A favourite trick of mine, I thought I would share....
Writer's Block?
Have a look at the first line of the three novels closest to you.....
Consider - What do they have in common - or not?
Now write your first line - in the style of all or none.....
Consider - why had the author chosen the original opening line? if you know the novel well - what were they trying to achieve - do you think? Your opinion here, no right or wrong answer...
Now refer back to your first line - would this work for your line?
Still stuck? well you shouldn't be - you have just written something !! so make it bigger...expand.....
write a series of lines if that helps....until something strikes you as gold....
If all else fails, pick up your novels again and read... writing can wait until another day. One thing I have learned is that you can't force inspiration.
hugs
Shani
Friday 31 October 2008
Sunday 26 October 2008
Why I.....
For my "other job" I tutor aspiring writers to achieve their goals and dreams. This started off by accident a few years ago - as almost everything does in my world.
Strange that, I never seem to end up at the destination I set off for, even in a car. Something more interesting always seems to grab my attention and I am off...much to the irritation of people around me, and concern I suspect of people who rely on my constancy such as employers etc.
Recently a few people have asked how I ended up doing this, so I will give you a brief resume...
I started off writing short stories for magazines when I was quite young, after winning a series of competitions for young authors in the local newspaper.
The back story was that I didn't spend much time at school because of an ill mother and I had to find someway to fill the isolation - so chatting to myself on paper and writing letters became a very positive way to fill the days and deal with my grief.
The short-story work led to authoring books for years - usually in someone else's name and writing "voice" and this become quite a vital part of our income and existence when I had two small children - with or without a father depending on how my first husband felt at the time.
I have never been a person who is comfortable with centre stage, I love being the person in the background doing the "tweaking" and producing the effects, far more satisfying and long lasting. Undertaking this work allowed me to practice my art without necessarily being associated with it - useful when you don't quite know how you want to really express yourself, but don't want to be pigeon-holed.
After my marriage broke up I met up with someone who had been first of all a mentor and then a lover, who was an actor by trade. Whilst spending time waiting for him on sets, I was approached to do some filling-in writing - the words were bought by the 100s (so that is why if you ever get a letter from me you will need a ream to print it off.)
This bled into TV work in my own right, and then whilst spinning on a set one day (you have to do something to fill in the hours of waiting for the magic to be constructed! otherwise you would go mad) I was asked by a producer if I was interested in helping on a craft series they were producing. Craft was very "in"
I did and ended up working on some very interesting projects, which led me into many other areas of art, and when my children started struggling in school with basic literacy - I became involved in identifying and creating a phonics project - which I took off elsewhere and sold as a concept.
Having now lost my way totally - I was even being hired to be the "argument" in talk shows at this point - I needed to regroup and think about what I actually wanted to do - which was 9-5 and working in Law for a few years (no seriously - I REALLY did want to, that might have changed now though....!)
I couldn't give up the writing, even though I didn't have time for the craft any more and managed to carry on finding various niches for my work to find a home in - magazines again, articles, essays and complaining letters over the last year or so !!
Then about three years ago, I heard about a project for well-formed writers and went along hoping to be supported and be inspired into other genres. Well I wasn't supported, but I was inspired and not quite in the way the organisation intended I suspect.
I couldn't quite believe the cynicism I was confronted with, and blatant harvesting of ideas - some now turning up on TV without the creator's name being attached, so my suspicions were not unfounded...unfortunately.
So with a nasty taste in my mouth I sat down, analysed and identified what I would want to inspire and help me create, testing this on others, and this, along with feedback has since has grown into a series of workshops and tutorials - so much so that I really have to fight to find time to write for myself nowadays - the point of the whole exercise.
So that is why I write and why my craft is so important to why I write.
They both are equally important to my identity.
Writing Prompts and Thoughts
I have really been quite inspired this week (in between fighting off people who have mistaken me for a nice person who would like to do their job for them - you know the kind I mean !! ) by various elements of popular culture.
First of all, Ian Fleming and his notebooks - leifmotif moment here again...warning...warning...
I accidentally switched on a replay of a documentary which ran on the BBC this week and there were NOTEBOOKS - loads of them, scratchy little red ones with only lines and snatches of conversation... my hero after all.... Quantum of Solace was one of those little scribbles and - hey presto - there is a film !!. I am sure more came in between but it doesn't give rise to the money shot of Joanna Lumley diving scantily clad into an azure rockpool - the whole image is a little lost on me, I am more fascinated by how she keeps her eye makeup on.
