Wednesday 28 December 2016

Honesty

When I started blogging again, I wanted it t be honest. I could talk  about my writing life and leave it at that but I wanted to show that even if you are on your own, have suffered from depression for decade and have no family or partner, you can still write successfully. Writing can be such an escape, I was hoping to share that with other people. I am now having second thoughts. I had a truly dire Christmas. I was sad lonely and desperately miserable. But I didn't want to say that. I know my Christmas wasn't the worst in the world, not even in the top billion, but it was the worst Christmas for me.
I don't want to argue with other people. I can't get into yes, but at least that didn't happen to you, or at least you're well. I am therefore calling a halt. From now on I will only talk about writing. My private life, except on a surface level, will not be involved. Just remember though, when you read abut my future successes and all the good thigns that happen to me, that there are other layers you don't know about. It can be tempting to envy other people's lives but we never know what anyone else's life is really like unless we are living it.
Today I finished working on part one of my new serial and added some more plot lines to parts two and three. I have now sent it off to The People's Friend to see whether they like it. 
As it can be tempting to spend all my time writing stories. Ideas come so easily to me. I need to find another way to work so that I can spend time on longer works and more books for writers.  I have tired all kinds of schedules and timetables with no success.
For the rest of the year, I have forbidden myself from writing any more womag stories, thereby forcing myself to give something else a go.  I COULD start work on the novels but, and even as I type this, it feels like an excuse, I would rather wait until I have moved. At the moment, that still feels like a lifetime away.
I have been working on a follow up to my ideas book for ages. Maybe I can finish that... It's worth a try....Meanwhile, if there's anything about writing that you'd like me to talk about on this blog, do let me know.
I never did get that fifty second sale. Not much chance now so I'll have to be happy with fifty one. If I can sell that many stories next year, I'll be delighted. 
See you in 2017! 


5 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Linda. You've had an amazing year writing wise. Best wishes for 2017 and lots of luck with your move. Lxx

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  2. You're right that it's easy to be envious or jealous of others, without having any idea what their lives are really like.

    I hope 2017 brings you happiness.

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  3. Linda, I think that's probably a good idea (just writing about your work). I know what you mean about comments like 'at least so and so didn't happen to you' - I think people mean well but it doesn't help, does it? I remember a colleague of mine - an older lady who really needed the job - was made redundant once, when we worked together back in the '80s- and was naturally upset. The manager said to her 'Well, just think what's happened to Chris's wife ...' (she'd just had a stillborn baby)... 'at least that hasn't happened to you.' Comments like that are just a bit crass and unhelpful. But people don't mean them like that. Anyway, you have had a fantastic year for acceptances - I envy you those, if I'm being honest! So there you go, we all envy each other for different things! My advice (which you can ignore, obviously, because what do I know?!) is to write a plan NOW for Christmas 2017. What do you want to be doing/how do you want to spend next Christmas? Not like the one that's just gone. Some things are out of your control, of course but you don't have to spend next Christmas on your own and/or miserable. I hope 2017 is a good year for you and good luck with the move! x

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  4. Linda, hopefully we'll be in touch again soon. I loved speaking to you via email! Any consolation, I had 'the bug' over Christmas and mine was a quiet one too. Let us hope that 2017 will be much brighter! Your inspiration with regards to help with People's Friend really gave me hope to try again. Spk soon and take care! CARRIE HEWLETT

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  5. 'How to write stories with twist endings' was very helpful to me. Thanks for writing it. Its a very good teaching aid.

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