It's Done and Gone

At last my life writing assignment has gone, albeit a week late. I can't pretend I'm happy with it, but writing things that are difficult is probably a good thing to get used to as a writer. Now it's all back to fiction, where I feel cosy. Only two more assignments to go though, and my current course is over. The lovely group of people who have supported me and critiqued my work will next year be replaced. This makes me both sad and a little nervous. Surely I can't have it so good next year as well.

Having got this assignment out of the way, my mind is buzzing with ideas again. Another notebook is almost filled. I love the motivation of starting a new pad with a gorgeous cover. My next one came from Chester Zoo and is covered in furry zebra print. Now I just have to remember where I put it.

So. On to the next project.

My Neglected Blog

I feel awful I haven't posted on here for nearly two weeks but life has been chaos. As I said in my last post I have got a new job, which is fantastic. Lovely people and lovely location plus I get to walk to work through the countryside which means I'm getting a tan in this sunny weather (and putting in practice for the hike in September). However, this has also coincided with the family car dying meaning dashes to town have happened when we have had sporadic use of someone else's car.

The fish have whitespot which I am treating to the letter with no effect whatsoever except that they are dying. I can now also officially state that you cannot get away with putting underwired bras in the washing machine. My flooded kitchen and dead (brand new) machine will testify. Finally today, my little one topped it all off by throwing up everywhere.

All this has culminated in a very unproductive week or so and a late assignment. My writing has been limited to scribbling down story ideas and working on my life writing assignment, but at least I have still been putting pen to paper. On the upside I am now officially registered on Advanced Creative Writing and Children's Literature with the OU for September meaning the end of my degree is in sight.

Too many Projects

I've passed the mid point of my OU Creative writing course now, and it's at this point that instead of concentrating on completing one assignment at a time, there are three projects to work on.

One is my lifewriting project. This is the one that's panicking me the most. All the guidance in the course books seems to point owards full length pieces. We have 1500 words. I was thinking of doing a piece on my childhood using the seasons as a through line, but to get a good grade I think we need to concentrate on a lot of characterisation. Ironically this is the project that is due in first.

The other projects are a short story geared to a magazine and the final examined piece of work. Both of these can be works of fiction so I'm not as worried about them. In fact I'm a bit excited about getting another couple of short stories under my belt.

Life writing however is completely new territory. Even if you choose to write autobiography you have to be so careful not to offend people you know. I keep putting it off and working on one of my other projects instead. Hopefully inspiration will strike in time as I really want to do well on this course. In fact I'm going to miss it like mad when it's finished. I still have so much to learn.