Blog-a-Day May: Day 17: The Novel

One of the items on my "things to do" list is look at enrolling into a Masters course in creative writing.

I look at that statement and I'm filled with fear. Am I smart enough to attempt a Masters? Could I do the work? Is my writing good enough? Do I have the ideas to do this? Why would I want to go back to study? When would I fit it in the work? Could I afford it?

This has been going around in my head for a couple of years. I know that I write well to a deadline and I like critical thought being applied to my work. There is always the notion that in a Master's program I might finally get my novel well under way, not just an effort during NaNoWriMO (National Novel Writing Month). It's time to start really thinking about doing this.

They say that there is a book in everybody.

I have two that are on the boil.

One has been in planning mode for years. A kids book."Rainbow Robertson and the Adventures at Hippy Corner", the story of a girl who's been sent to live with her Grandmother at a farmlet called Hippy Corner outside of the town called Yourponga. Beneath the swamp there is a world where Rainbow has to be the hero. All takes place in and underground room with eleven doors and a large feather mattress.

I've got half a notebook full of stuff, thoughts of where the novel could go, character and plot notes... lots of things to think about. A Harry Potter with a bit more of an environmental spin - well that's the way I'm seeing it.

A lot if this is what I think about on my way top work. This is some of the stuff I think about when I'm running - or just outside.

The other book that I'm being pressed to write is something of an autobiography.

I've been playing with titles over the last few weeks. A few of the ideas that come to mind include "Hiding in Plain Sight", "An Alien's Guide to Faking It" and "Looking Over Your Shoulder."

It's my story of spending six years in England without a valid visa. I've got about 10,000 words of this written, but I need to have a better dig at the plot and structure. Also have to think about the narrator, where I want to take this, what the audience could be and how I could get this out.

It feels like a bit of a fool's errand in some ways - how many books end out on slush piles? Thousands. could I write a book worth reading? I have no idea.

All I do know is that a Masters program would keep me honest, and reviewed, and in circles that I think I'd like to write in.

For the moment, I just have to get on with upgrading my Training and Assessment qualification by the end of June.

The rest, for the moment, can remain in the too hard basket.