Previous careers, synopsis and waiting for news

Morning folks – I’ve woken in a disappointed mood as the hot air balloon ride that I had booked for this morning was cancelled due to high winds – is there high winds now – no! Never mind – I will get this task completed, I promise.

Well, how are you? I never ask, do I? Rude of me really but I take it that everything is tickety boo. Welcome to all the new followers who are pop up each time I check the global statistics. Please check out the panel on the right hand side to view the visitors list.

I’ve had a rather disappointing week. I didn’t manage to attend either of my writers’ meetings this week due to being snowed under with job applications relatong to the day job. These are the times that I begin to resent my day job for affecting my dream job. So, instead of reading out a competition piece I stayed at home and worked. Not my idea of fun but hey, I had little choice. My resentment manifests more when I begin to think of all the energy and time that the day job removes from my writing, the constant battle of juggling time simply to deliver my backside into my writing chair and capture the idea that has buzzed about my head for a few days. I take some comfort in the fact that historically it is what every creative bod has to do as a trainee to their craft before the good stuff happens. I’m sure every writer has their own way of dealing with week’s like I’ve had but this is what I do when I’m feeling despondent about juggling – I search for success stories who had the heart to carry on and finally received their rewards. So, let’s share what careers others had before their writing dreams came true:-

Ian Rankin – grape picker, tax man, swine herder

Marian Keyes – accountancy and waitress

Patricia Caldwell – reporter and Chief Medical officer

Nick Hornby – teacher

Joanne Harris –  french teacher

Simon Armitage – probation officer

Jodi Picoult – ad agency work, copywriter, teacher

Stieg Larsson – graphic designer

John Grisham – a lawyer

Dick Francis – jockey

See, I feel a whole load better having found those little beauties – it works every time. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll continue to plod.

Last weekend were my last productive days. I managed to write an acrostic poem for a mini competition in Writers’ Magazine. Plus, I dug out an old short story that is suitable for another of their other competitions, which I plan to polish and post this weekend.

Last weekend also saw me finally complete the synopsis for ‘Her’ which has been slung about my neck for weeks – this now enables me to begin sending the first three chapters out to agents. I suppose given my success last weekend, I’d hoped the momentum would continue but it didn’t it came to a sharp halt on Monday, literally as soon as the day job began.

My plan for this week – is not to allow a repeat of last week! I haven’t any writers meetings to attend so every night has the potential to be a writing night. Plus, I am not at work on Monday so will be dedicating the day to ‘Her’. My intention is to live the dream by spending it at my desk.

News – I am waiting to receive a copy of Be:Magazine in which my short story ‘Caught in the act’ is appearing this month. Plus, I’m waiting for the confirmation regards the installation of my poetry display at Pooley Heritage Park – fingers crossed it occurs in the next two weeks.

Remember you can follow my Monday's dedicated writing day on ‘Twitter’ by searching and following odwyer_author – please pass this blog onto others who may be interested. Enjoy!