Wednesday 2 January 2019

Soon

Happy New Year and happy Insecure Writer's Support Group posting day. 2019 and the first Wednesday of the month soon came round, didn't they?

I'm not actually feeling insecure right now. I refuse to dwell on anything which didn't go perfectly last year, instead I'm looking forward to all the good writing I might get done and the successes and sales which might result. I hope you too are starting the year with a certain amount of optimism?

The word soon means after a short interval of time. Eg if you'd like to enter this free competition from Forestry Commission England which offers unique access to the forests, support for your writing and £2,500 you should do so soon, as it closes on 14th January. Another free competition which closes fairly soon is the Nine Dots Prize, which offers $100,000 to write a short book answering the question, 'Is there still no place like home?'

There's no place like our camper van, which is home to us for several months each year. Here she is parked in the New Forest. (I can't tell you how smug I feel for finding a picture to represent both competitions at once!)

Or it can mean relatively early. Eg two minutes after submitting a piece of writing is too soon to
expect a reply.

Another use of soon is to show willingness or preference. Eg would you sooner write a poem or a story?

The phrase as soon as means at the moment of, or immediately Eg as soon as I start writing the typos appear. Sooner or later refers to a future unspecified time, as does soonish. They appear to imply something will happen soon, but generally that's not what's meant.

I'll be back with more free to enter writing competitions soon – hopefully with longer deadlines.

19 comments:

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Wishing you and Gary all the best with your creativity and travelling this year, Patsy!

Mary Aalgaard said...

Cool. I hope your entry gets selected soon! Happy New Year!
Mary at Play off the Page

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

No need to dwell on the past - can't change it anyway, right?

Adrienne Reiter said...

Thank you for the links and good luck with the competitions! What a great way to start the New Year. Happy IWSG Day!

Raimey Gallant said...

Thanks for posting about the competitions. I don't think I'll have time to contribute to either (or any others anytime soon,) but I love hearing about what's out there. Happy IWSG Day! http://www.raimeygallant.com

Sarah Foster said...

Happy New Year! It's good to look forward and not dwell on the past.

Rachna Chhabria said...

I like your camper van...Happy New Year!

Tamara Narayan said...

My husband always tells me we need a camper with a little compartment over the front seat for the cats. Of course, it's easy for him to say that considering I would be the one ending up driving the thing. He talks so much he forgets to press down on the accelerator.

Good luck with your entry!

Chrys Fey said...

I'm glad you're looking forward to all the good that could be had this year. :)

Anonymous said...

There's little point in dwelling on the past. It's over and done with. Learn from it and move forward. =) Happy 2019.

emaginette said...

I guess I'm hoping things will turn around soon. For me, that is. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette

octoberyears said...

Patsy --- Once upon a time, when our family called Winchester home, we fell in love with the New Forest.....the back roads and the ponies. We have returned a couple Tims, but one more visit to that magic woodland could not come too SOON to suit me.

Enjoy your travels.

Rosemary Johnson said...

Thanks for the signposting the comps, Patsy. Congratulations on not feeling insecure.
Happy New Year.

Fay Knowles said...

Happy New Year, Patsy! Wishing you much writing and publishing success in 2019! And thanks for the marketing info.

Juneta key said...

I like the pic of your camper. Looks like lots of fun traveling. Happy journeys and IWSG.

Nick Wilford said...

Safe travels in your home on wheels! Ah, the New Forest. Great childhood memories there.

cleemckenzie said...

How wonderful to have a new vista to contemplate whenever you choose to roll down the road. Here's to writing on the road in 2019.

Diane Burton said...

Enjoy your travels. May it inspire you to write wonderful stories.

Patsy said...

Thanks everyone!