tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73926013311481633192024-03-05T05:09:56.724-08:00 ...Abnormal....This blog is for all things writing-related...
I've been writing for half my life now.
Scary.
I write contemporary, literary fiction with dark psychological thriller strands. I need to get published before my last marble rolls into the river Trent. For God's sake, help me.
:)
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-57571044619869078032023-11-21T07:15:00.000-08:002023-11-21T07:31:48.467-08:00QUERYING MY NOVEL<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;">It’s high time I
wrote something on this blog. And something cheery might be nice. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">So here’s a pretty
picture to get us in the mood. This lake is close to where I go wild swimming :)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcB4Dn3QJwosJX4zO3iaaysGMKTj6jwXzZapAooI2VWI6h7j9lHFnoFNvTKOCcDWWrn7LO2Rpnd4haVVIW4MB_v0nSZiYEC_wPHrxklKhkxoFyTMZgs0xkzZVabOM4m_BkuLnXdsQLwZ8EcUAMksbuO8yFaQ5LRZzJ4yGvlHp2l9UyuYmszlhjTW7F/s4624/lake.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcB4Dn3QJwosJX4zO3iaaysGMKTj6jwXzZapAooI2VWI6h7j9lHFnoFNvTKOCcDWWrn7LO2Rpnd4haVVIW4MB_v0nSZiYEC_wPHrxklKhkxoFyTMZgs0xkzZVabOM4m_BkuLnXdsQLwZ8EcUAMksbuO8yFaQ5LRZzJ4yGvlHp2l9UyuYmszlhjTW7F/w640-h480/lake.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Now I’ll try and put a
positive spin on the most stressful of writing stages (after writing the thing, that is)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">QUERYING THE NOVEL<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MD7Nb_js2LIca5kL6fJ9t8wblMGzYiF4kKjkEOV9NEZMIo2aaR424ZVoyJONXOkwiuLBZws7VLyc8swZrGxMc7n1r1QVI22PlSXzzRXsEgmnKkzAuUm4YjF1PfsDBQ7IJLO4KKA8zxE3gOnb7OD3xbdfGI8GBfg8jmyK_cC1Vfmusla1hwJ8KHJl/s507/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="507" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MD7Nb_js2LIca5kL6fJ9t8wblMGzYiF4kKjkEOV9NEZMIo2aaR424ZVoyJONXOkwiuLBZws7VLyc8swZrGxMc7n1r1QVI22PlSXzzRXsEgmnKkzAuUm4YjF1PfsDBQ7IJLO4KKA8zxE3gOnb7OD3xbdfGI8GBfg8jmyK_cC1Vfmusla1hwJ8KHJl/w400-h266/Picture1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />
<br />
</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: red; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">#amquerying </span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">is the current term being banded about on social media, particularly Twitter,
(I’m still calling it Twitter) and it’s a term most writers are wearily
familiar with.</span><div><span style="color: #242424;"><span style="font-size: 15.3333px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Initially exciting,
rapidly excruciating, it’s the protracted process whereby writers try and bag an agent (the person who they hope will get them published.) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;">The process is many
things:</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="color: #242424; line-height: 107%;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 15.3333px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background: white; font-size: 11.5pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">1. Hard on your mental health (and </span><span style="font-size: 15.3333px;">literally </span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">hard - in today's competitive climate.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.5pt;">2. The odds are against you (chances of actually getting
an agent sit somewhere between 1 in 3,000 to 1 in 6,000) (</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.5pt;">It's like playing </span><i style="font-size: 11.5pt;">hook a duck</i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.5pt;">, without a hook, or a duck.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background: white; font-size: 11.5pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">3. The process is painfully slow </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.5pt;">4. Which makes it a confidence killer, a feeder of
self-doubt. Negativity breeds in the silence</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;">5. Positive spin! YOU <i>CAN </i>SOMETIMES BEAT THE ODDS,
YEY!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div></span><o:p style="font-size: 11.5pt;"></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #242424; font-size: 15.3333px;"><br /></span></div><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.5pt;">Let’s have a picture of a cat. </span><i style="font-size: 11.5pt;">My</i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.5pt;"> cat, in
fact, Moo Moo.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
</span><p></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUV6528mQ6SQPf993u0lcBA0HIvzkGdRpHWf3S_o_yt_U9_7x3Q1IL-5BoxtyCkkW306ElC1aMLZZG8gXaIAQghTCmnXAlK578kfjGfIK7LJ4MHI_4woARr_TfjtoeZylNSkuebnhevYZ3wikxTO2VFDQsCfy2nstZizrtiG4B_tifnNf7l78qMQeZ/s4624/moo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUV6528mQ6SQPf993u0lcBA0HIvzkGdRpHWf3S_o_yt_U9_7x3Q1IL-5BoxtyCkkW306ElC1aMLZZG8gXaIAQghTCmnXAlK578kfjGfIK7LJ4MHI_4woARr_TfjtoeZylNSkuebnhevYZ3wikxTO2VFDQsCfy2nstZizrtiG4B_tifnNf7l78qMQeZ/w640-h480/moo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;">So, I joined the querying ranks this year, submitting
my latest novel to literary agents. I tested the water in Spring after beta readers said I was ready to go. But my submissions, throughout March and
April, sunk without trace, exposing weaknesses in my 'pitch package' (the goods sent
to the agent)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Time for another picture?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLCqJ1gvlwNB23XDFOy49yee-kvQSafqf9SAnSJELMqaKUag3WjVD6uyDqyzVwH545sgptbp0ZEdajCRtsRhHw7gzr9V6Uzcs-AaTLq9_sUoZhbICq1jJ1gxbHs4NIsRN91mMGHPWzDajkGRIuBPTLb70qDITfPuWscY76vxKUtmSWKn2GgC8qC4f/s4624/flowers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLCqJ1gvlwNB23XDFOy49yee-kvQSafqf9SAnSJELMqaKUag3WjVD6uyDqyzVwH545sgptbp0ZEdajCRtsRhHw7gzr9V6Uzcs-AaTLq9_sUoZhbICq1jJ1gxbHs4NIsRN91mMGHPWzDajkGRIuBPTLb70qDITfPuWscY76vxKUtmSWKn2GgC8qC4f/w300-h400/flowers.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;">Said package includes a pin-sharp
cover letter (there are courses on how to
write them), a slick synopsis (the nightmare of all nightmares), and the highly polished start of your
finished novel. Your one-line pitch, to entice the agent, is arguably the most
important factor in getting the agent to read on. It's my belief that, because
agents have so little time to read submissions, they're actively looking for
reasons to reject you, right from the </span><i style="color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;">Dear Kathryn</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;">…
(so let's hope the agent’s name is Kathryn.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Anyway, time for another
picture to calm us down... <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jjIIHGQ7l3iS8rDOGSmuyUj0h4Y5R_Jf2RFCOi49iLZSZ0L82AB41FJ0x_nAFcrfQrFXWt_7w5qLVW_v5K7AsIutx35hWXpCAISXQxy_gwXLv9eIZIoRn_sjucRwM2uLAqSm-NrVwL55fme6j0Y1jwdyElglB4Z-UuGUDXraFXZih-XnK9o7KcUM/s2592/loops%20_%20notepad.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7jjIIHGQ7l3iS8rDOGSmuyUj0h4Y5R_Jf2RFCOi49iLZSZ0L82AB41FJ0x_nAFcrfQrFXWt_7w5qLVW_v5K7AsIutx35hWXpCAISXQxy_gwXLv9eIZIoRn_sjucRwM2uLAqSm-NrVwL55fme6j0Y1jwdyElglB4Z-UuGUDXraFXZih-XnK9o7KcUM/w640-h480/loops%20_%20notepad.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;">Ultimately, my first query
period was a </span><i style="color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;">FAIL</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;">. I had one or two personal </span><i style="color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;">no thanks,</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;"> but mostly
form <a href="https://literaryconsultancy.co.uk/2023/11/is-rejection-black-and-white/?mc_cid=c1ed70218b&mc_eid=e3a20c419b" target="_blank">rejections </a>and ghostings.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">I stopped submitting, returning to
work on my package again. Got more feedback/<a href="https://literaryconsultancy.co.uk/" target="_blank">help</a>, from wherever I could. Brilliant writer friends. <a href="https://jerichowriters.com/" target="_blank">JerichoWriters</a>. <a href="https://www.fairlightbooks.co.uk/authors/long-fiction-author/lorraine-wilson/" target="_blank">Mentoring </a>or offerings from <a href="https://www.sarahdanielsbooks.com/" target="_blank">generous authors</a> on Twitter. <a href="https://cheshirenovelprize.com/" target="_blank">Competitions</a>. Whatever. I revised my package over six months. Took a one-day <a href="https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/" target="_blank">CBC </a>course on pitching, wrote hundreds
of elevator pitches till one rang true. I revamped my cover letter and synopsis,
again. Revised the first hundred pages of the novel, again, sharpening the prose, ramping up the intrigue, conflict, upping the stakes, clarifying motivation,
embellishing characters. The bally lot. I need a lie-down just remembering.
Let’s have another picture. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRbH-z6sfJSH73yffD_WorXwVLiRquitwF0uOykjej6Kj124vkdLHp_7JSKZTeVCb38zQfytuDQ8zhi5SLpfbJYAVxmWicHJKi15s8F3KiZfcFg4X5rY38aReUvQtVWHlA-vJrohLIieoKqs2Bl6NXLYSSa9W3XfXbWru1qewxfFAatZvyMmE22lC/s1200/C6_OsexWYAUQZul.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1200" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRbH-z6sfJSH73yffD_WorXwVLiRquitwF0uOykjej6Kj124vkdLHp_7JSKZTeVCb38zQfytuDQ8zhi5SLpfbJYAVxmWicHJKi15s8F3KiZfcFg4X5rY38aReUvQtVWHlA-vJrohLIieoKqs2Bl6NXLYSSa9W3XfXbWru1qewxfFAatZvyMmE22lC/w400-h265/C6_OsexWYAUQZul.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">I swapped chapters round, replaced the prologue, whipped it out, put another back in. Rewrote
chapter one, chapter two, for the eleventh time. By the way, writing a novel is not for the
faint-hearted, or the impatient. Or for anyone with another life. I've discovered, over many years, it’s a venture most suited to people beset with unnaturally obsessive tendencies, for those with meticulous attentions-to-detail and high boredom thresholds. I’d lean dangerously further to propose that writing novels is for the deranged, but that’s just
my opinion. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhGUIMbNbWjAgX_Fc6A4bmGW1Gt-9Uw1sBX0X1brYlSk8XZhiJIQ9Axq_6Km7CcS12eIswzGqiz_1dFrHDEp4Egw0mSfA9XF3N7pbYZlCiJq42iO-YrvkfbrwO5Ytg3FvxkvFQq8FyT4P8NsbY1QrgA-DO1XCFW61hMzQx1xERG2uUeltZIe1lgOC/s403/better%20normal%20boat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="403" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhGUIMbNbWjAgX_Fc6A4bmGW1Gt-9Uw1sBX0X1brYlSk8XZhiJIQ9Axq_6Km7CcS12eIswzGqiz_1dFrHDEp4Egw0mSfA9XF3N7pbYZlCiJq42iO-YrvkfbrwO5Ytg3FvxkvFQq8FyT4P8NsbY1QrgA-DO1XCFW61hMzQx1xERG2uUeltZIe1lgOC/w640-h520/better%20normal%20boat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Anyway. I finally felt the novel
and pitch package might be fit to try again. During this process, my new hobby
of wild swimming really helped. As we moved into autumn, the pain of cold water forged a nice parallel with querying agents. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L0KcStMt9hYo8vL6361FoFKkbJ8fkHTy3nUFlPQVcvVUt8VAxMhj8IEU7AvNCq7CjpoddfPqQ-SpKs9LcRiKbqoENaiLR5jeW9bcvKx1BrRp2ZPhruJRcgpRCseD27fVygipazkdhFK3BN49IURJO8RteKJNtW6DFpumlZNDAcngU1TAwPhJwimE/s3264/me_swim.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0L0KcStMt9hYo8vL6361FoFKkbJ8fkHTy3nUFlPQVcvVUt8VAxMhj8IEU7AvNCq7CjpoddfPqQ-SpKs9LcRiKbqoENaiLR5jeW9bcvKx1BrRp2ZPhruJRcgpRCseD27fVygipazkdhFK3BN49IURJO8RteKJNtW6DFpumlZNDAcngU1TAwPhJwimE/w640-h480/me_swim.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">I started the process again. Submitting my newly titled novel to another batch of agents at the end of September. I was hoping to snag interest between the Frankfurt Book Fair and Christmas, the last window of opportunity in 2023. But maybe it's too late. Everything is slower than ever. Like r e a l l y s l o w. I've heard that no time is a bad querying time if your work is good enough, but the slow response rates make you think you're deluded. You go from imagining yourself at your book launch to imagining yourself dead in a river. Oh, just me?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">HOWEVER, positive spin alert.... </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">I got a full manuscript request!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: x-large; line-height: 107%;">😁</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Which I know to be a major feat, so I was massively excited. I then lucked out with another full request. To capitalise on this, as I've been advised, I contacted a few agents who'd previously praised my writing, and gained another full request. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbeUTU2AAH2izWdPOTb-4vzbA0ii55CXq_-0mek8lcFPzIHWFYvqLP-Zo9G3lzrRFkn1zqTwbz9D96gTcPxU_L-6xLcSj-Nj2QJs_JwFV6WMrV4wSeDxEJH_ZPpSkhBg_hDxR01UgPhFgxotxBAMQsX6pGY3VC3nO4e1woxMJvwQZpNVbK4t6NY4o/s800/wordcloudSS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbeUTU2AAH2izWdPOTb-4vzbA0ii55CXq_-0mek8lcFPzIHWFYvqLP-Zo9G3lzrRFkn1zqTwbz9D96gTcPxU_L-6xLcSj-Nj2QJs_JwFV6WMrV4wSeDxEJH_ZPpSkhBg_hDxR01UgPhFgxotxBAMQsX6pGY3VC3nO4e1woxMJvwQZpNVbK4t6NY4o/w640-h480/wordcloudSS.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">So, in October I had three agents considering my full manuscript. This is now back down to one. I have queries still out there, one with my dream agent. Did I mention the word <i>excruciating</i>? Thought so. And now I don't want to talk about this any more, so here's another picture. That's me with the dark circles round my eyes. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hKSuF9Rj_n55SwsxiAWPNnz8O6yJzHRZ0W8Zxts2nmDg0ldtJvqnnvKpxEdo7TiNEOPmkQUsw1azWkd_LItQZGCh1PsQopoCBQzz_zgWEtn3kIVJS7omWE6UYuDz7qOeaIxxyl0qKEG14mgdjKJq0rnbuE5O33R6YJk7zLhflCGi0abOIqEqyd2c/s1024/EcxEcIpXsAAnSNN.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="1024" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0hKSuF9Rj_n55SwsxiAWPNnz8O6yJzHRZ0W8Zxts2nmDg0ldtJvqnnvKpxEdo7TiNEOPmkQUsw1azWkd_LItQZGCh1PsQopoCBQzz_zgWEtn3kIVJS7omWE6UYuDz7qOeaIxxyl0qKEG14mgdjKJq0rnbuE5O33R6YJk7zLhflCGi0abOIqEqyd2c/w640-h316/EcxEcIpXsAAnSNN.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;">Now, I'll be shutting down my PC and heading for the summerhouse to paint. I need time away from the laptop, from my phone and emails. It's time to get covered in oils. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5raLgb34Z4ctYA5EM2DmvCZg2Zf6ap1Ef2eP-r3HMHsPxBtfqwsGRYtwJoZRIox84Z6A5qZEtL-9vOBDhKLMzKaTGy44Vql0h3HD6aI7Fpfh0dL4pQQHfSoD8pTO9SUTVDGgXTdu0jl1Bi4tkWRtV56XpSYbg7GoGvOEPyEAqKWLLQBvhKIADkxrW/s3264/20180717_154307.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1836" data-original-width="3264" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5raLgb34Z4ctYA5EM2DmvCZg2Zf6ap1Ef2eP-r3HMHsPxBtfqwsGRYtwJoZRIox84Z6A5qZEtL-9vOBDhKLMzKaTGy44Vql0h3HD6aI7Fpfh0dL4pQQHfSoD8pTO9SUTVDGgXTdu0jl1Bi4tkWRtV56XpSYbg7GoGvOEPyEAqKWLLQBvhKIADkxrW/w640-h360/20180717_154307.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">I need the smell of turps, the bumps of paint on my palette. With the log-burner crackling and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 15.3333px;">wood-smoke curling</span><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">, cats scratching the rug and the winter sunlight priming the canvas, I'll be dipping my brush. And forgetting about words. Pictures emerge more quickly in oil paint. My husband comes in and looks at whatever is on the easel and says he loves it. Just like that. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Watch this space. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242424; font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblWHomi06x7s5mhmw7tT03YsbaVvHz_necc_uSwUrtIaf-LoVbkiqAWECFQNaGIp14U19nKGDSNLUntT5XHS17gwtV1S-UcQ6umRyfgL_KGXbA3wFOlvzASGaNiEynb7FWTnXoIqOg-ITUYFBNRU0NPowyNwdYn3z2M_bhsWXHAmBbq7qqHytroD9/s4624/20230723_121454.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3468" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblWHomi06x7s5mhmw7tT03YsbaVvHz_necc_uSwUrtIaf-LoVbkiqAWECFQNaGIp14U19nKGDSNLUntT5XHS17gwtV1S-UcQ6umRyfgL_KGXbA3wFOlvzASGaNiEynb7FWTnXoIqOg-ITUYFBNRU0NPowyNwdYn3z2M_bhsWXHAmBbq7qqHytroD9/w480-h640/20230723_121454.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p> </o:p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #3b204d; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Novels Facebook page<br /></span></i></b></a></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sarajanepotterbooks/" target="_blank"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #5e327c; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Instagram Books<br /></span></i></b></a></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/oilsbysjs/" target="_blank"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #b36ae2; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Fine art page<br /></span></i></b></a></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.sarajanepotter.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #666666; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Website<br /></span></i></b></a></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://twitter.com/sarajanepotter"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #999999; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Twitter<br /></span></i></b></a></span></span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.novel-by-sjs.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #cccccc; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Blog</span></span></i></b></a></span></div><p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br /></p></div>Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-11792386613051840672021-04-29T03:38:00.001-07:002021-04-30T04:23:24.809-07:00Writer Reporting From The COVID Trenches...<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal">I haven’t posted for a while. COVID and lockdown coincided
with landslide changes for me. Work, health - physical and mental -, and small creative
successes. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-ixhDlyaQr9m_25jCmmVLdADB1x5nhwh4V-467jzXt52c9Q1O5K9xt-FSPSoVvN2iq8vXnju8UFWwf2QdYyOs0Vchl49vWCDUIl-DWCSM15cT60CUhChc3H9GczezR1JpL29e5cx/s1025/rs%253Dh_650%252Ccg_true%252Cm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1025" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-ixhDlyaQr9m_25jCmmVLdADB1x5nhwh4V-467jzXt52c9Q1O5K9xt-FSPSoVvN2iq8vXnju8UFWwf2QdYyOs0Vchl49vWCDUIl-DWCSM15cT60CUhChc3H9GczezR1JpL29e5cx/w400-h254/rs%253Dh_650%252Ccg_true%252Cm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m hoping the writing <a href="https://www.nottinghamwritersstudio.co.uk/meet-the-members-sara-jane-potter/">stepping-stones</a>
will lead to solid success (if publishers don’t shun me over this NOTTS UNESCO <a href="https://nottinghamcityofliterature.com/blog/sjp">article</a>, lol). <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My <a href="https://writingeastmidlands.co.uk/for-writers/mentoring/">WEM</a>
mentoring with <a href="https://www.hachette.co.uk/contributor/niki-valentine/">Niki
Valentine</a> is proving invaluable, and I’ve had hugely generous feedback from
the talented author that is <a href="https://madeleinemilburn.co.uk/michael-joseph-to-publish-the-whistling-by-rebecca-netley/">Rebecca
Netley</a> too. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">During this shitty pandemic, like many of us, I’ve immersed
myself online, nerdily attending writing festivals, courses,
webinars. Familiarising myself with today’s publishing industry. Engaging with talented
bookish people and making brilliant friends. Being forced, by Covid, into this
