Drizzle. The usual start to a September morning.

I’m stood on grey platform – travel case tucked between my legs, shoulder bag over right arm – waiting for the train to arrive. It’s a long time since I’ve queued with proper commuters. Suits. Laptop bags. Clock watching. Serious faces.

I’m not in a serious mood though. No, I’m chuffing excited.

Today I’m repatriating myself with The North. Don’t worry, I have jumpers and rain proofs. I am on my way to The Writers Festival in York. Three days of workshops and schmoozing with writers and agents and publishers. I’m all prepared. I’ve made up marketing packs including synopsis and personal information and business cards. I wonder how many I will hand out? Er, in my eager enthusiasm I made up thirty….mmmm…. lucky if I hand out ten with my networking skillz – they’re a tad rusty.

Anyway, I am going to catalogue all the excitement right here. You know, all the great and the good on writing, how to string a sentence together, how to network (yeah, right), how to wow agents – apparently you shouldn’t send them cake. Damn. 

Here are the workshops I shall be  attending this weekend…

Mini-course – Finding your Voice
Path to Publication
Psychic Distance
Characterisation
Tension
Stunning Synopses, Cover Letters
Should I Self-Publish?

All good choices don’t you think?

And I also have a one on one with a literary agent and  a book doctor. Need to emphasise that what they read was only bare naked first draft.  

So stay tuned and amazed – I will be blogging a little more regularly than usual.