Productively productive

Well I've spent the past few days just reading, reading, reading!

Unforetunately not a novel, but things that I'm sure will be of vital importance to me in my quest for my literary career. I've finished the Writers Bureau book 2, and have been reading certain pages of the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook. This is an amazing book, with so many useful nuggets of information. Any aspiring writers or even 'old hands' at the writing game, should have one, as it is crammed full with articles on how to publish, lists of publishing houses, and magazine and newspaper listings. However I do think there is a new one coming out in June/July time.

I've been trawling through numerous magazines to get a feel for the way the articles are written and also to determine what they publish. I think I'm now ready to give assignment 2 of WB course a go. I have to write an analysis of a magazine, how they present their features and articles, and then write an article myself for that publication.

I've never written an article before so it should be a great learning curve for me. I'm sure it will be worth all the hard work that I'll be putting into my writing over these next few months, and assignments, to eventually get to see my name in print. I'm looking forward to the challenge!

Will let you know how I get on

Melanie x

Feedback, feedback, feedback!

I finally got my feedback from my first Writers Bureau assignment last week, and it was worth the wait! It was very positive and there was nothing significant to be changed. It was such a relief, as I am constantly wondering: am I up to this?

I'm continuing to read the 2nd book of the course and I'm finding it very interesting. I'd never have thought of studying a magazine's contents before; analysing and understanding how articles are written for specific magazines. I would probably have just written something and then sent it off to a magazine, expecting them to just accept it. I'm so glad that it's made me analyse the market first, think about what articles I want to write about, and then write the article in line with the way the magazines want.

I do feel a little apprehensive about contacting editors though. Why is this? Is it because of my idea of what an editor looks like - working in a big publishing building, standing behind a desk screaming, 'Get this...ditch that...I woudn't publish this crap....I want more of this...but definitely not that...deadlines, deadlines, deadlines', whilst smoking a big fat cigar, and stroking their beards...and that's just the women!

Anyway I've now got a few ideas for some articles, but think I really need to look very closely at the market so will have to update my blog as I'm going on! x

Hmmmmmmm...where has my writing gone?

Hmmm...I don't seem to have done anything this week with regards to my writing - shocking! I have, however, been a good girl and started on my anthropology essay for uni, so I'm sure I can be excused!

I think the trouble is, is that I'm trying to do too many things at once. It's as if I'm trying to sprint a marathon without having learnt how to walk. I have so many ideas that sometimes I feel a bit over-awed by all the things I want to write, and I just don't know where to start.Therefore I think I need to take a step back and breathe!

I think I'll approach my writing systematically, which does go against creative flourishes, I know; but if I jot down the ideas as they come to me, then I can go back to them at a later date. I think it's essential that I work my my way through the Writers Bureau course. I'm still awaiting my first feedback from my tutor, as I need to see where to go with my writing and what - if anything - needs changing.

Still trying to banish my self doubts that seem to creep up every now and again. Little voices questioning me 'what are you doing this for...you'll never make it as a writer'. Well I'll never know unless I put myself out there, so thats what I'm doing.

Completely unrelated but I thought I'd share it with you anyhow. I went jogging a couple of days a go. Jogging?! Who am I trying to kid - it was actually walking fast, with quick, 10 seconds bursts of jogs, which left me absolutely knackered. I found it so frustrating, as I used to run quite a lot before I had the kids (approx 10 years ago...I had the kids when I was 11...only joking!), so I'm still thinking I can run like I used to, and still experience the runners high that I used to love. Alas the runner's high didn't happen last week but I'm determined to find it again. I'm sure it's out there somewhere, probably hiding with all those odd socks that seem to go missing every week! So, if anyone sees my runner's high chatting up some odd socks...give me a shout!

Melanie x

My writing begins!

Ok so I'm here again!
I've got over the woman flu -which was hell - and now desperatetly need to write something. It's funny, but once you start getting into the habit of writing, it's really frustrating being in a position where you are not able to write. Combination of being unwell and having the kids off school has been very hard. It's made me realise that I need solitude to write and no distractions of any kind.

Anyway I'm awaiting the feedback from my first assignment from the Writers Bureau. It was just a short descriptive assignment. My next one will be the non-fiction assignment - an article for a magazine. I'm currently working my way through the workbook, but I must begin to research all the different types of mags out there.

My Artists' and Writers' Yearbook came today. I've had a quick look at it and it's jammed full of information regarding all aspects of writing. I've read the comments from the published authors and it's made me realise how important it is to stop procrastinating and just to get on with the writing. I'm feeling really enthusiastic about my writing again, I just need to get on with it now. I still feel the occasional self doubt creep in though, as to whether I can produce anything that is publishable, but what the hell...I've got to give it a go! Surely all writers when they start out think-can I do this?

I have a few ideas for some short stories, some funny and some sad, so I need to get them down now. It's no good just having them buzzing around in my brain.

My plan for tomorrow is to get one of them down, and then to revise a short story I created last week. I think I will send it off to a writing competition, its a very short story; only 750 words so the word limit is very tight.

Thats all for now x