virtual world has been tiring but worthwhile, for me.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_PEB6e-eIS_YkHQsLyrz4X83TzwBd1I9-pB6SAFBiqVD7qd57bZ-YLgd71r12tqL8iwVVlZlsQGUb6q0cX7D-qOsb8RwMwMQ69JSU4tgi9xKCnhQbyJqrpRWzNTVhkAac7VZ_U_7/s1280/thumbnail_16081554436147920635685179706436.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_PEB6e-eIS_YkHQsLyrz4X83TzwBd1I9-pB6SAFBiqVD7qd57bZ-YLgd71r12tqL8iwVVlZlsQGUb6q0cX7D-qOsb8RwMwMQ69JSU4tgi9xKCnhQbyJqrpRWzNTVhkAac7VZ_U_7/w640-h480/thumbnail_16081554436147920635685179706436.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Connecting with my chosen industry has been like understanding nature,
you must be <i>on the ground</i>, moving between the trees, imbibing the
atmosphere, drinking in the scents and sounds. It’s the only way to get to
grips with it (and hopefully find a way in). Admittedly hard to do when you’re juggling two
disciplines/jobs. I feel deeply for all creative people still striving to do this. It's a fucker, it really is. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Personally,
I’m relieved to report I’ll be leaving the day job this year, through medical retirement. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And will focus 100% on getting my fiction published. But with
hopefulness and positivity comes the threat of maybe appearing over-confident, which I'm not, so I’m
trying to strike a balance online. But my novel in progress <i>is</i> improving. I’ve
had glowing feedback from professional sources, for which I’m eternally
grateful. My wilting self-belief has been nourished and restored, and I’ll be giving this all
I’ve got. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks for reading. I don’t want to bang on or bore you, so I’m going to leave
it there. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Looking forward to us all emerging from the covid fug, like
the weary fighters we all are. <span face=""Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😊</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel" target="_blank"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #3b204d; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Novels
Facebook page</span></i></b></a></span><span style="color: #008012;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sarajanepotterbooks/" target="_blank"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #5e327c; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Instagram
Books</span></i></b></a></span><span style="color: #008012;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/oilsbysjs/" target="_blank"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #b36ae2; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Fine art page</span></i></b></a></span><span style="color: #008012;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.sarajanepotter.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #666666; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Website</span></i></b></a></span><span style="color: #008012;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://twitter.com/sarajanepotter"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #999999; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Twitter</span></i></b></a></span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #008012; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.novel-by-sjs.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"><b><i><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="background: white; border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #cccccc; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Blog</span></span></i></b></a></span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #008012; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="background: white; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;"><br /></p>Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-19583740567595488762020-10-10T04:30:00.002-07:002020-10-13T05:56:22.246-07:00Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)<p> </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">What do you know about #<a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/" target="_blank">PTSD</a>?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">Did you know, for instance, that you don't have to be ex-Forces to suffer it?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">Most of us think of veteran flash-backs on hearing the loud words<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">(((Post-traumatic stress disorder)))</span><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"> </span></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Open Sans";">But a</span><span style="font-family: "Open Sans";">nyone who has experienced significant <b>trauma</b> (as a child or adult) can potentially suffer from PTSD. </span><span style="font-family: "Open Sans";">I</span><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">t's another form of anxiety. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-e88kZ88d-w6yXpH4Vykip34m7-xAXSBQ9VkACZjs0uzho-arBS74whW_iSATaGbW-6cl01R1SEOnu_2dE-AZeolkZZaAtSkewAvnv5z4yMB1k2FYVj0cFSFFH4q4Kcw4o63N5UT/s2048/IMG_20200917_145424.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-e88kZ88d-w6yXpH4Vykip34m7-xAXSBQ9VkACZjs0uzho-arBS74whW_iSATaGbW-6cl01R1SEOnu_2dE-AZeolkZZaAtSkewAvnv5z4yMB1k2FYVj0cFSFFH4q4Kcw4o63N5UT/w480-h640/IMG_20200917_145424.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Open Sans; font-size: xx-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">A tree, near me</div></span><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Open Sans";">The <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/" target="_blank">UK NHS website</a> states:</span></p><p>"<span face=""Frutiger W01", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: #f0f4f5; color: #212b32; font-size: 19px;">PTSD is estimated to affect about 1 in every 3 people who have a traumatic experience, but it's not clear exactly why some people develop the condition and others do not."</span> </p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">I'm no expert on this, it's something I explored when a counsellor recently suggested I might have it myself. Following my Dad's death when I was six. Meaning I could've had it for over 40 years.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">Which, for me, explains everything. I've been a puzzle who has found its final peace (sic).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">As a writer, psychology graduate, obsessive analytical thinker, I could say a million things about this. I could start writing now and never stop. So, I <i>must </i>keep this short. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">But, being a <a href="http://www.sarajanepotter.co.uk/" target="_blank">writer </a>with a lifelong grotesque compulsion to share my innermost thoughts, I must also let a bit out. So, I'll do so with informative snippets and the odd picture...</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJM-sNIXGkpQ5mtZaL720YFfch5kkVU9zdbasCADxBnJ1qT-OboPEovmZV8eYqaLseOLVCR6c95vefiWuwCNe3nL07ryFdvG_QerfISP1IF8X6ICX2NvY-ZBzY4cvPGgtktJwIr7G/s2048/IMG_20200815_114858.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiJM-sNIXGkpQ5mtZaL720YFfch5kkVU9zdbasCADxBnJ1qT-OboPEovmZV8eYqaLseOLVCR6c95vefiWuwCNe3nL07ryFdvG_QerfISP1IF8X6ICX2NvY-ZBzY4cvPGgtktJwIr7G/w480-h640/IMG_20200815_114858.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Open Sans"; font-size: xx-small;">Because I have no memories of my Dad, </span></div><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">the counsellor suggested I expose myself to photos. I went OTT and created a memory-jogger pin-board, lol</span></div><div style="font-size: x-small; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">In my case, I always knew my Dad's death had had a massive effect on me. I knew I was suffering some sort of delayed-grieving, for instance, throughout my thirties and forties. But I didn't realise how far-reaching traumatic effects can be. They subconsciously swirl, just out of sight, year upon year upon year, subtly but steadfastly sculpting your life, like water eroding a riverbank.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">That's what appears to have happened to me. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">Despite studying psychology, and this very subject, I never saw it in the mirror. And I'm starting to realise why. People don't <i>expect </i>to have PTSD, for a start. Might not even know about it. Secondly, how do we know what's normal and what's not? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">How do we know that others do not feel as weird as we do? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">Most of us don't expose our bleakest parts, our darkest thoughts and fears, those ugly feelings or challenging dreams, even during drunken ramblings. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMwZ_hGryI4h4Vi7r-6Sc4sFJ8PLU2pH67WBPT_BiTnyUCsZaL2JHrTcwAny3BmPUkkZ36t59gneuaJp9A8cKAMF5ilvTzvgG50ELC9VEcIXYSamGll7-rsMZNQ9sDsj15cSvStYR/s2048/IMG_20200823_131542.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcMwZ_hGryI4h4Vi7r-6Sc4sFJ8PLU2pH67WBPT_BiTnyUCsZaL2JHrTcwAny3BmPUkkZ36t59gneuaJp9A8cKAMF5ilvTzvgG50ELC9VEcIXYSamGll7-rsMZNQ9sDsj15cSvStYR/w480-h640/IMG_20200823_131542.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Me, in Oz, aged 29</div></span><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Open Sans";">It's not very attractive, is it? Telling people, I mean, not my lovely picture, tut. Some things seem too embarrassing, or grim, to reveal, don't they?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">After all, we can all be miserable and moany, but no one wants to win <b><span style="color: #f1c232;">Gold </span></b>for it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">So we keep it down and hope we aren't alone. (Even though we possibly are.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">My theory is, many of us only start digesting this <a href="https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/" target="_blank">mental hullabaloo</a> on a bellyful of experience, from lifelong internalising and ponderings, through collecting pieces of the tattered jigsaw, and osmotically learning about ourselves and others. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">That's how subtle this thing is. It's not always like a firework exploding in your face.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1ed-7K_nYXwSPbg2DhcbnYw8GFFgTqnpX5KDuLvsj9rEe6HDC5FksWUXDeSb0tjFV4z8jsNY4LuxJhxFixwMss12MGM4Dya0_WOrXcsUSWVMOpkgKoRL_gw8teO7N2muCTH5FZRa/s2048/IMG_20200827_170707.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1ed-7K_nYXwSPbg2DhcbnYw8GFFgTqnpX5KDuLvsj9rEe6HDC5FksWUXDeSb0tjFV4z8jsNY4LuxJhxFixwMss12MGM4Dya0_WOrXcsUSWVMOpkgKoRL_gw8teO7N2muCTH5FZRa/w480-h640/IMG_20200827_170707.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">This was a present from my Dad. Because of this, I cherish it. But I know what you're thinking. WTF was <i>he </i>thinking, lol?</span> </div></span><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Open Sans";">Some causes of PTSD:</span></p><ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; font-family: StreetCorner, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 1.6; list-style-position: outside; margin: 0px 0px 32px 1.25em; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">being involved in a car crash</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">being violently attacked</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">being raped or sexually assaulted</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">being abused, harassed or bullied</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">being kidnapped or held hostage</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">seeing other people hurt or killed, including in the course of your job</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">doing a job where you repeatedly see distressing images or hear details of traumatic events</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-udi="umb://document/6f90c6ad9c424946ac14f0a3c6cf34df" href="https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/postnatal-depression-and-perinatal-mental-health/ptsd-and-birth-trauma/" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #013378; line-height: inherit; transition: all 0.15s ease-in-out 0s;" title="PTSD and birth trauma">traumatic childbirth</a>, either as a mother or a partner witnessing a traumatic birth</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">extreme violence or war, including military combat</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">surviving a terrorist attack</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">surviving a natural disaster, such as flooding or an earthquake</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">being diagnosed with a life-threatening condition</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b><span style="color: #555555;">losing someone close to you in particularly upsetting circumstances</span></b></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">learning that traumatic events have affected someone close to you (sometimes called <a data-anchor="#SecondaryTrauma" data-udi="umb://document/2d4cb0f72d3d427798b9338410ae66cd" href="https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/causes-of-ptsd/#SecondaryTrauma" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #013378; line-height: inherit; transition: all 0.15s ease-in-out 0s;">secondary trauma</a>)</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; direction: ltr; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">any event in which you fear for your life. </li></ul><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans; font-size: x-small;">(From <a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/">https://www.mind.org.uk/</a>)</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVZbNSk6xE_q02uOpThOXLHDz8dwRpF_Yrgtuim1446YscFJw4h1P2DIZRI4Ev_vi_44_34hyphenhyphenyU6I5_z3WB4z6lDajIQGaPvO3UGrEjLl2zdelrlx90Yh4hfp29EvuFOnYOfPj_ON/s2048/IMG_0296.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVZbNSk6xE_q02uOpThOXLHDz8dwRpF_Yrgtuim1446YscFJw4h1P2DIZRI4Ev_vi_44_34hyphenhyphenyU6I5_z3WB4z6lDajIQGaPvO3UGrEjLl2zdelrlx90Yh4hfp29EvuFOnYOfPj_ON/w640-h480/IMG_0296.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Open Sans";">May Clematis, to lighten things a bit :)</span></div><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">The <b>MIND </b>website states:</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span face="Alabama, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #013378; font-size: 26px;">"When something traumatic happens in your life it rocks you to the core. The world is no longer a safe place. It becomes somewhere that bad things can and do happen."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Open Sans";">This explains the anxiety aspect. The constant </span><b style="font-family: "Open Sans";"><i>fight or flight </i></b><span style="font-family: "Open Sans";">setting we're unknowingly stuck in. How can this not change us from the trauma point onwards?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k7nYOkFuhvmQo-KA8AQUlk8T7hzC8NeDa6TBEYCdH9VOLYR2OT85X6k-lZ7Jtrg5A3f4YutUlJZYSRgekz0vETr_eYPPlN8rhMZXh0shLKBHhJlH-tJ0pL3QWNL7ehk0AMOnv2pq/s2048/IMG_20200822_155748.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k7nYOkFuhvmQo-KA8AQUlk8T7hzC8NeDa6TBEYCdH9VOLYR2OT85X6k-lZ7Jtrg5A3f4YutUlJZYSRgekz0vETr_eYPPlN8rhMZXh0shLKBHhJlH-tJ0pL3QWNL7ehk0AMOnv2pq/w480-h640/IMG_20200822_155748.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">Me, this strange year</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #201f1e;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans;">I've collated a list of PTSD </span></span><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">symptoms</span><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";"> from a range of sources. I was stunned, on learning of this possible diagnosis for me, to find I have almost <b>all these signs</b> or else they manifest in my behaviours, thoughts, emotions. It appears my Dad's death may have shaped my personality, and my life, in almost every conceivable way.</span></span></p><p><b style="font-family: "Open Sans";"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-size: medium;">Without me even knowing. </span></b></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #201f1e; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="color: #201f1e;">Signs of post-childhood-trauma syndrome</span><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #201f1e;" /><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: #201f1e;" /></span></span></p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Isolating oneself</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Being antisocial</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Pretending to be okay/happy</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Crying and meltdowns</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Over or undereating, lol</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Addiction issues</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Being emotionally distant / cold</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Feeling messed up</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Feeling lost</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Feeling numb</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Unable to focus</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Poor career record</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Ongoing need for reassurance</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Lack of self esteem</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Anger management issues</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Over or under-reacting to death</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Self destructive behaviours</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Feeling like you have to keep busy</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Perfectionism</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Unable to express affection</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Using drink/drugs to numb feelings</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Heightened stress response</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Higher blood cortisol levels</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Depression</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Anxiety</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/hypervigilance#symptoms" target="_blank">Hypervigilance</a></span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Changeable moods</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Nightmares</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Insomnia</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Feelings of guilt</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Lack of childhood memories</span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• Adult <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/attachment-disorder-in-adults#attachment-styles" target="_blank">attachment issues</a></span><br /><span style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">• </span><b style="color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">Proven increased physical illness, lol</b><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;">I want to add something important before I go. You don't need to have been <b>mistreated in childhood </b>to suffer these kinds of effects. i.e. as in my case of losing a parent. From what I've read, it appears that <b>sensitivity </b>plays a part, that the sufferer may have less well developed <b>coping </b>strategies than the next person/child.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;">I had the best and most loving mother a child could ever wish for; a person who suffered her own trauma alongside myself and my siblings. I want her to realise she did <b><span style="font-size: medium;">everything </span></b>right, that she is extraordinary and always will be.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxes0vG3HGBJxZYXye3TcNIGt3SbaxL5G-2QXhN6VIGB30T1Java1Ma2DhsC4bAlEcyDhKJQZZLdo8Y6M3oMgBCR4iGJ2Z3Q2E5r4O7Nt-yksATXAp-X13aPcvn_MUpA4l2yaA8ay/s909/20200215_152809.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="909" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxes0vG3HGBJxZYXye3TcNIGt3SbaxL5G-2QXhN6VIGB30T1Java1Ma2DhsC4bAlEcyDhKJQZZLdo8Y6M3oMgBCR4iGJ2Z3Q2E5r4O7Nt-yksATXAp-X13aPcvn_MUpA4l2yaA8ay/w640-h494/20200215_152809.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">My beautiful Mum and Dad</div></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;">Footnote: My personal way through darkness is to laugh in its face, and write about it, when able. So any poking fun I do is always </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">only</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: "Open Sans";">at myself... Or my siblings. Or my husband.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: center;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="color: #0066cc; font-family: bembo, serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="color: #0066cc;"><span style="font-family: bembo, serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">My <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel/?tn-str=k*F" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: &quot; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Facebook page</a></span></span></span></b></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Open Sans;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e;"> </span></span></p>Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-44977388457025701842019-10-24T10:09:00.000-07:002019-10-24T10:13:47.686-07:00As a bird soars in flight, so a writer should write<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qi41Tls94-6rNecUMW0eqqdj3c9sor_iKQ_Lu1X1U4Fe_OKJGFe5-Qrvc6Y_9iZ9kYyfRtq-gpIHu9syqTFl0AOQ9ZqCKJfu9PZ1DHhIa2FoEMDGAnIhWd5aTD6kock6E-kmCmEd1S8/s1600/soaring_crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1169" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qi41Tls94-6rNecUMW0eqqdj3c9sor_iKQ_Lu1X1U4Fe_OKJGFe5-Qrvc6Y_9iZ9kYyfRtq-gpIHu9syqTFl0AOQ9ZqCKJfu9PZ1DHhIa2FoEMDGAnIhWd5aTD6kock6E-kmCmEd1S8/s640/soaring_crop.jpg" width="640" /></b></a></div>
