Freelance Mam

Out of Office

2010-01-05T09:10:00.002Z

The guides to blogging say only blog if you have something interesting to say and whatever you do don't blog about not blogging; but this is a post about not blogging. I had a spectacular November with NaNoWriMo. December brought the decision to go on the 'Writing Train' in the Big Smoke Writing Factory which starts in two weeks *big smile*. Over Christmas the internet connection went in my house for a whole week so instead when not nappy changing or tripping over diggers, I organised shelves, tidied under beds, made soup, baked bread and enjoyed being trapped indoors by the snow. The best part was being completely unattached to my laptop (read two whole books!). I think the internet is a great place but it is also a dangerous place for a tired end of day mother that just wants to zone out....At times when I am supposed to be writing (or in bed, like now!) I drift on to facebook or find myself reading top ten tips for writers, or about some celebrity I forgot existed till her latest marriage break-up is announced, I love blogs, reading about competitions... so much that an hour, two hours, just slips by. It is like sitting in front of endless re-runs of Scrubs - it is mostly zombie time sitting in front of a screen no matter how much you convince yourself it's 'research'.

So I am putting an out of office on this blog for a while. I hope to be back, with tales of published articles, stories submitted to competitions and a three book deal... Positive visualisation is a great thing. But for now I need to spend my small bit of time left in the evening just writing.

Finally, I don't imagine I have more than two readers given how inattentive I've been to this blog but if any mother bloggers are reading - how do you do it? Seriously! Thanks and hope to be back soon.

50,000 Words!

2009-12-01T23:24:00.001Z

18,200 words and counting....

2009-11-15T23:03:00.007Z

NaNoWriMo is still going strong here on my worn out laptop! I am loving every minute but sadly the minutes are few and far between and I am still a few laps behind most of the other thousands of novel writers across the globe. I just think big-ego thoughts like how those other writers typing so ridiculously fast they must be producing absolute rubbish, while my writing might be a little bit slower the bit of extra thought and effort that's slowing me down means my book will probably be literature of a standard NaNoWriMo has never witnessed before! But, deep down I know it's far (far) from it - 18,000 words in: my main character, a slightly dull mother in her 30s, has changed age three times, she also had a brother at the start of the book but about 7,000 words in he disappeared with no explanation from the author (not even a note), she 'sighs' quite a lot and she dramatically pulls her car in to the side of the road quite regularly - to have a mini melt down and bang her head off the steering wheel (why not?). Her sister is a little bit mad, the wild one. Um, now that I think about it, it's all a bit Fair City but I'll keep typing. They promise you (the NaNoWriMo brigade) that by the end you'll have laughed, cried, cringed and raised your eyebrows at what you can produce. We'll see. (PS: the house above is the one to be used in the screen adaptation of my story)

NaNoWriMo, MummyMaps and Reprints!

2009-11-09T11:43:00.009Z

I have been quiet lately because - with great excitement - I am doing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). I have written 10,036 words since last Sunday. Sounds good but I am actually behind! Should be coming up on 15k now with the guidelines. We travelled to Derry on Thursday to my in laws house, and back yesterday. It took five hours to get up there, so stressful with a 3 and 1 year old. It's like a military operation on the best of days but throw in a tummy bug, a baby allergic to car seats and really badly packed cases, it was hell. Travel down was so good (baby slept 3 hours so no walking garage forecourts and sitting in random coffee shops) When we got in the door and boys in bed, I put my feet up, had a glass of wine to toast surviving the trip and the laptop remained in the suitcase, shut!

With everything going on this week - protecting the children from injury (very old house), catching up with family/chatting/walking/eat birthday cake/watching strictly in front of the fire/getting some northern bargains about the shops and trying to do my daily quota - it was difficult, but I didn't do too bad.

THIS WEEK should be busy. Tonight as soon as the baby's eyes shut it is straight to the laptop and I am going to blitz it, catch up. Just this morning I got an email from my publisher to say my book is being considered for reprint as stocks sell, which I am delighted about - it is very easy for a book to fall off the shelves! Did I mention I wrote a review for Mummy Maps? I really enjoyed writing it! That's my little guy exploring the woods in the photo. I have a few more up my sleeve, it was a great excuse last Sunday to go to a restaurant I love and take notes. I am planning to write another by next Sunday. Finally, I have one wedding feature deadline, interviews done and dusted so I just need to write it.

