Blogging NaNoWriMo 2014: Getting a Wriggle On

I seem to be in a hurry. Last night, when I should've been chugging along around the 35,000 mark, I actually crossed the 40,000 barrier then promptly collapsed in a heap. I do believe this is the best position I've been in on day twenty and, with ten days to go, barring catastrophe I'm not only going to win but actually finish the first draft within the month which is excellent.

The last week's been interesting to say the least. Battling with severe toothache, apathy towards life and some finicky bits of my thesis that refused easy solution, I'm pleased that I managed to stay on track. We'll put that down to my stubbornness, especially since last night I literally couldn't see straight at one point.

And how's the novel shaping up? Well, as with all first drafts it needs a lot of work. I think my protagonists have stepped out of their boxes a little in recent chapters in the name of furthering the plot but it's fine, I'll fix that later. The trouble is, they could've got so bogged down in the rut they were in, I might've spent 200,000 words trying to get them to talk properly to each other. The alteration needs work but an alteration there needed to be.

Things pick up from here on in. They're no longer going to be fighting themselves and each other but something beyond their control. I suppose this is the part where my novel becomes really therapeutic. If the first half was about slaying some of my own demons, the second half is slaying someone else entirely. That should sustain me for the final 10,000 words and beyond.

Progress For Progress's Sake

Why do I suddenly feel like Dolores Umbridge? I suppose I bear a passing resemblance to her at the moment as I turn bright red and begin to implode with my strength of emotion. I'm also beginning to sound as deranged as her so I'd better explain.

At lunchtime I signed onto the British Periodicals website to locate reviews of a particularly bad novel I'd just finished reading. Part of my ritual; part of my PhD. I read the reviews and left. Then I tried to sign on a few hours later to help me with details of novels by some other novelists - Mrs Hungerford and Mrs Alexander to name but two - however, the site seemed to be taking an age to load. And that's saying something. The site has always been slow but this hit exceptional levels. Then, as the page appeared, I realised why. ProQuest had overhauled the site (along with their entire range of sites) and had given it a brand new gloss and feel.

I know, I know. I can almost hear you rolling your eyes. The fact is, though, that this upgrade has done nothing to the accessibility of the site. It is more difficult to search and find the results you were actually looking for. It takes longer to load (and, boy, is that saying something), the display may be shinier but IT DID NOT NEED TO BE SHINY. It was a functional site before and that was why, although it annoyed me frequently, I enjoyed using it overall. I don't go into it for an 'experience'. I go there to find information that is unavailable elsewhere on the web. I go there because I can't spend day after day in Boston Spa.

It actually reduced me to tears as I sat mumbling incoherently to myself about not being able to find the information I wanted. So, well done, ProQuest. You've made the lives of some researchers that little bit more difficult. And next time you do a drastic and ridiculous overhaul - tell us first. That way we can rescue the lists of saved articles we wanted to read and which we can't now log into because the site's being idiotic.

So what has this progress achieved? Well, it's progress, isn't it? Therefore it must be fine. Excuse me while I find a quiet corner to sob in.

Most Promising Feedback Yet

I'm fairly happy at the moment. Which, to say I've just received rejection number two of 2011, is quite surprising. I'd say I'm a pretty normal writer in that when I receive a rejection I automatically begin questioning my resolve to put words on the page. Depending on the veracity of the rejection that can last anywhere from five seconds to five days. But I nearly always come out of the experience feeling pumped up for future battles with those heartless readers at competitions and journals who reject my work.

Not today. Today I had one of those 'good' rejections I've heard tell about.

Last month I entered the BBC Future Talent Award. I learned about it rather late in the day and consequently had about two weeks after Christmas to plot, write and revise my entry. Despite the rush I was happy with the piece I sent off. It turns out I had reason to be.

Okay, I wasn't shortlisted. But, with over 160 entries, I was longlisted. More than that, they're more than happy to hear from me in the future and have encouraged me to mention the longlisting on any correspondence so they don't immediately disregard anything I send them.

It might not be a win but I feel like it's a leap in the right direction. That one email constitutes the best news in relation to my writing I've had in... months, years even. If that isn't at least a partial win then what is?