My Adventures in Writing: NEW SERIES

I've been toying with a series of writing posts for a while now, but I didn't know quite where to start. The logical thing to do would be to use the series as a journal, dedicated to documenting my journey as I attempt to write a novel. However, being over 40,000 words into my novel already, that just doesn't work. 

Today has been a good day. I've just been given my mark for my creative portfolio (which consisted of three short pieces – middle grade, clean teen, and YA) which gave me 45% of my overall grade for my Writing for Young People module. I got a first. Add that to the first I got for my essay (on love, family and friendship in YA fiction) in the same module, plus the first in attendance and participation, I've only gone and earned myself a first in that whole module. Something that I am incredibly proud and happy about. 

I've been telling my friends about just why this has made me so happy. It's not because I set high expectations for myself and love it when I actually achieve them. It's because, when you do well in something that you have little or no passion for it's good, it's fine, well done me. But when you love something, there's a strange and powerful urge, a desperation, to do well. And for me, doing well in this module, both the creative and the analytical side, means more than just a brilliant grade. It means, finally, I'm good at the thing I've found the most passion for. 

I love YA. I love everything about it. For all its mistakes and screw ups, I loved that period of my own life. That love continues, it's one of the things that's made me cling to YA fiction. I love it because it allows me to hold on to that time – the love, the friendships, the mistakes, the adventures, the hope – while the rest of me moves on, grows up, finding new adventures and discovering that I've got a talent, a pretty natural one at that. I'm not saying I don't have to try; I do. I rewrite and edit and workshop like my life depends on it. I shove my writing down all my friend's throats, forcing comments out of them even when they don't think they're qualified to say anything. If you read, you're qualified to make my writing better. 

So, despite the fact that I've already written a huge amount of material for my novel, I'm going to invite anyone who wants to listen (or read) to join me on my journey to being the best writer I can possibly be. This series will include different kinds of posts: some will be about authors/books that inspire me, how I go about writing, the progress I'm making on my novel. 

It'll be personal, maybe more for me than for the lovely people who read my reviews, but I'll try and make it interesting for writers and readers. And, of course, the reviews will still be the priority here.