<b></b><br />
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<v:shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f></v:f><v:path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"><o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></o:lock></v:path></v:stroke></v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 277.5pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 451.5pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"><v:imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:/Users/saraj/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg"></v:imagedata></v:shape></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Writers must write.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Busily tip-tapping away all the time, right?</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Wrong</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We <i>want</i> to write. We have much to say; our heads as stuffed as homemade scarecrows, bulging with ideas, yet we often <i>don't</i> write, won't write, can't even <i>force</i> ourselves to write. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You may have heard writers moan about preferring to clean the toilet than to put words to paper.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It's true, but how <i>can</i> this be? It seems insane, considering we <i>chose</i> this delightful diversion...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Or <i>did</i> we?? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Did it choose us? Like an emperor selects a gladiator to die horribly for his warped entertainment.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Also, consider this. Writing is often a writer’s <i>job</i>. And how many people bounce gleefully into work?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My mother is a dress-designer-maker. And, for as long as I can remember, she hated sewing. Or, not so much hated it as, didn’t want to do it. I recall her often saying: </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>“I’ve got to get the bloody machine out again.”</b></span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b></b><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Which is funny, now I think about it. And, interesting, when comparing it to writers. Or comparing it to <i>anyone,</i> for that matter; anyone who's avoiding doing what they're supposed to be doing<i>.</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><i></i><i></i><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Is it not simply in our nature, then, to want to laze around instead of working? To cradle a hot mug whilst gazing vacuously out the window? To lie on the sofa and do bugger all for as long as possible. Or even clean the toilet again.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s not just us writers not working. It’s <i>everyone</i>. It’s more prevalent amongst writers because we have to motivate <i>ourselves</i>. We have no nagging boss chucking staplers at our heads. Unless we have a deadline, of course. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And I think I know why all this is. Our human genes were forged during times when we only expended energy <i>catching</i> or <i>collecting</i> precious foods. The rest of the time was passed, like other animals, lolling about in languorous satiation or deep in blissful sleep, conserving energy for the next big kill... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But I digress…</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What's the real conclusion of this time-wasting post?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have a bloody <i>novel</i> to finish, that’s what. I’ve been struggling to get my fat lazy arse in gear, for months, to simply pick up the pen.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">It’s t</span>hat small issue of <i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>getting the bloody machine out.</b></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, I’ve decided to join <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo</a></span>, for the first time ever.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To enforce a deadline upon myself.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To draft my novel by the <i>end of November</i>. A novel in a month, no less.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And might I suggest – if you're a writer suffering from <b>getting-the-bloody-machine-out</b> syndrome – that you join <a href="https://nanowrimo.org/">National Novel Writing Month</a> too, so you can finally get your head out of that sparkling toilet...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And write. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel/?tn-str=k*F" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: &quot; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Facebook page</span></b></a></span></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-67925602655741760912019-01-19T09:21:00.001-08:002019-01-19T09:21:39.349-08:00The Mystery of Creativity Solved :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Being Creative
(Women)</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">A piece on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mystery of Creativity</i>,
by <span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.debbietaylor.co/"><span style="color: #0563c1;">Debbie Taylor</span></a></span>,
in <span style="margin: 0px;"><a href="https://mslexia.co.uk/"><span style="color: #0563c1;">Mslexia</span></a></span>’s
2018 diary, struck several chords with me; enough to make me wonder if I could
finally join the (official creative person) club. I’ve always felt unable to call
myself <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">creative</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">writer</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">artist</i> because I haven’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">made
it</i> (professionally) yet.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">But Debbie’s article reviews fascinating research into the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">creative personality;</i> research aimed at
ascertaining where creativity comes from because, traditionally, we believed it
was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">beyond conscious control</i>. Like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Muse</i> visiting writers in the night... </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">I’ve borrowed a handful of pertinent points for this blog-post.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Researchers found that writers’ creativity was more of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">an attitude </i>than<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> an attribute.</i> Rather an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">approach
to work</i> than their gene allocation.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">A longitudinal study in 1957, by psychologist Ravenna Helson,
following creative women until old age and examining commonalties, found subjects
were, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">markedly more tomboyish as children…
and somewhat less sociable</i> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; margin: 0px;">[t</span><span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">han their matched peers.] <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They were unconventional</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">introspective
and anxious.</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Incidentally - as a child - I played bow and arrow with my
brother, built dens in high trees, and battled to pretend deaths with sticks
for knives. When not making mud-pies, I sat on the swing at the end of our
garden, dreaming alone. Always thinking, often worrying, my mother called me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lizzy Dripping.</i> As soon as I could change
my appearance, I did it differently to others.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">The study found creative<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>women
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">liked to mull things over and come to
their own conclusions, often differing from those around them – producing sometimes
rather prickly social personae</i>.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">(I can be prickly as a hedge pig.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Later in life, the most creatively-productive subjects <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">were far more persistent, ambitious,
independent, confident, and socially skilled, and had been so from early
childhood.</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">(It’s not all about me, then.)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Debbie’s article states successful creatives <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">refused to close their options. As children,
they were independent rebels; as adults… resisted the domestic pigeonhole,
struggling to combine creative work with family responsibilities. </i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">The downside? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Creative
fulfilment was accompanied by anxiety, stress and guilt. </i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">(Tell me about it.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Debbie asks if a certain amount of stress is necessary to
produce the creative personality. She cites from Mark Runco and Steven Pritzker’s
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Encyclopedia of</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Creativity,</i> wherein <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">28% of
exceptionally creative people…had lost a parent as a child, compared with just
8% of ‘ordinary’ people.’ </i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">I lost my dad when I was six. How
can such tragedy forge creativity? <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">The
suggestion is that misfortunes of this magnitude jolt a child [from] its normal
patterns of thought and behaviour and force it to consider alternatives.
Thereby developing the characteristic openness of the creative personality.</span></i><span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Elaborating on this, I’ve read that creativity and diverse
thinking are associated with wider neural connections, meaning a person with
such interlaced networks will naturally generate more unique ideas, (above
brains with lesser links.) <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Debbie’s article continues: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">those
who weather the storm go on to become fulfilled, albeit troubled, creative
individuals</i>.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="height: 24px; margin: 194px 0px 0px 306px; position: absolute; width: 25px; z-index: -1895825408;"><img alt="Crazy face" height="24" src="file:///C:/Users/Sara/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.png" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1" width="25" /></span><span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Psychologists
have developed a three-pronged theory of creativity: First - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A-class skill and knowledge in the field of
creative endeavour. Applied to writing this means honing your craft until it’s
second nature, reading widely, researching your subject</i>. The second prong
is ‘cognitive style’… how <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one approaches
a particular activity. Creative ‘cognitive styles’ are enquiring and flexible;
imbued with the independence of mind found in all the surveys of creative
people. </i>The third prong (my personal favourite<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">) is motivation: the determination and passion, often bordering on
obsession, of the true artist.</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">(Crazed obsession, I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">can</i>
relate to.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Hans Eysenck emphasized <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the
vital importance of knowledge, skill and persistence.</i> And ‘ego strength’
which <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is all that stands between the
artist and the mental health system.</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">(Hmmm.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">Debbie’s captivating piece – penned for Mslexia writers – delved
much deeper in than this, I’ve borrowed relevant snippets. Interesting, no? </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">So, now, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dear Creative</i>,
wipe up your tears, take your snazzy label and go produce the goods.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;">
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;">😊</span><span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"> <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel/?tn-str=k*F" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Facebook page</span></b></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "bembo" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-62275626692837600872018-10-24T13:04:00.000-07:002018-10-24T13:04:35.166-07:00A double waste of time<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="b50t5" data-offset-key="be2re-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; direction: ltr; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span data-offset-key="be2re-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I've come to the conclusion I mishandle time, due to faulty logic and a weird brain.
When I don't want to do anything, I check my to-do list. I have a rule whereby I must do AT LEAST TWO things off the list daily. On idle days I'll choose something like: "Tell Rick about the work Christmas meal" and "Water house-plants"</span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="b50t5" data-offset-key="3b5n8-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; direction: ltr; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span data-offset-key="3b5n8-0-0"><b></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span>
</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="b50t5" data-offset-key="7qoss-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; direction: ltr; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span data-offset-key="7qoss-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And meet my criteria in under a minute. </span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="b50t5" data-offset-key="ch1ml-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; direction: ltr; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span data-offset-key="ch1ml-0-0"><b></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span>
</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="b50t5" data-offset-key="4hsnf-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; direction: ltr; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span data-offset-key="4hsnf-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then I can think about painting... but I can't paint when I should be writing. I'm not writing because my sciatica is worse when I sit, (so I mostly write in bed.)
I therefore take my to-do list into the summerhouse to decide what I should do next. </span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="b50t5" data-offset-key="fotro-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; direction: ltr; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span data-offset-key="fotro-0-0"><b></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span>
</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="b50t5" data-offset-key="beepa-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; direction: ltr; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span data-offset-key="beepa-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>I sit in the sun and read the list (short and long-term) and stare out of the window, wanting to lie down and read my book or paint a brand new cow; but I can't do these things because they're <i>weekend</i> things, and not on the </b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #cc0000; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">fucking </span><b>list.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="b50t5" data-offset-key="6q5vf-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; direction: ltr; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span data-offset-key="6q5vf-0-0"><b></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span><b></b>
</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="b50t5" data-offset-key="35nlo-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; direction: ltr; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span data-offset-key="35nlo-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's only Wednesday.
Yawn.
