One tool against procrastination

Jurgen Wolff's August Brainstorm E-Bulletin discusses Tyler Cowen writing in Money Magazine, who offered an insight into one of the major causes of procrastination: we over-estimate the amount of control we have over our day.

So we could do that unwelcome task first thing in the morning but we say we'll do it later. However, as the day goes on there are more interruptions and more demands from others and it becomes more and more difficult to do what we've postponed - so we promise ourselves we'll do it tomorrow... but not necessarily first thing...

ACTION: Apply the micro-task method to this. Spend a minimum of five minutes on the hardest or least appealing task first thing. Often going that far makes it easier to finish right then. If not, then give it another five minutes first thing the next day.

How to write like George Orwell

In Writing Magazine (September 2009) www.writingmagazine.co.uk Tony Rossiter writes about what you can learn from one of the twentieth century’s greatest writers.

He discusses Orwell’s 6 elementary rules but under the 6th Break any of these rules rather than write anything outright barbarous, Rossiter quotes Orwell as saying ‘Good Prose is like a window-pane.’ He believed that before putting pen to paper a writer should ask himself 4 key questions:

1. What am I trying to say?
2. What words will express it?
3. What image or idiom will make it clearer?
4. Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?

Today's Quote

Life is like a narrow bridge. The most important thing is not to be afraid.......

Old Rabbi’s saying referenced in Writing Magazine: September 2009 by www.meggardiner.com/

A couple of Haiku's

As I said in my last post I have written a few Haiku's in the last week. Two I will be sending of to the Writing Magazine, but here are two that didn't make the shortlist:

Newborn in the Sun.
Leaves fall and die as he cries.
Burnt by nature’s gift.


Black and white keys. Played
in a trance. We do not speak.
Thoughts echo the sound.

Joanne Borrill

August 2009

Bead Roberts at the Lindum Scribes

On Monday I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Lindum Scribes (www.lindumscribes.org) workshop evening with Bead Roberts. Bead has written plays and radio stories and has had over 100 short stories published in small press and commercial magazines. She has won or been short-listed in several national and international short story competitions and is a Course Leader for Writing School Leicester (www.writingschoolleicester.co.uk).

She gave us loads of useful advice with regards to both novels and short stories and I have summarised some of her main points below:

 When writing, it is easier to take out than to put in – so get it written. Remember it’s only a first draft. Then Edit!!

 Ensure your beginning holds the promise of what is to come. If you start with a joke, you have promised a funny story.

 People grow into their names in a novel. In a short story they have to work straight away. The name has a job to do – to show gender / age / personality e.g. Lavinda Luscious.

 Dialogue needs to advance the plot and define character, so ensure your characters speak differently. Dialogue does not need to be grammatically correct. Do not include chit chat e.g. would you like a cup of tea?

 Be specific in your descriptions. Readers need to be able to see your scene. It’s more than a small, tidy yard. Ensure you are showing not telling.

 Don’t tell your readers something twice e.g. Mary was poor, she didn’t have much money.

 Your presentation needs to look professional. Try not to look like a beginner.

 Write something / anything for 15 minutes at the same time every day to ensure you get into the habit of writing.


I came away feeling energised and motivated (have I said the same thing twice there?) and yesterday wrote 5 Haiku’s for possible entry into a Writing Magazine Competition. Now, where’s my novel……

The Challenge of Your Transformation

by Ingrid Bacci www.ingridbacci.com

All transformation involves change. Life periodically asks us to change. What worked at one time no longer works for us. We need to move on.

The most important gift you can bring to yourself when transformation calls is to recognize that the voices of fear, despair or pain that fill you are nothing more than a pause or a hesitation before your forward movement. Don't give them too much weight. Fear, despair and pain are frequently forms of addictive self-disempowerment: ways of telling yourself "I can't" or "I won't." I can't go forward. I won't go forward. They are the voices of conservative, resistant habit.

Let yourself be adventuresome. Embrace the call of the next phase of your life......

Watch this space!!!

Don't let the woods be silent

Jurgen Wolff's Brainstorm E-Bulletin (July 2009) www.timetowrite.blogs.com relates a story which Michael Michalko - one of the top creativity gurus - told about his godfather, John Haffich, a poet who tried to encourage Michalko to write poetry. Michalko tried, but never felt they were good enough.

He picks up the story: "When he was in a nursing home and dying, I visited him and told him my thoughts about my inadequacies as a poet. He could barely whisper at the time and asked for a pencil and paper. He wrote the following poem and gave it to me with a smile."

Use what talents you have.
The woods would be silent
if no bird sang
except those that sang best.