I could kiss a frog. That must spell something good… I had one of those moments today. A special moment. Like the first time I mixed two records together and I knew, so knew where my future lay…
Goosebumps, inside and out.
I now know the story I am truly writing. I only wished I had trusted my intuition in the first place. I guess I wanted to please someone out there, probably all those imagined agents hidden among the unconscious shadows.
So what it is it I am essentially writing? A story about a DJ who is running from a past she doesn’t know about, drowning herself and her history in music, and ironically it will be this and all the associated conflicts (losing her record box, a stalker among other things) that will bring her full circle, revealing a dark, disturbing memory, re-uniting her with her truth. I had originally positioned the missing records as the center piece of the story, now it’s relegated to subplot. A subtle switch. But it’s brought the story alive. It’s really opened the curtains on the main protagonist – I can really see her now.
I’m writing a literary commercial crossover – a dark, urban mystery.
This, I think, is where Four Gigs sits commercially.
I thought I was writing a kind of thriller. But if I’m honest, I don’t feel comfortable in page turner territory – it’s not my writing style or genre closest to my heart. I’m just not feeling the uber fast paced writing.
How exactly did I arrive at this? I saw a wonderful book doctor today at The Writers Festival.
Like the agent yesterday, she was unsure about the genre of Four Gigs. So she picked a few key things from my synopsis. Was the story about this? Or really about that?
And then I knew.
She also gave me some wonderfully heartwarming feedback on my writing….
‘Very strong narrative voice.’
‘Prose and rhythm – fits subject and content.’
‘Mature and confident.’
(I’m aiming for a lyrical, urban voice)
And she advised me to scrap the prologue (it was only 500 words anyway) and incorporate it into the first chapter. In her words, if I do this, and the prologue becomes the first words of chapter one, ‘it will have agents salivating.’ Feedback doesn’t get better than that…
…Now I’m salivating.
I’m so eager to get the first draft finished, weave magic into the subsequent edits.
I’m genuinely very excited – I’ve already started making notes on the next draft…
Sadie Hanson 
Sounds like you got some excellent feedback and it was a very worthwhile weekend. Well done you for being brave enough to head up to York – it looks like it’s paying back already. Looking forward to hearing more. x
Lovely feedback, couldn’t be happier with it. And definitely worth every single penny – I learnt so much. X.
How exciting, you have really come a long way, I can only imagine how easy it can be to lose sight of where you are going. Having that break through moment must be invigorating and it sounds like you’ve truly embraced it. And what great feed back too. Great to catch up with you. X
Yes, very exciting indeed. I feel I have a clearer direction now. And that break through moment shined a light on everything. Let’s see where it all goes now. Lovely to hear from you! X.
Fantastic! Going to that festival was a really brilliant idea. Curious to hear more about it all. xx
Thank you! Yes, I will be posting more about it….. X. (learnt a huge amount).
That’s brilliant news – and so well deserved xx
Thank you very much! X
Ooo. It all sounds so exciting. Just popping in to catch up and it sounds like things are really moving for you. xxx
It was. I had a fantastic time… novel coming along slowly but surely. Long time no see missus! X
I know. I have been working really hard all summer (regular massage work and also a new online project) and don’t seem to have the energy and creativity for the blog. I will be back. In the meantime I seem to be having a bit of a crisis of confidence. Do you ever have those days when you just think “am I nuts for thinking that this is ever going to work?”
So glad to hear that you are cracking on with your novel.
Really glad to hear you are getting lots of massage work, and very intrigued by your new on-line project? And I have lots of days like that, crisis days, especially with the whole novel thing, but then I just make myself crack on. Even though we don’t feel like it, we have to keep believing in ourselves, or at least pretend to anyway…. come back to your blog when it’s the right time (in the meantime, I will still be following your silent Sundays!) X.