Someone called my reflexive piece ‘very intellectual’. I can’t help it. How else was I supposed to say ‘it just happens’ for a 1000 words?
Everything Is Better With Dragons 