Where was I?

How far did I get? Not very, I think.

As I said, I have had this idea banging around in my tiny little head for some time, but then I went poorly, not went really, but was sent. I had a minor operation at my local hospital and they sort of neglected the anaesthetic, but carried on anyway.

This set me back for a few years, and I still suffer from the aftermath. Just a few weeks ago, I was chatting online with one of my ladyfriends in America and we were discussing the short stories that I had posted to my Yoohoo Group thingie.

She said I should get them worked on and get them published ( she is not the only one to say that, by the way ) and I was wriggling, trying to think up new reasons why I shouldn't, couldn't or wouldn't.

Like the idiot that I often am, I mentioned this idea for a novel and she asked what it was about, so she said get on with it, and as usual, there were a million and one reasons why I shouldn't/couldn't/wouldn't.

So, we chatted on, and I just said that I needed a key to start it off, a reason to start it. And blow me, during that same conversation, she said something, I can't for the life of me remember what, and that set me thinking, and sure enough - the first paragraph jumped into my head, closely followed by the final one!

All I had to do was find a hundred or so thousand words to stick inbetween!

I set to, and before a couple of days were gone, I had got something like 10 thousand words down! Easy peasy! Anyone can do it - just sit at the keyboard and stick 'em down. That is where I got my first rude awakening!

It ain't just "any" words, it's the "right" words in the proper order, and they have to make sense. And they have to have continuity, like if the bloke is tall and skinny in one chapter, that's the way he stays - you can't make him short and fat in the next, and people generally stick with one name - you can't give the same person a different name every time you mention them!

Believe me - it is easy to do that, and there are a myriad of other stoopids waiting for you if you are not careful.

Now, as I mentioned, I had a setback a few years ago, and now I need reassurance every step of the way. Am I wasting my time, is it readable, does it make sense, is it interesting and all the other doubts which beset one.

So, to this end, I enlisted help. Firstly, the self same lady who takes the blame for starting me on the project, kindly agreed to act as scrutineer for me. She takes care that I correct any stoopids right away, and ensures that I stay on track. She has also acted as sounding board for my plot ideas - it is too easy to type oneself into a corner with a giant paintbrush!

The other helper is my other dear lady friend (I use this word advisedly) who, for a time, acted as my "average reader". She was doing fine, until I started swinging the plot back and forth, then she lost it, bless her little cotton socks! Now, she is waiting until all the intisac - intick- intri- oh bugger, twists and turns are worked out.

Both of them will get a mention on the kisses and hugs page when it is finished, and hopefully, published.

I mentioned last time that I must learn to use the scissors when necessary, remember? Yes, well, my "average reader" caused me to scrap about five thousand words, and I still suspect she did it on purpose!

I foolishly said it was easy, didn't I? Well, it is, if you are not bothered about what you write, but it has just taken me a week, a painful, hard week to write one difficult chapter.

The plot called for an incident of which I have absolutely no knowledge. I could have struggled (I did try, and scrapped another three thousand in the process) to write what I do not know, but I have finally worked out how to do it - without actually doing it, if you get me? No? Wait for the book then, for it will all fall into place, I promise!

So, on to the next stage! Hey ho!