You Know Who You Are.

10/14/2011 12:10:26 AM

Last week I thought the more I learned, the less I knew. This was based on me thinking I had grasped the concept of delivering a good book, only to discover I was nowhere close.

Now, through the wonderful patience and advice of expert friends, new friends and acquaintances, blogs and websites, I am finding my way through the minefield.

The time for me to take a leap of faith is drawing near and thank goodness I have an amazing amount of support for what I am trying to achieve. Without it, I would be standing on that muddy field alone, eyes screwed tightly shut, fingers crossed (metaphorically speaking, as I can’t actually cross them anymore), with my foot hovering unsteadily over unknown and dangerous ground.

As it is, with my family and friends cheering me on and others fearlessly walking beside me, guiding and prompting, I am not afraid to take those necessary steps.

Thank you to those showing me the way and thank you to the noisy rabble on the other side of the field for being there in all weathers.

Just Keep Swimming.

10/8/2011 5:04:20 PM

I am having a sofa/hot chocolate moment. In fact, I have had a sofa/hot chocolate moment all week.

This time last week, I was in a tee-shirt and shorts, sitting on the beach, thinking nothing of the fact many people were splashing about in the sea. What a difference seven days can make. I have just switched on the heating.

I am not so keen on this weather – it turns my nails blue and leaves me with a desire for syrup sponge puddings (yes, in the plural) and cable-knit woolies, which is unfortunate, since I cannot tolerate wool. It also leaves me with less disposable energy, the bulk being used for keeping warm. The net result is a loss of productivity, hence the delay in getting my blog out, and for that I apologise.

This will be an interesting season for me; I am more determined than ever to become a published author but am spending my first winter on reduced medication for Rheumatoid Arthritis. One of the symptoms of RA is fatigue and what with fighting the cold weather, I had it in bucket loads this week. The term I used on Twitter was ‘swimming through treacle’. Back to the sponge puddings, then.

I hadn’t realised how much energy is required for writing, after all, I simply sit at my desk or on a comfy sofa and push a pen or tap some buttons. The sitting part I can do and did exceptionally well Monday through to Friday; it was the actual writing with which I struggled. My tired mind could not string two sentences together.

This was noticeable at Off The Cuff, the writing group I attend, when both my submissions for the morning were, quite frankly, a load of tosh. I’m not suggesting I produce masterpieces on a regular basis, if at all, but this week, my spark had definitely gone out.

How do writers overcome this?

My solution was to go to bed and sleep, or slump on the sofa and watch programmes I wouldn’t normally watch – I particularly liked one on Beeb 2 about the history of rooms – it was fascinating. These non-activities certainly restored some energy, but inspiration was still lacking. It wasn’t until yesterday evening, when I was chatting with my long-suffering friends, that I began to feel able to put pen to paper.

My friends shared their honeymoon stories and their chocolate – true friends indeed – and made me laugh so much, I became energised and inspired. We have the beginnings of a romantic comedy. I’m not sure how that’s going to pan out, as I have never tried my hand at romcom, but humour can get us through the toughest times.

Some new Twitter friends also lifted my spirits this week by reminding me that if something made me happy, then it was worth the effort. And writing makes me happy.

So, this is what I have learned; a kind word, love and laughter and chocolate will help me overcome pretty much anything.

As will syrup sponge puddings.

Tweet, Tweet.

I have become a serial Tweeter. Don’t believe people when they say it is a time waster. Certainly, as a writer, it lends itself to what we call a displacement activity, but the wealth of information that can be passed in 140 characters or less is amazing.

Now that I am finally getting to grips with the ‘netiquette’, I’m hoping my new Twitter friends and acquaintances can see that I’m neither a crazy, obsessive stalker or that I take the kind ‘follows’ for granted. Every time I receive notification that someone new is following my tweets, I smile – how lovely it feels to know people are interested in what I have to say. It’s the same with my blog, and so you know, I do not take any one of you for granted. I appreciate every visit.

I am following some cracking Tweeters, who never fail to make me laugh and are very happy to engage in friendly banter. Others I follow are very generous with their time and expertise and point me in the ‘write’ direction or give me spot-onPhoenixadvice.

The amount of information that has been tweeted and retweeted this week has been phenomenal with regard to writing and publishing and Wednesday was undoubtedly the highlight of the week, when the Society of Authors held a tweetathon to bring to the nation’s attention, the plight of the short story.

An author from the Society tweeted the first line of what was to be a five line and therefore, short story, with Tweeters providing the next four lines. The best submission of each section was added to the story, ultimately producing a 670 character story.

It was fantastic fun and will be running for the next four Wednesdays. Take a look at #soatale and join in. Help increase the popularity of the short story.

