1st November 2014 was one of the hardest days of my life. "My childhood wish was to have a Golden Retriever. I was very fortunate to have that wish granted twice. Thank you, Lucy; you changed my life. I am grateful to have shared such a bond with you, and although I can’t believe you’re … Continue reading November
On the first Sunday of November I attended The Gollancz Festival 2017 at Foyles on Charing Cross Road, London. For those who don't know, Gollancz is one of the UK's top publishers of Science Fiction and Fantasy, home to some of my favourite contemporary authors---Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson and Scott Lynch. The Festival itself was … Continue reading The Gollancz Festival 2017
As with last week, I'm still editing. I moved onto Chapters 1 and 3---1 needed little work, as it was the last thing I wrote before the Christmas break, so most of this week was focused on re-drafting 3, which continues on from the first. I say re-drafting, most of it has been re-writing. Before I began re-drafting, … Continue reading Week #17 Overview
After fifteen weeks of full-time writing, I still don't feel comfortable enough to call myself a writer. I guess that's because I'm not getting paid. Currently. (Saying that, as a means to support myself, I'm a dog walker and carer, but I don't regard that as my job, even though I get paid.) Still, I consider what I do---writing---as … Continue reading The Foggy Path
As it's the time for giving, here's an extract from the first chapter of Everborne. I'd love to say I wrote this back in September, with months of reflection and hardly any revisions made since, but the truth is I re-wrote Chapter One only the other week, and this is my new opening. As with any opening, my focus … Continue reading Extract: Chapter One
I'm here, at the end of my final week of writing for 2016, and I can't quite believe it. I began writing Everborne fifteen weeks ago, but it feels like much, much longer. In that time, I've written 113,728 words, or 394 pages (double-spaced, point twelve), which tells the first thirteen chapters (and prologue) of my story. I … Continue reading Week #15 Overview
I broke for lunch later than usual on Wednesday, owing to the fact I wanted to finish drafting Chapter 14. I won't bore you with the details about what I ate. (OK, Minestrone soup with added chunks of chicken, if you're dying to know.) So not only did I end up taking Cass for an afternoon walk … Continue reading Week #14 Overview
I've been writing Everborne for three months now (wow, to think I ever doubted doing this) and I couldn't be happier with my running word count of 105,031 words! (Yes, I was about to close my laptop on Friday when I saw I was twenty words short of the five thousand mark and, yes, I did sit … Continue reading Week #13 Overview
This has been my most stressful week. So far. (I wonder how naive Future Tom will regard this remark!) Intent on making up for lost words and conscious this was the week to do so, I really forged ahead with my writing. Fortunately, it paid off. More than being relieved by the more-like-usual amount of words … Continue reading Week #12 Overview
I’ve been asked this question before and, in characteristic Tom-fashion, I bungled the answer. To Emily’s dad, no less. That’s me, always making a sterling impression. Afterwards (and this isn’t me trying to save face… he says), I realised that may have been because there are multiple answers. Well, here they are. 1) Escapism I’ve … Continue reading Why I Write
It's hard not to be frustrated with myself at the moment. I set myself monthly targets that are neither impossible nor unchallenging. This month, I'm currently straggling behind schedule. This certainly isn't through lack of effort, or awareness. (Believe me, I'm aware all right.) For whatever reason, on average, I'm writing less per day. Creativity is … Continue reading Week #11 Overview
This week was tough. Man, was it frustrating. And I'm so glad that it's over. I really am. Saying that, I still don't think I could call it my first bad week, even though it felt like it most of the time and all I wanted to do was be able to put it behind me. … Continue reading Week #10 Overview
Monday saw the end of October, and, after 21 days of writing, my second month's word count totalled 71,702 words; I was very happy to be comfortably within my word count target. With November also having 21 days of writing (it would be 22, but I'm taking my birthday off), I'm hoping by the end … Continue reading Week #9 Overview
I can't quite believe tomorrow will mark the end of my second month of writing my novel full-time. Since I began last month, the weeks have melted into a single indistinct streak; so much so, if it wasn't for my weekly overviews, I'd find it almost impossible to distinguish between them. For October, I set myself … Continue reading Week #8 Overview
From the back cover: "Guylain Vignolles lives on the edge of existence. Working at a book pulping factory in a job he hates, he has but one pleasure in life . . . Sitting on the 6.27 train each day, Guylain recites aloud from pages he has saved from the jaws of his monstrous … Continue reading Anecdotal Review: The Reader on the 6.27 by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent
The surprise of the previous weeks' writing has begun to fade; after a successful third week it's starting to feel normal. So far, I've yet to experience anything else. Though I'm ever wary of those ominous word-wilting days of writer's block. 18,000 words later, Chapter 1 is finally finished... for now. Chapter 2 is also complete and I am very happy … Continue reading Week #3 Overview
From the back cover: "The Kingdom of the Six Duchies is on the brink of civil war when news breaks that the crown prince has fathered a bastard son and is shamed into abdication. The child's name is Fitz, and he is despised. Raised in the castle stables, only the company of the king's fool, … Continue reading Anecdotal Review: Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb.
Say hello to Max. We’ve been best friends for fourteen years now. Max-box, Maximus Decimus Boximus, Big-head, has been with me through school, university and even my first job. I can barely remember life without him; he’s always been there. He was a boy’s fulfilled wish and a man’s best friend. A dog really can … Continue reading Living Life to the Max!
So I've done it. I finally started "living the dream" on Monday. I'm now at the end of my first week of full-time writing. And, boy, does it feel good! I've worked out I'll have 20 writing days in September and, since it's my first month, I thought I'd set myself the target of reaching 20,000 … Continue reading Week #1 Overview
How and why I decided to quit my job to write full-time in order to pursue my dream of becoming a published author. The short version: It’s my dream, so I'm doing it. The long version: I’d originally hoped to work part-time at my previous job, working as a tutor in an East London School. … Continue reading A Time to Write
I am as excited as I am scared. Tomorrow, I begin living my dream. I start writing my first novel. Three months ago, I quit my job so I could commit to writing full-time in order to pursue my dream of becoming a published author. Since then, I set myself the start date of 1st … Continue reading Before the Plunge
Tom Luck 