tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7797785244562522192024-03-12T18:47:21.359-07:00Dare to WriteAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15665277347233261655noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-779778524456252219.post-14422649140246255172014-04-29T23:59:00.001-07:002014-04-29T23:59:56.944-07:00Plotting a Story with Post-it Notes<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>If there's anything guaranteed to raise a groan in one of my writing workshops it's whenever I mention plotting.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Plotting is hard.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Plotting makes you want to tear your hair out, hit the delete button and boil your head.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>In short, trying to find the perfect plot often causes writers to lose the plot.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So much so, that this weekend, I ran an entire workshop on the subject.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And I wanted to share one of the exercises I taught here, as I've found it invaluable when I'm in the early stages of plotting a novel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">All you will need are some post-it notes and a few sheets of A4 paper.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Stick the paper up on your wall, or lay it out on the desk or floor in front of you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Then, take your post-it notes and start jotting down as many ideas as you can for your new plot - one per post-it note.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Characters</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Scenes</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Locations</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Major plot points</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Random lines</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Potential twists and turns</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Write them all down, one per post-it note, then stick them randomly all over your A4 sheets of paper.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTB-OA9HWWAcTrGP4C0dnKIF6aTubrDPIAgji2_9VrvMTS3OdHd-fHex3gH2NCNGuDsNcne9W6-D90z6l5AtLA_Bk6MJgJrc93A499LToH8XhePRK2SZIg0KKesHS4RuqvH4Y_XqALMVSG/s1600/IMG_20140427_145121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTB-OA9HWWAcTrGP4C0dnKIF6aTubrDPIAgji2_9VrvMTS3OdHd-fHex3gH2NCNGuDsNcne9W6-D90z6l5AtLA_Bk6MJgJrc93A499LToH8XhePRK2SZIg0KKesHS4RuqvH4Y_XqALMVSG/s1600/IMG_20140427_145121.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some 'Post-It Plotting' from Saturday's Workshop</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Once you've written down as many ideas as you can think of - and please don't censor yourself; write them all down no matter how 'silly' they might seem - sit or stand back and take a good look at what you've created.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Then start moving the notes round into some kind of chronological order.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Discard any that you feel certain won't work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Add to any that you feel certain will.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">See your plot beginning to take shape.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Don't be afraid to get messy with it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You're only writing on post-it notes - it doesn't matter if you get something wrong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Enjoy chopping and changing and sculpting your plot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>And when you are ready, begin to write.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>The next Dare to Write workshop is on Tuesday 6th May in Berkhamsted. For more info, <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/p/workshops.html" target="_blank">step this way</a>...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15665277347233261655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-779778524456252219.post-91989564860076221952014-03-26T03:13:00.000-07:002014-03-26T03:13:37.609-07:00My Top Tips for Becoming an Indie Author / Publisher<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>It's been 14 years since I had my first book published and I can honestly say that right here, right now, has never been a more exciting time to be a writer.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Back when I wrote my first book, like every other writer at the time, I was completely dependent on getting an agent and a traditional book deal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Back then, there was no other way to launch a career as a writer. But now . . .</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Now anyone can publish a book.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Of course, this has the literary snobs in the UK wringing their hands in despair, but for those of us passionate about producing books in our own unique ways, this is great news indeed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Back in November, I blogged about <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/dare-to-self-publish.html" target="_blank">Daring to Self Publish</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I was just about to launch my own indie publishing imprint Dare to Dream, with the publication of a free e-book for people being bullied called <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/375548" target="_blank">Finding Your Inner Cherokee</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The launch went really well and it has inspired me to publish three </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">further </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">titles this year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Becoming an indie publisher (and that is what you are when you decide to self publish) has been a steep learning curve.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But I'm lucky in that I've had eight books published traditionally, with another three in the pipeline.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In launching my Dare to Dream imprint, I drew upon all I have learnt from the traditional publishing model, as well as studying other authors who have chosen to go indie.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>So, without further ado, here are my top tips for anyone thinking of going indie too:</b></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Edit, edit, edit:</b> When you have a book traditionally published it goes through three rigorous editing processes. A content edit, a copy edit and a proof read. If you want your books to be taken seriously, you must invest in a content and copy edit at the very least.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Invest in a professionally designed cover: </b>Nothing screams amateur more than a cover that looks as if it's been designed by your Granny after one too many sherries. (Unless of course, your Granny is a cutting edge designer who needs a tipple to unleash her muse...)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Create your brand: </b>If you are planning on publishing more than one book, it makes sense to create a recognisable brand. I used the same designer and the same font for all three of my upcoming novels for adults.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Think thumbnail: </b>If you are publishing e-books (which you should be as this is the fastest growing market in publishing, with the biggest profit margins) then it's vital that your cover designs work well as a thumbnail image. This is the size they will be on Amazon and other online retailers. You need to make sure that the title and author name are clearly visible.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Make sure your books are correctly formatted: </b>each online retailer requires your manuscript in a specific format. If, like me, you don't know your html from your elbow, invest in a professional formatter. There are loads of them around. I used <a href="http://www.jdsmith-design.com/" target="_blank">Jane Dixon-Smith</a> - she comes very highly recommended (and she also designs book covers too).</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Launch more than one book initially: </b>All indie authors seem to be in agreement on this - you don't start to see serious sales until you have more than one book on offer. We all know as readers that if we find a book we love, we immediately want to buy something else from that author. If you leave it years between books the danger is all of the fans you acquired for your first title will have forgotten all about you.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Play around with pricing plans: </b>Having more than one book on offer also enables you to play around with pricing. This seems to work especially well if you have written a series. Many authors speak of dramatic spikes in sales and royalties after they've offered the first book in a series for 99p.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Find the sweet spot: </b>Indie authors frequently talk about the 'sweet spot' when it comes to pricing. This currently seems to be around £2.99. Readers see this as being a bargain without it being so cheap that they assume the book must be rubbish.