As we enter 2010, I want to wish you the very best of everything:
Confidence to pursue your best ideas.
Creativity to take you to new and exciting places in your work.
Determination to follow through on your goals.
Resources to support you as you go for it.
Patience to let things evolve as they need to.
Wisdom to see opportunities for what they are and let go of unhelpful habits.
Humour to deal with those around you and to see the funny side of your challenges.
Peace in the knowledge that you are in the right place and doing the right things.
Mindy Gibbins-KleinFounder of The Book Midwife http://www.bookmidwife.com/
Friday, 8 January 2010
Saturday, 2 January 2010
New Year Resolutions
Last year I used being pregnant as an excuse. This year it was/is having a baby. I don’t feel I have really moved forward that much with regards to my writing in the last year. I feel disappointed that my 2009 Christmas present - the Writers and Artists Yearbook 2009 – never moved from its place on the shelf this year!!
My goals for 2009 were:
1. To complete (at least) one novel.
2. To enter one competition a month of any format.
3. To continue to write both blogs at least once a week.
This year I have added:
4. To continue to devour Writing Magazine, Writing News and MsLexia.
5. To try and write something or do something to move towards my writing goals every day.
6. To re-asses in 3 / 6 / 12 months time!
Other Resolutions are:
To remember that time is precious and to say No to things unless I really want to say Yes.
I will try to remain Positive at all times about all people and all situations!
I will aim to reach my pre-pregnancy weight within 3 months via diet and exercise.
I will save some money every week.
Wish me luck - Happy New Year!!
My goals for 2009 were:
1. To complete (at least) one novel.
2. To enter one competition a month of any format.
3. To continue to write both blogs at least once a week.
This year I have added:
4. To continue to devour Writing Magazine, Writing News and MsLexia.
5. To try and write something or do something to move towards my writing goals every day.
6. To re-asses in 3 / 6 / 12 months time!
Other Resolutions are:
To remember that time is precious and to say No to things unless I really want to say Yes.
I will try to remain Positive at all times about all people and all situations!
I will aim to reach my pre-pregnancy weight within 3 months via diet and exercise.
I will save some money every week.
Wish me luck - Happy New Year!!
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Thinking about New Year Resolutions?
"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Saturday, 19 December 2009
Top Ten Tips for Writing a Novel
Came across these tips at: www.be-a-better-writer.com/tips-for-writing-a-novel.html and thought I would share them as they got me thinking......
1. Read a lot-both novels and nonfiction. The novels will inspire you. They will create a need to write, and they will teach you about craft.
2. Know your premise. Every good novel is "about" something.
3. Stay focused on your premise.
4. Focus on the action the character must take to remedy the situation he or she has been thrown into. First and foremost, your characters must take action as they attempt to satisfy their most urgent needs.
5. Your character's actions must force them into problematic situations.
6. Develop your plot through cause and effect. Every action the character takes will have some effect.
7. Be clear about your characters' values, as it is their values that cause them to act as they do. Give characters opposing values so that nothing comes too easily for anyone.
8. Write every day, or five days a week, even if it is only for thirty minutes a day. Writing requires discipline, and having the discipline to write regularly keeps the story percolating in your mind.
9. Write original scenes. Surprise readers and make your story unpredictable, while still believable.
10. Focus on one scene at a time, one page at a time. Before you begin writing, know what the character's goal is for that scene, and know how he or she will achieve the goal or be prevented from achieving it.
1. Read a lot-both novels and nonfiction. The novels will inspire you. They will create a need to write, and they will teach you about craft.
2. Know your premise. Every good novel is "about" something.
3. Stay focused on your premise.
4. Focus on the action the character must take to remedy the situation he or she has been thrown into. First and foremost, your characters must take action as they attempt to satisfy their most urgent needs.
5. Your character's actions must force them into problematic situations.
6. Develop your plot through cause and effect. Every action the character takes will have some effect.
7. Be clear about your characters' values, as it is their values that cause them to act as they do. Give characters opposing values so that nothing comes too easily for anyone.
