Writing Blogger Challenge Day 8

Posted on July 27, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

Day eights prompt is:

Post about your writing routines / rituals / habits or quirks – or – your writing origins story

Well, I’ve told the story of my writing origins, so I guess today I’ll be revealing my routines 😉

I start every single day with a cup of tea, 3 sugars (I’ve cut down, it used to be 4 lol) and a cigarette. I’m the kind of person who is usually fully awake from the moment my eyes open. Yep, I’m one of those annoying people who jumps out of bed at 7am and is raring to go before I’ve even uttered my first word lol. So it makes sense that my most productive writing time is in the mornings.

Whilst drinking my tea I check my e mails, log into FaceBook and generally have a mooch around online (whilst trying to entertain Albie by multitasking with one hand on the iPad, the other on ‘teddy’).

I always start any writing session by writing in my journal, doing a prompt in my notebook, or, as recently, doing my morning pages. I prefer to write by hand than use a keyboard so doing something with pen and paper first makes me feel more connected, gets the creative juices flowing if that makes sense.

I went through a phase where I used to light a smelly candle as I sat down at my desk, but I don’t do that so much anymore, especially now that I’m back at the dining room table (Albies not allowed upstairs just yet). I also like to make sure I have a good selection of pens before I start. Different colours and nib widths, so that my notebooks are visually interesting.

And that’s it really 🙂 If I get really involved in a session I like to have a Nescafé Cappucino in a Starbucks mug by my side, or if I’m out and about, a skinny latte 😉

(My Starbucks mug collection – cappuccinos in anything else just isn’t the same lol)

Do you have any writing routines/rituals?

Writing Blogger Challenge Day 6 (the-view-outside.com)
Writing Blogger Challenge Day 2 (the-view-outside.com)
Writing Blogger Challenge Day 3 (the-view-outside.com)
Writing Blogger Challenge Day 5 (the-view-outside.com)
Writing Blogger Challenge Day 4 (the-view-outside.com)

Writing Blogger Challenge Day 4

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

Day 4’s prompt is:

Profile 3 to 5 top writing craft books

Ok, I’m going to talk about the ones I’ve read.

My favourite all time writing book is The Writers Book Of Days by Judy Reeves. What can I say about this book that I haven’t already said (see my prompt a day 2012 tab above). This book is an excellent companion for any writer, but especially for those just starting out who need practice. I’m a big believer in the the more you write the better you write. This book helped me improve my writing ten fold 🙂

The 5 Minute Writer by Margret Geraghty was the first writing book I ever read. I loved this because it showed me that there is no such thing as “I don’t have time to write” 😉 The exercises are thought provoking and can be done in 5 minutes.

And lastly, no writers collection would be complete without at least one book by Natalie Goldberg. I have read Writing Down The Bones and then recently Wild Mind which were both inspiring. Ms Goldberg is a huge believer in writing practice (as are the other 2 writers above) and her books tell of her personal writing journey interspersed with exercises.

I’m a journal writer, it’s what started me on my writing journey (thanks Julia Cameron), so at the moment I’m reading A Voice of Her Own (Women and the journal writing journey) by Marlene A. Schiwy which is absolutely fascinating, and includes extracts from famous female authors journals/diaries. I think it’s important to keep writing, even if you’re not in the mood to write fiction, even if you’re suffering from writers block. Forming the habit of writing every single day is the best piece of advice I’ve ever been given 🙂

So tell me, what is your favourite writing book? Do you tend to go for a certain type, like I do?

Writing Blogger Challenge Day 3 (the-view-outside.com)
Writing Blogger Challenge Day 2 (the-view-outside.com)
Books About Writing (aliedwards.com)
Should Writer’s Blog About Writing? (sidneyscripts.wordpress.com)

Writing Blogger Challenge Day 2

Posted on July 21, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

The prompt for Day 2 is:

Make 10 writing related confessions.

