We're all going on a ... writing retreat!

It's that time of the week again, and today on my blog I'm talking, amongst other things, about the writing retreat I'm due to attend on the 13 March.

The lady in charge is the fabulous Kate Walker, and I'm very much looking forward to meeting her again. This time last year I was a newby on another one of her courses in Leeds - a course that turned out to be utterly fantastic. And because us attendees are fully fed and watered, and waited on for the whole time we're there, it's also a great opportunity to concentrate on nothing but my writing, which can only be a good thing.

I'm hoping to come away on Sunday completely re-energised and filled with enthusiasm to finish my manuscript. I'm determined this year to submit this to the New Writers' Scheme well before the deadline of 31 August if only to save my stress levels from going through the roof. As they did last year.

And talking of dark, brooding heroes, did you see the new series of Poldark last night? I remember watching the original episodes of this back in the seventies with my mum, who loved it. By all accounts, she wasn't the only one. It was so popular back then, it seems that some evening church services in Cornwall had to be rescheduled, as most of the congregation were sat at home watching it. Smouldering Ross Poldark isn't just a gorgeous hero - he's a hero with weaknesses - just like the rest of us - and one who because of his temper wades in where he shouldn't, putting his life at risk as a consequence.

Whilst I'm writing I also need to remember to keep digging deep into my hero's character - into his issues - so I can get to the nitty-gritty of who he is, and show my reader why he's behaving like that in my book.

You think this sounds tricky? Well, so do I, and there's times when I'm writing when I'm not convinced I've mastered it. This is one of the reasons I continue to attend Kate's wonderful writing courses in order to hopefully clear the muddied waters and find a way through.

Wish me luck next Friday.

Until next time.

Kim x