tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53366259497137040722024-03-13T03:46:21.136-07:00Daydream believer......lost in thoughts, words, and imagination.Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5336625949713704072.post-30962548554294038242011-01-08T16:01:00.000-08:002011-01-08T16:26:47.251-08:00Today is a 3 for 1!I haven’t had chance to blog for a few days, but I have been busy scribbling away in my notebook. <strong>So here is my 3 for 1 post:</strong><br /><br /><em><strong>‘One cannot become a good writer without becoming a good reader.’<br /><br /></strong></em>This is a truth that any writer should be happy to subscribe to.<br /><br />So, what kind of reader are you?<br /><br />I am a greedy, sometimes half starved eclectic reader. Or a binge reader perhaps? Actually I’m not sure how you’d describe a person who is half way through half a dozen books, each different from the next, who devours blogs on a regular basis, and scours Amazon like most women shop for shoes.<br />The only books I don’t really enjoy are Horror or a particularly harrowing read – perhaps ‘enjoy’ is the wrong word - lets just say they are not my cup of tea.<br /><br />The exercise for January 5th was to think of one special book you remember reading as a child. Remember how it affected you, which characters meant the most to you and whether you learnt anything from it. Then re-read, so that you can relive the magic.<br /><br />Mine was Enid Blyton’s ‘Magic Faraway Tree’. It really was magic to me and I have never forgotten it. I haven’t found my copy yet, so re-reading will have to be a task for another day.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Effective Titles</span></strong><br /><br />The exercise for January 6th was to brainstorm titles, for a piece you have recently begun, to be creative, and come up with a few to choose from.<br />I decided a <a href="http://www.mind-map.com/">mind map </a>would be a good idea for this exercise. I find using a <a href="http://www.mind-map.com/">mind map </a>really helps me to generate lots of weird and wonderful ideas. Obviously there’s lots of redundant titles left over once you’ve made your final choice but ‘Waste not, want not’ as the book says. Sometimes just having a title can inspire an idea for a story, so I’ve saved the leftover titles to use as prompts in the future.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Creating Characters </span></strong><br /><br />The exercise for January 7th is to write a one to two page bio for your character.<br />To understand what might make your character more realistic, think about some of the people you already know. How they behave, what characteristics they might share and which are individual to each of them.<br /><br />You could include these attributes:<br /><br />Physical or behavioural traits<br />Temperament<br />Beliefs or lack of them<br />Their fears<br />Their likes and dislikes<br />And their eccentricities.Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5336625949713704072.post-47656790161760191962011-01-04T15:34:00.000-08:002011-01-04T16:27:47.589-08:00How do you see your relationship to your readers...<strong>...Teacher, entertainer, a voice for the Everyman?</strong><br /><br />Today I shall draft a poem or letter addressed to my fellow citizens. I will share one idea for making the world a better place.<br /><br />Fred gives some suggestions; Civic responsibility, faith in a higher power, <strong>educational reform!</strong><br /><br />I smiled broadly when I saw that last suggestion, <em>‘educational reform’ </em>now that’s something I can really talk about. In fact I may have trouble shutting up once I get started - it’s the one subject I have <em>more</em> than a just few ideas about.<br /><br />... Well, it is good to be passionate about your subject. Time to put pen to paper...<br /><br /><br />You can find all the details of the exercises in this book;<br /><br /><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?t=wwwfreeweb043-21&o=2&p=8&l=as1&asins=1582975299&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5336625949713704072.post-81031897774376539162011-01-03T16:40:00.000-08:002011-01-03T16:54:38.909-08:00Acting on Your ResolutionThe exercise for today is to make time. Easier said than done, it’s already tomorrow and this is yesterday’s post. Still, make time I shall.<br /><br />The idea behind the routine and making writing habitual is exactly what I’m aiming for. However, I was a little amused when it said you should “test the waters” for a few days, to see if you can actually manage four to five hours writing a day... WHAAAA – laughs raucously – <em>I have a three year old!</em><br /><em>'Maybe two would better for you'...</em> frankly, even that is pushing it, but then 'pushing it' <em>is </em>usually a good thing. ;-)<br /><br />P.S. You should decide what writing you'll be working on ahead of time - today I decided to use my 'time' to work on setting.Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5336625949713704072.post-82518651910906858962011-01-02T16:16:00.001-08:002011-01-02T16:21:37.911-08:00... Almost Forgot!The exercise for today involved contemplating a work of art, then imagining myself within it. I've done a similar thing before which I think worked out quite well. <br /><br />So we'll see if it works out this time...Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5336625949713704072.post-61111127254289712962011-01-02T15:19:00.000-08:002011-01-02T16:02:46.642-08:00A New Year ResolutionAs its New Year again, I have a New Year resolution.<br /><br />I will write <strong>every single day - for 365 days</strong>. Regardless of any obstacles or excuses that may seek to clutter my path.<br /><br />I have already signed up to <a href="http://ariverofstones.blogspot.com/">A River of Stones </a>It’s a one month project and the aim is for you to really notice and note down one thing everyday – here are <a href="http://atraceoftime.blogspot.com/">my small stones</a>.<br /><br />For my own project, which I’ll record on this blog, I’m going to work through the exercises in The Daily Writer.<br /><br /><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?t=wwwfreeweb043-21&o=2&p=8&l=as1&asins=1582975299&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><br />.<br /><br />There are 366 exercises (meditations) in all. (Which is quite fortunate because I only managed to locate the book amongst the Christmas clutter today - Jan 2nd!) And What I'm hoping is that I’ll be forming a serious writing habit.<br /><br />Apparently it takes only 20 times of doing something to form a habit, so by this time next year I <em>should </em>be completely addicted!Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5336625949713704072.post-60789362804276511222010-04-07T15:52:00.000-07:002010-04-07T16:49:08.702-07:00No time to for daydreamsYou may have noticed this is the first time I've written here in quite a while. I really need to develop new, productive habits. So I intend to write here more regularly, for one thing.<br /><br />I'm a daydream believer who who doesn't give herself the time to daydream anymore. It's just seems so wrong - now I've found the time to think about it.<br /><br />I used to take the time to 'stand and stare'. But there's a major problem with too much standing and staring when you have a two year old in tow - it can lead to dire consequences. And not just matters of life or limb either, I fear for my laptop, my favourite mug, or that the small collection of sticks and stones my little sunshine makes might include something less savoury.<br /><br />Still, I have from 7.00 in the night, to 7.00 in the morning, more or less to myself - though I generally like a few hours sleep in that time too!<br /><br />So I suppose it's time to turn off the plug in drug, and the Internet connection, and get on with delightful daydreaming.Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5336625949713704072.post-37441693768553097572009-06-03T14:00:00.000-07:002009-06-03T14:35:38.064-07:00beginning<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_15Wk4W7a5Yo/SibrlzhlxEI/AAAAAAAAACc/7fE_aBkUkBQ/s1600-h/blog.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343217042640454722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 172px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 163px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_15Wk4W7a5Yo/SibrlzhlxEI/AAAAAAAAACc/7fE_aBkUkBQ/s320/blog.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Who, what, where when... how to start? At the beginning I suppose. Here's a few beginnings I've just jotted down to get me out of the starting gates!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><ol><br /><li>And then she was gone...</li><br /><li>New shoes aren't always to be celebrated...</li><br /><li>I'd spent a lifetime waiting for this moment, and now it had arrived all I wanted to do was run away as far and as fast as I could.</li><br /><li>It wasn't that I wanted her to get sick, it was the sheer rush of relief that sent the words spilling out unchecked.</li></ol><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><p>Now to continue...</p>Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5336625949713704072.post-87287916655627717062009-06-02T13:39:00.000-07:002009-06-02T14:23:54.359-07:00Guilty as charged<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_15Wk4W7a5Yo/SiWShw-fd-I/AAAAAAAAACU/mOmPmL_vdcc/s1600-h/christmas+066.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342837641725310946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 174px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 170px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_15Wk4W7a5Yo/SiWShw-fd-I/AAAAAAAAACU/mOmPmL_vdcc/s320/christmas+066.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>My latest assignment;</div><div></div><br /><div><em>Write a story in which relief is clouded by guilt.</em></div><div><em></em></div><div></div><br /><div><em></em></div><br /><div>... no problem, I've got a million of them. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Perhaps I shouldn't admit to it, but almost my entire youth was a enshrouded with the surly suffocation of guilt. Nothing major, just saying no - to absolutely anything was enough to suck the air out of my lungs and uncork the dam - some days. Still time and age has allowed the cloud to dissipate somewhat. It's a relief, which of course I still feel slightly guilty about.</div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>... incidentally, the photo is supposed to represent the enshrouding guilt? Sorry, it was the best I could come up with!</div>Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5336625949713704072.post-63154911687004882952009-05-06T15:15:00.000-07:002009-05-06T15:16:06.529-07:00<em>A bad day's work is a lot better than no day's work at all.</em> <strong>Philip Pullman</strong>Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5336625949713704072.post-58512204082412191242009-04-26T15:39:00.000-07:002009-04-27T06:21:05.820-07:00Exercising away my writingProcrastination can be a tricky customer. On times it can sneak in undetected and steal away my time - and I barely even notice until suddenly the clock strikes bedtime.<br /><br />I know exercise is supposed to be a beneficial pursuit, but those 30 minutes can quickly become an hour when bookended with warm ups and cooling down. And for me life doesn't begin ‘til 7.00pm - when the little man is safely tucked up in bed.<br />It’s in those few precious hours that I have to cram my entire writing day – excepting a few notes I’ve managed to scribble throughout the day.<br /><br />Ultimately I suppose being fit and healthy is as important to being a good writer as having the time in which to write. But there’s no doubt in my mind that exercise is just another form of stealth procrastination.Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5336625949713704072.post-28663268241846916632009-04-08T13:04:00.000-07:002009-04-08T13:11:01.600-07:00In a FrenzyIt’s just over a week since <a href="http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/">Script Frenzy </a>began, and already I can feel my script morphing into a novel.<br /><br />I decided to take up the challenge because I’ve never written a script before - so why not? And as everyone is so quick to tell you how few writers make it big, or even earn a decent living from writing – I decided diversity must be the key.<br /><br />Unfortunately, so far I’ve managed just a handful of pages - still, there’s 22 days left and I’m feeling very enthusiastic and inspired about my subject matter. But there’s no denying it – my script seems to be heading like word seeking missile toward novel territory.<br /><br />Even so, as an <a href="http://www.freewebs.com/theapprenticewriter">Apprentice Writer</a>, all practice is good practice - so that’s what I shall do!Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5336625949713704072.post-29227430991210110772009-04-07T01:04:00.000-07:002009-04-07T01:06:46.680-07:00BeginningOh, if only it were as easy to start as it is to to press that final euphoric full stop.Stinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665740796750829642noreply@blogger.com0