I was feeling a tad overwhelmed this time last week when I posted about the various piles of work I had. But sorting them out and discussing it with the poet really helped. The first thing I did was finish the big proofreading job that was already in. That was completed yesterday and I nipped... Continue Reading →
Getting organised – so many piles of work!
Today I thought it might be a good idea to get myself organised. I have so many different projects on the go, it was time to weed some out. But before doing that, I wanted to put them into their own individual piles. Here is how my current Work in Progress (WiP) is looking (sorry... Continue Reading →
My (new) fat year: weeks 4 & 5 – changes
I am very gradually weaning myself away from the diet culture that only seems to benefit the diet industry by generating a lot of income for them and a lot of spending for me. Don't get me wrong. I have medical conditions that *do* have certain dietary requirements, as do other people. What I'm talking... Continue Reading →
My (new) fat year: weeks 2 & 3
The more reading and research I do, the more I realise that losing weight shouldn't be the main objective. Plus, my doctor assures me that I'm not worryingly overweight. However, I do feel that I should lose some weight, if only for the benefit of my knees and hips. And my digestive system. I'm not avoiding... Continue Reading →
Hard copy versus electronic copy proofreading
I don't normally edit or proofread on screen. I find I miss things and, anyway, reading hard copy exercises different eye muscles (apparently). So I usually print my editing and proofreading jobs off so that I can carefully work on the hard copy and then transfer the edits to the electronic version. I can also... Continue Reading →
A distraction-free week
I've had a very busy week, but it's been a good one. I've been working at a desk in the corner of the living room away from distractions on the computer, such as the internet, Facebook, playing games, etc. A while ago I turned off email notifications on my mobile phone. At first I was... Continue Reading →
52 books in 52 weeks: Save the Cat! Writes a Novel
I set myself the goal of reading and reviewing 52 writing guides over the year. Here is book 44. Save the Cat! has been the last book on screenwriting that screenwriters will ever need since 2005, and then there was another, and another ... until there were five books using this tried and tested method... Continue Reading →
My (new) fat year: week 1
Four years ago, when we were preparing to get married, the poet lost around 2 stone (24lb) and I lost about half a stone (7lb). At our first weigh-in of the new year last week, the poet had gained half a stone (7lb), and I had gained about a stone (14lb). 😳 Last Monday we switched,... Continue Reading →
Week 1 didn’t go well
I started the year with great plans to catch up with the backlog and crack on with new stuff. (Wow, I got a dropped capital.) (Hmm, not sure if I like it or not.) It hasn't gone well so far ... I've checked the job boards every day, but nothing has taken my fancy -... Continue Reading →
My (new) fat year
Readers of Tales from Baggins Bottom will remember an old regular feature, My Fat Year. They may also remember how I yo-yo'd so much between losing and gaining weight despite trying several commercial diets that many suggested having some blood tests. I've had those blood tests, numerous tests in fact, in a bid to find... Continue Reading →
New Year, New Start
Welcome to a shiny new year. What are your plans for the coming months? We had a decent, relaxing holiday, with a very busy first half and a very lazy second half. The Saturday before Christmas was perhaps our busiest day. This was the day we went out and did ALL of the Christmas shopping.... Continue Reading →
Have a very merry Christmas and a wonderful new year!
It's been a fair week where I've finally organised myself and my work again. I've managed to write at least one blog post a day, and on Thursday I spent time on two blogs as well as some gig list work. I've given the blog a bit of a facelift, and I've learnt how to... Continue Reading →
Review: The Blinders, Social Bar, Doncaster
On Wednesday, we went to see Doncaster band The Blinders, as guests of the venue, the Social Bar, Doncaster. The Blinders were supported by Calva Louise, who opened the event. and were greeted by a packed audience. This punkadelic 3-piece is now based in Manchester, but they haven't forgotten their roots, often returning to play their home town.... Continue Reading →
Just messin’
Today was supposed to be the start of the new regime. I was going to have a good long look at the work I already have in and the work I already have planned and then I was going to put it into some sort of order. So far, I've updated the diary for the... Continue Reading →
I can see the end of the year from here … (*list alert*)
Looking back, it seems to have been a busy year with not a lot achieved. But then I remember that I had a book published in November, which I was still writing in April and indexing in October, we moved house (in the hottest summer on record for England), we lost 4 of our chickens... Continue Reading →
52 books in 52 weeks: How to Plan, Outline and Write Your Novel in 30 Days
I set myself the goal of reading and reviewing 52 writing guides over the year. It's actually taking two years, but here is book 43 anyway. How to Plan, Outline, and Write Your Novel in 30 Days is the latest guide from Amy Deardon. And I have to say ... it's possibly the best book... Continue Reading →
Book review: The Road to Grantchester
This feature is in association with NetGalley. The Road to Grantchester, James Runcie Thanks to NetGalley and to Bloomsbury for an advance copy of The Road to Grantchester by James Runcie. I'm a big fan of Sidney Chambers, so it was great to be given this opportunity to find out what led him to Grantchester. First... Continue Reading →
Back to normal … ish
We had planned on visiting my mom at the weekend, but the country was battered by storms last Thursday, and most of Saturday was spent rebuilding the greenhouse. I'd already spent time on Thursday and on Friday looking for bits that had blown off. But we live on the edge of a cornfield opposite a... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo comes to an end once more
Congratulations to all of my fellow NaNoWriMoErs who hit their target this year. Commiserations if you didn't reach your target, but don't worry. I failed for far too many years to mention before finally finding my NaNoMoJo, and now I've won 4 years on the trot. Well done to everyone who took part. It can... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – day 29 (oops, I did it again!)