</span></b></span></span><span data-offset-key="15hp6-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="b50t5" data-offset-key="bletu-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; direction: ltr; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span data-offset-key="bletu-0-0"><span data-text="true"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>I have no energy for gardening or other physically demanding tasks today. So I sit and drink my coffee, stare at the sheep in the field that I'd </b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #cc0000; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">also </span><b>like to paint, feel guilty about what I'm not doing and just do nothing at all.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="b50t5" data-offset-key="66mf6-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; direction: ltr; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span data-offset-key="66mf6-0-0"><b></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span><b></b>
</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-block="true" data-editor="b50t5" data-offset-key="2tqqd-0-0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; direction: ltr; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; position: relative; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span data-offset-key="2tqqd-0-0"><span data-text="true"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Just me?</span></b></span></span></div>
<i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><div style="text-align: center;">
<b></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel/?tn-str=k*F" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Facebook page</span></b></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-25024689786197946102018-10-08T12:05:00.001-07:002018-10-08T12:05:07.246-07:00Penguin Random House #WriteNowLive event in Nottingham 2018<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The third anniversary of <a href="https://novel-by-sjs.blogspot.com/2016/03/a-stroke-of-misfortune.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">my stroke</span></a> is probably a good time to celebrate the fact that I might be getting closer to being <b>published</b> :)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This is a snapshot of the third and final <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/company/creative-responsibility/writenow/writenow.html" target="_blank">Penguin WriteNow</a> event for under-represented writers 2018. And I was one of the 150 writers/illustrators, <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">shortlisted </span>from 1780, to attend WriteNow events in London, Liverpool and up here in <span style="font-size: x-large;">Nottingham</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;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This pictorial <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">snifter gives a flavour of WriteNow's <span style="font-size: x-large;">brilliance</span>. We learnt about publishing and contracts; heard from authors and agents; received in depth guidance on querying and synopses. We all had a twenty-</span>minute one-to-one with a Penguin <b><span style="font-size: x-large;">editor</span></b> - with the chance of being shortlisted, further, as a Penguin mentee.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">(I didn't jump this last fence, btw, but received excellent feedback, made invaluable contacts, and was amongst the <span style="font-size: x-large;">t</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">op 10%</span> of WriteNow Talent, as </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">calculated by m</span>y husband</span> :) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></span>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">#WriteNowLive</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReS2hAPUL4o0VERSs_2Jy_QppVLycmEySu_L33lqNqPYXiP_LtlTDGrGpj_nUCFV9OIWgqQXFlgYJJlYJXECdLQ5ng2-VMcIQgCHMgPHYfQTqH6-hrtjr7w9SZQLru-l3b6qfKi0B/s1600/20180929_142806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiReS2hAPUL4o0VERSs_2Jy_QppVLycmEySu_L33lqNqPYXiP_LtlTDGrGpj_nUCFV9OIWgqQXFlgYJJlYJXECdLQ5ng2-VMcIQgCHMgPHYfQTqH6-hrtjr7w9SZQLru-l3b6qfKi0B/s640/20180929_142806.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Okay, I have no picture of <a href="https://twitter.com/roohocking" target="_blank">Roo Hocking</a> but she's one of last year's<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> WriteNow </span>mentees. She told us about her year-long experience and showered us with </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;"><b><i>i</i></b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;"><b><i>nspiration</i></b></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"What you're making is good"</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"There is something quite magical about being taken seriously"</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"Today is for you and you deserve it"</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">And, actually, we were constantly being reminded that simply being here was a huge <span style="font-size: x-large;">achievement</span> in itself - proven by the <b>quality</b> of our writing/artwork. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">We were assured that this WriteNow accolade was a <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">reputable badge that </span>would be taken <span style="font-size: x-large;">seriously</span> by the publishing community. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">And, in fact, I spoke to someone who'd been getting full manuscript requests since she'd added WriteNow 2018 to her writing CV :)</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="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">So we'll see what happens next...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNsAa727LoK13VHxXislL2i_SfvcClmP4Bgv8pOLyF-j2JgE-N1PG2nrwuAExXsNgM93F4a2h0Ye0hPmUSrEyyKBRaya_CZjqcJNDx0-3k_C_dI2QuWxi42vhCc_1daT7Gs_MLVsf/s1600/20180929_111219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNsAa727LoK13VHxXislL2i_SfvcClmP4Bgv8pOLyF-j2JgE-N1PG2nrwuAExXsNgM93F4a2h0Ye0hPmUSrEyyKBRaya_CZjqcJNDx0-3k_C_dI2QuWxi42vhCc_1daT7Gs_MLVsf/s640/20180929_111219.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<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 jotted down some nutshell writing tips from a</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">uthor <a href="http://rowancoleman.co.uk/" target="_blank">Rowan Coleman</a>...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"Main thing is to write the <span style="font-size: x-large;">best</span> book you can"</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"Ensure you're paid for what you do. Remember your work is <b>valuable</b>"</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Rowan told us that her process of writing was, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"mostly based on panic and despair" :)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"I write because I'm not qualified to do anything else. <span style="font-size: x-large;">Believe</span> in the importance of telling <b>stories</b>" </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrqBrRzSsrc312Dyq_C9U7OgQz7cWumhA-mkj9UsmqYjTM_t9QPQnReyrVSF16aftHA1Dj1WDdCJOcSl1ykBWOwke-_5AFqFVj1NuGdIwgvu2dQUN0BdaJehDFTyTZd8XdTnVaIdQ/s1600/20180929_112744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzrqBrRzSsrc312Dyq_C9U7OgQz7cWumhA-mkj9UsmqYjTM_t9QPQnReyrVSF16aftHA1Dj1WDdCJOcSl1ykBWOwke-_5AFqFVj1NuGdIwgvu2dQUN0BdaJehDFTyTZd8XdTnVaIdQ/s640/20180929_112744.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">This is the <span style="font-size: x-large;">wonderful</span> <a href="https://twitter.com/Molly__Crawford" target="_blank">Molly Crawford</a> - Penguin Random House editor, with whom I had my <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">massively</span> <b>positive</b> one-to-one :) </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLoMbkJttLuoam3m2M7NIVZXFSNcryFAs9L0Zt6dz5JdhpnfOhmBOc7qoKyEJvTMBQgUsik8eGgjyZNXW-x1T6qr_ccuomYby92DlciXqP69tLvLi95fs4LTYg8goRoGqDy8Dzu20W/s1600/20180929_133708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLoMbkJttLuoam3m2M7NIVZXFSNcryFAs9L0Zt6dz5JdhpnfOhmBOc7qoKyEJvTMBQgUsik8eGgjyZNXW-x1T6qr_ccuomYby92DlciXqP69tLvLi95fs4LTYg8goRoGqDy8Dzu20W/s640/20180929_133708.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Illustrator <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dapsdraws/" target="_blank">Dapo Adeola</a> <b>entertainingly</b> spoke about his (familiar-sounding) approach to work:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"A long stressful process of trial and error"</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="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>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4l5hh47zgxurKgvPCnGD5A5YG73R2LvBm58dPKLdu6QnGfSlN53JyySVc43pxwJgytwx55U5vwoCk1Jw6jshwFIhtMDekSISth4gDfSP4mjYa2mid2BHSgZKfLHaX3_weqpcnNj2/s1600/20180929_143603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje4l5hh47zgxurKgvPCnGD5A5YG73R2LvBm58dPKLdu6QnGfSlN53JyySVc43pxwJgytwx55U5vwoCk1Jw6jshwFIhtMDekSISth4gDfSP4mjYa2mid2BHSgZKfLHaX3_weqpcnNj2/s640/20180929_143603.jpg" width="640" /></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;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I learnt stuff while I was there too. But, here's another amusing snippet </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia, &quot; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">instead</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">... </span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The <span style="color: #b45f06;">warm </span>and hilarious Journalist <a href="https://www.clippings.me/tomrasmussen" target="_blank">Tom Rasmussen</a> said:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"Sometimes I write <span style="font-size: x-large;">naked</span> in bed. If someone is in the house I write in cafes"</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"I write because I could never afford <span style="font-size: x-large;">therapy</span>"</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-cJu7oekSjOzinXb2MGPWW5wkgqIIH9sJHmrPnyIDoKviumY29m68VGfK8mRWytj0d0QCJ0FZmDONJvjA13Hepp0Q0zLDG59xNIYSxF4P6a9OOi8cmgNEhyphenhyphenttRCAIXXOaUrCu4qN/s1600/20180929_133805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-cJu7oekSjOzinXb2MGPWW5wkgqIIH9sJHmrPnyIDoKviumY29m68VGfK8mRWytj0d0QCJ0FZmDONJvjA13Hepp0Q0zLDG59xNIYSxF4P6a9OOi8cmgNEhyphenhyphenttRCAIXXOaUrCu4qN/s640/20180929_133805.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Picture book author <a href="http://www.abielongstaff.com/" target="_blank">Abie Longstaff</a> had loads of advice, like:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"Don't get it right, get it <span style="font-size: x-large;">written</span>" </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">(This was about getting bogged down with editing your first draft, if I remember rightly.)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Abie said, on writing, "A story that itches, I have to write or I start dreaming about it"</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I really <span style="font-size: x-large;">related</span> to what writer <a href="http://www.mahsudasnaith.com/" target="_blank">Mahsuda Snaith</a> said:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">"I couldn't not write. I need to write, it's how I <b>express</b> myself"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEa5uHmtNmUO-aAaqSpPo5C_ERAZuVF8BlU6X23Z288UAWOOhTEerYC40XYqG1d71a6wq8U5QDK085Mph3QzKyA3HY-zOvWK546qgs-kIuPYImyqIc-146-r_kuQ2XJ2uAW_CPBfq/s1600/20180929_133714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEa5uHmtNmUO-aAaqSpPo5C_ERAZuVF8BlU6X23Z288UAWOOhTEerYC40XYqG1d71a6wq8U5QDK085Mph3QzKyA3HY-zOvWK546qgs-kIuPYImyqIc-146-r_kuQ2XJ2uAW_CPBfq/s640/20180929_133714.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">The promise of <b>goody</b> bags stacked up in the foyer :)</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-iz7TEWHZOIL-HZFIpPMoBj95K6bPEbTIxTVuaiCI7R8nVwwOv_37fxk-E1R5LAwfXlgnZ2J23gKLXtqdC4245Ss_nVyVg7gOAiFL-rtIlm3N2136QKx62a0iTcS6jXy6cDU-GNmm/s1600/20180929_142736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-iz7TEWHZOIL-HZFIpPMoBj95K6bPEbTIxTVuaiCI7R8nVwwOv_37fxk-E1R5LAwfXlgnZ2J23gKLXtqdC4245Ss_nVyVg7gOAiFL-rtIlm3N2136QKx62a0iTcS6jXy6cDU-GNmm/s640/20180929_142736.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Tasty lunch :) </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRiWYv4m6FSsLdiL8i__2r9tNVQ0r6AtovN0JBXpybQHi0pjy6vMUb2qCXfRW7OZkghQfhplO5FqE0g9ETpBYwnwPlM4xA77jd9FnlK7B3hWW6BTFc6CZnNEo6LZOzgwAEHrWRDInF/s1600/20180929_143201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRiWYv4m6FSsLdiL8i__2r9tNVQ0r6AtovN0JBXpybQHi0pjy6vMUb2qCXfRW7OZkghQfhplO5FqE0g9ETpBYwnwPlM4xA77jd9FnlK7B3hWW6BTFc6CZnNEo6LZOzgwAEHrWRDInF/s640/20180929_143201.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/lauramahaha/" target="_blank">Laura Mahadevan</a> (one of my table-mates) was chuffed to inadvertently end up with two cups of <span style="font-size: x-large;">tea</span> :)</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-egCjn1SNlYNQ5PW6Gfwcor9ypG3GJL4wyCldGDusgvz4lOreSgf4wBv9XtlmAq17FgITHsVvpO815-P6XzUD4HO_UpgZuxvLVMmzIgZMkGEt4g7Zgh9Z1ken6L81I0zE-qJpKC8/s1600/20180929_183710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-egCjn1SNlYNQ5PW6Gfwcor9ypG3GJL4wyCldGDusgvz4lOreSgf4wBv9XtlmAq17FgITHsVvpO815-P6XzUD4HO_UpgZuxvLVMmzIgZMkGEt4g7Zgh9Z1ken6L81I0zE-qJpKC8/s640/20180929_183710.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">And a sneaky <span style="font-size: x-large;">Selfie</span> in the pub afterwards, ensuring that the Penguin bag is IN ;)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b></b><span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtkckYlBWT2Ank7SrPJrki2_z-ibMlhJNL2pvyfNEZR82IVHYewgNaiDGa3KPXtzDmgXgGxw0mzfKf5nG3BIZLzXVi29BMQYxK14xM_XaJm4HN2F8hbG_Anxc3lJxx6VREo4RrH6K/s1600/20180929_183009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtkckYlBWT2Ank7SrPJrki2_z-ibMlhJNL2pvyfNEZR82IVHYewgNaiDGa3KPXtzDmgXgGxw0mzfKf5nG3BIZLzXVi29BMQYxK14xM_XaJm4HN2F8hbG_Anxc3lJxx6VREo4RrH6K/s640/20180929_183009.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Doggy bags were stuffed with BOOKS, would you believe?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">On a final and more <span style="font-size: x-large;">serious</span> note, I've learned that there are deeper holes in publishing, where <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">writers/artists from <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: Georgia,&quot; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">under-represented </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: Georgia,&quot; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">communities should be, than first I thought. And this has been the <span style="font-size: x-large;">case <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">f</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">or far too long.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;">I heard from <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Lgbtq+ groups who grew up not finding relatable material to read.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">I learnt that these communities are under-represented, not just as <span style="font-size: x-large;">published</span> <b>writers</b>, but as <b><span style="font-size: x-large;">employees</span> within publishing too</b>, which explains why less <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: Georgia, &quot; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Lgbtq+</span> books are taken on in the first place.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">So it's a snarly vicious circle. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">But I've learned it's <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: x-large;">slowly </span>getting better.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">And publishers like <b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/company/about-us.html" target="_blank">Penguin</a></span></b> - with their <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23writenowlive&src=tyah" target="_blank">#WriteNowLive</a> scheme - are one of the best examples, striving to <span style="font-size: x-large;">redress this imbalance</span>.</span></span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">(They didn't tell me to say that, btw, I read it in an article beforehand, lol)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">But thank you, WriteNow.</span></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">MY</span> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Writing page</span></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Segoe UI",Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #b00000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Segoe UI",Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #b00000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Segoe UI",Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #b00000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Segoe UI",Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #b00000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Segoe UI",Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #b00000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Segoe UI",Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #b00000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Segoe UI",Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #b00000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Segoe UI",Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #b00000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Disclaimer: lots of talented people said lots of clever things at this event. What I scribbled down in notes were mostly funny bits - I'm drawn to humour like a bat to a cave. So please know that this is an incomplete and undoubtedly unbalanced sketch, for entertainment purposes first and foremost. </span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Segoe UI",Arial,Helvetica,Sans-Serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style-image: none; list-style-position: outside; list-style-type: none; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #b00000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-15633687089509554042018-08-27T09:00:00.000-07:002018-09-22T03:49:25.453-07:00 Juggling arts : /<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><b><span style="color: #006007; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large;"></span></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>I haven't posted for a while because </b></span><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>I'm trying to juggle my arts</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Not to be confused with juggling my arse, which I almost wrote in error</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><span style="color: #741b47;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Like most writers, I struggle to keep my mind on the task. </b></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>I procrastinate,</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #006007;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><b> get distracted.</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>I don't like working for nothing. Life gets in the way. You know what </b></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>I mean.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #006007; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>It took a long time for me to realise 'the arts' was the way for me, the pointlessness of me trying to understand statistical analysis</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span>
