Blog Archives – Miss Write

———————————

Sleep is good for everyone (duh). The benefits to getting enough sleep include:    

     – – Increased happiness

     – – Improved immune system

     – – Reduced irritability

     – – A better memory

But how can catching enough Z’s improve your writing?

Don’t Be A Dream Killer

Keep a diary of dreams you have. This can be a source of inspiration on dry, blocked moments or weeks, God forbid. You might think your night time imaginings are a little too off the wall, or perhaps the other extreme; mundane thoughts just re-organising themselves ready for the next day. However, you might be missing a trick here so keep a notepad and pen by your bed to jot down the memories you have first thing from the night before. Read this fantastic blog if you’re worried about how you can learn to remember your dreams. 

Are You Getting Enough?

A good night’s sleep can mean different things to different people. It varies between individuals. A teenager might try for 12 hours a night; new parents might think five hours is a luxury. Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher famously ran the country on four hours sleep.  This is clearly not sustainable for ‘normal’ people. 

It is not a challenge to see how little you can get away with, and life is not an endurance challenge. Work out how much you’d need to sleep every night to feel refreshed and ready to work the next day, and try to stick to it. I know I work best with about 7-8 hours. Gone are the days when I sleep 10+ hours a night. You can have too much of a good thing. If you get the right amount of sleep you will feel more alert in the morning and your writing will see the benefits.

Are You A Writer/Drinker?

Some writers work better after a glass of wine. I am the opposite. I get drunk or sleep and can’t think straight very quickly. If it works for you, fine, but studies have shown that you will sleep all the worse for that half a bottle you enjoyed in the evening. 

The same goes for caffeine. This doesn’t affect me as much as alcohol (I quite enjoy an evening cuppa, really!), but it’s worth bearing in mind.

Banish That Laptop

I know this works for some people, but for me, having technology in the bedroom is a no-no.  I don’t work in bed, I don’t want TV in bed, and I don’t sit playing with my phone before I turn out the light. Honestly, most nights I barely remember going to bed, I am so ready for it, but I have noticed in the past how much longer it takes for my brain to switch off if I have been writing in bed. You will relax quicker, fall asleep faster, and enjoy your bed for things more appropriate than work!

Finally – I’ve not heard of this before, but I suppose it’s entirely possible…

Sleep Writing

If you can train yourself somehow to write in your sleep, it would be an amazing time saver and could be productive beyond your wildest …dreams. 

Physically writing in your sleep is also possibly better appreciated by your partner than your sleep walking or talking. It’s quiet, but don’t turn on that light! Take a look at what Lea, a Tumblr blogger, has produced while sleeping – it’s not all useable, but you might discover something in your subconscious which is a best seller.

What do you think? How does sleep work for you as a writer?

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
…And on Twitter
Born To Be A Tourist

Image from Event Brite

** Y is for (never) YIELD **

———————————

Today’s post is simple. Feel free to share the image, but please reference my blog if you do!

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
…And on Twitter
Born to be a Tourist 
On my travel blog this week, I’m showing off a photo Huffington Post accepted! *proud*

My mother despairs. My gran encourages and laughs. My sister looks puzzled. But today they can all eat their hats!

Check out these beauties!!!! These are chocolate hazelnut muffins, and I am a little bit in love. 

And they did not come from Starbucks. 

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
…And on Twitter
Born To Be A Tourist

This is a short story I write inspired by a prompt: Receiving a call from someone from your life ten years ago. 

———————————

An Unexpected Caller

I recognise the number blinking up at me from my mobile phone’s screen. It’s a number ingrained on my memory since 2003. Surely it can’t be him?

“Hello…?”

“Louise? It’s Craig. Craig Mitchell – from Cheltenham.” As if I needed reminding where I knew him from. It was one of those moments when it feels like no thoughts pass through your mind , yet there are a million fighting to be heard. Maybe that’s what a feeling of shock feels like, I pondered briefly.

“Craig from Cheltenham?” I replied, slightly tongue-in-cheek. “Hi, how are you?” All natural like. I mean, why would it be weird for my childhood sweetheart to call me after a 10 year break? I wondered how he had my number still after a decade, but if I can remember his digits, maybe he could remember mine… Interesting.

“Good, good, I’m good… erm… I’m getting married.”

Now I’m confused. Surely he’s not after my permission? God, I hope he’s not getting cold feet in a fit of nostalgia. Well, a tiny part of me hopes that – it would be a compliment if he was!

“Ah! Congratulations, what’s her name?” What else could I say? I hadn’t a clue he was seeing anyone, let alone who she was. ‘I should be asking why he’s calling…’

Craig reveals the woman he’s marrying is named Jenny and pours out a whole profile about her; how she’s a nurse, how she loves to travel – “like you,” he added – how it’s going to be a small event… That’s one motive for the sudden call I  can discount – I won’t be getting a wedding invite.