8. Write every day, or five days a week, even if it is only for thirty minutes a day. Writing requires discipline, and having the discipline to write regularly keeps the story percolating in your mind.
9. Write original scenes. Surprise readers and make your story unpredictable, while still believable.
10. Focus on one scene at a time, one page at a time. Before you begin writing, know what the character's goal is for that scene, and know how he or she will achieve the goal or be prevented from achieving it.
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
De-Cluttering Only Causes Piles....
I didn't disappoint myself last Tuesday as I had a right good clear out of old writing and other stuff I had saved. Previous to Jamie's arrival the nursery had been used as my writing room and so all my books, notes and resources are currently in there, but I have now managed to streamline at least some of them....
After Tuesday, the week then went slightly manic as I started wrapping the Christmas presents as well as de-cluttering. Currently there is stuff everywhere but I keep telling myself it is all part of the plan….. The house is not exactly baby proof so this also focuses my mind, and the need to ‘get rid’ as Uncle Dean would say. However, none of these jobs have been helped by the fact that Jamie is still teething and has also been suffering with a cough and a runny nose; leading to a few broken nights.
Hoped to get on top of the 'stuff' on Thursday, while Jamie was at Nanna's, but Kate came to check out what has been happening on FaceBook (its not allowed at their house) and once she had gone I found it very difficult to get anything started as I knew Nanna would not be long bringing Jamie back. Its nice to have friends..... The weekend came and went in a kinda blur - shopping with Daddy, visiting cousins and other housework - but yesterday I managed to get back and finish off the piles of stuff in the nursery! Looking good.....only now Jamie has started Commando crawling and we are having a carpet fitted in there on Saturday morning!! Panic!!
Looking at the calendar I/we are very busy up until Christmas, so I doubt I am going to have much time for myself, my piles and my writing. But I do feel less compulsive about the need for a tidy house and more relaxed about the future....
After Tuesday, the week then went slightly manic as I started wrapping the Christmas presents as well as de-cluttering. Currently there is stuff everywhere but I keep telling myself it is all part of the plan….. The house is not exactly baby proof so this also focuses my mind, and the need to ‘get rid’ as Uncle Dean would say. However, none of these jobs have been helped by the fact that Jamie is still teething and has also been suffering with a cough and a runny nose; leading to a few broken nights.
Hoped to get on top of the 'stuff' on Thursday, while Jamie was at Nanna's, but Kate came to check out what has been happening on FaceBook (its not allowed at their house) and once she had gone I found it very difficult to get anything started as I knew Nanna would not be long bringing Jamie back. Its nice to have friends..... The weekend came and went in a kinda blur - shopping with Daddy, visiting cousins and other housework - but yesterday I managed to get back and finish off the piles of stuff in the nursery! Looking good.....only now Jamie has started Commando crawling and we are having a carpet fitted in there on Saturday morning!! Panic!!
Looking at the calendar I/we are very busy up until Christmas, so I doubt I am going to have much time for myself, my piles and my writing. But I do feel less compulsive about the need for a tidy house and more relaxed about the future....
Monday, 30 November 2009
The Never Ending To Do List
Can’t believe it is nearly a month since I last did an entry. Time just seems to be flying past at the moment. Jamie changes so much from day to day (see: http://grumpymumtobe.blogspot.com/) and there is so much to learn and adapt to. It must be good for my brain on some level!!
Today I was given an extra few hours when the event planned for this afternoon failed to happen as my friend was ill. So I used the time to go through the December editions of Writers News and Writing Magazine – as I do every month – and look up interesting Internet sites referenced in the magazines, copy articles I thought were particularly relevant, and I then made a note of competitions I might enter if I have any spare time….
A couple of good websites I came across today were; http://www.be-a-better-writer.com/ with Pearl Luke, and http://www.writingforward.com/
And I understand what the Grumpy Old Bookman (Writers News’ December 2009 http://www.writersnews.co.uk/ means when he says: ‘The best advice I can give you is to do the job of novelist (or any other kind of writer) because its fun. Expecting it to lead to ‘success’ in the worldly sense will only cause heartache’. This echoes what Pete and I discussed at the Scribes meeting with Bead Roberts i.e. no point doing anything unless its enjoyable. Writing should be seen as a hobby and then you won’t get hurt!!
