First Assignment Work, Great Advice and the pleasure of discipline

So here I am. Somewhere I never thought I would be...ever. The final course for my BA in Creative Writing with the OCA. I have to believe that I am now at this point because it is a fact but I still have to pinch myself.

With each course I have the same emotions; a sense of fear of failing or not working hard enough and then there's the excitement of exploring the subject matter and discipline. This time, with this course, the excitement is magnified. I simply couldn't wait to negotiate my project with Nina Milton, my Tutor.

For this course my objective is to write and extended piece of writing towards a novel for Young Adults (YA) 10-14 years of age. This will be a natural progression from the Writing for Children Course that I've just been completed but awaits assessment (May 2014).

Nina set out what she expects for the first assignment -

• plot outline - in any format and as long as you chose.

• a protagonist character sketch; this often raises issues and clarifies your writing position

• some of the writing; 1st chapter preferably, but not essential. 

All this should not exceed 3,500 words 

+ 500 words Reflective Commentary as always.

My A4 notebook was full of post-its with names, questions, observations and descriptions and I began to make lists and then sketched out a map of where the main action will take place.

Then Nina put a post in her blog which is gold dust ( http://kitchentablewriters.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/writing-that-very-first-draft.html#comment-form ). I took the advice and applied it to the plotting. I turned over a few pages in my notebook and set myself an minimum of an hour plotting each night with at least three points per night. Headphones on and I began to write...or should that be plot?

It is wonderful when advice takes hold and works - after five days I am at point number thirty two and have begun to put together tracts of dialogue as it fits in with the plotting. I have never done so much plotting in such a short space of time - previous courses have been at most for short stories, so this project course is a foray into uncharted waters and a wonderful adventure.

This is an amazing opportunity to stretch into unknown territory, to really stretch and use the skills learned on each of the courses with the OCA and with the help of all the Tutors. Part of me wants to look back at how far I have come in the degree but the excitement won't let me - I just have to keep my head down, keep going and work hard towards my objective.