The Next Quarter...

 September is passing swiftly, and I need to get on with one of the novels.

I'm making a list...

There's a handful of outstanding items on my should have been done by now list, so next week I'll dive in and get them done. 

I've also been spending extra time in the garden, enjoying the sunshine and warm air while it's here. That may be why my to-do list hasn't receded... :D

One of my (now) grown-up children went off to university in the north-west, last weekend. Unfortunately it's in an area with additional restrictions put in place due to rising Covid positive test results. 

For now, meetings at the Writers' Club remain cancelled. I miss the regular get-togethers and while Zoom is useful, I'm not totally comfortable using it. 

I happened to see a book mentioned online, last month, one that many writer would find interesting; The Writer's Guide to Psychology: How to Write Accurately About Psychological Disorders, Clinical Treatment and Human Behaviour, by Carolyn Kaufman, Psy.D. 

While it is American and was published ten years ago it's a helpful starting point to then go on to the latest information. The chapter on Common Myths and Mistakes is a must read...

There is a kindle version available.

Now my eyes have been tested and the optician has confirmed my vision has changed, I need new glasses. I will be venturing back in to the city centre sometime this week to choose them.

(Currently, if I want to read anything I need to take my glasses off and hold the book or paper closer.)

I'll get a new academic diary while I'm out too- I'm lost without one (the weekend no longer feels like the old weekends did).

(The Sunflowers in the picture have now gone-over and laying on the ground to dry out.)

Have a good week...

Deadlines are Hard Work...

The last day of August is here. For me that's the deadline for submitting my entry to the RNA's New Writers' Scheme.

Last year I put in my submission in at 4.30 am on the last day. Well I'm pleased to say this year it was only eight minutes into the last day when I clicked save and finalise.

I've submitted a partial this year; five chapters and the synopsis. 

I decided not to edit and submit the first half of chapter six. That turned out to be sensible with the deadline looming.

Giving myself the the whole of August to edit the chapters was important- I didn't do that last year.  It's given me a better idea of how much time I need in future...

2020's manuscript has a contemporary, rather than a historical setting. Not a sub-genre I've tried before.

As to the synopsis... I'm not good with them. Suspect I'd have needed the whole of August to edit it and still wouldn't have been right. The only positive from writing it out, I can see what might be better to cut, and potential plot holes.

There's outstanding research to do before I move on to the next chapters, so I'll get on with that meanwhile.

My family will be glad to get meals without chips. As the end of the month deadline approaches they get fed up of take-away's. Been no time for baking either...

Time in the garden has been helpful too. Colour and textures reminded me to be aware of the senses. 

So much has changed while I've been working on the manuscript. The berries on the Hawthorn have gone from orange to red...

Wonder what progress will be made by next spring when the blossom returns.