I'll be back with a NaNoWriMo update.

Pitching To Magazines

2009-10-27T20:28:00.004Z

In my burst of energy last week I sent a pitch to a wedding magazine suggesting four possible ideas for an article. Editor came back interested in one idea. I replied with a little more padding and I was commissioned to write it, which is great, but it's to a tight deadline... 'asap'. So I am scrambling about trying to track down singing waiters and magicians... amazing where writing can take you. But I enjoy writing whatever the subject, and of course I'll be paid a little too. As soon as I've it done I plan to do some pitching to parenting magazines. I've a thousand words written about celebrating your baby's first birthday but acknowledging the next year can be a long road in many ways, and some helpful tips to get mums through it. Such as the new tip I discovered at the weekend: get a wheely bee for the first birthday - it will be promptly stolen by older brother but it keeps older busy and in turn, 1 year old is safe to finally help himself to older's toys without being dragged or pushed. For a few minutes at least.

Missed Deadline, but it was worth it

2009-10-26T11:08:00.001Z

I wrote here about entering a short story competition - deadline today. I did write a short story but I haven't entered it. It is not good enough, but writing it has been a great exercise for me. It was great to finally sit down again and write creatively, to dig deep into my imagination. I missed today's deadline but, who knows, I might have a really well worked story ready for the next few deadlines. At the moment, to be fair to my stressed self, the 2000 words in my writing folder is prize enough. I reckon with a few writing exercises and some editing it could be a good story. I could go crazy trying to finish it over my bank holiday weekend, when I also had a first birthday cake to bake and a house to clean for a party, or I could just enjoy the fact that this week I wrote an ok story and maybe I can do the same next week.

Busy behind the scenes...

2009-10-20T22:10:00.006Z

My blog has been quiet because I have been writing like a maniac.*cheer* I have done crazy things like walk past a pile of ironing, or piece of pizza in the middle of the living room, and kept walking...out the door... up the stairs... turned on my laptop and just started typing. Procrastination is the thief of time as we all know and so is getting bogged down in the mundane to the point that you convince yourself this writing career is never really going to grow wings. Blame the baby? Not any more - he's one on Sunday and although some days life can still feel like a slow motion melt down, more days are feeling predictable and planning solid blocks of writing time is a little easier. During that gap in the evening when baby sleeps, 3 year old is going to bed with his favourite parent and the dishes are done - that's when I open the laptop and stay OFF facebook, stay OFF magicmum, stay OFF numerous pointless interior websites showing me couches and clocks I don't need and stay AWAY from the 1000 old cute videos and photos of my kids that need organising. I've stopped clearing out drawers that can stay messy a while longer and I've stopped half hearted attempts to jump start old back-when-beauty-mattered-and-I-lived-outside-tracksuit-land type routines. There will always be something I can do that is not writing, that will bring me up to bedtime and off to bed I go muttering 'damn it, I didn't write anything today!' and blaming someone or something.
Tonight, between writing a short story, a review and emailing a pitch to a magazine, I made a little more room in my evening to write a blog post. All good although sorry readers (if anyone is reading, that is) this is slightly rushed as I am in bed, exhausted. Lights out. [The image is of my little happy man]

Quick Writing Reference

2009-10-12T21:52:00.001Z

I have a shelf of books about writing that would put my local library to shame (not hard though) and among one of my favourites is "The Greatest Freelance Typing Tips in the World" by Linda Jones. It is so easy to read, the size is perfect to sit in my back pack for a peek when waiting for the bus etc. I'll admit I am not yet rolling in it in terms of income generated from freelance writing but I find this book an excellent starting point.

The Adultress

2009-10-09T20:22:00.001Z

I was lucky to attend and participate in the Inkwell Writers Day in Blanchardstown Library last Saturday. At the event, I was on a panel discussing writing non-fiction with two other authors, it went ok although it has made me realise I have more to say on the matter than I thought! Before that started there was a reading by Noelle Harrison who recently launched 'The Adultress'. The reading was very enjoyable and yesterday I saw her book descirbed on a parenting forum as 'unputdownable' so I must grab myself a copy! Well done Noelle, she really looked like someone I'd love to sit down and chat with, so enthusiastic and vibrant in her reading.

