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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