I hope you will join me on my journey to becoming a published writer and share my 'highs' and 'lows' along the way.
Looking back over the last year......
Back in January 2013, I had just completed a ten week course, Telling Tales, at the local university run by Lynne Barrett-Lee, a published author. I started to send off some of my stories for publication. Alfie Dog Fiction accepted the second one I sent and I was thrilled to see my first ever story, Sledging in Mansell's Field, available for download. I now have three other stories on the site, Moving On, And Then There Were Two... and Woven with Love. The editor, Rosemary Kind, gives helpful feedback very promptly and I have learnt a lot from her advice. The highlight of my contact with Alfie Dog came when Moving On was included in its anthology Came as 'Me', Left as 'We' which is available as a paperback as well as a download.My fictional account of Taking Tea With Emmeline Pankhurst appeared in the July issue of Pretty Nostalgic magazine. It was great fun to write and enjoyable to research the life of such an influential woman.
During the year, I have entered various writing competitions and the nearest I've come to success was to be a runner up in the NLG Flash Fiction competition with my story The House Viewing.
So you can see from these very modest achievements, my journey has started in spite of the inevitable (so they say!) rejections I've received.
I need to set myself some goals. I think, I procrastinate, I dill-dally and dither so.........in 2014 I must WRITE,WRITE, WRITE!
Here are the goals I've set myself:
- Start a writing blog - yeah!
- Write regularly and more often
- Get at least one story published in a woman's magazine
- Get back on track with my novel and finish a first draft.
I look forward to sharing my progress with you. Any advice gratefully received!
By 'runner up' it should read 'Highly Commended' which is, I suppose, one of the runners up to the three winners! Sorry if it sounded a higher place than it was - I pressed 'publish' before careful reading. Lesson No.1 in blogging!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Jan. And happy new blog too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Patsy. You are the first to comment on my blog so I appreciate that!
DeleteI hope you're going to email me a chocolate covered prize for being first?
ReplyDeleteBox of Hotel Chocolat goodies coming your way! :-)
DeleteWehey Jan I've found your blog. Been looking for a while. Looks good.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your follow, Sue. I just need to keep regularly posting blogs now - weekly I'm aiming for. Nag me if I don't!
DeleteWelcome to blogland, Jan and good luck with your writing this year.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading my blog, Wendy, and your good wishes.
DeleteWell done so far Jan! Good luck with the goals you have set. I am in the early stages of my new blog too - it's great to connect with others just starting theirs! I will follow your progress with interest :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the follow, Samantha. It's good to hear from a fellow 'blog novice' as you say. Good luck with your writing. I shall reciprocate by visiting your blog now!
DeleteThank so much Jan. Let's hope it's a fun, productive and successful year! :)
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