1. I still get confused between nouns, verbs, adverbs & adjectives. it’s just not sinking in 😦

2. I’m comma happy. I use far too many lol

3. I have approximately 450 unfinished short stories. Whoops!

4. I have a huge problem with Tautology in my writing. A really bad habit that I must get under control.

5. I prefer to Handwrite than type. I’m actually considering doing the next novels first draft all by hand.

6. I feel that my vocabulary is lacking. And that goes back to my education levels.

7. In real life I swear like a trooper. But my characters don’t tend to lol.

8. I am the Queen of Cliche. See number 7 *giggles*

9. I hate writing in first person. They always sound like me lol

10. I still haven’t sent off my first Writers Bureau assignment! EEEK! (Should really do that lol).

Well, that was pretty cathartic lol…. Go on, give me a writing confession, so I don’t feel such a loser 😉

Inspiring Objects

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

I’m a huge fan of writing prompts (as you probably know) and one of my favourites is using photos (which ive been using a lot recently). But, Ive stumbled across 2 websites that made me think, actually, objects are pretty damn good to inspire stories.

The first one is The Museum of Broken Relationships which I found on Sally Jenkins Blog a while back. Do click on the picture of the axe under exhibits. What a brilliant story! 😉

Then I came across 26 Treasures which was a project run by museums in Wales, Scotland and Ireland. They invited writers to use 26 objects from the museums collections to inspire a piece of writing. Over 100 writers took part and a book was produced.

So here are some inspiring objects I’ve come across recently that I intend to use for prompts:

Do you ever use “objects” to inspire stories?

The Museum of Broken Relationships (collabcubed.com)

Must Do’s Monday 27th to 2nd June

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

I’ve had a hectic week, not helped by a few days of feeling rough. But I didn’t do too badly all told on the ‘To Do List’ which was…

1. Work on the synopsis for Tangled Ummm, ok, well this didn’t happen lol. I have a rough one that I did a couple of weeks ago, but it sounds like a blurb at the moment.
2. Edit first two chapters of Tangled Ok, I did the first chapter, but as I need to submit the whole novel to the RNA New Writers Scheme before the end of July I really need to step up a gear lol
3. Start planning some blog posts Done 🙂
4. Start going to the gym Didn’t happen, but as The Hubster’s chess is winding down now we’ve agreed to start going next week.
5. Plan my week every Sunday Yep, did that last week and used my new Paperchase pad. Really useful having my whole week on one sheet divided into AM’s and PM’s. I’ll be doing next weeks one after I finish this post.
6. Do at least 1 writing exercise every day Ahhhh, now this has been great, I’ve really enjoyed it! And at the moment I’m using Natalie Goldberg’s Wild Mind 🙂

So next weeks another busy one, but I’m looking forward to writing (thank gawd!). I’ve got a couple of opportunities for writing in coffee shops and then there’s Happy Club. The sun has been shining today and I’m feeling pretty goddam good 🙂

I’m loving filling in my ‘Experiences’ book, but I think I need to carry it around with me because I keep remembering things when I’m out and forgetting them by the time I get home lol.

What are your plans for the week?

Turn Your Experiences Into A Novel

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

I came across a brilliant idea in The Daily Writer a few days ago.

There’s the old saying isn’t there, write what you know. Yeah, ok, that’s boring and I don’t know much anyway. Well, actually…I’ve discovered I do! What about the 45 years of experience I have? All those little events throughout my life that I can use in my stories and novels? All I need to do is embellish the truth a bit, use my imagination 😉

So lets do a little experiment….what do I know about?

(I do love a mind map lol)

But what about one off experiences? What about the evening I spent at London Zoo with a picnic? Or the day I spent in Hay On Wye going round the book shops?

In The Daily Writer they suggest that I keep a file/folder/notebook of “experiences” that I can then draw on for use in my writing. What a great idea! Fred White recommends that you list them chronologically, ie:

“Childhood Experiences”
“Adolescent Experiences”
“Adult Experiences”

And then divide those into sub sections such as:

“Experiences in Nature”
“Holiday Experiences”
“Religious Experiences”

I’d like to add a couple of my own to that list, but when I sit down to mull this over I’m sure I’ll be able to think of loads lol

Food Experiences
Places of Interest Experiences

We all think our lives are so boring, but they’re not. If you were brought up on a farm you will have a wealth of info to draw on. Me, I was brought up in an inner city, and just thinking about it now I can list a handful of experiences that might, at some stage come in handy 😉

Oh dear, so that’s another notebook to add to the collection of the 10+ that I’m already using *snigger* 😉

So tell me, what’s a recent experience you’ve had that you could use to inspire a story?

