Academia has begun

Well - if nothing else, yesterday was an interesting experience. I learnt pretty much nothing from my orientation course that was of any real use. We had a tour of a building that I will rarely if ever visit again.

The look in at an empty ceramics class allowed me to come up with a description of the smell, taste and texture of the air, plus the general atmosphere which could be useful. Same goes for the look in at an empty drama student rehearsal room. The corridors were straight out of Nightmare on Elm St - enclosed concrete tunnels with exposed metal pipes and air conditioning ducts. The whole complex is a labyrinth of tunnels encased in way too much concrete, metal and glass. A brick feature is stunning in its contrast as was the huge bark painting.

The library was disappointing as was the staff there. During a demonstration of how the databases worked, I had to step in to fix a frozen computer as no-one else knew what to do and the demo was about to be prematurely cut off. After fixing it, I was disappointed that there wasn't a lot more to see anyway. We could have had an early lunch! Instead we sat through another 20 minutes of inept examples and got to lunch late.

My classmates (As I'm an external student I use the word loosely) are an amazing group of the most unlikely sorts imaginable. We have a girl completing her final year of high school so she can only be 17 or so. Another who only finished last year so add a year. 90% are between 20 and 30. Most of those are below 25. 18 students turned up for the orientation out of an allocated 40. 20 internal students and 20 external students (I think). Only four externals turned up for the tour - perhaps they knew something I didn't.

An amazing mix of backgrounds were represented, high school students, university students, checkout chicks, pharmacists, English teachers (one retired and one not), psychologists (one practising, one not), a man recovering from a brain tumour, another IT person like myself and barmaids and waitresses. (I think - I forget every ones occupation but the range was incredible for a group so young).

I started to become worried when it came to expressing why we had chosen to do the course. Too many of the younger participants, who enjoyed writing creatively, were there without much idea of why - they were just there as they were offered a spot. I'm expecting a high drop out number as the course progresses. The fact that very few seem to have much life experience is also a warning sign. We incorporate what we experience into our writing to make it richer and fuller. If you haven't experienced a lot then wouldn't you tend to copy a little more. I realise that there are plenty of good young authors out there but the bunch I met yesterday concern me. Hopefully they will prove me wrong.

So I got into work early yesterday as I'd forgotten my paperwork. I then went straight into town - an horrendous drive of nearly an hour in peak hour traffic. Eventually found a car park near the admin building and paid my fees without hassle. I then had to find another, long term, car park closer to the Arts Academy building - almost a full hour before I had to be there. I should have known then that the day wasn't going to be the one of splendour and awakening I thought it was going to be right then and there :(

Now I sit and wait for the arrival of my books and the beginning of my external school year. Apparently there will be an assignment each week and it should take up around 10 - 14 hours of my time each week.

Let the fun begin!!!!!

I'm back

WOW - the previous post was back on the 1st of November 07. Best part of three months has past and there's been a lot of proverbial water under the bridge since then.

I have three new story ideas on the go: all of them in the very early formative stages but for the longest time there, I had no ideas and no desire to write. That is finally turning around.

And just as well - I have been accepted into the Adelaide Centre for Arts to take part in studying for an Advanced Diploma of Art (Professional Writing). WooHoo!!!!! I have four years ahead of me of writing in an educational environment. In short it will be forcing me to write outside of my comfort zones, giving me deadlines and overall, encouraging me to write full time.

Over the past three months, my wife and I have begun to save our marriage (still lots of work to go but things are definitely looking up), the eldest daughter has decided to move out (next weekend) , I have sustained numerous injuries through sport - currently recovering from a grade 2 hamstring tear - plus Xmas, etc, etc.

I have lost family members and friends to different forms of cancer and had one cousin killed in Iraq. It has been an intense few months.

My updates will be sporadic over the next few weeks but as I get into the diploma, I will update more regularly. You can follow my progress through this blog and I will continue to update everyone on my progress as a writer.

****Reminder***

My first fiction piece - "Wake-up Call" is being published in http://antisf.com.au/ - This link won't be fully active until the release of the 10th anniversary edition due in Feb 08. It's only a small piece - sent in as a drabble (exactly 100 words) but I now have something under my name archived in the Australian National Museum, which is a big thing for me.

