It feels like it's been a long time since I've really blogged (and I can't sugar coat it, it has been a long time). I had such good blogging intentions this year, but blogging fell by the wayside as I had to organise my time and focus on my actual writing in the time that I had. So I haven't blogged as much as I should have. And I don't know why. It's not like it's hard to sit down and write a post. But it hasn't happened. I've planned out a few posts, so we'll see how that goes.
For this post, I wanted to share with you all what I've been working on, writing wise.
I'm sure you all know (and if you saw my earlier post about the Writer's Voice) that Treading Water is done and I'm currently querying it - so I won't bore you with that.
For now, I'm sticking with YA contemporary -with a few small deviations and new formats! My MG stuff has taken a back seat for a moment.
I finished another edit of another YA contemporary a little while ago - called Sweet Little Lies. I've also been editing a more paranormal-esque boarding school YA, which at the moment is called Wildfire.
But that's been put aside for some first drafts that have just demanded attention. They are both rather different: one is a road trip across Europe, and involves royalty, Royal Weddings, and boarding schools. I still haven't come up with a title that I'm completely happy with, but I'm having fun writing it.
The other one is more of a writing challenge - set over twenty four hours and with four points of view. So far, it's proving interesting and I keep wondering if I should make it just one point of view, but I think the four different ones make it more interesting and different - although I'm thinking of changing it ever so slightly, but for now, I'm going to stick with it and see what happens! This one is called The Longest Day - rather fitting title I think.
What are you all working on writing wise?
Does anyone else work on far too many projects at one time, like I seem to do? Let me know!
Showing posts with label treading water. Show all posts
Showing posts with label treading water. Show all posts
Tuesday, 26 May 2015
Thursday, 21 May 2015
The Writer's Voice: Query and first 250 (Treading Water)
Query and first 250 words of my YA novel, Treading Water, for an online competition, The Writer's Voice. (Also good if anyone wants to know how my novel opens and the query I've written!).
QUERY:
I am writing to you to seek representation for my young adult contemporary novel, TREADING WATER. Treading Water is a story about what happens when everything you know is about to change, as well as family, growing up, and first love. It is complete at 64,000 words.
Eighteen year old Marian Key and her famous artist father have always lived in the same old crumbling farm house. Marian has been looking forward to returning home from school for a summer of swimming and solitude all year, and she can’t wait to shed her winter self.
But when her father announces that he is selling her childhood home and moving to America, everything Marian knows is threatened. Suddenly, the summer is fraught with the prospect of change and losing everything that she loves. She is desperate to hold onto her home, no matter what the cost, but she doesn’t know how. Time is beginning to run out, as the house is invaded by family, including a cousin who she doesn’t see eye to eye with. As Marian finds enemy forces moving in, she struggles to remember what it is she loved about her home.
Then there’s the mysterious boy Marian comes across in the woods. Sebastian Hawk is a student and artist, who is fascinated by fairy tales and finds a magic in Marian’s home that she thought had gone. After an uncertain start, Sebastian and Marian team together, as Marian tries to come to terms with growing up, moving on, and ghosts from the past, as well as falling in love for the first time. Can Marian save her home before it’s too late?
I recently completed a Creative Writing MA at the University of Exeter. I am a member of SCBWI and write for MuggleNet. In 2013 I had a short story, ‘Tide’, published in an eBook, Jam, and another short story, ‘If I Remember’ was a runner up in a YA short story competition. I was also shortlisted for an IdeasTap and Writers Centre Norwich fiction mentoring scheme in 2014 and have been awarded a Young Writer’s scholarship for the Winchester Writers’ Festival this year.
FIRST 250:
QUERY:
I am writing to you to seek representation for my young adult contemporary novel, TREADING WATER. Treading Water is a story about what happens when everything you know is about to change, as well as family, growing up, and first love. It is complete at 64,000 words.
Eighteen year old Marian Key and her famous artist father have always lived in the same old crumbling farm house. Marian has been looking forward to returning home from school for a summer of swimming and solitude all year, and she can’t wait to shed her winter self.
But when her father announces that he is selling her childhood home and moving to America, everything Marian knows is threatened. Suddenly, the summer is fraught with the prospect of change and losing everything that she loves. She is desperate to hold onto her home, no matter what the cost, but she doesn’t know how. Time is beginning to run out, as the house is invaded by family, including a cousin who she doesn’t see eye to eye with. As Marian finds enemy forces moving in, she struggles to remember what it is she loved about her home.
