Unblocking my imagination

OK this has been a good year, but it's also been a year of hard slog.

I've had to research and write three new projects for my business clients on the history of Automata, the science of Cardiff Bay, and a science presentation for adults getting them to look at gravity in new ways.  All of these have worked really well, but they've used up a large portion on my writing brain.  On top of those I seem to be stuck in rewriting hell with Bitter Roots, and I've only managed short bursts of writing on Brighton Sucks before I've had to put it aside to do one of the other writing tasks that have filled my days, including the Christmas Windows which was a brief experiment, but which I am quite pleased with.  We'll have to see what M&B make of it.

So as a Christmas present to myself I've decided to put all work in progress aside until mid January and to spend the next couple of weeks working on a short project that I will be able to see all the way through to the end.  That would feel very satisfying.  And as playwriting is where my writing career began I've dug out a play that I started writing a while back.  I've just re-read it and think it's worthy of completion.  It's a comedy looking at people's attitudes towards sexuality in older women, and there are some pretty good jokes in it, along with a really good role for a post-menopausal actress.  

I think that stopping work on all my other projects would allow my brain to reset itself and to unclog my imagination that's been forced in so many different directions this year.  I'll also give this blog a break until then - but many thanks to all the people who've been reading this, and for all the feedback I've had from you.

I hope the Christmas fairy sprinkles inspiration dust on all of you , and that the New Year sees much success all around. 

PS. I'll still be on Facebook if you need me, x J    

Progress

Hurrah!  At last my website is sorted and online http://www.jarekadams.com/

You can read two short stories that I've had published in Debut magazine, along with the opening of my novel Bitter Roots.  That's the one that's been highly praised, but not found a home with an agent yet.  I've also put the opening sequence of the novel I'm currently writing on there.  It's an urban fantasy called Brighton Sucks.  Feedback on any of my work is always gratefully accepted.

I've sent off my submission to Mills & Boon, but what they'll make of it I'll just have to wait and see.  You can follow the link on my website and read the first chapter of The Christmas Windows on their website, although I did make a few changes to it before sending it in with chapters 2 & 3 following the feedback I got from readers on the site.

On top of that I've applied to the Arvon foundation for a mentoring scheme that would run for a year and would include two weeks at their amazing centres with nothing to do but write and talk about writing.  I was only able to go on one of their courses this year with an Arvon 42 grant, but it would be really good to have a mentor for a year, and to spend some more time intensively focusing on my writing. 

OK, now all that's done I might actually have some time to get some writing done.