My Writing Ramblings: Whoosh, There Goes My Deadline….
‘I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.’ – Douglas Adams.
Happy Friday all.
I can’t quite believe that August has gone and we’ve now reached September.
It’s been one of those weeks where the day job has kind of taken over. I’ve been on mid shifts which on the whole don’t bother me but it’s meant that productivity of everything else has been put on the back burner. This includes the Austen challenge.
However, I now have a few days off so I will be back on track with finishing Emma before I know it…I hope. For the people doing the Austen reading challenge with me, the book for September is Mansfield Park.
My deadline to begin my novel was yesterday. I’ve not fully finished my planning so I’ve not started writing yet. Not finishing my planning has been my number one procrastination excuse. No more. I have given myself one more week.
I have so many feelings about beginning my novel. It has been something I have been talking about for such a long time. It’s this thing that has been built up in my head. I do worry about whether I am going to be able to begin it and keep going this time. However, I also think about when I’m a lot older and what I would regret more. Finishing a novel that possibly is not publishable but I’ve done it or not starting. Plus, there is also editing.
by 
My Writing Ramblings: Dream a Little Dream of Strangeness.
Happy Wednesday everyone.
How lovely has this weather been? It’s been absolutely gorgeous. On Sunday I went with some family over to Moors Valley Country Park near Bournemouth. I remember going there a lot when I was a child. There was such a magic to all the woods that seemed to go on for miles.
I would love reaching the climbing structures (and was very annoyed that I am now too big to go on them. It does suck being a grown up sometimes.)
If anything, the lake and the surrounding area is just as beautiful and I will never stop loving the steam train that runs around the park. As I passed the play area and saw the climbing frame, the zip wire and the area with the slide that looks like a castle, it brought back so many memories.
On Monday I also got a chance to spend the day at Sandbanks beach which is one of the most beautiful beaches. It was lovely to just swim in the sea and sit in the sun. As we had family staying, there has not been a lot of writing and planning but there has been a bit of chilling out and it’s been nice.
by My Writing Ramblings: Help! I’m Laura and I’m a PLL Obsessive…
Hello Wednesday. How are you?
We are halfway through the week (unless like me you’re a shift worker.) I hope you’ve been making the most of the sunshine when it has dared to show itself (Sunday was incredibly warm.) What I love about summer is that I can emerge from the chair in my little writing nook and get outside for some fresh air and brightness. It is so quiet where I live and although it is surrounded by houses there is also a lot of woodland (perfect for if I need a walk for inspiration.) It is not near the beach (which I was only fifteen minutes away at the most growing up) but it is the next best thing for sure.
The Austen reading challenge is going OK. I am trying to read it around another book so not reading as quickly as I could be doing. Emma is one of the books I’ve not read so the plot is a little bit more unfamiliar to say, Pride and Prejudice. So far so good. Emma is actually quite a tragic character isn’t she. She’s so busy matchmaking that she doesn’t take care of herself.
The obsession I do have at the moment is Pretty Little Liars. I am a little late to the PLL party but I am wondering what took me so long. It’s so good. I’ve even got the husband watching it. All six and a bit series are currently on Netflix and I’ve managed to watch all of them. I am suffering from PLL withdrawal. This new obsession hasn’t helped my productivity one bit. I blame Netflix.
by My Writing Ramblings: The Austen Challenge and Other Things…
Happy Wednesday everyone!
I can’t quite believe that we are already into August. The time is slipping by me in a surreal manner this year. Today marks the third year we’ve been in our current house and yet it doesn’t feel like five minutes since we moved in.
Before we know it we are going to be pulling those clocks back (I know, I said it. Ssshh, I hear you cry.)
This week I’ve been mainly trying to sleep and failing. Being wide awake at 2am isn’t so bad when I’m on my days off but on workdays it means copious amounts of tea and numerous walks around the building just to keep myself awake. In the last few days I’ve managed to spill tea all over the carpet (and my bag didn’t escape unscathed either,) drop things, walk into the occasional wall and drop a can of coke on a concrete floor, which had it spraying out absolutely everywhere. Lack of sleep does not do anything for my coordination. Ha-ha.
The writing side of my week has shown some progress. Most of my characters have had biographies written about them now. It’s nice to have a sense of who my characters are. They are becoming much more real to me now. Now it’s time to work on the plot.
One thing I have set myself starting this month is my Austen reading challenge. When thinking about it, I’ve realized that I have 
not read all of the Austen novels. I know!
So, the challenge is to read one a month for the next six months.
If you fancy reading along with me I am going to be reading them in this order…
by My Writing Ramblings: Well Hello There Summer…
Welcome Summer. I’m pleased you could join us. I’d almost forgotten what you look like. Haven’t the last couple of days in the UK been absolutely glorious?
I do love winter. I love being able to come in out the cold, wrap up warm and snuggle. I love that chill in the air that carries with it the potential promise of snow and yes, I am a bit of a Christmas nerd.
However, I have to say that there isn’t much that beats lounging around midweek beside the sea in the beautiful summer sunshine with a cold drink, a notebook and a book which was pretty much my day yesterday.
This week has been a good one for me as I have tried to chill out a little, read, see friends and generally just watch the world go by. I feel I’ve not had much of a chance to do that recently. I’ve read some really great books (like Lying in Wait and I’m currently reading A Certain Age. Both are proving to be excellent although the jury is still out on A Certain Age as I am still reading it.)
by Book Club