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Research other indie authors: </b>The best book I've read on indie publishing is <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Naked-Truth-About-Self-Publishing-ebook/dp/B00DHPQGN0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395827005&sr=8-1&keywords=the+naked+truth+about+self+publishing" target="_blank">The Naked Truth About Self Publishing</a> which features tons of inspiring and informative interviews with indie authors. There are also loads of interviews online if you give it a Google.</span></li>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Plan a marketing campaign: </b>Don't wait until your book is out there to start thinking about how you're going to market it. Try to send review copies out around two months prior to launch. Become au fait with social networking sites such as Goodreads. Offer to write guest blogs about your book or the themes it covers. Ask / beg / pay your friends to help whip up a word of mouth buzz. Again, study what other indie authors have done.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As you can probably tell from this blog post, indie publishing does involve a lot of work, but it's also a lot of fun.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As someone who has experienced publishing from both sides of the fence, I love the freedom indie publishing gives me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The freedom to have complete creative control over my covers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The freedom to set my own prices - and give away books for free if I so desire.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The freedom to have an e-book royalty of 70%.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The freedom to manage my own career as a writer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>The next <span style="color: #b45f06;">Dare to Write Workshop</span> will be on Tuesday 1st April, 7.30 - 9.30pm, in the atmospheric tearoom Dar Papillon, High Street, Berkhamsted.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>We will be looking at plotting and how to create a good strong opening. Vital, whether you're writing a short story, novel, non-fiction blog post or book. Hope to see you there. <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/berkhamsted-writers-workshop.html" target="_blank">More info here.</a></b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15665277347233261655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-779778524456252219.post-87683368152738173832014-02-25T12:20:00.000-08:002014-02-25T12:26:24.979-08:00How to Build a Believable Character<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>In my humble opinion, flat, insipid characters = flat, insipid story.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It doesn't matter how zingy your plot, if your characters are two dimensional they will weigh the whole thing down.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, what to do?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">How do you build an interesting, believable character - the kind who leaps from the page?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>One simple yet effective tool is the Character Questionnaire.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This is a series of random, probing questions that you ask of your character as you are developing them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">On Saturday, I ran a Dare to Write Workshop called <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/p/an-inspirational-informative-and-fun.html" target="_blank">Create and Motivate</a> and when we were looking at characterisation, we created a <b>Character Questionnaire</b> together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The results are below.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Please feel free to copy and paste the questionnaire and use it for your own characters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Another bonus of using a Character Questionnaire is that, in finding out the answers, you often come up with plot ideas too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Win. Win.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Dare to Write Character Questionnaire:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E91" qowt-eid="E91" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do they get on with their parents?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E93" qowt-eid="E93" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E95" qowt-eid="E95" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is their worst nightmare?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E97" qowt-eid="E97" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E99" qowt-eid="E99" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is their greatest dream?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E101" qowt-eid="E101" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E102" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E102" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E103" qowt-eid="E103" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is their least / most favourite trait?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E105" qowt-eid="E105" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E107" qowt-eid="E107" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are they most afraid of losing?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E109" qowt-eid="E109" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E110" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E110" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E111" qowt-eid="E111" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What animal would they be?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E113" qowt-eid="E113" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E114" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E114" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E115" qowt-eid="E115" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What turns them on?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E117" qowt-eid="E117" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E118" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E118" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E119" qowt-eid="E119" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is their earliest memory?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E121" qowt-eid="E121" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E122" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E122" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E123" qowt-eid="E123" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is their biggest fear?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E125" qowt-eid="E125" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E126" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E126" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E127" qowt-eid="E127" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are they hiding from themselves and others?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E129" qowt-eid="E129" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E130" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E130" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E131" qowt-eid="E131" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">How would they like to be perceived?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E133" qowt-eid="E133" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E134" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E134" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E135" qowt-eid="E135" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is their biggest struggle?</span></span></div>
<div id="E136" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E136" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E137" qowt-eid="E137" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E138" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E138" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E139" qowt-eid="E139" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What would they consider unforgivable?</span></span></div>
<div id="E140" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E140" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E141" qowt-eid="E141" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E142" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E142" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E143" qowt-eid="E143" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What experience would they want to relive?</span></span></div>
<div id="E144" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E144" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E145" qowt-eid="E145" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E146" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E146" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E147" qowt-eid="E147" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is their social / religious background?</span></span></div>
<div id="E148" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E148" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E149" qowt-eid="E149" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E150" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E150" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E151" qowt-eid="E151" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">How is their relationship with their siblings?</span></span></div>
