Stick a Fork in Me, I'm (Nearly) Done...

OK, Sophia.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: This week I will not be talking about editing. I PROMISE. I feel it's important to state that from the off, because when I looked back over my - brace yourselves - 'archive' I can see a recurring theme. Since starting the writing of Assembling the Wingpeople in June 2019, I've written about editing (and all it's rubbishness) a total of nine times. NINE TIMES. Jeez. It's such a long-winded, labourious process, you'd have thought I'd want to ignore it on the one day a week I write this blog. But no, it's riddled throughout my back-catalogue - not a euphemism - and is everywhere. What's more, there are four other posts in the same time period where I moan about writing in general. Like my life is hard or something. Utterly ridiculous. 

It could be worse.

I am charmed, lucky, and living my dream. When I put it in that context, it's hilarious that I've moaned so much. There are approximately 31,864 other jobs I could be doing that would be less marvellous than writing novels. Just because it's a bit hard sometimes is no reason to whinge at the world. But look, it's easy for me to say that this week. This week everything feels wonderful. This week, I am cooking on gas, rocking and rolling, and have the productivity of well-oiled factory machinery. I'm in the zone, folks. Whoop with me, people, whoop with me.

The reason for my buoyancy is clear. It's all coming together. After sixteen months of what I believe is known as titting around, I'm almost there. Big things have happened over the past weeks that mean the next stage is done. So, in no particular order, here's where we're at.

• The front cover has been chosen.

• The interior document - AKA the actual book - has been formatted and completed.

• The title has been set up with the print on demand company.

• An ISBN has been assigned for both print and ebook.

Niiiice

I mean, look at that list. Go on, look! So many boxes ticked off. It's such a nice feeling to have actual things completed. For so long it's been unending tinkering. Now, it's a real-life plan of action. The Autumn publishing date is doable. 

I've done it before and I can
do it again has become a 
personal mantra.

Of course there's still stuff to do. I'm currently working on the blurb. This has become all the more important now that the cover is being worked on as we speak. No blurb, no completed cover, so I need to get cracking. Of course I have a couple already. It's easy enough to write a bog-standard blurb. It's even easier to write a crappy one. I've got those types of blurb in abundance. But I need more than bog-standard or crappy. I know. Get me with my standards. I need a fabulous one. An enticing one. One that will have you clicking BUY NOW the second you finish reading it. With the thrilling whirl of satisfaction that this week has brought, I am happy to share my works in progress. Just to give you the gist. In no particular order here's what I've got so far....

What happens when you hit middle-age without the societal brownie points of a loving relationship, kids, or a high-flying career? What happens when you throw in divorce, bereavement, and a menopausally-induced fling? Tilda, Bea, and Stewart are dealing with lives that haven't worked out how they imagined. Can they find meaning and purpose when their circumstances - and even their own personalities - are against them?

Or... 

Tilda has uprooted her life and is coming to terms with starting over. Now she needs to overcome the limitations of her own personality and relax enough to find a friend. Bea has embarked upon an exciting fling, but dealing with the need for commitment whilst riding the menopausal rollercoaster is not easy. Stewart is ignoring his business and annoying everyone he knows. Now he's got some decisions to make and needs help from someone in his past. Can Tilda, Bea, and Stewart bring purpose to their lives whilst navigating a society that struggles to value childfree singles over a certain age?

Both of those are far too wordy. I'd never have bothered reading to the end, myself. If you did, then good for you. We're probably related. Here's the one I'm leaning towards...

Is it possible for Tilda to uproot her life and start over when her personality avoids risk-taking at every opportunity? Is steadfastly-single Bea really in love with Mal, or is her HRT causing emotional turbulence? And how long can Stewart use his estranged father's death as the reason he has given up on himself?  

Three people; three works in progress, trying to find meaning and purpose without the societal standards of spouse, career, and kids. Perhaps all it takes is one great weekend of old friends, nineties tunes, and reconnection. 

So there we have it. Blurbs a-plenty. I'm going to let them stew for a while, whittle away a little more, and make a decision soon. But just the fact I'm at this point, feels amazing. Writing. It's living the dream whilst feeling overwhelmed by the process for so bloody long. And then finally, it's almost done. Hurrah for writers, hurrah for me, hurrah for us all! And I didn't mention editing once.

Have a lovely week, folks.