Getting back too it

So it's been a while since I updated this blog and that's mainly because I haven't really been writing since I got back from the UK.

No excuses...
No reasons...
I've just been crap.

So here is my re-assertion that I will be finishing this novel asap (I've done a touch of editing (#@$%!) and added a little but I'm still only at 28,500 words for those keeping up with the numbers).

At the Kaboom! playground building (which you'll know about if you read my other blog), I met Gimbiya and in a very strange coincidence I discovered that she is also a writer, is part of a writers group and that they were looking for new members. I'm taking this as a hint from the universe that I should pull my finger out and get back to writing the novel.

I attended my first meeting with the group (Gimbiya, Nick, Jill, Cathleen and myself) and was pleasantly surprised given my previous experiences with such groups. Firstly they are normally bigger so that only a few people (i.e. the loud ones) get to comment, secondly they are normally far less keen to have their work critiqued.

We discussed a short story of Nick's that he is considering turning into a novel and approached it as a Q&A with the author so that rather than suggesting improvements we asked questions about why he had made certain choices and where he saw the work developing. It was an interesting approach and given the early stage he is at I think a good one. It was interesting to hear different people's opinions and questions and hear how Nick was thinking about the piece, particularly as he is taking it in a slightly different direction than I was thinking of.

I'm looking forward to the next meeting but know I need to make serious progress on Fixing as I've invited people to nag me about it, with that in mind let's see if I can add some more tonight...