Tag: Life goals

Writing

10 Years Later…

Grace M - Writer

Horizon Skies is 10 years old!

It has indeed, been a decade since I put pen to paper, and started on the story that eventually became Horizon Skies. 10 years during which I not only went through a lot of life changes, but my novel also metamorphosed from a messy, directionless fantasy into a manuscript that hopefully, resembles something a bit more polished.

In those years, other than writing, I moved house three times, changed jobs five times including relocating out of London, worked full time, and battled with depression and anxiety.

  • 2012 – Drafting on Red Sky Dawn begins.
  • 2017 – First draft finished!
    • A year spent on edits and revisions.
    • Title change to Horizon Skies.
  • 2018 – First round of querying literary agents.
    • My first experience of rejection.
  • 2018 – Worked with Lucy Rose York (editor) on improving manuscript.
  • 2019 – Procrastination, editing, revising, and more work with Lucy.
  • 2020 – Sporadic work on Horizon Skies.
  • 2021 – A very tough year, copy edit on opening chapters done.
  • 2022 – Fresh beta read, deep dive editing and revising.
  • 2022 – Back out to literary agents!

I’ve been at the point of no return with Horizon Skies several times, hence why it’s taken five years to get from the first draft to what is now the 6th or 7th. The overall story has remained the same, but there have been chapters and paragraphs cut, new chapters added, and the word count has fluctuated from its original 93k to 108k to 103k. All that’s left to do is create my query formats so they’re tailored to agent requirements.

What I have learnt from this process is invaluable though, and has certainly encouraged me to approach the next project with a different plan of action. I have lots of other ideas, more stories I want to tell, but in realising my ambition, I’ve had to learn not just how to write a novel, but what it means to be a writer.

As much as I want to work on other stuff, I have to prioritise Horizon Skies 2 (title undecided). I did work out a rough plan a few years ago, but as I’ve improved, new story arcs and back stories emerged. When I first started the process, I didn’t know what HS was about (the true mark of a pantser!).

So, my new plan is:

  • Review story plan for HS part 2.
  • Plan the story arc.
  • Character backstories.
    • Dynamics.
    • Relationships.
    • Tragedy.
    • Legends.
  • World building.
    • Book 2 has a whole new world to explore!
  • Structure.

I’m at the end of my first year with the Open University and my final assignment has been submitted. The second year starts in October, and I intend to use the four months between to work on book two, as book one will be sitting with agents, and querying can take months. With everything I’ve learnt, I have made a promise to myself to not take another 10 years!

The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is that writing a book is actually easy, it’s the stuff afterwards that’s hard. My editing was crap to begin with, I barely cut 500 words. Fast forward a few years, and I’ve cut whole chapters, revised parts of the story, identified words and phrases I’m far too fond of, and improved my grammar.

I fell out of love with Horizon Skies for a while, it can be a soul destroying process, performing necessary surgery on something I’ve nurtured from the first word on a blank page. I’ve found my enthusiasm for it again though, and feel genuinely excited to have something to my name.

Life

Thank ****, 2021 is Finally Over.

Grace M - Writer

I’m not going to sugarcoat it, the past year has been a total and utter shit show. On a personal level, 2021 started off with a mental breakdown, resulting in almost two months off work. Pete’s dad passed away in March after a long battle with blood cancer that went full blown leukaemia. In April, my cat needed emergency vet treatment, and Pete was struggling with burnout. In June I was struggling with high stress levels, ending up in hospital with gastritis. In July, we both contracted COVID, my case was quite mild so I was able to still look after Pete who was laid up for almost a month. We’re both coping now with the long term fatigue that COVID leaves behind. Ok one minute, the next – utterly exhausted. Simple things such as changing the bed linen can wipe me out.

It seemed like a crazy notion when, in July, I applied for a new role at work. It was a step up, more money, more responsibility, but working internally instead of with external clients. I’d been recommended for the role, and took the plunge. Pete was worried I’d be taking on more stress, but I had to at least try, otherwise I’d never know. Thankfully, the new role is working out amazing, less stress, more time to manage workload, a great boss, and a fantastic team.

It was the same with my OU degree course. I felt like I’d missed out on the opportunity when I was younger, and really wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. I scored 75% on my very first assignment, which I’m really happy with. The course isn’t easy, and it really forces me to stretch my thinking, but I’m so thankful for all that I’ve learned so far.

So, the last couple of months had more positive things happening, but we were both so jaded that by the time it came to preparing for Christmas, it was a real struggle. Christmas spirit was definitely lacking, decorations didn’t go up until about a week before, present buying was uninspired (thank goodness for Not On The High Street!), even Christmas cards were sent out as an afterthought. We had an ok day on the 25th, made a nice dinner, had a few drinks, and opened our presents.

New Year has also been a total non-event. I haven’t celebrated NYE in years, it’s too much hassle. Bouncers on pub doors, entry fees to get in, nowhere to sit, tripled prices. Ugh. This year, we watched Cobra Kai on Netflix, looked at our phones when they hit midnight, said “thank fuck for that”, and went to bed.

I’ve said in previous years that I’m not really one to make resolutions as most people never keep them. Instead, I am going to make the effort to get myself back on track physically, mentally and spiritually. Next year, I hit the big 50, and by that time I want to be in much better place.

