Monday, February 15, 2010

First Post

After more than thirty years of juggling school, kids and housework, I had wondered how I'd fill the hours of each day when retirement approached at the end of 2006. It has been three years since I retired and I must say I'm doing more than play scrabble and twiddle my thumbs.

There're lots to do: new stuff to learn, books to read, friends to meet, plants to grow, the perfect quilt to make... well, you get the picture. Whoever said they have nothing to do after they retired must have someone to cook and clean and wash for them -- like a personal maid, a driver and a picker-up of things.

I started this blog mainly to record my thoughts and feelings, and my experience as a 'writer' in the hope that would-be authors would be able to glean some useful information out of, what I'm sure will be, a hodgepodge of subjects. At the very least they'd learn from my mistakes and not waste time trundling down paths which lead to dead-ends.

Notice the inverted commas: 'writer'. My book is out only next month. March 2010. While I'm no spring chicken, I'm very much a novice writer. Sometimes I feel I'm just masquerading as a writer. A pretender. I've always liked words, though, and the way certain words are strung together so they become pretty chains you'd want to share with your friends.

There is so much to learn but while we strive to improve our writing, I believe we should not compare ourselves with authors who have sold a million books because we'd end up not writing anything. We each have our very own stories to tell in our own unique voice.

Wouldn't you want to know how to write better? What books are helpful for writers? What do editors look for in submissions? What is the editing process like? These are some of the things I can share.

I learnt a few things when my manuscript was accepted by a local publishing house. I want to pass on this knowledge to you, dear reader, so you will not have to walk alone in the dark and -- when your manuscript has been accepted -- you won't annoy you editors too much!

If you love writing (and books and orchids and quilts) drop in now and then, pour yourself some tea and while away a minute or three with me.

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