Reading my way out of 2013

Settling into December and trying to catch up on my reading.

I have a pile of books that I'm part-way through:

'Daughter of Fortune' Isabel Allende (I have 2 more of her books as yet untouched),
'The Curse of Chalion' Lois McMaster Bujold (never read any of her stuff before but was drawn by this one because she's set it in an alternate/sort of Andalusia),
'Captain Blood' Rafael Sabatini (known about this book since I was a kid but only now getting through it, reading because Blood's a swash-buckling hero).

Untouched books that I want to read a.s.a.p.include;
Dorothy Dunnett 'Pawn in Frankincense' because it centres on Constantinople
and especially Ford Madox Ford's 'Parade's End' which I've been longing to get into since I saw it serialised on tv with Benedict Cumberbatch's amazing Tietjens.

plus a mess of non-fiction that's too long to list.

My eyes are going to drop out of my head soon.

I have a bad feeling about this.

Got through NaNo again this year.
I am pleased, but now my conscience is really nagging at me.
'What about all those poor un-finished stories from last year and the year before and the year before that?'

I think I like NaNoWriMo because it's become fairly easy to do and I can kid myself that I am really trying to be a writer.
I guess I need to bite the bullet or summat and finish off those beautiful stories, then I'll find out if they really are beautiful.

I have a bad feeling about this.

Mirages?

Made it to 28,000 words today. The last week hasn't been easy.The desire to give up came over me, but I fought it off.

It happens every time.
I start something "creative" full of ideas and enthusiasm. After a couple of weeks, more or less, I get major doubts about my project and this has often led to complete disenchantment, followed by abandonment of the project which is never spoken of again.

In the years I went to university I had the self-destruct button taped over because I couldn't let myself fail at something I'd wanted to do so badly. I had to prove something as a mature student to the university and to the doubters.

Then later, working with Tony I was proving something to me and anybody else that was interested. I was not about to walk out on my new career either.I had too much invested in my relationship with Tony to let me give up then.

I wonder if that's partly why I fought hard to make him fight against the cancer?
I lost that battle and most other important things too.
Since 2005 it's been one step forward and two steps back until quite recently.

I can now see one thing through at a time, but only if I really concentrate. Some things have been allowed to slide into oblivion but I am making a strong effort with the writing. I'm still a long way from completing a whole novel, but I can see it shimmering out there.

This time maybe it won't turn out to be another mirage.

Plodding On

Just over 16.5 thousand and plodding on.

I wrote the first 3 chapters then went over them yesterday to add in more plot points and character details.
I want this 1st draft to be readable and really seem like the beginning of a good story.

Now I shall move on with the action.
One thing I'm really enjoying this time is that my characters seem to be writing their own dialogue without much help from me.
I do have an outline and some notion of an ending, but I'm starting to think that my lead characters are going to tell their story, not my idea of what their story should be. I'm pleased about that.

Soggy Sunday

Cold as well as wet and windy today, but still managed a couple of dry 'though short dog walks.

I'm trying to take my time writing my story this year. In the past I've rushed through determined to get to the end before I lose faith in the basic idea of the story thus ending up with only a glorified outline and plenty of gaps.

I intend to write a couple of chapters and then delay gratification by going back over those chapters to round out my characters or lay a proper setting for the ensuing action. Hopefully this will result in a better read at the end of November. I don't mind if I haven't completed my story by then. In fact that might act as the spur I need to keep working on it.

Only a couple of thou words today. But I nevertheless managed to burn the risotto I was cooking for lunch and forgot to go get my Flu jab.

Wind is howling , rain is hammering at the window. Cheese on toast for tea methinks.

Procrastination Station

Day 2 of this year's Nano and after a good start yesterday I'm making excuses and dithering before getting anything done today.


I like to write in the morning, but this is a Saturday and I have stuff to do. I need to do some washing and more importantly I need to take a proper look at my car. I dented it yesterday, stupid fool and shied away from a close examination.

I think the damage is fairly superficial but may still need to get somebody else to repair it. I don't want to do that because bodywork is SO costly. Hopefully I can bodge it up myself. The car needs it's MOT this month anyway, maybe the garage will give me a decent deal?

The big question is why am I drizzling on about the car and ignoring my NaNo work?

Dunno, but concerned................