If you get stuck, get away from your desk. Take a walk, take a bath, go to sleep, make a pie, draw, listen to music, meditate, exercise; whatever you do, don't just stick there scowling at the problem. But don't make telephone calls or go to a party; if you do, other people's words will pour in where your lost words should be. Open a gap for them, create a space. Be patient.
Hilary Mantel quoted in Writers' News: February 2012 www.writers-online.co.uk/
Sunday 26 February 2012
Wednesday 22 February 2012
Words are Sacred
Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.
Tom Stoppard quoted in Writers' News: March 2012 www.writers-online.co.uk/
Tom Stoppard quoted in Writers' News: March 2012 www.writers-online.co.uk/
Friday 17 February 2012
Do Job Applications Count As Writing?
There has certainly been some form of Creative Writing going on this week!!
Tuesday 7 February 2012
How to make this the year you stick to your resolutions
According to Januaery's Brainstorm & Focus e-bulletin, written by Jurgen Wolff (www.timetowrite.com) if you apply three key ideas that come from the scientific study of effective change, you have a very good chance of succeeding.
One of the first places I encountered these ideas (Jurgen says) was in Bill O'Hanlon's book, "Do One Thing Different." He considers himself the world's laziest successful person because he's learned to let reality guide him to success. This is a great, if sometimes difficult thing to do at first. Let's say somebody cuts you off in traffic. How much energy will you expend on rage or resentment? How many minutes or hours later will you still be seething? Does that serve you? Does it punish him?
The following three points are a PhD in dealing with what is, and turning it to your advantage:
1. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
2. One way to solve a problem is not to analyze why the problem arose, but to change what you are doing to respond to it. (The exception is when figuring out why it arose can help you prevent it from happening again.)
3. The secret of getting better results is a two-step process: One, pay attention to repetitive patterns you are caught up in or that others are caught up in with you, and change anything you can about those patterns. Two, notice what you are doing when things are going better, and do more of that.
Recognize this? It's evolution. Darwin's idea wasn't survival of the fittest, it was survival of the most flexible in responding to changing conditions. And if there ever was a time when conditions were changing, it's now! This is not to say that we should accept things as they are, just that we should choose our battles wisely.
ACTION: Do this interesting experiment: for one day notice and jot down everything that upsets you or annoys you in any way. At the end of the day, count how many of those you can control or influence and the how many just reflect the reality of a world that isn't likely to declare you emperor anytime soon. If there are a lot of the latter, it may be time to look into meditation or relaxation techniques so you can change your response so you have energy to change the things you can.
One of the first places I encountered these ideas (Jurgen says) was in Bill O'Hanlon's book, "Do One Thing Different." He considers himself the world's laziest successful person because he's learned to let reality guide him to success. This is a great, if sometimes difficult thing to do at first. Let's say somebody cuts you off in traffic. How much energy will you expend on rage or resentment? How many minutes or hours later will you still be seething? Does that serve you? Does it punish him?
The following three points are a PhD in dealing with what is, and turning it to your advantage:
1. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
2. One way to solve a problem is not to analyze why the problem arose, but to change what you are doing to respond to it. (The exception is when figuring out why it arose can help you prevent it from happening again.)
3. The secret of getting better results is a two-step process: One, pay attention to repetitive patterns you are caught up in or that others are caught up in with you, and change anything you can about those patterns. Two, notice what you are doing when things are going better, and do more of that.
Recognize this? It's evolution. Darwin's idea wasn't survival of the fittest, it was survival of the most flexible in responding to changing conditions. And if there ever was a time when conditions were changing, it's now! This is not to say that we should accept things as they are, just that we should choose our battles wisely.
ACTION: Do this interesting experiment: for one day notice and jot down everything that upsets you or annoys you in any way. At the end of the day, count how many of those you can control or influence and the how many just reflect the reality of a world that isn't likely to declare you emperor anytime soon. If there are a lot of the latter, it may be time to look into meditation or relaxation techniques so you can change your response so you have energy to change the things you can.
Saturday 4 February 2012
National Libraries Day
Everyone is welcome to walk through the door.
It really doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor.
There are books in boxes and books on shelves.
They’re free for you to borrow, so help yourselves.
Come and meet your heroes, old and new,
From William the Conqueror to Winnie the Pooh.
You can look into the Mirror or read The Times,
Or bring along a toddler to chant some rhymes.
The librarian’s a friend who loves to lend,
So see if there’s a book that she can recommend.
Read that book, and if you’re bitten
You can borrow all the other ones the author’s written.
Are you into battles or biography?
Are you keen on gerbils or geography?
Gardening or ghosts? Sharks or science fiction?
There’s something here for everyone, whatever your addiction.
There are students revising, deep in concentration,
And school kids doing projects, finding inspiration.
Over in the corner there’s a table with seating,
So come along and join in the Book Club meeting.
Yes, come to the library! Browse and borrow,
And help make sure it’ll still be here tomorrow.
Julia Donaldson
http://www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk/2012/02/library-poem-by-julia-donaldson/
It really doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor.
There are books in boxes and books on shelves.
They’re free for you to borrow, so help yourselves.
Come and meet your heroes, old and new,
From William the Conqueror to Winnie the Pooh.
You can look into the Mirror or read The Times,
Or bring along a toddler to chant some rhymes.
The librarian’s a friend who loves to lend,
So see if there’s a book that she can recommend.
Read that book, and if you’re bitten
You can borrow all the other ones the author’s written.
Are you into battles or biography?
Are you keen on gerbils or geography?
Gardening or ghosts? Sharks or science fiction?
There’s something here for everyone, whatever your addiction.
There are students revising, deep in concentration,
And school kids doing projects, finding inspiration.
Over in the corner there’s a table with seating,
So come along and join in the Book Club meeting.
Yes, come to the library! Browse and borrow,
And help make sure it’ll still be here tomorrow.
Julia Donaldson
http://www.nationallibrariesday.org.uk/2012/02/library-poem-by-julia-donaldson/
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