I don’t know how we’ve reached February already, but it’s nearly PitchWars showcase eve, and I thought to do a well overdue blog update. I’d like to say I’ve been channeling those wordlings into revising my manuscript under Gwynne Jackson’s fantastic mentoring. The last three months have flown since the announcements were made in early November.
Gwynne’s been amazing to work with and I feel so lucky to have her as my mentor. She’s been so insightful, kind, and hilarious, which is an awesome combo. She’s guided me through PitchWars homework and a great edit letter and two rounds of revisions.
As of 31 January, all of my materials are in for the showcase, polished to a shine. I’m so pleased with the revisions to the manuscript, expanding on certain points and tightening up in other places. I’ve loved writing this novel–and editing it with Gwynne’s guidance.
There’s been early mornings and late nights. Cats have helpfully edited by osmosis to earn their keep, lying on top of a manuscript print-out and taking pencils away.
One of the cool things about PitchWars is the great community amid the mentees. Everyone’s keen to cheer each other on. We’ve loved hearing about each other’s stories. And like I saw another mentee mention, I’m looking forward to the showcase on 5 Feb as a celebration of everything that we’ve accomplished in the last three months. I’ve definitely learned skills I’ll be taking on to my next project–and made writing friends who understand the journey.
Now, I’m excited to see what’s ahead for all of us.
Hugh Blackthorne 