In which events overtake me and writing is abandoned. Temporarily.

My Etsy shop is doing surprisingly well. Which is awesome! My mum and dad came to London today and took me out to dinner. Which is also awesome!

My writing hasn't really progressed today, though, as a result...

I'm up to a whopping 1957 words today, a whole 110 words further than yesterday. This is... not ideal. I will have to do better over the next few days. Wish me luck?

And we're off...

A late plane ride back to London meant that I was, in fact, awake at midnight so could make an early start to my new and shiny story. I managed to get 250 words done before I got home and slept, and am now up to somewhere near 900, handwritten on the train to and from work. Plan for tonight: type up the words done so far, and carry on bravely into the night. My goal is 1700 words a day, though I probably ought to aim for nearer 2000, since chances are that my Saturdays, at least, are going to be non-writing days. We'll see - slow and steady might be the way forward, after all...

I also think I have a working title: The Island. Not very imaginative, but it's a crime novel, not fantasy, it doesn't need so much world building. (I hope. I may yet regret the rash impetuousness of that statement, I realise.)

Other NaNo participants, do feel free to chime in in the comments at any time to let me know how you're doing, or send me a message on Twitter - I'm @nicolehill.

Good luck everyone!

ETA: 1848 words! Stopping for dinner now...

Change of plans...

In best NaNo tradition, I've completely changed my mind about my story. At the last minute. I'm now going to write a murder mystery, set in a small Breton island village of 800 inhabitants, where there has been no murder for 100 years. Until now. The island doesn't even have a policeman full-time - someone comes over during the summer.

Think of the festering resentments that would build up there. And the coverups of murders during the world wars, the Algerian war, the blackmail and bullying that could take place. It's going to be like Midsommer Murders, but French. Awesome. Also, based on a real-life story that this weekend's papers talked about - I can't wait, I can almost smell the mist and rotting fish in the harbour now...

Point of View

So, still struggling with this. I think I've decided to write it 3rd person, but from Juri's point of view, the main male character. Though there are scenes I need/want to have, to deepen the other characters, at which Juri isn't going to be present, which might complicate this slightly. OK, a lot. Maybe I can get someone to tell him about it afterwards...

Also, sex. Not just useful for google searches, but an issue I hadn't thought about when writing from a male characters point of view. I'm not a man, I obviously have never had sex as a man, and I don't know what sex feels like to a man. Nor what having an erection feels like. The rest of writing as a male character, I reckon I can make up as I go along, but this is proving an odd sticking point. If anyone has any suggestions, do shout!

I'm back...

Back from holiday, refreshed and raring to go! Or something - it's tempting to just sleep in the sun... But! I have plans!

I have a new novel growing in my head - its working title is the Emperor's Assassin, and it's got a fairly complicated plotline, with intertwined timelines, flashbacks and multicharacter points of view. It's going to be fun to write, if I can pull it off without my brain exploding!

The old novel is sitting gently stewing while I decide whether it needs to be gutted or not. My first brave beta reader has finished it and apparently not got so bored her eyes have started to bleed, so that's encouraging, and her suggestions have been very helpful. Her eye for detail is second to none!

I still think it needs a new opening scene, and a better-written ending. But, while I'm pondering that, if anyone would desperately like to read it, let me know. (Anyone who's coming to my wedding is ineligible, on the grounds that if you're that close to me, I'd be too embarrassed to know you've read my warped imaginings. Not because I don't like you, or trust your opinions. It's all about me, obviously.)

Fable and Fantasy

Fable and Fantasy is my new blog, where all my writing related blogging will be. This may, obviously, be cross referenced to my personal blog when I'm lacking inspiration, but should otherwise cut down on the number of posts over there that talk about word count and the like. Which probably interest no one other than me.

But that's ok, because this is my blog.

I intend, here, to document my writing progress, to share useful hints and information I've found (if only to remind myself) and generally to give myself a space to be "a writer", rather than any of the other aspects of me that constantly compete for time and attention!

To introduce myself to anyone reading this who doesn't already know me, I'm Nicole. I'm currently living in France, though due to move back to the UK soon. I'm in the middle of edits on my first novel, and have started outlining my second. In addition to writing, I make jewellery, try to keep vaguely on top of domesticity and sleep in the sun. (Always beats domestic chores, every time.) Hopefully the existence of this blog will help provide some sort of accountability and force me to set aside time to actually write.