Saturday 25 May 2013

Holidays, Goals and Inspirations

Morning folks – I am officially on holiday – so have a week in which to bust a gut and do my very best regards TFD draft two.

The past week has been OKish, I managed to work each day but that will fade into comparison for the plans I have for this week. My goal, you know how I love goals, is that by this time next week I will be half way through draft two (chapter twenty). I have no other plans for this week other then my writing. As before, I’ll tweet each day regards my progress - so seek me and peek at @odwyer_author.

If you’d like to join me in a virtual world write in – I’ll be clocking in at half eight each morning – please keep me company if you’re also in a busting-a-gut-mode for the holiday week, we can support each other. I can predict there’ll be good, bad and ugly moments -there usually is where my writing project is concerned!

This week, I’ve found some beautiful inspirations on the web: Joanne Harris’ letter to her daughter – utterly beautiful, and Kate Harrison’s diary of an unpublished writer – which made me smile. Take a look, they each may generate a moment of inspiration for you.



I managed to craft a poem about snow globes and polished my Lady Agnew piece ready of the Mad Hatters’ meeting this Wednesday. I’ll let you know of the received feedback from the members.

I literally had another idea for a short story hatch while hanging out the washing out this morning so I’ll nip off in a second to jot down the basics before they vanish. The idea came from a noise I heard – which goes to show all the senses can help ignite the initial musings.

I need to love and leave, as this idea is starting to shape in my head. I’ll catch you on Twitter or better still we’ll sit down together for a write in starting tomorrow morning at 8:30am.

Remember you can follow me on Twitter @odwyer_author - look out for my Follow Fridays on Twitter, it may include you! Enjoy!

Sunday 19 May 2013

I’m back, indulgence and resignation

Good morning folks – I’m back! And with a vengeance. I’m not even going to discuss last week, but it was the pinnacle of the stressful three weeks that I appear to have survived J.

So, today – what have I done? An early start at 6am found me editing and reading a short story about Singer- Sargent’s painting ‘Lady Agnew of Lochnaw’. I have just one week to polish and draft this piece before the Mad Hatter writing meeting on Wednesday, 29th May.

After a lengthy session at my desk, I took a well earned nip into town for the solitude that is Costa. Armed with my current reading book ‘Jojo Moyes’ ‘The Peacock Emporium’ (recommend by a work colleague) – I indulged myself for an hour as their only customer. Thank you, thank you, thank you Costa ladies – I had a wonderfully peaceful read – but shhhuuuuushh I’d hate to find it brimming next week.

By ten o’clock I was accompanying my muse buddy on his weekly dog trek – even the pooch has been neglected in recent weeks receiving the very minimum of mile plodding duties. My mind was finally free to enjoy the beauty before me, sunshine blessed my face and my muse tagged along as the creative ideas returned and filled my head in a joyous scramble. Bliss!

Once home, I performed a task that I’ve been meaning to get around to for a few weeks: resigning from a committee. I’m the first to encourage other to participate and become involved but recent weeks has shown me that I really do need to focus upon my work. I really can’t afford to return to the happy idiot that races about for the benefit of others. It sounds utterly selfish doesn’t? But like everyone, I only have a limited amount of time and energy to spend in any given week – sometimes we take on responsibilities that we think we can help but find our efforts simply consumed. I feel sad to have to resign after less than a year but now feel so much better knowing I can attend meetings without any responsibility or duties.

And now, for the rest of my day – you’ll find me at my desk jotting done the hundred and one ideas that are lapping my brain. It feels so good to have cleared the decks, survived the past four weeks and refocused my sights on draft two.

Remember you can follow me on Twitter @odwyer_author - so join the party and accompany my renewed journey. Look out for my Follow Fridays on Twitter, it maybe you! Enjoy! 

Saturday 4 May 2013

Stupid o’clock, RNA and a holiday

Morning, I hope to find you happy and healthy. For the third week my writing week has been disrupted by the ‘unexpected’ - turning up and skuppering my creative plans.

I have spent some time working of draft two – but no where near as much as I’d liked.
So, how can us creative folks juggle the day life and free up the evening for our own plans? At the minute, I’m proving useless at this task, when this has been my personal forte for many years.

So, what have I previously done to guarantee writing?

  • I’ve set alarm clocks to ring at specific times indicating my writing time.
  • I’ve got up at stupid o’clock in the morning to write.
  • I’ve stayed up working until stupid o’clock while others sleep.
  • I have written every lunch and break time.
  • I’ve written in car parks while waiting for people/appointments.
  • I’ve written via a Dictaphone while out walking the dog.

Uuuummmm it looks like the return of my trusted methods to ensure this coming week doesn’t go to waste. That is my promise for this week.

I have a RNA Chapter meeting next Saturday which will be my reward for my writing efforts this week. I can’t wait to meet up with the girlies for a chat and a catch up.

My plans for today are to busy myself writing my university essay so I can clear that task from my plate. It doesn’t need to be complete until the 23rd but I want it complete and sent – as early as possible. I can then focus solely upon draft two of TFD.

Monday, a holiday here in the UK, I am dedicating to draft two. I plan to photograph a local church, walk a specific country lane used in my draft and scrutinize road maps. A mixture of research and editing will make me a happy bunny.

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