faffing around

yes - thats all Ive been doing today...watched the boy in the striped pygamas on DVD and again - thought the story was v good - the way the plot develops - the themes etc...there is something missing in my story - I cant find it yet...the answer is Im not sure where..so I suppose I need to just carry on writing. Have started a new chapter(yesterday) about Al amnd Roland's first date. My dilemas I will leave to my tutorial on wednesady with Emily.

BG

My birthday today

but I'm not saying which one!

No new writing done yet...Mondays City Cert class readings were interesting. Out for lunch(apt for someone of my seniority!) then the pictures in Town to see "Agora" then Nat'l Gallery to view an exhibition and then a chinese in Islington with firends tonight...nice!
BG

I feel SO sleepy

havent really slept vry well since the beginning of the week now and the dull lightless weather is not helping me stay awake. Went for dinner last night to a local hotel where we were served by a very nice young man. I made me think of oxytocin and penetration again!

When we got back home we watched the DVD of The English Patient - which I enjoyed for the umpteenth viewing...It made me think about my own "atempt" at a novel...I didnt go into a downer this time, by comparing myself inadequacies as a new writer with the very fine example of Mr Odantje's BUT did have cause as a result toreflect on my own plot.Some of the criticism Ive had so far on the openning incident being too much of a downer and also the proganists resultant depression - well...actually The E. P. begins with an aircraft being shot down and the pilot being horribly burned..then his nurses best firend being blown to pieces...so...maybe I shouldnt tone it down...it made me think about richness within plot, how important it is to have little subplots that temporarily side track the reader but which are interesting of themselves and interweave with the protagonists story....all food for thought. Hope to do a little new writing today - if I am able to stay awake for long enough!I also have 3 more fellow City students critiques to complete by tomorrow nights class back in London.

Have been on the Net looking up potential long stay accomodation options for my return trip to Buenos Aires at the end of this year for a prolongued tango exposure. H has said he'll come for 2 weeks initially - then I'm on my own. I think he wants to travel wider afield - maybe Bolivia. I will go to Uraguay as its only a hop from BA and...there's tango there too!

BG

Grey hairs over reworking existing drafts!

...just been reading Mike Clarke's MacNovel blog and note all the redrafting he's done subsequent to class workshopping feedback. I must admit this subject has been uppermost on my mind also. There is of course the advice which says - dont stop, you have to just carry on and get - it - all - out and THEN go back and rewrite...which is very valid for me as I have already written alot and more or less know where the story is headed and how it panns out. HOWEVER I am also aware that - as the remote possibility of hooking in the interest of an agent on 30th June or subsequently looms - I really do need to have atleast three polished first chapters completed...so maybe a compromise here is required. I do need to re write the first 4 chapters...even the first one isnt quite there yet, it could be more polished and I need to look at it again with fresh eyes. I am going to set aside a week to do it...maybe after I get back from Sitges . I have decided Julie will be cut as Chapter Two - its too distracting and a jump so early on in the plot set up....this is afterall a story primarily about Almir, about Roland and Almir... about them and Walthamstow Village.

BG

my 4 minute reading

I spent most of last bank holiday monday afternoon reading, rereading and parring down the very first few pages of the draft of my novel for the 4 minute reading we will each -at City - be delivering up to an invited audience of publishing agents on 30th June. On Wednesday night in class I read it out out and recieved a universal thumbs up...even my usually fiercest critics liked it...so thats that sorted. Didnt manage to fit in any new writing time over the rest of the week due to work - work and tango and stuff...and hadnt been sleeping very well (first period of this in months!)..so consequently permantently tired.

Came up to Aldeburgh on the train yesterday afternoon and critqued a fellow City Uni students latest piece for next Monday evennings workshopping with ALison(thats not a bad title for a novel, actually)and when we arrived got lovely Aldeburgh fish and chips and then went off to the pictures to see "I anm lOVE" the new Italian film with Tilda Swinton - which both H and I "loved"(sorry...)

H stayed up til 4 am this morning watching the election results. I went to bed with Brick Lane at 11pm(loved the opening of this novel)...this morning walked along the beach to Thorpness - a sunny but windswept day and then met a local friend Tom for luch in Aldeburgh.

Have to cook the cod we bought off the beach today - god, its already 6pm and we are going to the pictures again tonight to see "Ghost".at 7.30 so I need to get the oven gloves on...

BG

a mixed day of editing and making a curry

Spent the afternoon editing my prologue to make it suitabley "tight" for my 4 minute piece read...hope I'll be able to trial read it in class this Wednesday.I wonder how many people actually have looked at my bLog and how many who've looked follow it. Maybe if it were a porno blog I'd get more interest? Later made curry for dinner...
BG

The Novelists Club with VG

...I participated in the first of 3 folow up 1/2 days yesterday in the small but atmospheric function room of the Lamb pub on Lambs Conduit Street(just up the road from my dentist!!)...I recieved feedback from the other participants and gave my own on the work of two others...this continues to be a really helpful prcess in the maturation of my writing. To see what works and doesnt on the work of others and hear what and how they maybe stuck with something that can ring bells...also I got very encouraging feedback about - and especially abou the prologue...so may choose this piece to read at our City course end of term event. Other students havent heard this piece yet but both tuors have and have also given it the thumbs up. Will trial it at the monday night class at the earliest opportunity.

After Novelists club - which finished at 4pm I tubed it over to Soho for a haircut...Neil - my master with the scissors told me NICK CLEGG had had his hair cut in their salon - just two chairs away from mine - the day of the final TV debate...oh, er...

It was peeing down so only made it two doors down into a cafe after I left Neil ...then it eased off a bit so walked to the cash point in Oxford street but then when I found that Oxford Circus station was all shut up took a cab to Morrgate for my tango lesson(which took ages 'cos of the saturday traffic and road works/closures around Tottenham Court road end)..it cost me £17.60!!!

After tango - my techers gave me a lift to Upper Street where I meet up with H to see the film Id boght tickets for "The dissaperance of Alice creed" last Wednesday evenning. We were ushered into the wrong screen and only realised it when the film came on - though I was a little suspicious as all the other audience seeemd to be about aged 20 and up for clubbing afetrwards - sure enough - they were waiting for a ful on dose of something banal - called Kick Ass - anyhow when we found where we were supposed to be ther werent any seats left...we evenuatlly were able to sit dowm and enjoyed the film - a new brit thriller - violent with a gay twist - which - even now in 2010 managed to raise a few sniggers of revulsion and tittlation when two men snogged and said they loved each other on screen! Afterwards - I complained about our misdirection to the wrong screening and got two complimentary vouchers for a futre film...it was still rianing heavily when we left the Vue...but...after a short walk up upper street we managed to hail ablack cab which took us home...(coulnt face a deraggled, "change at seven sisters" last tube journey to Walthamstow - so the fare was worth it this time.

Its STILL RAINING this morning and just as heavily...this afternoon wH and I are going to the theatre to seee a play about Benjamin Britten.

BG