Every day!

So today, it is back to "business", after my attempts to express our family situation in the last few weeks.  I have taken the plunge and signed up for the Family History Writing Challenge.  I missed this particular boat last year as it was well under way before I discovered it.  I nearly missed it this year but I did at least register before midnight on 1 February!

Anyway, it means that I have to write every day for the next month, in an attempt to get a good start on a longer version of my family history.  Today's assistance email asks me to choose a protagonist for the story.  Looking at the advice on whom to choose, I think I am going to use Joseph Shaller in this role.

I have written about him on this blog a couple of times.  Particularly a post called Great (Travel) Expectations in July last year.  Apparently, the protagonist needs to move the "action" forward, to have some kind of conflict - whether inner or outer - in their life and to be relatable.  Flaws are important for the relatable (Think flawed genius, detectives with rubbish personal lives, etc!).  And "something must change".

I am thinking that moving from London staymaking to a regiment sent to India, gaining an Indian wife and family and never seeing England again should provide these things!  Wish me luck...

In a further attempt to improve my writing, I have also enrolled in weekly creative writing course.  So I am also working on a short definition of the mystery genre of writing and a story from the point of view of a goldfish "including a description of a human".  The attendees at the course were a fascinating bunch and the thought of having to read my story out in front them on Thursday is already giving me palpitations.  They all seem older and far more experienced.  It was wonderful to see so many takes on a theme though.

Really hope these various enterprises do not get mixed up.....  India from the point of view of a goldfish, anyone?  A mystery set in the 30th regiment of Foot?  Now there is an idea....

[It is not too late to join the Family History Writing Challenge if you would like to have a go at improving your writing habits. 
Click here http://www.familyhistorywritingchallenge.com/]