<b><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Being creative is hard because you </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">have to motivate yourself, </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">be creative in your 'spare' time. C</span></b><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>reatives have a reputation for being self-destructive, self-absorbed, depressive hermits, who sometimes drink too much. (My</b><b> interpretation)</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>All of this can interfere with the task in hand</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><span style="color: #741b47;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>I've failed to write my novel this year because I started painting again</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><span style="color: #741b47;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #006007; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Writing is hard. Writing and painting is harder. Writing is a time-gobbling, protracted habit that sucks at ones life like a leech </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><span style="color: #741b47;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhS57_iJ04TTOvdhRHNDWPhpCap1qirIAX-XRIy_ybUmTWZee3mqRAm_Y7mAS5_Xl88z2NUJkGgBbkyEjY_rebD3DAGYLlzhklehUo81VJDeBu0ufYCN6qIMl_XGWWtogugtuWnTr/s1600/writer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhS57_iJ04TTOvdhRHNDWPhpCap1qirIAX-XRIy_ybUmTWZee3mqRAm_Y7mAS5_Xl88z2NUJkGgBbkyEjY_rebD3DAGYLlzhklehUo81VJDeBu0ufYCN6qIMl_XGWWtogugtuWnTr/s1600/writer.jpg" /></b></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b></b><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Painting is different. It's not so intense. Your physicality is looser. I'm less crumpled-up and stiff when painting; I feel </b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">light </span><b>and energetic, airy and free...</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><span style="color: #76a5af;"></span><span style="color: #741b47;"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-fFveoyZVQ5UYwA6x3FPbl3tW8lhnD4Bw9KFdtVZQ1Q6ze1qEctC2khyphenhyphenjTnVdkrQogDeSaq5nshN9CdzMyRoj5IQAviCFvX8_hwpc6_qbUKEq_2IB9EDy8G-cYzGgTNNDmlH_yQ9/s1600/IMG_0017+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-fFveoyZVQ5UYwA6x3FPbl3tW8lhnD4Bw9KFdtVZQ1Q6ze1qEctC2khyphenhyphenjTnVdkrQogDeSaq5nshN9CdzMyRoj5IQAviCFvX8_hwpc6_qbUKEq_2IB9EDy8G-cYzGgTNNDmlH_yQ9/s320/IMG_0017+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></b></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even if I don't look it 😼</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Painting is immediate compared to writing. Yielding tangible, visual results in seconds; which is highly seductive, especially after a lifetime of being holed-up in a chair, bleeding through the eyes to produce vaguely useful prose for nothing</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b> Don't get me wrong, I have a love-hate relationship with writing. We don't see eye-to-eye at times :)</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #006007; font-size: large;"></span></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><span style="color: purple;"></span><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>So, to force myself to juggle arts, </b></span><span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>I started entering more literary things...</b> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c9/cc/0c/c9cc0c0800940637ac5ae4ed5f00476e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Competitions, magazines, </b></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>odd enterprises like <a href="https://www.demontfortliterature.com/" target="_blank">De Montford Literature</a>.</b> </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>I got a couple of snippets in <a href="https://mslexia.co.uk/" target="_blank">Mslexia</a> recently. I</b></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> then applied to <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.co.uk/work-with-us/authors/writenow/" target="_blank">WriteNow</a> - part of <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.co.uk/" target="_blank">Penguin Random House</a></b> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">And managed to jump their first hurdle</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQRS-xpAD63KJu8P9y9aGz7bx-1mqnqW0KpF7_EjBcpQT0w9eY2esBd5e49J9GU5zK1h6xjlxjsHxGEZnTmHP7r59uL-MpQzoqI4VdK0Hv0FDiBhbbjhDjq9sfkMbEPaIFI8Na5i0C/s1600/smiley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQRS-xpAD63KJu8P9y9aGz7bx-1mqnqW0KpF7_EjBcpQT0w9eY2esBd5e49J9GU5zK1h6xjlxjsHxGEZnTmHP7r59uL-MpQzoqI4VdK0Hv0FDiBhbbjhDjq9sfkMbEPaIFI8Na5i0C/s1600/smiley.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>So I'll be attending a workshop in Nottingham in a month's time. I'm pretty chuffed :) :)</b></span></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This made me write, as </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had to polish 6,000 words from my novel-not-currently-in-progress</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>And this little success boosted my confidence because, apparently, I'm one of 150 writers to get through from over 1700 applicants :)</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Kkdx-50L8XMJuk0-KEG4lnbeSpReoaRvokBxkXUTVArNNCKMMvfqmLmacNSbqZ7aRnbFEL3phqWQMfcQF7mq2pPuHMXxutjTlFj-0lk5sQUqejUiD5KyNwEW3DOZG0A_720RDiGX/s1600/2018-08-27+%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="807" height="523" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Kkdx-50L8XMJuk0-KEG4lnbeSpReoaRvokBxkXUTVArNNCKMMvfqmLmacNSbqZ7aRnbFEL3phqWQMfcQF7mq2pPuHMXxutjTlFj-0lk5sQUqejUiD5KyNwEW3DOZG0A_720RDiGX/s640/2018-08-27+%25282%2529.png" width="640" /></b></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>So maybe I'm doing something right?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b></b><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b></b><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b></b><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Maybe I am juggling my arse after all...</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Please keep in touch</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> :)</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b></b><br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b></b><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Writing Page</b></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/oilsbysjs/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Art Page</b></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.sarajanepotter.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span id="goog_1492163092"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Writing and Art fusion Page</b></span><span id="goog_1492163093"></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>:)</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> </b></div>
</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: right; color: #741b47; float: right; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: right; color: #741b47; float: right; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><b> </b><br /><br /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></b></span><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b></b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pKHISk9CrS60aDivBnkDx8gVRVeXfq1Y5A4bX05IoLy1WnWG63iCePnQpB6QcLXMLKslWc2lLrYkMDXk9g0pK9hvE15gzWeJu4-QCIMfs2GeJSe6KzmH3Dr7kHpreQsaG1E7KDfn/s1600/smiley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></b></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b>
</b></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-10616922289273087112018-03-04T10:55:00.000-08:002018-03-05T12:47:54.851-08:00 Writing East Midland's Writers’ Conference Nottingham 2018 :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yesterday was <a href="http://www.writingeastmidlands.co.uk/" target="_blank">Writing East Midland's</a> 5th Writers' Conference, held in the Newton and Arkwright building of <a href="https://www.ntu.ac.uk/" target="_blank">Nottingham Trent University</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbms15XtOYofS8tXYVTosOTuVSmbv6o0rzmjZi8Cp01hchuAB3yiurXsJ2dNpqcWMG_-ulk98wyYxXgPc2PaSrO8_S_AJz3iGpNECyzPeySwYwQ_adyGQ1QrWSwRJy1o1GslLe18QS/s1600/nottingham-trent-uni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="567" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbms15XtOYofS8tXYVTosOTuVSmbv6o0rzmjZi8Cp01hchuAB3yiurXsJ2dNpqcWMG_-ulk98wyYxXgPc2PaSrO8_S_AJz3iGpNECyzPeySwYwQ_adyGQ1QrWSwRJy1o1GslLe18QS/s640/nottingham-trent-uni.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I've been to four of these events now and there's always something novel to learn, someone new to meet and fresh inspiration to be found. The shiny new venue made a difference too, and very pleasant it was. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pDr43fSrWRyGf1XE50LC79_huSKHegwSfNntCfc2wT43A13ZclOJt9NO_eR5ndsm20_QsUSJ2sjyZY1xF2VTAwndGCr3K_UlGrWBgyyB-CXuG5dIQQbGVzGADKCCVReOWYmqR1Ff/s1600/20180303_140857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pDr43fSrWRyGf1XE50LC79_huSKHegwSfNntCfc2wT43A13ZclOJt9NO_eR5ndsm20_QsUSJ2sjyZY1xF2VTAwndGCr3K_UlGrWBgyyB-CXuG5dIQQbGVzGADKCCVReOWYmqR1Ff/s640/20180303_140857.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This year, however, my writing buddy <a href="http://catcopycreative.co.uk/" target="_blank">Cat Roberts-Young</a> was unable to make it through the waves of snow. Perhaps the WEM team might be persuaded to push the event closer to summer next year :) </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJG4Dx-G3S2R8YvVWrnzBdSdFC7OLU5rMvYI1ddWeVueQKGS9_Y-1G-C2ORT5uhSpPVufqoVO1D59Qli2FlWFe1HyvGzCFKlzxz0UWNvpY6R0ElLtPYEg8dfo9zQ_av2XFxzBrng7W/s1600/20180303_140759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJG4Dx-G3S2R8YvVWrnzBdSdFC7OLU5rMvYI1ddWeVueQKGS9_Y-1G-C2ORT5uhSpPVufqoVO1D59Qli2FlWFe1HyvGzCFKlzxz0UWNvpY6R0ElLtPYEg8dfo9zQ_av2XFxzBrng7W/s640/20180303_140759.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">But it was still good.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Writer, <a href="http://fatboyreview.net/" target="_blank">Richard House</a> (Bruiser / Uninvited / The Kills) replaced snowed-in keynote speaker, Pat Barker, with a talk on his latest works MURMUR and CITIZEN. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuK7IO2zpBGB6jGC5lJcF0TooUn1s4I0BS0xZ6GGZrrbQqoca3FEK8gvwpQWBRwp3c-tIF3IxGWRw-HqF2tVAJkcljQoh083HPt3RZoxR6fQElxkzz9uupt4oGXSEZyL8Whyae3fr_/s1600/20180303_103432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuK7IO2zpBGB6jGC5lJcF0TooUn1s4I0BS0xZ6GGZrrbQqoca3FEK8gvwpQWBRwp3c-tIF3IxGWRw-HqF2tVAJkcljQoh083HPt3RZoxR6fQElxkzz9uupt4oGXSEZyL8Whyae3fr_/s640/20180303_103432.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #14171a; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Richard's modus operandi is to engage with the world by "looking into something that I don't really get"... in order to better understand / explore topics. He utilises written words, film and imagery. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNm2JIEXLHMe28jOF-3LZTRMDaocomd8Sz6iz6jtDUE26UV3JS5j7ksqwjIKCKMC1Lp7RqJkg7N6nzHFXGVue-IhsnhyphenhyphenzXW3xAz-twAkcni0fe-YnE7K_6RX3Hn-Zg1Ml8lzZkQcC/s1600/20180303_142004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNm2JIEXLHMe28jOF-3LZTRMDaocomd8Sz6iz6jtDUE26UV3JS5j7ksqwjIKCKMC1Lp7RqJkg7N6nzHFXGVue-IhsnhyphenhyphenzXW3xAz-twAkcni0fe-YnE7K_6RX3Hn-Zg1Ml8lzZkQcC/s640/20180303_142004.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Quick, always </span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">embarrassing, selfie before the lecture theatre fills :)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">
</span>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzeGdkwwzMG5d4PZ-BrVZ1XEA6H0gTOSGX8BhZ8LWfy2Opg071vZjpwDH2iXnVeMj6WzkTvLy3VQgt9wBVuv88erhHIFp8PtpI5E1E8ETKEmcEDgVdyGjjfWuonYYHeNQoxPr1Hhh/s1600/20180303_140932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzeGdkwwzMG5d4PZ-BrVZ1XEA6H0gTOSGX8BhZ8LWfy2Opg071vZjpwDH2iXnVeMj6WzkTvLy3VQgt9wBVuv88erhHIFp8PtpI5E1E8ETKEmcEDgVdyGjjfWuonYYHeNQoxPr1Hhh/s640/20180303_140932.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The first session I attended was called </span><span style="background: rgb(255 , 255 , 255); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Demystifying
the Publishing Process, by The Society of Authors. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="background: rgb(255 , 255 , 255); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOY3hRZCD67x2OddozQ9KPPAl53UbkO-MqZLfosbIALOA1ZMKmKpeZw98dGSelb8TN36KDhnxoXXdKt_G1TGdOMiOVI3qqEysKtYKVd2QMytfj4hJDFkxpVYPxt9RZ0IHBL5Z2Km-/s1600/20180303_115214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOY3hRZCD67x2OddozQ9KPPAl53UbkO-MqZLfosbIALOA1ZMKmKpeZw98dGSelb8TN36KDhnxoXXdKt_G1TGdOMiOVI3qqEysKtYKVd2QMytfj4hJDFkxpVYPxt9RZ0IHBL5Z2Km-/s640/20180303_115214.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.societyofauthors.org/About-Us/Staff/Martin-Reed" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">Martin Reed from the Society of Authors</a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> talks to local author and SoA member </span><a href="http://www.scribblestreet.co.uk/" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">Jonathan Emmett </a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">and the pub</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">lisher </span><a href="http://ownit.london/" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">Crystal Mahey-Morgan</a><span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> of the storytelling lifestyle brand
OWN IT! about the modern publishing process and landscape, and about the
