Friday 20 July 2007

Friday! Coffee Break!!

Ooh, it's eerily quiet in here today so I thought I'd burst in with a shot of caffeine. Usually, I sneak into the coffee break late. The reason? I'm always shamefully aware of having nothing to report.

But. I've had a bit of a week. Last Saturday, I met up with JJ. We had a hoot, talking about anything and everything imaginable. It was fab. But not until Sunday teatime did it hit me how much I'd enjoyed spending time with another writer; how much I really want to be a writer. By Sunday bedtime, I'd made a decision.

Not only have I actually written some words this week, I have quit my job to write, full time, for 3/4 months (or until my meagre funds run out).

How bloomin positive is that?


One Simple Step to Becoming a Writer

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Jen, how exciting!!!!

Being with other writer's is brilliant. I am still buzzing after the conference two weeks ago. My head was filled with light bulb moments all weekend. Shame it happens just once a year!

Sorry I didn't make it last week but last Friday was hellish as we handed ove the house then drove to Cornwall in the chucking rain! However am here now and happy.

Currently have my head down trying to tighten up August Rock before I send it to the RNA New Writers Scheme.

Hope everyone has had a good week :-)

Kate.Kingsley said...

Wow! Big step, Jen, but a great one too. (Sadly I don't have funds, meagre or otherwise, else I'd be joining you!). But very blooming postitive indeed! I am going to try & live some of your positivity vicariously, if thats ok....

It is great to spend time with other writers ~ not something I get to do very often, but I guess that's why the novel racers are such a lifeline.

Things still going well for me on with the writing ~not as much acheived this week as last week, but I've had a lot of othert real life stuff to navigate around in order to find writing time and space. Still, creeping along ~ slow & steady, and all that....

Hope everyone is had a good week,

Best wishes
Kate K

Fiona Mackenzie. Writer said...

Go girlfriend! You are v. brave and grown up and your children will enjoy having you home to referee their fights...or is it just my children?

Kate, slow and sure is good. I am going to Cornwall next Friday to stay with the outlaws and get even wetter I guess.

Lazy Perfectionista said...

Wow that's so exciting! Congratulations, and best of luck. Wish I could do the same, work is TOTALLY gettting in the way of writing at the moment. In fact, it's getting in the way of everything - 12 hour days and so much to do my brain is melting. ARGH.

That said, I've got this afternoon off to travel down to Sussex for my oldest friend's hen party. I'm absolutely determined that I'm going to write for the entire journey to make up for not having done any for so long. And I would do the same on the way back, except the new Harry Potter may distract me...

Helen said...

Other than finishing my first draft on Monday (hurrah) I have done no other writing this week. I also met up with JJ and had a lovely time with her, I agree with Jen how enjoyable meeting other writers is.

I've done nothing else with the rest of the week writing wise. My head is empty, I feel bleurgh, and I just can't get going. I have been sent a book to review for Keris (of Trashonista fame) which I really want to get stuck into but I'm even struggling to read! I must get that read today otherwise I too will have the lovely Harry to distract me.

Rachel Green said...

What a huge step to take! Well done you. Those word counts are really going to shoot up!

B.E. Sanderson said...

Best of luck, Jen. It's a scary step to take, but I'm sure you'll do fine. =oD

Sorry I missed last week's break. Last friday was moving day. I won't go into the gory details. Suffice it to say I'm covered in bruises, but it's done.

I didn't get much writerly stuff done. My brain decided it needed a break, and I guess my willpower went with it. So I'm taking a few days off to read.

KeVin K. said...

Veeery scary step. You have complete control over what and how much you write, but no control over what or when or even if you get paid for your writing. (That fear factor drove me into media wirte-for-hire -- I'm still trying to work my way out.)
Write, mail, repeat.
Hang on and keep moving and a decade or so from now folks will be lining up to buy your novels at 12:01 AM.

(btw: "had a hoot"? That is pure southernism. Kinda like y'all. Makes folks from New York think your parents were cousins. That's a British expression?)

CL Taylor said...

Helen - I'm with you on the 'bleurgh' feeling. I haven't written a word in the last week. That said the "I've finished a novel" weirdness is slowly passing and I'm itching to get started on the editing which I'll start the week after next. Am itching to write a short story so might satisfy my creative urges that way.

Jen said...

Thanks for all the luck - I'm gonna need it!

A decade from now Kevin? Ugh, that sounds like forever. It'd be cool though, no? And, um, 'had a hoot'? A slightly old-fashioned term for a laugh, a riot. Definitely no inbreeding necessary!! :)

sheepish said...

Brilliant, positive doesn't do you justice. WOW we'll all be right behind you. Well done you.

Rose Red Art said...

Well Done Jen! I wish I could do it!

I've been writing/editing the 2nd draft of my first Novel. I had a target of reaching 20K and I did it! I was chuffed!

As for meeting other writers, it's something I haven't done but would like to. I've never come face to face with another writer :( So if any of you are up in Bonnie Scotland at some point, let me know!

KeVin K. said...

Yep, Jen, hoot means the same thing on both sides. Wonder how it came to be an almost exclusively southern term?

hesitant scribe said...

Oh best of luck with it Jen! It's a wonderful opportunity - carpe diem and all that.

So jealous that you got to meet up with JJ. I'm going to get to meet lots of writers tomorrow but unfortunately I have to talk to them in a formal setting as though I know what I'm talking about (although when it comes to having writer's block I am a bit of an expert these days haha).

Hope everyone is writing hard. Good news: I've done 3,500 words this week but Bad news: it's non-fiction. But good news: it goes towards the thesis. Hurrah!

Kevin - this whole English language thing is such a hoot y'all! (As a Canuck who came over as a child speakin' the wrong kind of English!!!)

Cathy said...

Go for it Jen!

I feel guilty because I probably have more time to write than most of you...I only work part time and it is flexible and from home...but I have decided that for the next year I am going to take the writing much more seriously and only do writing related studying (this years OU course was a mistake in some ways.)
Just have to try to fit the writing in around all our domestic problems now (my family is very complicated!!)

I've just been away for a few days so no writing at all this week.