I look like a panda after having a few sly tears, how on earth does she do that....?
Anyway, I degress....
the second is a book I am reading - well have now finished.
"Divas Don't Knit" by Gil McNeil.
Now this book I quite happily accept isn't going to make a nobel prize winner or any other one - except perhaps in the woman's ASDA section. BUT it is a thoroughly enjoyable, predictable romp through the world of a person I can associate with. She is a young woman, who used to be valued in the workplace, had children and knits... a very dumbed down version of the plot, but the best I can do - whilst being shouted at on a Sunday Morning to come down stairs and do something else...
This got me thinking - what was it about the book that I enjoyed so much?
I could associate with this person's world and empathise with her journey. The narrative was easy and contemporary and it had associations with things I know about - encounters with Alpha Mums, being "volunteered" for things and knitting being only the three I can confess too !!
So all in all, this was a book that I would be quite happy to have written - so that is obviously the genre I am secretly aspiring to in my reinvented version of an author....
Thought moment - what books are on your bookshelf? WHY are you drawn to them? could this be your target audience really - rather than re-writing Tolstoy? There is little snob value in achievement...
or if you can't face binning your synopsis - which is in fact the same size as a paperback novel - outlining your plans for a saga covering 20 books - perhaps you could just take a break for a month (oh during NaNoWrimo - how convenient ) and try writing something totally different - based on your bedtime bookshelf - just to humour me if you can't find any other justification?
Just a thought....
Thirdly - well I have taken to knitting in a big way - procrastination, colour, creativity all in one package and as far away from computers as possible..... so whilst knitting I was watching Desperate Housewives - Series 1 - Episode 5 through to 11 to be precise.
In my defence, before you all email with concerns for my sanity - I was having a really bad day yesterday and decided I just wanted to sit and achieve something - anything - and this was the only way I could do it and be left alone.. apparently I have the "face" when I am knitting - and it is the kind which deters all others from finding me another "job"....
Back to Desperate Knitters - oohps - Housewives...
Yes it is fairly, well words fail me ---- still fail me. I don't get the plot and don't recognise half the characters and as for the fingernails... but they do have some really good lines which weave through the dodgy camera shots and the woman with the jammy looking mouth...
So my prompt today... anashamedly paraphrased and re-written for you here...
"As a mother she spent her mornings preparing her husband and her family for their day, during the evening, she was supportive, loyal and an einstein with the homework - but to know the person you had to know what she did with her afternoons......."
So what did she do with the afternoons...?
Or what did he find her doing with her afternoons?
Twist and turn this little gem.... I have written three seperate plot lines - over three paragraphs on three pages - all completely different starting with the above - now you have a try....
Just a quick update on the travelling notebooks - I WILL get this started this week.... inspiration sort of got in the way......
hugs everyone - please post comments and thoughts... and any tips that you have found recently to get your pen moving....
Shani
First of all, Ian Fleming and his notebooks - leifmotif moment here again...warning...warning...
I accidentally switched on a replay of a documentary which ran on the BBC this week and there were NOTEBOOKS - loads of them, scratchy little red ones with only lines and snatches of conversation... my hero after all.... Quantum of Solace was one of those little scribbles and - hey presto - there is a film !!. I am sure more came in between but it doesn't give rise to the money shot of Joanna Lumley diving scantily clad into an azure rockpool - the whole image is a little lost on me, I am more fascinated by how she keeps her eye makeup on.
I look like a panda after having a few sly tears, how on earth does she do that....?
Anyway, I degress....
the second is a book I am reading - well have now finished.
"Divas Don't Knit" by Gil McNeil.
Now this book I quite happily accept isn't going to make a nobel prize winner or any other one - except perhaps in the woman's ASDA section. BUT it is a thoroughly enjoyable, predictable romp through the world of a person I can associate with. She is a young woman, who used to be valued in the workplace, had children and knits... a very dumbed down version of the plot, but the best I can do - whilst being shouted at on a Sunday Morning to come down stairs and do something else...
This got me thinking - what was it about the book that I enjoyed so much?
I could associate with this person's world and empathise with her journey. The narrative was easy and contemporary and it had associations with things I know about - encounters with Alpha Mums, being "volunteered" for things and knitting being only the three I can confess too !!
