The Grand Plan 2: The Timetable

The lovely friend came around today to plan my writing schedule. This girl is scarily good (and brings croissants, always a bonus) – and I now have a timetable to work to. Wahey!

I have decided I am only going to focus on one novel idea, the idea that is most finished, eg I know exactly where this one is going. It was an idea I had in June 2004, whilst on the train to work. As with all ideas I get, I seem to get a glimmer of the idea, and then, just like a merry go round, I have to let it go and not worry it to death. If it is a good idea, it will circle around and pop up again in an inappropriate place, usually when I have no pen or paper handy. If that happens, I have been known to type it all as a draft text on my phone – now surely you have to be dedicated to do that. The second time around, I will see more of the story and off it will go again. With this idea, I saw the beginning and the end straight away; it was the stuff in the middle that grew from there.

My timetable is now strict, considering the budget only lasts until Feb at a push. I finished the Chapter Plan this week, so I know exactly what is due to happen, and it feels so good to have that in front of me. And the chapter plan gives me 18 chapters, so we have worked out I have to do a chapter a week to be within my budget, starting from next week.

I love having this structure. I love someone caring what I am doing… oh I know they all care, but I love it when the people I respect treat it seriously, like a real job. I haven’t told my family I am doing this, as far as they know they think I am still in full time employment, as I couldn’t deal with my mum fretting. Sometimes she goes into ‘glass half empty’ mode, and I am nervous enough without having to think constantly yes it will all go wrong and I will have ruined my life! Haha (nervous cackle).

But I am really excited, to tell the truth. I really love this story idea, it sort of verges towards dark comedy and that is a genre I definitely like to play with. And, totally off subject, that newspaper idea I had a while back? They asked for my picture earlier this month, and I assumed they would possibly do a small pic byline beside my next article. So I almost dropped the paper yesterday, to see a huge picture of myself looking back at me. Eek! Still unpaid mind you... but definitely on target to soon take a deep breath and ask for payment (grins).