Time to Stop

Cold, crisp mornings, brown bracken, fallen leaves, glass-like lakes, and shopping!

My three-and-a-half days away were wonderful. I had the opportunity to work in a relaxed environment, which really refreshed my perspective. And the good news is – I LOVE my novel. The bad news is – I didn’t spend as much time as planned on the pitch and the dreaded synopsis. They do need work, and that will be done, this week.

But when is it time to stop? When is the manuscript actually finished? I’ve finished it several times before, then I read it again, just to double-check, and end up with more and more revisions. One could carry on indefinitely!

But I must STOP. I must start submitting to agents, next week. Even though last week I said it would be this week. Oh, well... it's next week, and that's a promise.

In Keswick, I discovered a delightful shop called Temporary Measure. I like the knitted rabbits, which unfortunately don’t feature on their website. But one thing that does is their bespoke story service. They will write a story to order, then print it on canvas. Not something for anyone on my Christmas list (can’t believe I mentioned Christmas, it’s far too early!) but a brilliant idea, non-the-less.

The Lovely Lakes

This week has been messy, full of changed plans, cancelled appointments, and lots of re-scheduling along the way. Time spent arranging and rearranging, but not getting anything done.

Weeks like this throw me, and I’m charged with a desire to claw back lost and wasted time. I want to concentrate on my novel. I want tweak the synopsis and re-write the pitch paragraph of my letter to potential agents. I want to be ready to start submitting, next week.

So, I’ve cleared the decks (not that we have many decks here at Thistletonthwaite Castle!) and leave tomorrow for three days without any distractions.

I love the Lake District, and am lucky to have it literally on my doorstep. I only need to drive twenty miles to reach a different world.

This is Rydal Water: my favourite lake.

And this is Rydal Cave: my favourite cave!

I’ll be staying in Keswick, in a tiny attic flat with big skylights and stunning views. It’s going to be lovely.