National Novel Writing Month

Last year a friend of mine told me about the National Novel Writing Month being November. I tried to remind myself about it. Luckily - two weeks into November I remembered! Writing 50000 words of a novel in two of the four weeks allocated is an extremely daunting thought.

However with early morning writing and finding old writing to update and edit I reached the required goal with a day to spare. Remember for 2010 - www.nationalnovelwritingmonth.org.

Of course I had trouble uploading and got my self into a mild panic until I realised that all I had to do was press 'SUBMIT' and the words were counted by the automatic counter and approved. Sweet victory! Now all I have to do is edit it and see if anything makes sense at all!

My own book is being 'peer reviewed' which is a rather daunting thought. So I wait for the responses and comments.

Of Book Covers and Designers

Something I have found fascinating is that once a book is written and you hand over the manuscript, it is out of the author's hands! Just like that.

While the cover has been designed I have had a great deal of say - colour, swirls and even letter font, but in reality I think the editor and designer have been pandering to the 'artist' in me!

The cover has now been decided and a few books have been printed for 'critiquing' - not friends of course, because they are too kind [or could be] but 'outsiders'. I sit in trepidation for the comments.

One piece of good news is that two of my poems have been accepted for the literary magazine New Contrast. So, this wife and mother sits in the illustrious company of Masters in English and Professors! What fun.

Morocco

Have been 'coasting' as far as writing is concerned - for the moment anyway.

Maggie and Elizabeth will be dealing with the 'fine details' in the next two weeks. They will then have a few printed and hand them out to various people who will 'crit' the books. Pleased I won't be around for that!

Perhaps Morocco will the place where the inspiration will begin again!

Verse

'They' always say that handing over a book for editing is like handing over one's child at Nursery School, you never quite know how it's going to react when you get it back!

My book is at the designer now - and looking good. The cover has eventually been chosen and is rather a surprise, but apparently it is eye-catching and will make 'people pick it up'. Well as long as they buy it too that's all we want.

Waiting to see it in its entirety is most exciting and rather daunting.

The other thing is that Elizabeth is doing the actual design, which gives a completely different aspect to our relationship. She is the one who is confident, in charge and 'calling the shots'. A most interesting experience for a mother!

Poetry Book

It is most exciting having a book in the process - of layout and design, cover font and of course title!

My book is: Inner-Scapes, Sketch Your year in Poetry. Like the idea and hopefully so will everyone else!

Elizabeth is designing the cover and doing swashes and swirly things for the inner pages. Looking forward to see how the pages progress.

Meet the publisher on Tuesday. Let's see how we progress.

My friend Hazel's novel has been published and is well-received. Going to the launch tomorrow evening. 

Poetry

I've been working on poetry over the past few years.

One morning a few days ago an e-mail landed in the in-box with a new publishing company: IZIZA - open to submissions! So I sent off some poetry and - Maggie wanted to read more - and what do you know - my poetry has been accepted AND we are in the process of editing and looking at book covers and goodness know what else.

So it is true, if you set your mind to it you can do almost anything! 

Best of all - it will be available for the Christmas market!

Weekend Poetry

It is always great to have new input from other writers.  

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to participate in a weekend of creative writing with poet and facilitator Ruth Everson. She has a gentle and infinitely interesting manner of teaching and presenting workshops.

Ruth led the group through many variations of creative thought. We were taken from her own poetry  readings to Koans and 'quick think' writing. 

All I have to do now is start writing again.

Here's to many more happy hours of creativity.

March Matters

I am delighted to say that the poems are being edited. Brain Walter has such a great eye for the fine honing needed for finding the essence of the poem. 

So from merely words on paper, the poems are beginning to sing.

I feel that poetry should be viewed as a whole experience so I have begun to print and decorate the poetry in a more creative way. It may not be academically acceptable - but who says that's the way to go? 

Away to Namibia now and looking with new eyes at the vast open dunes and open skies.

Of Poets and Poems

After a break in editing I am now back into that full time. It's exciting and challenging watching how poems form. From a few lines into something that is more meaningful. 

During the break I worked on short stories with JoAnne Richards through her website: www.writingcourses.wordpress.com. It was a great experience with comments and suggestions from another published writer. I recommend that you go into the site and see what you feel.

At the moment the weekend from 27 - 29 March is booking well. The weekend in the Eastern Free State with poet Ruth Everson and artist John Moore and various photographers promises to be a creative and fun weekend. 

Do contact me if you have any queries about it.