About time I introduced myself....

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RNMunn

Basic
Jun 16, 2019
Ireland
Hi, Everyone!
I've been a lurker here on Litopia for a couple of months now, popping into chat when Popup Submissions is on and whatnot, so I figured it was about time I introduced myself so people at least have a little info on me.

I am a woman (hear me roar!), and I live in Ireland. I was a teacher for almost twenty years, am married, and have two grown children and four grandchildren. There's not much more to tell in that arena.

As to my writing career, I figured that, after teaching writing to children for so long, maybe I should take a jab at it. So, I picked up my pointy object (jab, jab) and wrote my first novel, but it took me eighteen months of working on it, which included writing for a few weeks, putting it away for a couple of months, pulling it out again to tackle it for another month, and then rinsing and repeating. My current plan is to write a YA fantasy series. For whatever reason, whenever I go to write the first book in that series (I'm about a third of the way in), my brain freezes and my fingers stiffen. I imagine that it's because my plan is to go the traditional route with it, using my name rather than a pen name, and I'm subconsciously sabotaging myself. However, I WILL complete it! I WILL!

So, there you have it. This is me, and it is nice to meet you all.
 
Sounds like you need to sharpen your pointy object and get jabbing again. :) Paper won’t bleed ink till we’ve poked it in all the right places. We’ll help where we can! And glad you’re here!
 
Nice to meet you. You sound just as messed up as the rest of us here. Frozen brains, stiff fingers, self sabotage, were all at it. I think? :confused:
Whatever, you are in good company :)
 
Sounds like you need to sharpen your pointy object and get jabbing again. Paper won’t bleed ink till we’ve poked it in all the right places. We’ll help where we can! And glad you’re here!

All too true! And I may just take you up on that offer sometime :) Thanks for the warm welcome :)
 
Nice to meet you. You sound just as messed up as the rest of us here. Frozen brains, stiff fingers, self sabotage, were all at it. I think?
Whatever, you are in good company

It sounds like I'll fit right in! Yay! Thanks :)
 
Hello, you've just confirmed what I've always believed about WIP- the best part is the first 10,000 words and the last 10,000 words. Presently with my WIP I'm working on the latter stage. ;)
 
Hi RNMunn, good to meet you away from the Pop-ups Live Chat!

I'm currently writing a YA psychological thriller (have previously written the first two in a fantasy series for newly-confident readers). Great to have someone else who likes to specialise in the younger end of the reading market!!
 
Hello, you've just confirmed what I've always believed about WIP- the best part is the first 10,000 words and the last 10,000 words. Presently with my WIP I'm working on the latter stage.

I could not agree with you more!!! Definitely my favorite parts to write.
 
Hi RNMunn, good to meet you away from the Pop-ups Live Chat!

I'm currently writing a YA psychological thriller (have previously written the first two in a fantasy series for newly-confident readers). Great to have someone else who likes to specialise in the younger end of the reading market!!

YA Thriller? That's intriguing! I also want to write new reader chapter books (I taught the little ones most of my career, and usually struggling readers)

I look forward to bouncing ideas off you! :)
 
Good to meet you! I’m writing YA too and just reading Patrick Ness - More Than This at the moment, so far would heartily recommend it!
 
whatever reason, whenever I go to write the first book in that series (I'm about a third of the way in), my brain freezes and my fingers stiffen
In writing as in Marathon Running, you sometimes hit a wall, where you cannot , or so it seems, write another word. And basically like runners you have two choices.
1) to collapse in the gutter and weep copiously while rubbing you legs / in the writing world this includes a varierty of activities including posting pictures of your cat on twitter, complaining about agents, and deciding to write Another Novel for no apparant reason
2) make that next step and another step and another step and so on/ in writing this means putting the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair and telling yourself, 'IF NOTHING ELSE I AM GOING TO WRITE 100 WORDS TODAY'
And Eureka 100 words on Monday, will be 500 words on Wednesday, and within a few days or a few weeks , *not saying it won't be super tough*, but with mental discipline you can push through.

My last novel was a road trip across Europe, and I would find myself gripping onto the laptop and muttering:

"Okay I just to write about the fight/flight thing as they cross Czech Republic, and then I just need to write something interesting about warbots in Poland, and then all hell breaks loose in Ukraine... I can do this."

I would update my friends with terse comments like - I have almost left Switzerland or they are on their way through Austria right now or thank the foxes we have made it to Ukraine.

Just remember you can HIT THE WALL in writing, and then it is seat of the pants to seat of the chair as you write the next 100 words.
 
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