Sonya C. Dodd's Blog
May 5, 2014
It's moving along!
'What Good is Evil?' is crawling along nicely.
By way of therapy I have also started writing some short stories again which has given me an idea for a theme for my fourth anthology.
At least it gives me an opportunity to build something positive out of all the pain and hurt I have gone through over the past few months.
Pain = food for a writer!
By way of therapy I have also started writing some short stories again which has given me an idea for a theme for my fourth anthology.
At least it gives me an opportunity to build something positive out of all the pain and hurt I have gone through over the past few months.
Pain = food for a writer!
April 17, 2014
Here again!
Okay, I know I keep saying it but this time I really am back.
I've been through some pretty dark times in my life recently which just wouldn't allow me to put pen to paper or even keep up with the blogging or marketing.
But at the end of every night comes day and my sun is beginning to rise once more.
For the first time ever I have my own writing desk set up in a corner of my sitting room.
It seems such a long time ago now since I began writing What Good is Evil but I am confident I have the makings of a good plot and I will be able to rediscover where the story was going to lead me.
Tomorrow will mark a new start in my life as a writer and it can only mean exciting times ahead!
I've been through some pretty dark times in my life recently which just wouldn't allow me to put pen to paper or even keep up with the blogging or marketing.
But at the end of every night comes day and my sun is beginning to rise once more.
For the first time ever I have my own writing desk set up in a corner of my sitting room.
It seems such a long time ago now since I began writing What Good is Evil but I am confident I have the makings of a good plot and I will be able to rediscover where the story was going to lead me.
Tomorrow will mark a new start in my life as a writer and it can only mean exciting times ahead!
March 24, 2014
Never stops!
It's easy to get hung up about lack of pen to paper, however the writing process never really ceases.
Although I haven't actually written anything in over a week I know that inside my head there is a lot of plot work going on.
Every now and then I realise I am thinking about my main characters or making decisions about plot development.
I'm not going to worry about how long it will take me to get this novel written because I am confident I will know when it is time to face the manuscript and allow the words to spew out onto the page.
Although I haven't actually written anything in over a week I know that inside my head there is a lot of plot work going on.
Every now and then I realise I am thinking about my main characters or making decisions about plot development.
I'm not going to worry about how long it will take me to get this novel written because I am confident I will know when it is time to face the manuscript and allow the words to spew out onto the page.
March 11, 2014
I'm still here!
Okay, firstly apologies. I have been away from here too long but hope things will calm down a bit.
Black Tuesday is done and dusted and now available in e-book and paperback formats.
What Good is Evil has been started. It's great starting with a clean slate once more and looking forward to watching a new plot develop.
The cover has already been completed and looks great.
Things are beginning to settle down at home too which always help with getting admin done!
So, a new novel. I love knowing that the few pages I have completed are like the roots of a plant stretching towards the surface.
By the time the novel is complete, the flower is in full bloom and another piece of my imagination is launched onto the book market.
Back to writing something contemporary. This time set in Norwich, my closest city.
Looking forward to seeing where the characters lead me.
Black Tuesday is done and dusted and now available in e-book and paperback formats.
What Good is Evil has been started. It's great starting with a clean slate once more and looking forward to watching a new plot develop.
The cover has already been completed and looks great.
Things are beginning to settle down at home too which always help with getting admin done!
So, a new novel. I love knowing that the few pages I have completed are like the roots of a plant stretching towards the surface.
By the time the novel is complete, the flower is in full bloom and another piece of my imagination is launched onto the book market.
Back to writing something contemporary. This time set in Norwich, my closest city.
Looking forward to seeing where the characters lead me.
February 20, 2014
Happy anniversary to me!
One year ago today I published my first novel on Amazon with no idea what to expect and feeling rather nervous about how it might be received, after all, who would want to spend their money on a story I'd written?
A year on and with ten novels and three collections of short stories now in print, that day seems a lifetime ago.
It has been a tremendous year for learning so much from other writers I have befriended thanks to the wonder which is social media.
Don't Tell Me You're Sorry won first prize in a novel writing competition and was published in December.
On Twitter and Facebook the followers keep rolling in and I have a revamped web page: www.sonyacdodd.com
Knowing my books are being bought and read worldwide is a very humbling concept but thanks to the reviews I am so glad that my stories are bringing joy to so many people.
I have no idea what this next year will bring. Another novel is written and being edited and two further plot ideas are waiting to find the page.
I cannot believe that it will be possible to top this last year for learning experiences but I hope this time next year I will be able to look back on this year and still sigh in amazement.
Thank you to everyone for your support in whatever format that might have taken.
A year on and with ten novels and three collections of short stories now in print, that day seems a lifetime ago.
It has been a tremendous year for learning so much from other writers I have befriended thanks to the wonder which is social media.
Don't Tell Me You're Sorry won first prize in a novel writing competition and was published in December.
On Twitter and Facebook the followers keep rolling in and I have a revamped web page: www.sonyacdodd.com
Knowing my books are being bought and read worldwide is a very humbling concept but thanks to the reviews I am so glad that my stories are bringing joy to so many people.
I have no idea what this next year will bring. Another novel is written and being edited and two further plot ideas are waiting to find the page.
I cannot believe that it will be possible to top this last year for learning experiences but I hope this time next year I will be able to look back on this year and still sigh in amazement.
Thank you to everyone for your support in whatever format that might have taken.
February 13, 2014
Happy Valentine's!