Then there’s the mysterious boy Marian comes across in the woods. Sebastian Hawk is a student and artist, who is fascinated by fairy tales and finds a magic in Marian’s home that she thought had gone. After an uncertain start, Sebastian and Marian team together, as Marian tries to come to terms with growing up, moving on, and ghosts from the past, as well as falling in love for the first time. Can Marian save her home before it’s too late?
I recently completed a Creative Writing MA at the University of Exeter. I am a member of SCBWI and write for MuggleNet. In 2013 I had a short story, ‘Tide’, published in an eBook, Jam, and another short story, ‘If I Remember’ was a runner up in a YA short story competition. I was also shortlisted for an IdeasTap and Writers Centre Norwich fiction mentoring scheme in 2014 and have been awarded a Young Writer’s scholarship for the Winchester Writers’ Festival this year.
FIRST 250:
We
found the ants in the honey the morning my father made an announcement at
breakfast. It was two days into the summer holidays. This seemed important, although
the ants stick more in my memory. After all, it wasn’t every day you came
across drowned ants in a honey jar. The morning sun bounced off the gold lid,
lighting up crumbs that were scattered across the table.
‘Marian,’ my father said, the rejected honey
pot in front of him. He laid his knife down on his plate. His voice was
hesitant and hoarser than usual. His movements were slow. I paused as I
buttered my toast.
I didn’t want to look at him, nor did I want
to hear what it was that he had to say. I stared at that honey pot, with the
tiny black bodies floating in the thick mix. They were small dots that could
have been breadcrumbs or bits of dirt. How had they even got there? They were
ants on a suicide mission. It was sad to see that they had all followed one
another, like a group of soldiers who trusted their leader implicitly, not
realising that they were heading to their death. I shuddered.
‘Marian.’
My father cleared his throat. ‘I’m going to sell the house.’
Friday, 19 December 2014
Merry Christmas and end of the year roundup! (p.1)
Wow. I can't believe it's under a week until Christmas day. I don't know where this month - and this year has gone. I've been rather absent from this blog in the last few weeks, and I apologise for that. I didn't mean for this to be my first post of December, but for various reasons I haven't felt like blogging, and I've been rather under the weather. But I'm feeling a lot better now and looking forward to Christmas!
Recently, I was wondering what have I actually achieved this year? (Yes, I've been feeling rather down). But, looking back at this blog and some of my writing projects, I realised that actually, yes, I have been rather productive, and on the whole had a good year. Sure, there have been really sucky things, but on the whole, it hasn't been a disaster!
First off, this blog - I've kept it up to date, and been able to get into a semi-good routine (that's slipped recently, oops!). Among other things,
I've written about NaNo,
YALC, which took place in the summer and was amazing,
returning home to live in the countryside again,
a magical year with MuggleNet,
another trip to the Harry Potter studios,
A YA masterclass with Sarah Crossan and Julia Churchill,
Fowey,
and my beloved cat, Posie.
While I wasn't so good at blogging regularly at the beginning of the year, I've certainly got more into a routine this second half of the year - writing about countryside things and things to be grateful for! It's safe to say that it's certainly been a year full of twists and turns. It's funny isn't it, looking back on the year, and seeing what has and hasn't been achieved, unexpected things that have happened, and more. I suppose I have achieved more than I thought, and it's not all bad things.
Writing wise, I have revised Treading Water a couple of times, and got it up to a good standard. I've had good feedback on the story too. I've completed two full length first drafts (and a shorter one), and started at least two other things that I have since abandoned. I've written several short things and done lots of things for MuggleNet - plus I completed my MA.
And now, to celebrate Christmas and all that it brings. To eat lots of yummy food, spend time with people I love, do festive things, sing carols and catch up with friends.
I hope everyone reading this has a really wonderful Christmas and a very happy new year. Merry Christmas to you all - and thanks for reading over this past year!
One last post to come this year - what I'm looking forward to next year.
Recently, I was wondering what have I actually achieved this year? (Yes, I've been feeling rather down). But, looking back at this blog and some of my writing projects, I realised that actually, yes, I have been rather productive, and on the whole had a good year. Sure, there have been really sucky things, but on the whole, it hasn't been a disaster!
First off, this blog - I've kept it up to date, and been able to get into a semi-good routine (that's slipped recently, oops!). Among other things,
I've written about NaNo,
YALC, which took place in the summer and was amazing,
returning home to live in the countryside again,
a magical year with MuggleNet,
another trip to the Harry Potter studios,
A YA masterclass with Sarah Crossan and Julia Churchill,
Fowey,
and my beloved cat, Posie.
