Ian Rivedon Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Blimey, that was a quick response! But it shows how sincere you are, and yes, 'literarature' is symptomatic of just one glass of Pinot Grigio too many. I started writing when I just got the urge when working at home one day three years ago. I looked out of the window, saw something that stirred my imagination, and started to write. That was it! That writing became a 300,000 word novel, which I submitted it to an agent in London, but she rejected it. I can see now why she did. I haven't worked on the novel since the rejection, but since the vacation commenced last week I have cut 55,000 words out of the existing draft. I removed a whole section that I realised was total 'vanity', and which made the novel unpublishable. I'm currently spending each day re-writing the remainder. I am still on chapter 1. I want to finish the novel just to have a completed major work, but I am continuing with it in the acceptance that it will undoubtedly never be published. My goal is to complete the re-write within the current vacation, and then to clear my mind for the tasks ahead. University is helping me to identify where my strengths lie, so my future writing will be exclusively short stories, converting my bursts of imagination, hopefully, into good, readable prose. I think the skill in creating a successful piece of work, whether a short story or a novel, is in creating a good beginning and end. In particular, the first chapter, first paragraph, even first sentence are absolutely critical.I know that the term 'practise makes perfect' is a valid one, and I want to concentrate upon what I find most difficult. I want to be able to write an opening sentence like George Orwell's in 1984, or Jane Austen's in Pride and Prejudice. IR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allo1010 Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 Ian, do you by any chance take the creative writing course offered by Sheffield Hallam? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Rivedon Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 Allo1010, No, I don't attend Sheffield Hallam. I haven't lived in Sheffield for several years. IR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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