The Average Person

Patient bloggie friends, my results are in!

Yep I got my final assessment of my first three chapters of my ahem… Work In Progress formerly known as A Novel - from my Open University writing course.

And here they are in a nutshell

The grading is: Excellent, Good, Clear Pass, Bare Pass, Fail

Language - good
Voice - good
Structure - clear pass
Ideas -good
Presentation - good

Overall: Grade B, Level 2 or 78% average.

Charlie says: Not to worry. I'll help you after I scratch the life out of this sofa.



Have a tantalizing Thursday everyone!

Writer's purgatory

Bloggie friends – I’m in writer’s purgatory.

I’ve had a load of failures with the competitions I’ve entered so now I’ve stopped my short story writing for now.

I have one bright spark though – I still await the academic assessment of my first three chapters of my er.. “novel” due in August. I thought that once I get a completely objective overview I’d know what to do next – as in carry on or just give up completely and fulfil my destiny as Crazy Charlie-Cat Lady.

In the meantime I really need to return to some neglected household duties.

Like ironing.

Here is some of my pile of (at last count) twenty –four items that I really really need to iron.

And here dearest bloggie friends is my saviour!

Yes – this wondrous service called "The Ironing Maiden" has just opened down the road from me. And joy of joys - for pennies per item they will do your ironing! Ahem.

When a door shuts a window opens. Or something

Charlie says: I have a better idea. I sit on your clothes and press them.

Have a crease-free Wednesday everyone!

A tiny eensy weensy writerly triumph

Nothing major!!

It's just I got my marks for the short story that I wrote aimed at women's magazines from my tutor and I'm so chuffed by it.

This is the part of his assessment that's made my night:

"This is a heartwarming and efficient story, Jennifer, in the way in which it supplies a back story and offers more than a gleam of hope at the end. One of your triumphs is your use of dialogue to establish character and push the plot forward. You give an effective thumbnail sketch of Angie but she really comes alive through what she says. This skill will appeal to any number of editors."

Awww. Well I'm happy.

Will it see the light of day in a mag somewhere? Probably not, but for now I can pat myself on the back and sleep better!

Charlie says: Ahem. I gets some of the royalties right?


Have a trimphant Thursday everyone!

The Joy of Learning

"Now that you've pointed it out, it's glaringly obvious"

work colleague Daniel says as I push my fringe back to show him my taped up specs.

Anyway! The thing I'm going to miss about my writing course when it ends in mid-May are the prompts my tutor throws into his lessons to get us all thinking about not just what we want to write but why.

For instance with the current life writing section he ask that we use "a particular sound, touch, smell or taste.. from the present to an episode in your past. What is it about the present experience which triggers the memory, what are the differences between the present you and the past you and what is overwhelming in the memory evoked? Instead of concentrating on the logical framework, e.g. ‘I was only ten years old…’, recall the feelings associated.. e.g.what did it feel like to be ten years old on that particular day?"

So say I love tutti-frutti ice cream. I love the bits inside the ice cream. I love that the ice cream isn't just ice- cream - all cold and creamy. It reminds me of my family excursions to the beach when my dad was alive. How he'd always buy me a tutti-frutti flavoured ice cream, how he'd laugh as I pick the bits off first to eat because I liked doing silly things like that and how he found it funny.

So here's to great teachers. And here is a fun sketch about the importance of learning your ABC

:-)

Charlie says who needs ice cream when you can have perfectly good bark. Nom, nom, nom!

Have a happy Monday everyone!