Ten out of ten - effort and progress

Following my delightful weekend at Live, Breathe, LOVE writing! with the talented trio Tamsyn Murray, Miranda Dickinson and Julie Cohen - I pledged I'd restart my early morning writing session. The 5am wake-up call that had been long forgotten in favour of the lunchtime slot at the day-job plus the evening session. Anyway, Sunday night I set the alarm before going to sleep and damn it, the device is accurate to the second: it rang at 5am!

Monday morning 5am isn't my most glamorous but I prised myself from beneath the duvet and walked to my writing room. I was greeted by a beautiful dawn chorus and a sultry sky. Within seconds the time of day was irrelevant and I was editing. I worked until six o'clock then readied for the day-job. I'd done it, it felt good and for the rest of the day, I metaphorically patted myself on the back. So I managed three writing* sessions per day, Monday to Friday - I say writing I'm actually not at the writing stage but you get my drift.

Each day was a delight, a real pleasure to do, accompanied by the dawn chorus and a sultry sky - the difficult part is that shrill alarm and rising to a vertical stance. So... my plan for this week is to repeat as last week: Monday to Friday 5am, lunchtime and evening sessions.

Friday afternoon I rewarded my efforts by visiting my favourite shop: the stationers, arriving home with a bounty of goodies for my writing room.

Saturday morning began with the instruction to self 'to tidy that room' and I did, armed with bin liners, Mr Pledge polish and my faithful Dyson. I was shocked by the amount of wasted paper I had lying about in piles around my writing room but I did manage to find two poems that I'd written but never typed. I also found two scribbled ideas for novels - double bonus!

With a little shufty about regards furniture and reading books, I have created more space and more places to balance the new pile of waste paper for the up-coming six months. All in all, one cracking day of organisation and later writing.

A tiny addition to my writing arsenal is the countdown date/clock that I've downloaded to my Ipad. Boy, oh boy, a visual shock seeing how many days I given myself to finish this project.

For this week, I've awarded myself 10/10 for effort and progress :-)

* writing - anything to do with my current project be it planning, editing or musing.

Live, Breathe and LOVE writing – confirmed!

Ever needed an extra boost of writing inspiration? As I near the end of my current project I felt I needed a little something to refill my ‘inspiration tank’ guaranteeing I reach the finishing line. I chose Tamsyn Murray’s fabulous ‘Live, Breathe and Love writing day’ held at the Theobald’s Park hotel, near Cheshunt, London. Her guest speakers for the day were Miranda Dickinson and Julie Cohen - what more could a girl want to boost her flagging creativity?
 

Eleven other writers, a mixture of experience and genres, arrived fresh faced and bushy tailed to participate in the day long course. Tamsyn began by expelling negative thoughts with a smashing talk filled with inspirational quotes and anecdotes of success.  I won’t go into detail as I wouldn’t wish to ruin the day for you, should you wish to book and attend, but one particular quote hit a chord with me.

Miranda Dickinson provided us with the all-important writers’ survival kit – piece by piece. Again this was a very thought provoking session which gave me a boot up the ass regards certain aspects of my routine that I have possibly neglected or abandoned in recent months. That will be rectified!

Julie Cohen’s session was a practical delight as she filled the room with post-it notes which immediate made my stationery loving heart sing. I know, sad isn’t it? Anyway, she showed me yet more ways that I can use the little blighters to help regards planning and even synopsis writing.

My immediate tasks following the course:

1. Delete my ‘epilogue’ and create chapter ninety

2. Purchase yet more coloured post-it notes

3. Revise my personal writer’s survival kit

4. Complete the final stretch of my project

5. Re-watch the film ‘The Jerk’ – such a funny movie.

I highly recommend booking yourself on any of these writers’ courses – not only do you receive much needed knowledge and a motivational boost but the trio revitalise your creative spirit with  humour, humility and their genuine friendship.

For further details please visit their websites - you won't be disappointed...

Tamsyn Murray 

Miranda Dickinson

Julie Cohen

In addition to this fabulous course, I was given the very best start to my creative weekend by Late rooms.com who arranged for a surprise envelope to arrive at the hotel prior to my arrival. Imagine my confusion whilst checking in when the reception lady said 'You've got mail' - I don't think so, sweetie. She was right. Marvellous Mary of  the 'make magic department' belonging to Late rooms.com had sent me lovely new fountain pen... with a little note saying 'isn't this a novel way to start a great weekend' - Mary, you were so right! It just shows the simplest of gestures in our busy lives can truly delight.