Monday Must Do’s 20th to 26th May

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

Good morning! (or afternoon/evening depending on where you are and when you’re reading this 😉

I’m BACK! Did ya miss me? I’ve missed you guys 🙂

Ok, that’s enough lol….I guess I better tell you what I’ve been up to. I’ve had a pretty good 2 weeks to be honest. It was my birthday and i went stationery shopping, i went to the Romantic Novelists Summer Party (click the link for the photos including one which featured my red shoes! lol) and went to see RJ Ellory read from his new novel which isnt out for a few months (must buy that one!). I haven’t touched the WIP (Still), haven’t done much writing at all, although I did do a few prompts which was fun. Most of you know, I’m a huge fan of prompts and writing exercises to get the old creative juices flowing. I stumbled across Bonnie Neubauer’s website last week (she’s the lady who wrote The Right Brain Workbook) and here’s what she has to say about prompts:

“Because exercises (also known as prompts) remove the expectations and judgments you have about your own writing. The goal of an exercise is get you to write for the sake of writing so you can discover or rediscover the joy of writing. Exercises are all about filling the pre-allotted time or the pre-allotted space on the page. Do that, and you have met your goal. Nothing else matters. Not content, not plot, not characters, not spelling. And, to exceed your goal all you have to do is write one extra sentence.”

“Do enough exercises (The number is different for everyone; for me, it happens to be 2 exercises a day for 3 to 6 days), and you will find yourself excited about doing your ‘real’ writing. When this happens (and don’t force it), it’s totally okay to abandon the world of exercises and write what you want to write. Just remember that if you ever find yourself stalled, immediately put your regular writing aside and do some exercises. The exercises will relieve you of the pressure to produce and will once again, get your right brain primed to spew onto the paper without letting your left brain (the nasty editor) get in the way and stop you.”

And that’s what happened see….I fell out of love with writing, so I’ve been trying to claw my way back….and I think it’s working. I’ve missed doing prompts and I should never have stopped. As from today I’m taking Bonnie’s advice, and going back to committing to daily writing 🙂

So the coming week looks like this:

And how I’ve missed the structure of a ‘to do list’ because when I haven’t got one, nothing gets done.

You’ll see I’m working on another project. My second novel, entitled “Tangled” is what I’ve decided to submit to the RNA New Writers Scheme for critique, but it still needs some work. It’s complete, has a beginning, a middle and an end (go me!) but is only 52,000 words lol. The first novel (Still) is such a bloody mess that I really don’t know where to go next, so I’m putting it to one side (for the moment). There’s only so many times you can bash your head against that wall 😉

So I’m feeling pretty good, pretty confident and actually raring to get suck in! I’m hoping that my new pad from Paperchase will help.

Great post about self doubt here on Mandy Websters blog. Struck a nerve with me as its just how I’ve been feeling lately. Now, I’m off to turn a prompt into a ghost story 🙂

So what are your writing plans for the week?

How To Be Happy In 5 Easy Steps

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

Ok, I know, I shouldn’t be here right? But I just had to get involved in Rebecca’s Meme, because I’ve been feeling a bit down (what? On a lovely relaxing break?) which I think has been induced by the looming birthday next week. It’s not that I’m scared of age, just that birthdays are bittersweet nowadays and the whole stressy writing business has taken its toll.

Anyway, back to being tagged by Rebecca in her “How To Be Happy Meme” 🙂

I’d been thinking about this recently, after a session at Happy Club with Peter Jones (if you’ve not read How To Do Everything and Be Happy I highly recommend it!!!!) where we were making lists of things that made us happy and trying to find ways to incorporate those moments into our lives.

I went straight home, opened a brand new journal and wrote this on the first page.

I now have a journal dedicated to living the best life i can. So far I’ve written about 20 pages!

So thank you Rebecca, this is exactly what I needed right now.

