Note to self: don’t try to do anything at the start of the academic year.  Really.  Don’t bother.

And definitely don’t try to finishing a sodding novel!  I’m not going to moan about it, but I will say two things:

1. The past month and a bit at work have been ridiculously busy and stressful.  And that’s working part-time (allegedly).  (Have got some fab students, though!)

2. I did get 10,000+ words written before the madness began, so that’s something.

Looking ahead, I plan to give things another go now I’ve started to get a handle on the insanity of work and I’ll post my thoughts about the BIAM system soon.

In other news – I’ve been reading bits and pieces for work, including some Shakespeare.  Henry V – better than I was expecting!  Some lovely themes in there and a wonderfully complex main character; I love that you could view Henry as this arch-Machiavel or the ideal king.  Intriguing stuff!

I am ridiculously excited to read Wolf Hall, which is sat in my Kindle’s memory, waiting for my attentions.  I must have been living under a rock for the past few years, as it didn’t hit my radar until Mantel won her second Man Booker prize for the sequel.  A seriously big  rock.

But, for now, bed!

So, popular belief has it that boobs weren’t treated as separate entities and hoisted up in bras (as opposed to smooshed up in corsets) until the 20th century.  At the earliest, you could suggest that some Regency undergarments were close-ish to modern bras.  But discoveries in an Austrian castle that were only publicised earlier this year seem to refute all we believed.  Check out what they found:

There are plenty of articles on these amazing finds – fabric that have survived some 600 years and have the potential to re-write our understanding of undergarments – so I’ll let the experts fill you in better than I can (though, worth noting that they found pants and knickers [Edit - I did originally write 'knickers' here, too, but when I re-read one of the articles I found that actually the bikini-like briefs are believed to have been men's pants.  Apologies, no knickers to see here.  Move on!] too – bonkers!):

Yahoo News

This one shows the knickers, which look suspiciously like tie-up-bikini bottoms – I think we need to re-think who invented the bikini!

More details later emerged in this article, which I found via the good Comtesse (who is definitely worth following if you like to be kept – ahem – abreast of history news (sorry to manage an oxymoron and pun in the same sentence – I’m sure that’s word-play overkill, but please let me off, I’m so tired!).

Hope you enjoyed this instalment of ‘Sleepy Writer talks Medieval Underwear’!

That’s a pleasant surprise – I really thought I’d struggle to write 500 words today, considering it’s my first day writing in over a year.  But I just made myself sit and do it.  No excuses.  I didn’t let myself get up from the computer or go online, I had to write, even if I found it hard to write something scintillating or maintain my focus.

This was a slightly non-representative day as I finished work slightly later than usual (I’d normally be finished about by 4:30, rather than 5), but I also had nothing I needed to do this evening.  Starting next week, I’m going to be teaching an evening class on Tuesday nights and I’ll be learning at one on Wednesday nights, so that’s two evenings taken out of the week, plus I have another group activity on Monday nights, so I’ll really have to play catch-up on my Fridays off and at the weekend.

But anyway, yay for reaching my word count aim on the first day – may this be the first of many!

I’m planning to finish the first draft in the course of the next 30-40 days (I’m being realistic – it’s the beginning of the new academic year!), so I calculate that should be 70,000 words in total (I already have 50,000+).

So, if you want to comment on here or you know me on Twitter (@ClareTeaches) or Facebook, please badger me – ideally, I’m aiming for 2,300 words per day, which would be 70,000 over the month.  However, I haven’t written in over a year, so let’s see how my stamina goes!  I’m happy to build up my daily word count over the first week or so and take a little longer to get to the end.

I’ll be posting daily word counts on Twitter and perhaps weekly ones on here, so here goes!

Thanks for joining me here and feel free to chime in any time – I love hearing from you!

Also, a quick update on my writing – I’ve mentioned that I’ve been wrestling with some plot demons lately … Well, I don’t think I needed to worry.  I looked back over my plotting document (which has somehow reached 17,000 words – over-planning, moi?) and found that back when I wrote it, I actually did a much better job better than I thought – everything ties together and it all advances the plot.  Who’d've thought?

So, onwards with the writing!  Huzzah!

I’ve been wrestling with some plotting demons in A Thief & A Gentlewoman, which have stopped me moving on with the story.  Sometimes plot-doubts are simply us as insecure writers second-guessing ourselves … but sometimes there really is a flaw in our plotting.  The outline of AT&aGw has gone through a few changes, with a parallel plot added to increase complexity (and ensure it reached a fantasy-appropriate word count!), but coming back to the story after a break, I now feel that that addition has actually diluted what was a strong plot with an exciting climax.  So I’ve been focusing on books about plot to get some ideas for how to move forward.

I’ve already reviewed Write to be Published, which I loved, so I won’t go over that again, except to say get it!

I picked up The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing a couple of months ago as it has interviews with some interesting writers and articles on topics not covered by some of my more specialist writing books, and it seems like good value – a big chunky book for £10.

