Writing Magazine

Halfway through blues

A couple of years ago a journalist colleague of mine posted on Twitter that he was starting to work on his first novel. His tweet prompted a flurry of replies from friends, fellow journalists and followers saying that they too had started on books but never finished them.

The exchange reminded me of the famous Peter Cook quote: ‘I met a man at a party. He said “I’m writing a novel.” I said “Oh really? Neither am I.’

I would give all those writers who have started but not managed to finish a novel more credit. To write as much as 30,000 words or more is a great achievement.

Stuck in the middle

As both a creative writing tutor and a published novelist whose would-be writer friends often ask ‘would you mind taking a look at what I’ve written?’ I have some outstanding half written novels.

Nanowrimo, National Novel Writing Month, which takes place each November,

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