So all in all, this was a book that I would be quite happy to have written - so that is obviously the genre I am secretly aspiring to in my reinvented version of an author....
Thought moment - what books are on your bookshelf? WHY are you drawn to them? could this be your target audience really - rather than re-writing Tolstoy? There is little snob value in achievement...
or if you can't face binning your synopsis - which is in fact the same size as a paperback novel - outlining your plans for a saga covering 20 books - perhaps you could just take a break for a month (oh during NaNoWrimo - how convenient ) and try writing something totally different - based on your bedtime bookshelf - just to humour me if you can't find any other justification?
Just a thought....
Thirdly - well I have taken to knitting in a big way - procrastination, colour, creativity all in one package and as far away from computers as possible..... so whilst knitting I was watching Desperate Housewives - Series 1 - Episode 5 through to 11 to be precise.
In my defence, before you all email with concerns for my sanity - I was having a really bad day yesterday and decided I just wanted to sit and achieve something - anything - and this was the only way I could do it and be left alone.. apparently I have the "face" when I am knitting - and it is the kind which deters all others from finding me another "job"....
Back to Desperate Knitters - oohps - Housewives...
Yes it is fairly, well words fail me ---- still fail me. I don't get the plot and don't recognise half the characters and as for the fingernails... but they do have some really good lines which weave through the dodgy camera shots and the woman with the jammy looking mouth...
So my prompt today... anashamedly paraphrased and re-written for you here...
"As a mother she spent her mornings preparing her husband and her family for their day, during the evening, she was supportive, loyal and an einstein with the homework - but to know the person you had to know what she did with her afternoons......."
So what did she do with the afternoons...?
Or what did he find her doing with her afternoons?
Twist and turn this little gem.... I have written three seperate plot lines - over three paragraphs on three pages - all completely different starting with the above - now you have a try....
Just a quick update on the travelling notebooks - I WILL get this started this week.... inspiration sort of got in the way......
hugs everyone - please post comments and thoughts... and any tips that you have found recently to get your pen moving....
Shani
Thursday 23 October 2008
Writing Prompt
An epidemic is something which spreads without empirical proof supporting the reasons why - or at least the geezer on breakfast TV proclaimed it as such yesterday.
This got me thinking, an epidemic is usually a label attached to something unpleasant or dangerous, such as flu or msra, etc.
What if it was attached to something nice such as - love or payrises...
So I starting writing about that - and whot I wrote really made me laugh, so I suppose it served its purpose and spread a little happiness and exercised my chuckle muscles...
So I pass the idea on to you and would love to hear your thoughts...
Brainstorm the idea and go forth in a flight of fancy
This got me thinking, an epidemic is usually a label attached to something unpleasant or dangerous, such as flu or msra, etc.
What if it was attached to something nice such as - love or payrises...
So I starting writing about that - and whot I wrote really made me laugh, so I suppose it served its purpose and spread a little happiness and exercised my chuckle muscles...
So I pass the idea on to you and would love to hear your thoughts...
Brainstorm the idea and go forth in a flight of fancy
Monday 20 October 2008
Sunday 19 October 2008
Writing Prompt
Good morning great scribes...
First of all, apologies for the AOL bit at the bottom of these emails. I have found a way of sending emails to the blogs/groups to save time in multiple posting, unfortunately you get the adverts as well - which ironically was the reason I left AOL in the first place - hey ho...
Thank you for your telling me how irritating they are, I too find them quite so - but it is either that and prompts, or a nothing but a creative series of broken promises from me... sorry.
Today's Prompt
"I tell it to the Sea" - is a phrase I half-heard last night -
This made me think - what would I tell to the sea? secrets, dreams, pain, sorry or happiness - but the latter, surely I would declare to the world?
So my question today - what would you tell to the Sea? or what other place would you share secrets/dreams/aspirations or simply share with?
Would they keep your secret, or would it be theirs for onward transmission?
You choose - your piece of writing... go forth and produce...
and then tell us - if you want to share - either by posting to this thread of linking to the comments.
Best wishes and have a good writing day.
Shani
First of all, apologies for the AOL bit at the bottom of these emails. I have found a way of sending emails to the blogs/groups to save time in multiple posting, unfortunately you get the adverts as well - which ironically was the reason I left AOL in the first place - hey ho...