Plus, I’ll admit it, I like getting new writing books.

This is more of a dip-into book, rather than a read-straight-through (which is what I did with Write to be Published).  I’ve read or skimmed through a few articles and particularly the section on plot, since that’s what I’m working on at the moment.  It seems quite good so far, though not utterly amazing, however I’ve only looked at a few parts and I suspect it will become more useful as I dip into other areas.

I found Monica Wood and James N. Frey’s articles on plot fairly helpful, though in a broad way of getting myself thinking about plot and encouraging my subconscious to start working on the problem of what is and isn’t working in my plot.  There wasn’t necessarily anything in these articles that I hadn’t read elsewhere, but this book would be useful for someone looking to get a one-stop reference for different areas of novel writing.  Like Write to be Published, it gives a broad overview and is a handy resource for having information all in one place.  I do prefer Write to be Published, though, as I found it more readable and like Nicola Morgan’s voice and her take on different subjects.

A couple of years ago a friend gave me a copy of Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell, as somehow he’d ended up with two copies (no, I don’t know how, either, but thanks, Darron!).  In light of my current issues with my WIP, I finally got around to reading it.  Again, I used a combination of skimming, dipping in and reading fully, since some sections were more useful to my current position than others.

Despite the horrible cover (sorry, I hate it!), I liked this one and have found it really useful.  It articulates a lot of things that we already know about plot and structure from being readers and consumers of narratives, which is helpful for clarifying that feeling of “I know this plot does/doesn’t work, but I’m not sure why!”

Bell does get a big obsessed with his own ‘systems’ (complete with acronyms – are you an OP or a NOP?) and it gets a little annoying reading repeatedly about “the LOCK system”.  He does also reference his own fiction fairly often, which I didn’t think was particularly great (sorry!) and in one instance was actually quite over the top when it was meant to be giving an example of downplaying emotion.  But if you can get past those minor niggles, then this is a very useful book for helping you think about plot, whether you’re coming up with one from scratch, or re-working a flagging one.

He includes plenty of exercises to try out and some handy appendices to help write your own back cover copy (a helpful part of the plotting process) and a checklist of key elements.  There are tips for generating ideas and fixing plot problems, as well as a great section on revising and rewriting, specifically focusing on plot.  I do recommend this as an excellent reference for your writing shelves.

Finally we come to a book I almost hesitate to admit to buying: Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt.

Why the hesitation? you might ask.  Well, something about this book just seems a bit gimicky.  Maybe it’s that the writer encourages you to buy a fresh book each time you want to write using her Book in a Month (BIAM) system (what’s with writing books and their ‘systems?), or maybe it’s the very idea of a ‘system’ of writing (nevermind that it’s advertised as ‘fool-proof’ in the tagline.

But there was something that appealed to me about this book – perhaps it’s all the forms to be filled in (which is why she suggests you get a fresh copy for each novel you write, personally, I’ll be using photocopies of the forms!), which must have some sort of appeal to the woman who played ‘office’ and ‘teacher’ games extensively as a child (Complete with made up paperwork.  Yes, sad, I know!).

Anyway, I’ve read the preparation part of the book (that is, up to the point where you begin the 30-day programme) and I’m not regretting my decision to buy it.  Schmidt discusses and encourages you to think about all the excuses you make not to write or not to finish a manuscript, and the possible reasons behind those excuses.  She takes a psychological approach, looking at the ways we sabotage ourselves, reasons for resistance and methods of motivation, which is no surprise when you consider she has a doctorate in psychology.  I’d suggest keeping a journal alongside this book, where you can write about the issues raised and the questions posed – this has already helped me to feel more motivated.

Alongside this, however, she does address the writing itself and how that can prevent you from continuing.  One of my favourite sections so far is how she addresses the idea of theme and what it is you want to say with your story, explaining that sometimes the theme conveyed in a plot that isn’t working for you is a theme you’re not passionate about.  She helps you uncover your ‘writerly identity’ and visualise what it is you want to be known for as a writer, which helps you focus on writing the things that motivate you or, even, how to make an assigned piece of writing (eg, something outside of your usual genre of interest) more appealing to your own interests and passions.

There are some down sides of this book – for instance, she encourages you to write your first draft without any subplots to get the novel written in a month.  I disagree with this strategy as a good subplot will often tie in with the main plot of the novel, perhaps even helping the protagonist find a solution to their problems.  Also, the psychology-talk does get in danger of straying into ‘psychobabble’ territory sometimes, but there’s nothing to stop you from skim-reading!

So far, I’m finding this and interesting and useful book, which I plan to use to finish AT&aGw, once I’ve worked out the plot problems.  I’ll give more feedback when I’ve finished that!

What about you, what non-fiction have you been reading?  Got any writing book recommendations (or ones to avoid!) you’d like to share?

