Actually writing

I've not done so well in terms of actually getting some writing done recently. I have plenty of excuses, of course. I've been travelling back and forth between London and Scotland. I've been reading books about writing. I've been busy, I've been thinking about stories, I've been tired. Huh.

But yesterday I sat down and plotted out a short play I've been thinking about for a while (working title of Goldilocks because it's about a girl visiting her grandma and finding an unexpected visitor). I wrote an outline, then wrote the first draft. It's ragged round the edges and needs a lot of work, but it's words on paper (well, on screen). Good. Now do more of that.

However, I also need to do some rewriting. My novel Identity is waiting, as is my play Possession, and as for the other shorter plays, well, they're waiting their turn too. But new stuff is more attractive of course. I have to convince myself to redraft, that it is worthwhile. I mean, what's the point in having a whole load of not-quite-right drafts lying around? Right. This weekend, then. It's a date.

It's also my last weekend before travel takes over my life again for a few weeks. I'm off to Japan. That's scary (I don't speak or read the language!) and very cool (I mean: Japan!) at the same time.

Needing to pack will not be accepted as an excuse for not writing though...