Write a book? Me?

2009-10-08T09:33:00.000Z

I like these words - article Permission to Write... "Stop thinking that you have to be an expert or a professional to write your thoughts. It is your opinion. If it helps people or touches people, then brilliant! If your words and ideas do not resonate with everyone, then don’t take it personally".

My own worry is that I haven't read enough yet... I adore reading but I am a short story person recently due to time constraints. When I have free time I prefer to just write. Another worry I have is that there is so much lazy writing out there; I don't want to add to it! So I keep doing creative writing exercies and practicing.. practicing... I think it might be time to just write and press submit. Starting today - I am working on an entry for the McManus short story award.
Image courtesy of creative pen.

Thank You Mammy Diaries

2009-10-08T09:24:00.000Z

Quick post to Mammy Diaries to say thank you for the award. I keep starting a post to follow the etiquette when one recieves an award but I never get it completed. In the meantime, I just want to acknowledge the award and thank Mammy Diaries It keeps me motivated!

Competition

2009-10-01T18:55:00.000Z

The Frances McManus Short Story Competition closes this month on October 26th. I have a brand new childcare arrangement commencing next week which should make a difference to the amount of time I have to write and so, I am planning to submit a story. I thought I would announce it here, so when I win, people can say 'I remember when she was only just planning to write that story, amazing to think she won'. The power of positive visualisation. http://www.rte.ie/radio1/francismacmanus/

Bitesized Blogging

2009-10-01T15:28:00.000Z

I am determined for this blog not to disappear like so many well intended blogs throughout the ages.... determined that I keep throwing up entries in the hope that it will be both motivating to me and possibly interesting to others (!).
Solution: bitesized posts. It's the only way for me. The only reason I can write this entry is Cbeebies is on, the baby is up in his cot sleeping and I have ignored the breakfast dishes (it is 4 in the afternoon).... usually the minute I open this laptop I have a 3 year old on my back and my 11 month old coming straight for me with that hand (see photo) ready to slam down on the keyboard. Every. Single. Time.

Even while typing this he has woken and I am now typing sideways over him onto the coffee table. On that note....

Cyber Housekeeping

2009-09-16T14:40:00.001Z

Today I have been doing some personal housekeeping. And now, proudly, I am blogging about it. My head is fried so I need to do some mental de-cluttering!

A book which permanently resides on my locker is called 'Getting Things Done' by David Allen. He very effectively, although longwindedly, explains how to dig out all the crap that is in your head, on your kitchen countertop, under your bed and down the back of the sofa and just sort it. This leads to enlightenment of the kind no other book has lead me to.

More precisely, he tells you to sort the lists and thoughts in your head, and the physical lists and rubbish in your life it into buckets. Allow them to live in an ordered way that means they get done, and while not being done, they await patiently somewhere until you will get round to them (not festering in your subconscious while you are trying to enjoy time with your children or watching a film etc).

So today I dealt with my cyber clutter, I reduced my work inbox to a rattle of 3 or 4 emails that need to be followed up on at a later date. I even did what top of the class outlookers should do and I assigned activity flags. I popped the other 40 or so emails into their relevant folders, mostly the trash folder. My gmail contained 856 items. I spent 10 minutes unsubscribing to mailing lists. Another 15 creating filters that weeded out the 200 or so from Amazon into trash, flushed out about 100 silly conversations I don't need to see again, saved important emails into their relevant buckets.

It feels wonderful. Finally, my path to a clutter free life passed through my cybersphere. Hours more work to do but at least today was productive!

Writing for the web

2009-09-09T09:41:00.000Z

I find that I don't write some blog posts that come into my mind because I haven't time to write them well. In my exploration of the blog world over the last couple of months I've developed some dislikes, the ones where posts are really long-stream-of-consciousness-style-people-just-getting-crap-in-their-heads-on-to-the-page....I am not speaking about any irish ones to be honest, although there are a few I wouldn't bother going back to, but I decided that to avoid that myself I think it takes time to write a short, easy to read and entertaining blog post. This isn't one of them. I am going to try harder next blog post.