relationships between the author, their books, and their ‘brand’. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> <b> </b></span><br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><b></b></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This was an interesting talk with lots of <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">insights into </span>publishing. I'll summarise (my) points of interest. Nowadays t<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">here are more (readily accessible) avenues open to writers, (think digital, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">self-publishing, </span>small publishers, etc.) but consequently, more competition. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI31zQfUqPSq9EfG0K0Ng2NG_uSITGuxrU0NQThX9OhJvrFyVLMBc421rXITLE8dENxc7x5QzgJa7Oirr124SfMGDDZdatKegS6mtZka817w8C7BmxwX2T7rj6EcHVHtkyWqF7KzFI/s1600/20180303_131813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI31zQfUqPSq9EfG0K0Ng2NG_uSITGuxrU0NQThX9OhJvrFyVLMBc421rXITLE8dENxc7x5QzgJa7Oirr124SfMGDDZdatKegS6mtZka817w8C7BmxwX2T7rj6EcHVHtkyWqF7KzFI/s640/20180303_131813.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The market is therefore saturated. It's easy to get into print but harder to make a living, especially in children's writing, apparently. The quality of writing also suffers, nowadays, with high levels of self-publishing. Crystal (rightly) pointed out: "Just because you're able, doesn't mean you should." Everyone is keen to maintain quality in literature. </span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<strike></strike><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCfnO3XlmsEpXtkrFO4bSFEh7f4dAhxXAoY-rNAauL1GOnn7r5Exo1oE1iTmUBwF2zV51pakXkcoeD2lBUWL5AyMQCnzTjGyOfmejt0G2GTRY5Q-mAydNom1-fb2l12NQuFkJ0VC4/s1600/20180303_140744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCfnO3XlmsEpXtkrFO4bSFEh7f4dAhxXAoY-rNAauL1GOnn7r5Exo1oE1iTmUBwF2zV51pakXkcoeD2lBUWL5AyMQCnzTjGyOfmejt0G2GTRY5Q-mAydNom1-fb2l12NQuFkJ0VC4/s640/20180303_140744.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike><br /></strike></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Indie publishers are on the rise. Crystal is a <i>thinking-out-the-box</i> publisher who seeks diversification (in its fullest sense.) </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">t seems Indie publishers have acquired a (good) reputation for being flexible, risk-taking, more likely and able to promote their authors than bigger publishers.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">"Don't assume that bigger is better" says architect-turned-prolific-children's writer Jonathan Emmett. </span> </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strike><br /></strike></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwMe_UdqVDHxYopARMS6BbUufASYKcxKwOfMTitCa_D3Tdhm3Y4lZVOSilqOUe7dp2a-imFmazgupKQBV9FPpIbsPG1qgWyOOEd9x3VpxZpRDZ6temMwtXKwFV4s0T7RKZqepmv2p/s1600/20180303_135310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRwMe_UdqVDHxYopARMS6BbUufASYKcxKwOfMTitCa_D3Tdhm3Y4lZVOSilqOUe7dp2a-imFmazgupKQBV9FPpIbsPG1qgWyOOEd9x3VpxZpRDZ6temMwtXKwFV4s0T7RKZqepmv2p/s640/20180303_135310.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Trying to look enquiring</i> selfie :)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">The panel also discussed how important it's become for writers to create solid digital platforms. The Industry demands we do but, whilst big publishers often shirk publicising duties, Indies are more supportive and likely to promote their authors. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">A good piece of advice was therefore: <i>writers need a sympathetic publisher to help promote their work</i>. So do your homework, if you're on the look-out, and find the right one!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCl6Szlm9mTTychpC14gHlOEZQapOKccRJOE5n8gXPuXqLnn7FNT470A0R1PshqFpn7BdhQXb8_fyTPTNqs0nXo7b-4Wz_jrhO9gVC45OYcIPXF3N713BxArRTRd5cnszJNep3G4LP/s1600/20180303_142811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCl6Szlm9mTTychpC14gHlOEZQapOKccRJOE5n8gXPuXqLnn7FNT470A0R1PshqFpn7BdhQXb8_fyTPTNqs0nXo7b-4Wz_jrhO9gVC45OYcIPXF3N713BxArRTRd5cnszJNep3G4LP/s640/20180303_142811.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Speaking of diversification, and using different mediums to express yourself, something - I think Crystal said - helped me limp closer to modernity: Writers must view their books as the <i>stories</i> they simply are, and <i>any</i> method we employ to share them widely will serve us well. (i.e. think film, imagery and skype, alongside traditional/digital book forms). Be inventive, be innovative.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The second talk I heard was <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "quot"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">on </span><span style="background: rgb(255 , 255 , 255); color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Novellas, from</span></span> author <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://nicolamonaghan.com/" target="_blank">Nicola Monaghan</a></span></span><span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">:
finding a fit in the shifting landscape of publishing. </span></span><br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Apparently, novellas are making a comeback because digitisation (e-formats, Kindle singles, etc.) removes production and pricing issues associated with paper books. I also think appetites for shorter reads, in these hectic times, gives aggrieved novellas a leg-up:)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></span> </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScYvmBzlO_UOqbPn2EanB0XxOj3hq2tA97nMDVVb6rmkQdL5_8x7F4YXHmj73SR1uSH03bQVlO21Kh_lABXpRPE-6ZVBxpNvy2m5UI6FzZRDAIpz8b1C-bid16vsHRB3m95nB_fFe/s1600/20180303_122914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhScYvmBzlO_UOqbPn2EanB0XxOj3hq2tA97nMDVVb6rmkQdL5_8x7F4YXHmj73SR1uSH03bQVlO21Kh_lABXpRPE-6ZVBxpNvy2m5UI6FzZRDAIpz8b1C-bid16vsHRB3m95nB_fFe/s640/20180303_122914.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In her session, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Nicola </span>set us an exercise</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> (to the sound of writers falling off their chairs in shock.) We devised, and <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">interrogated, a new character, before writing a short scene about them. This threw up some useful background ideas, interesting settings, and helped some of us with our works-in-progress too, lol. :)</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjKxLa8yglgz_dNFU25UL2eeCa1IpSYQMhit3Ebu9gMY4XLEL7VnqZOPp_L5Q8cxEEkbGncHeHtVtwbgjapKcyPviqzKdCpAaA0R-oBjJPMtNuqeanXlRpmX58dp-Eamw7spBxtj7/s1600/20180303_135207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjKxLa8yglgz_dNFU25UL2eeCa1IpSYQMhit3Ebu9gMY4XLEL7VnqZOPp_L5Q8cxEEkbGncHeHtVtwbgjapKcyPviqzKdCpAaA0R-oBjJPMtNuqeanXlRpmX58dp-Eamw7spBxtj7/s640/20180303_135207.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Lunch :)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsWO_f2xo6jPWFwkaNU3uqreqpGeSpDi0Nu0AycRGqbAFGu8_Tz-6G5pT91ONo1fybPn4JQVvcpu0RYB21pQq9dNuImxkRZSVIXPItkZ25Ype9wXjlNlQytJKgtF6kRug8yaarSx0o/s1600/20180303_133706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsWO_f2xo6jPWFwkaNU3uqreqpGeSpDi0Nu0AycRGqbAFGu8_Tz-6G5pT91ONo1fybPn4JQVvcpu0RYB21pQq9dNuImxkRZSVIXPItkZ25Ype9wXjlNlQytJKgtF6kRug8yaarSx0o/s640/20180303_133706.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Pudding :)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">
</span>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">
</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The third slot was a </span><span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Synopsis
Surgery, where WEM's <a href="http://www.writingeastmidlands.co.uk/writers-directory/alex-davis/" target="_blank">Alex Davis </a>replaced <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">A.M. Heath </span>Literary Agent </span></span><span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://amheath.com/agents/oli-munson/" target="_blank">Oliver Munson</a>. This talk covered the thing all sane writers despise. The surprising thing I learned here is that agents don't always bother reading the detested documents we've killed ourselves over. The reason for this, though irritating, is somewhat logical. They consider sample chapters more important, so will read these plus the query letter <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">first. If they like what they read they'll turn to the nuts and bolts of the story. </span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Oliver Munson likens synopsis-writing to <i>the first gym trip after Christmas</i>, which sounds about right to me.</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We also heard that, despite the torture of creating them, synopses</span></span></span><span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> can help writers reach the core of their books. Distilling the story crystallises ideas; and the hateful result can then be used for pitching and selling work. Yippee.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">Summary: Synopses show the <i>shape</i> of the novel -<i> like the Taj Mahal viewed from a distance.</i></span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><i></i><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">
</span></span>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-3c6gtQm5HIt2b8pTgwGSiSkcv6rZKQQRIq00jMZt_OIqze5Uu1RpOg_Lgtl7ZJlq2pSYR-DzETS9omvODwm3VIsb0H8nt5ee6X-MK8KogsrGKDvKnOkLLsdZBPjhWdr04-6Qqb_/s1600/20180303_142733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-3c6gtQm5HIt2b8pTgwGSiSkcv6rZKQQRIq00jMZt_OIqze5Uu1RpOg_Lgtl7ZJlq2pSYR-DzETS9omvODwm3VIsb0H8nt5ee6X-MK8KogsrGKDvKnOkLLsdZBPjhWdr04-6Qqb_/s640/20180303_142733.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The final slot was </span><span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Literary Question Time. The panel consisted of <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Award Winning, </span>Young Adult Fiction author <a href="https://kimslater.com/" target="_blank">Kim Slater</a>, crime writer <a href="http://www.stephen-booth.com/" target="_blank">Stephen Booth</a>, WEM co-coordinator and <a href="https://www.bigwhiteshed.co.uk/" target="_blank">Big White Shed publisher Anne Holloway</a>, WEM's <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Alex Davis, the <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">highly regarded
literary agent <a href="https://www.katebarker.net/" target="_blank">Kate Barker</a> and <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">WEM's <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://www.writingeastmidlands.co.uk/what-we-do/team/" target="_blank">Henderson Mullin</a></span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">(as chair). </span></span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;">
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhtBUvz1V7-rJqBYtuqPfWj43BbA3JNcf9cjFiTHJTum9r5Z_tH9fWLbxubz5BHqgbz6TqP9sB1uNFYWLgCE6ih_7f15LqEaUI5u5YDKT6gtem8M7efyPQdy1DuqFnbqr3ayLvllg/s1600/20180303_153119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFhtBUvz1V7-rJqBYtuqPfWj43BbA3JNcf9cjFiTHJTum9r5Z_tH9fWLbxubz5BHqgbz6TqP9sB1uNFYWLgCE6ih_7f15LqEaUI5u5YDKT6gtem8M7efyPQdy1DuqFnbqr3ayLvllg/s640/20180303_153119.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></span></div>
</span></div>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">This was an enjoyable session, so I failed to make any notes! But I did ask a question I've been harbouring for a while. Writers are constantly advised, when seeking a Literary Agent, to find <i>one that is right for them</i>. But how in hell do we novices know who is right for us?</span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">
</span></span>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">
<div>
It would appear the answer is pretty much what I expected. Go on <i>gut instinct</i>, to an extent. You need to like the person, (for it could be a long relationship.) Personally, I'd want my agent to be warm and human and supportive; to know their job whilst having my best interests at heart. <i>Does such a person exist, lol? </i></div>
<div>
<i></i><br /></div>
<div>
There is only so far you can research this sort of thing. <i>Personability</i> might be (partially) gleaned from a first meet; but I suppose the chunky remainder will be down to luck... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7AfXV7qNiKRiKpFYEVVogelSIRIIaOCSEt6qZb8Z3-8c24qy8KOS7tyC5eutvvKJCVzfOMhLvWd0UxN95vswqRdpQ45HiSBv4V6_Q6yLTsIT7LP1EpR-6188F8Vfxvc8Jd0dXh5Lw/s1600/20180303_131924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7AfXV7qNiKRiKpFYEVVogelSIRIIaOCSEt6qZb8Z3-8c24qy8KOS7tyC5eutvvKJCVzfOMhLvWd0UxN95vswqRdpQ45HiSBv4V6_Q6yLTsIT7LP1EpR-6188F8Vfxvc8Jd0dXh5Lw/s640/20180303_131924.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The lovely <a href="https://beesmakehoneycc.com/" target="_blank">Kirsty Fox</a> of <span id="goog_145456923"></span><a href="http://nottinghamwritersstudio.co.uk/" target="_blank">NWS<span id="goog_145456924"></span></a> manning the stall all by her lonesome</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9KgMkTkPP2DgnvV8nIZAIEjxikddP0sCdqnmHZfO6Ih8U_hQ55E-G25AWiyir0TBEcgOItHj0-YuI9UOHAdt-BSuPQXvQJ_sW9cD_uLwItjTZvcLXnWbi-EsaxRpwQn84dFyoq2K/s1600/20180303_163429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9KgMkTkPP2DgnvV8nIZAIEjxikddP0sCdqnmHZfO6Ih8U_hQ55E-G25AWiyir0TBEcgOItHj0-YuI9UOHAdt-BSuPQXvQJ_sW9cD_uLwItjTZvcLXnWbi-EsaxRpwQn84dFyoq2K/s640/20180303_163429.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Performance poet, <span style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin: 0px;"><a href="http://www.mudpress.co.uk/" target="_blank">Georgina Wilding</a>, reciting a brilliantly inventive poem about writers rising up and taking full control of their careers. </span></span></span><span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><b></b><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><b></b><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">
</span></span>
<div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "georgia";">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fakeFG3xHTmiw6QJ0aMLsT0It0zz5HUbseSp3InQUWqb9QLaAj5caILMLQICb5z9i09zbQerf3Wd3gCnunUv60OruBeCS6uxc1KlhCCEF1xy7Wi7zFa4-jc6CMgKElglPDGWR3mP/s1600/20180303_164125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8fakeFG3xHTmiw6QJ0aMLsT0It0zz5HUbseSp3InQUWqb9QLaAj5caILMLQICb5z9i09zbQerf3Wd3gCnunUv60OruBeCS6uxc1KlhCCEF1xy7Wi7zFa4-jc6CMgKElglPDGWR3mP/s640/20180303_164125.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Finally, gorgeous, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">British-Caribbean poet,</span> keynote speaker <a href="http://malikabooker.com/" target="_blank">Malika Booker</a> inspired us with her, sometimes difficult, writing journey. She focussed on how vital peer support is, as you develop your craft. She spoke of <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">community,</span> and how many <i>millions</i> of courses she attended whilst gaining confidence to rise to the top of her game. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">
<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDno-NEzfkKvJrVPIqGqk-6YTCJoS6CvvmuXlpQkBBJilk_90OoPRs2DNBRAXp-r80abLSCw7iqEkftX0N1AHuRIOhqglM-4FBJgbGwIHoDXmFWpcUOD01LFMslh0pkVL64SShzwo/s1600/20180303_141335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDno-NEzfkKvJrVPIqGqk-6YTCJoS6CvvmuXlpQkBBJilk_90OoPRs2DNBRAXp-r80abLSCw7iqEkftX0N1AHuRIOhqglM-4FBJgbGwIHoDXmFWpcUOD01LFMslh0pkVL64SShzwo/s640/20180303_141335.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</span><div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A swift, toilet-cubicle selfie. Well, it was a plainer background. Don't judge me ;)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm mainly writing this for the snow-scathed absentees. A fair few <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">writers, speakers and panellists were gutted to miss this year's conference due to weather conditions. :(</span></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
<div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Thanks to the friendly people I met yesterday. <a href="https://gentlewarrior.co.uk/" target="_blank">Cali Bird</a> for supportive chatter, the lovely <a href="http://www.eve-makis.com/" target="_blank">Eve Makis</a> for sharing a panicked, lost, ten minutes whilst trying to find the venue, first thing in the morning :)</span></div>
</span><span style="background: white; margin: 0px;"><div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now. Shit, I suppose I better start writing again...</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</span></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><b></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><b></b><b></b>Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-62748841912733730912017-10-10T09:12:00.001-07:002017-10-10T09:32:58.524-07:00Less has got to be more...<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5WGcrTfJoHRztsy0WEW7nmsld4mk0GvQNRPYo0Cb0pqkuQ1dGViHv21ssCiYm37-ytFe5QfWGBCVfA7JiRcYmgxbtXt4AIpF7pdVrgwXBwwuiUdXOUaWbOzRRb-LrZ1jX5uVA6ED/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="517" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5WGcrTfJoHRztsy0WEW7nmsld4mk0GvQNRPYo0Cb0pqkuQ1dGViHv21ssCiYm37-ytFe5QfWGBCVfA7JiRcYmgxbtXt4AIpF7pdVrgwXBwwuiUdXOUaWbOzRRb-LrZ1jX5uVA6ED/s640/Untitled.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"> I tend to overwrite. </span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">I always have done. </span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">But that doesn’t mean all the extraneous nonsense I spill onto the page stays in. <br /> No. <br /> I edit and edit and rinse and swill till it’s all back out again;<span class="text_exposed_show"><br />Like deep-cleansing an ulcer.<br /> But I always let the rot in first. <br /> I’ve been writing forever, yet I still go through this painful convoluted process of writing down everything I’m thinking, with a clot of butter on top. <br /> I trawl back over it on round two, dropping adverbs and adjectives like little smoking bombs, just in case I hadn’t blown it up already. <br /> By round three, unsurprisingly, I discover that I’ve annihilated a sturdy piece of prose.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="text_exposed_show">I do the reverse of what I should do.<br />When I know the rules well:</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /><i>Thou shalt not overwrite<br /> Thou shalt not clutter with adjectives and cling onto adverbs<br /> Thou shall not waffle and slow the pace.</i></span></span></div>
<span class="text_exposed_show"></span><br />