Thank you for your telling me how irritating they are, I too find them quite so - but it is either that and prompts, or a nothing but a creative series of broken promises from me... sorry.
Today's Prompt
"I tell it to the Sea" - is a phrase I half-heard last night -
This made me think - what would I tell to the sea? secrets, dreams, pain, sorry or happiness - but the latter, surely I would declare to the world?
So my question today - what would you tell to the Sea? or what other place would you share secrets/dreams/aspirations or simply share with?
Would they keep your secret, or would it be theirs for onward transmission?
You choose - your piece of writing... go forth and produce...
and then tell us - if you want to share - either by posting to this thread of linking to the comments.
Best wishes and have a good writing day.
Shani
Friday 17 October 2008
Hints and Tips - Notebooks
I am back on the subject of notebooks again today.
Notebooks shouldn't be finished products in their own right - you shouldn't approach them with your neatest handwriting and with awe. They should be the "workhorse" of your writing - your personal point of reference for inspiration, creativity and generally getting you in the "mood" to produce work. My friend calls is the "twilight zone..." can't think why !!
Notebooks should be the starting points for developing ideas - the keyword here being "developing". Write a thought down once, then write it down again in a different way, then perhaps a third way. Revisit ideas from differing perspectives, on different days,in different moods.
Occassionally review and audit the motifs which emerge repeatedly, looking for a way to transfer them to a piece of writing which will frame them and convey the thought to maximum effect.
A notebook should be part of a "process" - so today, start a fresh page and write about something which has been bothering you and you would like to resolve....
Shani
Notebooks shouldn't be finished products in their own right - you shouldn't approach them with your neatest handwriting and with awe. They should be the "workhorse" of your writing - your personal point of reference for inspiration, creativity and generally getting you in the "mood" to produce work. My friend calls is the "twilight zone..." can't think why !!
Notebooks should be the starting points for developing ideas - the keyword here being "developing". Write a thought down once, then write it down again in a different way, then perhaps a third way. Revisit ideas from differing perspectives, on different days,in different moods.
Occassionally review and audit the motifs which emerge repeatedly, looking for a way to transfer them to a piece of writing which will frame them and convey the thought to maximum effect.
A notebook should be part of a "process" - so today, start a fresh page and write about something which has been bothering you and you would like to resolve....
Shani
Thursday 16 October 2008
Writing Prompt
"you can safely follow the good advice of a trusted companion without thinking too much about the consequences"
the above is taken from my horoscope for today - the one on google. I find horoscopes a brilliant source for inspiration. They are worded so they are relevant to 1/12th of the population so are targeted at being general and specific as a person can want to read into them.
So - free write for 10 minutes on the above and see where you end up....
Shani
the above is taken from my horoscope for today - the one on google. I find horoscopes a brilliant source for inspiration. They are worded so they are relevant to 1/12th of the population so are targeted at being general and specific as a person can want to read into them.
So - free write for 10 minutes on the above and see where you end up....
Shani
Wednesday 15 October 2008
Writing Prompt
Your opening few lines for today:
For a secret to be a secret - it can only be told to one person at a time...
but to save time and energy of repeating myself, I always tell my friend Moira first..
Last Friday, was no exception.... I just wish the floor had opened me up when.....
Now carry the story on...
See you tomorrow...
Shani
For a secret to be a secret - it can only be told to one person at a time...
but to save time and energy of repeating myself, I always tell my friend Moira first..
Last Friday, was no exception.... I just wish the floor had opened me up when.....
Now carry the story on...
See you tomorrow...
Shani
Tuesday 14 October 2008
Writing Hint and Tip
You don't have to write a novel each time you sit down to write, either at your desk or your computer. It is enough that you have actually WRITTEN something (well as long as they make vague sense and convey something to the reader - even if it is only yourself!!).
It is important to start the HABIT of writing, and you have to start somewhere and sometime, so start TODAY - now after you have read this prompt - no time like the present eh?
Define yourself in say - five sentences. Just freewrite for a few moments, in words, notes, just let your mind and pen wander. Then pick out the pertinent bits of how you would define yourself.
For example, I don't define myself through other's eyes and standards, I define myself by what I have inside and what I want to do and be in the world.
