Well after the blogging holiday over Christmas and the setting of some writing goals it was inevitable that I would choose a word that consolidated my intentions for the New Year.
I decided against setting resolutions this year. I usually make them with good intentions on January 1st and by February I've forgotten all about them. So this year I decided to just set some rather woolly intentions - being kinder to myself, having a little adventure each month for example - and I hope I'll feel better about myself by the end of the year.
However my writing goals are more rigorous and hence my #WOTD is 'resolve'. In order to succeed with them I need to use all my resolve. I want to get into a more regular writing habit, writing something daily would be ideal. However, in order to do this I have to resolve to stop watching day-time TV. I know, I know - why am I wasting time watching trashy day-time TV? I don't tend to turn the TV off after we've watched the Breakfast TV headlines in the morning and I get sucked into programmes that I don't need to watch (Jeremy Kyle?!?)
So I resolve to turn the TV off each morning and do something more productive instead. If I can't bear the quiet I'll stick on a CD! But I will move away from using the TV as 'chewing gum for the eyes' and use my time better.
Friday, 8 January 2016
Tuesday, 5 January 2016
Setting some Writing Goals for 2016
I'm not very good at setting goals and, more importantly, sticking to them. But it's traditional to do so at this time of year so I've decided to set myself some writing goals for this year. I'm under no illusions that I'll achieve them all but it's something to aim for, isn't it?
1. I want to write regularly. I'm guilty of wasting time and faffing around which gets very little done. This year I'd like to be more disciplined about my writing rather than playing about at it. To make this happen I'm going to schedule some writing time into my day - time to spend with the TV off (my worst distraction!), time when I won't feel guilty about spending time writing (it's not messing about after all).
2. I'd like to get at least one piece of extended writing done this year. No more bits started and never finished on the laptop, a proper piece of writing that has a beginning, middle and end! I'm not going to put too much pressure on by saying I want to write a novel but I'd like to end the year feeling as if there's a finished 'something' on the laptop.
3. I want to write more poetry. I have tended to move away from poetry recently despite writing a fair bit when I was younger - very pretentious stuff mainly but a few pieces that I still like.
4. I would like to feel brave enough to submit some writing for competitions or prizes. Naturally I'll need to have a body of decent work to choose from which means getting 1 and 3 sorted but it would be a real boost to my confidence to do something like that.
5. This would be a good year to release some more of my writing into the wild. I'm very reluctant to share my writing with others as I'm lacking in confidence about what I write. I think I need to engage with more writers and have the confidence to set my writing out for some serious scrutiny. Although it's a bit scary to think about dong it ...
6. This is the 'pie in the sky' one. I'd like to get a piece published somewhere. Nothing like publishing my first novel but maybe a little piece in a local paper or magazine. Small start but you know what they say about acorns!
So those are my writing goals. Here's hoping I revisit them at the end of the year and can report some success!
1. I want to write regularly. I'm guilty of wasting time and faffing around which gets very little done. This year I'd like to be more disciplined about my writing rather than playing about at it. To make this happen I'm going to schedule some writing time into my day - time to spend with the TV off (my worst distraction!), time when I won't feel guilty about spending time writing (it's not messing about after all).
2. I'd like to get at least one piece of extended writing done this year. No more bits started and never finished on the laptop, a proper piece of writing that has a beginning, middle and end! I'm not going to put too much pressure on by saying I want to write a novel but I'd like to end the year feeling as if there's a finished 'something' on the laptop.
3. I want to write more poetry. I have tended to move away from poetry recently despite writing a fair bit when I was younger - very pretentious stuff mainly but a few pieces that I still like.
4. I would like to feel brave enough to submit some writing for competitions or prizes. Naturally I'll need to have a body of decent work to choose from which means getting 1 and 3 sorted but it would be a real boost to my confidence to do something like that.
5. This would be a good year to release some more of my writing into the wild. I'm very reluctant to share my writing with others as I'm lacking in confidence about what I write. I think I need to engage with more writers and have the confidence to set my writing out for some serious scrutiny. Although it's a bit scary to think about dong it ...
6. This is the 'pie in the sky' one. I'd like to get a piece published somewhere. Nothing like publishing my first novel but maybe a little piece in a local paper or magazine. Small start but you know what they say about acorns!
So those are my writing goals. Here's hoping I revisit them at the end of the year and can report some success!
Sunday, 3 January 2016
Dreams - What's That About Then?
I dream a lot. By that I mean that I remember my dreams when I wake up more than many people.
Some of my dreams are just plain weird and make me wonder about my sanity; some are so naughty that I wake up blushing; some are really sad and I wake up in tears. I enjoy thinking about my dreams and they have provided some inspiration for writing in the past. But last night I had a dream that really got me thinking.
I was at the top of a tower, something like a lighthouse, with spiral stairs going down. I was in labour and I knew that I had to get to the bottom of the tower before I gave birth to the baby. As I struggled down the steps I passed windows or apertures which looked out over a succession of views - some pastoral scenes with sheep, fields and trees; some industrial scenes with streets, roads and houses in a Victorian era; some coastal scenes with the sea, a beach and cliffs in the distance. There were also doors at intervals and I looked through them into a variety of rooms - a large Georgian ballroom with dancers swirling around the floor; a spacious barn with straw on the floor and horses in stalls; a dusty garage with tools hanging from the rafters. I only went into one which was a shop with furniture and housewares. I wandered around the shop, stroking the fabrics and peering through the coloured glass vases. There were no other people in the shop and the shop assistants kept their distance so I was alone as I browsed. On a bottom shelf I saw some gloves and picked up a brightly striped pair with open palms like driving gloves. They also had leather finger tips. I tried them on and they felt so wonderful that I bought them. I returned to the stairs and kept going down, still in labour. Each time I looked out of a window I noticed that despite going down I wasn't getting any closer to the bottom of the tower.
