Hello everyone
today finds me possibly driving in reverse, on a road I travelled 18 months ago and prayed I would never have to travel again. The word redundancy reached my ears today as I toiled away in the garden centre. Word on site is that the powers that be are considering closing the centre down and selling the land off to the local council or a private developer.
My heart leapt into my mouth and I felt sick. No, not again, this can't be happening.
As my little seven day a week cleaning job is in the same centre, I stand to lose both jobs, leaving me once again with nothing. No job means no money, no money means goodbye little flat, hello car.
I have been saving, putting a little of my wages away every month, but it is by no means enough.
I can't face it again; my cats are settled here, they have even made friends. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
The garden centre has been there since I was a child, I thought it was safe. I have spoken to the manager incase it was just an option; I wish I hadn't. Apparently five other locations they have across the country have been closed down.
So here we go again, checking out the job sites, I won't even get redundancy money this time as I haven't eve been there a year yet. The writing of my second book, (still no news on the first one) was going very well, I was happy and settled and the words just seemed to flow. I could picture every scene as clearly as if I were watching it on tv, I began to live the book and become a part of it. Now my mind is filled with fear; I am scared. The manager said nothing will happen until at least the end of this year, beginning of next; some small comfort I suppose.
I wish you all productive and happy writing, until next time.
Wednesday, 24 May 2017
Sunday, 16 April 2017
No News Is NOT Good News
Hello everyone,
Today sees me fed up with waiting. I sent my precious novel out into the world nearly five months ago, to what I thought was a good agency; I stand corrected and confused. The agency stated that it read and replied to all MSS after around three months, if you heard nothing within the three months send them a polite email enquiry.
I waited five months, hoping and praying everyday that I would hear something, but nothing happened. Two weeks ago I emailed a polite enquiry as to whether or not they'd had a chance to read my MSS or at least look at it, but once again I have received nothing except the usual automated response stating they have received my email.
My patience has now gone. I know editors are very busy, but five months is a long time to hear nothing and now another two weeks have passed and even my polite email has been ignored. Well I'm through with being patient. I've sent my novel to another agency and once again after the initial automated response, have to wait patiently, fingers crossed and hope for the best. Their website said that they read and reply to all MSS within eight weeks; we'll see.
I'm still busy writing my next novel and have so far reached the quarter mile mark; only three quarters left and I'm done. Writing seems to have slowed a bit at the moment as paid work takes over. But as I've now worked out my notice on my evening cleaning job, I should have more time to write. I finish my day job at five, get home in half an hour, grab a sandwich and sit down at my desk. If I relax on the sofa I'm done for. Getting up at five every morning, and working until five every evening is taking its toll. I'm still working seven days a week, but have knocked two hours a night off.
I hope everyone has had a good Easter; I was working as usual, but at least I got to wear my bunny ears for the day and made a lot of customers in the restaurant smile.
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE and keep writing, one day our dream might come true.
Today sees me fed up with waiting. I sent my precious novel out into the world nearly five months ago, to what I thought was a good agency; I stand corrected and confused. The agency stated that it read and replied to all MSS after around three months, if you heard nothing within the three months send them a polite email enquiry.
I waited five months, hoping and praying everyday that I would hear something, but nothing happened. Two weeks ago I emailed a polite enquiry as to whether or not they'd had a chance to read my MSS or at least look at it, but once again I have received nothing except the usual automated response stating they have received my email.
My patience has now gone. I know editors are very busy, but five months is a long time to hear nothing and now another two weeks have passed and even my polite email has been ignored. Well I'm through with being patient. I've sent my novel to another agency and once again after the initial automated response, have to wait patiently, fingers crossed and hope for the best. Their website said that they read and reply to all MSS within eight weeks; we'll see.