While I wasn't so good at blogging regularly at the beginning of the year, I've certainly got more into a routine this second half of the year - writing about countryside things and things to be grateful for! It's safe to say that it's certainly been a year full of twists and turns. It's funny isn't it, looking back on the year, and seeing what has and hasn't been achieved, unexpected things that have happened, and more. I suppose I have achieved more than I thought, and it's not all bad things.
Writing wise, I have revised Treading Water a couple of times, and got it up to a good standard. I've had good feedback on the story too. I've completed two full length first drafts (and a shorter one), and started at least two other things that I have since abandoned. I've written several short things and done lots of things for MuggleNet - plus I completed my MA.
And now, to celebrate Christmas and all that it brings. To eat lots of yummy food, spend time with people I love, do festive things, sing carols and catch up with friends.
I hope everyone reading this has a really wonderful Christmas and a very happy new year. Merry Christmas to you all - and thanks for reading over this past year!
One last post to come this year - what I'm looking forward to next year.
Thursday, 22 May 2014
Return
Once again, I am back from Fowey, and once again, I am so sad to be back. I was exhausted when I got back - crawling into bed just after nine. But Monday morning, I woke up so sad not to be waking up to this view:
And eating breakfast outside in the sunshine, on the steps, with some lovely people.
I've got used to it now, being back, and I was happy to be able to get on with some proper writing (I made scribbles while I was away, but nothing like just getting on with something). It was a wonderful week. And one of those strange times when it both raced by, but at the same time, it was as if we had been there forever.
The week started off wet and windy. At the start of the week, I didn't know any of the other student volunteers, but by the end of the week, we were close and all so sad to say goodbye to one another! I could easily have gone down to Falmouth with them - that's how hard it was to say goodbye.
Anyway, the first weekend most of us were helping out with the Family Fun Weekend at Trenython, which was new for this year. The theme was Inspired by Nature. Despite the wind and rain, it was a great weekend. I was put on the role of helping with the author events, which was enormous fun and meant I got to meet lovely authors, such as Liz Kessler (author of North of Nowhere).
There was lots of other things going on, such as den building, seed planting, camp fire cooking, and willow making.
Monday was the first day we were all in the town. After a briefing, and all clad in our bright green tshirts, which became quite a feature of the week, we set off on our different tasks. There was lots going on throughout the week, and our roles ranged from different things, such as giving out information, front of house, helping with Waterstones, and much more!
It was great to be back in Fowey, of course, and to see everything I love - and talk lots of Daphne! One of the events I was able to attend was one of Laura Varnham's reading group on Frenchman's Creek. It was fascinating, and relit my obsession quite fully! I now want to reread everything once again, and get utterly absorbed (not a bad thing). Other great events I attended included Helen Taylor, Veronica Henry and Ruth Rendell.
I drank lots of coffee and cider, ate lots of fudge, pink iced buns, and ice cream, spent time on the beach in the glorious sunshine, walked though fields and around Fowey, laughed a lot, wrote, read, met lots of lovely people, and had an ace time. It was the best week.
It was funny too to be staying at the same place I had the previous year, although upgraded in a caravan, and revisiting the same beach that I had first started windsurfing. I can't believe that was only a year ago!
It all already seems a long time ago now. Sigh.
On the plus side, I have settled down to some serious writing this week. I nearly have a first draft of my dissertation creative piece done, and I've been busy editing Treading Water (once again). Phew!
And eating breakfast outside in the sunshine, on the steps, with some lovely people.
I've got used to it now, being back, and I was happy to be able to get on with some proper writing (I made scribbles while I was away, but nothing like just getting on with something). It was a wonderful week. And one of those strange times when it both raced by, but at the same time, it was as if we had been there forever.
The week started off wet and windy. At the start of the week, I didn't know any of the other student volunteers, but by the end of the week, we were close and all so sad to say goodbye to one another! I could easily have gone down to Falmouth with them - that's how hard it was to say goodbye.
Anyway, the first weekend most of us were helping out with the Family Fun Weekend at Trenython, which was new for this year. The theme was Inspired by Nature. Despite the wind and rain, it was a great weekend. I was put on the role of helping with the author events, which was enormous fun and meant I got to meet lovely authors, such as Liz Kessler (author of North of Nowhere).
There was lots of other things going on, such as den building, seed planting, camp fire cooking, and willow making.
Monday was the first day we were all in the town. After a briefing, and all clad in our bright green tshirts, which became quite a feature of the week, we set off on our different tasks. There was lots going on throughout the week, and our roles ranged from different things, such as giving out information, front of house, helping with Waterstones, and much more!
It was great to be back in Fowey, of course, and to see everything I love - and talk lots of Daphne! One of the events I was able to attend was one of Laura Varnham's reading group on Frenchman's Creek. It was fascinating, and relit my obsession quite fully! I now want to reread everything once again, and get utterly absorbed (not a bad thing). Other great events I attended included Helen Taylor, Veronica Henry and Ruth Rendell.
