Congratulations, 24th May and writing groups

Morning folks – it is a beautifully sunny morning here in Warwickshire – so I have already nipped out trekking with the pooch. Whilst out and about I created a few additional lines for the poem I began drafting last weekend - pooch walking certainly gets the old brain thinking and creating. I’m not suggesting you buy a dog simply to improve productivity but I would suggest borrowing the next door neighbour’s dog every now and then. I’d be more than happy to offer out my pooch for extra walks, he couldn’t be in better company alongside a writer or poet, honest.

Anyway, my week. I have to share some brilliant news I heard this week, my writing buddy Helen Phifer has been snapped up by a publisher – woo hoo, go Helen. I’m so proud of her, she’s worked so very hard this last year and it has all paid off. So, full marks to her.

I’ve returned to work after a holiday and so back to the juggling act. But I have also entered the next stage of my writing: draft two. I am trying to read the manuscript with fresh eyes and develop as I can. A few glorious moments of ‘wow, did I really write that?’ have occurred – and I’ve received a couple of new ideas that need weaving into the plot. So far, so good. I just need to keep plodding with this project. I have promised husband, that I will have re-read/edited the entire piece by 24^th May.  I shall point out I also have a three thousand word exam piece required for 23^rd May – looks like I’ll be busy for the next six weeks! Oh yeah, what’s new?

I’ve had a delightful week at work, teaching the works of Charles Dickens and George Eliot – which has boosted my own creativity plus fed my obsession with literature. I’ve ordered several books which I need to devour in preparation for a university course starting in October – again, all literature classics.

I chaired the Grace Dieu meeting this week, and was delighted with the array of talent produced by the ten attending members – it really was a wide spectrum of genres and abilities – coming together to be appreciated by all. If you aren’t part of a writing group – I really would recommend you join, or more exciting start, one up if your area is lacking in suitable groups. You have to take care that the ‘group’ doesn’t take over your writing time with the nitty-gritty of group organizing but the benefits of attending a fortnightly meeting are huge. 

The coming week, I have a group meeting for Mad Hatters on Wednesday. We have a group exercise occurring at the moment – to write a piece related to a painting. I have chosen John Singer-Sargent’s ‘Lady Agnew of Lochnaw’ – I really need to focus a writing session and get this down on paper rather than it swimming about my head.

Finally, before I disappear to write an essay for my university course – I’ve realised this week that my t.v. viewing changes depending upon the subject and topic of my current writing project. I have discovered that I am literally becoming obsessed with certain ‘leisure/lifestyle’ programmes and have woken to the fact that ‘Oh yeah that’s linked too (inserts project name)’. How funny is the human mind – it’ll always find a way to delve you into more ‘research’ without you even realizing it.

Remember you can follow me on Twitter @odwyer_author - so join the party and accompany my journey. I always do Follow Fridays on Twitter, so if you sign up it maybe you next Friday. Enjoy!