Diary of a Writer

A Writer’s Diary is particularly given to feast and famine, I find. Look at July…

New Novel is at that nerve-shredding stage before consigning it to the electronic ether. Have I spelled the heroine’s name the same way every time? What about her hair colour? Find and Replace is one of my favourite buttons in word. Does everyone suffer from this desire to do just one more check? How many redundant words does the ms contain? That, just, then…

Next Novel is written, but lacks sparkle. Where to buy fairy dust? Ah, it’s more like blood sweat and tears. I see.

Short Story in Scots dialect Write another while first remains under consideration.

Short Article for Friends of the Botanics newsletter. No problem, I said when ambushed at breakfast recently. Were the bacon rolls in the  John Hope Gateway café that good? Probably. Have I mentioned how I think I may have lived in

Inverleith House in a previous life? No? (Maybe as the skivvy. Ah Well) It is one of my favourite houses in the world.

RNA committee responsibilities Getting there. There will be party tickets – just bear with me.

Real Life – And that is? Ah, yes. The DH likes to eat. Some shopping and preparing in advance required.

Conference So looking forward to Lancaster and meeting up with folk old and new. The RNA is truly one of the friendliest organtsations I’ve ever been in. Love it to bits.

Writers’ Club Edinburgh writers’ club is my alma mater where fiction writing is concerned and we’re really busy plotting. Watch this space (for when the publicity lady says Go, go, go!)

Then along comes August…  Society of Authors in Scotland AGM and lunch, Book Festival and other Festivals.

Did Jane Austen suffer feasts and famines? She was often on the move and maybe that inhibited writing.

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Diary of a Writer – end of the Club Year

The end of Diary writer’s year at Edinburgh Writers’ Club was marked last night by the AGM and Prize-giving at the Wash Bar, The Mound.

2015-16 saw a varied programme of talks, competitions and workshops. Some were member led and some were the chance to hear a distinguished speaker talk with passion about the area of writing they know and love best.

I’ve personally benefited so much from membership of this club and through it of the Scottish Association of Writers, that I still feel the pulse race as end September approaches. They were the ones who helped me understand what an editor does for you. they were the ones who led me through the maze of genres to find play writing. They were the ones who put up with my angst while I unlearned play writing and took up novel writing. Through being there, I spotted my first short story opportunity and won my first play writing prize, publication, and performance.They’ve certainly been there for me.

Looking forward to our unofficial August rendezvous in the Book Festival Spiegel tent – books, chat, coffee, cake and wine – where else would you find a gaggle of writers except in a similar natural home? That’s on Saturday 27 August between 12 and 2. Come and join us. Find out who we are and whether we can help you write like JK. (The answer’s no, but dream on and we’re very nice.)

 

Edinburgh Writers’ club website is here

Mariah’s Marriage, Bella’s Betrothal, Daisy’s Dilemma on amazon here

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