This week, I was like a sponge, soaking up all the information I could, to the tag line; the world is my moisture. If you’ve not ventured into the world of Twitter, it is worth a look, but try not to let it distract you from, well, life.

I can be found as @Laura_E_James.

Comments:

 

newwriter:

9/18/2011 10:13:27 AM

Twitter.

You’re not wrong Laura it’s amazing what you can learn from few short lines. But as you say it can be addictive, 3am I got to bed the other night and that was just following links. I never tweeted a single word.

Mentally Pale.

9/8/2011 11:36:40 AM

I’m feeling pale today, like this colour.

It is the result of too many late nights and not enough inactivity of the brain.

I was up until the early hours editing Truth Or Dare?. When the words are flowing, I find it virtually impossible to tear myself away from the keyboard, but strangely, it’s Guilt and a disapproving look from Mrs Sensible, that get me to bed.

There is a clock on the bottom right hand of my monitor screen and when I’m writing, my eyes continually flick to it. They’re doing it now; 09:48. This morning, when I saw 02:20 on the PC clock, I felt guilty at not being in bed and thought I had best make my way up before I got told off. At my age, it is a ridiculous thought, but it is a response which was instilled in me as a youth and is now forever ingrained within. Sense kicked in too, as I accepted the idea my family has certain expectations of me; functioning as a human being, for one. And so it was, I exchanged the PC’s black corner clock for a fuzzy red one in the bedroom and by the time I got into bed and pulled the duvet up, the clock read a wobbly 02:40. But could I get to sleep? No. My brain was still running over the new scenes I had added and was working out a way to connect them to existing ones. It was chilly too. I contemplated switching on my electric blanket, but the on/off switch clunks loudly and I was trying to be quite, so that I didn’t get told off for sneaking up to bed late.

Eventually, I stopped thinking and stopped noticing the cold. I didn’t dream anything worth remembering. It would have been in sepia if I had.

When I woke, I felt pale.

I am wearing fuchsia pink today. I was hoping to fool myself in to feeling awake and vibrant, but it’s yet to work. Even the dark, warm sweetness of an autumnal hot chocolate has failed to colour my complexion; but according to one kind (and very tanned) lady at the school, I look happy and cheerful. I think that’s just my facial muscles taking the path of least resistance.

Early to bed tonight, then? Well, I say that now, but Writing is a very persuasive playmate who likes to stay up late.

 Comments:

Laura:

9/9/2011 12:39:52 AM

Mental Paleness.

Very poetic, Gail, and much appreciated. Thank you. xx

  Gail Reynolds:

9/8/2011 1:07:01 PM

Pale in colour.

Can I say, it is not how pale you feel or look on the outside its how bright the spark inside is?!

(from the tanned lady) xx

The 3 R’s.

8/27/2011 10:52:36 PM

Traditionally, the 3 R’s are for Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, but this week they have stood for reading, writing and resting.

I ordered three books from an online bookstore at the beginning of the week and they arrived midweek. The postman decided to rap twice very loudly on the door and if that wasn’t enough to wake the dead, he rang the doorbell. At the time, I was sitting silently, absorbed in editing Truth or Dare?. I nearly passed out. With my heart still booming, I got up from the sofa, tweaking a muscle in my back as I did so, reached the door and received my package. I smiled politely and quietly thanked the postman, eager to return to the sofa, to ease my back and open the cardboard parcel. Now, bear in mind that with my left hand still in a splint (and therefore rendered more or less useless), and the other weakened with rheumatoid arthritis, opening a package is not easy, but I was desperate to get in there as I knew it contained three new books. I could smell them.

After venting my frustration at my own inadequacies, I decided my best chance of opening the parcel was to use my teeth. You know that strange feeling you can get when someone scrapes their fingernails down the blackboard or when you accidentally touch the rough surface of a nail file or sandpaper? Well, tearing cardboard with one’s teeth produces the exact same feeling, not to mention the noise it creates as the ‘riiiippp’ resonates around one’s head. I wouldn’t recommend it as a preferred method of opening such packages. It really did set my teeth on edge.

Having got over the palpitations, the muscle strain, the cardboard induced headache and the strange swirly feeling in my stomach, I finally got my not so good hand on my new books. It had been worth the teeth edging.

I purchased: Erica James – Promises Promises, Jill Mansell – To The Moon and Back, and Carole Matthews – The Only Way Is Up.

Now, I am an established fan of both Erica James and Jill Mansell, but Carole Matthews is a first.

Rarely do I have the opportunity just to kick back and read for hours on end, but the children occupied themselves, the cats went off to play in the hedges and I was left to sit quietly, rest and read. I forwent the writing. In two days, I read Promises Promises. It was a lovely read, which had me smiling throughout – a classic Erica James novel. I finished it last night and went straight on to The Only Way Is Up and reached page 117, only putting it down because it was half past stupid o’clock.