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="background-color: white;">We all know all the rules, don’t we? Yet we still go through the motions. </span></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="background-color: white;"> Or is it just me?<br />Why do I do it?<br /> Is it for a higher purpose hidden from my conscious mind? <br /> Or part of a psychological limbering-up before the literary sprint? </span></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="background-color: white;">Stockpiling ideas in the wrong place? <br /> Perhaps I’m so confused, when I sit down to work, that I’m dementedly writing out, round or into what I really want to say? <br /> I have no idea.<br /> Perhaps I’m just stupid.<br />I'm wasting time. <br /> I want to write good stiff prose – right off the bat - w</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">ithout prancing round the gardens first...<span style="background-color: white;"></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Does anyone else suffer from this affliction? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Let me know how you cured yourself, or whether you still have the post-it note shouting down at you</span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">Less is <i>always</i> more!</span></b></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">Tell me, tell me.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel/?ref=hl" target="_blank">Facebook page</a></b><br />
<b></b></span></span></div>
<span class="text_exposed_show"></span><b></b><br />
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><img alt="" class="img" height="16" role="presentation" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/f4c/1/16/1f642.png" width="16" /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"></span><span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"><span style="background-color: red;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="_47e3 _5mfr" title="smile emoticon"></span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike><span style="background-color: red;"><br /></span></strike></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: red;"></span><br /></div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-41030566927434129152016-03-18T09:59:00.000-07:002016-03-18T10:18:23.150-07:00A Stroke of Misfortune <br />
<br />
I haven't been doing too much writing of late, but am trying to get back into it. My brain wants to do it. The other day, I woke up at 6 am with a really good line of prose hanging in my head. I got up, went into the spare room to write it down in case it disappeared (as usually happens.) I'd snuggled back down into bed again when the other half of the idea dropped into my brain. So I had to get up again...<br />
<br />
The reason I've not been writing is that I had a stroke. And the main reason it's taken me so long to share this news is that I couldn't believe or accept it. I still can't, really. I flinch on writing or saying the word; it feels surreal and embarrassing - like swearing in front of your nan.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheuwSBDRfwK-RkFXu6uXHE3_0-bDLsC05kY9k5SeJUg6_JXl1xRFP5ju8ck56DM7Bwgcvm3bIjugDcT-LNkmADEPMegWAsOaDkEJe853em1_zYG3AGcofHS59ZjduP62mQmf0I2ev5/s1600/IMG_0134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheuwSBDRfwK-RkFXu6uXHE3_0-bDLsC05kY9k5SeJUg6_JXl1xRFP5ju8ck56DM7Bwgcvm3bIjugDcT-LNkmADEPMegWAsOaDkEJe853em1_zYG3AGcofHS59ZjduP62mQmf0I2ev5/s640/IMG_0134.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Beautiful flowers from my mum</span><br />
<br />
But I'm much improved already (five months on). I was lucky to survive, but unlucky it happened at all. For me this means a daily mental tug of war. Happy versus angry. I'll try not to rant about misdiagnoses and clinical incompetence on this post.<br />
<br />
I'll try.<br />
<br />
I escaped with no seriously disabling features and few outwardly obvious signs. A bonus, for vanity's sake. But I'm not mended yet. I have residual vertigo (constantly improving), partial numbness down my right side (like frostbite crossed with dead-leg) and recent burning nerve pain that makes it hard to rest the laptop on my knee. But the worst symptom right now is sciatic bum pain when sitting. Great problems for a writer.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYURTHbqpVrUttr-sdJcN4Jk726Vwl3vuOnRV87a4LdsJkHyvTsOit-ME1YsFooEnTI19CAIPYj6Fs2adO0HN2dQ2ivQCQjWdaXXVnbrtw6QaPPEwLWB2FEVDtzm7-OfxzeLl5xf-K/s1600/IMG-20151011-01556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYURTHbqpVrUttr-sdJcN4Jk726Vwl3vuOnRV87a4LdsJkHyvTsOit-ME1YsFooEnTI19CAIPYj6Fs2adO0HN2dQ2ivQCQjWdaXXVnbrtw6QaPPEwLWB2FEVDtzm7-OfxzeLl5xf-K/s640/IMG-20151011-01556.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In hospital. Droopy eye thing </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
I have some horrible pictures that I can't quite bear to put up here, so I'm going to post the best of a bad bunch. My left eye was visibly droopy for months afterwards, worse in the early stages. This is due to something called 'Horner's Syndrome' - caused by cranial nerve damage . Thankfully this has pretty much resolved now.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYjRGv9lWmP3JHWBSHc1RbBsFxVYTkAXWoZJ4-hyR_05ggqLrxoiongp8CWz_rZQaChBm1vFVeE6PyLPnbGH9hVU40PvNx7xlweThx6kkzqT4bkqEkBLG1UD3HCAlvz_QH3Uk_D_Q/s1600/IMG-20151009-01544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYjRGv9lWmP3JHWBSHc1RbBsFxVYTkAXWoZJ4-hyR_05ggqLrxoiongp8CWz_rZQaChBm1vFVeE6PyLPnbGH9hVU40PvNx7xlweThx6kkzqT4bkqEkBLG1UD3HCAlvz_QH3Uk_D_Q/s640/IMG-20151009-01544.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">View from my hospital bed</span></div>
<br />
I was admitted to B3 of the QMC in Nottingham before being transferred to the crazy Neurology ward once they finally worked out what was wrong with me. I can't remember which ward this is above. Overall I was in hospital for five horridly fascinating days.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaanNPxbOP9839w1FwV36-z30Au1XIsSyvfJw5wHPaQ35Ed5JZmsR5-hOVyt00hjJwBX5x3Rm_wOZkdVa6noNBbXRDJJo354P8p7ES7Zr_riIch69a9O7cvpP4ypHSFNGL1xctvIM7/s1600/IMG-20151010-01547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaanNPxbOP9839w1FwV36-z30Au1XIsSyvfJw5wHPaQ35Ed5JZmsR5-hOVyt00hjJwBX5x3Rm_wOZkdVa6noNBbXRDJJo354P8p7ES7Zr_riIch69a9O7cvpP4ypHSFNGL1xctvIM7/s640/IMG-20151010-01547.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Pureed hospital food whilst I couldn't swallow properly</span></div>
<br />
But I'm jumping ahead. My stroke hit on 8th October 2015 at four in the morning. I awoke with a numb right leg and a problem with my swallowing. I rolled out of bed to find I couldn't walk properly. Funnily enough, I thought I might have had a stroke because I know the symptoms (from working in a hospital.) However, when I asked Rick if my face looked wonky he said "No" - adding on closer inspection - "but I haven't got my eyes in yet."<br />
<br />
Even with his contact lenses in I didn't look any different, so we dismissed the stroke theory. And, anyway, it seemed preposterous that I would have had a stroke. I'm under fifty and relatively fit. My blood pressure is okay and I regularly exercise. I eat healthily. I no longer smoke. I still drink a bit too much at times but who doesn't? People far worse than me haven't 'stroked out.' It was the last thing I ever expected to happen to me and, once in hospital, I discovered I was right and wrong.<br />
<br />
I <i>had </i>had a stroke, but my risk factors were very low. So, in effect, I <i>shouldn't </i>have had one - as I'd first assumed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9R8_CdXg-9UEr9dYDuowUL5AetRpDlQglaFRqlSWULdHB34jUbhgqg3SZ1OIiGItjenUq2rcbDjpXk6fLOlltl9fDwwqyzxFlUWsF7p5nGO5beoLmJyt4vXaif72YZFGvl80fA5n/s1600/IMG-20151011-01558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9R8_CdXg-9UEr9dYDuowUL5AetRpDlQglaFRqlSWULdHB34jUbhgqg3SZ1OIiGItjenUq2rcbDjpXk6fLOlltl9fDwwqyzxFlUWsF7p5nGO5beoLmJyt4vXaif72YZFGvl80fA5n/s640/IMG-20151011-01558.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Frog's legs with sexy compression stockings on</span></div>
<br />
The story of that day is so painfully long that I'll try to cut it short. I ended up in AMRU at QMC - which is like a referral A&E, where we spent 12 miserable, anxious hours. Nobody could diagnose me. All the clinicians, doctors and consultants we saw were baffled by my symptoms. I ended up on a drip because I couldn't eat or drink; I was shivering, sitting in a fucking waiting room chair. I was in agony.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFkdUlWthwluheDR_QUKMpshqEXDHiWr44EpK8HsqKIugHjHrYNcO28fFT-y2h4iSVNjhg0Rzt2uPWYfH3K4aZZ4qX6NPv35H3v36nlYfla4476rT_1aspqGoB0AWwCSYfLBdXoCl/s1600/IMG-20151010-01548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeFkdUlWthwluheDR_QUKMpshqEXDHiWr44EpK8HsqKIugHjHrYNcO28fFT-y2h4iSVNjhg0Rzt2uPWYfH3K4aZZ4qX6NPv35H3v36nlYfla4476rT_1aspqGoB0AWwCSYfLBdXoCl/s640/IMG-20151010-01548.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Can you tell what it is yet?</span></div>
<br />
I now know just about everything about my condition. I have researched extensively since it happened. I know that <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/strokes-long-on-the-decline-among-the-elderly-are-rising-among-younger-adults/2014/06/16/f1f54538-e5d9-11e3-a86b-362fd5443d19_story.html" target="_blank"><b>strokes in 'younger adults'</b></a> are pretty rare, and the cause of mine yet rarer still. However, I am still bitter about the fact that medical experts failed to spot this unfurling disaster, on numerous occasions before it happened then once it <i>had </i>happened and was staring them in the face. Breathe. Calm.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCNK-uY_c_L23K5VP_NYUTt-eQwxzqppgRVx_P4SaBm-OypJ8yXaUIEKRFiV2CI9OicP4Rx7puypTXH6aTsYn64KeDYfYtUvB3cPpKlpp8xfbQ0_BVtQnzP_nRKVqmPgfgxQgsTt8/s1600/IMG-20151010-01549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCNK-uY_c_L23K5VP_NYUTt-eQwxzqppgRVx_P4SaBm-OypJ8yXaUIEKRFiV2CI9OicP4Rx7puypTXH6aTsYn64KeDYfYtUvB3cPpKlpp8xfbQ0_BVtQnzP_nRKVqmPgfgxQgsTt8/s640/IMG-20151010-01549.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> The puddings were actually quite nice :)</span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
So. Yes, I'd had symptoms leading up to this. Six weeks of headaches and neck-ache which became so excruciating I was signed off work. I'd had a visit to A&E, one month before the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/may/12/stroke-association-warns-of-alarming-rise-in-number-of-victims" target="_blank"><b>stroke</b></a>, with disabling vertigo and vomiting. The problem was diagnosed as positional vertigo and neuralgia and I was put on painkillers. But what had actually happened was that my vertebral artery had split, probably due to minor trauma (hyper-extended neck at the hairdresser's, neck cracking adjustment at the osteopaths, practising yoga, lifting weights, <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/07/28/surprising-stroke-risk-factors-for-30-year-old-women.html" target="_blank"><b>etc </b></a>- I'd done all of these things in the months leading up to my star turn.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmKV1r5agixladXb7lpJJmCND6uSILtm8JStlBHYmG6Rb85wTfzY4NBU4poxM6z67MvjU0_squiTInSYRBVBuDCYJyER4A3-mYgIjaH9eeTWf2K29mMKTAa1iXn5MA_eB8NKKzpPf/s1600/IMG-20151009-01545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHmKV1r5agixladXb7lpJJmCND6uSILtm8JStlBHYmG6Rb85wTfzY4NBU4poxM6z67MvjU0_squiTInSYRBVBuDCYJyER4A3-mYgIjaH9eeTWf2K29mMKTAa1iXn5MA_eB8NKKzpPf/s640/IMG-20151009-01545.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This type of arterial damage is called a <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertebral_artery_dissection" target="_blank"><b><span id="goog_1410506587"></span>dissection</b><span id="goog_1410506588"></span></a></i>. And once it's happened, the inner wall of the artery tears further and blood clots start to form. These clots readily break off, lodging further up inside the smaller arteries of the brain - causing a stroke (if you are <b><a href="http://ihadawhat.blogspot.co.uk/2008/04/i-had-what.html" target="_blank">unlucky enough</a></b>.) Goodo.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgdjcnPVHDIaFR4NNTv0fKrlWZD2kFdaZCunG0yQFma156HxJlZTSirLYdXErGHBkhD2nFs8XJhxL6ZchHY2ED1_g75yiFTi6mmJHBsqnNe7gIi1PfYKB7U59_wxxOhDTI44C1HxS/s1600/IMG-20151012-01559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgdjcnPVHDIaFR4NNTv0fKrlWZD2kFdaZCunG0yQFma156HxJlZTSirLYdXErGHBkhD2nFs8XJhxL6ZchHY2ED1_g75yiFTi6mmJHBsqnNe7gIi1PfYKB7U59_wxxOhDTI44C1HxS/s640/IMG-20151012-01559.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Struggling to find a flattering angle. Ha!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>I was finally diagnosed on symptoms and circumstances rather than from the inconclusive MRI/MRA. But a repeat scan recently confirmed the dissection (now healed) plus damning evidence of the small stroke in the left brain-stem (Medulla). I'm therefore official. And now left with another rarity called <b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_medullary_syndrome" target="_blank">Wallenberg Syndrome</a> - </b>a collection of ongoing symptoms due to the damage in that particular area of the brain. These issues will gradually improve; my swallow is significantly better already though I still struggle with dry foods and have to be constantly attentive with fluids. I don't know if the pain will resolve, or whether I'll ever be able to sense temperature on my right side again :( Oh yeah, I also have a faster pulse and dry eye syndrome...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5xap-GcXUWG_xpTtOb_XQppDA9m4SGhnO14s2p6E7xAtiVw11SzPaxBxhWl8LPr_Tb5gomJ-8aMF00ytkrQwM8AkqFrwaf2KSJS92a9LWw6FHbdl2rEJVSBjkx0guHXWe9iFS4HL/s1600/IMG-20151012-01562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5xap-GcXUWG_xpTtOb_XQppDA9m4SGhnO14s2p6E7xAtiVw11SzPaxBxhWl8LPr_Tb5gomJ-8aMF00ytkrQwM8AkqFrwaf2KSJS92a9LWw6FHbdl2rEJVSBjkx0guHXWe9iFS4HL/s640/IMG-20151012-01562.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
But I "mustn't grumble" - as my Granddad used to say. At least I'm still alive :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8efMjeCO4Y394wDq0Sn8r1QQqQEzy3bMDWAZxnMzhNCW1AXIgqKaB30IxM-9WvTL_L_xYHd5SDLqS3P-c7CQwz5qBFLAO1wR3_GdzM0a47twmuKRxKXJMX5pV00xMfNVOG9yCMnb/s1600/IMG_0148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8efMjeCO4Y394wDq0Sn8r1QQqQEzy3bMDWAZxnMzhNCW1AXIgqKaB30IxM-9WvTL_L_xYHd5SDLqS3P-c7CQwz5qBFLAO1wR3_GdzM0a47twmuKRxKXJMX5pV00xMfNVOG9yCMnb/s640/IMG_0148.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Home from hospital. Cat helped :) </span> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-70knx_3lhe4/VtMMM74mLZI/AAAAAAAANZY/5Wq89dIQWasTX-lapgpOXzuyfx_LH_Q2g/s1600/IMG_0266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-70knx_3lhe4/VtMMM74mLZI/AAAAAAAANZY/5Wq89dIQWasTX-lapgpOXzuyfx_LH_Q2g/s640/IMG_0266.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-olbriRenWUk/VtMMQozNtmI/AAAAAAAANZY/MokizrN5tTco9o6pCABm24xDKHUX-mJDA/s1600/IMG_0267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-olbriRenWUk/VtMMQozNtmI/AAAAAAAANZY/MokizrN5tTco9o6pCABm24xDKHUX-mJDA/s640/IMG_0267.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Famous dissection cases: <b><a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-10-23-stone.htm" target="_blank">Sharon Stone</a></b>, <b><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/12/after-husband-andrew-marr-stroke" target="_blank">Andrew Marr</a></b>, and the deceased Aussie <span style="color: black;">cricketer </span><b><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-2851624/Phillip-Hughes-death-Doctors-reveal-cricket-ball-split-artery-led-catastrophic-bleeding-brain.html" target="_blank">Phillip Hughes</a></b>. R.I.P<br />
<br />
<br />
Other links: <b><a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/07/28/surprising-stroke-risk-factors-for-30-year-old-women.html" target="_blank">Strokes in Younger Women</a></b>.<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading. Hopefully my next blog post will be all about the <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel/?ref=hl" target="_blank">bloody novel</a>,</b> lol. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-19115764952331554792015-11-20T04:56:00.002-08:002015-11-20T05:00:45.567-08:00Abnormal is short-listed for a free Professional Critique :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I almost bagged a free professional critique from author <a href="http://www.mccrit.com/" target="_blank">James McCreet</a> through <a href="http://www.writers-online.co.uk/" target="_blank">Writing Magazine</a>, UK. Here I am, short-listed in it: </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWwfQlDfn-jlAfmOimF4p-qbmvAR4Hfk0CO0QyePL-662NF07ETLV4RLNTUu6Mu2Z1pSXSzZkJ5ruM_0ewc2Ico8fmpmhYK7vAuIgGxOg3ta8fUayRdpyjLciAD74uz14Y3gSqXyK/s1600/IMG_0221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWwfQlDfn-jlAfmOimF4p-qbmvAR4Hfk0CO0QyePL-662NF07ETLV4RLNTUu6Mu2Z1pSXSzZkJ5ruM_0ewc2Ico8fmpmhYK7vAuIgGxOg3ta8fUayRdpyjLciAD74uz14Y3gSqXyK/s400/IMG_0221.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HAqOyNyTKZsC9SDHsJbMQQjKd-AdGRi1q7c8G4bhkZIzBqHsHkL8nyGt06AcI0w4fofhD5Rw-FSWw0Qka_8iiB1KbFCex4P738ajsFnf2Vkz353SobtWiT1_Rn2aHWTkOg8W5Lc2/s1600/IMG_0223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HAqOyNyTKZsC9SDHsJbMQQjKd-AdGRi1q7c8G4bhkZIzBqHsHkL8nyGt06AcI0w4fofhD5Rw-FSWw0Qka_8iiB1KbFCex4P738ajsFnf2Vkz353SobtWiT1_Rn2aHWTkOg8W5Lc2/s400/IMG_0223.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kpbJBpPRgLIO9z_RQYezW_T4CyLKaYTwc8TWqNjN1063pBxrjE3ZIsN4kl3pLjbTqSdrKKskvQOIC8BBkkRqsNBhY_PQZHsofc2bj6WPk62ZTe2CCVy-KRbRvg7gIS19HnT4A6qf/s1600/IMG_0224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kpbJBpPRgLIO9z_RQYezW_T4CyLKaYTwc8TWqNjN1063pBxrjE3ZIsN4kl3pLjbTqSdrKKskvQOIC8BBkkRqsNBhY_PQZHsofc2bj6WPk62ZTe2CCVy-KRbRvg7gIS19HnT4A6qf/s400/IMG_0224.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Every little (boost) helps :) </span></b><br />
<b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl" target="_blank">FACEBOOK PAGE</a></strong></span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></em></div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-16426666880273317882015-07-26T10:44:00.001-07:002019-02-17T13:13:07.732-08:00Completed the first draft of my current novel :)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
