Back to Symi and the Symi blog
Here I am back from my week away. It’s Sunday morning and I thought I should get something ready for tomorrow as we are off out later to The Olive Tree for a Queen’s birthday charity tea, raising money for the Symi high school, another Greek school badly in need of funding (for things like desks, books, lockers, the bare essentials really) and another Greek school that is held together by incredibly loyal and dedicated teachers; many of whom are on an unimaginably low wage, earning less than many seasonal bar and restaurant workers earn, even after their years of training.
My week away was a good one and very productive. I was able to get 36,000 words written of the first draft of the next novel and I am rather pleased with most of the results. I’ve now reached the half way point in the story, so there is another half to go, though the action is faster and now most things are set up – location, characters etc. – the second half should turn from the mystery of part one to the drama and action (and ultimate horror) or part two. It’s not blood and guts horror as you will see if you ever read it. I reckon that if I’d stayed on Tilos (or elsewhere quiet) for another three weeks I would have had the first draft written and tided up ready for draft two. But it’s back home, back to work and back to daily Symi blogging.
How do you write so many words in six days? You may ask. It’s a question of a) having no distractions, b) having the plotting and background work done already, c) discipline and d) having a good routine. Mine was something along the lines of: up at 6.00 with the dawn, take a long walk around the bay and back for about 40 minutes to clear the head and arrange the thoughts, get the kettle on, shower and dress, spark up the PC, sit down and start to write for two or three hours. Head out to the square for coffee, come back, check what’s been written and then go for lunch while the lady cleaned the room (meticulously, by the way; great place to stay, the Eli Beach hotel/apartments, check them out), and then, after lunch (with not too much beer and no wine) back for another three hours and check over what’s been done at the end of that. Then relax on balcony time, around 6.30 by now, and then dinner, bed by 11.00 ready to start again. Sorted.
Symi is much as I had left it, some visitors have left others have arrived, more boats are in the harbour, the temperature has warmed up and things seem slightly busier. There was a meeting while I was away, the British Vice Consul and staff came over, met with British residents at The Olive Tree to advise on their role and answer questions. Neil was able to go along and found it useful, and here are a couple of his photos. The Vice Consul also met with the Mayor of Symi and this outreach work is, to my mind, a very good idea and it looks like the visit was well received.
So, I’ll let us all get on now and from today I should be back to daily blogging (almost, not usually on Sundays) through the year as I am not planning to go anywhere else this year apart from perhaps a day trip to Rhodes at some point. Have a great week!
