Last Thursday I finished and submitted my last assignment for The Open University,
which made me realise that for the last eight years I have been studying in one
form or another. It all began with an English GCSE, then on to a English
Literature AS level (I would have done the full A Level but my college only did
the first year), then I embarked on part time study for an English language and
literature BA (hons) degree which took around six years to complete. I won’t
know if I managed to actually get the degree until August, but I am most
definitely relieved not to have any more exams looming or new boxfuls of text
books to pore over.
The main reason I took these courses was with the aim to improving my fiction. I’m
not sure how much of an effect all that studying has had on my writing, but I do
seem to have a lot more willpower when it comes to actually finishing something.
I have a ton of story fragments on my hard drive, but in the last couple of
years I have managed to finish near enough everything I started. Plus, I’ve
overhauled a few of those fragments and whipped those into shape, too.
I’m working on a sort of sequel to a novel fragment that never got
finished. The story works far better this way, and at the moment the words are
just flying from my fingertips. It’s about a couple of best friends who are
destined to be together, but for various reasons fight their attraction. Laine
is scared of relationships, and Tony is just plain scared of Laine. The prequel
should be released any day now as part of the anthology, Erotic Escapades, that my
crit group put together. More details when I get them.
which made me realise that for the last eight years I have been studying in one
form or another. It all began with an English GCSE, then on to a English
Literature AS level (I would have done the full A Level but my college only did
the first year), then I embarked on part time study for an English language and
literature BA (hons) degree which took around six years to complete. I won’t
know if I managed to actually get the degree until August, but I am most
definitely relieved not to have any more exams looming or new boxfuls of text
books to pore over.
The main reason I took these courses was with the aim to improving my fiction. I’m
not sure how much of an effect all that studying has had on my writing, but I do
seem to have a lot more willpower when it comes to actually finishing something.
I have a ton of story fragments on my hard drive, but in the last couple of
years I have managed to finish near enough everything I started. Plus, I’ve
overhauled a few of those fragments and whipped those into shape, too.
I’m working on a sort of sequel to a novel fragment that never got
finished. The story works far better this way, and at the moment the words are
just flying from my fingertips. It’s about a couple of best friends who are
destined to be together, but for various reasons fight their attraction. Laine
is scared of relationships, and Tony is just plain scared of Laine. The prequel
should be released any day now as part of the anthology, Erotic Escapades, that my
crit group put together. More details when I get them.