Kevin hoped that his new novel

[Bassim]

Have I made any mistakes?

Kevin hoped that his new novel would boost his flagging career, but it was tepidly received. He had been working on it for more than two years, putting all his energy, imagination and skill into it, but when he read the first reviews, his heart sank. The critics didn't like his style nor the plot and reproached him for lacking imagination, which felt like an insult. His mind swarmed with pictures all the time and he was in no doubt that he had a vivid imagination. He was so disappointed that he decided never to write anything again. Instead, he went to a music shop and bought a saxophone. He was fifty-two and didn't touch the instrument since he graduated from university, but his inner voice told him this was the right time to take it up. One day he went to his cellar, took up the saxophone and, when the first notes came out, Kevin felt as if had met his first love. The pleasure and joy he felt was indescribable, and he would stay in the cellar for hours, skipping meals and his favourite TV programmes. He didn't care that his wife and children told him that he had gone mad.

 

[Tarheel]

Have I made any mistakes?

Kevin hoped that his new novel would boost his flagging career, but it was tepidly received. He had worked on it for more than two years, putting all his energy, imagination and skill into it, but when he read the first reviews, his heart sank. The critics didn't like his style nor the plot and reproached him for lacking imagination, which felt like an insult. His mind swarmed with pictures all the time and he had no doubt that he had a vivid imagination. He was so disappointed that he decided never to write anything again. Instead, he went to a music shop and bought a saxophone. He was fifty-two and hadn't touched the instrument since he had graduated from university, but his inner voice told him this was the right time to take it up. One day he went to his cellar, picked up the saxophone and, when the first notes came out, Kevin felt as if had met his first love. The pleasure and joy he felt was indescribable, and he would stay in the cellar for hours, skipping meals and his favourite TV programmes. He didn't care that his wife and children told him that he had gone mad.

Rejection is hard to take. (It's a lot easier to criticize others than to actually produce something.)

We use "took up" to mean "took to doing something". "He took up the saxophone" means "he took to playing the saxophone as a regular activity".

 

[Bassim]

Tarheel,

Thank you for your corrections. I'm only wondering if "that" could be omitted after "he hoped".

 

[Tarheel]

Yes.

 

[Tdol]

I would say or the plot.