I guess being newly single, tomorrow is going to feel like a lonely day.
To be positive though, I have finished writing Black Tuesday and tomorrow sees the launch of the Indie Collaborator's latest FREE offering of Kiss and Tales: a collection of slushy and some not quite so slushy romantic short stories.
I would like to wish all other singletons out there a Happy Valentine's Day - you are not alone.
To be positive though, I have finished writing Black Tuesday and tomorrow sees the launch of the Indie Collaborator's latest FREE offering of Kiss and Tales: a collection of slushy and some not quite so slushy romantic short stories.
I would like to wish all other singletons out there a Happy Valentine's Day - you are not alone.
February 6, 2014
Onwards and upwards
I'm beginning to feel like the heroine of a novel myself!
Just when I thought my life couldn't spiral downwards any further, a glimmer of hope appeared unexpectedly.
Imagine, looking down the posts on your Facebook home page and seeing a post by a friend living now in New Zealand. Then you discover someone has commented on her remark who you went to junior school with 35 years ago in England!
Like a fairy tale, we began chatting and now I am going to meet up with my old school friend this Saturday.
Once more I can feel a spring in my step and have even had a smile on my face as we exchange harmless banter thanks to the wonders of the internet.
I may be facing life as a single parent, having to apply for full-time jobs to sort my life out, but it seems I am definitely not to be written off just yet.
And of course, the writing is going well too as a result of this new found source of a happier equilibrium.
Long may it continue!
Just when I thought my life couldn't spiral downwards any further, a glimmer of hope appeared unexpectedly.
Imagine, looking down the posts on your Facebook home page and seeing a post by a friend living now in New Zealand. Then you discover someone has commented on her remark who you went to junior school with 35 years ago in England!
Like a fairy tale, we began chatting and now I am going to meet up with my old school friend this Saturday.
Once more I can feel a spring in my step and have even had a smile on my face as we exchange harmless banter thanks to the wonders of the internet.
I may be facing life as a single parent, having to apply for full-time jobs to sort my life out, but it seems I am definitely not to be written off just yet.
And of course, the writing is going well too as a result of this new found source of a happier equilibrium.
Long may it continue!
January 31, 2014
End of another month.
As January closes I am relieved to report I have now broken through 50,000 words of Black Tuesday.
I'm hoping that the little scare about not being able to write any more has now passed!
It's a funny feeling when you are working towards the climax of one novel and know you have a choice of two new ones just waiting to be written. Obviously I want to focus on what I am writing until the very end but the new ideas keep creeping into my mind.
At the moment I am also having to apply for jobs, which isn't a problem in itself; however, I hate the idea of having to go through interviews and lesson observations - terrifies me.
Feeling loads of pressure as any application for a mortgage will be dependent on me managing to impress somebody out there who has a job to offer.
I'm hoping that the little scare about not being able to write any more has now passed!
It's a funny feeling when you are working towards the climax of one novel and know you have a choice of two new ones just waiting to be written. Obviously I want to focus on what I am writing until the very end but the new ideas keep creeping into my mind.
At the moment I am also having to apply for jobs, which isn't a problem in itself; however, I hate the idea of having to go through interviews and lesson observations - terrifies me.
Feeling loads of pressure as any application for a mortgage will be dependent on me managing to impress somebody out there who has a job to offer.
January 20, 2014
It's normal!
Ladies and gentlemen, normal service has been resumed.
The small daily target for writing seems to have done the trick and we are currently at over 42000 words.
It's funny sometimes when I get to this kind of word count that I always wonder how the story will ever get to sixty thousand words.
I know I don't need to achieve that minimum with the advent of the e-book (some have just forty thousand words) but I like to aim for a standard figure and it has become a personal target.
One month today and it will be my first anniversary for publishing. Wondering what to do to mark the occasion.
All suggestions gratefully received.
The small daily target for writing seems to have done the trick and we are currently at over 42000 words.
It's funny sometimes when I get to this kind of word count that I always wonder how the story will ever get to sixty thousand words.
I know I don't need to achieve that minimum with the advent of the e-book (some have just forty thousand words) but I like to aim for a standard figure and it has become a personal target.
One month today and it will be my first anniversary for publishing. Wondering what to do to mark the occasion.
All suggestions gratefully received.
January 16, 2014
Writing underway!
Panic over! Writing is back on at a slow but steady pace. Just giving myself a low target of 1000 words a day to get Black Tuesday written by the end of February.
On 20th February it will be the first anniversary of publishing my first book and it would be great if I was on the point of getting book number fourteen out there as the anniversary arrives.
I've still been working steadily with increasing reviews and marketing, it's an endless task.
Still waiting for the paperback version of Don't Tell Me You're Sorry to be available but at least I have my own copy now which has been added lovingly to my bookcase.
Tough time at the moment in my personal life but I know my writing and imaginary friends will help pull me through to the other side (and that's not the dark side, in case you were wondering!).
On 20th February it will be the first anniversary of publishing my first book and it would be great if I was on the point of getting book number fourteen out there as the anniversary arrives.
I've still been working steadily with increasing reviews and marketing, it's an endless task.
Still waiting for the paperback version of Don't Tell Me You're Sorry to be available but at least I have my own copy now which has been added lovingly to my bookcase.
Tough time at the moment in my personal life but I know my writing and imaginary friends will help pull me through to the other side (and that's not the dark side, in case you were wondering!).
