Twas the night before the night before Christmas...

This last fortnight I have been reading Neil Gaiman's "American Gods", I got the same buzz from reading it that I got when I first read "Catch 22" (otherwise known in my little world as The Greatest Book Ever Written). Then, with the smile fading from my face, I placed the book down upon the coffee table, and with a sad wistfulness proclaimed:

"I will never be that great"

But then a wave of realisation came upon me. It is suicidal for an aspiring writer to compare himself to his favourite writers, as I have done far too many times in the past. How many drafts did it take for the best books to become that good? Two, or ten or twenty? Did the authors have the same doubts in themselves as me? Yeah, probably.

A couple of weeks ago I promised that I would write a short story. I started it, it was ok for a first draft, but I have shelved it... For now.

I have decided to retain focus on my main ideas, I want to write the stories that really give me a buzz. As literary critic Cyril Connolly once said "It is better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self".

Luckily for me my lovely housemate Alex has got me an early Christmas present. "Teach yourself how to write a novel" by Nigel Watts, it really is brilliant and I seriously advise anyone who is thinking of becoming a writer to pick up a copy. The chapters on subplots and the eight point arc have been invaluable to me, as is the passage near the beginning which simply tells you not to ignore your ideas in favour of attempting to write something more noble, or exciting or intellectual, because the story you wind up writing will feel strained or artificial.

This week, I am going to take the daunting task of planning out my five previous ideas properly and I am just going to go with the idea that my instinct draws me to the most.

I have decided that the next book I read will be by Jilly Cooper. If after reading that I don't say to myself "I can do better than that shite, and she's sold thousands of books" then it probably is time to call it a day.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.