Happy 5 Years

On the 22nd October 2007 I began this blog.  Then the aim was to write a novel while I wasn't working.  I never did finish that novel, but 5 years later and my life and priorities have changed beyond recognition from that day. 

My resolutions continue, see: http://theonlyconsequence.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/new-years-resolutions-at-6-ish-months.html 

Now I have a son who is nearly 4 and I have continued to write my other blog regarding being a mother at: http://grumpymumtobe.blogspot.co.uk/  I still wonder how women writers who are mothers get anything done, although I must admit to loving every minute of it!  

My son has just started pre-school which has given me a second morning to myself which is invaluable.  I often think I should start a children's novel.  Unfortunately he still continues to sleep in our bed which negates much writing in the evenings!  This time next year he will start school full time.   I have no idea what I will be doing in a year but I do feel that my writing has found its own place within the rest of my chaotic life and I have learnt to live with the fact that my time is no longer my own!!

Has much changed in a year? http://theonlyconsequence.blogspot.co.uk/2011_10_01_archive.html
I have a different job now, which is less hours (and money) but I do have Wednesday morning to myself. Well, I am no longer a member of the book club mentioned as - although I would have loved to be a member - I just don't have that extra time.  I still continue to attend The Lindum Scribes but have recently made the decision to resign from the group I refer to as The Poison Pens.  The main reason being the time it takes to get there, and don't forget the fact that Saturdays are always full of other stuff that needs to be done!   I did attend one meeting of the Pimento poets, but due to time constraints and the issue of babysitting I have not been able to make another meeting.   

I am quite proud that I have managed to write a number of poems this year, enter a number of competitions, and of course I am hoping to have an article published in the next few months.  This has motivated me to think about writing non fiction more seriously.  Unfortunately the course I was hoping to attend had to be cancelled, but I have spoken to the tutor and she hopes to run another in the near future.  Hopefully, this workshop should help me decide where I should focus in the coming months.

This time next year Jamie will have started school.  What will I be doing?  Watch this space!!

John Cooper Clarke and Mike Garry

Last night was our evening with John Cooper Clarke, see: www.johncooperclarke.com/.  Although he is a legend and there were many people who had come to see him - The Drill Hall was a sell out - he seemed firstly very nervous, then very tired, and could even have been very drunk!  For me, he didn't read enough of his fantastic punk poetry and he told too many (though very funny) old jokes!   He finished on I've Fallen In Love With My Wife and did the classic Evidently Chicken Town (http://www.johncooperclarke.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=69:evidently-chickentown&catid=36:poems&Itemid=56) as his encore! 

We weren't expecting one, but his support was Mike Garry, see:  http://godisamanc.wordpress.com/ and  http://www.manchestersalon.org.uk/mancunian-meander-poetry-mike-garry.html  He was definitely scouting to be JCC's replacement!  A bit dark at times but very good.  I even bought one of his books which he signed for me for a small fee of £10.  It was worth that just for his poem St. Anthony (A Tribute to Tony Wilson) which took me back to my days in Leeds living with Caroline and her 'Madchester' scene music and clothes.  Not to mention the visits to Greater Manchester and our little shopping trips!

Non Fiction Workshop Cancelled

So, after all that I am afraid to say the course was cancelled due to there not being enough people to attend.  This has not deterred me however.  I just need some time to seriously sit down and look at non fiction writing and where I might fit in.   I already have a list of 'topics' I have an interest in - put together following the workshop with Bead Roberts and added to prior to the now cancelled workshop.  I just need to think seriously about markets and opportunity!

Non Fiction Workshop Booked!

Following my (almost) success with the article submitted to Writing Magazine, I have booked myself onto a one-day Non Fiction Writing Course taking place about half an hours drive away.  Details as follows:

Fiction Writing Workshop on Thursday October 25^th 2012 taking place in Martin, Nr Lincoln (LN4) and being run by www.carolinehigh.co.uk/ 

For further information, see:  www.manorhousestables.co.uk/courses-and-workshops.html

Looking forward to it. 

 

The Coffin Was Empty....

Had a really good meeting of the Lindum Scribes last night, which (just about) made up for missing the Pimento Poets meeting on Monday.