He eventually tails off. Craig always did that when he was nervous, almost running out of anxious steam to power his outburst. There was a long pause. I remember his hazel eyes. His fine hair and the juxtaposition of his coarse late-teenage beard. I remember the first piece of jewellery a man ever gave me. I remember the Yorkshire Dales.

“Well, congratulations, I’m pleased for you.” I wince at the repetition of good wishes. Is it a little transparent? I’m suddenly eager to get off the phone. “Nice to hear from you, best of luck for – “

“No, don’t go!” he interrupted. “Wait – Jenny… She wants to meet all my ex girlfriends before we tie the knot.”

Bugger. 

——————

Tomorrow’s a day off the challenge – day of rest – and then there’s just two more days to go on the April A-Z blog Challenge! 

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
…And on Twitter
Born to be a Tourist

Image courtesy of Sarah’s Scribbles

———————————

This post was suggested by one of my oldest friends, Lou Gooding. She was the one who spotted a typo in my book, and suggested I write a cautionary tale on that theme for my ‘W’ day on the A-Z blog challenge. 

I have learned my lesson and I want to tell you of my experiences so you don’t fall into the same hole of accidents, embarrassment and poor editing. 

Paragraph three on the opening page of my debut novel ‘Girl Meets Boys‘, an internet age rom com, contains the following text:

“…You’d think I’d have more grace when leaping up the stairs at home with feet that small, but no. My favourite footwear is flip flops or wellies (weather dependent of course)…”

Can you spot where the humiliating typo appeared? No?

Need a clue? Try substituting the second letter in the word ‘wellies’ for ‘i’…

Got it. 

“Oops” was not the word. I was mortified this word had appeared on my first novel’s first page! What a book boo-boo. An easy, quick tweak later, and both the ebook and the paperback correctly had footwear and not genitals on the first page. However, this was too late for the first 60-100 sales I had. If you have a copy of the male appendage version, keep it. It’s out of print. 

So what have I learned?

I admit I cheaped out a little on editing my manuscript. I went through it with a fine (but gappy) tooth comb, ‘editing’ the 36,000 word document myself. I also arranged for four ‘hobby’ editors I knew to have a read. Four, I thought, was enough, but next time I’d get a professional to get it. I certainly plan to get it done properly for my current work in progress. And you should do the same for your next book. Definitely. 

So ‘W’ is for wellies. Or willies. Whatever will get me the most hits on the porn-obsessed internet search engines!

Who can beat that typo, then?!

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
…And on Twitter
Born To Be A Tourist

Image from British Heart Foundation Shop

———————————

If you’re on Twitter, you may well have seen the hashtag #VSS flying about. This stands for ‘Very Short Fiction’, where Tweeps write short stories the length of a tweet (140 characters). I thought I’d share my most recent #VSS offerings for the day of V. 

If you like the thought of creating fiction like this, also check out the prompts from #twitterfiction and #ThePush

PROMPT: Where did the 15 high school students go when the bus disappeared?     
A bus load of 15 students and a driver disappeared. The hole swallowed them. The tunnel finally gave up its prisoners, standing confident.

PROMPT: Describe an unphotographable moment.
A family gathering undocumented. This reunion has been 8 years in the making, still no joy is recorded. Cameras are not commonplace at funerals.

PROMPT: Describe your favorite song without using the name of the band or the name of the song. 
An old fashioned girl’s name. Upbeat and mentions ginger hair. Lifts my spirits and can’t help but make me dance! #favesong

SOME RANDOM INSPIRATION…

You expect me to be humbled by your mere presence. The fact that I answer your questions with nonsense gives me away. 

He could feel the beating of the baobab beneath his torso as he embraced the trunk. The tree shared tales with him older than stardust.

The gentle reflexologist did her job and Angie’s disolved. Her toes told stories of tension and slowly it lifted. Best $30 ever spent. 

The heist had failed. The intelligence had been wrong. She was 7 years old caught with her mum’s empty purse. 

See you tomorrow!

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
…And on Twitter
Born to be a Tourist

Image from Professor Beej

** U is for U. And you and ewe and yew. **

Just try to resist singing the Jim’ll Fix It theme tune now…

———————————

The letter U on the A-Z challenge has made me consider words which are misused frequently. Let’s take ‘you’ and words that sound the same:

U – Should ONLY be used in text speak (txtspk) or as an initial.

You – When you’re addressing an individual, be it man or beast.

Yew – This is a tree.

Ewe – This is a female sheep.

Make sure YOU use the correct one!

I frequently see the misuse of they’re, their and there, the old favourite, but this week I saw the word ‘you’ being used completely wrong. How can this be?! It’s simple!

You can Google grammar until your heart is content. Here are my top 8 other misused words:

     Lose, loss and loose… (My trick? Think of a slutty bird, a loose goose)
     Accept and except…
     Affect and effect…
     Are and our…
     Where, were and wear…
     A lot and allot…
     Complementary and complimentary… (I try to remember complementary things complete 
     each other, complimentary is free)
     Appraise and apprise…
     It’s and its…

These are my biggest word use bug bears… I am sure you can think of more!