Having a couple of quiet hours has spurred me on to go back to my To Do list I put together at the beginning of November. I intend to get up early tomorrow and spend the day working through the writing resources recently collected; to file them away for the time being, and also contemplate where to go next. I shall report back how it went in a few days….
Today I was given an extra few hours when the event planned for this afternoon failed to happen as my friend was ill. So I used the time to go through the December editions of Writers News and Writing Magazine – as I do every month – and look up interesting Internet sites referenced in the magazines, copy articles I thought were particularly relevant, and I then made a note of competitions I might enter if I have any spare time….
A couple of good websites I came across today were; http://www.be-a-better-writer.com/ with Pearl Luke, and http://www.writingforward.com/
And I understand what the Grumpy Old Bookman (Writers News’ December 2009 http://www.writersnews.co.uk/ means when he says: ‘The best advice I can give you is to do the job of novelist (or any other kind of writer) because its fun. Expecting it to lead to ‘success’ in the worldly sense will only cause heartache’. This echoes what Pete and I discussed at the Scribes meeting with Bead Roberts i.e. no point doing anything unless its enjoyable. Writing should be seen as a hobby and then you won’t get hurt!!
Having a couple of quiet hours has spurred me on to go back to my To Do list I put together at the beginning of November. I intend to get up early tomorrow and spend the day working through the writing resources recently collected; to file them away for the time being, and also contemplate where to go next. I shall report back how it went in a few days….
Thursday, 5 November 2009
One Quiet Thursday Afternoon..
First must say a big 'Thank You' to the Anonymous person who posted a comment to my last entry. Your response really meant a lot.
Having a good afternoon today. Been pretty pleased with myself the last few days as Christmas is just about sorted and so is the house. As Nanna has Jamie every Thursday afternoon I have been able to sit down and wade through all the piles of 'interesting stuff' I seem to have acquired recently. My Writing Magazine and Writers News arrived this morning but I am leaving them until I have cleared the decks (and they are a good night time read once Jamie is asleep!). I have just bought myself a book from the Mills and Boon Black Star Crime imprint to see what they are like and whether I could perhaps try my hand at one. (I believe they are shorter than mainstream crime novels). What I have left myself with now is a pile of 'filing' to put away in my writers cabinet which unfortunately currently resides in the nursery. I plan (am hoping to) spend next Thursday having a clear out and eventually (fingers crossed finances-wise) the cabinet should end up somewhere more suitable. And as for my ever increasing 'To Do' list, I have streamlined it. After severe meditation decided 'Who Cares if it doesn't get done?' In fact, the simple task of saying that actually makes me more likely To Do it!!
That's all my piles and my photos sorted in one afternoon - and 2 blog entries completed (not to mention the small amount of hoovering and washing I have also done).
Well Done Me!
Having a good afternoon today. Been pretty pleased with myself the last few days as Christmas is just about sorted and so is the house. As Nanna has Jamie every Thursday afternoon I have been able to sit down and wade through all the piles of 'interesting stuff' I seem to have acquired recently. My Writing Magazine and Writers News arrived this morning but I am leaving them until I have cleared the decks (and they are a good night time read once Jamie is asleep!). I have just bought myself a book from the Mills and Boon Black Star Crime imprint to see what they are like and whether I could perhaps try my hand at one. (I believe they are shorter than mainstream crime novels). What I have left myself with now is a pile of 'filing' to put away in my writers cabinet which unfortunately currently resides in the nursery. I plan (am hoping to) spend next Thursday having a clear out and eventually (fingers crossed finances-wise) the cabinet should end up somewhere more suitable. And as for my ever increasing 'To Do' list, I have streamlined it. After severe meditation decided 'Who Cares if it doesn't get done?' In fact, the simple task of saying that actually makes me more likely To Do it!!
That's all my piles and my photos sorted in one afternoon - and 2 blog entries completed (not to mention the small amount of hoovering and washing I have also done).
Well Done Me!
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