If at first you don't succeed...

This is a post to the blog that I had in 2003. I will explain its relevendce presently...

I think that Bridget Jones' Diary (the BJD Phenomena, as it shall now be known) has a lot to answer for. Namely, convincing every 30 something woman in the English speaking world that there is a novel in her, just waiting to come out. And I do include myself in this group, so I am not blindly attacking the ignorant, and theres no reason to write cranky messages to my guest book (Ha! I just slipped in to an alternate universe where my blog is read by more than just my cat.).BJD has sparked, Im convinced, thousands of books about young-ish 'singletons' (and where the hell did that word come from? Did it even EXIST before BJD??. Dont even get me started about the expression 'Smug-Marrieds'. Who says 'smug'??) living in big cities and obsessing about clothes, men and food. Sorry to move on, but isnt that just SO late 90's?.
What is to be held accountable for this seemingly misplaced aggression and frankly quite disturbing hostility, I hear you ask?. Put it down to the fact that I decided yesterday that I have about as much chance of writing a successful novel as i have of eloping with Brendan Fraser (sigh). For the last 5 years or so, every couple of months, I think to myself (usually after reading a particularly average BJD rip off) 'Gee, you know, I could do this! I will! I will Write A Book!'. Which I utterly and comprehensively fail to do. fail to do with conviction, even. I write a 1 page outline of what it could be about, realise that a novel actually has quite a large number of pages, all of which do actually need to be written by me, pop down my pen and go to he fridge. Far less scarey.

Well I did eventually write a book, in the year after Captain SP was born. I joined a writing group, workshopped, researched, and ended up with a 90,000 word love story based in early Australia. Sent the the synopsis to a published, they said not right now, thanks, so I popped it somewhere and promptly gave up.
Thats what I do! I have a half assed go at something and then give up at the first obstacle. Oh well, at least I am 'one' with the fact that I do it!