And so it begins...

I'm having ever such an exciting day. My Open university course sites opened today - both of them - and it was great to log in and click all the links; it's like going to that first day at school. You have your new pens and pencils, your new bag and accessories, and...well, the OU had a shiny new website for us, all updated with the information on the left hand side now on the right (just to confuse me).

I found out who my two tutors are for AA100 (Arts past and present) and A363 (Advanced Creative Writing), so of course, I had to go and 'google' them and see who they are, and what their academic achievements were and, well, lets just say I wasn't the only one playing detective.

So my first tutorial is on the 6th October (the day AA100 starts), so I'm not sure if that's a mistake or I have a super eager tutor who is as excited as us students. I'm really looking forward to it and will be taking my new pens and pencils and notebooks.

I think the editing might take a backseat though (sshhh don't tell Woosha), I'm itching to get those books read now and get my lovely new desk cleared of all the rubbish I deposited on it over the holidays. I shall continue the editing of course but this is an important year for me (so I may not meet that submission deadline), I'm doing a level three and to achieve a pass 2 (B grade), but haven;t a single story in my head at the moment.

So wish me luck, because I'm ever so nervous at doing such a high level course (and hoping I can look back at this post at the end of May and laugh at myself)

And the studying continues...

In just a few days now I'll be resuming my studying with the Open University. I've had far too much fun over the holidays and really need to knuckle down with some pre-reading material.

After finishing A215 (Creative Writing) I has weeks ahead of me - weeks!

I ordered the recommended books my tutor advised I read for the Advanced Creative Writing course and what did I do with them? I put them on a shelf and forgot about them. I did Campnanowrimo (twice), I went on a couple of camping trips with the boys, went shopping, watched some movies - what I didn't do was read.

And now I don't have time. I'm trying to edit one of my books for submissions to...well I can't remember who, but the cut off is on 14th October and I still have 50,000 words to wade through, most of which needing a complete rewrite. It means I'll be starting my two courses late (nothing strange there) and then playing catch up.

So that's where I'm up to, and I figured that as everyone else is religiously writing on their blogs I should at least write a post (so I can hold my head up and say I'm up to date with blogging - for the time being at least). 

Speak to you again in about six months.

The First Confessor

Over ten years ago my brother shoved a book in my hand and told me to read it; that book was 'Wizards First Rule', and it has become my best book all time, it's author, Terry Goodkind, has become my favourite author, and I don't even like fantasy books (except his of course).

It told the story of an ordinary man, who, in assisting a damsel in distress came to discover innate skills in himself, and a whole new world he had never known existed opened up. It had intirgue, mysery, a forbidden romance, and I was hooked from the very first line.

Roll forward to the current day and I find the mere mention of the words 'new book' bring the worst out in me. I'm like a kid at christmas right now, counting down the days to the 2nd July when I can go online and order the new book.

Terry Goodkind made a decision to release the book on ebook only, having written and edited it himself, and thus allowed his fanbase access to the story far earlier than his publishers would have allowed it and I can not wait.

The new book is called 'The First Confessor', and is a prequel (which I confess to not normally liking, but I'm convinved this book will change my mind). It's hard to explain what all the excitement is about, but if you've followed this series you'll understand without me having to say anything anyway.

I personally can not wait to read it because I'm convinced it will not only answer the questions left unanswered in the series, but it will open a doorway to more questions.

My boys are away to a week's camp on the 2nd, so woe betide anyone who disturbs me mid-read...

CampNaNoWriMo Challenge completed

Well, it was touch and go as to whether I would manage to complete the challenge but I managed it, and with 50,111 words. So I get to display the coveted winners badge, but I am feeling very proud of myself :)

I rewrote a story I submitted for my Open Univeristy Creative Writing course that I got marked down on for being too big for the word count of 2000 words, and my tutor was right, because I've now written 50k and have had the opportunity to explore the characters as they should be explored.

Now I have to edit it, so could be several years before anything has been done with it. I always start editing with good intentions and then get bored, so will need to be more disciplined I think.

I'd love for this to be a young adult book. It has adventure, mystery and just a touch of romance, as well as the discovery of a dire secret...but I won't say anymore here...I'll save that for my editing zone.

Anyway, here's my badge and I'm very, very proud of myself as I had to write 4-6k words a day to hit the deadline:

CampNaNoWriMo

Well, I think it'll be touch and go as to whether I finish the June Campnano, not helped by the fact that I started twice as I didn't like the first story I was doing.

For those of you that haven't heard about it, CampNaNoWriMo is a challange whereby you write a 50K novel in just thirty days, only I have just seven days left and I just keep getting myself sidetracked so I think it'll be a little touch and go as to whether I finish or not: I have 33,282 words left to write, which equates to 4,755 per day left to write, so wish me luck.

My writer's blog

In the aftermath of completing Open University course A215 (Creative Writing) I have myself at a loose end, I have never enjoyed a course quite so much, and couldn't wait to sign up to the advanced creative writing course, but why should I stop there?

After a lot of thinking and researching the OU website I decided to change my degree to English literature with creative writing. I wasn't really enjoying the Childhood and Youth degree, especially after discovering I'd have to sit two exams, and I don't 'do' exams.

I've even gone as far as to look at Creative Writing Master Courses (bearing in mind I still have four years of my degree to go), and was amazed by how many universities offered them, so I have a long term goal (finances allowing), but I'm still at a loose end.

I have two books to read on story structure and plot that my A215 tutor recommended, two books on writing academic essays (one on getting a first - I wish), two set books for my other course and I'm doing CampNaNoWriMo in which I'm meant to be writing a 50k novel this month, but I still feel so hyper; I've never felt like this after a course and can't seem to sit down for more than five minutes...

So I've started a blog that I can link to my facebook page and intend to chart my progress through my degree, a masters, and a publishing deal (I like to dream), so here it is...enjoy.
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