Billy Young's Blog, page 31
June 4, 2010
4th June 2010
It has been a really nice week. The sun has been shining and I finished the first draft of my next book. Well it will be if I can get the money to publish it but before that I have a lot of editing, proof reading and all the usual to get through. Mind there is no rush as it will be some time before I can go forward with publishing. That’s all down to have no job for so long. The big cloud in an otherwise good time. Adding to it all is the jobcentre because I have been unemployed for six months now. As if I didn’t know but where are the jobs, they can’t tell me. It’s not really their fault, yet you do get the sense that some of them actually blame you for not having a job. I saw this all back in the eighties as well but there wasn’t much they could do. Now they seem to have power of life or death, well money or empty pockets, same thing really.
It’s alright for them though, on £35000 a year, job secure and union watching their backs. And there is the rest of us on less than £5000 a year benefits for me and the wife. What can we do though but struggle on and hope that I get a job soon. That my former employer needs workers soon.
I’m best not thinking about it, think of the good week I had cutting the grass and hedges. Watching my veg growing slowly and learning for next year how best to get them started. That I finally got Banshee 2 complete or at least down on a memory card. No good thinking on things that aren’t in your power to change. :~)
It’s alright for them though, on £35000 a year, job secure and union watching their backs. And there is the rest of us on less than £5000 a year benefits for me and the wife. What can we do though but struggle on and hope that I get a job soon. That my former employer needs workers soon.
I’m best not thinking about it, think of the good week I had cutting the grass and hedges. Watching my veg growing slowly and learning for next year how best to get them started. That I finally got Banshee 2 complete or at least down on a memory card. No good thinking on things that aren’t in your power to change. :~)
May 28, 2010
28th May 2010
This week has slid past so quickly, far faster than I would have liked. Though I have worked on my book all week I still haven’t finished. As you can imagine I’m feeling a little let down that I haven’t got the first draft out of the way. It’s my own fault as I have been reworking that poem from last week. I posted it on AW forum and received some good feedback that helped me to develop it, I put the most recent edition on my GoodReads “Billy’s writing” so you ca have a look if you wish. I’m now getting help to improve another so I will post some more as time goes by.
I used to write a lot of poetry when I was younger. It was a way to deal with the frustrations of life as a young, long term unemployed man. Life has changed a lot from those times and now my verse is done for a different reason. As I said last week it is mainly as a game but some of it does look not to bad. It is the ones that I like that I’m hoping to improve as another way to explore my writing. That sound airy, pretentious though that isn’t what I’m trying to be.
My plants are doing not to badly, though I had a bit of greenfly to deal with this week. The strange thing was that when I spotted the infestation I was surprised to see ants were acting as guards to the aphids. This is something I have only ever seen of TV so was amazed to see nature so close. Of course it didn’t stop me from treating the affected plant, after all I’m not growing things for the insect life to feast on.
I used to write a lot of poetry when I was younger. It was a way to deal with the frustrations of life as a young, long term unemployed man. Life has changed a lot from those times and now my verse is done for a different reason. As I said last week it is mainly as a game but some of it does look not to bad. It is the ones that I like that I’m hoping to improve as another way to explore my writing. That sound airy, pretentious though that isn’t what I’m trying to be.
My plants are doing not to badly, though I had a bit of greenfly to deal with this week. The strange thing was that when I spotted the infestation I was surprised to see ants were acting as guards to the aphids. This is something I have only ever seen of TV so was amazed to see nature so close. Of course it didn’t stop me from treating the affected plant, after all I’m not growing things for the insect life to feast on.
May 21, 2010
21st May 2010
Summer has seemingly arrived and winter can now be forgotten. The past few days have seen some great sunshine and with it the grass is growing like wildfire. Though my plants seem to be taking longer to shoot up, still they are doing not too badly. My potatoes have finally started to break through, which brought my wife a smile knowing that in the autumn that she’ll have some home grown taties for the pot.
I’m making great progress now with Banshee 2. I can see the end within the next week, at least of the first draft. Both Susie and Munroe are now ready to be taken to the cottage for the final show down. I’ve decided to stick to the original ending that I had envisioned for the story. I have also thought of a great epilogue that will leave the possibility of a third story. Though I will talk it over with the wife once I have finished the tale and see what she thinks.
