October has been a bit of a slow month writing-wise. It’s been busy everywhere else with family birthdays and families in general.
I mentioned a few weeks ago that my mum was 70 and we’d planned a bit of a birthday meal with all the rest of the family including her brothers and sister and my own brother who is currently living in Spain
It was all a bit hush hush and the secret keeping a bit stressful. It all went OK on the weekend though and she had a lovely time. We bought her laptop. She’s never owned a computer of her own before so this was a bit of a thrill for her. She’s really gone for it and is now online. There’ll be no stopping her once she starts! She’s had a few lessons off me and my other brother, but I’m sure there’ll be a lot more.
My niece was 10 last week too, so we went up again last weekend. It’s lovely to see all the family so much, but when you’re working all week, it does take a big chunk out of your time. I seem to spend my life in constant catch up with housework and clothes and making sure the kids are where they are supposed to be at the right times. There never seems to be much time in the evenings to write and even if I do I’m usually exhausted.
I’ve been trying to concentrate on short stories at the moment and am part of a wonderful on-line writing group called Fiction Addiction. Their feedback is invaluable in improving my writing but I’m currently trying to re-write a story they critiqued and I’m getting myself in knots over it. I can’t figure out if it’s better or worse. That’s the thing isn’t it? Your writing can only get better if you do question it but when you do you just end up thinking its rubbish.
I’ve re-read my critique from the RNA for my novel too and now that I have some distance I can see that the criticisms are spot on. The problem now is how to fix it. And that’s the hard part and the reason why I’m not making any progress this month. I just can’t see the wood from the trees.
I’m off now to go and get an axe – I think I need to do a bit of clearance work!
So glad your mum's birthday surprise went so well and what a lovely present - the laptop. She'll get so much enjoyment from it
ReplyDeleteIt is very difficult to fit writing in round family life and I know just what you mean about not knowing if your rewriting is improving something or making it worse. Just don't be too hard on yourself :-)
Thanks Teresa, I've been a away recently and come back with a new perspective, just got to keep going and hope for the best.
ReplyDeleteLinda