So I would go off on a five sentence rant about how I want to change the world one day at a time and where I would position myself to be most effective at achieving that change - today that would focus on something specific tomorrow it would be something else...
Some words will jump out of this free writing as most important, so work on them for a few more minutes.
There you go... writing done... and if you find this too personal, write it through the eyes of a fictional character... !! sometimes you never know which is which - am I fiction or am I real ? who cares...?
Best wishes
Shani
It is important to start the HABIT of writing, and you have to start somewhere and sometime, so start TODAY - now after you have read this prompt - no time like the present eh?
Define yourself in say - five sentences. Just freewrite for a few moments, in words, notes, just let your mind and pen wander. Then pick out the pertinent bits of how you would define yourself.
For example, I don't define myself through other's eyes and standards, I define myself by what I have inside and what I want to do and be in the world.
So I would go off on a five sentence rant about how I want to change the world one day at a time and where I would position myself to be most effective at achieving that change - today that would focus on something specific tomorrow it would be something else...
Some words will jump out of this free writing as most important, so work on them for a few more minutes.
There you go... writing done... and if you find this too personal, write it through the eyes of a fictional character... !! sometimes you never know which is which - am I fiction or am I real ? who cares...?
Best wishes
Shani
Sunday 12 October 2008
Touching Base
Hi everyone.
Things have been very quiet over the summer on the writing front and I am sorry that I haven't been able to really be around as much as I would like to.
As many of you know I have been juggling a lot of commitments over the past three years and all the plates I have been spinning came tumbling down, simply because I became too tired to keep an eye on them. Everything just collided at once - fortunately I didn't break many plates as they hit the floor but there were a few casualties and a few of my writing commitments, along with other things which gave me a lot of pleasure have been neglected.
That said I have decided to resume teaching this autumn, but only for a few groups, until I have clarified which way my life is going to go in the forseeable future. We are very probably going to have to relocate to Devon, but it is difficult to judge at present.
I hope you will understand that I only have so many days in any given week, and some of those have to be spent on me and my family - and actually writing !! You are though all very welcome to become members of Writing in the Margins, or visit the Great Western Writers at the Library - details to be found at http://www.greatwesternwriters.com/.
Over the forthcoming months I will also be looking for a regular comfy "drop-in" spot somewhere central in Bristol, where any local writers/students can meet informally - say once a month - and I will be on hand for support as you strive towards your writing goals. I tried this last year, but it all became too difficult, so I will make renewed efforts and hope that some of you will feel that you can make it.
Anyone who is interested in starting a Novel - November is the time to join NaNoWriMo - http://www.nanowrimo.org/ where you basically get into the habit of writing every day. I can commend this to you as a brilliant way of getting into zone of writing regularly.
Best wishes and please feel free to contact me by email with any of your writing queries, comments or concerns and if I can assist, I will be pleased to do so.
Shani
Things have been very quiet over the summer on the writing front and I am sorry that I haven't been able to really be around as much as I would like to.
As many of you know I have been juggling a lot of commitments over the past three years and all the plates I have been spinning came tumbling down, simply because I became too tired to keep an eye on them. Everything just collided at once - fortunately I didn't break many plates as they hit the floor but there were a few casualties and a few of my writing commitments, along with other things which gave me a lot of pleasure have been neglected.
That said I have decided to resume teaching this autumn, but only for a few groups, until I have clarified which way my life is going to go in the forseeable future. We are very probably going to have to relocate to Devon, but it is difficult to judge at present.
I hope you will understand that I only have so many days in any given week, and some of those have to be spent on me and my family - and actually writing !! You are though all very welcome to become members of Writing in the Margins, or visit the Great Western Writers at the Library - details to be found at http://www.greatwesternwriters.com/.
Over the forthcoming months I will also be looking for a regular comfy "drop-in" spot somewhere central in Bristol, where any local writers/students can meet informally - say once a month - and I will be on hand for support as you strive towards your writing goals. I tried this last year, but it all became too difficult, so I will make renewed efforts and hope that some of you will feel that you can make it.
Anyone who is interested in starting a Novel - November is the time to join NaNoWriMo - http://www.nanowrimo.org/ where you basically get into the habit of writing every day. I can commend this to you as a brilliant way of getting into zone of writing regularly.
Best wishes and please feel free to contact me by email with any of your writing queries, comments or concerns and if I can assist, I will be pleased to do so.
Shani
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