Uni Is Over!

Hi readers,

Yesterday, I handed in the final essay of my joint Creative Writing and English Lit BA Hons degree. I've a lot of mixed feelings about it. In one way it's a massive weight off my shoulders because all my work is now and I don't have to think about doing anything else. The one way is the fact that I officially won't have to do any more work for my degree and my student life is almost over, (for this part anyway). It feels sort of like a catch 22, good and bad sides and I don't think it's sunk in yet. Though I think this has more to do with the fact that my housemates and most of my friends are still hard at work, so good luck to all of them!

I baked chocolate chip muffins in a mini celebration yesterday too and I made a load, so if anyone fancies one just drop by. That and I'm still waiting for the pics of me reading out last week as I've not been out and about with my own camera lately. I'm sure that's about to change though, because my diary is full of outings at the minute and I know there's still about three that need to go in there. So, though my student life is drawing to an end there's still a lot happening.

After finishing all my work, I so wanted a break and to have some time to myself and to catch up with my friends. But the sudden idea of not doing anything after all the stress and work of doing my final essays, bugs me too much.....So I'm caving today, by first writing my blog and then sitting down to read through my novel. I've been having a lot of ideas about my novel and I really want to get back writing it and not even writing one of my others is helping to stop my urges. So I'm going to give in and try my hand at editing once more.

Writing and editing are two very different things. With writing, you get it all out on the page and just go with it. Yeah, you might spend the time planing plot lines and characters, but overall you just write what you want. Editing is different from this, you have to use a different part of your brain and start thinking more like a reader and questioning your work. Will the reader understand what you mean? Is your character real and your setting realistic enough to pull off that world? And how about the way it is written? Not just the spelling or grammar, but the structure of the sentences, the paragraphs, the chapters? Also its not about re-writitng the whole thing, its about adding and taking away. Having the strength to rip your own work part and re-do it, is in the talent of the writer. To be able to say 'okay that's not working and needs taking out,' or 'more needs to be put in here, 'cause my character's anger just isn't getting through right,' is all part of a writer's life. Editing is a long road, but it's worth it and will make your writing better.

So, that's my helpfully writing tip for today and now I'm off to follow my own advice!