<div id="E152" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E152" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E153" qowt-eid="E153" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E154" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E154" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E155" qowt-eid="E155" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">What are their favourite TV shows?</span></span></div>
<div id="E154" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E154" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div id="E154" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E154" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Who are their friends?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E161" qowt-eid="E161" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E163" qowt-eid="E163" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do they sleepwalk?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E165" qowt-eid="E165" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E166" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E166" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E167" qowt-eid="E167" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What's the most shocking thing they've done?</span></span></div>
<div id="E168" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E168" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E169" qowt-eid="E169" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E170" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E170" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E171" qowt-eid="E171" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do they think of children?</span></span></div>
<div id="E172" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E172" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E173" qowt-eid="E173" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E174" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E174" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E175" qowt-eid="E175" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are their views on marriage?</span></span></div>
<div id="E176" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E176" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E177" qowt-eid="E177" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E178" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E178" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E179" qowt-eid="E179" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do they have any secrets?</span></span></div>
<div id="E180" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E180" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E181" qowt-eid="E181" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E182" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E182" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E183" qowt-eid="E183" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are they handy around the house?</span></span></div>
<div id="E184" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E184" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E185" qowt-eid="E185" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E186" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E186" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E187" qowt-eid="E187" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Package holiday or back-packer?</span></span></div>
<div id="E188" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E188" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E189" qowt-eid="E189" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E190" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E190" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E191" qowt-eid="E191" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are their desert island discs?</span></span></div>
<div id="E192" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E192" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E193" qowt-eid="E193" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E194" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E194" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E195" qowt-eid="E195" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Acts of kindness?</span></span></div>
<div id="E196" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E196" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E197" qowt-eid="E197" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E198" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E198" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E199" qowt-eid="E199" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What would they cook for a dinner party?</span></span></div>
<div id="E200" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E200" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E201" qowt-eid="E201" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E202" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E202" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E203" qowt-eid="E203" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">BBC1 or Channel 5?</span></span></div>
<div id="E204" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E204" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E205" qowt-eid="E205" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E206" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E206" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E207" qowt-eid="E207" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Top 3 albums and books?</span></span></div>
<div id="E208" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E208" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E209" qowt-eid="E209" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E210" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E210" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E211" qowt-eid="E211" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Childhood hobbies and why did they stop?</span></span></div>
<div id="E212" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E212" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E213" qowt-eid="E213" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E214" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E214" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E215" qowt-eid="E215" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shy or outgoing?</span></span></div>
<div id="E216" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E216" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E217" qowt-eid="E217" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E218" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E218" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E219" qowt-eid="E219" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Red or brown sauce on a bacon sandwich (says SO much!)</span></span></div>
<div id="E220" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E220" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E221" qowt-eid="E221" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E222" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E222" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E223" qowt-eid="E223" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">What would they do if they weren't afraid?</span></span></div>
<div id="E224" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E224" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E225" qowt-eid="E225" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E226" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E226" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E227" qowt-eid="E227" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Favourite swear word?</span></span></div>
<div id="E228" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E228" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="qowt-font5-Georgia" id="E229" qowt-eid="E229" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Book Antiqua', serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E230" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E230" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E231" qowt-eid="E231" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Most and least favourite profession?</span></span></div>
<div id="E232" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E232" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E233" qowt-eid="E233" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E234" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E234" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E235" qowt-eid="E235" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">What do they think they're good at - and are they?</span></span></div>
<div id="E236" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E236" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E237" qowt-eid="E237" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E238" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E238" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are their eating habits?</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="qowt-page-container" qowt-divtype="page" style="-webkit-user-select: none; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); cursor: default !important; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; height: 297.0017636684303mm; margin: auto auto 5mm; width: 209.8765432098765mm;">
<div class="qowt-section qowt-eid-E79" id="E-9" qowt-divtype="section" qowt-eid="E79" style="-webkit-column-count: 1; padding-left: 90pt; padding-right: 90pt;">