Had this sent to me via mashable the other day - http://mashable.com/2009/09/08/web-writing/ I haven't had time to read it but I am posting it here anyway. Talk about lazy blogging, eh!!!

Information Squirrel

2009-09-04T11:06:00.002Z

Today I am attending a lecture by Jon Snow in the IIEA about New Media. This is an area that really interests me as I studied journalism and communications for four years. I recommend a look, very interesting. On another note, this year I became a member of Inkwell Writers Group. I have really enjoyed the newsletters, great tips about competitions and writers news. Vanessa has asked me to speak at a writers day on September 26th, just for a few minutes about getting a publishing deal. I am looking forward to that, (kind of) but more about the networking side of it, meeting people and I just know I'll have a buzz leaving, those sort of days always get me fired up. I love chatting to people about writing and gathering info to write about!

Just Write For Now

2009-09-01T21:56:00.001Z

I have visited the Big Smoke Writing Factory website a few times, and clicked through the courses, day dreaming about possible Tuesday evenings skipping off from work to a coffee shop to read my book before the course starts, meeting like minded people and maybe doing the 'demysitifiying poetry' course (I love poetry but I reckon I only understand about half the poems I read)... Or maybe even do a course on 'getting started on your novel'.... maybe that'll spur me on to better things in my writing. A website like this is like looking at a big menu in a fantastic restaurant, I wouldn't know what to start with, I want everything. I did a beginners writing course with Yvonne Cullen back in 2006 when I was preparing to pitch to a publisher for my non-fiction book - she was fantastic, she opened up the creative writing world to me, the notes are still under my bed calling me to re-read. I really enjoyed the time with the other people, all brave enough to read their writing, making me feel ok about reading out my rubbish (!). I remember her homework once to take a picture in our minds of something simple that happens in your day, and write it down without describing emotion of what we saw directly but just the situation, show don't tell...something like that. I remember a bird flew into my mothers patio doors and I thought I feel really bloody sorry for the poor little bird, isn't that shockin' but I sat down and really thought about the little bird, and the window, and the day it was and.....well, I really liked what I wrote, it wasn't Shakespeare or anything near it but it was a great feeling to describe something well. The course spurred me on to explore deeper places in my mind, to really think about things before writing.

But I know courses are not an option for me at the moment, it's fantasy, it would be unfair to my husband to disappear for an entire evening once a week (his football only lasts an hour, the rest of the week he spends running around like me). It would leave him to go home, feed, play with and put our two duracell bunnies to bed. Might sound simple, but it's not. While I find life at the moment definitely fun and we regularly count our sticky fingered blessings, we do both admit to eachother that a large part of the day can feel fairly constant, often overwhelming, the endless mundane tasks required to make sure they stay alive (not meaning to sound overly dramatic but it is often as basic as that, keeping 3yr old away from baby being the most important task!), and dare I say it - trying to entertain two children under three all day can get a touch boring at times. [Can you tell I did a 14 hour almost entirely nap free shift today? Other half is out of the country.]

So, while life is an exhausting but fun filled workout, we keep each other sane. I need to stick around as much as I can, and those times I do manage to slip off unnoticed, then I need to just write.

Blog Awards

2009-08-24T18:55:00.000Z

I finally figured out how to accept a blog award. Thank you HotCrossMum for the award, as such a newcomer with so little to say so far *blush* it is a great privilege. So, in following the rules I now nominate seven blogs I would like to give an award to - which are also my followers (left) and the only blogs I've subscribed to so far.

And as per rules I have to say seven of my personality traits so here it goes:

Friendly - I make the effort

Dreamy - I am constantly hatching plans and believe in following dreams, however long it takes

Laid back - I am really not a very serious person most of the time, quite childish really.

Serious - I can be very serious the remaining portion of time and could do with ligthening up!

Positive - I do my very best to stay positive and dig my way back up to the light when feeling gloomy. That said, I can be a right ould grump at times until I catch myself at it and cop on!

Funny - some would, and do, say I am funny - 'in an odd way'.

