Monday, May 15, 2006

The first weekend I've had in I don't know how many years in which I didn't find time for a nap!

I ended up subbing the first 5,000 words of my YA novel to my writing group. They had lots of thoughts. Pointed out some areas in which I really don't have my thoughts clearly on the page and where I need to strengthen motivations and so forth. Incredibly helpful - also worrying because I thought the first 5,000 were not too bad!

They did say on a line edit level that it read smoothly - so that's good.

We also talked about 'Critical Mass' a novel critique weekend we're trying to get up and running with a few of us who have novels in progress. We set a few time frames and decided we'd approach a published writer to attend and add to the critique process - so that's exciting.

At this stage the thought is to submit in early December and critique in February. I should have mine finished by December. I'm actually aiming at finished by October so I can resubmit for Varuna.

In other bits I have bought material and commenced work (until the sewing machine broke down) on curtains. Went and saw MI3 and have started reading a Kim Wilkins. I also have 'Etched City' under my bed to finish.

2 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Great news. I'm glad you subbed a novel excerpt to your writers' group. Feedback is a way of recharging, even if it's negative, it motivates you to jump back in there and make the novel better.

I made curtains. They're the only thing I can sew because it's all straight lines. (No zippers, elastics, buttons, collars, waistlines, or any of that complicated stuff!!)

Go you!

10:54 PM  
Blogger Susan said...

It's great, a few days later and a whole heap of ideas are starting to fall into place re the novel thingy.

12:01 PM  

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