Tuesday 5 May 2009

Not much happening

Well, I had intended to report back on the Society of Authors Spring Meeting in Liverpool, but, before lazybones me got round to it, someone bet me to it and has done a good job of it. So, if anyone is interested, you can go over to Helen P's blog and scroll down to her 27th April posting.

This was my first SOA meeting and I was pleasantly surprised at how approachable and friendly everyone was. It was also my first time in Liverpool and I wish I'd given myself more time to stroll around after the meeting before I had to head for the train.

Publishers look at blogs, we were told at the meeting. Oh dear, I'll have to do better with mine than what I've been doing lately. Speaking of which, I can't tell how many (if anyone) looks at mine now since it seems the Google counter has been changed to only go up in tens. All I know is that less than ten people looked in the past week (no, less than eight, because I looked twice). Come to think of it, I don't suppose the title of this post is exactly right for enticing anyone to take a look, but I'm blowed if I can think of another just now.

I'm trying to get back to writing a novel that I started some time ago. I'd got the first rough draft finished before putting it aside. Now that I'm looking at it with fresh eyes I'm not happy with what I see. I knew it would need a lot of work doing on it, but now I'm wondering whether to scrap the lot and start afresh with something new. I've found before that putting a manuscript aside for a while is a big help in seeing what needs doing. But trouble with this one is I put it aside not just for a couple of weeks but for nearly a year! That's far too long. It's going to be very hard to get back into it now.

Meanwhile, as I'm trying to decide what to do, I'm not doing much at all. Realising I hadn't blogged for over a week made me spring into action. Ah, yes, said I, I'll blog from my notes to report back on the meeting, but first I'll just see what others are blogging about ...

I'm sitting here feeling cross with myself for being so wishy-washy, and I'm getting fat. Think I'll have a date & walnut flapjack to cheer me up and renew my energy. And then you won't see me for the sparks flying from my fingers.

3 comments:

Helen P said...

Jean - what a shame we didn't meet up at SofA's meeting in Liverpool but lovely to me you for the first time in the not so real world. I will be following your publishing story with great interest - well done!

Lane Mathias said...

I know what you mean about leaving a draft to fester for too long. If I leave mine even a week or so, I forget characters names and sily things like who has died:-)

As for blog visitors, I use 'statcounter' and it tells you who visits, what days, where from etc.

Hope your fingers did some flying after the cake:-)

Jean said...

Helen - yes, a pity we didn't meet up in Liverpool. Hopefully we will another time, and it's good to at least meet in this 'e-world'.

Lane - Thank you for popping over to my blog again. 'Statcounter' sounds useful though I'd probably be looking too often instead of getting on with writing! Yes, a big mistake leaving a draft to fester for too long.