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
…And on Twitter
Born to be a Tourist 

Image from The Wisdom Pearls

IF I WERE A SUPERHERO

If I were a superhero, I wouldn’t want invisibility
Super-powered strength or shapeshifter ability.
Some people crave being perpetually youthful
But X-Ray vision’s not so useful. 
I know exactly what superpower I’d love,
And it would fit me like a glove.  

If I were a superhero, I’d be able to fly.
I’d jump off a building and soar into the sky.
Just how I’d get up to the roof,
I’ll suggest no evidence or proof.
Because that skill would most likely
Have HR here fire me less than politely.

If I were a superhero, I’d fly around the world,
And around my waist my cloak would furl.
A face mask would be inconvenient
As a method of concealment
Uncomfortable, klunky and awkward on the nose
As any spectacles wearer knows.

If I were a superhero, I’d jet off this morning.
That makes Monday much less boring!
First stop, Costa Rica to see a mate or two,
Off to a beach no one else could get to.
Follow that with India, the Taj Mahal,
Polar bears in the Artic and the Panama Canal.

So if I were a superhero, I wouldn’t save the planet.
You know I’m already itching to plan it! 
What use to the world is a flying woman
To deal with the world’s problems common.
I’d definitely enjoy myself and you’re invited too,
Until they lock me up and exhibit me in a zoo!


Thanks for reading – if you liked this poem, why not share it on Facebook or Twitter?

Lou x

Find me on Facebook
…And on Twitter
Born To Be A Tourist – new content coming today!


Image courtesy of TV Tropes

———————————

I’ve moved house in the last year more than I care to remember. Things have not gone well and I have decided to put a ‘top tips’ list as a blog to help any readers who may be on the market to rent a room. I hope you don’t fall into any traps I did!

RENT THROUGH AN AGENT

Not everyone’s as honest or human as you. Renting through an Agent protects you much more than renting privately, even if it’s through the landlord is a family member or friend. You never know, you might not end on great terms and it could cause trouble beyond imagination. It may cost more in the first instance (e.g. I had to pay £100 for a credit check and admin fee on my current place), but it’s worth it. Ask for a breakdown of any fees – in the past, friends have been caught out paying £50 for ‘miscellaneous costs’ which turned out to be paying for tea and biscuits in the Agent’s office! Private landlords could be anyone and can really take the piss.

TRY TO NEGOTIATE ON ANY CREDIT CHECK FEES

Ask if the landlord/Agent will require you to pay any fees for a credit check or similar. Ask if they would be satisfied by looking through your recent bank statements, as this could save you a packet. This hasn’t worked for me in the past, but it’s worth asking.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS FOR THE LANDLORD/AGENT

This is so it’s easy to record communication, to back up phone conversations, and to send photos.

ASK FOR A ‘SAMPLE CONTRACT’ TO BROWSE WHEN YOU FIRST VIEW THE PROPERTY

This shouldn’t be a big deal – you can then read at your leisure before signing anything and brood on it when you get home. Of course, you still must read your real contract through thoroughly should you agree to rent this place, as it will not be identical to the sample copy, even if it’s just the tenancy dates which differ.

ENSURE YOUR DEPOSIT IS REGISTERED WITH THE DEPOSIT PROTECTION SCHEME

Legally, landlords have to register your deposit with this national scheme. The DPS become the middle-man between landlord and tenant. No money ever goes via the landlord when you put the deposit down and when it is returned. Keep your log-in details to their online service secret.

TAKE PHOTOS OF ANY DAMAGE PRESENT WHEN YOU MOVE IN

And make sure the photos have a date stamp on them. This way the landlord cannot prove you did the damage when you arrange to leave the property. Trust me, most will try to collar you for any minimal or ‘wear and tear’ damage, even if it’s not your fault. One previous landlord of mine tried to get a new, expensive bathroom suite out of me, when there was no damage whatsoever. Photos and statements to rebuke this claim settled the matter, even though the evidence wasn’t legally binding. Ask for a receipt for any thing they want replaced so you are charged the correct amount. 

Remember to include carpets, curtains and any damage to doors/walls/windows/fittings. If the windows need to be cleaned on your exit, photograph them in the state they are in when you start your tenancy. Emailing the photos to yourself that day will time stamp it, even if you cannot get the date to appear on the photos themselves.

If a friend or you does break something, notify any irreparable damage to the landlord ASAP. An email with a photo attached is fine.  

ENSURE THE CONTRACT SPECIFIES BILL PAYING ARRANGEMENTS

“Tenant to pay gas/water/electric bills etc.” is not enough. This needs to be spelled out as to which bills you are responsible for (e.g. Council Tax, Wifi, phone, TV Licence). Don’t forget, if you have a TV and you have a lock on your room, this houseshare is classed as separate tenancies and you will each need your own licence.