Just rub my tummy like a genie's lamp

Yes. This blog title seems somewhat rude... I don't know how but it seems rather suggestive. It's not supposed to be, I swear!

As I mentioned in a previous blog, my poorly tummy has been giving me a hard time as of late. The best day was probably last Friday when I didn't get to sleep until... wait for it... 7 in the morning. I then woke up again at 12 and then had to sleep the majority of the day (the only sunny day in the past 10 or so, no less) just to recoup my hours. Not good. It's starting to really irk me. I don't like to be irked. I also don't like having something wrong with me.

I'm one of those people who prides themselves on not ever having been to hospital. I've never broken anything, I've never even had a filling at the dentist. Probably because I don't go enough to be told I need them. Same with the hospital actually... I probably should have gone to hospital many a time in my life; when blood is pouring out of some horror-movie-worthy wound you normally do go to hospital. But not me. I just bandage it up and carry on as normal! So on Friday night I was actually considering going to hospital. That is how bad the pain is.

Not to worry though gentle viewers, I do have a doctors appointment on Thursday, but I'm kind of scared of going. Not because I'm scared of doctors. But... well... I've already been dismissed once about this problem and I'm kind of hesitant about going because I don't want to get dismissed again. I want to explain the symptoms and be told exactly what it is and how to treat it. But I know I'll be trying to explain the pain and I won't be doing a good job, so here is the pickle. Do I dramatise it? When it happens it is the most gut wrenching, life hating pain I've ever experienced (you know life hating pain. When you hurt so bad you hate life and just want to not be a person any more), but it's hard to really tell someone that without sounding dramatic. But I should just be dramatic... shouldn't I? I know I'll get in there and I'll downplay it. I must force myself not to.

Hmmm. If I get told I just need to eat handfuls of Rennie's again I'll scream. I promise I will!

So, I'll keep you posted on my well being and I'll also try to come up with actual topics for these blogs. I'm losing my touch, I know I am! Apologies!

Sam

ps. I feel I should always add a writing update to my blogs because it at least forces me to keep it out in the open and not bottle it away. Chapter one is basically done re-write wise. I'm currently re-working chapter 3... 2 is 'done' but I'm sure I'll be tweaking...

Let the edits begin

So, as most of you will probably know, I'm writing a novel. Well, I've written a novel - I started in October (completing just over 50,000 words that month) and finally finished the first draft of my manuscript in January (at just over 71,000 words). This was kind of a big deal for me. I've started countless stories but never finished them because I never really thought I could do it, and I also (even though I kind of fantasised about being one), never thought I could be a writer.

I'm not 'smart', or 'linguistically gifted' - I'm not putting myself down, honestly, I'm just not one of these book learners you so often see writing books. However, when I was writing in October I realised I COULD do it. I could actually finish a book, and then a realised I could actually get it published (still a long way off), because, well - just go into Waterstones. How many books do you see? There. I mean, even if I could only sell 100 copies of a book that would be amazing. Selling 1 would be a step in the right direction.

SO - without further ado, I'd like to announce phase 2 of The Book. Which is: EDITS!

This is probably going to be the hardest part. I've put the book away for a month. I'd like to leave it longer, but I'm getting twitchy and I just want to start looking back into it again (a good sign?). So the 1st of March starts the 2nd draft of the manuscript, which is basically spell checking that bad boy! And checking grammar, kind of. I won't be editing the actual story for another few weeks because spell checking is probably going to take me forever, but the day has finally arrived where I can start working again and I'm excited.

I'm not going to divulged any information about the story or title (which still hasn't been set and probably won't be for a LONG time), if you are super spy like, like me, you'd probably be able to find something on the internet about it... somewhere, but I'm probably going to be taking that down soon. (cryptic!).

Wish me luck and if you have any helpful hints or tips I'd appreciate. I do take writing class at Uni and have a load of information to hand, I also have a couple of writing books but any first hand experience would be fab!

Sam