Author: admin

Day 2830 mins research + 30 mins editing + 15 mins planning+ 1 hr planned writing Jacqui talks today about moving away from our habitual frame of reference and being more observant. It’s important to have a vision for the work which goes beyond plot. Personally, I would call this my “theme” or “argument”; what… Continue reading Day 28: The advice of Henry James

Day 271 hr journal + 30 mins editing + 15 mins planning+ 1 hr planned writing The main take-away for me has to be that the glamour of the “struggling artist” is a pernicious myth; being unhappy does not make us more creative, and believing that an artistic life is inherently unhappy is such a… Continue reading Day 27: Cultivate self-love

Day 2630 mins editing + 15 mins planning + 1 hr planned writing Interesting one today. We are asked to look back at the voice we have used for the draft so far, and consider whether it is i) consistent, and ii) effective. Jacqui talks about a trick she used in one of her novels… Continue reading Day 26: Hone that voice

Day 25x mins journal + 30 mins editing + 15 mins planning+ 1 hr planned writing The tone today is realism. While it is good — perhaps essential — to be aspirational, it is necessary to balance that with an understanding that we are not entitled to success. Or, in Jacqui’s words, “the literary world… Continue reading Day 25: Do it for love not fame

Day 241hr 45 mins re-order + 30 mins editing + 15 mins planning+ 30 mins planned writing Today we are thinking about editing again. This time, there is an awareness of the whole story. Though it seems like she only wants us to focus our editing on one particular scene, Jacqui provides us with questions… Continue reading Day 24: Notes on the editing process

Day 2330 mins editing + 15 mins planning + 1hr planned writing Hey! Want to be a good writer? Then you need to be doing: Wide general reading  Regular writing  Study of technique and theory  Attending writing classes or getting feedback from peers  Detailed research Building a good website  Learning about social networking and marketing … Continue reading Day 23: How to develop confidence as a writer

Day 2230 mins editing + 15 mins planning + 1hr 15 mins planned writing I am so happy with the task this week. I * love * writing dialogue. My lead sense is audio and I take great interest in the sound of speech and what it reveals about people. I enjoy mimicking others and… Continue reading Day 22: How to write great dialogue

Day 21x mins exercise + 30 mins editing + 15 mins planning+ 45 mins planned writing Today we are looking at reading habits. Jacqui’s view is that writers in a particular genre can get stuck reading only in that genre. She recommends thematic rather than genre reading. Read across different types of books (history, autobiography,… Continue reading Day 21: Reading ‘outside of the box’

Currently, my only aim is setting myself up for survival as a writer, so let’s see if I can raise my ambitions. Part III has some nuts n’ bolts (dialogue, reading, editing) but mainly suggests personal development (self-love, confidence). And of course, by the end of this, we will have a 30k first draft. So,… Continue reading Part III: Setting Yourself Up for Success as a Writer

Reflection Part II: The Foundations of the Writing Life  At the end of Day 20, Jacqui asks us to reflect on what we’ve achieved so far. I am not feeling very positive, although I have followed every step and been diligent about incorporating the suggestions, even when optional. I do not necessarily think my negative… Continue reading Part II: Review