Me & My Writing Desk.

Published January 8, 2014 | By Bella Osborne

Bella Osborne

We’re very pleased to be welcoming Bella Osborne to the Novel Kicks team with her new column, Bella’s Scribblings.

I was staggered to be asked by the lovely Laura to do a regular column for Novel Kicks and extremely nervous. You see I am a ‘Wanna Be Writer’ I have absolutely no credentials as I have neither self published or been published – I know what you’re thinking ‘Great choice Laura, was there really nobody else available,’ and I don’t blame you. However, I am a Wanna Be Writer with a plan, loads of enthusiasm and huge amount of tenacity. So over the next twelve months (oh stop groaning at least it’s got you off Twitter) I will be bringing you a fortnightly update on what I’m up to and how my writing is going. First up here’s a bit of background so you know a bit about me:

• I have a proper job as a Project Manager that gets in the way of the writing but it pays the bills

• I share my home with my wonderful husband who appears to find my madness endearing (long may that last) and my amazing daughter who entertains me on a daily basis. As well as a very deaf, geriatric cat who has a serious attitude problem and would leave if he found somewhere better.

2013 was the year that I got my backside into gear from a writing perspective and set myself some challenges. As a result I did quite well actually:

o Completed my first year on a local ‘Writing Fiction’ course

o Joined the Romantic Novelist’s Association on their New Writer’s Scheme and submitted my manuscript a month ahead of schedule

o Completed my first novel which is titled Acting on Impulse

o Was awarded Runner Up in the New Talent Award at the Festival of Romance o Completed NaNoWriMo – 50,000 words written in a month

o Was signed to the Kate Nash Literary Agency

So as you can see 2013 was a great year for me from a writing perspective so now the bar has been set and I need to make sure that I beat it in 2014 – I love a challenge! Even more than that I love an excuse to buy stationery and they don’t come much bigger than a desk. That still counts as stationery right? As I have been able to prove to my family that the writing isn’t a fad, unlike the saxophone and the pottery (don’t ask), I have been able to successfully pitch for my own writing space. The fact that I had taken over two-thirds of the dining room table and was making a bid for the last few inches may have been the clincher here. So with measuring tape in hand we surveyed our spare room and after a bit of jiggling we all agreed that there is space for a desk for me – Hallelujah! So after a lot of internet searching and wandering around shops clutching my measuring tape at last an oak desk has been ordered. You see the desk will allow me to shut myself away and concentrate on writing whilst trying very hard not to be distracted by Twitter (that’s a whole other column entry). As I opened up the new 2014 calendar and neatly highlighted the delivery date of my desk I said to my husband “I’m too excited for words!” he said “You better not be after what it cost!”

Bella has just finished her first novel, Acting on Impulse, which earned her a runner-up place for the New Talent Award at the 2013 Festival of Romance. Every fortnight, Bella will be sharing her experiences and advice as a new author. She also has her own blog which you can visit by clicking here.