A Round up of the week.

It’s Friday and I've had a very complicated week. Mostly on the work front, issues with my computer, it didn't want me to do any work, which would have been lovely, had I not had so much to do. Thankfully, it was all sorted in the end and I managed to catch up by the end of the week.

On the writing front, things are going well. I've managed to tidy up some picture book texts ready for submission. I bravely contacted the publishers to confirm a few details and I'm now armed with all the relevant details and a good luck with my submission from one of the team. I hope that luck holds.

 I've also managed to write, edit and send an entry to the CWA Margery Allingham Short Story Competition. Crime Writers Association   I've sent a thriller. I very much doubt I’ll make the long list, but I wanted to give this a go. I’ll let you know if I hear anything, if not, that will mean it wasn't quite right and I must do better. But that is what writing is all about. Give it a go and learn from each submission and keep on trying to improve.  I will also be submitting a children’s novel, I just need to give it a last polish before emailing it off. I have to admit it is so much easier to submit by email than sending hard copy.

It seems to be the time for writing opportunities and competitions, so I’ll be getting my typing fingers and editing brain in gear and get working. It feels great to be back in the zone and putting something I love doing back into my life.

The Windmill Writers meeting on Wednesday was well attended and from where I sat, working on my editing, the readings were once again good. Some material needed more work than others. One of the great parts of being part of a writing circle is the critiquing. Everyone will have their own take on what is read. As a writer you need to ensure you listen to each critique, don’t take it as a personal attack and don’t challenge the comments, after all they are just a response from a reader. The thing to do is: listen, take notes, weigh up what has been said and act upon it, if you believe what has been said is right. If not, ignore the advice and do your own thing. However, if more people agree on some points, it is worth thinking twice before dismissing them. It can be hard to just listen, but that is what helps make your writing better, stronger and more saleable. If you are only looking to write for your own enjoyment, then by all means read, but don’t ask for critique. Time is always tight at these meetings and over running your allotted slot makes for an unsettled feel to proceedings. 

I'm also a member of another writing circle YGAW. This group meet monthly and talk about all aspects of writing. It is more of a social group of productive writers, published, and working in the industry. 

So for this week’s writing challenge we are going back to the tin of words. There are six words that you have to use in a piece of writing. Short story, poem or flash fiction. You decide what you write but the only stipulation is that you use each word as it is written.

Suitcase – Giggling – Blu-tac – Dusk -  Goose – Wire-cutters

So go on, get writing.