Feeling refreshed

I am back from my much needed blog holiday. Nothing mind-blowing happened in my absence but it's been a rather lovely mix of working, socialising and spending time with the people I love the most. I also read the Judith McNaught book I talked about here and it was exactly what I needed - glamorous hot people with ridiculous dramas in one well-written pretty book. In nice book review-related news, I got another four star rating for my book WEIGHTING TO LIVE on Goodreads ... in not so nice book review-related news, I got a one star rating for my short story CIRCLE from, I think, the same reader. They are very different books in very different genres though so I am fine with that and I love the feedback - the good and the bad. It's definitely something to think about whether I should have just the one genre under the pseudonym Lily Divine (if you hadn't guessed, it's not my real name..).

Next week I shall be rewriting the book I have banged on about since the dawn of time. The idea for it still has me excited more than anything in the world and if I can just get it down on paper how it is in my head, I think it really stands a shot. This idea has been in my life for years now and I think the reason it has taken so long is a lot to do with fear. Fear it won't be as good as I think it could be. I'm definitely guilty of that way of thinking in so many areas of my life. It's easier in a way knowing it could be something rather than trying and failing. I reread the original draft for it last week and the massive word document that has all the changes for it is now closer to 7,000 words (yay...). On this most recent of read-throughs, it didn't magically need only a lick of literary paint, it still needs to be completely reworked but retaining, for the most part, the characters, story, world and some dialogue and passages.

For the rest of this week I am tying up a lot of loose ends so I don't have anything standing in my way. There is a lot to do but it's all so exciting I don't mind doing it. From next week I am aiming for about 10,000 words per week which in about 5 weeks could mean I potentially have a finished first draft ... but naturally, I am preempting failure. I mean, I've done it before but never with such a strict target. I am hilariously bad when under pressure. Take dieting - if I know my food intake will be cut slightly, I naturally want to eat all the food in the world and store up for the inevitable drought.

I shall be back late next week with an update of how I got on with my first week of rewriting. So basically I look forward to the inevitable excuses I will come up with of why I haven't written a thing.

Until next time.