I used to be a prolific writer. I was writing monthly for a magazine (around 2010,, for a couple of years), I blogged at least weekly here and on my travel blog, and I participated in group and online writing challenges. I had (have!) a great idea for a work in progress, and I loved every minute of penning an idea and creating a story.

So why did I stop?

I guess that's a little unfair. I haven't stopped writing for fun/enterprise entirely. I still blog weekly for my baking business 280 Bakes and it's going great guns. However, the last post (aside from two in early March when I panicked and got keen again for a day) on my Born to be a Tourist travel blog was exactly a year ago, and on here, my poor writing/lifestyle blog has been severely neglected. The last post here was posted in May last year. Call myself a writer??

Well, actually I don't think I do call myself a writer any more.

I write. I do. I use my skills in writing all the time: I write emails every day, to people as diverse as my Grandma (catching up) to the Lord Mayor of Bristol (a VIP event invite for 280 Bakes), I write reports, minutes, emails in my 'day job' in an office in Bristol... I was praised yesterday, in fact, for my easy style of writing - which prompted this post.  Unfortunately though, it's just writing a shopping list that's missing from the list of things I seriously sit down and write. I just don't do creative writing much nowadays.

And it's not like I cut back consciously. It happened gradually perhaps, and time flew by; suddenly it had been months and years since I'd worked on anything bigger than a 500 word blog about cake.

I think my writing time was diminished for a number of reasons:

a) Life got busy. Busier. Married, a (new) full time job and a business to run on the side, a pup, living in a new town with things to discover, more financial responsibilities... all these things take up time, no matter how pleased I might be to welcome them into my life.

b) Moving from Northamptonshire, I left behind me an awesome writing group which I Chaired. The group was such an inspiration, and the discipline of having to write a short story or selection of poems each month was a real driver for creativity. The group is still going, I hear, I still miss it.

c) I think, honestly, I've moved on a little from writing, too. I felt a bit guilty about this for a while, and I have no idea why. It's not like I was letting down millions of fans. A few thousand followed me on the blogs, but I am sure no one cried. I was fully aware I was never going to get rich writing, but was keen at one stage to see my skills and portfolio develop professionally. Now, I guess, I have other interests, but should use writing more as a hobby or an outlet more.

d) I went through some dark times - anxiety and depression doesn't encourage creativity, but with hindsight, it could have helped. At the time though, I couldn't face writing anything with concentration levels on the floor and low self-esteem. No one wanted to hear from me, I was sure, and I didn't really want to get stuck in writing negatively centred things.

However, there's hope. The fact I'm writing this post is a positive sign. Hey, life is always busy - it's about making time for what you want to do, your priorities. I've not found a writing group in Bristol which works for me, and I don't know if I'm that enthused about going along, really, now. And you know what, it's ok if writing isn't a priority for me now. It's just there, hovering in the background, something I can dip into as and when. Moving on isn't a bad thing, in many aspects of life, but I know I can always go back to it. Life has taught me a lot in the last few years, and I'm sure there's something I could say, especially now I'm much-improved mentally. Still working on it every day, but much mended.

I have 39 unfinished drafts for Miss Write and many more for Born to be a Tourist. Maybe I'll have a crack this weekend. A long, potentially wet weather Easter weekend is a perfect excuse for some inner expression. Watch this space - but don't hold your breath.

Lou x

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​Today I Told Her

Today I told her. 
 
This evening I told my wife a secret.
A year of marital bliss fell from my lips and crashed into foetal positioned dreams around our feet.
 
“How about Annie for a girl?”
 
I could hold back no longer.
I had to speak.
 
She shook off a long blinked. I could feel our hearts sinking together, yet I was convinced.
 
“What do you mean?”
 
I repeated the loaded phrase, more than words.
 
“How… what...? When did you decide this?”
 
Eight months into our marriage I found myself wishing for nothing more.
 
“Are you sick?”
 
No. I wanted no children – she was enough, my love entirely hers.

Lou x
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I'm looking forward to the editing phase of my novel. I'm still only 40,000 words in, so it's a way off yet, but it doesn't stop me procrastinating and planning how I'll edit!

Here are my top 12 tips for when you reach the editing stage. 

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• If it’s fiction, are the characters plausible? Do they sound real?
• Are the themes working? What is the one big message of your book? How do the sub-themes relate to it?
• Is it tightly written, where every word carries meaning and builds the picture? Or is it full of waffle that needs to be pared down? Make every word count. 
• Double check your spelling. 'Form' and 'From' are both words spellcheck will recognise but they might be incorrect in that sentence. 
• Are there any excessively long sentences you can cut in two?
• If it’s how-to, are the instructions clear for the level of skill you're writing for? i.e. for beginners, intermediate... Do the steps come in the right order? Do you have a contents page? Does the manual have illustrations or photos? Is it inspiring and encouraging as well as informative?
• Is there enough description to create vivid images in a reader’s mind? Is it groaning under the weight of too much description? Show, don't tell, but make sure it's balanced - like Barbara Kingsolver. 
• Is your formatting standard all the way through? If not, make sure there's a reason for this which enhances the readers' experience. 
• Cut 'in order to'. You never need it. If you’re going to the kitchen in order to make a sandwich… Your sentence could be tighter. Because you’re really going to the kitchen to make a sandwich.
• Same goes for the word 'currently'. Cut it. If someone is working as a sous-chef, they are there currently and it doesn't need to be highlighted twice. 
• Are there holes in the plot, or anything you’ve hinted at early and then forgotten to tie up?
• If it’s memoir, is it engaging? Will anyone care what you did, and why? Check out this great blog on writing a memoir people actually want to read from Stand Out Books. 

