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Doing the Write Thing















Wednesday
Write blog on plotting. Read blogs. Watch tennis. Give stern talk to self; must finish plot of Make, Do and Mend tomorrow and get writing.

Thursday
a.m. Day 4, Week 1 of Runner’s World SmartCoach 16 week training programme which will take me up to the Cardiff Half Marathon. Run 6 miles, (one warm, one cool, four at tempo).

Continue reading blogs plotting. Eat quite a few Peach Loops (nothing to do with peach and everything to do with sugar and gelatine) whilst desperately trying to make characters play.

p.m. At last! A teeny little chink of light shines in the dark world of my plot. Congratulate self and eat several more Peach Loops (named after a fruit therefore good for me).

Friday
Easy run: 2 miles. Watch tennis.

Saturday
Reach 5000 words. Worry about money and decide to enter short story comp.

Sunday
Steady run: 7 miles. Week One total: 17 miles.
Go to dinner with The Axe Murderers aka a delightful pair of artists we met at the top of a mountain.

Monday
Week Two: Cardiff Half Marathon training. Rest Day.
Have a rare weigh-in and find I have put on weight. Resolve to lay off the Peach Loops.

Estate agent for the property at the top of our shortlist rings to tell us an offer’s been received on it. Nothing we can do. Bum!

Mslexia arrives. My poem does not appear in the competition winners (And why not? It was no worse than most of the shortlisted poems and a lot better than one or two.) My life writing is not in the 'Curious Incidents' section (ditto). Have a severe Pit of Doom moment. Wonder why the feck I keep writing, clearly have sad case of Compulsive Writing Disorder.

Begin short story. Curl lip at short story. Abandon short story.

Write 100 words of MDM. Feel better. Eat Crunchie. Feel much better.

Tuesday
Easy run: 3 miles
Spend afternoon with Alphie, my lovely low-tech retro writing gadget (not as retro pen and paper, says Tom) in order not to be distracted by emails and blogs. Have horrid moment of loathing every word I have written. Force myself to concentrate. Make slow progress and then words start to fall into place... I’m getting there.

Wednesday
Rest Day. No run.
a.m. Show another time-waster potential purchaser round house. Start writerly activities... and keep going! What a good girl!

p.m. Post blog. Away for another date with Alphie...




Painting is 'Ceibwr' by Tom Tomos
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Comments

Elizabeth Musgrave said…
But you do keep on keeping on which I so admire! And you don't seem to have quite the number of distractions that I indulge in - whap aboutputting washing in, sorting out old make up and throwing away things you have had for years, wandering around the garden pulling up weeds in a haphazard way, deciding to research how to tell the age of a yew tree? I could go on, and on.
8 July 2009 at 09:08
Deborah Carr (Debs) said…
I know how you feel with the Compulsive Writing Disorder, though I would love to know how it feels to run like you do.

Sorry to hear about the offer on the property, that is such a pain in the butt.
8 July 2009 at 09:09
Rachel Green said…
and on you go!
I agree that 'thinking about the plot' counts as writing.
8 July 2009 at 09:23
Flowerpot said…
oh why are we so wracked with doubt and why is it so damn difficult at times? I do so feel for you Chris butyou've made such incredible progress recently - and I do so admire you for running!
8 July 2009 at 09:27
Chris Stovell said…
Elizabethm, arrange the words 'head, banging, brick wall' in a sentence and you get the picture!

Debs, but you did a Race for Life (and you are in possession of a magnificent shed... if you put that up for sale you'll have loads of takers!)

Rachel, so glad you are with me on that one :)!

FP, It's that belief that one day the breakthrough will come, isn't it? I think the running 's helped me to think that if I keep going I'll get there...
8 July 2009 at 13:54
Lane Mathias said…
Well, you've been pounding the pavements (or lanes) and pounding the keys. All very productive and Peach Loops and Crunchies are necessary fuel for such productivity.

And one day (very, very soon) Mslexia will be printing your name and asking for an interview. Of that, I'm sure.
8 July 2009 at 14:38
Norma Murray said…
Keep at it girl, you'll get there. (I mean writing, not running)
8 July 2009 at 14:45
Edward said…
Was that Archie in the last picture? I think I'd have trouble concentrating on pesky words with a view like that. Do you write in a window-less room?
9 July 2009 at 04:36
Fennie said…
I am sure you can write about running - surely a deeper field of activity than peach lollipops. All together now: It was a dark and stormy night.....
9 July 2009 at 07:41
Reading Tea Leaves said…
Im very impressed with the running Chris - training for a half marathon is no mean feat. Talking of which, is it possible to plot whilst running ...??!
9 July 2009 at 10:41
Chris Stovell said…
Lane, good! In that case I shall continue with the essential nutrients!

