ROW80 - Check in 5

My goal: To continue planning The Clown Inside in conjunction with The Nighttime Novelist on Tuesday nights.

Did I do it? I didn't actually open The Nighttime Novelist but I decided to decide on the story's location, after doing some browsing I still haven't decided on a location. I don't want a city nor a big town, nor a small village (that's penciled in for the next novella). I tried to narrow it down by county but none of them felt right or perhaps I'm leaning towards going to the north of England with this one.

I also did some research into my characters occupation, the routine involved, the lifestyle and have bookmarked a few websites that sounded current and useful for making notes. My research prodding also raised further questions that need to be answered and a few different story paths have been unearthed.

Decisions. Decisions. Meanwhile visit the other challenge participants



Recent posts you may have missed
Poetry - A Poem's Sad Tale Of Copyright Infringement
ROW80 - Celebrating The End Of Draft 1

Poetry - A Poem's Sad Tale Of Copyright Infringement

A Poem’s Sad Tale Of Copyright Infringement

In violation, I stand upon this page
Digitalised for all to see. The words
that make my body stripped away
from my owner. Naked, I fill this strange
space that is alien to me. Against my will
I am a crime of this technological age.
How easy for you to take me.

Note: As my blog schedule is getting a little bit thin I will be designating the last Monday of the month poetry day. Other posts will include book reviews once or twice a month and my row80 progress will be posted every Wednesday.

ROW80 - Celebrating The End Of Draft 1

After being hopelessly stuck in the middle section of the story I took a mixture of advice from the row80 folk and ploughed through to the end. Draft 1 of my novella is now complete at 14283 words. My intended length was 30k, oops. All the bare bones of the story are there, now it needs filling in properly.

What happens next? I'll start rewriting Shroud once my current course is complete which I expect will be in the autumn. Rather than drop out of round 2 I'll be using Tuesday nights to continue planning my second novella The Clown Inside (working title) in conjunction with The Nighttime Novelist. I'm aiming for a complete novella of 20k words.

Thanks to everyone at ROW80 for their support.

ROW80 - Round 2 - Check in 4

My Goal: To write between 200-600 words on my novella in progress Shroud Of Death on Tuesday nights.

What really happened? After announcing my goal change at the last check in, I added 241 words on Sunday night and added 206 words yesterday. I'm at a scary point, I currently have no idea how to move through the middle and during nanowrimo and various other projects in the past this is generally when I give up. Writing yesterday, I couldn't feel the story at all and can only see a thick impenetrable fog but little by little I'll keep poking it until it shifts. I can't leave another novella dead at the side of the road.

How you all doing?

ROW80 - Round 2 - Check in 3 - Goal Change

I think I've exercised the writing muscle enough now to start stretching it so I'm checking in today to set my new goal.

I also added 320 words to Shroud of Death last Wednesday and have crept into chapter 15 with the certainty that things are going to get very messy while I start tying up my threads in prep for the main conflict.

My new Goal: Add between 200 - 600 words to my Novella Shroud of Death on Tuesday nights only. Check in on Wednesday's.

Hope everyone's enjoying the weekend.

Recent posts you may have missed:
Book Review - The Man In The Picture by Susan Hill
Check In 2

Visit the other participants below:

Book Review - The Man In The Picture

Synopsis - An old student visits his Cambridge professor and becomes embroiled in the eerie events surrounding a Venetian painting depicting a carnival scene.

I do enjoy Susan Hills books, it's nice to read something light and easy once in awhile. Although I'm in two minds about The Man In The Picture, it was enjoyable but a little bit thin and on the slow side. On the upside,  there were some great moments filled with suspense, tension, claustrophobia and the crowd scenes were well handled but something didn't gel for me.

Rating: 3/5

ROW80 - Round 2 - Check in 2

Hello all, nice to see you at the check in, hope it's going well for you.


My goal: Write between 100-500 words on my novella Shroud Of Death on Tuesday nights only.

What really happened? Last Thursday, I added 589 words on what was supposed to have been my night off.

Tuesday, I added 224 words and the character whose given me the most grief so far is dropping back story faster than a black cloud drops rain and I want to put my arms around this frail old guy and protect him from the nasty antagonist but alas, his plight is far from over.

Support the other participants here


Recent Posts you may have missed:
Review - Banquet for the Damned by Adam Nevill
ROW80 - Round 2 - Check in 1

Review - Banquet For The Damned by Adam Nevill

Synopsis - Heavy metal musician Dante Shaw chases his dreams to Scotland after receiving a request from his idol. On arriving in Scotland, he becomes victim to events beyond his comprehension.

The opening pages are dark, creepy and tense. It's a slower, more intelligent read than some of the fast paced action gore fests out there. Every location is written to capture and mimic the mood of the scene. When the main character first came on the scene, I thought I am going to hate this guy, but I warmed to him, Dante was well rounded, he had his flaws and passions, he has history, he was alive. I love coastal locations and I love towns that drip with history. Overall, I couldn't put the bloody book down. 

Rating: 5/5

ROW80 - Round 2 - Check in 1

My Goal - Write between 100-500 words on my novella in progress "Shroud Of Death" on Tuesday Nights.

What really happened? I wrote 1000 words on Shroud Of Death last night. My baby now stands at a total of 11424 words and I'm sitting on Chapter 13 and at the middle point in the story.

Click here to cheer on the rest of the crew

Recent posts you may have missed:

Website updates
ROW80 and a new outlook
Book Review - Houses Without Doors by Peter Straub

Website updates

Happy National Poetry month all. My website celebrates its 1st birthday today, I hope in year 2 I can make it more successful.

The following sections have been updated

Dark Metre current issue
Horror Poets page
My review of We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson add to book reviews.
I have removed my review of The Rising by Brian Keene in support of the boycott Dorchester campaign. More can be read here.
Writing Prompts updated

I've also changed the look slightly on some of the pages.

Some recent blog posts you may have missed:
ROW80 and a new outlook
Book Review - Houses Without Doors by Peter Straub
Last ROW80 check in including a bonus poem "Hope"