Month: April 2015

Just a little progress and schedule to keep.

Hello

So, I have continued to edit my short story for the latest competition I’m entering and have yet to use the notes I have found or relocated (as mentioned in https://johnrsermon.com/2015/04/09/from-the-lost-to-found/) This is solely down to my new found like of writing my stories without many or indeed any notes. Although, it is slightly comforting to know that I do have notes available if they are required. You know, when I start to cry because instead of editing my story I end up rewriting to whole thing, not knowing what the main points of the story are of the top of my head, and missing the deadline!

I do not however, have this problem with my latest story.

Again, as mentioned in my last original post linked above, I have started to write a Western without any notes to start off with. I’ve had this story swimming around in my head for years and it’s pretty much fully formed. And as Westerns are my favourite genre of film I thought, why not now to get it all down in story form? I’ve moved this story along slightly and have now started to focus on the villains of the piece. I have decided, as I write this post, that this story is only going to be taking place over the course of two weeks (probably, maybe) and I’m enjoying having that time scale to mind. I only usually have a time scale as I go along and it can vary throughout. This time I’m hoping I stick to it.

But I need to get in a routine. I’m not making much in the way of progress.

I have signed up to take part in my third successive Manchester 10k run. A run which takes place 10th May and my running pack with my number and such has just arrived. I haven’t run 10k in ages and I haven’t really got that much time to work my way up to it. Yesterday I ran 8.5k and it took me 50 minutes. I’m hoping to do the Manchester 10k in 53 minutes so I’ve got some way to go. I’m feeling good about it though, but I’m not liking how it’s affecting my writing. I think this is more down to my own attitude as opposed to my running. I have been more tired, tireder, tired more, tiredish? But this should not push me away from writing. I might even write down a schedule and stick to it.

With that in mind, I’m going to make my first attempt at it. Or not, depends how tirederised I am.

Thanks for reading. Bye

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From lost to found.

Hello

In my last post I had lost my notes to go along with the story I’m editing for the 5000 word story competition www.britishfantasysociety.co.uk are holding. Now, I had given up all hope of finding the elusive note book/pad/chunk of paper that had all the notes I had made for said story. But, as I got home from work one day, satchel rubbing against my shoulder as it had done for the whole 50 minute walk, I threw it off myself and onto the kitchen side and proceeded to go through my usual routine. I took everything out that I needed for the remainder of the evening, wallet, iPod, lip balm and keys, before chucking the bag under the stairs. My evening carried on well enough but then, as I was walking to the bin of all places in my kitchen, I remembered. I have one more note pad! Oh satchel, how I like thee quite a lot. Turns out the notes I needed had been coming with me to and from work since for ages ago.

Though I’m not sure I’m happy I found them.

The notes have been useful. My story is about a group of immortal men and women who have struggled, one since the dawn of time, to comprehend their existence. The notes I had made cleared up exactly why, initially anyway before rewrites, the immortals are around and when and how they were born. Now that I know this, I don’t think I want to use my notes any more. Though they scream at me from one floor down, under the stairs, like Harry Potter having a nightmare, I’m useful! I am not to be ignored! Well, he may have screamed that at some point. You never know. I’m going to leave them where they are until I need them. I have finished my first edit and I now know that I’ll need to shuffle the story and add more things in. I’ll end up making a whole new set of notes I can smell it.

And another thing that has happened since I last posted. Whilst writing my latest story, a western that was initially about a guy who wanders from town to town doing whatever he wants but in an anti-hero kind of a way without saying to many words (remind you anyone?) has changed a lot since I first came up with it. He’s speaking a lot more and has already been shocked to his core by the first person he meets in his latest town of call. I’m writing this story without notes and thankfully it hasn’t held me back. I’ll keep you posted on how that goes.

Okay. Well, as much as I love writing this post and all that, my back hurts so I’m going to bed.

Night Night and thanks for reading.