Lampie, WE will!

Edward, no that was Alphie but the view is mine all mine... if you look carefully you might see Mags in the hills.

Fennie, but Peach Loops (squashy, sweet/sour and sugary - not lollipops) are the stuff of sonnets.

Cottage garden, it is indeed possible to run and plot - have yet to master writing and plotting 'though.
9 July 2009 at 13:42
Milla said…
yes, I'm with elizm. On all counts. Keep going our Chris, you are an inspiration. Peach loops sound truly disgusting however.
Moseyed on over in search of a clue to the thing you're hopeful about (so exciting!) and saw my comment on the one below wasn't there. why DOES that happen??
10 July 2009 at 04:06
LITTLE BROWN DOG said…
Hang on, Chris - is that a book jacket layout in the right-hand column of your blog? Have I missed something important? Do tell, do tell.

And I echo those who've already said what an inspiration you are to us all. And fitting all that running in, too (not to mention the peach loops, although somehow, that's the one part of your diary I think I could accomplish without too much difficulty).

Anyway, having struggled for years with the idea of plotting, just this morning I had a brilliant idea. The plotless novel. What do you think?
10 July 2009 at 14:18
Tamsyn Murray said…
Peach loops are surely one of your five a day?
All that running - I'm puffed out for you. Do you think about the plot whilst running? Or are you like me - too consumed with whether you about to expire (I suspect not).
11 July 2009 at 03:20
Chris Stovell said…
Milla, Peach Loops are disgusting - Rose left a bag here so I was desperate, however I have been diligent in my quest to enjoy them.

LBD, Book 'jacket' is a mockup made by lovely Stepson Two and his gorgeous girlf who froze on the beach to pose for it! I've had a few bashes at the plotless novel myself, quite accidentally, usually shows when I sit down to read what I've written!

Tam, - good thinking! If I can count one Peach Loop as one unit I will be bursting with health!
11 July 2009 at 05:43
Maria said…
Crunchies always do it for me when I'm feeling down. I have my own personal technique of eating them, you know! I bite all around the sides and then.....but, oh, what's the use? I haven't had one in ten years. They're not available here in India (wail!)...still, one can reminisce, can't one? Keep going, Chris, you'll get there....
11 July 2009 at 12:41
Fiona Mackenzie. Writer said…
Snap on the word count, Chrish and snap also on the putting on weight. Writing - or maybe Peach Loops and my poison, Jaffa cakes - makes you fat. Not that you are fat. Me, I'm fat.
I'll go now...
11 July 2009 at 12:43
CAMILLA said…
Keep at it Chris, I know you will get there in the end.

One of my dreams in life is to have a short story published in hardback, trouble is..... wordblock.! Lots of unfinished manuscripts, I just need to get at it.

Sorry to hear about the property Chris.

xx
12 July 2009 at 09:25
Chris Stovell said…
gaelikaa - no Crunchies ! That is vair, vair, sad for you. No wonder you're still thinking about them! thanks for being so encouraging.

Fia... ooh, Jaffa Cakes, good one! Don't worry we will burn weight off waiting for our ECA marks - eek!

Hello Camilla, don't worry all those words will still be waiting when the time is right for your short stories - you'll get there.
12 July 2009 at 14:31
Bluestocking Mum said…
Agree with Elizabethm - you do keep plugging away and that is what you have to do. Never give in...never lose sight of what you want. Good for you my friend
x
14 July 2009 at 01:55
Pondside said…
Keep at it Chris! Make sure always to have a good supply of those rubbery-sounding peachy thingies and a good pair of running shoes - it will be your winning combination.......I know it!
14 July 2009 at 12:27
Chris Stovell said…
Thanks Angel, sometimes it's easier said than done!

Pondside, must try not to confuse the Peach Loops with the running shoes whilst I am it!
15 July 2009 at 04:25
Calico Kate said…
Envy your time/space to actually WRITE. I spend too much time doing it in my head and not on the paper/screen. Think I should look out for an Alphie.
Good luck with the run. Something I can see myself doing when out walking with the dogs but think I'll stick to the walking - too many wobbly bits for running.
Jacket cover looks amazing, Well done the girlf.
CKx
16 July 2009 at 12:52
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