<div id="E256" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E256" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E257" qowt-eid="E257" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E258" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E258" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span qowt-eid="E259" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div id="E258" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E258" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E259" qowt-eid="E259" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Which celebs would they like to meet?</span></span></div>
<div id="E260" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E260" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E261" qowt-eid="E261" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E262" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E262" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E263" qowt-eid="E263" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">What would they eat if no-one was looking?</span></span></div>
<div id="E264" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E264" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E265" qowt-eid="E265" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E266" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E266" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E267" qowt-eid="E267" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Who was their first love?</span></span></div>
<div id="E268" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E268" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E269" qowt-eid="E269" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E270" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E270" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E271" qowt-eid="E271" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Where do they buy their clothes?</span></span></div>
<div id="E272" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E272" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E273" qowt-eid="E273" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E274" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E274" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E275" qowt-eid="E275" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">What's their favourite weather?</span></span></div>
<div id="E276" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E276" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E277" qowt-eid="E277" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E278" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E278" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E279" qowt-eid="E279" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Which book do they keep in the loo?</span></span></div>
<div id="E280" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E280" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E281" qowt-eid="E281" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E282" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E282" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E283" qowt-eid="E283" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">What is their physical and mental health like?</span></span></div>
<div id="E284" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E284" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E285" qowt-eid="E285" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E286" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E286" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E287" qowt-eid="E287" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Do they have any phobias?</span></span></div>
<div id="E288" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E288" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E289" qowt-eid="E289" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E290" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E290" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E291" qowt-eid="E291" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Have they had any traumas?</span></span></div>
<div id="E292" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E292" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E293" qowt-eid="E293" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E294" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E294" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E295" qowt-eid="E295" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Are they in love?</span></span></div>
<div id="E296" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E296" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E297" qowt-eid="E297" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E298" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E298" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E299" qowt-eid="E299" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Do they believe in life after death?</span></span></div>
<div id="E300" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E300" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E301" qowt-eid="E301" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E302" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E302" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E303" qowt-eid="E303" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Most embarrassing experience? </span></span></div>
<div id="E304" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E304" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E305" qowt-eid="E305" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E306" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E306" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E307" qowt-eid="E307" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Organised or chaotic?</span></span></div>
<div id="E308" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E308" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E309" qowt-eid="E309" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E310" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E310" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E311" qowt-eid="E311" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Do they love or hate their job?</span></span></div>
<div id="E312" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E312" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E313" qowt-eid="E313" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E314" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E314" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E315" qowt-eid="E315" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">What is their attitude to the opposite sex?</span></span></div>
<div id="E316" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E316" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="E317" qowt-eid="E317" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div id="E318" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E318" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span id="E319" qowt-eid="E319" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">What is their attitude to petty crime?</span></span></div>
<div id="E320" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E320" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span id="E321" qowt-eid="E321" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div id="E322" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E322" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span id="E323" qowt-eid="E323" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div id="E324" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E324" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span id="E325" qowt-eid="E325" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div id="E326" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E326" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span id="E327" qowt-eid="E327" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div id="E328" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E328" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span id="E329" qowt-eid="E329" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div id="E330" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E330" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span id="E331" qowt-eid="E331" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div id="E332" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E332" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span id="E333" qowt-eid="E333" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
<div id="E334" qowt-divtype="para" qowt-eid="E334" style="font-family: Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Tinos, serif; list-style-type: none; padding: 0px;">