Vikki’s How To Be Happy in 5 Easy Steps

1. Eat cake! Things are always better after cake 😉

2. Have hobbies and interests! Do things you enjoy – make the most of every moment!

3. Make sure there is ALWAYS someone who is pleased to see you! Friends and family are important.

4. Buy a new pair of shoes! Gorgeous new shoes always make us girlies happy 😉

5. Own a pet! Unconditional love, from a furry friend is just the best!!!!!!

Just writing those down has made me smile 🙂

So those are my 5 top tips on how to be happy, or what makes me happy. Now it’s your turn. Give me your 5 in the comments box…make me smile 🙂 And if you want to post this on your own blog, please link back to Rebecca’s and feel free to tag.

How Do You See Yourself in Relation To Your Readers?

Posted on March 9, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

I’m not a published author ( yet lol) so I’d never really thought about my readers. No, sorry, that’s wrong. I have kind of thought about the type of person who would read my books, but I’d never thought about how I want to be seen by them.

Do I want them to see me as a teacher? Sharing my knowledge.

As an entertainer? Delighting them with a captivating story.

So here is…..A Letter To My Reader (from my journal)

Dear Reader,

You now hold in your hand a copy of my book. This is the future by the way 😉

It is NOT autobiographical, although, I will admit that there are several themes within it that I have had some experience of. As a writer, that is inevitable. The character of Laura is NOT me, but we do share traits and opinions. Good grief, I was a much more rebellious teen and owned enough makeup to open my own shop!

The book was written because of my fascination with people. I find everyone interesting. I like to know what makes people do the things they do and I’m a big believer in the fact that we are all responsible for our own actions, regardless of what influences we have had in our childhood. Our childhood is what makes us who we are, but we’re all capable of change, if we want it badly enough.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that my motivation to write comes from a need to understand people. I don’t consider my work will tell you anything you don’t already know, but I hope it makes you think. I hope it makes you question your own decisions and that you will ask yourself “What would I do?” if you were in that same position. Perhaps you will think about your own past decisions and those that I’m sure you’ll make in the future. Next time you’re faced with making a choice, think long and hard, and remember, this is it, you only get to live life once!

Hmmmmmm…..so perhaps I am a teacher of sorts? Or somewhere in between?

What about you? How do you see yourself in relation to your readers?

Faber Session 14 – Showing Vs Telling

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Vikki Thompson

I’m a bit behind with replying to comments and e mails because I’ve been up London today. Will catch up tomorrow I promise.

My first session back at Faber since before Christmas 🙂 So it was latte, cake and I treated myself to a new book!

Today’s session was about show and tell, that age old adage that puts the fear of God in most writers 😉 Well, ok, perhaps that’s just me lol

Literary critics admire ‘show’ but really, how important is it?

Telling is a form of showing and bleeds over into subtext and dialogue and if you think about the greatest story ever told, The Bible, well, that’s all tell isn’t it?

No one would argue that ‘showing’ your reader that your character is sad is far more interesting than actually telling them so, but you can pull off ‘telling’ if you are confident in what you’re saying and your words are written well. Many authors use tell as part of their style. Roth, Franzen, Eugenides and Munro are all good examples.

We did 2 exercises where we had to set a scene and then use dialogue to convey an emotion our character was feeling. Here’s what I wrote:

Sue entered the room, her head down, shoulders hunched. She sighed as she picked up the remote from her sleeping husbands leg. Looking at the clock she frowned, it was 11.45pm. Outside the street was alive with party goers, the sound of laughter could just be heard above the drone of the action film that was playing to no one.

She kicked Johns leg.
“Ow! Er, what’s going on?”
“You were asleep.”
“No I wasn’t, I was just resting me eyes.”
“Yeah, like you do every night John.”
“No I don’t!”
Sue tutted. “I’m not going to argue with you, It’s New Years Eve, 2013 in less than 10 minutes.”
“So where’s the bubbly?”
“I didn’t buy any!”
John sat forward in his chair and looked up at his wife.
“You ok love? You always buy us a bottle of bubbly for New Years Eve.”
“Yeah, well perhaps I’m just fed up with it always being me?”
Sue picked up her cigarettes and lighter and stepping over Johns legs made her way back towards the kitchen doorway.
“Where you going love?”
“For a fag!”
“But it’s nearly midnight?”
Sue ignored him and slammed the kitchen door. Lighting her cigarette she mumbled “Happy fucking New Year.”