Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Shhh... I'm writing

In the past few days, I have rediscovered my manuscript. It wasn't lost or hidden or anything. It was waiting. Skulking and sulking as I embarked on a wild and exciting fling with blogging. Abandoned at 30,000 words for a new, demanding passion.

Finally, its patience has been rewarded. I've dragged it out, dusted it off, and decided to get to know it all over again. I think we have a future. It will be hard. It will take work. But I think we can make a go of it.

Why now? I can't explain. Inspiration struck, and cannot be denied. One minute it looked old and tired and difficult. The next, it looked...possible.

So please excuse me as I draw the curtains and close the door. And shhhh. I'm writing.

Are you working on a novel, or a screenplay, or a short story? I'd love to hear all about it.


{image: riskybeads/etsy}

24 comments:

  1. I'm working towards signing up for a course on short story writing next year. I'd like to learn more about how to do it. In particular how to write stuff that people will want to read.

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  2. Hooray! But what is it about? Do tell. I won't nick your idea....honest.

    Yes I am writing a little. And I've signed up to do NaNoWriMo which is perhaps the stupidest thing I've done recently.

    I have that typewriter charm.
    When you write do you wear your Finish the Damn Book T shirt?

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  3. @DeerBaby - is always so good to see you! Well done on signing up for NaNoWriMo. I did it a few years ago and it got me well underway to complete my first full-length manuscript. This is my second. I'm making it up as I go along, so can't be entirely certain what it's about yet. All shall be revealed...

    And no. I don't wear the FTDB t-shirt. I am going to patent them and start flogging them from the Fibro though, I think.

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  4. Hmmm... abandoning a ms in the middle. I wonder why you did that? Could it be because you need some structure in there? Do I need to get my three act whip out?!

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  5. Oh good on you Allison! And when you finish it you'll have a ready made audience! I told my daughter the other day I was going to write a novel. She rolled her eyes but the first paragraph is written, LOL!! I hope the inspiration sticks around for you now it's back again :)

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  6. love that your inspiration, motivation, mojo ideas have returned so you can become aquainted with all those words again. pleased to say, i have 60,000 stashed away on my computer somewhere...maturing i think. i think of them often and try to show them some love, but i think i need to whip me up some curtains to draw first! good luck ;-)

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  7. @River and @Kerry - good on you both for making a start! Lots of people talk about it...

    @Allison Rushby - hmmm. Planning. So anathema and yet so necessary. I'll be in touch.

    @Mira - maturing is a great way to put it. Get them out before they get old and tired though.

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  8. I am SO glad Al. (But please tell me you will still be blogging daily?!)

    I am an absolute novice at all this writing business. I know I have to let my fiction take flight....

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  9. @Lucy - I'll be here. A bad case of verbal diarrhea I fear.

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  10. Good girl, hope it goes well. Maybe a break is exactly what you needed from it, and now the words will flow.
    Please tell me it's not about golf...

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  11. I am working on a memoir - something that I hope will be funny. It's funny to me, I just hope it resonates "funny" with others. It is hard to stay with it...especially when life pulls you in a million directions. You are right that when inspiration strikes you just have to write.

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  12. Wishing you all the best with the novel. Blogging can become a huge distraction - so I admire your honesty. I'm 20,000 words into my second attempt at writing a novel - it's hard to find the time - but I love it and am determined to see it through!

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  13. Inspiration strikes when we least expect it. I've never written anything except for blog posts or school assignments but one day I'd like to delve into writing short stories.

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  14. I have some things in the works. Mostly I'm working on getting the facts and what not together for my NaNoWriMo novel that's a thriller called "Weathered".

    Have you checked out The Red Dress Club?

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  15. You know I have a WIP. You've become my brown owl when it comes to writing as you know. Totally going to include you in the dedication.

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  16. i think we all need a motivational support group. i have ten projects i have shelved. it's good to have friends to talk to about what's a good or realistic idea and what sucks. friends are honest. problem is with kids, work etc when do we get to see them?!

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  17. Ah, you have stirred my muse again. She's been popping her head up with increasing regularity these past weeks, as though she's trying to tell me something that I'm too scared to hear: "Get to it!"

    Yes, I have a project (among many)-historical fiction based on the parallel and intersecting lives of my grandmothers in WW2 (one German, the other French Jew)-'Lily and Marguerite'. Very scary to put this out there, but call it my first step in committing to the task.

    I think the time is approaching... the two blog posts per week shall become one...

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  18. Ah, you have stirred my muse again. She's been popping her head up with increasing regularity these past weeks, as though she's trying to tell me something that I'm too scared to hear: "Get to it!"

    Yes, I have a project (among many)-historical fiction based on the parallel and intersecting lives of my grandmothers in WW2 (one German, the other French Jew)-'Lily and Marguerite'. Very scary to put this out there, but call it my first step in committing to the task.

    I think the time is approaching... the two blog posts per week shall become one...

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  19. Hmmm, I am writing an unauthorised autobiography...poorly.Slowly.

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  20. @Gina - I've had a memoir published(shameless plug, I'm afraid) and if it makes your heart sing, there will be others who hear the song, I promise! The scary part is when people say they know more about you than they are comfortable with! Just stay true to you. x

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  21. I will stand by very very quietly and wait to hear what gems come out of this new found inspiration...

    good luck!

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  22. Well yes actually, I was really enjoying writing a fictional piece set in France during WW1, then *BAM* I stalled at Chapter Seven. Then Petal arrived on the scene and I haven't quite gone back to it. But it's all still in my head..somewhere...safely stored in a box or something...

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  23. Hey Allison,
    Been meaning to get in touch on Sophie Cameron's so-say and then I read your post about the tricksy second manuscript. I couldn't find a private email for you, so contacting you through your blog. I believe we're in similar positions! Won't type too much here, but perhaps you could send me your email?
    Best regards,
    Bell Smith

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Thanks for popping by the Fibro. I love to hear from you!

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