Category Archives: Writing

Background to writing

May 31, 2011 · 1:42 pm

Writers’ Time Management – I should be so lucky!

I have two precious days per week to write. I’m so lucky. Oh, just wait a minute – I can hear that the washing machine’s just finished. Be back in a mo………………

Hi again. Where was I? Oh yes. I like to start to write early. I spend some time getting my thoughts together, rereading my previous work and then I begin to let the words tumble out of my brain. This is pure novel writing or working on my current project and I like to leave any research until the afternoon. Oh, just a minute, there’s the post man………. Two bills to pay, nothing interesting. Now what was I saying?

How do writers cope with interruptions, the phone ringing, the washing to put out on the line, the floor that needs hoovering ……………all those things that just get in the way?

If I can try to find three clear hours to focus on my writing in the morning then I see myself as fortunate. It can be quite a selfish life. I used to visit friends in my holidays but now I just write. It’s addictive verging on an obsession. In order to cope with the frustrating demands of the day I’ve made myself a few ground rules and that seems to help me to remain focussed and less frustrated by my lack of progress:

  • I treat my writing like anyone working from home. It deserves no less than my undivided attention. 
  • I leave any research until the afternoon unless it requires a visit, when I give myself the time off wholeheartedly
  • I leave all social media networking until lunchtime or the afternoon when I catch up on Twitter, my blog and Facebook
  • If I have to put the washing out or do a mundane chore at home I think while I work, or better still leave it ’til later if I can get away with it
  • I am struggling with the last one; the desire to  be able to ignore bits on the carpet and leave the cleaner in the cupboard until another day, but i’m working on it!

That means leaving the post on the mat and sometimes not answering the phone. You see, there’s nothing worse than being in full flow, the scene coming to life in my head and the characters buzzing, when I answer the phone and it’s the bank trying to sell me a better deal in home insurance.

No offence meant to the poor person on the end of the line intended!

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May 23, 2011 · 5:04 pm

Is a blog writer really a writer?

The term ‘writer’ had blurred at the edges with new technology, so has the term ‘published writer’. All sorts of people are honing their skills in producing the written word by starting a blog in an area of their interest.

Because they are doing it for free, does it mean that they are no less ‘writers’?

The topics of these blogs are diverse to the extreme from Travel Logs, Gardening Tips, Thoughts of the Day, Religious Experiences, Writing, Fishing, Saving the Planet or just their little bit of it……… you name it; Someone out there is blogging about it.

A lady I know who, as it happens, was unsure whether she could call herself ‘a writer,’ has spent a year blogging about whatever enters her head. It is witty, poignant, thought provoking …… and she has gained up to 300 readers per post. Remarkable! ( Tales from Lewis Lodge    &      Everyday Life and Faith Rachel J Lewis)

Another lady I know has set up two blogs and a gallery sharing with us her amazing photos; snapshots of moments in life which she has captured whilst working on the small island of Dominica (A Day in the life of Dominica last post August 2010) and now more recently in Uganda (Ella Rhychlewski’s Portfolio & A Picture a Day -Uganda). Her following is now enormous, and her collection of photos and comments seem to encapsulate the essence of these far flung places; far flung to me, but not to those who live there.  My belief is that the populace could be flattered by her daily commitment to celebrate their everyday lives and scenes. She writes her posts in a batch, with timed daily publications so that it does not become a chore, and well deserves her following of over 1,000 readers on some days.

One day these two ladies will be snapped up by a journal  or some kind of publication and will be paid for what they do. Meanwhile, what a wonderful portfolio of evidence of their ability they are collecting for all the world to read.

Not only are both ladies successful writers in that so many people like to read or view their work that but they enjoy it and surely that’s what writing is all about?

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May 19, 2011 · 3:56 pm

Why do Writers Blog? or To Blog or not to Blog?

Some people have asked me why I write a blog when I could be concentrating on my current novel and as usual I cannot generalise but can only give my personal points of view. Here are some of my thoughts on the matter:

  1. Promotion The obvious reason, initially, was to promote my debut novel ‘Riduna’ by writing a variety of topics which might interest a target reader, such as pertinent places, people and events. A fun way to link up with like minded people.
  2. Writing Background Information to my novel Secondly it gave me an opportunity to write about my research for ‘Riduna’ giving more background information to my readers not available on my website.
  3. Advertise News of Events It freed my from the constraints of my website which I had no control over, so that between my diary blog and my theme blog I could advertise events etc without continually contacting my Webmaster.  (as he hides in his capsule – Do not Disturb! – I’m busy with more technical stuff – Only Joking Peter if you’re reading this!)
  4. Writing about writing I didn’t want my blog to be just a writer’s blog about writing – excellent though some of the ones I’ve read are –  on why, how and what I write – but I did want to explore the way in which I write and describe, not only how my writing has developed over the last few years, ever honing my skills, but also share my mistakes and frustrations along the way. Writing is like teaching. It is a continuous learning curve and the time you think you’ve got it almost perfect is probably the time to give up.
  5. Topical Posts A blog is an ideal opportunity for a novel writer like myself, to write about a variety topics, in fact whatever’s on my mind at the time. These are my ‘one off’ blogs when I share personal thoughts and experiences.
  6. It is a platform to reach an audience sometimes the unexpected. You never know who is reading your posts.  My highest number of readers on a day is 65. That’s great because the graphs show a steady increase month by month. A few respond, not always by leaving a comment but usually by sharing a tweet on twitter or writing on facebook.
  7.  Social Media Networking I’m excited to follow in the footsteps of some famous authors in discovering the way that Twitter, Facebook and blogs all link up and each seem to generate a different type of audience. My understanding of how it all works has been a little slow off the mark but I’m on a journey and it’s an exciting one.
  8. Two way communication I was talking to a Journalist of a national newspaper and it was interesting to think that his readers are on the whole faceless and voiceless. Almost the moment I have published my blog I can be reached by readers from all over the world. One moment I have made a lady in Canada feel homesick for the island of her birth and on another I’m reached by a lady in Australia whose literature teacher at school was similar to mine. 

So why do I blog? Because I enjoy doing it!

Next post in this theme ‘Is a Blog Writer a Real Writer?’ comments on a postcard please and sent asap

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