Revolutions...

What's going to happen to Apple when Steve Jobs up and dies? When a discussion concerning the iPad and the company's revolutionary tactics for the device arose between my sister, brother-in-law and I on Facebook, I told them I could wait until he kicked the bucket and gloat about what it would do to Apple, later. Don't get me wrong: I love their products and the company, but the iPad seems to be a perfect waste of money. I may retract my words later, but not today. And who knows? It may yet transform the publication industry of which I am (hopefully) a part.

Speaking of that, thanks to a gorgeous website whose owner I follow on twitter, the advice of writers past and present, hit a chord in me and something just snapped into place. Gave me the discipline that I was lacking a little in, and that was needed, if I am to succeed here. For starters: force yourself to write and don't take no for an answer; stare at the screen for long enough, even if you "shit bricks" at first, the flow will come. Personally, I've found if I set myself a word limit and not get up until those words are done, push the right buttons. Acknowledging however, that this is very much a first draft which means I'll chase down every thought to completion and revise it all later but it also makes it an incredibly difficult piece to workshop and have workshopped. At the same time, however, I am chartering my characters' histories and backstories, physical traits, personality quirks that are helping me place these people in my imagination and which will translate well, I hope, onto paper and to the reader. I don't do editing aside from light touch ups until everything's out: it tends to sidetrack me from what I'm currently writing, so why go there? But different people have different techniques that work for them: some people in my workshop tend to edit thoroughly as they go along. There is no hard and fast "rule" for writing, but generally, like anything really, the more you practice and revise and hone, the better you and your characters will feel. It can be difficult to get into but once you've hit that flow it can really take you places, and what could be better when you're doing what you have to do? Eventually, I'm going to increase the daily word limit I set myself as I nail it each time since each word ends up pushing the story forwards.

I seem to have picked up two more google followers who I would like to salute for believing in these words written here enough to want to subscribe. Whenever you want to get involved in the conversation, please know the comments are open and I don't bite.

But...I have to go now with the hopes that I'll be in Edinburgh in August to attend the book festival there (fingers crossed), along with attending a poetry festival at the end of April. Haven't clocked in the right number of words yet, but the night's still young. Much still needs to be written.

To the drawing board then!