I’ve also been writing a lot of poetry this past week. I’ve been doing it as part of a game for one of the writers’ forums I’m a member of. Some of it isn’t too bad in my opinion. See what you think of this one:
Hells Muddy Fields
Stand strong,
Don’t let that knee quake;
Have a bit of backbone
You snivelling little wretch.
Stand your ground,
Don’t let them through.
Open fire:
Let them have it.
Ignore the smell,
Ignore the mud;
The rats;
That your friend is dead.
Fix that trench,
Clean your feet,
So they don’t rot,
We need every man we’ve got.
Have a smoke,
One light,
Two.
Don’t let the sniper see.
Now get ready boy.
This is it.
We’ll win the day.
Let’s go over the top.
Keep on moving,
Don’t stop.
Don’t get caught up,
On that barbed wire.
Run like your life depended.
Kill the other man,
Or he’ll kill you.
So stick him good.
See the mist.
Grab a mask.
Hope it helps,
Or find you’re blind.
Watch the newbie,
As he tries to make friends.
Ignore him,
For soon he’ll be dead.
Duck in a hole,
As steel rain falls,
Tearing at the ground;
Catching the unwary.
And so it goes on,
No end in sight.
Hells never ending
Fight.
I’m making great progress now with Banshee 2. I can see the end within the next week, at least of the first draft. Both Susie and Munroe are now ready to be taken to the cottage for the final show down. I’ve decided to stick to the original ending that I had envisioned for the story. I have also thought of a great epilogue that will leave the possibility of a third story. Though I will talk it over with the wife once I have finished the tale and see what she thinks.
I’ve also been writing a lot of poetry this past week. I’ve been doing it as part of a game for one of the writers’ forums I’m a member of. Some of it isn’t too bad in my opinion. See what you think of this one:
Hells Muddy Fields
Stand strong,
Don’t let that knee quake;
Have a bit of backbone
You snivelling little wretch.
Stand your ground,
Don’t let them through.
Open fire:
Let them have it.
Ignore the smell,
Ignore the mud;
The rats;
That your friend is dead.
Fix that trench,
Clean your feet,
So they don’t rot,
We need every man we’ve got.
Have a smoke,
One light,
Two.
Don’t let the sniper see.
Now get ready boy.
This is it.
We’ll win the day.
Let’s go over the top.
Keep on moving,
Don’t stop.
Don’t get caught up,
On that barbed wire.
Run like your life depended.
Kill the other man,
Or he’ll kill you.
So stick him good.
See the mist.
Grab a mask.
Hope it helps,
Or find you’re blind.
Watch the newbie,
As he tries to make friends.
Ignore him,
For soon he’ll be dead.
Duck in a hole,
As steel rain falls,
Tearing at the ground;
Catching the unwary.
And so it goes on,
No end in sight.
Hells never ending
Fight.
May 14, 2010
14th May 2010
Well there we have it, the Tories and Liberals have formed the new government. Did you see the joint speech that that both leaders gave on Wednesday. Not something I ever expected to see in my life but life is filled with surprises. I only hope that they can do a good job together and not hammer those of us that are stuck at the bottom of the social system. Being Scottish I fear the return to the days of Thatcher when we saw Scotland suffering to save jobs in England. I know it wasn’t only Scotland that suffered under her government but the Northern England as well, but not to the same degree. The new government in Westminster will need to walk a careful road north of the border for if they don’t it could lead to more support for the breaking up of the Union. Some south of the border may feel this wouldn’t be a bad thing but what the government fail to tell the country is that much of the electricity produced in Scotland is for south of the border and then we also have the oil, 60% of which is in Scottish water along with 80% of the natural gas. This is something I doubt that Westminster would wish to lose, so we have Mr Cameron north of the border today with promises to run Scotland with respect, we will see.
As for my writing, I have begun chapter 17 in my new tale and can see how thing should progress to the end. I still haven’t made up my mind on which ending to use but do think that the original ending is still the better of the two. Though there are good reasons to use the alterative one as it would make it easier to open up the possibility of a third book. This though should not be the only reason for going down that road. In the end it is what is best for the story, not whether it makes it easier for me to have a third book. The story has to come first.
As for my writing, I have begun chapter 17 in my new tale and can see how thing should progress to the end. I still haven’t made up my mind on which ending to use but do think that the original ending is still the better of the two. Though there are good reasons to use the alterative one as it would make it easier to open up the possibility of a third book. This though should not be the only reason for going down that road. In the end it is what is best for the story, not whether it makes it easier for me to have a third book. The story has to come first.