Well, I made it. Despite taking several days off, including an unplanned additional 6 days sick, I reached the finish line once again with a total of 50,270 words. I still have a way to go. The novel isn't finished and I'm going to keep it up. But after years and years of failing at... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – intermission: days 22 – 28
We had a very busy weekend with Monkey Dust playing both Friday and Saturday evenings. Two very late nights on the trot automatically mean two very late lie-ins the next day too. I also had a massive proofreading job I wanted to finish, and I ended up finishing it at the gig on Saturday evening... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – days 20 & 21
I didn't mean to take another day off. But yesterday I did a new assignment and by the time I got home something else happened to distract me from my writing: My book was published! The book was supposed to be published next year some time, but we did so well getting it ready, publication... Continue Reading →
We interrupt this broadcast …
I am delighted to announce that my book A History of Cadbury is now in stock. You can buy the hardback direct from the publishers at Pen & Sword or you can buy it from your favourite book dealer. It's currently only available as a hardback, but the paperback will follow in the usual due course.... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – days 17, 18 & 19
The weekend just gone was planned time off. I had 2 of my 5 days off together, as I prefer to have days off at the weekend than midweek. Saturday was a shopping and housework day, and a recce for two more assignments that have come in for me this Friday. Sunday was a run... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – days 15 & 16
Oops-a-daisy! I seem to have had another inadvertent day off. I'm not beating myself up about it, though. I'm currently very busy and next week is looking busier. And anyway, I'm not really lagging behind either. Yesterday was spent arranging two new assignments for next week that involve (shock! horror!) leaving the house! 😱 There's also not... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – day 14
I've not had much time again today, as I've been pitching for some new and different jobs as well as continuing with the existing work I have in. I only managed to add around 700 words to my running total. But I have a few more very short scenes and Act II Part II is possibly... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – day 13
I didn't get around to NaNo until quite late on this afternoon. I've been in correspondence with various people, including editing and proofreading clients as well as the publisher of my Cadbury book. The great news is, my book has arrived on the publisher's desk! And they're very happy with the result. I can hardly... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – days 9, 10, 11 & 12
I hit my weekly target by the end of Thursday evening. I'd planned to take Sunday off, but as things transpired, I had 3 days off! But as I'd hit my weekly target by the end of Thursday, I didn't beat myself up too much over it. Friday was a sad day as one of... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – day 8
So now I'm thinking, if I can do this in November for NaNoWriMo, why can't I do it the rest of the year as well? My daily target is 2,000 words, which means I can also have 5 days off. My usual daily target is around 1,000 words per writing day. If I upped that... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – day 7
I was quite tired yesterday following the shenanigans of the previous evening, but by 5pm I'd completed my day's work quota. I'd added more than 3,000 words and I reached my first 100 pages on a proofreading job. I always like to hit the first 100 pages. At 5pm, I checked on the chickens, put... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – day 6
It was a long day yesterday. We visited Mom last night – she was great and in fine form – and we were set to be home at a fairly reasonable time, around 10pm. On our way down we'd seen an accident on the M42 that had just happened. One lorry had stopped, a car... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – day 5
We were going to visit my mom on Saturday and then stop off at Sherwood Forest, or similar, on the way back as it was going to be such a nice day. However, there was a stomach bug at the home, and visitors were asked to stay away. So we stayed in and baked instead.... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo 2018 – days 3 & 4
The plan always was to work yesterday, and take today off as my first day off. Then the plan changed because the weather was supposed to be nicest yesterday. We were going to go out for the day. Then that plan changed as well and we decided to stay in. However, I decided to keep... Continue Reading →