Isn’t it lovely to discover an author you haven’t read before and then find you enjoy their work?

I would describe this book as having a direct style – I need to read more of Ms Matthews’ books to form an opinion of her writing style, but I liked the immediacy of this story. By page 26, the reader is right in the thick of it. The story is fast paced and full of action.

As I have said before, in a previous blog, the advice to writers is to a)write every day (I’m sure I read the other day to write even if it is a shopping list) and b)read, read, read – particularly the sort of books you would like to write.

I have learned three very different things from both of these books: The description and action of some of the characters in Promises Promises produced such believable and in some cases, detestable characters, I could feel my hackles rising whenever they appeared. In TOWIU, I have not yet found a character to detest (that may come later), but I have found the current characters to be extremely believable and I can picture their type. I have learned that the clues to their personalities are in how they dress, how they speak and how they treat and react to other characters. Now, that may seem obvious, but to me, it wasn’t. These two books helped create a lightbulb moment.

In terms of the structure of the stories, TOWIU has shown me that I need to get to the action quicker – my openings are too ponderous, and PP has shown me how to change viewpoints without disrupting the flow of the story; POV’s are something I have struggled horrendously with.

It is a given that I will enjoy and learn from Jill Mansell’s book.

I may regard novels differently now that I have written one, but first and foremost, I enjoy the read, I enjoy getting lost in the story and I enjoy the feeling of satisfaction at finishing it.

If you enjoy romance/romantic comedies and if you are looking for excellent examples of how to write, you will not go far wrong with these three ladies.

That’s me done for now.

See you next time.

Matchsticks or Trolley Jacks?

8/16/2011 11:21:51 AM

Oh man. I’m tired. Matchsticks simply are not strong enough to prop open my eyelids. I’ve had to drag myself out to the garage and retrieve the trolley jacks.
I’ve had the luxury of four entire days to myself and have spent the time eating chocolate and editing Truth Or Dare? It has been a fantastic opportunity to break the back of it and I have exploited it to its fullest, but boy, am I tired. I might give four in the morning a miss for the next few nights – I need to re-energise, besides these jacks weigh an absolute ton.
I think I have developed addict-like tendencies with writing. I am compelled to write and if something gets in my way and prevents me from spending time with my pen and paper, I become antsy. I buy pens and books and secrete them away, not intending to use them, but happy in the knowledge I have emergency supplies in times of desperate need. A trip to Staples is a day out for me. Oh yes.
My friends say my mind is always on the go. I think that’s a good thing; it keeps the brain active, but perhaps I should apply it to everyday life from time to time, because the stories I hear out in the real world, I couldn’t make up. I’m always on the lookout for a title, a phrase or a snippet of conversation that gets my imagination going – I spend my time thinking ‘what if I this happened?’ or ‘I wonder why they’re standing outside the bank…’.
Well, back to reality – the washing machine has beeped at me, demanding my attention.
Might need some help here – I can’t move the trolley jacks…

Resting.

8/12/2011 12:34:19 AM

I recently had my thumb fused, which has set me back a little with my writing. For some reason, although it was an excellent operation, it knocked me for six.
With little sleep and even less energy, I have not written for a couple of weeks; I have returned to Truth Or Dare? to continue with the editing, but have not tackled anything new since I last posted. Hopefully, with some extreme sleeping, normality will be resumed.
I am still considering publishing The Girl Who Changed The Rules online, on a fortnightly basis. I wonder what sort of readership it would attract. How much would constitute a good read each time? A couple of pages? If you have any thoughts on this, I would appreciate reading them. Thanks.
Currently, I am reading two books and hoping to start the third soon. The first is an easy read by Melissa Hill, called The Last To Know – I have not read any of this author before, but a friend lent it to me and said I should give it a go. It has held my interest, although I found the start a little confusing; that may just be me post-op. The second is Ulysses, by James Joyce. Now, the reason I wanted to read this is because I am a huge Kate Bush fan and amongst all of the songs of hers I love, is one called The Sensual World, and she borrowed the lines from Ulysses to form the basis of the song. I was intrigued enough to want to find out why the story inspired KB to write a song. I have not got very far as of yet, but will let you know what I think of it in a few years time. The third book is Room – bought for my birthday by a dear friend – I have not ventured into this yet as I am saving it for the right time.
I have a fourth ready to read, written by a friend of mine, who also attends Off The Cuff writing group – Pamela Gaull. Her book is called The Darkness Of Dreams. I have made a start and that will probably be the next one I finish after The Last To Know.
There are two pieces of advice that have stuck with me – read, read, read and write, write, write; that way, our own writing skills will improve. Well, in order to maintain the balance, I think tonight will be a reading night.