I drank lots of coffee and cider, ate lots of fudge, pink iced buns, and ice cream, spent time on the beach in the glorious sunshine, walked though fields and around Fowey, laughed a lot, wrote, read, met lots of lovely people, and had an ace time. It was the best week.
It all already seems a long time ago now. Sigh.
On the plus side, I have settled down to some serious writing this week. I nearly have a first draft of my dissertation creative piece done, and I've been busy editing Treading Water (once again). Phew!
Friday, 21 March 2014
"I still got sand in my shoes...."
I don't know why I have that in my head - probably because I do, quite literally, still have sand in my shoes. It occured to me earlier that I haven't blogged in a while, and I apologise. What a few weeks it's been!
Anyway, going back to the sand. Last week, I went on a last minute trip down to Fowey (my favourite place in the world, if you hadn't gathered already), and it was amazing.
This post has been a little derailed (see previous post), but it still seems astonishing how quickly time is flying by. A week ago, I was in Fowey having a wonderful time. Sigh. I can't believe it really.
There was sand, sun, walking, coffee, books, writing, a range of interesting people, wonderful food and just being in my favourite place was so wonderful <3 I love Fowey.
As Daphne du Maurier wrote:
Oh I miss it. I feel so at home there.
I made lots of writing notes as well while I was there. Writing wise, I'm working on so many things I'm driving myself crazy. I don't want to complain, becasue I need writing and I rely on writing and it's my everything, but oh man, sometimes I shouldn't let my brain take over as much as it does!
Anyway, I'm still editing (again) Treading Water, writing my first draft of the strange spy story, also working on my dissertation idea (a children's story, eeep -which seems like it's going to be funny, ah!), and also my script for this current module - of which I only have ONE seminar left, EVER! Crazy. Like I say, where is time going? And then there's all the other ideas my head keeps throwing at me, and i keep trying to put off, but it's tough. Sigh. So lots and lots of writing going on - although the amount of different things does mean that sometimes I get NOTHING done because I'm wondering what on earth to work on!
Spring seems to have finally arrived as well, and that makes me very happy!
Anyway, going back to the sand. Last week, I went on a last minute trip down to Fowey (my favourite place in the world, if you hadn't gathered already), and it was amazing.
This post has been a little derailed (see previous post), but it still seems astonishing how quickly time is flying by. A week ago, I was in Fowey having a wonderful time. Sigh. I can't believe it really.
There was sand, sun, walking, coffee, books, writing, a range of interesting people, wonderful food and just being in my favourite place was so wonderful <3 I love Fowey.
As Daphne du Maurier wrote:
"All I want is to be at Fowey. This now is my life. This and no one else."That's from memory, so it might be wrong, but that's the general idea.
Oh I miss it. I feel so at home there.
I made lots of writing notes as well while I was there. Writing wise, I'm working on so many things I'm driving myself crazy. I don't want to complain, becasue I need writing and I rely on writing and it's my everything, but oh man, sometimes I shouldn't let my brain take over as much as it does!
Anyway, I'm still editing (again) Treading Water, writing my first draft of the strange spy story, also working on my dissertation idea (a children's story, eeep -which seems like it's going to be funny, ah!), and also my script for this current module - of which I only have ONE seminar left, EVER! Crazy. Like I say, where is time going? And then there's all the other ideas my head keeps throwing at me, and i keep trying to put off, but it's tough. Sigh. So lots and lots of writing going on - although the amount of different things does mean that sometimes I get NOTHING done because I'm wondering what on earth to work on!
Spring seems to have finally arrived as well, and that makes me very happy!
Thursday, 28 November 2013
'It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...'
I'm sure I've used that title before, but somehow it seemed right again today. I can't believe it's nearly the end of NOVEMBER! I haven't posted since the beginning of the month, I'm sorry - it seems to have FLOWN by, so quickly. In fact, I can't believe that it's only two weeks until the end of term now, and under a month until Christmas itself. Where have the weeks gone?
It's noticeably winter now though, here in the UK. It's cold, and all the layers have come out. The cold just makes me miserable and grumpy, like a bear trying to hibernate, and I already miss the summer like crazy. The summer and Fowey. Of course there are high points of winter (grimaced as I typed that) - I mean sure, I love Christmas and when things are all magical and Christmassy, and I love Christmassy things, but it's the cold I hate. I miss wearing shorts and flipflops and tshirts. And suncream. I miss suncream. That's kind of weird I know.