May 7, 2010
7th May 2010
Did you vote yesterday? I did yet I wonder was it worth it. With a hung parliament well hope that it will bring about change, though it is hard to see how it will. Labour and the Tories are now getting support from Nick Clegg in the hope of getting the overall majority. He of course will make the best deal for his party and so forget many of the promises made to the voters. Sound to me that little has changed and that we will all end up on the losing side.
Another week of fruitless searching for a job. Day in, day out the jobcentre website seems to offer nothing. I have a feeling things may get worse with the election going the way it did. I hope I’m wrong yet really think that things are going to get a lot tighter in the job market. Both the Conservatives and Labour have said during campaigning that there was going to be cuts to public spending. This will lead to greater numbers of people joining myself in the search for work. It feels if I’m returning to the eighties when I couldn’t get a job after leaving school. It took me a very long time to find my first job and I don’t want to wait that long again.
I have, on a lighter note, made good progress with Banshee 2. Editing of what I have already written has gone really well, which is now put me on track to reach for the finishing line on the first draft. I can now see the link to the end that I have visualized. It has also opened the idea of a different ending to that. This is something that may not be as good as what I had in mind but I will need to think about it some more. That might be because I have seen the first one in my head for so long. It isn’t that the other ending is bad though. As I said, I will need to think it over as I carry on writing the remaining chapters, maybe they will tell me what would make the better ending to this one.
Another week of fruitless searching for a job. Day in, day out the jobcentre website seems to offer nothing. I have a feeling things may get worse with the election going the way it did. I hope I’m wrong yet really think that things are going to get a lot tighter in the job market. Both the Conservatives and Labour have said during campaigning that there was going to be cuts to public spending. This will lead to greater numbers of people joining myself in the search for work. It feels if I’m returning to the eighties when I couldn’t get a job after leaving school. It took me a very long time to find my first job and I don’t want to wait that long again.
I have, on a lighter note, made good progress with Banshee 2. Editing of what I have already written has gone really well, which is now put me on track to reach for the finishing line on the first draft. I can now see the link to the end that I have visualized. It has also opened the idea of a different ending to that. This is something that may not be as good as what I had in mind but I will need to think about it some more. That might be because I have seen the first one in my head for so long. It isn’t that the other ending is bad though. As I said, I will need to think it over as I carry on writing the remaining chapters, maybe they will tell me what would make the better ending to this one.
April 30, 2010
30th April 2010
Editing has continued all week though it has been slow at times. I am making headway, adding in the things that I need to get the story moving again. I still have another seven chapters to work through before I catch up to where I left to rework what I had. When I say rework I really mean is that I added in things to the story, bring some characters in earlier, that sort of thing and at the same time feeding the main plot. Even chapters that I thought I was happy with have seen the hand of the editor to try to make them better. After I do finish the story I will still need to go through it all again a few times to build on what I have, add more background here and there, as well as try to create more visual pictures in words to set the setting or scenes where everything happens.
Editing can be the hardest part for me, as it is with many writers as you can get too connected to what you have already put down on paper. Sometimes you have to move things about, while at other whole chapters get deleted to be replaced. I have already replaced one chapter, as you may know because it was taking the story off in the wrong direction. You have to be ruthless sometimes when creating a tale, just like a sculptor can’t make a beautiful statue without chipping away at a block of rock.
My tubs that I planted are coming on well. I am still waiting on the herbs I planted to start through the soil but all the other veg. have sprouted. The rain we had here helped, I’m sure, though I have been out every day when it was dry to water and check on the progress. I have more planting in the front garden this weekend. Of course this is for my wife. She wants her flowers planted, so I will be out front digging the flower bed. I’m not really a flower person but Magz likes them in the front ands I must admit when I see what others can do, it does make me think how lovely those gardens are.
Editing can be the hardest part for me, as it is with many writers as you can get too connected to what you have already put down on paper. Sometimes you have to move things about, while at other whole chapters get deleted to be replaced. I have already replaced one chapter, as you may know because it was taking the story off in the wrong direction. You have to be ruthless sometimes when creating a tale, just like a sculptor can’t make a beautiful statue without chipping away at a block of rock.
