#5 a teeny milestone

Hi Buddies,

Today in my office... can you believe my last blog post was way back in March? We were confident, then, weren't we, that Covid had been stopped in its tracks. We'd be back to normal in six months. A year tops. And now... let's just say I've been grateful to have a project to keep me out of mischief.

But let me update you:

A year ago, in July, I told you I'd just finished the rough draft of the manuscript, and was beginning the rewrite. You clapped, thank you. In August 2020, I was up to my neck in books about the theory of writing. You were so patient. By September 2020, I knew I had problems and began work with a great book editor. You sighed, but understood. By December I'd solved the problems by ditching half the book. So another half to write. You drummed your fingers.

By March this year, my computer screen was showing worrying signs.

Anyone sensible would have gone for therapy. Instead, I enrolled in a course called Finish Your Novel in Six Months.

Cue hysterical laughter.

I enrolled and we began in May. With amazing results.

Yes. I became young and beautiful, with groovy clothes.

No that's a joke.

But it was like winning the lottery.

I gained this wonderful tutor, Bernadette Foley, a heavy in the publishing industry for 30 years, who has worked with people like Di Morrissey, William McInnes et al. Equally as amazing, I gained fifteen writing buddies with CV's to match. Well I haven't actually read their CV's but I'll bet if I did, they'd be good. Without one exception, they are brilliant writers and editors. There are sixteen books in this group that I absolutely believe in. I know they are all going to be published. And I can't wait to cheer them on. That can only happen once in a lifetime surely.

Latest development: I just submitted a completed manuscript for review. Ahem.Completed manuscript.

Don't get too excited, especially by the weird graphics. The manuscript is going to go into the class concrete mixer (I've learned not to mix metaphors but hey sometimes you have to let go) for tumbling and polishing. Maybe smashing and cracking. Whatever. And all I have to do afterwards is put it back together.

Then, baby, after a copy edit or two, I might be ready to start pitching to an agent or a publisher.

Of course that's a whole different minefield to negotiate. But I keep telling myself if J K Rowling can be rejected by 12 publishers, I must be getting closer to achieving same.

Excuse me while I leave the room, scream, jump in the air, chortle, let off fire crackers, and throw streamers about. If I could leap on an aeroplane and jet off to Hydra, I would.

I'll let you know when I start approaching publishers. Get ready. I'll be needing support.

I wait you buddies, as always. Hope you are still waiting me.

ps. I've just noticed my avatar has hearing aids the poor disabled little thing. I must have been on truth serum when I created her...