Thursday, May 17, 2007

I want this to go smooth and by the numbers...

Getting the summer plans sorted means that I now have a strict deadline(1) for finishing the book: 3 July.

My sunshiney nap this afternoon was scheduled. Yep, that's how organised I've become.

I see that the sands of my blog-time are just running out, so must dash on to the next thing on the list: pre-dinner drink.

Excellent.
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(1) strict means that I have a little bit of research to do in Dublin, for fine-tuning, but that's it.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

So what's the book called? Come on now...don't be shy. As a fellow aspiring writer, I can even offer to test-read a couple of chapters and give a brutally honest opinion. Really, my opinions are always brutally honest. Ask Conor. And I need something to do at work anyway, it's a _real_ slow week at the office...

Orlaith said...

Me and titles... they're either the first thing that I know for sure about a piece, or the very last. The working-title is 'Darkness Visible', but that might actually be the name of the trilogy.

The little words aren't ready for brutality yet, but I'll bear the offer in mind when they're all grown up!

Anonymous said...

Indeed, it sounds like a trilogy title. I started a book a few years ago (my first ever) based entirely on the title. It wasn't a terribly good book, but it wasn't terribly bad either.

Here's a thought - maybe we start an on-line writer's circle? God knows I can't find anyone in Sweden to do a writer's circle in English (or who can take criticism very well - they're a bit touchy about that). Maybe a virtual circle is the solution. Sound like an idea?

Orlaith said...

Yeah, getting feedback & criticism at the right level is a tough one.

There's a good online writers' circle up and running. Have you tried www.zoetrope.com - it's Francis Ford Coppola's baby. It's a 'virtual studio' where writers can post their work and get feedback on it (in return for giving feedback on other writing). It's a really good system; because total strangers review your work, they often have a very interesting perspective.

From my point of view, the problem is that writers don't necessarily need good writers to read their stuff, but good editors. And some brilliant writers are rubbish at doing anything other than writing their own stuff.

Zoetrope might suit - if you do post stuff there add a note to say you're using 'Rest of the World English' and not US Microsoft English. Saves wading through feedback about spelling!