My tubs that I planted are coming on well. I am still waiting on the herbs I planted to start through the soil but all the other veg. have sprouted. The rain we had here helped, I’m sure, though I have been out every day when it was dry to water and check on the progress. I have more planting in the front garden this weekend. Of course this is for my wife. She wants her flowers planted, so I will be out front digging the flower bed. I’m not really a flower person but Magz likes them in the front ands I must admit when I see what others can do, it does make me think how lovely those gardens are.
April 23, 2010
23rd April 2010
Work on Banshee has stalled in its forward push to finish it. So to find the track I had a restless night trying to find sleep earlier in the week. I was tracing backwards from the end that I envision and attempting to connect it to what I already have. As I lay awake I could see that I needed to edit what I have already written and so for the past few evenings I have been doing just that, adding more to the tale. Building up the storyline as well as building the characters more. I also hope that by doing this I will get the pace again, leading me through this darker spot in the story.
I usually leave changes till I have completed the first draft yet, this time I find that I need to do tings differently. I suppose that this shouldn’t really be a surprise as each tale you write is always a new adventure. When I begin I always think that I can see the full story in my head but as I write this soon falls short of what I thought I had and so that is when I to search for the path that leads to the end. After I have reached the end then I can edit to fill it out.
I have also been doing more gardening. I got some more seeds, this time herbs to plant in some more large tubs. One of them is American Cress, something I have never heard of but it said on the packet that it was good it salads. As a kid I had cress on egg sandwiches but the picture on the seed pack wasn’t the same thing so I will see how it is in the summer with any luck.
Many of the seeds I have already planted have started to sprout, while I still have about half to show signs that they will spring up. It’s hard not to worry a little when you have spent the time watering and checking each day. Is this one of those things we gardeners are prone to? Not normally but with the seedlings I started indoors fading fast for unknown reasons, I do feel a certain anxiousness about those I have planted outdoors. And now I have added to this by starting a herb tub. I must be a glutton for punishment. :D
I usually leave changes till I have completed the first draft yet, this time I find that I need to do tings differently. I suppose that this shouldn’t really be a surprise as each tale you write is always a new adventure. When I begin I always think that I can see the full story in my head but as I write this soon falls short of what I thought I had and so that is when I to search for the path that leads to the end. After I have reached the end then I can edit to fill it out.
I have also been doing more gardening. I got some more seeds, this time herbs to plant in some more large tubs. One of them is American Cress, something I have never heard of but it said on the packet that it was good it salads. As a kid I had cress on egg sandwiches but the picture on the seed pack wasn’t the same thing so I will see how it is in the summer with any luck.
Many of the seeds I have already planted have started to sprout, while I still have about half to show signs that they will spring up. It’s hard not to worry a little when you have spent the time watering and checking each day. Is this one of those things we gardeners are prone to? Not normally but with the seedlings I started indoors fading fast for unknown reasons, I do feel a certain anxiousness about those I have planted outdoors. And now I have added to this by starting a herb tub. I must be a glutton for punishment. :D
April 16, 2010
16th April 2010
Planted more seeds this week out in tubs. The seedlings I started aren’t doing well in doors so I decided just to plant more veggies but outside and see how they do there. The weather has been good, plenty of sun and with it has been almost like summer, even though the nights are a lot cooler. I just hope the warm spell last to give the seeds a chance. While I wait to see how they come along my fruit trees I planted last month have really began to make headway, showing real promise. Of course it will be a couple of years I think until they give any bounty. My wife is happy because her two trees are doing the best out of them.
Work on Banshee 2 is moving on nicely. I’ve now pushing on with chapter fifteen though last night was a little bit of a struggle. I can see clearly the final chapter but it is the getting there that is the slow business. I can easily see how to get Susie to the end, as I have said before but DCI Munroe is more problematic. I think it is because as a policeman he is less likely to believe in the supernatural. Still that is the joy of writing, finding how your character get to where you need them to go.
When I start a story I always think I can see the whole tale in my head. In many ways I do but as you write you begin to see the holes, the places you didn’t see. You also see new things that often will lead the tale to where it will conclude. The only thing is that it often leads it along roads you hadn’t perceived. The one thing you don’t want though is it running away to far from the idea you have or as I learn years ago you will lose your way. You need some freedom in the tale so it develops but too much and get lost. When that has happened in the past I have found that a story ends up in the drawer unfinished, not what you want. Don’t worry though I have Banshee 2 in hand, I know where I’m taking it.