I'm still busy writing my next novel and have so far reached the quarter mile mark; only three quarters left and I'm done. Writing seems to have slowed a bit at the moment as paid work takes over. But as I've now worked out my notice on my evening cleaning job, I should have more time to write. I finish my day job at five, get home in half an hour, grab a sandwich and sit down at my desk. If I relax on the sofa I'm done for. Getting up at five every morning, and working until five every evening is taking its toll. I'm still working seven days a week, but have knocked two hours a night off.
I hope everyone has had a good Easter; I was working as usual, but at least I got to wear my bunny ears for the day and made a lot of customers in the restaurant smile.
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE and keep writing, one day our dream might come true.
Sunday, 5 March 2017
Patience Is A virtue
Hello everyone,
February has come and gone and I have still heard nothing from the agency, it's driving me crazy. I have become obsessed with checking my emails and do so three or four times a day, but the longed for one is never there and my heart sinks just that little bit deeper every time. I remind myself to have patience; the email will come and that no news is good news.
It's been an odd week; I didn't have to scour the job sites as one came looking for me. I helped out a few times in the garden centre restaurant where I clean in the morning as they have been so short staffed and the manager came and spoke to me, asking if I would like a job there; 30 hours a week. I thought he was joking, but no, he was serious. Even though I was unsure, (I've never worked in a restaurant) I found myself saying yes, thank you, that would be great, even though my mind was screaming at me to say no, stop and think about this. It was one of those moments when my mouth and brain were not working together; my mind screams NO but my mouth says yeah alright then.
Anyway I started last Monday and work seven hours a day five days a week, I start at eight, do the cleaning until ten, then get changed, go over to the restaurant and work until five, then go on to my final two hour office clean, getting home around eight thirty. It's a long 12 hour day and I'm on my feet all the time, it's only minimum wage but at least it is a wage.
As for my poor writing, well at the moment its taken a back seat, the restaurant is so busy and chaotic and I don't get a break. The two cleaning jobs are slower paced and allow me to mull over plot lines and think up new problems for my characters and I always have a note book and pen in my pocket. I've scribbled down a few scenes and worked out some of the kinks, so when I do get a chance to write again, hopefully it will be all plain sailing, (I wish)
Anyway, as it's Sunday today, I only work for two hours in the garden centre, the rest of the day is mine and I am determined to get some writing done. All household chores are finished; both cats are asleep, the lizard is lying on his hot water bottle on the window sill and I've got a couple of stroppy characters doing battle in my head; think I'd better go and sort them out.
Until next time, I wish you all well and good luck.
February has come and gone and I have still heard nothing from the agency, it's driving me crazy. I have become obsessed with checking my emails and do so three or four times a day, but the longed for one is never there and my heart sinks just that little bit deeper every time. I remind myself to have patience; the email will come and that no news is good news.
It's been an odd week; I didn't have to scour the job sites as one came looking for me. I helped out a few times in the garden centre restaurant where I clean in the morning as they have been so short staffed and the manager came and spoke to me, asking if I would like a job there; 30 hours a week. I thought he was joking, but no, he was serious. Even though I was unsure, (I've never worked in a restaurant) I found myself saying yes, thank you, that would be great, even though my mind was screaming at me to say no, stop and think about this. It was one of those moments when my mouth and brain were not working together; my mind screams NO but my mouth says yeah alright then.
Anyway I started last Monday and work seven hours a day five days a week, I start at eight, do the cleaning until ten, then get changed, go over to the restaurant and work until five, then go on to my final two hour office clean, getting home around eight thirty. It's a long 12 hour day and I'm on my feet all the time, it's only minimum wage but at least it is a wage.
As for my poor writing, well at the moment its taken a back seat, the restaurant is so busy and chaotic and I don't get a break. The two cleaning jobs are slower paced and allow me to mull over plot lines and think up new problems for my characters and I always have a note book and pen in my pocket. I've scribbled down a few scenes and worked out some of the kinks, so when I do get a chance to write again, hopefully it will be all plain sailing, (I wish)
Anyway, as it's Sunday today, I only work for two hours in the garden centre, the rest of the day is mine and I am determined to get some writing done. All household chores are finished; both cats are asleep, the lizard is lying on his hot water bottle on the window sill and I've got a couple of stroppy characters doing battle in my head; think I'd better go and sort them out.