<span id="E335" qowt-eid="E335" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I'm running another <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/p/an-inspirational-informative-and-fun.html" target="_blank">Create and Motivate Workshop</a> on Saturday 22nd March, in this beautiful location (which believe it or not, is in London!)</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For more information<a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/p/an-inspirational-informative-and-fun.html" target="_blank"> click here</a>, and to book a place please email:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>contact[AT]siobhancurham[DOT]co[DOT]uk</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Praise for the Create and Motivate Workshop:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>"An amazing, interesting and inspiring creative writing workshop in a lovely Manor Farm House . . . I must get working on my manuscript!" </b></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>"Great workshop. Inspiring." </b></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>"Great session and really valuable in getting focus and inspiration." </b></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>"Thanks for an excellent day." </b></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>"An amazing day daring to dream." </b></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>"I loved it! Am definitely coming back!" </b></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>"I finally feel like writing again."</b></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15665277347233261655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-779778524456252219.post-36115469409044127892014-02-14T09:35:00.000-08:002014-02-14T09:40:21.247-08:00It's Okay to Write CRAP!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>If I had to pick one sentence that made my writing instantly and infinitely better, it would be this: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>It's okay to write crap!</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This one simple sentence has made such a positive difference to my writing that it's one of the first things I teach students at my <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/p/workshops.html" target="_blank">workshops</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>It's okay to write crap.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rNBYlCrw9i_tO68lkBpLvn9xcTomPmXzPzqurP7gq-ECxqOp8GK8rwLdsuLiS8bYXEuIx6Uniol8Ic9fFoBIINMpHIvLsTEt6rsfgHRylBEFGXfNCfdtG1h5uu_dwCpKCOohBFSuLhNM/s1600/IMG_20140214_145200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rNBYlCrw9i_tO68lkBpLvn9xcTomPmXzPzqurP7gq-ECxqOp8GK8rwLdsuLiS8bYXEuIx6Uniol8Ic9fFoBIINMpHIvLsTEt6rsfgHRylBEFGXfNCfdtG1h5uu_dwCpKCOohBFSuLhNM/s1600/IMG_20140214_145200.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When I started out as a writer, I thought that everything I wrote needed to be perfect.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I would spend hours labouring over each paragraph, each sentence, each word.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I would get so bogged down in all of the polishing, preening, and editing that I wrote at a snail's pace - an <i>arthritic</i> snail's pace. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But what I wrote never ended up being perfect.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">More often than not, it felt laboured and clunky.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And then one day, when I became so sick of the pressure to be perfect, I decided to try an experiment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I asked myself, <i>what would writing feel like if it was okay to write crap?</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The answer, I soon discovered, was that it felt frickin' great!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">No more picking over every perfectly placed adjective.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">No more polishing every last full stop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I wrote wildly and freely.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I let the words pour on to the page.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And if the 'perfect' words didn't come, I wrote down substitutes instead - knowing that I'd have plenty of time <i>later</i> to replace them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And the best thing I discovered about allowing myself to write crap, was that what I wrote turned out to not be crap at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My words had a raw energy to them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My ideas were quirky and off the wall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My true voice rang through.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Try it for yourself and see.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Next time you sit down to write, say to yourself first, it's okay to write crap, and just see what happens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>I dare you!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>The Dare to Write Workshop tour is now in full swing, with <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/p/workshops.html" target="_blank">monthly workshops</a>, <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/p/an-inspirational-informative-and-fun.html" target="_blank">Create and Motivate</a> days and <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/p/one.html" target="_blank">One Day Retreats</a> all lined up. </b></span><b style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To find out more, <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/p/workshops.html" target="_blank">step this way</a>. </b><b style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hope to see you at one of them soon . . .</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15665277347233261655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-779778524456252219.post-12908477978538060722014-01-07T10:14:00.002-08:002014-01-08T07:52:54.602-08:00Dare to Write: the Workshop<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>This year, one of my <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/how-to-set-writing-resolutions-that-work.html" target="_blank">writing resolutions</a> is to start running regular writing workshops again.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">From 2004 - 2010, I ran weekly writing workshops for two London councils.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my writing career.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Week in, week out, people from all walks of life would walk into the libraries we met in and sit down and write.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Week in, week out, I would come up with ever more ingenious ways of exploring character and plot, poetry and prose, self publishing and traditional publishing, writing for radio, stage and screen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In teaching others, I learnt so much. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And so did everyone else.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Plays that began life as a simple writing exercise were staged.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Novels that began life as a simple writing prompt were published.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Poems that began life as a single scribbled couplet grew to entire collections.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Competitions were won.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>Short stories were sold.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">And over the years many lasting friendships were formed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I would throw parties at my house, filled with these writers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">It was a wonderful time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">And then I moved away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">And I got really busy with my own writing and work in the publishing industry, so my workshops took a back seat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">But I've missed them so much that last year I made the executive decision to cut back on my publishing consultancy work and run more workshops instead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For the past few months I've been working away behind the scenes, developing Dare to Write workshops for a variety of different audiences.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dare to Write ~ Online</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dare to Write ~ Young Adult Fiction</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dare to Write ~ Children's Fiction</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dare to Write ~ in Business</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dare to Write ~ the Novel</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">and my flagship workshop:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dare to Write ~ for all</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I even made a trailer about them:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'm delighted to kick things off with a <b>monthly Dare to Write workshop</b> <b>for all writers, which will be taking place on the first Tuesday of each month</b>, beginning on Tuesday 4th February, from 7.30 - 9.30 pm - in a wonderfully atmospheric Moroccan tearoom!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPJl4cTh_bdSEJD1jGJZEpOa45kgTZCNF7OPn87lFMYnzz4OlO_jlRA8T1JriON1zMJGP7PSfnm8mfI3lXOeVyoVrXI7MwImi1hABJVckaP6xl5-TuiHh7wJZ0HzREf_UhXLZCLsbJ3Rr/s1600/darpap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLPJl4cTh_bdSEJD1jGJZEpOa45kgTZCNF7OPn87lFMYnzz4OlO_jlRA8T1JriON1zMJGP7PSfnm8mfI3lXOeVyoVrXI7MwImi1hABJVckaP6xl5-TuiHh7wJZ0HzREf_UhXLZCLsbJ3Rr/s1600/darpap.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Motivation, inspiration, expert feedback and teas galore - what more could you ask for?!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPCq8Kjx64gE5LaPFnnVldWmkP5jJkx8YjpvRjqLt2hnRiEk65Nb0QE8vCTDKOw6mpNg81RAkrP948BCP1QJFa9wbkJH6OSzjjKbjm4BcTFpGzEEv7iJt2Ri0riD4NnZAg7CrRlJD2f6z/s1600/darpapinside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPCq8Kjx64gE5LaPFnnVldWmkP5jJkx8YjpvRjqLt2hnRiEk65Nb0QE8vCTDKOw6mpNg81RAkrP948BCP1QJFa9wbkJH6OSzjjKbjm4BcTFpGzEEv7iJt2Ri0riD4NnZAg7CrRlJD2f6z/s1600/darpapinside.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Each workshop will feature written exercises, tips, advice - and the opportunity to read and receive feedback on any work in progress.