Innes the betrothed and I have started to think about wedding readings. It has turned out to be harder than I thought. Not because I don’t love poetry – because I do! But because when you’re choosing readings for your wedding it’s advisable not to just choose your favourite poems.

Why? Because, as it turns out, most poems aren’t really suitable for reading at weddings. For example – on the wall above my desk I have a selection of my favourite poems. Three of them are about love. None of them are at all appropriate.

“An Almost Made Up Poem” – Charles Bukowski

“The Space Between” – Elena Georgiou

“The Benjamin Franklin of Monogamy” – Jeffrey McDaniel

See what I mean?

We decided to try and find a new (to us) poem and I bought The New Faber Book of Love Poems (pictured above). It was a wonderful read… but still, nothing really seemed perfect. (Though I do love “To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet).

The search goes on…

A little while ago, I wrote a story about a jewellery shop and sent it to Éclat Fiction. Today, they’ve published their third issue, complete with my story.

You can read the issue online.

There are some great stories in this issue of the anthology, so I’d definitely recommend you have a look. And if you read my story, I’d love to hear what you think!

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There’s nothing like a good book. My very favourite kind of book is the one that keeps you up until 2am, because you just can’t put it down. The kind of book that teaches you new things and transports you to new places and shows you something new about humankind.

Personally, I don’t care how these books are read, just that they are. Whether it’s read in hardback form, paperback, on a kindle, a tablet, an iPhone, the wall of a cave… I think reading is reading and it should be treated as such.

Here in the UK, books are not subject to VAT. eBooks, however, are. Lots of clever people are arguing that this shouldn’t be the case, especially when the environmental benefits of eBooks are taken into account.

How’s this for a thought? “A book should be defined by what it provides not the material that is used to produce it.”

If you agree, (and you’re a UK citizen/resident) you might want to consider signing this online petition for the abolition of VAT on eBooks.

I have.

Just recently, everything has seemed to be moving very quickly. There hasn’t been a week yet this month when I haven’t spent at least a night away from home. Derbyshire, Birmingham, Glasgow, Perth – all of these trips have involved catching up with loved ones, but now, back in my own little corner of the country, I feel I need a little time to catch up with myself.

You know the feeling? Of course you do.

Luckily, it’s one that is easily solved. Something good to eat, a lot of green tea, a sofa, a (pile of) book(s), a generous allowance of writing time, a steady ticking off of items from my to do list.

In short, the advice I spotted in Waterstone’s last week will probably do the trick.

The problem with writing is that progress isn’t always linear. There is no definitive equation to follow and no assurance that the more words you write the closer you are to the end. (Sometimes, it’s just the opposite).

Yesterday, I found an idea to move my novel-in-progress onto the next part of the story. A collection of scenes, details and events came to me, feeling almost fully formed.

Progress, yes?

Well, here’s the thing. Like in most writing, this progress came at a linear cost. These new scenes render a few thousand words I’ve written this week unsuitable for the story. They’ve been relegated to the ‘cut’ folder and my word count has dipped.

Making process with writing doesn’t always mean moving forward. Sometimes, it means stepping backwards, covering your tracks and moving in a different direction.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go back to those new scenes.

Readers, I have let something get a little bit out of hand.

That something is my ‘to read’ pile. When I turned 24 last week I got enough books to double it in size, and now I’m worried it will topple over.

I’ve heard it said that the only true apprenticeship to writing is reading… and like any dedicated apprentice I’m taking this very seriously. (Well, that’s my excuse, anyway).

With any luck, this pile of books will keep my going long enough to see me through my next MA assessment and out into the dissertation that waits on the other side.

What’s your ‘to read’ pile looking like?

I’ve been pulling apart the storyline of my novel, questioning the elements, and putting it all back together again slightly differently. After some great conversations with some clever people, I’ve decided that I’m not starting the novel in the right place.

Since I started this rewrite a few months ago, I’ve spent the vast majority of my actual writing time struggling to find the start. With some great advice from writer Trevor Byrne (author of Ghosts and Lightening and the writer-in-residence on my MA course) I think I may have found it.

I’m making adjustments, developing character traits, creating more in-depth back stories. And I’m writing some prequel chapters, which turns out to be a very fun exercise.

I’ve been telling myself that the start of a novel is the hardest to get right. But I have a sneaking suspicion that once I get on to reworking the middle, and reworking the end… I’ll discover that those parts are just as hard.

(Photos by Innes the betrothed. Taken last weekend at the canal).

Friend of mine and fellow fiction MA student Benjamin Judge was kind enough to donate these unwanted books and more to my cutting cause.

I took at them with a pair of scissors, a needle and thread.

And after a little trial-and-error, I came up with these.

What do you think? I reckon they’re the perfect decor to compliment our literary wedding theme.

Once I’ve finished with the book roses, I think I’m going to try my hand at some different book-related crafts. Perhaps some book-page-bunting. Perhaps some readable wreaths.

If you have any ideas, do send them my way!

First up, a 75 word paragraph from me appeared on Paragraph Planet. The piece Calista in the Garden is taken from the novel I’m currently working on.

Head on over to Paragraph Planet to read my paragraph (if it’s still Sunday) or another great paragraph (if it’s not).

And second up, today was also my day to contribute to the 3hundredand65 Graphic Novel Project that I blogged about in January.

Today I added to the story by the length of a tweet. The project is getting more and more exciting as Stephen Fry has signed up for a day, as have so many others. The project is all in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust and if it has at all inspired you, I hope you’ll consider making a donation.

Head on over to 3hundredand65 to see my contribution along with the story so far. The image to go alongside my words should be coming soon… I’m very excited to see it!

 “As you know, a prologue is written last but placed first to explain the book’s shortcomings and to ask the reader to be kind. But a prologue is also a note of farewell from the writer to his book. For years the writer and his book have been together—friends or bitter enemies but very close as only love and fighting can accomplish.

Then suddenly the book is done. It is a kind of death. This is the requiem.”

- John Steinbeck, 1952

It seems to me that finishing a novel is not always a happy moment. Yes, it certainly involves a sense of achievement and the chance to move to the next stage… but it also means moving away from characters and a setting and a story you have dedicated a large portion of your life to.

Luckily for me, the novel I thought I’d finished three years ago is now in the process of being pulled apart and rebuilt. I think I’ll be stuck with it for some time yet.

(And if you were wondering, the quote above – along with a longer letter – can be found on Letters of Note. You won’t be disappointed by this letter or by any other).

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