Orientation for the diploma is Tuesday the 29th of Jan - next week. If you don't hear from me beforehand then I'll post how it goes then.

I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable festive season with lots of acceptances from publishers the world over.

Keep on writing!

Confused Love has gone

Firstly, please let me apologise for the abruptness of yesterday's post or the previous (below) published post. It was written yesterday at work in a few spare moments. Unfortunately I got called away before it could be posted and so I've had to log in remotely and post it from home, today.

Confused - so am I.

On to today's offerings.

Confused Love was sent out last night. 9442 words of drama, killing and unrequited love :)

It's the longest piece I've written other than my novel and I'm fairly proud of it. It's been edited down from a little over 10K words around a month ago to become a tighter piece. Fingers crossed.

As you may have guessed, I'm a big fan of the Fiction Factor group of web sites. I'm also an avid participant in their forum. A new board has been made available to members who also write erotica. Come check it out. You must be a member to get onto the forum and a password is required to get into the erotica board but both are easily obtained.

I hope to see you here: http://fictionfactor.1.forumer.com/

Good luck with your submissions

Happy Halloween - Unfortunately I still have no time to write

My time for writing has become extremely limited over the last few weeks and will continue to get squeezed in the months ahead.

I currently have 10 pieces out in the market awaiting a response from learned editors everywhere. I have another 12 or so pieces in various states including my ebook and my novel.

I have sent 5 pieces out at the beginning of this week alone. Unfortunately I have gone from an allocated minimum of 4 hours a night to be lucky to get in 30 minutes.

If I spend that 30 minutes blogging or updating my website, then I don't write so my blogging has reduced considerably.

Part of the problem is I'm currently a single dad for all intensive purposes. I have three kids at home and work full time, although I do work from home for two out of five days. I now fully appreciate all the work my wife does in regards to running the household. I will, in future, do my utmost to share that burden. I humbly suggest all you men out there do the same, regardless of how good you currently have it. Helping out a little can only make things better for you and your significant other. Say and do the right things and who knows what rewards you'll receive ;)

Unfortunately I haven't gotten to "Confused Love" yet this week, but it is next on the agenda. All the erotica has gone out to market as well as resubmitting EULA. Tonight is one of those rare nights when I don't have a lot trying to take my writing time away from me so "Confused Love" will be at least fully edited tonight.

Erotica Week

Last night I finished editing a slew of erotica that I'm about to send out to various markets.

I also came to the conclusion that a set writers schedule isn't going to work for me. I need to work on projects each night. I set myself a goal to get something finished so I work on that until my muse runs away with blue hair flowing out behind her. A quick whistle and a change of project brings her back all refreshed and ready to go but this is rarely needed as she becomes as engrossed in whatever project I'm working on, as much as I do.

So getting my erotica pieces out was my main goal last night. I didn't get them all sent but that will be completed by this evening where I can work on editing another piece that has sat around for too long. The longest piece I have written so far - outside of my novel - is "Confused Love".

I am yet to send it out into the market place. Tonight I will do a full edit on it, in preparation for it to go out the door on Sunday night. Why not send it tonight? I will do my edit tonight as I haven't looked at it in a while so I will not be editing it with jaded eyes. I will then let it sit for another day before doing a final read through to see if I missed anything - and then send it out.

I've hit a small hitch with my ebook. I had set myself parameters which I now have to change to enable me to get the content required for the type of ebook I'm working on. To be honest, I'm not real happy about it as I will now be including content I didn't want to. I will have to ensure that my views on the content are clearly expressed or that the content is securely kept in a section for it's type. It can't look like a tacked on after thought though so it will be a difficult blend. We'll see - after I finish my shorts submissions.

My three Novella's have been sitting on the back burner for a while now too so they will be brought back into the light of day by the end of next week.

