The Power of Books and Words

Never underestimate the power that words can have over someone. Something so relatively simple but that can have a very big effect. Whether it be a book- fiction or non-fiction, or an article, blog post or just a simple tweet. Other people’s words can speak to us in a way that we never expected.  I feel lucky in that I learnt to read at a young age. I have been able to devour books of many authors, discovering new worlds and losing myself in the places created in those words written by talented others. Now I know that the same cannot be said for everyone. There are people who cannot read for whatever reason, or those who just don’t like to. But even the few words they see around them can have an impact, if you read or not.

And I continue to be inspired by others words, whether they be real life stories or fictional ones, they can all be just as powerful. And they make me determined to do more, both in my life and my own writing and reading. Let me tell you about just a few books and writers who have inspired me.

Rowan Coleman and Julie Cohen- Both brilliant fiction writers whose books I have had the privilege to enjoy but for also helping me on my own writing journey, with their advice and workshops that I attended. Their writing retreat last year was the best thing I could have done for my writing, even if I couldn’t see it straight away.

Miranda Dickinson- For just being herself! I was lucky enough to meet her as well as read her wonderful books, but just the daily motivation she gives herself and lends to others continues to push me onwards with my own writing.

Jane Austen- She was a powerful writer long before her time and how her books are still testament to that even now.

Liz Fenwick- For bringing Cornwall to life and inspiring me in my own story setting.

Henry Fraser/ Matt Haig/ Bryony Gordon- I feel I should be discussing these separately as they are all amazing people in my eyes, for sharing their difficult and personal stories with the world and helping me and others to see things differently and to overcome our fears, whatever they may be.

Eva Woods- ‘How to be happy’ A fictional story that I have just finished reading that spoke volumes to me and got me to write this post. I strongly recommend the book, and maybe you too will see how the power of someone elses words can inspire you.

I could go on with other writers- J K Rowling, Jojo Moyes, but I just wanted to get down my thoughts and share what others words had done for me. I hope that reading can do the same for you too.

March 2018- I Believe in Unicorns…

‘Believe in your story absolutely as you tell it’ Michael Morpurgo (I Believe in Unicorns)

Well, what another positive month and I feel so happy to be saying that. As before, I have spent the month continuing to type up from my notebooks and learning as I go along. The month started well with a snow day allowing me to find extra time to write as well as working on research notes and using inspiration from my holiday pictures. And very much as the above quote states from the master storyteller himself, I feel that I really believe in the story that I’m trying to tell, and becoming lost within the world that I am creating. And there have been moments of new writing too, as I either scribble or type new parts around those I’ve already written. It’s just so exciting  to see my story coming to life and just how I want it to be told. As always I am inspired by others, but putting the words in my own way, telling my story and really feeling it all come together.

The biggest achievement this month, and quite a milestone to mark is reaching the 100,000 word mark!!! It’s something I wasn’t sure I would be able to say, but am extremely proud to have reached such a significant point in my writing journey. And yet there is still more to do. Out of the nine notebooks that I have currently scribbled in, I’m now typing from number 8 and so the point is getting nearer when I can see just how much I already have. Only then will I be able to work out how much more is needed, and I’m hopeful that I have more than I actually think and the elusive first draft will be closer to completion. And I’m excited to read it all, to see all my threads finally come together.

Back to some of the new scribbles that have arisen whilst I’ve been typing, it has certainly been a good curve ball in that I already have thoughts on how to expand what’s already there. Besides that, there was the feeling of doing some actual writing, new words on the page. It has certainly been a little while. But saying that, I know that my typing exercise is very important in moving forwards and knowing where I am, seeing where the story maybe no longer works in places or fits in the overall plot, and adapting things as I go. And so my time has certainly not been wasted. It has been extremely valuable , to take a step back and think, as see already where there are still things to work on. But as the month ends and another is on the horizon, I can report that another 18,940 words have been typed this month, as well as more scribbled, so I’m taking that as another achievement to add to the list, as well as building on what I managed last month.

Talking of having targets to work towards, it’s been something very much on my mind. There have been a few days where I don’t feel that I’ve done as much as I could have done, and momentarily that has frustrated me. But then I got to thinking. What about giving myself a small daily target?  500 words maybe, something to work towards whether typing or writing. Okay so 500 may not seem like a lot, but better to start realistically, and then exceed on the good days when I can. I realise I’m a bit late to the game in this sense, but all in my own time, you know me!

But other than writing, I want to share a few other things that have also been on my mind. Firstly, how do you prioritise what to read?? There are just not enough hours in the day! I have a whole list of galleys on my kindle as well as writing books and my psychology magazines to read. They are all important in their own right, and as the quote says’ If you want to be a writer, you must to two things above all others, read a lot and write a lot’ – Stephen King. But just what order do you decide to read things, that’s where my struggle lies.  With both work and writing, I am feeling that there is never the time to catch up without dropping something else. There is so much I want to read and I want to do it all now, but I can’t and therefore it features lower down on the list of priorities, and books or articles are started but not quite finished. Just something else to work on!

A whole weekend at home, quite a rare thing for me I have to say. And yet I loved every minute when I did have one, just a couple of weeks ago. Even the job of cleaning and how it made me feel after I’d finished, that I’d achieved something, however small. The time to indulge in other hobbies too- cross stitch, music, films that inspire, reading and spending time with good friends. Its all so important, to get the balance right. But also managing to fit in some writing. It felt good to have some kind of loose plan and succeeding at ticking a few things off that I’ve been meaning to do for a while. It makes me more determined to enjoy the spare time more often, instead of always trying to fill it. Although this is not a bad thing either, but sometimes it’s good to just stop for a little while and do the little things that can also bring so much pleasure.

And so we’re at the end of another month, and I’m looking forward to what the next may bring. Small steps….