Both Angry Robot and Gollancz are having open door periods in December/January. I want to submit to both – Hilda to both and a revised Godblind to Gollancz.
The only problem is I haven’t *quite* finished Hilda yet. I mean, there’s a lot of text there, and some of it’s good, but there’s also a lot missing. So I’m essentially still writing it. I know my deadline and that’s fine – I can reach it if I work hard.
But there’s the rub. The working hard bit. I’ve got the next five chapters planned out, so it’s not like I don’t know what to write. It’s not like I don’t have a plot, or engaging characters on exciting adventures. It’s just … doing the work. A perfect example is the fact I have my mss open right now – and I’m blogging.
I mean, it’s Sunday, it’s raining, and the only other thing on my agenda is the ironing. I have nothing to do but write. And I’m not. Which makes me wonder whether Hilda is the right project for me. Or whether I’m just procrastinating and looking for excuses not to finish it because writing a book is hard. Really hard.
And there’s the rest of Jessica Jones to watch – which is, I have to say, one of the best things out there at the moment. It almost feels like coming home – strong female characters, vulnerable female characters, characters who are strong and vulnerable and broken and emotional all at the same time – and that’s okay. That’s fine. Because women are all those things and more. A programme by women about women. One that isn’t pushing any sort of agenda – it’s just showing us in all our tarnished glory the way we’re never represented in anything else.
So, procrastination firmly out of the way, it’s time to write. And write good work. I can’t submit a draft for consideration, I have to submit my best effort. Onwards!
Currently reading: So, Anyway, by John Cleese, and The Art of the Novel, published by Salt
Currently watching: Jessica Jones
Currently listening: Game of Thrones Season 1 soundtrack
Anna Stephens, word seeker 