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September 11, 2008 07:48AM
Wow - May 10 was my last post - how bad is that!
I have started a new job that I guess I am letting take over my life. Two hours commuting plus upwards of nine-hour days is leaving little time for anything else. Still I am writing on my laptop on the train on the way to work - and writing on the way home - and writing at lunchtime... and about ready to have a meltdown lol 
Except that for the last two days I have worked from home - using remote access and it has been bliss.... and I kept thinking this is what I want! This is how my life should be - except doing my own writing instead of working for someone else. It is awesome!
And you see my partner and I have this 5 year plan that we consolidate our position (what ever that means) - and then we get to do what we want for a while.... except I wonder if we ever really will…
… this really great guy at work - one of the designers - a real sweetheart, a funny good guy - has a stroke and I think shit…! I turn 40 in January and okay to some people it’s not that old (it is for me) - but what the hell am I doing with my life?. I mean I know what I want to do with my life - why aren't I doing it? Why am I letting things like bills get in the way? And then the alarm clock goes off and I jump up, run, pack my bags and jump on the train to work.
And somewhere, sometimes, in the middle of it all I wonder how I managed to sell out without even noticing it - and all to buy into something I don't even want or believe in....
… and I feel incredulous at how earnestly I believed I would never ever be this and yet here I am…. and then I log in to my computer at work and I forget again for the next few hours, or days…. so there you go… and now I should run away and jump into bed because I have to get up some time before six tomorrow to start it all again…
sweet dreams and dreams come true to you xx 
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May 10, 2008 03:44AM
Am too tired lately... too little time and too much to do and really really really need that thing called sleep! am bad with out it - although do come up with some really cool stories sometimes that way - I just don't have time to write them!!
Thing to remember for today...
How do you eat an elephant.? One bite at a time.... *sigh* 
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May 09, 2008 09:14AM
Okay so to deliver on the name of the blog here is my next piece on
writing - or more specifically on editing.
First up I just want to say - I am not an expert - I am just sharing. In this case I have tried all the stuff I talk about and I originally came across most of it in interviews with writers or in classes or I have learnt it in various roles I have had.
So - editing. It needs to happen.
There are many different ways to do it – the three I have had some personal experience with re: novel writing (and have read about) are:
1: starting each writing session by editing what was written the day before
pro: has the added benefit of getting you back into the right head space
con: if time is limited the editing can chew up most of your writing time which can feel frustrating.
personal experience: The piece I used this for really turned out to be no more than a glorified plot outline – a good outline but not a novel – this wasn't a reflection of the technique though as it did work well for me but I did loose track of some of the minor themes I was working on. I have found it works really well for short stories though.
2: reading over the previous days writing to jog your memory and then writing as much as you can and not really editing at all until the novel is finished:
pro: if things are going well you can write a novel really really quickly this way
con: your novel will need serious editing and you may never get back to it
personal experience: I wrote a really cool novel in about two month using this technique (working title “Wonderland”) but it really needs serious editing – in fact it needs for me to completely re-write it from start to finish although I have some really cool little segments and some of the ideas within it are really great (modest aren’t I 
). But I am not sure I know the main character as well as I should. And of course, despite my very best intentions and knowing that I do have some really cool stuff in there amongst all the garbage – I, um, haven’t got back to it yet….. .! 
3: writing until you get stuck and then starting writing the novel all over again
pro: an incredible way to build up characters and symbolism and to make sure the whole story ties together really really well
con: incredibly time consuming
personal experience: I am using this one on my current novel (Working title “The World Beneath”) and am finding it really satisfying albeit very slow but I think that when I do finish the novel I will have a pretty good piece of writing and really tight tie-ins/symbolism woven through the story-line plus my characters are becoming very well developed – I am getting to know them much better as I go, unlike Wonderland this one will be pretty much ready to send to a publisher upon completion. To capture the eureka moments I do carry a notebook too so I don’t loose them through using this slow writing process.
Finally a few things to look for when you are editing:
· Clichés – don’t do it
· Segments of really fabulous writing – chances are that although brilliant it stands out like a sore thumb because the rest of your writing isn’t that brilliant. Get rid of it (called killing your babies). If it makes you feel better then keep a file where you put all of those beautiful pieces.
· Don’t jump tenses (unless it is a special device and you are good at it)
· Same goes for point of view (i.e. don’t swap from first person to third person etc)
· Has each piece/ word earned its right to be there? Does it add to the story and have a purpose for being in the story?
· Do each of your characters have a unique voice?
· Do you have words or phrases that you accidentally keep repeating?
· Do you use the same sort of devices again and again? For example one thing I accidentally keep doing is putting a short summarising sentence at the end of each paragraph
Hope some of it strikes home for you.
Happy writing!
Axx
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