Mid-year Mic Check
What to look forward to from now to December
Hello writers,
It’s a funny thing this writing life.
I’ve been working on a novel since January last year and I’m finally getting close to the end of my Shitty First Draft (almost 60000 words in. Hurrah!). It’s feeling like I’m on the downslope of a rollercoaster and it’s really fun, and I don’t want it to end because I know that when I do I have to get off the ride and go back to reality.
In a few months, I will have to get the chance to look at my SFD with fresh eyes and see it more objectively, read it like a reader, and not like a writer. That’s pretty much the second most humbling life experience there is (with motherhood being my first most humbling one), because the sparkly art work I think I made will probably have a lot fewer sparkles, like a kids poster that’s gotten bumped around in the car and arrives with only half of its bits still sticking on. That’s when you need: snacks (chocolate, obviously) and some kind warm feedback to keep you going.
Writing is like dancing your heart out after too many tequila shots, and editing is like a ballet class. They’re both dancing, but there are some different expectations and guidelines in place.
The editing part is actually fun too, once your wounds have been sufficiently licked. It’s where the magic crosses over into a puzzle, something to solve and tweak and work at cleverly, where I can go and fix a scene or write a sentence that is closer to the meaning I want to get to. I love it, and I love it even more when I’ve had the pleasure of being edited by a talented editor who can sculpt and polish until the original sparkle is almost back in place.
So that’s where I’m at with my writing. Where are you at?
Events coming up in the next few months
July 18th - Free writing workshop at Bertha House focussed on building characters. 10am - 1pm. Details and RSVP form, here.
July 25th - I’m appearing on a panel to talk speculative short fiction at the Otherworld festival. Details here.
August 12th - Free writing workshop at Bertha House focussed on writing strong women characters. 10am - 1pm. Details and RSVP form, here.
August 27th - Lunch time revision workshop. Bring a short piece of writing and I’ll suggest some questions you can ask of it. Cost is R150. Details here.
September 18th (online, Zoom). A workshop focussed on the ins and outs of writing novels. Cost is R400. To book, email jenthorpewrites@gmail.com
September 19th (in person, Cape Town) - A workshop focussed on the ins and outs of writing novels. Cost is R500 and includes tea, coffee, and cake. Details here. To book, email jenthorpewrites@gmail.com
And, if you’ve got a piece of writing that you’d like someone to read and give kind and helpful feedback on, send it my way. Here’s more on that.
Happy writing, happy reading!
Jen
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