The benefits of being in a writing group

There are many benefits of being part of  a writing group. If it works well and is the right group, it can provide support in a sometimes solitary pastime, a sounding board for our ideas, a friendly critique and the momentum to keep going, chasing that elusive publishing dream. I've been so fortunate to have all of these features in my writing group. I've been even more fortunate that as our writing group has developed we have also become a group of good friends. Yesterday we celebrated a big birthday with our friend and writing mentor, Maddie. Without her, our writing group just wouldn't be the same. Here's to many more years of happy writing!

New Year, New Writing.....

It was good being back down at Coney Island today - just Rhonda, Fionnuala, Maddie and I.  It was good to think about an exciting year ahead - New Year's writing resolutions, parties and lots of writing opportunities.

Happy New Writing Year

short story

I'm delighted that one of my short stories is published today in 'The Incubator' journal.


https://theincubatorjournal.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/the-incubator-issue-11.pdf

Christmas at Coney

I'm just back from a lovely morning with my writing chums in Coney Island. After catching up, sharing news, writing and planning for next year's writing we enjoyed a gorgeous Christmas dinner. Here's to a successful 2017 packed full of writing for all of us!

Farewell November and NaNoWriMo 2016

Phew! I've finished! It's over! I actually managed to complete this writing exercise this year. It has been quite a challenge, finding time each day to sit down and write, amidst the busyness that is life. I've attempted it twice before and have given up mid way through the month on both previous occasions. This time round I knew that if I could keep going beyond the mid month point there was every chance I would be able to complete it. There is no doubt it takes hard work and determination. There have been days when I've stared at the screen willing the words to come out. There have been days when I've been so tired my eyes hurt. But there have also been days when I couldn't stop writing, when I was on a roll and the ideas and words kept flowing. What I find amazing about the whole process is that while I had a rough idea of the story when I started, I had no idea who all the characters would be, how the story would unfold or how it would end.
I didn't sign up to do this through the NaNoWriMo official site. Instead I chose to do it my way. My target was to write over 1000 words a day, aiming for 40,000 words in total. I'm pleased to say I've achieved both targets.
The main thing is I now have a very rough draft of a novel.
Now the fun part starts - re-writing and editing! :-)

Still writing.....Still on track.....

I'm delighted that I'm still participating in this year's NaNoWriMo, after three weeks. Today I reached the 30,000 word mark. Hopefully I can keep this writing discipline going for the next week and a bit and see it through to the end of the month. it's a very, very, rough draft, but I'm delighted it's beginning to take shape.