What I'm Doing This Month

Yes, I know it's mid month and I really should have posted this at the beginning of September but it's been a hectic couple of weeks and I've only just sat down (reaches for coffee).

No, really, it has. The beginning of September saw my children return to school (youngest child joining his big sister at high school) which should have given me a chance to catch up on everything. I say 'should' because around the same time, my husband and I decided to start the cogs turning in the 'moving house' process. The documents are signed. The boxes have been purchased (and several of them packed). We have keys to collect and measurements to make in the new house. It's all good but it's also time-consuming.

My daughter also turned into a teenager, this weekend just gone. There were presents to buy and wrap, and arrangements to be made for a birthday weekend away. We got back late last night.

So, back to the topic at hand (need more coffee), my post, this post, on what I'm getting up to in September, preferably on the creative front. Here goes:

I'm working on the penultimate draft of my novel before putting it through a process called the Story Grid which was created by editor and writer, Shawn Coyne. I'll be reporting back on how that worked out and what I  thought of the Story Grid when I've used it.

I'll be especially polishing the first fifty pages to email off to a lady called Carrie Kania. Carrie is a literary agent for Conville & Walsh and is taking part in the Chester Literature Festival this October. I'm hoping to meet with her for a chat about my novel during the festival.

Before I knew that I'd be whipped up in the moving house whirlwind, I signed on for a free course through Future Learn - Introduction to Journalism - to further develop my writing skills. If you haven't heard of Future Learn, here's what they have to say about themselves.

"We're a private company wholly owned by the Open University, with the benefit of over 40 years of their experience in distance learning and online education."

We offer a diverse selection of courses from leading universities and cultural institutions from around the world. These are delivered one step at a time, and are accessible on mobile, tablet and desktop, so you can fit learning around your life."

"We believe learning should be an enjoyable, social experience, so our courses offer the opportunity to discuss what you're learning with others as you go, helping you make fresh discoveries and form new ideas."

I've also joined an online writing group formed of current and ex (like me) Open University students. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed discussing my and others' writing.

So there you have it. September looks to be busy in all kind of ways. I hope I can keep up. Wish me luck.