It made my two night stay a delight enhancing the one day course into a mini writing retreat for myself - it would have been rude not too.

 

Holidays and birthday challenges

Finally my holiday has arrived, two weeks of bliss started last Friday. So far, I have indulged myself with my writing work managing to correct the entire manuscript and even reworking a few chapters. My aim is to have a finished manuscript by the time I return to work, fingers crossed, so the plan is mapped out with military precision including a mini break in Wales, thrown in for good measure.

Our mini break revolves about my birthday celebrations on 1st April where I have opted to experience the thrilling zip wire, weather permitting. As the gales are howling here in the Midlands I'm expecting my zip wire to be cancelled and rescheduled for another time. But, if my prayers are answered and I do get to complete I'll let you know.

In the meantime, whilst we wait to hear the weather forecast for Wednesday at 11am - I'd best return to slicing adjectives from my manuscript.

Enjoy x

Update: I did it! On my 44th birthday I went head first down a mile long zip wire in Snowdonia from 152 meters up a mountain. It took less than a minute for me to slide from top to bottom. I really is the nearest thing to flying and I would love to do it again. Was I scared? No actually, I was as excited as a child.

Afterwards we took the mountain train up Snowdon, where I was thrilled to play in the snow. All in all, I had a fabulous birthday x

The desire to write - where does it come from?

Ever wondered where the desire to write started? I do, all the time. What makes my brain germinate ideas, characters and events which take over my mind and force me to write for hours? How come my friend can't conjure a single imaginative comment or phrase for a leaving card? Yet, I have too many for the tiny space allocated to me.

If you've followed this blog for a while you'll know that my love of books grew from circumstance - where I chose to escape within the pages of fiction. The phase prior to that escapism was Lego. 
Seriously, as a young child I was a Lego kid - I could (and still can) make anything out of  a big tub of Lego: houses, cars, even a stand-up Santa Claus! The true beauty of Lego is the appliance of imagination, without it you just have a coloured brick of various size - with a thriving imagination those bricks can be anything. I believe my initial phase of creativity nurtured by tiny bricks was my starting block to writing.

Knowing how the brain works in creating dendrites, I believe the network of my brain was formed and forged with that early imaginative play. The problem with the brain is the old 'use it or lose it' regime - it has been pure chance that since childhood I have always nurtured the creative juices - whether it be painting, crafting or music. All of which have kept those dendrite beauties alive and strong... ever eager to do more. My love of books kicked in at the age of eight which bolstered the budding imagination and eventually I out grew the books I was reading to fire the need to produce my own stories.

In hindsight it appears such a simple realisation, but I wonder if my parents understood the true potential of their gift when purchasing my first box of Lego? I doubt it.  

I'm back!

Hello. Remember me?  I wouldn't be surprised if you'd forgotten! Given the month that I've just survived, I can assure you I am so glad to be back. January 2015 is going into my memory as the strangest, most stressful, time zapping month of my life, so far. It was a horrible month and now that I'm sitting safely in February, I can call it every name under the sun. But it taught me one thing - I have to write.

Without my normal writing pattern I feel ill. I feel mentally and physically unbalanced, I feel stressed, I have migraines, I don't sleep, I don't feel grounded - in short, I am not me! For so long I have had this amazing creative outlet which I take for granted and yet when it is decreased or diminished to the bare minimum I literally feel like another person. A stranger. Gone is the song in the morning, gone is the smile, even my laughter sounded different. A non-creative impostor has walked in my shoes.

January happened for a hundred and one different reasons; one or two were my fault, the thousand other faults belonged to other people - but having had a weekend of creative tasks and writing I can honestly say I've returned to me. My fingers simply wish to dance upon the keyboards and spy the line of characters spreading across the white page. I'm back, and if feels great.

So, my plans for this week - to polish a short story competition piece, to catch up on social media and to prepare my W.I.P for my full attention come Friday night onwards when I start my holiday. Boy, am I going to spend some serious time in my writing room.

In the interim, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of Bella Osborne's debut novel It started at sunset cottage which is published on Thursday, as well as Jo Thomas' The Olive Branch.

