Festive Flight

A warm festive welcome to this, the last blog post of 2021! As is customary, there will be plenty of writerly reflections and hopeful predictions for the new year currently approaching, as well as revealing the events of this past month. The theme for this month is absolutely one of positivity, thankfulness and determination for plans which will be set in motion in 2022 and I cannot wait to document these each step of the way.

Thus, I shall begin with easily one of the most exciting developments which is my Masters degree result. As alluded to in posts on my Instagram, the reveal was one of extra anticipation due to a technical error within the university online system at Lincoln, meaning Postgraduate students were not able to see or could only see part of their results. Of course we were all extremely anxious to unveil the reward of our hard work, especially after many of us had completed our degrees solely online, so the extra wait was especially taxing. However, all was well in the end. I was, and still am, exceptionally well considering I will be graduating (whether in January or at a later time due to Coronavirus restrictions) with a Distinction - the equivalent to a first class honours - in Masters of Creative Writing. I am absolutely thrilled beyond words with this! It just goes to prove that a positive and determined mindset can overcome everything when seeking to reach your goals, even when a global pandemic is forcing you to study solely online. As mentioned, this result has once again provided me with that extra confidence to believe in my choices and the pen sitting within my mind as well as in my hand. I am currently still unsure whether I will further pursue a PHD or similar degree at university in the future, but for now I am happy and content in the knowledge I currently possess. I am now gradually discovering this next phase my writing and personal lives will take.

Speaking of writing, what are my plans for the next project? As you know, it was my aim to take a break from writing to analyse my work-life-writer balance and to also weigh up in my mind which of the four main story ideas brewing within there has both the most potential and instils a passion sufficient enough to form an imaginative tale. Although other ideas have merit with a thrilling plot or characters I can see vividly, there are holes or many aspects needing revision before I can set another word to paper or screen, both narrative and construction wise. Therefore it is the novella I began as my MA dissertation which I shall be pursuing for now, for the shorter plot, reduced amount of characters, driven plot and, honestly, quality of prose which - should I maintain this current standard - needs limited editing. Of course there will always be edits down the line, even more so should I likely decide to send a completed draft to my sensitivity reader (see previous blog for more information), but for now the pursuit of completing this tale is an obvious choice. Not to mention my joining of a local archery club has ignited the flame of inspiration for this story - but this is the only revealed feature for now. Here’s hoping I will one day see this story’s title and contents on bookshop shelves in the near future…

This leads me on to the next point. Readers will remember earlier this year where I was simultaneously attempting to balance one story idea with another, one for my Masters and another for a competition. Well, the competition has reopened its doors once again. This leaves me to wonder which story I would like to offer for consideration. It has always been a goal of mine to enter, obviously keen to succeed but frankly excited to even be within a shot of publication. If there is one thing I have learnt in the interim between my last competition-focused writing stint and my current views, it is regardless if the situation or goal you are writing for all that really matters is the story itself. Your intentions pursue any writing goal are grand and all but the only way to reach this is to develop, grow, edit, perfect and practice your own art. It is to this end I will admit even though my aim remains the same to enter a competition I have fondly followed for so long, to set a lifelong goal if nothing else, if my novella is drastically unfinished or at a stage where I remain unhappy with it, then I will simply delay until the following year to ensure I am content with my craft. Sometimes you do simply need to take the plunge and realise an author is never truly happy with their work, so I could in all honesty submit my work for the deadline in a few months time. All I am meaning is I am open to each scenario; incomplete and delay, content and submission. It all depends on the stage of my writing and mental health, setting manageable deadlines, regular breaks and make time for friends, family and work to reach that goal. Rest assured, you will be seeing more from this writer.

I have only just realised this is the first Christmas where I have no essays to complete, yet I can’t shake the guilt of focusing on my work as though I do. I imagine this will pass in time once I realise the freedom I hold and the passion which has returned. The break and time of uncertainty is over. It is time to be a writer.

As for currently, you will have seen how very excited I am over the latest edition to my writing utensils:

I have always been fascinated by old-fashioned writing, such as quills or typewriters, so I absolutely adore the flow of the fountain pen I am using to draft this blog entry. In a faux leather notebook I shall add, yet another writerly love of mine. Combined with the (and this is not an advertisement or sponsored plug, merely an excited reflection) wireless, bluetooth and noise cancelling headphones I received for Christmas, it’s fair to say this writer will be motivated more than ever. It is a wonderful feeling to write with free flowing ink without cable obstruction, with bass elevating my pulse along with the thrill of the plot. I can’t wait to see what worlds they will help me create, over this Christmas break and beyond. The first step is to concise and complete this novella. The next is yet to be seen, but it is an adventure I await with hopeful anticipation.

One last thing. It’s December, which means New Years’ resolutions are in order. What are mine? Well we will pass over the traditional goal of more active exercise and healthier eating habits, for I shall not dwell on this within a writing blog. As for writing goals, mine is definitely to finish the novella I started and to remain positive in all my passions and goals in writing. As the sign in my bedroom states, “you owe it to yourself to be everything you’ve ever dreamed of being”. I shall take this to heart. I hope you, reader, will to.

This is where I leave my entry. I wish you all the best for 2022! I will end on this positive note…

Reach for every goal you set. Even if you can’t quite get there, each journey is a learning curve.

Until January!

Emily