Until next time, I wish you all well and good luck.
Sunday, 5 February 2017
Fear, Worry And New Legislation
Hello everyone,
I've been flitting around job sites this month looking for a few more hours. I don't want to, I want to fill my hours with writing and my head with stories, but I got scared. What happens if I get an unexpected bill or (God forbid) have to take one of my cats to the vet? I'll tell you, I might not be able to pay the rent and I'm terrified of being homeless again, I can't face that, not again.
So with all my years (11) to be precise, in the care industry, all that time spent training and getting qualified to management level, I thought I'd put it to good use and so looked at going back into it, just part time, maybe community care. There are always jobs available in the care sector, community or nursing home, well, I was in for a shock.
Because I've been out of the care world for over a year now, all my training, certificates and qualifications count for nothing, I would have to start from the bottom again. Even my NVQ's are all useless now. I spoke to several agencies and a care home manager, all of whom said I would have to retrain from the start; with the basics. They did all assure me, that because I already have the qualifications and the knowledge, that it wouldn't take me long to go through the training again, maybe a year or two; needless to say, I declined.
All that time I spent training, all those wasted years, my evenings and weekends spent sitting in front of my computer doing stupid training courses instead of doing what I really wanted; all wasted now because of new legislation. I'm too old to retrain, can't even be bothered, all that extra work and my writing on hold while I do pointless courses to teach me how to wipe a 95 year old shitty bum.
Guess I'll keep looking; maybe supermarket work, check out or shelf stacking, anything to keep the wolf away from the door and as it's February, (the month I've been waiting for) I'm checking my emails about three times a day, hoping and praying to hear from the agency. Part of me is excited, part terrified, I know when I see the email I will be terrified to open it, what if it says 'NO?' What if it says YES?' Hopefully by the time I write next I should have an answer; one way or the other, but until then, I will keep writing and hoping.
good luck to everyone who shares my passion, may 2017 be our year.
I've been flitting around job sites this month looking for a few more hours. I don't want to, I want to fill my hours with writing and my head with stories, but I got scared. What happens if I get an unexpected bill or (God forbid) have to take one of my cats to the vet? I'll tell you, I might not be able to pay the rent and I'm terrified of being homeless again, I can't face that, not again.
So with all my years (11) to be precise, in the care industry, all that time spent training and getting qualified to management level, I thought I'd put it to good use and so looked at going back into it, just part time, maybe community care. There are always jobs available in the care sector, community or nursing home, well, I was in for a shock.
Because I've been out of the care world for over a year now, all my training, certificates and qualifications count for nothing, I would have to start from the bottom again. Even my NVQ's are all useless now. I spoke to several agencies and a care home manager, all of whom said I would have to retrain from the start; with the basics. They did all assure me, that because I already have the qualifications and the knowledge, that it wouldn't take me long to go through the training again, maybe a year or two; needless to say, I declined.
All that time I spent training, all those wasted years, my evenings and weekends spent sitting in front of my computer doing stupid training courses instead of doing what I really wanted; all wasted now because of new legislation. I'm too old to retrain, can't even be bothered, all that extra work and my writing on hold while I do pointless courses to teach me how to wipe a 95 year old shitty bum.
Guess I'll keep looking; maybe supermarket work, check out or shelf stacking, anything to keep the wolf away from the door and as it's February, (the month I've been waiting for) I'm checking my emails about three times a day, hoping and praying to hear from the agency. Part of me is excited, part terrified, I know when I see the email I will be terrified to open it, what if it says 'NO?' What if it says YES?' Hopefully by the time I write next I should have an answer; one way or the other, but until then, I will keep writing and hoping.
good luck to everyone who shares my passion, may 2017 be our year.