'Rhinestone Cowboy'

Have you ever been transported back in time by a song? I'm sure we all have at some point in our lives... I'd feel a little sorry for you if you hadn't. Well, it happened to me this week having taken a phone call to inform me that my grandmother had died. I was seated in the Library of Birmingham, currently my favourite building, waiting to attend my writers' group when the sad news came through. I was expecting the news so it wasn't such a shock but I wasn't where I'd imagined I might be taking such a phone call but given the nature and circumstance of her death - it was a pretty good place to be.

Afterwards as I quietly sat watching the world go by and absorbing the news a song burst into head - without warning, manners and no apparent thought. It simply appeared. Not a song my grandmother would sing or have chosen as it doesn't represents her personality in anyway, but it did signify a specific moment in time for me: Glen Campbell's 'Rhinestone Cowboy'. Any relative reading this has just grimaced and is still staring in horror at the screen at such an unlikely association. Hey, I'm just being honest, I can't help how my creative brain stores memories and images!  Anyhow the track burst onto my head transporting me back to being 6 years old, seated in Nan's 1970s lounge, where I'd sat mesmerised by the words/images on hearing this track for the first time in my life - on vinyl, I may add. The images and sensations were so, so vivid - as if I were actually back there. Anyway, for the rest of Wednesday evening the song was like a backing track swirling about my mind until sleep arrived.

Thursday morning after that initial 'eyes open and brain remembers the event of yesterday' shock - it started up again. I taught five lessons, conducted detentions and attended another writers' meeting with 'Rhinestone cowboy' blaring in my head.

Friday wasn't as bad, but still I simply had to silence Glen Campbell crooning in my head.

Music has always been a powerful stimulus in my life that I consciously use to my advantage while writing to create moods, situations and visual reminders... and sometimes it takes over of its own accord.

So, having no choice but to submit and welcome Glen Campbell as the new addition to my song box of memories I thought it best to reorganise my list of 'Desert Island discs'.

1. 'We love to boogie' - T Rex
2. 'Town Called malice' - The Jam
3. 'Dancing Queen' - Abba
4. 'Bring me sunshine' - Morcombe and Wise
5. 'I vow to be thy country' - a traditional hymn
6. 'Let it be me' - Everly Brothers
7. 'I want to hold your hand' - Beatles
8. Rhinestone Cowboy  - Glen Campbell (should you wish to hear the inside of my head for the last four days!)

Having regained silence, I'll return to my desk and begin my writing - chuckling every now and then because this surprise musical experience really hasn't been the memories of my nan that I'd have banked on!

Apologies to anyone that has spoken to me since Wednesday but now you know what was occurring in my head!

My writing room - one year anniversary

Ever wondered how productive having you own writing space would be? For numerous years whilst pitched in the corner of the dining room, with more traffic than Piccadilly Circus, it was a question I regularly pondered. I spent hours longing for my own space. Frequently, I'd moan about household distractions, constant interruptions or even the lack of respect that my creative corner received from others. Was it an excuse to avoid knuckling down to write? An excuse for my lack of focus? Or simply the truth expressed by Ms Woolfe - I needed my own room.

Today 3rd January 2015, I can answer those question honestly, with evidence to support*. Ms Woolfe was correct, I simply needed my own room. It wasn't plain moaning and griping but an honest desire that I knew would enhance my productivity.

Today is the anniversary of my writing room, the single spare bedroom that I emptied then quickly refilled with writing paraphernalia. A room that I have visited each day since taking ownership, a room that has become my creative space where I've managed to produce 213,704 words. I'll type that again, if felt good - 213,704 words. OMG! Who would have thought it? Those 213,704 words have been shared between novels, short stories, poems and blog updates but each and every one has sprung from my muse and my fingertips.

I always knew a writing room was going to be a significant advantage to me but having experienced the last year... I would suggest all would-be-writers start fighting for 'your space'.

I feel there is a psychology regards the writing room:

• I flip straight into writing mode on every visit.
• My work notes scatter the floor - on returning I pick up the idea thread as if I'd never left.
• A validation has emerged regards my work and efforts.
• Others have developed a recognition regards my efforts.
• Everything I need to write is in one space making the task feel easier.
• A level of professionalism has developed  - no longer my hobby.

Subconsciously I knew what I was missing, I needed a 'Narnia' - that special place where the magic could happen. In short, taking ownership of my writing room has possibly been the most significant step I've taken towards my writing goals.

Here's to a fresh writing year - fingers crossed that by 3rd January 2016 I'll have a lot more to celebrate!

* Yes, I'm a spreadsheet freak who writes down her daily output... but hey, it comes in handy for knowing your productivity x

My writing room...