It was a shame that two of the committee were unable to make it because of illness, but Fred did a grand job keeping the meeting running smoothly.  I was only mildly wound up by the usual (older) member deviating from the subject (of writing) and managed to hold my own when she jumped to a rather large conclusion that was far from reality!!

I was also happy that the group agreed to cut back on the number of guest speakers in the coming year and to simply concentrate on writing meetings.  I had previously sent an email to the effect that if we are a writing group, shouldn't we be writing? And it seems I was not the only one with this thought.  The group did agreed that in the months where we do have a speaker, we will have an extra 'writing' meeting.

For those that had not come with anything to share, the Chairman had sent a list of Halloween related writing prompts for people to use during the coffee break.  I had taken a 'work in progress' poem, which seemed to go down well and we were all surprised at the amount of 'empty coffins' lying around...

Professional Writer At Last?

As readers of this blog know, in January I ran a workshop for The Lindum Scribes entitled  Kickstart Your Writing Year, see: http://theonlyconsequence.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/kickstart-your-writing-year-workshop.html).

In April I sent a short email to the Editor of Writers' News and Writing Magazine asking if he would be interested in an article based on this workshop.  He replied a week later asking for me to flesh out the idea a bit - just a couple of sentences about what each section would cover.  Four days later I sent a breakdown of the 5 sections of the workshop / article as requested.

I never heard anything back, so in August I sent an email requesting feedback on why I didn't get the gig.  I didn't hear anything back and was about to write a blog entry entitled; Polite Rejection? when I received the following email:   Hello Jo, Apologies that I've left you languishing in the slushpile so long. I would like to go ahead with this piece please, if you're still up for it. Around 1,800 words?  and then he mentioned money!!

 

I received this email last Tuesday while on holiday at Butlins.  We came back on Friday night and I have spent all weekend trying to write a decent article.  As I had initially written everything down prior to the workshop, and had written up all the information following the workshop for this blog, I did feel I had enough information to work with and was pleased with the result which I sent this morning.  Although he asked for 1800 words, I submitted just over 1900.  This was because I had also added a strap line and information about myself.  I wasn't sure of any guidelines to follow but I did have the latest edition of Writing Magazine so I analysed a couple of articles for style.

 

Wish me luck!!

Nothing is too far fetched...

....when you are a child.  And perhaps - as adults - we need to re-visit our childhood.  In the Sep/Oct/Nov 12 (issue 55) of Mslexia www.mslexia.co.uk/blog  Sara Hawthorn writes; ...The group of 8-13 year olds I work with has given me a sharp reminder of the freedom we have before our minds become clogged up with work, life and general tedious Grown-Up problems.  They've told me about haunted shoes, a bunny whose face is really funny, and a fight between a tummy and junk food.  Virtually nothing is too far-fatched for them - and why should it be?

In the same edition of Mslexia, Sarah Salway www.sarahsalway.net argues that play is a vital part of our creative lives.  She quotes psychiatrist Stuart Brown who says; Play can become a doorway to a new self, one much more in tune with the world, because play is all about trying on new behaviours and thoughts, it frees us from established patterns.  In other words Sarah writes, the more we play, the better our writing will be.

What is important with play she goes onto say, is that you choose what you want to do.  Write down the activities you loved as a child; blowing bubbles, drawing, growing seeds, cycling, comics, day dreaming, dressing up etc.  The problem isn't that we don't make time to have fun, says writer Catherine Smith. Most of us do things that waste time and aren't really fun at all, like watching boring TV or getting sucked into pointmless internet-related activites.  Fun doesn't need to be all ha-ha-ha.  It can be, as Catherine says odd, eccentric, and solitary - and we should all be honest and happy about that.

Play is risky and daring, Sam Holdsworth says. Far from being frivolous or silly, it requires committment, openness, flexibility and often results in a changed physical and emotional state.

Sarah concludes; So the next time your writing feels stuck, ring the bell for playtime.  Write your own play history or just spend an hour daydreaming, and see what happens.

And if we play with our own children then this is even better.  Am off now to see Bob The Builder at his yard while on my holiday at Butlins Skegness.  After that we are going swimming at Splash Waterworld and then going to see Norman and Fireman Sam.  Might get some Messy Play in while we are out or even get to dig in the sand on the beach!!