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>The venue is <a href="http://www.darpapillon.com/index.html" target="_blank">Dar Papillon</a>, 360-364 Berkhamsted High Street, HP4 1HU</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>And the price for each workshop is £10 - or you can block book six workshops for £50.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For more info, please email me at:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">contact[AT]siobhancurham[DOT]co[DOT]uk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>I'm also currently looking for venues for the </i>Dare to Write Workshop Tour<i>, so if you would like me to come and run a workshop for your organisation or at your venue, please get in touch.</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15665277347233261655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-779778524456252219.post-18268449440836672662013-12-29T04:38:00.001-08:002013-12-29T04:39:59.997-08:00How to Set Writing Resolutions that Work<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>The old year is drawing to a close and the new year stretches out before us - as clean and fresh as a new Word doc.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And writers everywhere are resolving that this will be <i>the</i> <i>year.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>The year the novel finally gets written.</i></span></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The year the poetry collection finally comes together.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The year the screenplay makes it from scribbled index cards to properly formatted script.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The year the short story gets published.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The year the blog gets launched.</span></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">And for some writers, all of the above and more may apply.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Some writers have so many goals, their list of writing resolutions is practically a novel in itself.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And while this might initially fire them up with enthusiasm, February tends to find them face down in a bottle of gin, suffering from a chronic case of Resolution Overwhelm.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I know this because there was a time when my own writing resolutions had a higher word count than <i>War and Peace</i>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There were so many things I wanted to write; so many genres and age groups and mediums I wanted to write for.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">So I'd list them all.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And then, in January, I'd make a start on them all.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And I'd end up spreading my writing so thinly that I'd lose heart.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Nothing seemed to get done.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">So I'd give up doing it at all.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Then I discovered the joy that is <b>The Writing Resolutions League</b>.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This is where you divide your resolutions up, just like in a football league. And, dear <b><span style="color: #b45f06;"><i>Dare to Writers</i></span></b>, it has revolutionised my life.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Let me show you how:</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">First, write a list of every single writing goal you have.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Then, on a separate page, write the heading, <b>Premier League</b>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Look at your list of writing goals and pick the <b>one</b> that makes your heart sing the most; the <b>one</b> which you absolutely have to write before the new year is out.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Put this goal in your Premier League.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>And nothing else</u>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Next, write the heading, <b>Division One</b>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Go back through your list of goals and pick the <b>one</b> that almost made it to your Premier League; the goal that you would really like to achieve before 2014 is out.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Put this goal in your Division One.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u>And nothing else.</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Then, write the heading, <b>Division Two</b>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Into this division put up to two goals that you would like to make a start on by the end of the new year - but you won't be heart-broken if you don't.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you have any other goals left, write them under the heading, <b>Division Three</b>. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Division Three is for the writing goals you would like to achieve in the next five years but <u>you will not be focusing on in 2014</u>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>For the whole of January do nothing but focus on your Premier League writing goal.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Repeat for February.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And repeat as necessary, until this goal is achieved.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Know that your other writing goals are still important.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">You haven't abandoned them.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Like Wolverhampton Wanderers, they are just awaiting promotion.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And they will be promoted, once you've achieved your Premier League goal. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Because then everything else can shift up through the ranks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When it comes to your writing resolutions, <b>prioritising = clarity</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And <b>clarity = success</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Wishing you all a very happy, writing-filled new year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>One of my writing resolutions for the new year is to run more writing workshops. I will be running a fortnightly group in Berkhamsted, Herts and monthly workshops in London. So be sure to keep checking the <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/p/workshops.html" target="_blank">Workshops page</a> on this site for more details. . . </b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15665277347233261655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-779778524456252219.post-42372851134435451402013-11-13T08:35:00.000-08:002013-12-28T11:27:12.848-08:00Dare to Self Publish<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Once upon a time, those who dared to self publish were ridiculed and looked down upon.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">'Vanity publishing', as it was then known, was said with a sneer and the condescending subtext that if you had to pay to publish your work then that work had to be <b>Crap with a capital C.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you weren't able to get an agent / publisher and you didn't have the thousands of pounds required to publish your own book, then your book was destined to remain in Literary Limbo*. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>(*Literary Limbo can usually be found in a shoebox under the bed.)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But then the internet exploded on to the scene.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And hot on its heels, came the e-book.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Now, not only could anyone (with access to a computer) self publish, but they could do it for <b>free</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Cue much hand-wringing from the great and the good of the literary world.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I was once on a panel with a couple of best-selling authors and a renowned literary agent. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We were supposed to be giving a masterclass on how to get published.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When I recommended self publishing, I was greeted with a mixture of horror and disdain from my fellow panellists.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">They then went on to practically beg the audience not to self publish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>'There's far too many awful books out there already,'</i> one of them cried. <i>'Please don't add to them!'</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">They reminded me of those spoilt brats in the playground who only let a select few play their game.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>'Don't threaten our elite little club,'</i> they seemed to be saying, <i>'We need to feel special.'</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As you might have guessed, I cannot bear this attitude.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I believe that we all have the right to express ourselves in any way we choose.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>We all have the right to write.