Curious - The world and everything in it interests me (bar football, a lot of politics, farming and royal history)

I hope I have done this correctly. Please someone comment if you are reading this as I am starting to worry my comment button is broken (or else this is just a very dull blog)

2009-08-24T09:43:00.000Z

I am really excited about this new creative writing centre opening near where I work. I might just be able to sneak off to a 'Demystifying Poetry' course if I can get my darling husband to do the evening shift on Tuesdays (he does football on Mondays so I do have a starting point for the discussion).

http://www.bigsmokewritingfactory.com/

2009-08-23T20:03:00.001Z

Ronnie’s Death

Early riser, he checks for shadows,

Listens for creaks, remembers the cracks.

Across the tiles, over the carpet,

Always alert, he watches his back.

Crumb to crumb; he chews as he goes,

Scrambling round corners, he’s fast on his toes.

Into the cupboard and what does he see?

It’s his very favourite, mouldy old brie!

Snap.

Some of my previous writing

2009-08-19T08:13:00.000Z

As I am really stuck lately time wise I am going to post the short story I won the Roberta Gray Feature Award for in 2007. Tomorrow I will post some of my poetry. I see flaws in this story but I still like it because it is true. I'm the girl in stripes, brother John in black jumper.

Coming Home
It is November 19th, 2000. I store my overhead luggage. The air staff are looking over. As I settle into my seat a young man in uniform crouches down next to me. He places his hand on mine. He understands. If there is anything they can do just press the button. As the plane lifts I flick the channels on the armrest. My overhead luggage is all my luggage. Looking for my book I discover that my spare pair of shoes, packed at four am in the morning, are odd. The air hostess brings me water. She squeezes my arm and remarks how calm I am. I wonder should I start crying. In case she thinks I don’t care.

It is March 6th, 2006. As evening draws in I am waiting in the hall as it comes again, a tremendous force, I breathe out slowly. Pain washes down my legs. It passes. I mark the time on a post-it. We are running out of post-its. I wonder can I make it to the car. My husband puts my suitcase in the boot. It has been packed for weeks. Everything is new. In behind a curtain I lie back and watch a print out from a monitor. The needle goes crazy acknowledging my pain. I wonder should I moan louder. In case they send me home.

In arrivals I am met by familiar faces, in t-shirts and flip flops. They take my bag and hug me tight. Everything is going to be fine. I am driven through the streets. There is furious chatter. Sleeping arrangements, phone numbers, the embassy called. I pull the window down. The warm breeze cools my face, the streets are colourful. Story book houses. Will I see him tonight? My cousin turns and looks at me, hopefully in the morning. Everyone is silent. The wind catches my tears.

I am in a lift up to the delivery suite, or the arrivals suite, I joke, depending on from whose perspective you are looking at things. Will I have it soon do you think? We hope to have this baby in a few of hours, before the end of the shift. But you can never tell. In a quiet room I pace, pausing at the mirror to admire my new pink nighty and matching slippers. There is piped music, I hold a chair and sway to the sounds of Dublin’s Q102. Do you have the babygro? Why are they asking? Maybe in a couple of hours. This baby. The midwife helps me into bed.

In one of the colourful houses I am in someone’s bed. I can’t sleep. It is five am. I walk to Sydney Opera house. It needs a paint. I visit the hostel and take photos of his room. The owner hands me a face cloth he left behind. I walk along Bondi Beach. He looked so well the doctor said. He promised to wire my house when he got better.

I cannot sleep. The midwife is from Granada in Spain. It is very hot in the summer she assures me but very beautiful. I walk the corridors. Descend baby. Descend. There are women everywhere pacing in their new slippers. I lean onto a radiator and breathe. It is hot. I feel so heavy. I can see buses passing on O’Connell Street. In my nighty I knock on the door. How much? The driver laughs at me. Not today love. Go back in and have that baby. He pulls off.

In the funeral home it is so hot. I am so tired. I feel so light. For the flight home the remains will be wrapped in newspaper and placed in an iron casket. Embalming fluid is necessary to preserve the skin. He may look strange. Dead is strange. Looking down the corridor I wonder which door. I think of Bosco. If I pick the right door could it bring me to Dublin Zoo? Us roaring through a fence at seals on a diving board. Jump! Damn it! I see his eyes, we are laughing. Jump! This is dreadful. I cannot do it. Good girl. You can do it. He opens the door.

