Things went really well yesterday. Bolstered by my good mood I managed to work very quickly in the morning, getting me to my Welsh lessons a little ahead of schedule. I'm redoing all of lesson six (there are three parts) because I don't feel all that comfortable holding a short conversation in Welsh yet. In fact, I'm so disappointed with my lack of confidence, I started playing the downloaded lessons from my computer as I sleep, hoping that perhaps some of it has seeped in my subconscious mind and it'll be easier to draw upon in today's lesson and in conversations in the future.
I'm really excited about the idea of being able to speak Welsh fluently. I really want to be able to do it, and, because I'm me, I get very impatient with myself for not learning it as quickly as I want.
[Over-exaggerated and theatrical sigh]
There is a Welsh Learners group here in Ottawa. If learning Welsh is something that lights up your eyes and makes your heart jump (or if it just seems like a really cool thing to do.... Tolkien did base the sounds of Elvish on Welsh, you know (how that makes Welsh cooler is unclear to me, but it does)), feel free to join the group. Our second meeting ever is being held next week. I'm brining wine and possibly cupcakes.
The group coordinates via Facebook. Click THIS link to be taken to the Dysgwyr Cymraeg Ottawa Facebook Group and to sign up. If you want. I mean, there's no pressure or anything.
You're missing out, though.
However, once the story caught me, it didn't let go. I wrote at a phenomenal pace towards the end of the session and, for the first time since I started writing this thing, I did not want to stop when the time came to hit save and close the programme. I wanted to keep going. It was such a lovely feeling.
As it happens, I know the writing is coming much more easily because I'm hitting the really interesting parts of the book. The pace of the story has picked up, and exciting/scary things are happening. There is a psychopath running around killing people the protagonist loves. I had to stop writing yesterday right at the start of the protagonist's frantic race to get to someone to try and save them.
Gah!
Luckily I get to write that scene today. I'm not telling you what happens, though those who know me best can probably guess.
Part of the reason this book is going well is because I am now well and truly out of writing the romantic bit. I hate writing romantic parts of stories. Before you all roll your eyes at me, it's not because I'm trying to be 'anti-anything-girly' in my stories. That's not it at all. The romance is actually quite central to this story.
The problem is actually that I've never been in love. I've been on a few dates, but they were bloody awful and I've given up dating. It's been several years now. I've never courted, nor have I been courted. And, to be honest, I don't want to be. I find just the idea of that particular dance to be extremely uncomfortable. I don't find that kind of attention flattering. I'm weird like that.
They say write what you know. I know nothing about dating, courtship or being in love, Not a damned thing. That's why I struggle so much writing about it. I can imagine how it might be, but I strongly suspect I'm wrong.
Oh, I've had plenty of crushes; many of them very embarrassing.
So, when it comes to writing two people falling in love with one another, I am thoroughly lost.
This is not a pity party, for the record, unless you want to pity the writing issues. I'm alright with that kind of pity. As for my personal life, I'm perfectly happy with things currently are and I'm in no hurry to change them.
Long story short, the reason I'm writing faster and enjoying it more is that the mushy stuff is over and terrible things are happening to good people. It's not so much that I'm enjoying the angst and rage and other horrid stuff my protagonist is currently experiencing. It's more that the story is getting twisted, and therefore interesting.
I'm not a psychopath. Promise.
Right, I have to go and start my Welsh lessons now. After that, it's off to write a really exciting scene that can only end well... right? Ahem.
Ciao!