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And we all have the right to publish our writing if we want to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Over the past couple of years, there has been a definite sea change.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The term 'vanity publishing' has disappeared from publishing parlance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Self publishing - both the term and the act - is becoming more and more commonplace.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Sometimes, it's even referred to as 'indie publishing'. Seriously, could it get any more rock-n-roll?!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I know of many traditionally published authors who are now choosing to self-publish books.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I also know of many self-publishing authors who, having built a readership, go on to win book deals with major publishing houses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In my own case, my first four books were traditionally published. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Then I chose to self publish my debut young adult novel.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This novel, <i>Dear Dylan</i>, went on to win a national book award, and win me a four book deal with a traditional publishing house.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But next week, I'm going to be self publishing a non-fiction book called, <i><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/375548" target="_blank">Finding Your Inner Cherokee</a></i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CuQAJMrmVdqDsdTgeA1tI8CH9v7JvEaLIo_fSuLLmL61B5JXlon1lacHhY3jK2Pj3wV90yLxZr4G5heTptvK60EeIblhh8mzUQr-C4w8XAvjVqiuweNc-eD2v47hkatLKRrunATzirll/s1600/INNER+CHEROKEE+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CuQAJMrmVdqDsdTgeA1tI8CH9v7JvEaLIo_fSuLLmL61B5JXlon1lacHhY3jK2Pj3wV90yLxZr4G5heTptvK60EeIblhh8mzUQr-C4w8XAvjVqiuweNc-eD2v47hkatLKRrunATzirll/s320/INNER+CHEROKEE+(1).jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I have chosen to self publish it as an e-book because I want to be able to give it away for free.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And that to me, sums up the joy of self publishing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>It gives you full control over your work</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>It gives you freedom of expression.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>It gives you the freedom to set your own price - and even give away books for free!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And really, what could be better than that?</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15665277347233261655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-779778524456252219.post-56690989034833126042013-11-06T00:56:00.000-08:002013-12-28T11:28:15.303-08:00You Are Still a Writer<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06; font-size: x-large;"><b>Sometimes, it can feel like the hardest thing in the world to actually sit down and write.</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sometimes, it feels as if the whole world is conspiring to stop you putting pen to paper.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And this can be a real pain in the butt!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Last week, I was <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/p/how-i.html" target="_blank">coaching a writer</a>.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One of her main frustrations was having to juggle so many things that she felt as if her writing was being forced on to the back-burner.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I could relate straight away - and I bet so many of you can too.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">If you need to earn a living, go to school or college, or bring up a family it can be exhausting trying to write as well. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And so sometimes, you give up trying.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">But if writing is your passion, not being able to write can feel like a part of you - a vital part - is withering away.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>And this makes you feel crotchety</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>unhappy</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>on edge.</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">But all is not lost.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For those times in your life where you are genuinely too busy or too tired to write, remember this:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><b>You are still a writer.</b></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>You still have <b>thinking time</b>.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>You can still be <b>plotting and planning in your head</b>.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>You can still be <b>growing characters in your imagination</b>.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>You can still be <b>jotting ideas down in a notebook</b>.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>You can still be allowing a <b>story or poem to percolate</b>.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>You can still be using your <b>life experiences as inspiration</b>.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>You can still <b>call yourself a writer</b> </i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>Because <b>writing is in your blood</b>.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><b>You are still a writer.</b></i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1tWGQ3jqNTUD8CCrkah9t-ZuD8_5-PGEvmTYIjgR21s5zmTSh5rH7MUtrvWy8uyXY48Whvb2MyoOPw06a3zdJEJrIIeKzA2F4K27gEKci2CS85XLJSipr6oM-djXKrDACvY5S9bVXOZz/s1600/IMG_20131105_143951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1tWGQ3jqNTUD8CCrkah9t-ZuD8_5-PGEvmTYIjgR21s5zmTSh5rH7MUtrvWy8uyXY48Whvb2MyoOPw06a3zdJEJrIIeKzA2F4K27gEKci2CS85XLJSipr6oM-djXKrDACvY5S9bVXOZz/s320/IMG_20131105_143951.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15665277347233261655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-779778524456252219.post-38075538656333520332013-10-28T08:52:00.003-07:002013-12-28T11:30:19.617-08:00Autumnal Writing Prompts<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Autumn is such a rich time of year - the colours, the smells, the sounds of leaves crunching underfoot . . .</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">. . . all make it such a great season to write about.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">So, if you fancy giving your poetry or prose an autumnal flavour, choose one of the <b>writing prompts</b> below to inspire you:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Title Prompt</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">'Spiced Apples and Bonfires'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Picture Prompt</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhp0IEzefMGRjztlUOBHCSFcSQndnIpoSxXjdnkpB5NEvhibHfgD1idmcrqf5SjQcZR-G7XB-PpTGiKNr-nJIOFy2JHhuCu13z9HjNeSD5jrSO7ylpx-3-ZK4fROWe_jyWON2P3PwXNUg1/s1600/IMG_20131028_142256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhp0IEzefMGRjztlUOBHCSFcSQndnIpoSxXjdnkpB5NEvhibHfgD1idmcrqf5SjQcZR-G7XB-PpTGiKNr-nJIOFy2JHhuCu13z9HjNeSD5jrSO7ylpx-3-ZK4fROWe_jyWON2P3PwXNUg1/s320/IMG_20131028_142256.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Opening Line Prompt</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Every Halloween it was the same. Every Halloween she hoped . . .</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Musical Prompt</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/H7hGiZ579cs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Smell Prompt</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Freshly baked gingerbread </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Picture Prompt</b></span><br />
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaL-OVBJ8WK3MDkmOxBz-b_m3klzQNEnJJh6rK_ZZ1qQeSipY-mPGOF0Mhrv-lZiUljZ2FsLoFvImmDXlIcUjexnVBzBmP5ZbLIMPPh9ZMQBJyMaOwjSwYUa7yPYT0mvKAWqTHdOuxR6j/s1600/IMG_20131028_141737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqaL-OVBJ8WK3MDkmOxBz-b_m3klzQNEnJJh6rK_ZZ1qQeSipY-mPGOF0Mhrv-lZiUljZ2FsLoFvImmDXlIcUjexnVBzBmP5ZbLIMPPh9ZMQBJyMaOwjSwYUa7yPYT0mvKAWqTHdOuxR6j/s320/IMG_20131028_141737.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Quotation Prompt</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b><i>'Aprils have never meant much to me, autumns seem that season of beginning, spring.' </i><b>Truman Capote</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>I hope you find the above prompts useful.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>I hope they inspire you to paint some beautiful autumnal moments with your words.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>And I would love to see the results, so please feel free to send them to me or post them in the comments below . . .</b></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15665277347233261655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-779778524456252219.post-81949636725440409002013-10-25T11:44:00.001-07:002013-12-28T11:31:26.404-08:00Writing Inspirations<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>I don't know about you, but I'm a real sucker for those 'Inspirational Teacher Movies'.