I am too tired. Push now. The clock hand keeps moving. And again. Push. And again. I wonder who spun the room. Roomspun. I am drifting away. Who are all these people? I am very sorry. Everyone. I am very sorry. I can’t do this. This is dreadful. I just cannot do it. Good Girl. You can do it. They place a blanket on my chest.

The door is closed. Candle light. I see dark hair above the rim of the wood. A pale still swollen face. Silent. It is him. There is a line across his chest where they cut. I pull his collars together. He is so cold. I am so sorry. His ears are black. I kiss his ears. His lips are blue. I kiss them. Is he smirking? Are you smiling? We are all so sorry I whisper. Where are you? I wipe my tears from his cheeks. My beautiful brother. I will take you home now.

Through the air a tiny face appears. Come here to me. I gather a towel around this tiny creature. He is pale. Dark eyes blink angrily at me. He doesn’t cry. I am sorry I took so long baby. I forgot why I was here. Look at you. His fists are tight. He is so warm. I kiss his face over and over. I wipe my tears from his cheeks. My beautiful son. I will take you home now.

Ego Moment

2009-08-09T21:03:00.001Z

After a lovely dinner with two old friends and a large glass of wine, I had that happy fuzzy feeling. I realised I had an hour all to myself before my bus was due...which in my life where usually every last minute is accounted for - I just found a lost hour...bliss! So I wandered down Grafton Street into Dubray Books for a lazy browse. After a while I went to the reference section for my usual bookshop peep to see if they had my book and there is still was. Not only was it on the shelf but it had a 'Bestseller, Category 5' label under it! Not too bad after 2.5 years on the market. I took a photo with my camera phone and due to the loud click, a staff member looked over, so I just asked what does category five mean? and he explained (I forget exactly, social reference or something amazing) but when I told him it was my book (before going slightly pink) he said he had gone travelling for a year and when he came back people were still asking for it! He took the books down and asked me to sign them. I felt a bit mortified being make-up free, slightly flushed and tipsy and wearing a back pack like a 12 year old. He asked was I still writing? and I said yes...well...nothing specific.. some articles...two children... all changes.. I do try... laugh laugh. My book - like many books unfortuantely! - has sold well in a niche market but it hasn't earned me much and it took a lot of work, but the odd little thrill like that keeps me writing. I also saw an article I wrote in a magazine in Easons, which looked ok. Spurs me on, shoulder to the wheel, get some more articles out there, keep writing!

Ikea to the rescue

2009-07-29T13:59:00.000Z

I am convinced that once I buy this Ikea desk, and place it in the attic, all my problems will be solved. I will structure my day perfectly, children will fall to sleep at 7.30, husband will tidy the kitchen and playroom while I take a walk to shake the day from my mind (and the biscuits from my expanding thighs), and return exercised, relaxed and full of creative calm thoughts. I will retire to the attic with a cup of herbal tea to write thousands of words, undisturbed.

Never mind the fact that it looks like a sweatshop of children's clothes at the moment, boxes to go to charity, an old food processor, about 500 little parts from various children's toys, breast pumps, buggies...

I have a vision... of the office... and of my future self.

This Weekend's Reading

2009-07-26T07:23:00.001Z

2009-07-21T07:46:00.000Z

Why would I take long naps Mammy? Sure, then you might finish some writing and you'd have nothing to complain about anymore?

Any tips?

2009-07-18T09:26:00.000Z

I know I don't have many followers yet as this blog is a late night-quick teabreak glance-type operation for me with two nutters to mind all day.

I am having difficulty finding time to write and it is clear to me via this blog just how little I am doing. To other writing mums, women, anyone.... have you any tips for me? I can't get up any earlier (6am start with the baby) and I don't really watch a lot of TV. I am considering a cleaner for 6 months LOL! Honestly, going to call one today. Maybe then I'll have more time to write.

On a more positive note I just learned from a text message this morning that my book was in the Irish Times yesterday, special offer. I was on Tubridy a few weeks ago too so I am going to check the sales stats this week and hopefully I'll see the impact.

Yesterday I cashed my first cheque from freelance work, so long may that continue!

