Newbie writer from the UK

[anaemic_mind]

Hi all, good to be here

I am very new to writing, only started work on my first novel earlier in February this year. Two winning NaNo camps and 290K+ words later I'm still going strong with no clear end in sight.

I'm enjoying finally finding my 'thing' after forty years of drifting through life. But it's taken over my life somewhat. I was a stay at home mum of two and keen gardener. Now I have large patch of tall weeds and two feral creatures who were once my children. My husband is also rather bored of my endless nattering about my imaginary friends and what happens to them.

So, here I am in search of people who won't roll their eyes at me when I talk about anything writing related. Tips for focusing my pantsing so I can figure out where this story is going and how it ends would be gratefully received.

TIA

 

[Ari Meermans]

Hi! Welcome to AW.

 

[Denevius]

Welcome to AW!

 

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[DanielSTJ]

Welcome in!

 

[Robots]

Hi and to the forum !

 

[anaemic_mind]

Thank you for the welcomes

 

[Lavern08]

...Now I have large patch of tall weeds and two feral creatures who were once my children.

..................… Now that's ^^^ funny! -

 

[Zan75]

Hello and welcome

 

[Fallen]

 

[ritelife4ever]

Lol at the "feral creatures" imagery. I have three children and I'm divorced so I have the opposite problem, in that I can't really find much time to write even though I love doing it and have millions of stories running through my head. (Okay, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point).

 

[CameronJohnston]

Welcome to AW!

 

[anaemic_mind]

..................… Now that's ^^^ funny! -

I can write funny...yay! There's hope for me yet Thank you!

Lol at the "feral creatures" imagery. I have three children and I'm divorced so I have the opposite problem, in that I can't really find much time to write even though I love doing it and have millions of stories running through my head. (Okay, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the point).

My other half works away so I only get him home for the odd weekend here and there...I cope mostly by writing late at night and mainlining tea to stay awake. It's easier right now as it's the holidays though. The teen got up way before me and has fed himself two meals and the small had a lie in and is outside with the neighbours kids. I am ignoring my laundry pile and am glued to my laptop with one eye out the kitchen window making sure the small isn't being too feral. Just had a rather good idea that means re-writing vast swathes of stuff. Ugh. Sometimes I hate my brain.

 

[BradCarsten]

Welcome! We'll be glad to hear about your imaginary friends. We've all got them. A 290K debut? Wow, that's adventurous. What genre is it?

 

[anaemic_mind]

A 290K debut? Wow, that's adventurous. What genre is it?

It's nowhere near finished yet either which scares me and is starting to get rather complicated with sub-plots and secondary character story arcs so may well end up as more than one book. But I'm very aware that a lot may well get chopped eventually. Very aware that I waffle far too much! I hit 302K the other day but then shaved a good 1000 words almost immediatly re-reading a previous chapter.

Genre is the million dollar question! Everyone asks me that and I have no clue. It's set in the present day real world, and is essentially about how the characters cope [or not] with the fall out from a violent and traumatic event so involves some violence, lots of personal growth, coping with PTSD, anxiety etc, as well as some sex and humour, and there seems to be a rather large romance sub-plot that may or may not end up becoming slightly more major. I am pantsing my way through as ideas come to me so have zero clue what will happen to everyone yet. It's veering wildly daily between a sunset happy ending and killing the MCs off GoT style

 

[Jennie]

Tia!

Genre is the million dollar question! Everyone asks me that and I have no clue. It's set in the present day real world, and is essentially about how the characters cope [or not] with the fall out from a violent and traumatic event so involves some violence, lots of personal growth, coping with PTSD, anxiety etc, as well as some sex and humour, and there seems to be a rather large romance sub-plot that may or may not end up becoming slightly more major. I am pantsing my way through as ideas come to me so have zero clue what will happen to everyone yet. It's veering wildly daily between a sunset happy ending and killing the MCs off GoT style

Now this seems a very interesting story. I look forward to hearing more about it as it unfolds. Let the words pour, and in a little while step back, print pages, and see how things go!

 

[GreenGrape]

Hello! I also only started writing ‘seriously’ in February. Balancing children and writing is extremely difficult but I have to say it’s wonderful to have an outlet for all the creative thoughts

 

[ritelife4ever]

I can write funny...yay! There's hope for me yet Thank you!


My other half works away so I only get him home for the odd weekend here and there...I cope mostly by writing late at night and mainlining tea to stay awake. It's easier right now as it's the holidays though. The teen got up way before me and has fed himself two meals and the small had a lie in and is outside with the neighbours kids. I am ignoring my laundry pile and am glued to my laptop with one eye out the kitchen window making sure the small isn't being too feral. Just had a rather good idea that means re-writing vast swathes of stuff. Ugh. Sometimes I hate my brain.

What sort of holiday do you guys have in August? I'm from the U.S. and the only thing I can think of is no school.

 

[RAL]

G'day Mate !

 

[anaemic_mind]

What sort of holiday do you guys have in August? I'm from the U.S. and the only thing I can think of is no school.

Yes, school holidays. They run from the end of July to the beginning of September here. We homeschool so it doesn't affect us that much we don't stick to term dates...but it means all the neighbours' kids who are normally at school are out playing and my youngest likes hanging with them so I'm being interrupted by him slightly less than normal.