Hello cHEwY gum gums

I’m here in Adelaide for the first half of my May Gibbs Fellowship. I have 2 weeks to write, write and write. And I’ll be using my time wisely for sure! Living in the burrow has done wonders for my writing already. Just to be away from the hussle of Sydney and just be a writer has been refreshing. I normally work from home anyway but not this extent.

I haven’t branched too far from Norwood’s shops and cafes. It’s kinda like Paddington in Sydney, a very nice quiet suburb that comes alive at night with its trendy bars and restaurants. Today I went to write in their cosy library. If there’s one word to describe this place, it’s cosy. I love my burrow, I spend the first 2 hours of each morning at my desk that you see, writing and planning…

It was supposed to be dedicated to Bookish, my sixth book. But I’ve got unfinished business with Nothing’s Prefect. I gave the manuscript to my agent. He calls me up, saying he’s read the first half. And he’s struggling to connect with the characters. Man, I stumbled hard, but as much as it hurt, I pushed my disappointment aside and took me his suggestions. They say that people’s advice should just be listened, not swallowed up. But I took his points, and charged myself up for another draft. So I asked Penguin for an extension, and thank God they said yes 🙂

So here we are, 3 extra weeks to nut out another draft. I began work as soon as I got off the phone with my agent. Yesterday, he calls me up again, saying that he’s read the second half-which zooms along nicely. So it’s made feel a little better, knowing that it’s just the first half that needs to zing now. I’ve gotten deeper into my main character, Scott. I wrote the story, wanting to believe in him. Now I do and I’ll convince the reader that they need to read his story.

These two weeks will be a blessing because I should walk out of here, with a solid, final draft of Nothing’s Prefect. I’m glad that I’ve been given this generous time to delve into my own world, without many distractions and few commitments, speaking of which, I have my first bookstore visit in Adelaide this Saturday.

And I’m going to the Asian Champion League match tonight, Adelaide United versus some other team…why? Because I can hehe.

O.W