Don't give up. Editing can seem daunting and tiresome, but it'll make your book so much better if you get a few things a little tighter. Refine it and make it better, step by step. 

Thanks for reading, 

Lou x

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Take note, writers - here are the writing competition you need to know about which close in the last few weeks before 2016!

STORGY Short Story Competition  Closes December 30th, max words 5,000, £5 entry, prize of £500
Coralle Short Story Competition  Closes December 5th, free entry, max words 2,000, prize is publication
The Growing Unease: NEW Journalism Competition  Closes December 18th, max 2,000, publication is the prize, £5 entry
Boulevard’s Short Fiction Contest for Emerging Writers  Closes December 31st, max words 8,000, entry is steeep at $15 but the prize is huge: $1,500
Hourglass Literary Magazine Contest  Closes December 31st, max 7,000 words, entry is $8, prize of $1,000
99 Words Monthly competition, max 99 words, entry is free and the prize is publication. 
First Story - schools get £30 if they enter!!! - Closes 4th December, no fee, prize is publication on Sunday Times Online and a writing residential course. 
Magic Oxygen Closes 31st December, entry £5, prizes up to £1000.
​Henshaw Press Closes 31st December, £5 entry, up to £100 prize.

Get writing!

​Lou x

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I'm currently reading Barbara Kingsolver's 'Flight Behaviour', and I struck a real gem among her words last night, cuddled up in bed. The protagonist, at this point, is going out to check a scientific instrument, showing dedication and interest in a project she never dreamed she'd be working on, right in her backyard (page 323). It's pouring with rain and yo-yoing between 30-40 degrees Farenheit (it's an American book). 

Doesn't it make you shiver? I can remember mornings like that...

It's good writing for empathy and atmosphere, but the real reason I wanted to share this masterful (part) sentence was to showcase the skills Kingsolver has for 'show, don't tell'. The idea of this tool for writing is to create texts which enable the reader to tune into the story through action, words, thoughts, senses, and feelings of the characters involved, rather than through description.

Why is 'show, don't tell' so important? It's essential to good writing, and something I try to achieve on every page I write. The writer is hinting at a subtext, in this case, the personal description and character of the protagonist. She is clearly someone who needs to wear glasses (or perhaps chooses to - but in this case, most people would leave their specs at home if it was raining, should they not require them for more than a fashion statement!), who owns a decent outdoor weather-ready coat, and the character needs to be able to see clearly for the task she's about to undertake. The creative writing leaves it unsaid, unshown, yet obvious about what the character looks like in a basic form. You can get all of that from one little sentence about a waterproof hood. 

The old adage 'show, don't tell' is so important to writing it's now included in Key Stage 2 English classes in English schools. Bravo!

Anton Chekov put it brilliantly:

​However, 'show, don't tell' should be implemented with some caution. According to writer James Scott Bell, "Sometimes a writer tells as a shortcut, to move quickly to the meaty part of the story or scene. Showing is essentially about making scenes vivid. If you try to do it constantly, the parts that are supposed to stand out won't, and your readers will get exhausted." In other words, use with restraint! Joshua Henkin also agrees. The object of the work is to find a perfect balance between a deep, vivid picture conjured in the readers mind, and allowing them to fill in the blanks themselves.

Over half way through the (thick) book, I'm not enamored with 'Flight Behaviour'. Yet, page by page, I notice examples of fantastic writing I hope to emulate one day. And that's reading, not critiquing. I'm reading as a reader, not as a writer (for fun!), but hopefully some of the better examples of writing are drip feeding into my consciousness, day by day making me an improved writer.

Check out these quick and dirty tips on showing, not telling from Grammar Girl, Mignon Fogarty - well worth the read.

I'd love to hear if you've been struck by a specific sentence or two while reading. What has the text spoken to you?

Lou x

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Born to be a Tourist - this week, tips for perfect holiday snaps!

Tomorrow, I’m off to my first writing course since… ooh, 2010? A whole day dedicated to writing and learning more craft. I’m excited, and very grateful – it was my present for our first wedding anniversary from El Husbandio, back in August. I’m so thankful he’s supportive of my writing, and I can’t wait to meet some new like-minded faces.
 
So what do I hope to gain from this course? It’s entitled “Tools for Fiction Writing” with Louise Green, and, quote, aims to “help you start, improve and develop your stories by looking at some of the key elements in any fiction writing such as plot, character and form.” Last time I went on a course (Winchester – highly recommended!) I learned a lot about structure in writing 60,000+ word stories, which I’ve managed to capitalise a little on for my current work in progress. This time, I hope I can learn skills so I can reach that 60,000 word count goal and get past the 35,000-40,000 brick wall I crash into. This book has legs for a marathon, but it’s slowed to a crawl.
 