But I suppose got to look positively at everything, and right now I'm beginning to look forward to Christmas. It's always a slightly stressful time, but ultimately enjoyable. Just a lot to do beforehand! Things have got kind of crazy recently, with lots of academic work to do, as well as other things. I've been busy working, writing, volunteering, and windsurfing among other things. Yes, still windsurfing even in this weather - I think the fact that I'm able to get out and do that (in my winter wetsuit, gloves and shoes) is helping me get through the horribleness of winter. It's nice having something outside to do regularly. I'm still swimming too, and that's helping to stop me be so miserable.
Otherwise, I've been busy writing, and trying to keep on top of several different projects. As I told you before, I haven't done NaNo this month (and it's felt very freeing. I haven't missed it at all. Not one minute. That's kind of telling I guess!), but I've been busy writing. I finished that draft I was half way through when NaNo started, and I've put it aside for now so I can come back to it with fresh eyes. It's a mess, but I think there's a story in there somewhere and I'm looking forward to editing it and teasing it out. Fingers crossed it will work, because it's a story that could be very important to me. Treading Water is still being edited, although it's taken a back seat. I'm hoping to start querying it sometime next year. I started something new too, because the story crept up on me and grabbed me, and made me want to start writing it, so I'm ten chapters into that and loving it. It's more NA I think than YA because the characters are older, but I'm just going with it and seeing where it takes me. For my course at the moment I've got to write a film treatment, so I'm also engrossed in that, trying to keep all the elements of the different stories separate - phew! Confusing at times. Luckily the stories are quite different enough. I'm also lucky enough to have been picked to be a MuggleNet Intern, writing news stories, so I've been busy with that too, and it's been tremendous fun. As I mentioned before, I've been taking part in PiBoIdMo too, so I've been scribbling down lots of ideas and it's been very productive, just for coming up with ideas. So that's me all caught up, sort of, for now!
Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends - I'm going to a Thanksgiving dinner tonight and I'm VERY excited about it! I was asked to make Cornbread for it, something I've never made or tasted before, so I hope I've made it right. Fingers crossed!
It's noticeably winter now though, here in the UK. It's cold, and all the layers have come out. The cold just makes me miserable and grumpy, like a bear trying to hibernate, and I already miss the summer like crazy. The summer and Fowey. Of course there are high points of winter (grimaced as I typed that) - I mean sure, I love Christmas and when things are all magical and Christmassy, and I love Christmassy things, but it's the cold I hate. I miss wearing shorts and flipflops and tshirts. And suncream. I miss suncream. That's kind of weird I know.
But I suppose got to look positively at everything, and right now I'm beginning to look forward to Christmas. It's always a slightly stressful time, but ultimately enjoyable. Just a lot to do beforehand! Things have got kind of crazy recently, with lots of academic work to do, as well as other things. I've been busy working, writing, volunteering, and windsurfing among other things. Yes, still windsurfing even in this weather - I think the fact that I'm able to get out and do that (in my winter wetsuit, gloves and shoes) is helping me get through the horribleness of winter. It's nice having something outside to do regularly. I'm still swimming too, and that's helping to stop me be so miserable.
Otherwise, I've been busy writing, and trying to keep on top of several different projects. As I told you before, I haven't done NaNo this month (and it's felt very freeing. I haven't missed it at all. Not one minute. That's kind of telling I guess!), but I've been busy writing. I finished that draft I was half way through when NaNo started, and I've put it aside for now so I can come back to it with fresh eyes. It's a mess, but I think there's a story in there somewhere and I'm looking forward to editing it and teasing it out. Fingers crossed it will work, because it's a story that could be very important to me. Treading Water is still being edited, although it's taken a back seat. I'm hoping to start querying it sometime next year. I started something new too, because the story crept up on me and grabbed me, and made me want to start writing it, so I'm ten chapters into that and loving it. It's more NA I think than YA because the characters are older, but I'm just going with it and seeing where it takes me. For my course at the moment I've got to write a film treatment, so I'm also engrossed in that, trying to keep all the elements of the different stories separate - phew! Confusing at times. Luckily the stories are quite different enough. I'm also lucky enough to have been picked to be a MuggleNet Intern, writing news stories, so I've been busy with that too, and it's been tremendous fun. As I mentioned before, I've been taking part in PiBoIdMo too, so I've been scribbling down lots of ideas and it's been very productive, just for coming up with ideas. So that's me all caught up, sort of, for now!
Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends - I'm going to a Thanksgiving dinner tonight and I'm VERY excited about it! I was asked to make Cornbread for it, something I've never made or tasted before, so I hope I've made it right. Fingers crossed!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)