Karen McCreedy: Novelist and Freelance Writer - Writing diary

July 1st-15th

15/7/2020

Writing Activity: Continued to redraft new SF novel ('Voyager's Flight). Had
      a sudden inspiration about something that could be an
      interesting plot point - though writing it in will now mean
      more work and more redrafting!
   Also wrote a short piece for Bognor Regis WI on my one
      and only experience of visiting a crown court building.

Just Read: 'The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island'
      by Bill Bryson
      'The Murder of the Bride' by Faith Martin

Currently Reading: 'Pieces of my Heart' by Robert Wagner

June 18th-30th

30/6/2020

Writing Activity: Continued 3rd redraft of 'Voyager's Flight'. I do this by
   printing a few chapters at a time, and working through
   the hard copies with a biro and a notebook. Lots of
   crossings out, arrows here and there, and new sections
   indicated with letters and numbers.
   Once I've scribbled enough, I type up the changes, and
   print the next few chapters.

Just Read: 'The Greatest Knight: The Remarkable Life of William Marshall'
   by Thomas Asbridge

Currently Reading: 'Girlfriend in a Coma' by Douglas Coupland

June 1st-17th

17/6/2020

Writing Activity: Completed short story
   Won local WI writing competition with a poem on 'After
      Lockdown'
   Started work on Draft #3 of new SF novel. Now titled
      'Voyager's Flight'

Just Read: 'The Deep Silence' by Douglas Reeman
'Spaceman' by Mike Massimino

Currently Reading: 'Winston's War' by Michael Dobbs

May 16th-31st

31/5/2020

Writing Activity: Worked on SF short story
Wrote short piece for local WI competition #2

Just Read: 'Empire in Black and Gold' by Adrian Tchaikovsky
'Rogue' by James Swallow

Currently Reading: 'The Birthday Mystery' by Faith Martin

May 1st-15th

15/5/2020

Writing Activity: Completed second draft of new SF novel
   Received and worked through line edits for 'Ascent:
   Unreachable Skies III', from MirrorWorld
   Made additional notes for U3A talk later in the year

Just Read: 'John G: The Authorised Biography of John Gielgud' by
   Sheridan Morley

Currently Reading: 'Dieppe, August 19' by Eric Maguire

April 17th-30th

30/4/2020

Writing Activity: Continued redraft of SF novel
Wrote 100 words on 'Lockdown' for local WI competition

Just Read: 'Titan' by Stephen Baxter

Currently Reading: 'We'll Always Have Casablanca' by Noah Isenberg

April 1st-16th

16/4/2020

Writing Activity: Coronavirus lockdown giving me lots of time to work my
way through draft SF novel with edits and redrafts.
Lots more to do!

Currently Reading: 'Elstree: The British Hollywood' by Patricia Warren

March 23rd-31st

31/3/2020

Writing Activity: Printed out draft short story - put away for a few weeks
Started redrafting 4th science fiction novel - first of a
potential series

Currently Reading: 'Harold the King' by Helen Hollick

March 9th-22nd

22/3/2020

Writing Activity: Further notes for U3A talk on SF later in the year.
Found old draft of a story I'd forgotten about and started
reworking it.

Just Read: 'Moviola' by Garson Kanin

Currently Reading: 'Spitfire: A Very British Love Story' by John Nichol

March 1st-8th

8/3/2020

Writing Activity: Thinking around and jotting notes for next SF novel.

Currently Reading: 'HMS Ulysses' by Alistair Maclean