In comparison to my writing from 2010, I believe I’ve grown. I’m working on including more emotion in this work, trying to really touch the reader, and I have a lot more experience with a wider audience, having blogged for various new websites this and last year. My portfolio has expanded, adding the ‘bake’ aspect to this Miss Write blog, and I’ve grown in my own personal experience too. This all, surely helps in improving my writing skills. Meeting new writers also helps me by inspiring work and enthusiasms, so I can't fail tomorrow - even if I'm surrounded by anal academics and proffering poets!
 
I know this course, even if there’s no specific gems I leave with, will encourage me and give me the boost I need going into a winter of writing. I haven’t been as dedicated as I should have been in re-starting the penning of my second book, since pledging a re-visit to the script back in August. You know, a two week holiday, a full-time job, buying a house and moving twice has its distractions!
 
So, tomorrow, look out Bristol University. I am reminding myself of my WIP tonight – it’s only 20 pages at the moment, so that’s no challenge. I’ll be writing like a beast, hopefully, through November – my own scaled down, more sociable, gentler version of NaNoWriMo.
 
Pens at the ready, I’m ready to write!
 
Lou x
 
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I love a good literary festival, and most of my dear blog readers hail from the USA, so here's my unmissable list of upcoming lit fests in the USA. 

Enjoy - let me know if you go to any, but be careful not to let the literary festivals ruin your social life!






National Book Festival, Washington DC, USA, August

Miami Book Fair, USA, November

Brooklyn Book Festival, USA, September

19th Annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival October 10, 2015 Rockville, MD, USA

National Book Festival – Library of Congress

National Mall, Washington DC

Wisconsin Book Festival, Madison, WI (October)

Texas Book Festival, Austin, TX (October)

Louisiana Book Festival, Baton Rouge, LA (November)

Decatur Book Festival, Decatur, GA (September)

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Check out more great America book festivals via @travelleisure. 


Lou x


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Time to find for writing can be a challenge, we all know that. However, when you do find that 10, 30, 60 minutes you can dedicate to your craft, how can you be sure you're writing efficiently, making the most of your time typing?

In this post, I spoke about 'power writing'. I stand by this tactic; it is great, but are you getting the most out of your precious minutes?

Are you forcing writing when it's not flowing?

When words are not forthcoming, don't try force them onto paper or screen. Take a break (lunch, walk the dog, phone your mum), get some fresh air - you'll feel refreshed when you return to your laptop. 

Do you type inefficiently?

Many people can speed up their typing and make it more accurate with some basic touch typing lessons. Have you considered this? Take a look at Typing Club (free online training) to test and train yourself, or, for a deeper study of typing, check out Typing Study. 

Some pointers might also reduce strains on your wrists or fingers having been sat in an awkward position for stretches of time. A different shaped mouse might make all the difference. 

Are you distracted from your major project by more 'fun' or 'easy' writing pieces?

I am guilty of this. I don't kill my frogs, choosing what and when I want to write. Such is the luxury of an (mainly) unpaid writer! If you find blogging or writing poems easier, for example, save them for a 'warm up' exercise at the start of your time writing, then move on to the heavier work. It'll satisfy your creative brain and start the day with something fun. You can always come back later, when you've done some hard work - best to set a target and reward yourself here. Stay organised and you'll go far. 

Do you find yourself typing slowly, making sure the sentences are perfectly crafted, spelled and structured?

Again, a typing course might help here, but you need to restrain that internal editor of yours. A first draft is exactly that: a draft. You are fine to, nay, expected to return to it and improve, tweak, remove sections at will. Spelling doesn't matter - even if you spellcheck doesn't pick it up, your second draft will. I actually find the second draft more fun, as the bulk of the text is there. I've got it down, now it's time to perfect it. 

Are you a research fiend?

Research is, of course, necessary for any decent piece of writing. This is all well and good, but 'research' could go on and on as an activity. Take stock: what do you have so far? Could you write a few pages or chapters with what you've gleaned already?

Lou x

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Best get straight to it - my number one writing tip is.... *drumroll*

Write a lot. 

Writing every day is a sure fire way to improve. Write every day, or several times a day if you can. And you know you can commit to that. It only needs 10 minutes. 


Writing is like learning a language. The more you use the skill, the more you immerse yourself in it, the more skilled you'll become. 


Write stuff for yourself, write for a blog (I'm always open to guest writers here and over on my travel blog!), write for paper publications. It doesn't matter if you show anyone, just get it down. 

It does get easier, like anything, with practice. 

Go for it this week, see how you get on. 

Lou x

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Latest post here: Recycling in Sweden ("Atervinning i Sverige")

I found this video recently on You Tube (yes, I'm way behind!), and have had memories of it pop back into my mind frequently since. I found it inspirational and encouraging, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 

Take a look; there's so much advice from how to avoid a cliche from English novelist Martin Amis, to Zadie Smith on faith in fiction. 

Keep writing, 

Lou x

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