I realise this is all a bit doom and gloom, and it’s important to find the positives in a negative situation, but when you’re hit with ever higher mountains to climb, it all gets a bit tiring. However, I am nothing if not resilient, I have been burned to ash, and still I rise.

Writing

Practice Makes Perfect.

Grace M - Writer

I’ve enrolled on to a Creative Writing Course!

Ok, I’m already a writer, just not a very professional one. But I do have a published story to my name (the popular Grey Ice), I’ve been writing this blog since 2015, and I have completed a novel. Yay me 😁

As with any profession though, there will always be room for improvement, and as my initial plan to go on an Arvon writing retreat this year has been scuppered; I decided to take a look at distance learning.

I work a full time job, so my free time is limited to weekends and evenings. Plus, my job is very busy, demanding and stressful. The writing retreat would have been an ideal break, but I can go another time. With distance learning, I can dictate my own study time, work at my leisure, and still get online support from a tutor.

The Open University offer some great courses, sadly though, even the online package prices are way beyond my means. It would have been so nice to go for something like a degree though. Again, maybe I’ll be able to pursue that another time.

I trawled the internet, looking at various courses with publishers, literary agents, and colleges. Eventually settling on Open Study College which I was already aware of, and who have a very good reputation, as well as being affordable! I signed up, and within a couple of days, received my study pack.

I believe that if one is serious about a particular vocation, or ambition, wishful thinking is not the way to achieve that goal. I know this, because I’ve always been a bit of a dreamer. When I was younger, harbouring dreams of becoming an actress, I used to imagine being “discovered” by famous film directors (Charlize Theron was discovered in a bank, so it can and does happen!), but honestly Steven Spielberg wasn’t going to be visiting Southampton for any reason.

As an adult, hurtling towards my 48th spin around the sun, I’ve realised over the last decade how actually putting in the work to achieve something can get results. Putting myself out there on the Amdram circuit meant I’ve been able to act on stage, and knuckling down to get on with my writing meant I was able to finish my novel, and work on other pieces. I’ve written a slew of short stories, blogged on various subjects, and have other novels I’m working on.

My other half is a great example of working hard to achieve his goals; he’s ambitious with big dreams, but puts in the work to achieve those dreams. He’s toured Europe, played gigs in the US, has released his own music, videos, and even performed lockdown gigs. He’s a prime example of someone who deserves every success because of how much work he puts in.

I need to apply the same work ethic, but I also need to improve on my existing skill set. There’s a lot I don’t know about writing. I read a huge amount, which is an absolute necessity, but I need to learn a bit more about technique, style, even improve on grammar, (and I’m already a member of the Grammar Police).

Musicians, singers, dancers, acrobats, athletes etc, all practice their chosen skills; writers should too.

Life

New Year’s Resolutions…..yeah, right..

Grace M - Writer

Sorry, I just don’t believe in making promises to myself for a New Year that I will probably fail within the first few weeks. I believe that you should maintain your goals for as long as it takes to achieve them, whether that be five months or five years.

Horizon Skies took me five years to complete. That was because I had to fit it in around my very busy day job, three house moves, amdram and the day-to-day business of life. If I had stuck to every New Year’s Resolution in that five years I might have finished the book sooner and got it out quicker but I don’t currently have the luxury of being able to call writing my day job. That is something I am steadily working towards and each year does bring me a little closer.

My boyfriend is now reading my completed manuscript, he’s only two chapters in but has already said that it comes across as a compelling story so the hook has worked; the prologue and the first chapter have got him interested in reading more and that is only a good thing.

I have already plotted the sequel and another standalone book which I have made a start on so 2018 should represent exciting times for me.

There are other goals though that I do think deserve better attention than I’ve been inclined to provide in the past.

Eat healthy, exercise more and less alcohol are achievable. I have massively indulged myself over the last couple of weeks and one thing I have noticed as I head to my mid-40s is that aches and pains are a little more frequent, the body a little stiffer in the mornings. Not good.

I still feel very young in my mind and spirit but if I don’t take care of the vessel that contains my very being I will end up a withered old lady. So, it’s back to the Yoga and the Walk At Home programme which I really enjoyed.

I am quite lazy by nature, it takes a lot for me to get motivated and earlier in 2017 I was experiencing a weird heart condition which was diagnosed as an ectopic heartbeat. My doctor said it was a wake up call to manage my stress better and not to overdo the exercise (I was working out every single day) so I went the other way and stopped altogether. My heart is doing better, I don’t feel the skipped beat anymore but I do still experience palpitations, these go back to the stress I was under at my previous job and they haven’t gone away. It’s another reason why I want to get out of the rat race and make a living as a writer. Work under my own steam, doing something I truly love and enjoy.

Completing Horizon Skies was all the motivation I needed to write more. When I wrote the final words, I knew then that I could do it, write a book, see it through to the end and if I can write one book then, I can surely write another.

The over indulgence of Christmas and New Year has left my body feeling tender and quite battered. The alcohol has given me some very weird and vivid dreams, the rich food made me sluggish and heavy. That’s the motivation I need to take better care of myself (my heart being the most important aspect). So, I’m looking forward to going on a nice little walk, getting some fresh air into my lungs (as fresh as it can be living near the A1!) and just getting myself moving.

So, whatever it is that motivates you, make that your goal, not a resolution. Most people fail at their resolutions before the end of January (new diet, stopping smoking etc.) so just keep your goal in mind and whether you achieve it this or next year doesn’t matter. The journey matters more than the destination.