You Need Hands.

7/30/2011 11:26:17 PM

I had a thumb fusion on Tuesday. It was the best operation I’ve ever had. Is that a strange thing to say? I was treated so well, it was like a morning out, with hot chocolate and hot, buttered toast as good as you’d get at your local Weatherspoons.
This is the fourth hand operation I have had with this particular surgeon, and I am exceptionally comfortable with his knowledge and ability – he has not let me down or misguided me once and it dawned on me, whilst I was lying on the table, chatting with the nurses, that it was my surgeon who had been instrumental in getting me writing and maintaining my hands so that I can continue to write. I will be thanking him in my first book.
About four years ago, I had a wrist fusion, and like this op, it was during the six weeks school holiday. I wondered what I could do with my time, as I was due to be in plaster, then splints, for the duration. Since I am right-handed and it was my left hand in a heavy back-slab, I decided to write ‘that novel’ I always said I had in me. This eventually turned into Truth Or Dare?, although it started as an entirely different story.
The following year, my surgeon gave me a new knuckle and the year after that, he repaired two ruptured tendons – that was the worst operation in terms of recovery. It seemed to take forever, and it was on my right hand. I was in a cast for six weeks and then splints for some time after that, but, as usual, my surgeon did a sterling job. He had to strip half a ‘spare’ tendon (lengthways) from the underside of my forearm and graft it in to the topside of my forearm, thus giving my fingers the ability to extend once more. For three weeks before the surgery, I worried about thanking other drivers for letting me pass, as it was the little and ring fingers that had dropped. It must have looked like I was giving them the two fingered salute!
And so to this year – my thumb fusion. Haven’t got into any trouble with other road users and did not offend the medical team when they asked what the problem was, by showing them my two working fingers.
That could explain the star treatment……
Only joking. I would like to sincerely thank the hospital staff at DCH for a lovely morning and I look forward to seeing you all again soon for my next op.
Oh yes…there is already another lined up!

The Girl Who Broke The Rules.

7/18/2011 10:45:07 PM

I have had an idea in my head for some time now, but have put off writing it down as I feel obliged to complete the edit of Truth Or Dare? and finish writing Broken Down, but the urge was too great to resist the other night, and so I have begun The Girl Who Broke The Rules.
This has already taken a different form to the other two stories and if I can write it the way it appears in my head, it will have that little something extra the first two don’t. Maybe the quirkiness of it will be the main attraction. I am not even sure I can call it a romance – not in the traditional sense – although its main theme is love.
I am attempting to keep the story from one person’s point of view – Mrs Andrews – she doesn’t have a first name yet – and everything we read is what she tells us. It is apparent that she is with her daughter, Lydia, and it is clear something very, very bad has gone down and Mrs Andrews has taken matters into her own hands in an attempt to put right what has gone so wrong.
I was playing about with the opening and put it out on Facebook – it received a positive response, I’m pleased to say. Now, I am thinking about publishing it as a serial on my website, but I’m not sure I am brave enough to commit to that – it would require great self-confidence and I am yet to achieve that with my writing. I am likely to write a chapter, publish it and then consider it not quite right and wish I had not published it until it was entirely written.
So, you see my problem. I am no Charles Dickens. I shaved the beard off for a start.

Another Late Night.

7/11/2011 12:34:21 AM

Well, it’s Monday morning, 00:34, and I should be tucked up in bed, but the coffee has kicked in and I am reasonably awake.

I’ve played Scrabble on Facebook, watched videos on You Tube of my friends singing at the Beach Live event this weekend, been upstairs to put some clothes away, blogging…anything than sorting out a troublesome paragraph in Truth Or Dare? – I am led to believe this behaviour is quite common amongst some writers – I don’t normally suffer with distraction, but I just cannot get my characters to where they need to be, quickly enough and am taking refuge in other activities.

Mind you, if the last troublesome paragraph is anything to go by, it will be three months before I sort this one.

I wouldn’t be surprised if inspiration hits at the most inopportune moment, when the only things to hand are toilet paper and toothpaste and believe me, it is not easy to take notes with either item. There have been occasions when I have had to use eye liner to make a note or write down a lyric, but with the advent of mobile phones, life has become so much more dignified … unless I have to dictate whilst I am in the cloakroom.

What you won’t have realized is that I have just spent twenty minutes, searching for inspiration. At one in the morning, with the house silent, it’s interesting to note how much echo there is in the cloakroom. I have now made a mental note to never dictate in there again. Great acoustics, so may sing instead!

Comments:

 

Laura:

7/11/2011 1:21:39 AM

Writing.

My friends singing – so cool 🙂