That leaves my novel. She has sat quietly for a while now. I have begun a new edit on the beginning of it but my writing time each evening is reducing and so somethings have begun to get squeezed out. "Tigers Eye" has lost out badly to my other work and my life in general. She will have to stay in the background for now, my first year as a serious writer is almost up - only a little over a month to go. I have written the story, it just needs the time to be polished. At this moment in time I am thinking it will become my major work for my diploma if I get accepted next year. That will then drive my need to work on it. I love the story I wrote, the premise behind it all. It's just the words that need rearranging, the structure in some instances. It will get done.

Well - it's turned into a long post. It wasn't meant to be but I had a bit to update, so there you go. As always - thank you for reading but now it's time to get back to your own writing and get those pieces out the door.

Good luck with your submissions.

A quick link for you

Time is currently running away with me to the extent I'm struggling to find the time to write - but I have promised myself I would find time to read and so I shall.

But before I go and open a book that has waited patiently for me to give it due attention, the following link was made available to me:

http://www.sff.net/people/doylemacdonald/lit.htm

Toward the bottom of this list was a remarkable find - although to be true, there are many in this collection but this was personally remarkable.

By none other than Mr Rudyard Kipling himself, is a piece titled "Tomlinson" which can be read directly from:

http://www.sff.net/people/doylemacdonald/l_tomlin.htm

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Now off to that book I keep promising myself.

What a Weekend!

Hi all. from Friday night and my eldest having her 18th birthday party, through a hectic Saturday with sport and the flu striking at my youngest. Onto Sunday with a spring cleaning taken to the extreme - I've written exactly zip, nil, nada, nothing, zero!

In regards to my writing - its been a bad weekend but I'm at a time in my life when I look at things a little differently. Three months ago, I was writing alot. I was producing a lot of work. Most of it wasn't particularly good but with editing and rewriting, those pieces are getting better. Apart from some erotica shorts though, I haven't produced a lot of new stuff.

I have been on a short journey of self learning about myself. Four months ago, I was pretty sure who I was and part of that was to be a writer. With huge turmoil entering my private life, my drive to succeed in any area, including my writing, began to meander. It never failed, it just never maintained the fervour it had previously. With amazing insight and support from a very good friend, I have learnt a great deal about myself, truths I am still discovering now.

The good news about this is the renewed determination I have in all areas of my life - especially my writing.

This weekend has been a write-off for my words. But tomorrow is a new day (actually that would be a little later this morning will be a new day) and one I look forward to.

Keep on writing, good readers - and keep on submitting.

Happy 18th sweetheart

Today we celebrated my eldest reaching adulthood. 18 years old today and we had a big party to celebrate, She looked beautiful as did all her female friends. Pity the guys that turned up didn't try to dress to impress but I guess that's how it is now-a-days. Perhaps I'm just getting too old.

I am still recovering from my terrible bout of the flu and now it seems my youngest may be coming down with it. It took me a week to get over it, I hope the little doesn't have it so bad.

This post is the only writing I have managed today which is unusual for me but one day every now and then won't cause my writing to completely grind to a halt.

Still no emails in regards to my pieces that are in the market place either. I have set a goal to have two more pieces (at least) accepted before the end of the year. Nobody can get anything accepted if they don't submit so don't sit on your work. An author is not going to publish your story if it is your bottom draw gathering dust.

Good luck with your submissions. I'm beat so its time for bed.

Good night.

The best part about getting sick

I have been at home all week, full of a particularly nasty flu which is continually trying to extract a lung through my throat. My nose is useless for anything other than blowing and sleep is a distant memory - not a nice picture.

But - I have plenty of time to write. I can only write in relatively short bursts as I need to nap often and I need to log into work on occasion so I'm not writing in the 6 hour blocks I normally do of an evening, but I am getting close to a dozen blacks of around an hour each in. So now I'm writing 10 hours a day or doing something to do with my writing during those times - researching, reading, editing, etc.

When I lie down to have a nap, my head is full of ideas to mull over which I launch into when I get up. Being ill shouldn't mean just wallowing in self pity and allowing your writing to grind to a halt. If anything, it gives you more time to indulge in our passion.

I hope this entry finds you full of good health and cheer but if it doesn't, then use the time to do something for yourself - write.

Good luck with your submissions.