I woke up before I got to the bottom or gave birth. So I have no idea if I made it to the bottom before the baby was born which is a bit frustrating but I'm glad I don't have a baby to show for it!
So what is it all about then? It was such a surreal dream compared to the ones I normally have that I think there may be a message in there somewhere. I think my subconscious is trying to tell me something and I'd be a fool not to listen.
" I have spread my dreams under your feet. Tread softly because you tread on my dreams "
W.B.Yeats
Some of my dreams are just plain weird and make me wonder about my sanity; some are so naughty that I wake up blushing; some are really sad and I wake up in tears. I enjoy thinking about my dreams and they have provided some inspiration for writing in the past. But last night I had a dream that really got me thinking.
I was at the top of a tower, something like a lighthouse, with spiral stairs going down. I was in labour and I knew that I had to get to the bottom of the tower before I gave birth to the baby. As I struggled down the steps I passed windows or apertures which looked out over a succession of views - some pastoral scenes with sheep, fields and trees; some industrial scenes with streets, roads and houses in a Victorian era; some coastal scenes with the sea, a beach and cliffs in the distance. There were also doors at intervals and I looked through them into a variety of rooms - a large Georgian ballroom with dancers swirling around the floor; a spacious barn with straw on the floor and horses in stalls; a dusty garage with tools hanging from the rafters. I only went into one which was a shop with furniture and housewares. I wandered around the shop, stroking the fabrics and peering through the coloured glass vases. There were no other people in the shop and the shop assistants kept their distance so I was alone as I browsed. On a bottom shelf I saw some gloves and picked up a brightly striped pair with open palms like driving gloves. They also had leather finger tips. I tried them on and they felt so wonderful that I bought them. I returned to the stairs and kept going down, still in labour. Each time I looked out of a window I noticed that despite going down I wasn't getting any closer to the bottom of the tower.
I woke up before I got to the bottom or gave birth. So I have no idea if I made it to the bottom before the baby was born which is a bit frustrating but I'm glad I don't have a baby to show for it!
So what is it all about then? It was such a surreal dream compared to the ones I normally have that I think there may be a message in there somewhere. I think my subconscious is trying to tell me something and I'd be a fool not to listen.
" I have spread my dreams under your feet. Tread softly because you tread on my dreams "
W.B.Yeats
Friday, 1 January 2016
Happy New Year!
I've taken a short break from the blog over Christmas but it felt right to pop in and mark the New Year.
I've read several blog posts summing up the old year and looking forward to 2016; I've read several blog posts setting out resolutions for the coming year. But the posts that have resonated most with me have been of a different kind.
Some people are writing about not setting out goals or resolutions this year. Their reasons for doing this are varied but basically they are opting out of the January nonsense of New Year Resolutions.
I've spent far too much time and thought over the years setting resolutions which have been forgotten or broken by the end of January (if they even lasted that long ...) I dabbled with doing Veganuary where you go vegan for the month of January but the idea of a whole month of oat milk in my tea was too much. I nearly went with the age old ones of losing weight and getting fit but I know that these are ones I've failed at far too often.
Last year I resolved to read a book by a new author each month and although I didn't really keep track I'm sure I managed 12 new authors in 2015. But I have no idea what other resolutions I made so the chances are I failed at those.
And therein lies the problem. I'm fed up with failing. I do it all too often and it knocks my confidence every time. It takes so much energy to build myself back up after a knockdown. So I've decided that I won't so that anymore. And I'm not making any resolutions either as they're just another way to set myself up to fail.
So this year I'm resolving to be kinder to myself, to do things that make me happy, to have a little adventure each month, to enjoy the simple things in life. And if I happen to eat a bit healthier and go to the gym more, then so much the better. But if I don't, so what?
Happy New Year everyone!
I've read several blog posts summing up the old year and looking forward to 2016; I've read several blog posts setting out resolutions for the coming year. But the posts that have resonated most with me have been of a different kind.
Some people are writing about not setting out goals or resolutions this year. Their reasons for doing this are varied but basically they are opting out of the January nonsense of New Year Resolutions.
I've spent far too much time and thought over the years setting resolutions which have been forgotten or broken by the end of January (if they even lasted that long ...) I dabbled with doing Veganuary where you go vegan for the month of January but the idea of a whole month of oat milk in my tea was too much. I nearly went with the age old ones of losing weight and getting fit but I know that these are ones I've failed at far too often.
Last year I resolved to read a book by a new author each month and although I didn't really keep track I'm sure I managed 12 new authors in 2015. But I have no idea what other resolutions I made so the chances are I failed at those.
And therein lies the problem. I'm fed up with failing. I do it all too often and it knocks my confidence every time. It takes so much energy to build myself back up after a knockdown. So I've decided that I won't so that anymore. And I'm not making any resolutions either as they're just another way to set myself up to fail.
So this year I'm resolving to be kinder to myself, to do things that make me happy, to have a little adventure each month, to enjoy the simple things in life. And if I happen to eat a bit healthier and go to the gym more, then so much the better. But if I don't, so what?
Happy New Year everyone!
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