One of the main writing-related things I’ve been doing is reading.  Lots and lots of reading.  I find it so inspiring to lose myself in a story and often good books give me new perspective on my own writing.  I might have been writing since I was barely into double-digits and I might have studied the craft for four years of university, but I still learn from reading (be that what to do or what to avoid!).  So this post I’ll outline some of the fiction I’ve been reading, with another post to follow discussing the writing-related books I’ve been reading.

My recent reading escapades include …

Robin Hobb!  I’ve been reading through the Farseer Trilogy and then the Tawny Man Trilogy alternating between devouring them greedily and carefully avoiding them for fear of horrible things happening in the stories.  And I had a period of mourning when I finished the Tawny Man Trilogy because I knew that meant no more adventures with Fitz and the Fool.

I loved the Liveship Traders Trilogy, which I read a couple of years ago, but I love these two Fitzchivalry & Fool trilogies even more.  She is a seriously skilled writer and an excellent study in human nature – she’s not afraid to acknowledge those less pleasant thoughts we all have and she puts them there in her characters, giving them a realism you don’t see often in characters of any genre.  Seriously, if by some strange act of fate you’ve never read any Robin Hobb, you really, really must.  Must!

The Hunger Games Trilogy.  I quite enjoyed these and read through them very quickly, though I’ve definitely read better YA fiction and when I finished I was left wondering what the big fuss was about.  Ultimately, this story is Battle Royale meets 1984 and a couple of other stories.

I did find the themes interesting, particularly the idea of the poor essentially being slaves to benefit the rich, which read, for me, as a critique of capitalism: in the capitalist triangle, the majority of people are at the bottom, working to provide for the minority who live in luxury at the top, getting (or remaining) rich from the hard work of those below them.  In this series, the division is shown literally with the districts serving the Capitol.  This idea of unequal division of wealth is a huge part of AT&aGw, so it was interesting to see it done in a different way and it was inspiring to read someone else’s writing on this idea.

Besides, who doesn’t love a good bit of dystopia?

I did watch the film after reading the books and I am quite in adoration of Rue – the girl who played her is possibly the cutest person in existence and has the biggest eyes I ever saw.

I’m teaching The Great Gatsby this year, so I thought I really should read it …  And I actually found myself enjoying it.  I often dislike books considered to be ‘classics’ as they tend to be a bit, well, boring.  (Not all classics, but quite a few!  Don’t get me started on Dickens or Jane Eyre.  Really.  You’ll regret it!)

But The Great Gatsby was an thought-provoking and intriguing read, with plenty of rumination to be done around the characters and themes.  I even did a mind map of the themes – I’m a geek like that, but in my defence, it will help me when teach the novel.  At least that’s my excuse.

I’m particularly excited at the prospect of a Baz Luhrmann adaptation coming out.  He is the perfect director to capture the bizarre, carnivalesque excess of Fitzgerald’s vision of the ‘roaring twenties’.  And the cast list is perfect.  The only downer on the release of this film is that it’s been pushed back to next summer.  Sad times.

I’m part-way through Mrs Robinson’s Disgrace.  I have mixed feelings about this one.  Mrs Robinson seems to have lived at an incredible time, crossing paths with some of her age’s most famous writers, scientists and philosophers and her story will leave you open-mouthed at the sheer injustice done to women of her age.  However, for various reasons, I was expecting an account that read more like a story, than a fairly blandly-told history.  My expectations aren’t the writer’s fault, they’re because of what someone told me before I started reading, but it is interesting to remember that the reader and their expectations and previous experiences are as big a part of the book as the writer and their intentions.  The bland writing though, well that could be down to me not being suited to reading history, or the author not being particularly suited to writing it!

Even so, an interesting story worth reading if you’re at all interested in the realities of life for Victorian women.

 What fiction have you been reading lately?  Anything exciting?  Have you read Robin Hobb?  What did you think?

I love to get book recommendations and rarely buy a book without one, so I’d love to hear if you have any!

I buy quite a lot of books (there’s no space on the bookshelves anymore, but I don’t let that stop me!), though I don’t always review them on Amazon.  However, I so loved reading Ms Morgan’s and have been such a long-time fan, I decided to write a short review, which might be helpful if you’re trying to decide from the so very many writing books out there …

Excellent Advice, Given With Humour

As the title of this review suggests, this book gives excellent advice on a broad overview of topics that will help any writer understand just what it is agents and editors are looking for. What’s more, Nicola Morgan (the Crabbit Old Bat herself) gives that advice with humour, honesty and a wealth of experience. She had to learn the hard way, but she happily passes on her hard-won knowledge to the rest of us.

This book is a great starting point for writers to give them a taste of what the industry’s about and to help them think about the elements that go towards making a publishable book. Ms Morgan touches on those elements and points the reader towards other sources that cover them in more depth (such as genre-specific resources). I can imagine using this book as a useful diagnostic tool for a work-in-progress to help the writer discern what isn’t working – perhaps the plot peters out or there’s not enough conflict – and look into that area in more detail.

I strongly recommend this book for anyone looking to get their writing published, be it fiction or non-fiction, romance or sci-fi – you won’t regret it!

5/5 stars