Work on Banshee 2 is moving on nicely. I’ve now pushing on with chapter fifteen though last night was a little bit of a struggle. I can see clearly the final chapter but it is the getting there that is the slow business. I can easily see how to get Susie to the end, as I have said before but DCI Munroe is more problematic. I think it is because as a policeman he is less likely to believe in the supernatural. Still that is the joy of writing, finding how your character get to where you need them to go.
When I start a story I always think I can see the whole tale in my head. In many ways I do but as you write you begin to see the holes, the places you didn’t see. You also see new things that often will lead the tale to where it will conclude. The only thing is that it often leads it along roads you hadn’t perceived. The one thing you don’t want though is it running away to far from the idea you have or as I learn years ago you will lose your way. You need some freedom in the tale so it develops but too much and get lost. When that has happened in the past I have found that a story ends up in the drawer unfinished, not what you want. Don’t worry though I have Banshee 2 in hand, I know where I’m taking it.
April 10, 2010
10th April 2010
A day late in posting my blog and the only reason I have is that I simply forgot. I was so into Banshee 2 and a conversation between Susie, a reporter and a neighbour of one of the banshee’s latest victims that everything else seemed to slide to the side in my head. I am now ready to go onto the next chapter tonight and as usual need to think over where I’m taking the main character and when will I bring them together to face the evil that resides in the cottage in the woods. Should Munroe have a visitation or not? So many ideas drawing me further from the plot I wrote down though I did stick to it at the beginning. That is the good thing about plots you don’t have to stick to them, they are flexible or should be. After all do you want to let the ideas flow and not be bottled up or that’s how I see it.
Was out putting a new felt roof on my garden hut today. Finally spring has shown its head, the sun is out and I got some work done in tidying things up around my small garden. I put my seedlings out in the sun rather then leaving them indoors. Some of the have died on me sadly so let’s hope the fresh air helps them. My mate Mickey was round helping with the hut and we both got a good coating of tar paint on ourselves, amateurs eh, what you going to do with us, hehehe.
Was out putting a new felt roof on my garden hut today. Finally spring has shown its head, the sun is out and I got some work done in tidying things up around my small garden. I put my seedlings out in the sun rather then leaving them indoors. Some of the have died on me sadly so let’s hope the fresh air helps them. My mate Mickey was round helping with the hut and we both got a good coating of tar paint on ourselves, amateurs eh, what you going to do with us, hehehe.
April 2, 2010
2nd April 2010
Winter returned to Scotland this week with a vengeance. Luckily it didn’t last and the snow melted away quickly. But the frost has been nasty for us gardeners. I’m glad I have my seedlings indoors away from the cold. I don’t have a large garden so I use tubs to grow some onions, carrots, parsnips and few other vegs as well as some herbs. Unfortunately the herbs haven’t done very well the past few years. My parsley did quite well last year and has started coming back this year. It’s in the same tub as my Blueberry bush. I like pottering about with the garden but often find I don’t have a very green thumb. In the last few years the onions I’ve planted have all grown but are never that big at the end of the season. Maybe this year?
Banshee 2 has reached the fourteenth chapter. Now comes the part that was never that clear in my mind. How to take Munroe to his confrontation with the banshee. I only have a general idea of how I should bring it around yet need to let another character lead him to the cottage somehow. Something to mull over this tonight, I think that would be a good idea. Have a drink with the wife and relax to let the creative juices blend.
I sometimes read in the forums complaining about having writers block. I always give the same advice. Walk away from what you’re writing and go for a walk. Or go for a bath, anything really that helps you switch off for a bit. Its good way to recharge your batteries. It also works for those times you can’t see the tale to clearly. Mind you we all have our own ways of dealing with these kinds of things.
Banshee 2 has reached the fourteenth chapter. Now comes the part that was never that clear in my mind. How to take Munroe to his confrontation with the banshee. I only have a general idea of how I should bring it around yet need to let another character lead him to the cottage somehow. Something to mull over this tonight, I think that would be a good idea. Have a drink with the wife and relax to let the creative juices blend.
I sometimes read in the forums complaining about having writers block. I always give the same advice. Walk away from what you’re writing and go for a walk. Or go for a bath, anything really that helps you switch off for a bit. Its good way to recharge your batteries. It also works for those times you can’t see the tale to clearly. Mind you we all have our own ways of dealing with these kinds of things.