Friday, 30 December 2016
A good idea or a stupid mistake
Hello everyone,
My novel has been out in the big wide agency world for a few weeks now, I do miss it, but to keep from worrying about it, I'm full on with my second one and have reached chapter five already.
A few weeks ago, four to be precise; I did a strange thing. I handed in my notice on two of my four jobs. I have worked out my months notice on both of them, so as from the new year I am only working 35 hours a week instead of over 60.
You see, I have an image in my head; me sitting in my office at home (in my nice new house by the sea) spending all my time writing. No more working for someone else, I'm going to be my own boss. Obviously I still need money to pay the rent and bills etc and I will have to cut back,(drastically) I've always wanted to do this, to be a fulltime writer and if I don't try, I'll never know, so I decided in my infinite moment of wisdom, that it was now or never; so now it is.
This could be the best moment of my life; the best decision I've ever made, or it could be the most stupid thing I've ever done, either way I won't know unless I try.
I know the agency said it was a 12 week wait, maybe more, which takes us up to sometime in February, but I still can't help checking my emails with excitement every day ...just in case.
I've also decided now is the perfect time to give up smoking, (let's face it, I'm never going to afford it now) I'm not sure what's got into me, I feel happy and hopeful for the future. I have no men in my life anymore (apart from my son and he doesn't count) my girls are happy, my cats are happy and so finally, am I.
Here's to 2017; let's hope it's a great new start for everyone,
HAPPY NEW YEAR
My novel has been out in the big wide agency world for a few weeks now, I do miss it, but to keep from worrying about it, I'm full on with my second one and have reached chapter five already.
A few weeks ago, four to be precise; I did a strange thing. I handed in my notice on two of my four jobs. I have worked out my months notice on both of them, so as from the new year I am only working 35 hours a week instead of over 60.
You see, I have an image in my head; me sitting in my office at home (in my nice new house by the sea) spending all my time writing. No more working for someone else, I'm going to be my own boss. Obviously I still need money to pay the rent and bills etc and I will have to cut back,(drastically) I've always wanted to do this, to be a fulltime writer and if I don't try, I'll never know, so I decided in my infinite moment of wisdom, that it was now or never; so now it is.
This could be the best moment of my life; the best decision I've ever made, or it could be the most stupid thing I've ever done, either way I won't know unless I try.
I know the agency said it was a 12 week wait, maybe more, which takes us up to sometime in February, but I still can't help checking my emails with excitement every day ...just in case.
I've also decided now is the perfect time to give up smoking, (let's face it, I'm never going to afford it now) I'm not sure what's got into me, I feel happy and hopeful for the future. I have no men in my life anymore (apart from my son and he doesn't count) my girls are happy, my cats are happy and so finally, am I.
Here's to 2017; let's hope it's a great new start for everyone,
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Sunday, 20 November 2016
A kiss Goodbye
Hello everyone
My novel is finished, 82.000words. It has been read and reread so many times and edited to within an inch of its life and has now finally been sent out into the big wide agency world to fend for itself.
It took me three days to write a cover letter and nearly half a trees worth of paper before I was finally satisfied. The synopsis was relatively easy and took two tries; the first detailed everything I wanted to say, while the edited version was stripped down to the bare bones AND I got it down to a single page.
I chose my agent carefully. After referring to THE ARTISTS AND WRITERS YEARBOOK and hundreds of agencies on line, I selected the five I considered to be right for me and my genre before whittling it down to the last two. The one I chose; MADELEINE MILBURN, said they read everything that is sent to them; so blowing a kiss to my MSS I hit the send button and wished it good luck.
I received an acknowledgement within the hour, which I thought was very nice; it was only a standard thanks for submitting, but at least I know they got it, but I'm now going to have a nail biting 12 week wait, which takes us up to February to find out if its been accepted.
