Two of the best pieces of advice were given to me by my Tutor - the better the preparation the better the act of writing and the discipline of writing every day, a set number of words, becomes natural and doesn't allow drift or apprehension.
So having applied these gems I am both excited and scared to death. The first two chapters of my extended piece of writing are written; not edited to any great length or polished - but they are there on the page and they don't meander in the way I feared. My protagonist is clearer in my mind and I can "see" his reactions, annoyances and frustrations with adults and the adult world he finds himself in. The landscape is opening up and the other characters seem to come more and more into focus the more I type.
What is scary is I have two chapters down! What is exciting is I HAVE TWO CHAPTERS DOWN ON THE PAGE!
I have bought Jane Riddell's - A Fiction Writer's Guide to Serious Editing - poised for when I have to bear down on it and grapple.
More than ever during my degree I feel like I am capable of creating a long piece of writing and I want to go the distance; not just for the degree and the course but for the book itself. I want to tell the story in my head, in my notebook and on the post-its stuck to my office wall. I even have a map for where the main event occurs!
It is amazing how advice from your Tutor, the constant, enthusiastic reply to any question, fear, observation, that you throw at her can act as both cliff to jump from, net to catch you when you are twisting in the air and bungee rope for the upswing excite scream.
This is allowing me to dare to dream....
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