A Month of One’s Own
I don’t think I’ve ever had a month off in my entire working life (re: 4 straight weeks of annual leave). Sure, there have been moments of extended unemployment where I’ve anxiously waited and fretted over when I’d next work, but October will be a solid month programmed to myself. As a self-employed literary consultant, I was able to successfully organise my schedule and clients that allowed for an entire month off. I also recently received small funding awards that helped pushed me over the edge to fully support an upcoming week-long writing residency.
I have to admit, for the month of September, I was wonderfully overbooked with work to make this a possibility, but that meant no creative work. I am adamant to not let this time go to waste. In the meantime, I’ve been brainstorming structural and narrative/plot elements along with character development. Some of this has come out of my own ideas but also from the wonderful readers at United Agents’ 100 x 100 Programme who read my opening chapters and synopsis in August and gave invaluable feedback (who knew 100 words could cover so much?). Also, as someone who works closely on manuscripts of writers who are very new to creative writing, it allows me to think about craft… A LOT. I’ve been thinking about openings and the hero’s journey quite a bit lately, and how that could shape my own book. I’m a strong believer in always developing your own craft. I do fear that many writers, both new and old hats, might fear this or forget it.
October, hopefully, will bring lots of reading. I’ve had a terrible time concentrating lately. This is probably due to all of my work. I’m looking forward to pleasure reading, but also reading for research. Overall, I’m looking forward to works with prose that will completely sweep me up and books that will surprise me.
Something old… Book Fight podcast
Something new (to me)… Breaking the Glass Slipper
Something borrowed (from my partner)… Circe by Madeline Miller
Something blue… The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey
