I haven't been in the frame of mind to do any more research atm.  Found out on Friday that my MIL has had a minor stroke and there are other possible health problems as well. 

Course starts tomorrow.  I don't know how I'm going to be organised to do it.  We've had an introductory post about ourselves - sounds like an interesting bunch of people!  I'm really looking forward to it, but freaking out at the same time.

Short story

I swapped over today to do some research on a short story I'm planning on writing for the Catchfire Press 'Wood Brick & Stone: The Making of the Hunter' competition.  What I'm planning to write about is in the same geographical area as my book, but a slightly later time period, so I actually found information about both while I was trawling around the internet.  I need to go and spend some time at Maitland library by myself to delve into the local history books they've got there that can't be borrowed.

Yay I now have a surname and a back story for the hero's friend!  Have been searching through the cemetery listings and immigration lists to find something that is historically possible and that appealed to me.

I can see the danger of adding in every little bit of historical fact you find out.  It's absolutely fascinating that Prince Alfred was due to visit Maitland at that time, but is it necessary to the story?

I love this ad from the paper at the time:

NOTICE.
TO MICHAEL HIGGINS.
I WISH you would come and TAKE YOUR TWO
CHILDREN AWAY that you left with me some
eighteen months ago (as I do not intend to keep them
any longer), and PAY ME for keeping the same. And
unless you return in one month from this date I intend
to sell what property there is here belonging to you to
pay for the keep of your children.
ALEX. McDONALD,
Taree Creek.


Got about 30 mins research done - I'm reading through an issue of the paper to get some background knowledge of the time.

Not sure how I'm going to get time by myself to do this course.  Billy is usually up not long after me and likes to talk and have some attention from the moment he gets up.  I try to block out time for work and put my headphones on so I don't get interrupted, but even that doesn't work.  If I'm trying to do 1hr work and 1hr writing each day, that's a lot of time for him to not interrupt!

Creative Writing Course

I'm so excited.  Today I signed up for a 5 week online creative writing course with the Sydney Writer's Centre.  It starts on Monday!  I'm hoping it will give me the kick in the butt I need and help me develop the habit of taking it seriously.

Got about half an hour of research done before the household woke up and disturbed me.  Have found a couple of dramatic incidences that I can use which narrows down the time to a specific year.  Is it ok to kill a very minor character off in a kid's book?

*sigh* Now back to the 21st century with a thud.

Just had an idea in the shower that adds more depth to the novel.  It gives Jamie a reason for behaving like such a spoilt brat in the first place.

So what did I do today?  Nothing major on the book - we were out most of the day.  I did do a bit of research tonight though and have narrowed the time setting of the book down to about 30 years.  Now to do some further reading of the papers in those years and see if there is any event I could use to pinpoint it further.

Still musing over whether or not I need a bad guy?  All of my conflict seems to be internal or just circumstance like being poor & uneducated.

Just found an interesting website - http://austcemindex.com/.  It's a listing of Australian cemeteries, listing of names & photos of the graves..  That's the trouble with research - it can pull you down all sorts of labyrinths and keep you there forever :)

Intro

OK well, here goes..

I want to write a book.  While I'd love for it to be published, I know the chances are slim.  I don't know if I'm good enough or not.  But I still want to prove to myself that I can do it.

After years of saying "I'd love to write a book", I've given myself a deadline of my 40th b'day in October.  I have a children's book in mind (or maybe YA - will see how it turns out).  At least I have the vague story line and the setting, but I don't have enough of a plot in mind as yet. 

I'm trying out some ideas from "Write your first draft in 30 days" by Karen Weisner and actually plotting the book first rather than just sitting down and writing.  It appeals to the left-brainer in me.  Its been incredibly helpful so far already - I have written one scene which I've already had to go and change a dozen times as my ideas have developed - imagine if I'd written more!

So this is my journal to keep me accountable - I'm going to post my journey here so that I don't slack off and let fear get in the way again...