School's Almost Out...

Yes it's that time of year again, the six weeks school summer holidays begins at the end of this week, for me.

In the past I've always used this time to do research, whether it's reading up on a subject, or visiting a place that features in my novel under construction, or one in the planning stage.
Neither apply this year.

This year there are no trips planned, so I can't relax while I'm absorbing the sights and history of my chosen area.

Likewise I find any concentrated writing session is also out- there's too many interruptions and background noise. I need quiet to write and I don't get it during this long holiday...

Fortunately there are a few films out currently that my family want to see, so I'll be taking advantage of the silence when they go out-barring unexpected intrusions...

So I've decided this summer to get more organised.

I have lots of information and illustrations in plastic covers sat in a box waiting to be filed. As they're clearly falling into set categories, for example: buildings, costume, law, food, and people (any interesting faces from magazines, catalogues etc). So hopefully by the time September comes these useful items will be filed for easy access- I know there are a number of nuggets of inspiration among them.

So I need to make some room on my bookshelves for easy future access- and of course that means sorting other stuff out and seeing what I want to keep and what can be recycled...

Somewhere I have a folder full of old short stories that got temporarily packed away and haven't been seen since- my computer couldn't read the language they were originally saved in. Some of the hard copies might be worth reviewing- I've learnt a lot since they were written.

So I'm off to order the bits and pieces I'm going to need- a few large boxes included.

But, the good thing is I do still have a couple of days of quiet writing time left...

Bits and Bobs...

First the good news on the Blackbird family nesting in our garden. Two days ago the first fledgling appeared among the pots and overgrown grasses by the patio...

*   *   *

I've been having to look at computers with a view to replacing the current desktop. It is still functioning but the loading time for any web page with pictures is slowing down; so the graphics card is no longer adequate for a lot of the visuals you get everyday.

So it will be Windows 7 and that means I have to sort out all my saved work on XP so it will be in a form the new system can recognise- anyone got any tips?

*   *   *

If you haven't visited Sally Quilford's blog today, then do pop over and have a look at the pdf of the new guidelines for the longer My Weekly Pocket Novels.

*   *   *

Jane Austen's unfinished manuscript of The Watsons was sold at auction a few days ago and sold for just under a million pounds. It was bought by the Bodleian Libraries of Oxford, so it will not be going out of the country.

She was very neat in her editing- crossed out lines were quite straight, but you'd certainly need good eyesight to read it...

You can read what there is in book form, details here.

Despite our digital world with lots of means to communicate, in the end paper will probably last a lot longer and still be able to be read...