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You know the ones,<i> <b>Dead Poets' Society, Mona Lisa Smile, Dangerous Minds</b></i><b> </b>- they all follow the same basic plot: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i>New teacher joins school - new teacher has problems with class - new teacher manages to engage class - even the most cynical of students become inspired - lives are changed forever - new teacher tragically has to leave school - previously cynical students rally round in a heart-warming show of support.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">And I am reduced to a quivering, tear-stained wreck <i>every single time!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you're lucky enough to have had a teacher like the ones featured in these movies, I don't think you ever forget them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Mine was Miss Maybin - my English teacher back when I was 13.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">One week, in class, she got us to do a comprehension exercise on a poem by <b>Seamus Heaney</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The poem was called <b><i>Blackberry Picking</i></b> and there was something about the richness of the description and the bitter sweet content that had me rapt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Instantly I was transported back to holidays in Ireland and blackberry-picking expeditions with my cousin:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">"You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Picking."</span></b></span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To me, the experience of reading the poem was beyond anything I'd ever felt as a reader before - and I was an official Book Worm with a degree in Word Nerdery.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My love for the poem must have shone through in my comprehension exercise because after class, Miss Maybin called me back.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">'Did you enjoy reading that poem?' she asked.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I nodded eagerly. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">She just smiled and let me go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But after our next lesson, she called me back after class again and handed me a bundle of photocopies. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Over the weekend, she had made me a collection of some of Heaney's greatest poems.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I treasured those photocopies for years, until the print had faded and the edges become dog-eared.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I have vivid memories of curling up on my bed and poring over the words, revelling in the emotions they conjured, smiling one minute, crying the next.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Like all great teachers, Miss Maybin had spotted a spark in me and kindled it into a flame.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Seamus Heaney's poems made me see what was possible when it came to the written word.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">He made me see how you could take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>He made me want to write.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In August this year, Seamus Heaney died.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">When I heard the news I burst into tears.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">At first, I was shocked by the force of my reaction - after all, it wasn't as if I knew him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But that's the thing about our inspirations - we don't have to know them for them to leave an imprint on our very being. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">They help to form the people we become, often without ever realising it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This week, I signed a book deal with the publisher <b>Faber & Faber.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In a twist as bitter sweet as one of Heaney's poems, this had been his publisher too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's too late for me to contact Seamus Heaney but I wish I could track down Miss Maybin, and tell her what she sparked.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Who knows, maybe one day I will . . .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You can watch Seamus Heaney reading <b><i>Blackberry Picking</i></b> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhBK5_zLwJY" target="_blank">right here</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Now, over to you. Who are your writing inspirations? Who made you love to read and / or write? I'd love to know, so feel free to write your own personal tributes in the comments below.</b></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15665277347233261655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-779778524456252219.post-43768341752205530822013-10-23T07:38:00.000-07:002013-12-28T11:34:35.928-08:00Welcome to My Writing Dream!<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>For many years now, it has been my dream to create a small corner of the internet where writers could come for encouragement and advice, and to share their work.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, sitting down to compose this very first blog post for <b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Dare to Write</span></b> is a really proud and happy moment for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I've been coaching writers for almost as long as I've been a writer myself (since June 2003, if you want to be official about it).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">That was when I ran my very first writing workshop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It was terrifying!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I practised what I was going to do and say for days before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My son was just a toddler back then, and I remember doing a last minute run-through of my workshop on a group of his cuddly toys.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Midway through, Bob the Builder keeled over in front of me, as if passing out from chronic boredom.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I was mortified and took it as a sign that, as a writing workshop facilitator, I was doomed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Thankfully, I was wrong (maybe Bob had just been drinking?)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Since 2003, I have run literally hundreds and hundreds of workshops.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9Ia2gN3WGvXDtKyIhCNUjODTpAZ5SS1ClzdXQv0gHFlRPGXf1Olg9OxCYU9BGYBvVAndtX3vZz0OuhvksDWC3y8u0YIW0A4JVBmWCVZcGsmBESUAGFn9cwQy4Qn1KQt62mqbBzF7DdKB/s1600/bathwshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ9Ia2gN3WGvXDtKyIhCNUjODTpAZ5SS1ClzdXQv0gHFlRPGXf1Olg9OxCYU9BGYBvVAndtX3vZz0OuhvksDWC3y8u0YIW0A4JVBmWCVZcGsmBESUAGFn9cwQy4Qn1KQt62mqbBzF7DdKB/s320/bathwshop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running a recent workshop at Bath Literature Festival</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And I have coached many writers on a one-to-one basis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But I've never pulled it all together under one umbrella before.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Becoming a writer has transformed my life, career-wise and personally.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And having encountered various obstacles along the way - both internal and external - helping other writers overcome their own obstacles has become one of my life's passions.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>We all have a right to write, in whichever way we choose.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For <b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Dare to Write</span></b> I have created - and am still creating - a range of <a href="http://daretowritecoaching.blogspot.co.uk/p/how-i.html" target="_blank">products and services</a> that are directly drawn from my experience as an author, editorial consultant, workshop leader and writing coach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Years of trial and error and trial and success have gone into every <b>coaching package, online course</b> and <b>e-book</b> available here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I will also be offering <b>free tips and advice</b> on this blog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Let me leave you with my favourite quote about writing. I hope it inspires you as much as it does me:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>'To sum it all up, if you want to write, if you want to create, you must be the most sublime fool that God ever turned out and sent rambling. You must write every single day of your life. You must write dreadful dumb books and glorious books, and let them wrestle in beautiful fights inside your head, vulgar one moment, brilliant the next. You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff the books like perfume and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads. I wish for you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a life-time. I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon you. May you live with hysteria, and out of it, make fine stories. Which means, may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world.' </i>Ray Bradbury</b></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>Please help me to spread the word about <b>Dare to Write</b> by sharing using the buttons below. Thank you :)</i></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15665277347233261655noreply@blogger.com0