Fi Phillips

The re-write/edit/revision of my novel is breaking my head. I have an updated chapter plan, not so different to the original but requiring a number of new chapters and a lot of juggling around of pieces of existing writing. Putting together the chapter plan was like tackling a challenging but do-able obstacle course. Once I got into my stride, it was fun. With the first fence past, I could see where I was going. I still can. Writing the new chapters, however, is proving less attainable. I think my problem is that in my head, at the end of the last draft, I thought "that's it - done, finished" and of course it isn't. I'm taking up the reins of a stallion that I thought was happily bedded down, when in fact it was just taking a breather before the next race. I know I can do this. In fact, I've already written the first new chapter, but the voice in my head, the one that prods, criticises and distracts, has bought itself a loudspeaker. I find myself trippin...

Another writer that I mention quite a lot on this blog is author, Steven Pressfield. His writing advice is helpful and thoughtful, as is his book, Turning Pro. You can discover more about this book and Steven himself on his website . I reviewed this excellent read a couple of years ago and you can find that post here . Turning Pro would be a wonderful gift for any writer.

Working on my second novel, something strange happened that I hadn't accounted for in my chapter plan. The villain insisted on being seen (well, one of the villains). I initially had planned to hint at him and his cohorts but no, he wasn't happy with that. Steven Pressfield's post, The Second Act Belongs to the Villain is about just this topic, keeping "the antagonist front-and-center in the middle of your story". Have a look.

Writing the second book of my children's fantasy trilogy, it's become clear that my 'villain', and that individual's motivations, is going to weigh heavily on how this and the final book shape up. Steven Pressfield discusses how to let your antagonist or the concept of antagonism mould your novel, especially genre choice in Go Dark .

So my completed novel (final title - Haven: Shadowbinder) is put to bed for a while. In the meantime, I'm starting my plan for the next novel in the trilogy. I haven't got a title yet (Haven: something...) but I do have a premise and a couple of A3 sheets of paper. Drawing from the experience of writing the first novel, I'm attempting to put together a chapter plan. I already know what the first chapter will entail, and the last one too. How the story will get from the beginning to the end is another puzzle to play with. I have a list of the characters in book one (met or just mentioned), an idea of which of these will appear in book two, and a list of new characters to introduce. I also have to tie in the story arc that covers the entire trilogy - bringing it from the shadows into a blurred sighting in book two (to be brought into complete focus in the final novel). My task is to throw around all of these bones until they settle into a coherent, secure skeleton, ...

It's half term holiday here. My husband has taken the week off too. I have one script to finish and another one to start. My children keep reminding me that there's a world outside the front door (park, softplay, McDonalds). I am therefore becoming very adept at juggling (and nowadays my children are old enough to land on their feet if I drop them). So this podcast (with transcript) from Steven Pressfield - Family Pressure - came just in time.

Whoops! Dead Fit has run away with me (and my time) and I completely forgot to post this week's Tuesday Choice Words. So here you are, a useful link and a thoughtful image. I promise to do better next week. You, as the Muse Sees You  by Steven Pressfield is a wonderful reminder of the value of writing on a regular basis.

This song comes round every year in the UK - Merry Christmas Everybody by Slade.

Yesterday, I introduced my character Frank to you but it's a rare occasion when I share my novel and talk about it to anyone. I think that's because the idea, although planned out, is still fermenting in my head. Do you talk about your novel? Steven Pressfield suggests that you shouldn't. Find out why in his article - Don't Talk About It .

It's a bitterly cold morning but the sky is a wonder of gold, lilac and pink. Not a bad way to start the day. When you're feeling down, I think it's always a good idea to look up (literally). One of my writing inspirations is Neil Gaiman - his unusual imaginings and his diversity in writing covering comic books, novels, children's books, films and now a game - so I was delighted to come across this podcast, Neil Gaiman's Advice to Aspiring Writers on brain pickings. Another writer I love to listen to (and read the books of too of course) is Steven Pressfield. As part of the launch of his latest writing advice  book, The Authentic Swing (which I'll be reviewing here soon) is this Q&A podcast, Ask Me Anything .

I don't know about autumn being almost upon us. It feels more like winter this morning. Having said that, September is always a welcome re-start to my year, a time to find new approaches and refreshed energy. I've been a long time fan of writer Steven Pressfield so I was delighted about the news of his latest writing advice book and the related Foolscap method . This is one I'll be using for all my future novel planning.

It isn't often that I speed through a book like the proverbial bullet, especially when it's a non fiction read. Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield has been a recent exception. Unlike some instructive tomes, Turning Pro is a relatively slimline publication, under 150 pages long. I had heard a lot of praise for Steven Pressfield online in the run up to the appearance of Turning Pro and the more I investigated, the more I found genuine, well-read people enthusing about Mr Pressfield. This wasn't just buy-my-book 'hype'. His website  is thoughtful, interesting and educational and you can find an excellent biography on his about page . I'm one of those people who tend to dip into books, maybe daily, maybe weekly. I could pretend that this is down to a deep tendency to take my time to let the book's subject matter sink into my being. I could tell you that, but I'd be lying. What actually happens is that I fit in my reading as and when I can. I have a boo...