Monthly Archives: March 2016

Final Furlong

[Bored, Received Pronunciation Commentator]

We’re under starters’ orders… and we’re off! Leading the pack is Good Idea, following up is Intriguing Plotline, and close behind is Convincing Theme. Setting a good pace for the pack is Hard Work, always necessary to see in the field and also from the same stable, Long Hours. They’re making good time now and we see the field go around the first corner.

[Bit surprised, becomes alert] But what’s this? Lagging in the Middle and Loose Thread are suddenly leading, followed up by Self Doubt and Inner Confusion, making this a race anyone can still win. It seems Good Idea has lost their rider, and that’s now confirmed by the steward, Good Idea has lost their rider.  

[Utterly excited, yelling at the top of his voice] But as we come around to the final sprint, all horses straining now with the effort, and the sheer weight of the course behind them, we find that it is neck and neck, with Not Giving Up Now and Sheer Bloodymindedness looking likely to lead. And as we come to the photo finish, we see Sheer Bloodymindedness winning the race, with a photo finish, and making us all very proud. Well done. Hopefully that will see them to the winners’ enclosure. 

“Aha ha, yes.”

It’s always darkest before the darn…

The novel progresses. And as our heroines would tell us, if you don’t stop, you can’t quit. I do very little well in life and most of the time my path is garlanded with examples of what I should have done, or where I would be, if only I was a little different. But I do think that I need to tread carefully with this novel when it is finished. Because that is only the first draft finished. It needs rereading, the start needs to be redone completely, and several key scenes need to be arranged.

But when I see something like the book fair that has a deadline of 16th of March (I’ve gone hunting for the link, can’t find it), both angel and devil on my shoulder told me to avoid it. My little work is far too unprepared to get out there just yet. It is too sloppy, too unpolished, only I can see the worth that these ladies and this story has. No, not yet. Not yet.

It clarifies the situation, though. One of the people listed in the festival was the very person I have circled with red ink in my mind. She will be the soul I want to entrust this story to. And now she is in my mind as the end goal. Hmmmm…..