Rediscovering the 'Me' in 'Mumeeeeeee'

'I have always thought that there is no more fruitful source of family discontent than a housewife’s badly-cooked dinners and untidy ways'. (Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, 1861)

February 14, 2011

My writing journey: Year 2


Hazel Gaynor
so many ideas......so little time. Aarrrgghhh.
4 Feb via web Favorite Reply Delete

I tweeted this recently. It really is a very good summary of how I feel about my quest to become a published author. If only I could lock myself away in a quiet room for a year. If only I could rush to the laptop and bash out the brilliant idea for a scene which has just occurred to me while I'm reading the boys a bedtime story. If only I could hire a cleaner and a nanny and a chef. If only I could do all that, I'm sure I would be on my fourth bestseller by now.

But of course, I'm quite aware that these are all just excuses. For any writer, aspiring, or otherwise, juggling real life as you try to create a fictional one is always going to be tough, but when I really put my mind to it, I can write very productively. Last November, for example, I diligently wrote 2,000 words a day for two weeks as part of the National Novel Writing Month. I didn't make it all the way to the end of the month (real life really did take over), but for those two weeks I found the time and the inspiration. (OK, maybe nobody was fed and the house was fit for demolition, but I got lots of words written).

It is almost two years since I embarked on my writing journey; starting this blog and dipping my toe into freelancing waters. I'm really proud of what I have achieved during that time; coming close to a publishing deal twice, writing regularly for the national press, winning some awards for my blogging and reaching the point where I'm just about to self-publish an eBook (very exciting and more on that later). I've had my fair share of ups and downs along the way and have thought about packing it all in and retreating to the comfort of the sofa with the remote control on many occasions, but something tells me to just keep going.

So, I've decided that as well as being the Chinese Year of The Rabbit, 2011 is going to be my Year Of Getting Published. F
ollowing the advice of the excellent Laura Jane Cassidy whose debut novel 'Angel Kiss' is published in May, I wrote the following in the front of my new diary:

'2011, the year I turn 40 and get a publishing deal.'

The 'turning 40' part I can do nothing about; the getting published part is entirely in my hands. Literally.

Throughout the last two years, I have been extremely grateful for the advice and support of a fabulous lady; Vanessa O'Loughlin of Inkwell Writers. Vanessa is the brainchild behind the recently launched writing.ie; the first national
writing resource of its kind. It is absolutely packed to the rafters with expert advice, author interviews, tips and inspiration. I am delighted to have been asked to contribute to the site and will certainly be following the Top 100 tips for writing fiction as I keep looking wistfully at those words in my diary.

For anyone who, like me, feels that 2011 is the year to finally unleash the writer within, I would highly recommend that you take some time to browse through writing.ie - I'll see you there (unless I'm at my red carpet book launch!)


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11 comments:

  1. Good for you and I'm going to have a look at that site. I have lots of ideas for novels and have decided I'm going to hold onto them until I have time to write (about 20 years from now I think). I guess it's all about making time and many writers in the early stages of their career have to write while working full-time or looking after children. Good luck! And on a different note - 40 this year? No.... I don't believe it. Writing and motherhood has kept you fresh-faced.

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  2. But if you have a nanny, cleaner and chef, then you have to spend that time organizing their rota, making dinner reservations and deciding which purse goes best with your most comfy Manolos. There's never enough time, no matter what! You have to make it work but I'm cheering you on!!! x

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  3. I have no doubt you will get published this year. Look forward to reading your book as I do to reading your blog posts! :)

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  4. First, let me please fixate on your "significant" birthday, an imminent event you have already mentioned somewhere in a previous post.
    On Friday night(at Irish Pen dinner) I decided you were turning 30.....! There must certainly be a fountain of youth aspect to blogging, hotcrossmum!
    Anyhow, the very best wishes for the coming year and I will register one of the first pre-orders on Amazon.
    Mari G

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  5. I'm sure you becoming published is only a matter of a short space of time - your writing is fabulous. Good luck :)

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  6. What I love about your post is the honesty: setting out on your own is like a roller coaster full of vicissitudes. Yet you have set your intention by what you have written on your diary and so are one step closer to making it happen. I have just finished my first book, a collaborative effort, and we are now looking for a publisher. It can be done ;-)

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  7. Oh man, I could have written this post!!! I always have an excuse for why I haven't finished a novel. It's either because I have a freelance job or because I have a lot of housework, or because the kids need so much help with a project or because its Christmas or because... You get the drift.

    Last year I did the April Script Frenzy with an outline I had been playing with, thinking that doing a script might be 'easier' (as in less complicated) than a novel. I made it, but I don;t want to write a script, I want to write a novel so I'll be turning that script into a novel. Eventually...

    Thanks for the writing site recommendation! And good luck with the novel!!!

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  8. Yay to you! I remember that tweet and empathising with it, your feelings are exactly the same as mine. Thanks for sharing those links too, will check them out. When I get a spare minute.....

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  9. Looking forward to checking out the site - thanks for the tip!

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  10. Thanks a lot for this post! I have to check out the website, I am in a bit of a writing low at the moment (stuck at 60.000 words, argh).

    Good luck to you!!

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