I have now started my second novel; it was the only way to stop me worrying about the first one, although I must admit, it's never far from my mind. I see books on the shelves of Waterstones and imagine my book sitting there proudly on the shelf for all to see. 12 weeks is a long time; three months and as Christmas will soon be upon us and everything will grind to a halt, I'm sure it will take longer, but as they say, patience is a virtue, it also drives you crazy.
That's about it for now; good luck to anyone who has sent their MSS out into the big wide world.
My novel is finished, 82.000words. It has been read and reread so many times and edited to within an inch of its life and has now finally been sent out into the big wide agency world to fend for itself.
It took me three days to write a cover letter and nearly half a trees worth of paper before I was finally satisfied. The synopsis was relatively easy and took two tries; the first detailed everything I wanted to say, while the edited version was stripped down to the bare bones AND I got it down to a single page.
I chose my agent carefully. After referring to THE ARTISTS AND WRITERS YEARBOOK and hundreds of agencies on line, I selected the five I considered to be right for me and my genre before whittling it down to the last two. The one I chose; MADELEINE MILBURN, said they read everything that is sent to them; so blowing a kiss to my MSS I hit the send button and wished it good luck.
I received an acknowledgement within the hour, which I thought was very nice; it was only a standard thanks for submitting, but at least I know they got it, but I'm now going to have a nail biting 12 week wait, which takes us up to February to find out if its been accepted.
I have now started my second novel; it was the only way to stop me worrying about the first one, although I must admit, it's never far from my mind. I see books on the shelves of Waterstones and imagine my book sitting there proudly on the shelf for all to see. 12 weeks is a long time; three months and as Christmas will soon be upon us and everything will grind to a halt, I'm sure it will take longer, but as they say, patience is a virtue, it also drives you crazy.
That's about it for now; good luck to anyone who has sent their MSS out into the big wide world.
Thursday, 27 October 2016
The End;
Hello everyone
Yes, that's it, I have finally finished my novel; all 300 pages, now comes the hard, eye strain bit of editing it to death. I have been editing as I go, so it's really just a case of tidying it up and re-reading to make sure it all makes sense.
I aim to get it all finished, edited, checked and polished by the end of this month, which as from yesterday, gives me a week. I have found an agency to send it to, after checking the writers and artists year book and hundreds of google pages for agents, I think (hope) I've found the right one.
I have also made a new friend online; his name is Dan and he lives in America. We have been chatting for a while and seem to have a lot in common. He loves horror and anything spooky. He has sent me lots of great pictures, which inspire my imagination; I want to write, write, write, but real paid work gets in the way.
I have already got a second book planned and third and forth. I take my writing with me inside my head and when I am doing my boring, monotonous paid job, I work on my book, piecing things together and planning the story.
Writers often complain that they have nothing to write about; I have the opposite problem, too much to write about. I have so many books and short stories in my head, it's just finding the time to get them out and onto paper.
Anyway I'd better get back to it; I have two spare hours before I have to start my next job, good luck to everyone in the writing and living world.
Yes, that's it, I have finally finished my novel; all 300 pages, now comes the hard, eye strain bit of editing it to death. I have been editing as I go, so it's really just a case of tidying it up and re-reading to make sure it all makes sense.
I aim to get it all finished, edited, checked and polished by the end of this month, which as from yesterday, gives me a week. I have found an agency to send it to, after checking the writers and artists year book and hundreds of google pages for agents, I think (hope) I've found the right one.
I have also made a new friend online; his name is Dan and he lives in America. We have been chatting for a while and seem to have a lot in common. He loves horror and anything spooky. He has sent me lots of great pictures, which inspire my imagination; I want to write, write, write, but real paid work gets in the way.
I have already got a second book planned and third and forth. I take my writing with me inside my head and when I am doing my boring, monotonous paid job, I work on my book, piecing things together and planning the story.
Writers often complain that they have nothing to write about; I have the opposite problem, too much to write about. I have so many books and short stories in my head, it's just finding the time to get them out and onto paper.
Anyway I'd better get back to it; I have two spare hours before I have to start my next job, good luck to everyone in the writing and living world.
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