Donna Maree Hanson, Author and PhD Candidate

Well what a week. I received another high distinction for my second assignment, the content of which was based mostly on this blog. Lesson: proofread blog, because score was based on content and not well-edited prose. I’m writing this post on the IPad so not the best medium for editing posts.

However, while my assessment is over, I still want to include editor interviews on this blog. I have one just in that will go up tonight or tomorrow and it is fantastic. I’m chasing the others but it’s like pulling hen’s teeth. Editors are busy people so I am very grateful for the interviews I do have, and I hope they will forgive my nagging persistence.

I did embark on Nanowrimo this time. I am even registered (Gistalia) but I did this knowing there would be obstacles due to work and my major assignment. The major assignment, I’m happy to say, is mostly done. I have to compile everything and prepare a presentation. I might have mentioned that I did two editing assignments. One was insurance. Well, for extra marks I can submit both.So Wednesday is delivery day.

Doing two, one way longer than required, means I was able to demonstrate project management skills, (this is my strength) and also my fiction editing skills, which was the part I loved best of all. Both projects are different and the relationship with the author was too. I think what evolved out of the projects was unique to each. I’m very happy with outcome, and I hope the authors are too. Proofreading is my weakest area. Luckily, this skill can be learned. I can do it, but it is the least enjoyable and takes time.

Work is very intense right now, moving from drafting to editing and polishing draft chapters of my audit report. This is very finicky, with evidence checking and cross referencing and deep analysis. Long days soon compound, leaving me utterly drained. Last night I was so tired, I couldn’t do anything and, due to being wired, I was unable to sleep. As the manager on the job, I have the greatest responsibility, writing more and supervising the work of the team.

This means it has been physically impossible to write this week. However, the uni assignment gets handed in later next week, one load is going, gone. The other issue with my Nanowrimo project is that I don’t think it is very good at this stage. It is contemporary romance and that is darn hard to write. Reading one is nothing like trying to write one. It is very precise technique, and I like the challenge. I am hoping that revisions will fix it. My first drafts suck mostly, and I’m trying not to let it dishearten me. I have a truck driver from the USA willing to be interviewed so this will help. I have Valerie Parv’s great book, The Art of Romance Writing. At this stage of my writing journey, I believe that I should be able to write anything, military SF, romance, young adult etc. So while it is not natural to me to write something that is not weird in anyway, I know I can master it.

I have other writing tasks I want to attack and my boss has hinted that I may not get my leave (for January writers’ retreat in NZ) Argh!!! No! You see the project is behind and Christmas is one hell of a deadline, particularly in the public service, because in non-project delivery departments people often go on leave until February. So that is in the watch this space position. What this means is that I hope to write fiction on the Nanowrimo later this week and see if I can catch up. Also, on the work front, I’m going to revert to fulltime for the duration so that this project gets where it needs to go. That means less time all around and possibly more fatigue. I’m not as young as I used to be.

However, the big benefit for me at this stage is that I am fairly kicked into editing mode at work and that usually translates to excellent revision and self-editing at home. This is probably another reason drafting for Nanowrimo will be harder, though not impossible. I do like deadlines and challenges. When you are not under contract deadlines are playthings. This could change one day.