Inspiration

2009-07-10T21:52:00.001Z

It has been a slow week writing was but still a good one. I did two creative writing exercises today while the baby napped and my 3 year old was at summer camp. It is difficult to stay focused with piles of laundry and floors screaming for a sweep but I stuck at it. It felt great to 'almost' write a poem from one of the exercises.

Inspiration

This blog is an attempt at sharing information with others and motivating myself in the process so here's some sharing:

This is inspirational stuff.

Gone Fishin'

2009-07-07T19:31:00.000Z

Words today: 0

Pitches: 2 out there

Glasses of wine in hand: 1

So, I have two pitches out there.I may need to look at my technique, or the bait - a spelling mistake in the first line is probably not ideal. Nor is leaving an extra sentence down the bottom of the email. All spotted in that wonderful place called 'afterwards'.

I didn't write today but I was thinking a lot of something I heard Anne Enright say at a lecture: You need to kill the censor, the censor in your head. I have to kill my censor, I think I am writing badly this week because I am not writing honestly, I am thinking 'who would like this' rather than just writing.

Who writes this crap?

2009-07-06T22:06:00.001Z

Words today: 200

Pitches: 2 sent to national newspaper
Creative Writing: Slow

... that's what I am thinking reading back on what I've written this evening. Better luck tomorrow I guess!

At least on the freelance front I pulled a decent pitch together, see if anything tugs the line. The photo is from outside the green wedding fair I covered for a magazine recently, it was a fun day inside the building too.

If you want to write

2009-07-06T07:46:00.001Z

I had a slow weekend on the writing front and a fast one on the Mammy front. I had a fantastic day with my boys at the play day in Merrion Square and visit from their aunt, so not much time for the laptop....

...But, I went to the library and took out a book about murders which my novel is centred around. While there I got stuck in a wheelchair loo for 25 minutes with my 3 year old and learned that hand dryers are in fact angry dragons. The world is not always how I see it.

Speaking of how I look at the world, my favourite book about writing was one I stumbled upon in DCU library when I was supposed to be finishing a thesis, written in the 1930s it's called 'If you Want to Write' by Brenda Ueland. I devoured it, fantastic stuff. I recommend it to everyone (and I've read them all!)

Juggling...

2009-07-03T07:48:00.000Z

At midnight last night I emailed my article for a magazine to my work computer, where I have printer with ink in it, so that on my teabreak I could proof it before sending it to the editor.

8 hours later I am at my desk in work and I open the email, it's the wrong draft! I wanted to get the article emailed today but now I can't. It is the cardinal rule of freelance journalism, have it in on time. I wasn't given a deadline but I said I would have it in 'this week', the photographs to accompany the piece are being emailed to me this afternoon so I planned to finish the week nicely by pressing SEND.

Lessons today - Plan better next time. Late night working not the best idea. Buy ink for my home printer!

Missed a Bus

2009-07-02T19:41:00.001Z

I was working away on the bones of a pitch to Prudence Magazine on baby bargains. My book is on wedding bargains so it is a good link. Alas, opened the latest issue today to find another clever mammy got in before me, Caroline Allen.

I will pitch it somewhere else, someday. But for now, I am going to have a cuppa and read it in the hope I can say 'ah, she forgot to mention...'.

Why blog?

2009-07-01T23:29:00.001Z

I would like to finish another book, fiction this time. I also want to earn more from freelance journalism so I can stay working 3 days, and continue to buy more time with my children. It's a dream, but so far I've one non-fiction book published, one writing award and a few wedding related articles published. It's not enough yet to allow me to cut my hours permanently but soon...

When I do have a free minute I spend a lot of time doing other activites when I should be just writing, like this blog, reading about writing, cutting out articles and inspirational bits, thinking about writing, talking about it, staring into space, plucking my eyebrows, opening my laptop to begin writing but looking at friends' photos on facebook instead.

Enough! This blog should be evidence of turnaround that leads to a publishing deal and earning half a living as a freelance journalist and novelist (!) As Oprah says if you can see it, it can happen... I also watch too much Oprah when I could be writing.

Confession: the title idea for the title of this blog came from this blog - Jane has some great tips on pitching to newpapers and magazines and this Irish Times link is good.

Sarah