Tuesday 2 June 2009

One of THOSE days

Good news - I recently found out I can email the editors my first chapter and synopsis before meeting them at my  conference slot. This is a fantastic opportunity and I'm currently thanking the writing gods that I didn't do my usual steaming ahead to complete the first draft but have been working and re-working my beginning and synopsis. 
Unfortunately the brand new synopsis that I was FINALLY happy with is two pages long and I now have to get it down to one page. Not a task that would normally freak me out but today is synopsis day and unfortunately it's also turning out to be one of THOSE days - you know, when one thing after another goes wrong in a farcical way that you recognise might be vaguely comical if it wasn't happening to you.
I was on the phone trying to sort out the latest disaster with an unhappy plumber and a supplier mess-up when I noticed a couple of tourists standing in my garden peering in at me and taking photographs. Now our house is a long way off the public road so this struck me as, how can I put this politely? A little odd.
I rounded up my contract law spiel to the supplier and headed out ready to express my miffedness only to find the tourists had come all the way from California to look at my house as a distant ancestor had lived here! Obviously could not tell them to bog off, well I could have but it would have been rude so I chatted to them instead. All the while the builders were drilling in a way that sounds and feels like the drill bit is actually piercing my brain.
Copious painkillers and several cups of tea with the plumber later and I am now feeling calmer and able to start the synopsis prune. Am also considering getting a hotel 'do not disturb' sign for my door...

P.S. Wanted to say BIG thanks to those of you who've been giving me help and writing advice recently. You're all stars :-)


5 comments:

Suzanne Ross Jones said...

That is odd behaviour, although have to admire their cheek - the nosy parker in me would love to peer in at people in their own homes, but don't think everyone would be as nice about it as you were.

You can so totally prune that synopsis. And it's going to be BRILLIANT.

:-)

Joanne Coles said...

Wow at the American tourists. That is soooo ... I'm not sure ... surreal?

Something has been teing you to get the start of your WIP right before you move on. A for a reason, so you wi be good with the synopsis. We have ots of faith in you ... Orraine!!

Lacey Devlin said...

Ahh if only we weren't taught manners and then you could have told them to bog off... that would have improved the day. I think it's amazing you can still think straight with the drilling let alone write the dreaded synopsis!

Jackie Ashenden said...

How odd of them! But think of what a great story they'll have to take back, about this lovely British lady who talked to them and let them take piccies. :-)

Your synopsis is fab. Relax.

BTW, Joanne, your posts from your laptop are great!

Lorraine said...

Thanks Suzanne, I did actually do the synopsis last night when I finally had silence :-)

Thanks O!! - Hey, is that an 'L' at the end of surreal or a capital 'i'? Actually a capital 'i' could work as a substitute in the mean time.

Lacey - I'm too British. I apologise if someone stands on my foot, it's an illness :-)

Thanks Jackie. Freakout is over now the synopsis is done. An entire circus troop could come into my garden and I'd offer them tea ;-)