Widening Wings
As promised, welcome to the next installment of my writing antics! I hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine on this nice bright, yet chilly, April day!
So, the first point of call has to be the progress on my main writing endeavors (and the main reasons for the absence of a March update). I am still hard at work writing and developing my dissertation, which has now passed the 5000 word mark. A third of the way through already and, so far, I am really pleased with the progress of both my main character and the novella’s narrative. The feedback I have been receiving from my supervisor has been brilliant and it is so nice to have the continued support of the course faculty behind me whilst working on something I have an avid passion for! I am also incredibly thankful for all the advice given to me by the authors I have reached out to for guidance on research, especially as respecting culture is such a huge part of my piece. I am certain that with their help and the guidance offered by my hired sensitivity reader, my dissertation will meet the standard I aspire it to possess!
Over the last few weeks, I have come to realise that it is always best to prioritise the important things, both in terms of personal life and career. It is this belief that ultimately allowed me to step back from working on my other manuscript and work on it in my own time at my own pace rather than rushing to complete it for an unrealistic deadline. The 70,000 words that I managed to write between October 2020 to April 2021 have definitely not been a waste! Although severe editing is needed to create the novel I aspire it to be, pushing my brain over the last few months has given me a focusing exercise that maintains the flow of my creative mind between university, work and other life commitments. This manuscript has developed and evolved in more ways than I could have imagined and it has given me an optimistic distraction to the events happening in the world, so it will always be in the back of my mind, working away at the holes and growing once again until the time comes when I can grant it the attention it deserves. I learnt recently how it is best to do what is right for the novel, and leaving it to develop in my mind whilst I concentrate on other priorities is, I believe, the right thing to do. Besides, there is always next year for the competition and a vast variety of other methods for the story to get out there!
On to other exciting writerly news. Followers of my Instagram (@writeuponwings) will have seen that last week I attended the virtual Writing East Midlands Writing Conference 2021. This was an online event inviting a range of speakers to talk about their writing experiences as well as giving advice to aspiring writers about building on their own careers. As a delegate, I attended a range of talks including ‘Writing for Children & Young Adults’, ‘Ready, Steady, Pitch’ (exploring how best to pitch your ideas to editors, publishers and agents) and ‘Making Money From Your Writing’ (including possible collaborations and side careers alongside writing). I made pages full of notes for each of the talks I attended and found the information invaluable. The chance to ask published authors specific questions and to receive both responses and a following from them on social media was really exciting and I loved being able to connect with fellow members of the writing community. I highly recommend other aspiring writers, poets, playwrights etc. to attend the next conference, which will hopefully be held in person. For more information follow Writing East Midlands @writingeastmidlands or visit writingeastmidlands.co.uk (Please note: this is not a sponsored message but a personal recommendation).
Another topic of this month’s update is a recent reflection. With the teaching element of my Masters gradually coming to an end, it’s made me reflect on what it is I want as a career. As I’m sure many budding authors have heard from other published writers, making a living off writing is extremely hard and, unless offered a big break, very few authors earn enough to live off. As such, it is best for writers to have a career on the side that pays the bills whilst building a writing career. Time on furlough and absorbing all I’ve learnt from my degrees has made the path ahead clearer for me in terms of what I want to do as my side career. First and foremost, I am a creator, so thriving in the creative environment is an element I definitely want to maintain in wherever I’m employed in the future. If the past few years have taught me anything, it’s to focus on what makes you stand out from the crowd as well as discovering what it is that drives you. After my Masters has finished, I am confident that I will have learnt everything that I need from university to aid me in my career. I cannot wait to see what lies in store!
On a similar optimistic note, I recently reached 100 followers on this blog’s Instagram page! This may not seem like a lot to some people, but considering I started this blog less than a year ago simply as a means to focus my mind and express myself during a pandemic, I could not be more thrilled! I have really enjoyed updating each creative element to this site and I am thankful for all the feedback I have received. It is the best feeling as a writer knowing that people really do appreciate and enjoy the work put in. I cannot wait to see where this site takes me in the future!
This is where I leave my entry for this month. I wish everyone the best in their writing, career and personal journeys! Also a big shout out to all students currently working on their assessments - it’s been an especially trying time for students, university students in particular, and I know from experience that support is always a huge motivator. So, just to say … YOU GOT THIS!
Until next time,
Emily