Exciting writing times and why I may be absent for a while…

Posted in Writing by

Exciting developments, my friends!

Excited gif

 

But first, the story so far. Skip this if you’re up to date on my writing-related wafflings…

I’ve written a book (see Art and Soul for more about that). I’ve been sending the first three chapters to literary agents, but haven’t been getting anywhere. I recently sent it to an editor and he suggested deleting chapters 1 and 2 and starting with chapter 3. As a result, I’m currently staring at a huge pile of edits.

And now back to the exciting news!

Having thought I hadn’t made the cut (and been rather disappointed), last week I was beyond delighted to receive an invitation to join the Romantic Novelist Association‘s New Writer’s Scheme. The Scheme allows unpublished novelists writing in the romance genre to submit their manuscript to an existing RNA member for critique. You also get to take part in all RNA activities and events.

Romantic Novelist's Association logo

As if that weren’t exciting enough, I also received an email from a literary agent saying they’d like to see more of my writing! I explained I was in the middle of cutting the first two chapters of my novel (more about that in last week’s post). Would they like to read the new beginning once it was done? And *drumroll*… they said yes!

I can’t stop using exclamation marks!!! 🙂

While I have until August to submit my manuscript to the New Writer’s Scheme, I want to get those pending edits done as soon as possible. I’m hoping my toddler and I can stay at my parents’ during the half-term holiday so I can lock myself in the writing garret spare room and get some serious work done. But to do that I may have to go a bit quiet here and on social media for a while.

That doesn’t mean I won’t be keeping up with you and your blogs though. I’m looking forward to hearing about your reading, writing, baking and other shenanigans 🙂

A writer’s life, like everyone else’s, is full of ups and downs. I think it’s important to celebrate the ups. And on that note, I leave you with a gratuitous gif of Mr Hiddleston:

Loki Tom Hiddleston gif

Claire Huston / Art and Soul
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75 thoughts on “Exciting writing times and why I may be absent for a while…”

  17. Wonderful! How very exciting…I loved your last post on editing, such a good (and brave) idea to get it sent away to an editor and then to have the confidence to see that they may have a point. These events now are very exciting developments, really look forward to hearing what happens next! X

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you!
      That’s good advice. I think what I’ll do every day at my parents’ is get myself and my son ready and then shut myself away in a room without the internet until lunch and then after lunch for the rest of the afternoon. I’ll definitely get most of the major changes done that way. I don’t mind doing the small things in the evenings when my brain’s tired, but I need to be “with it” for the big changes.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  26. What amazing news Claire! Best of luck with these new opportunities! I hope they all work out for you 🙂 Honestly, just congratulations! The best part of this success is that it is the direct result of your perseverance! It’s truly deserved!
    Take the time you need and focus on your writing! It’s a definite priority 🙂
    Congratulations again 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  32. Pingback: Visit to Coombe Abbey Country Park and a quick writing update | Art and Soul

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