Not as simple as I thought

I received a folder full of learning material from ICS a couple of weeks ago, in relation to a webpage design course I've enrolled on. The disc didn't work -- it wouldn't install. I've sent to emails to the customer service dept and left a voice message on their phone service. No reply. That sucks. Really sucks. My union, UNITY, have paid for this, retraining me seeing as how I've lost my job. They've forked out nearly £400 and ICS can't even be bothered to sort out a poxy CD.

On a brighter note, I received a penultimate(?) edit of 'Kasper Clark' from the editor of BSQ. I'm delighted with the results. If the other stories have received as much attention as mine (maybe they didn't need as much attention -- now there's a sobering thought), then this anthologI is going to be the best thing that's happened to me, writer-wise. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

I've also completed a revision of 'The Uinta Incident' for WORLDS APART, utilising some of the techniques I learned from the BSQ editor. I'm proud of that story too.

I'm currently writing my influenza story set in 1919. As I mentioned in a previous post, I already have a 9000 word story with the required plot in my scraps folder. I thought I could use it as a template, changing the first person narrative to third person and distilling the dialogue. Not a chance. It's not as simple as it sounds. I've just scrapped the first 2000 words I produced on Monday and Tuesday. I'm starting from scratch. Writing Lesson No. 49967: There are no shortcuts. Do the work!