End of Round One:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
First rewrite completed ✓</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
First hangover since rewrite completed ✓</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sleepless night reviewing plot-holes ✓</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Anxiety attack over length of time spent writing book ✓</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Second hangover in the making ✓<br />
<br />
<br />
But bit-by-bit, word-by-word, the task moves closer to completion and it will surely all be worth it in the end.... </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscN4TqPc2_6lWMdeFkEC7SyKWuITbdA68weufVpwfHhPRHpkhyuvv09DvNtDCJaY-rEUg573fpP1o5gVTMBZK1I7pUVGKIYk77E_tZ2Ef8F4qw2luFg7uUjrxYZoJtn9Ln_dEj0jj/s1600/GetAttachment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscN4TqPc2_6lWMdeFkEC7SyKWuITbdA68weufVpwfHhPRHpkhyuvv09DvNtDCJaY-rEUg573fpP1o5gVTMBZK1I7pUVGKIYk77E_tZ2Ef8F4qw2luFg7uUjrxYZoJtn9Ln_dEj0jj/s400/GetAttachment.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<em style="text-align: center; text-indent: -24px;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl" target="_blank">FACEBOOK PAGE</a></strong></span></em><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_813599739"></span><span id="goog_813599740"></span>Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-35283192494773534922015-04-01T13:34:00.001-07:002015-04-01T13:34:59.087-07:00Nottingham Writers' Conference 2015<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whoops...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Haven't blogged for so long that I struggled to open a new post</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not good</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The editing of Abnormal is going okay though - hence my lengthy absence</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I went to the #wemconf2015 </span><a href="http://www.writingeastmidlands.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">WEM</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><a href="http://www.writingeastmidlands.co.uk/opportunities-events/writers-conference-2015/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Writers' Conference 2015</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> last weekend with the lovely Cat Roberts-Young</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Similar format to last year. Here is a taster in pictures:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<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/AVvXsEjza1qshTQ-12W3VM5wnvQsP-YTDF8Zk484Mr4sN4gVRP3sR6xEZil_UUyFagfoLbXTSxPT4SLcUG84qcYt6HgFBGKe8PdXjnTTikvWpj912GaZmM5Njq-2pcukFpbggO8olz0vZx-b/s1600/IMG_0009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjza1qshTQ-12W3VM5wnvQsP-YTDF8Zk484Mr4sN4gVRP3sR6xEZil_UUyFagfoLbXTSxPT4SLcUG84qcYt6HgFBGKe8PdXjnTTikvWpj912GaZmM5Njq-2pcukFpbggO8olz0vZx-b/s1600/IMG_0009.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Writers Tracey Holland<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>(@auroranemesis)<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #999999;">&</span> </span></strong></span>Cat Roberts-Young<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">(@catcopycreative)</span></strong></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="nick_name_big" dir="ltr" style="color: #999999; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;">
</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Meeting other writers :)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<br />
<br />
<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/AVvXsEitFKbG5aLSn5ug86r9-UfF88KfqdO7kiDyjfpaJ4ONT522jxcHdHei4dgnxYU_hp9ja-uaNaKoEjKAWj11N6rYXglEXsfYtV9WSHxHcZrOh6FQue4t4UPQpIU8Sl1aXQTFNCF9LN2O/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitFKbG5aLSn5ug86r9-UfF88KfqdO7kiDyjfpaJ4ONT522jxcHdHei4dgnxYU_hp9ja-uaNaKoEjKAWj11N6rYXglEXsfYtV9WSHxHcZrOh6FQue4t4UPQpIU8Sl1aXQTFNCF9LN2O/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mingling WEM peoples</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Goody Bag table - (Keep calling them Doggy Bags. Similarly tasty, perhaps)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<br />
<br />
<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/AVvXsEjycrkOpAxnS51pyQaXE9GwnxE_yHW5G27zD-Ygq3Za7nofL3MuxRUo8VpGa7EeUD79SmgpLKN7YgYyw6IOL93qtKXXJyGnkk4Mtc9Cq-Ad4godQtbnzY1Owq4hmhNCgrP2B7zHkIZa/s1600/IMG_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycrkOpAxnS51pyQaXE9GwnxE_yHW5G27zD-Ygq3Za7nofL3MuxRUo8VpGa7EeUD79SmgpLKN7YgYyw6IOL93qtKXXJyGnkk4Mtc9Cq-Ad4godQtbnzY1Owq4hmhNCgrP2B7zHkIZa/s1600/IMG_0012.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WEM Doggy Bags</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A quick selfie whilst waiting for the next talk...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<br />
<br />
<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/AVvXsEhq9tDTKwAqeZ4CCdeceZnbBI_mwgAvGXGTgCXvpFXoFjqqY-I0mzb34M95ipEoucKc0FHY2ylXqsJs4xoutSZl0UW26sxPyQ_PfceiEhPWIdixQs0CVO2oASNiW8J9SWL-tn8mu6vq/s1600/IMG_0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9tDTKwAqeZ4CCdeceZnbBI_mwgAvGXGTgCXvpFXoFjqqY-I0mzb34M95ipEoucKc0FHY2ylXqsJs4xoutSZl0UW26sxPyQ_PfceiEhPWIdixQs0CVO2oASNiW8J9SWL-tn8mu6vq/s1600/IMG_0021.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Maureen Duffy - Keynote Speaker - delivers an interesting writer-reality-check talk. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">'Don't give up the day job'</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span> </div>
<br />
<br />
<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/AVvXsEgTnItRc0iN7Xl67V3xd7tdQGGd2z-esFEph6Q5KE4C8QIR6_Fkl2X3qTRlYciRFGNlU7WG7aJ4kAO7jfSQS9yqIfWeaiVS_M4ZUt5BIu-hKxjb9zpc1VUmQWuJ-ucH5A1auAkqTGGb/s1600/IMG_0018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnItRc0iN7Xl67V3xd7tdQGGd2z-esFEph6Q5KE4C8QIR6_Fkl2X3qTRlYciRFGNlU7WG7aJ4kAO7jfSQS9yqIfWeaiVS_M4ZUt5BIu-hKxjb9zpc1VUmQWuJ-ucH5A1auAkqTGGb/s1600/IMG_0018.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.maureenduffy.co.uk/" target="_blank">Maureen Duffy</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The talk on Freedom to Write was thought-provoking. Writers' responsibilities and considerations - particularly in lieu of the Charlie Hebdo Tragedy. I also listened to an entertaining natter on Writing Humour/Satire (something I <em>do</em> need help with). And the final talk my little brain strained to absorb was the gritty Nuts and Bolts of Writing. All useful and well put-together stuff :)</span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<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/AVvXsEgEBuWa-1e_IV_lYhgu13FXOACsgSIK4KjPOOAJlP4wphz8FDrlOHrj0ww6HECVX4dyKYYzX3aGyYsLOd4Lzz-x4M2aJGq3EpZXgJhXP9u37e93RI8dbcz-PQBrkhsIcKIJ9AfWlXhT/s1600/IMG_0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBuWa-1e_IV_lYhgu13FXOACsgSIK4KjPOOAJlP4wphz8FDrlOHrj0ww6HECVX4dyKYYzX3aGyYsLOd4Lzz-x4M2aJGq3EpZXgJhXP9u37e93RI8dbcz-PQBrkhsIcKIJ9AfWlXhT/s1600/IMG_0023.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Self-censorship talk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<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/AVvXsEifo8tLrr-3jwM_PT_0gmCGO-uAIiCIOKZtF4ulO79mdijgWamI1uevV5Wc9WwuT5p59DRIlu0geuCNL5AVMw2sHAIJsWnr2NSY_szewa75meUQEcYP1LvpistJ6lFBPL03tS3QwPvO/s1600/IMG_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifo8tLrr-3jwM_PT_0gmCGO-uAIiCIOKZtF4ulO79mdijgWamI1uevV5Wc9WwuT5p59DRIlu0geuCNL5AVMw2sHAIJsWnr2NSY_szewa75meUQEcYP1LvpistJ6lFBPL03tS3QwPvO/s1600/IMG_0024.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Author <a href="http://www.alisonmcqueen.com/" target="_blank">Alison McQueen</a> and Literary Agent from <a href="http://www.lawagency.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lucas Alexander Whitley</a> - Ben Clark (<a class="ProfileHeaderCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/BenjaminBenamor"><span style="color: #2fc2ef;">@<span class="u-linkComplex-target">BenjaminBenamor</span></span></a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<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/AVvXsEgtUiLADAt0aiKgcRlGKVBo_mSlYFzrjM0N2zMT9sXk_ra9jyzxvnI3Zz8Vbixq6O8dISFNLPGLnQgOpZsp35B1dSL4xAFu5r0ZpYGX6gRq8vdsk6Mr_2d-2m54Ql2Usq0c2L_yUCtp/s1600/IMG_0027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUiLADAt0aiKgcRlGKVBo_mSlYFzrjM0N2zMT9sXk_ra9jyzxvnI3Zz8Vbixq6O8dISFNLPGLnQgOpZsp35B1dSL4xAFu5r0ZpYGX6gRq8vdsk6Mr_2d-2m54Ql2Usq0c2L_yUCtp/s1600/IMG_0027.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ever-popular Agenty talk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<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/AVvXsEh3Bcn9sxL5CBPFy7KreItZ2ko6Vfja7k_pkFBUNsM-j-gpw0hRsN3qPt3BzTW0YUDYaB8BtZnh-9mU9lOdA8piwqQZrTY23Dsx87l100_3KXwAilWMmju3wB5QwZ_HbQIBewANWXg-/s1600/IMG_0029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Bcn9sxL5CBPFy7KreItZ2ko6Vfja7k_pkFBUNsM-j-gpw0hRsN3qPt3BzTW0YUDYaB8BtZnh-9mU9lOdA8piwqQZrTY23Dsx87l100_3KXwAilWMmju3wB5QwZ_HbQIBewANWXg-/s1600/IMG_0029.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now Cat and I will say Goodbye. (Aha, poet not novelist!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Adieu</span></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">My Facebook Page</span></strong></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-8270221284033663472015-01-09T09:36:00.002-08:002015-01-09T09:36:51.207-08:00How to be a loser #beabestseller<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">Happy New Year everyone!!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT","serif";"><span style="font-size: large;">I didn't win the </span></span></strong><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT","serif";"><a href="http://www.itv.com/thismorning/hot-topics/be-a-best-seller-new-novel-competition-take-part" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">ITV's This Morning</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;"> beabestseller thingey. </span></strong></span></strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: "Calisto MT","serif";"></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: "Calisto MT","serif";">
I watched it, out of curiosity, and tried being happy for the finalists :) </span></strong><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: "Calisto MT","serif";">Well done!</span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="font-family: Calisto MT;"></span></strong><span style="font-family: "Calisto MT","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span style="font-size: large;">
<strong>And I'm over it now.</strong></span></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: "Calisto MT","serif";">And, to celebrate nothing, here's a spacey picture of
another world - taken through the window whilst on route to Cyprus last September :)</span></strong><span style="color: #6a5779; font-family: "Calisto MT","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMM38-vQLWZHnZGIRZBalVp3UC10HsAlITEqcpXwhDpH7OX0VjJEg1ZK6VYVSXFcuS_8jnGuihPqWwJPIj5s6VCUhdXjby7b9nm_e1XFWgUmGm97CJMFtwff11hrL3Z60XFbUGf04H/s1600/IMG_0584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMM38-vQLWZHnZGIRZBalVp3UC10HsAlITEqcpXwhDpH7OX0VjJEg1ZK6VYVSXFcuS_8jnGuihPqWwJPIj5s6VCUhdXjby7b9nm_e1XFWgUmGm97CJMFtwff11hrL3Z60XFbUGf04H/s1600/IMG_0584.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-84752556421862977642014-11-11T07:57:00.001-08:002019-02-17T12:25:16.932-08:00Be A Bestseller Novel Competition 2014 #beabestseller <br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">I've found a subject to briefly talk about, (being as I've written nothing on the blog in ages.)</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.itv.com/thismorning/hot-topics/be-a-best-seller-new-novel-competition-take-part" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">ITV's This Morning</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> and Curtis Brown Literary Agents are running a </span></strong><a href="http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/writing-school/competition/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Competition</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> for novel writers, called <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BeABestSeller&src=typd" target="_blank">Be A Bestseller</a>.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The competition only runs for a mere 10 days!</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">I was keen to enter until I spotted the fact that the finalists have to go on TV.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3aue1FdoxHo/VGIvsEjBHiI/AAAAAAAAI9k/78xm5WOa0OU/s1600/medium_jRzPCRinFTfwFDFNGjXu3lq3ZAV0N-mnkYCbNr3Nwas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3aue1FdoxHo/VGIvsEjBHiI/AAAAAAAAI9k/78xm5WOa0OU/s1600/medium_jRzPCRinFTfwFDFNGjXu3lq3ZAV0N-mnkYCbNr3Nwas.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: x-small;">COMPETITION JUDGES: </span><a href="http://www.mariankeyes.com/Books" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">MARIAN KEYES</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/quentyquestions" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">CAROLINE QUENTIN,</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><a href="http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/jonny-geller/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;">JONNY GELLER</span></a></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Now it's not that I expect to be a finalist, obviously, but when you're not the sort of person who would voluntarily step into the limelight, these horrific eventualities must be considered.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">My first thought was therefore: <em>There is no way on earth that I'm entering this competition</em>.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">But I continued reading about it anyway... </span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">I noticed that it was free to enter. That I could win a place on a </span></strong><a href="http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/writing-school/ethos/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Creative Writing Course</span></strong></a>.<strong><span style="font-size: large;"> I could end up being represented by <a href="http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/books/" target="_blank">Curtis Brown</a> (with whom I have had communications before)... </span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Ultimately I could end up with my book being published.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">I already have a shapely 3000 words of </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: large;">my book </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size: large;">edited, plus a synopsis that just needs trimming. Is it ridiculous to be too scared to enter? </span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">I wonder how many other writers won't enter for the very same reasons.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">A lot, methinks.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBuy-Q6zBbJChPLMXWJsLd_HN5J5YNUFymYkMTVmvL-ZeyHmNhladpDP3CrRanTx5BImJzRTmavkN8djSOhI8KeUAJzzL-EglId5uZFwgzQKYZC3w6RIRNrZqo7FE1MYBUgZ2DGrf/s1600/CBCreativegreaders.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqBuy-Q6zBbJChPLMXWJsLd_HN5J5YNUFymYkMTVmvL-ZeyHmNhladpDP3CrRanTx5BImJzRTmavkN8djSOhI8KeUAJzzL-EglId5uZFwgzQKYZC3w6RIRNrZqo7FE1MYBUgZ2DGrf/s1600/CBCreativegreaders.png" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="font-size: x-small;">CB
READERS ALREADY DEVOURING COMPETITION ENTRIES, COURTESY OF @CBCREATIVE</span></strong><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">So I HAVE to enter, don't I?</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">More on my <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel/posts/721288834621587?comment_id=721319377951866&offset=0&total_comments=1#!/AbnormalANovel?fref=nf" target="_blank">facebook page</a> :)</span></strong></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-66084009415621851422014-06-11T14:14:00.001-07:002019-02-17T13:24:29.591-08:00More cattiness...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b><br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlmR4-jYxsu6_00fYnqQmHug4eauvWEZes1J4sCN6HjAD8ZorWxXTwKxFUjCYQjFuamt8v38Jxoc9oXnmDmAtnGuznHrW6DYhLbBYXYpo2f0TofqMD6wx8VwzqtDmMfm3Om1HXpyQ/s1600/IMG_0197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlmR4-jYxsu6_00fYnqQmHug4eauvWEZes1J4sCN6HjAD8ZorWxXTwKxFUjCYQjFuamt8v38Jxoc9oXnmDmAtnGuznHrW6DYhLbBYXYpo2f0TofqMD6wx8VwzqtDmMfm3Om1HXpyQ/s1600/IMG_0197.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<em><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><br /></strong></span></em>
<em><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>How can they be this cute?</strong></span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong><br /></strong></span></em>
<em><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl" target="_blank">FACEBOOK PAGE</a></strong></span></em></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;"></span></i></b><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"></span></em></strong><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"></span></em></strong><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"></span></em></strong><br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"></span></em></strong><br /></div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-80487327651950014852014-05-23T05:01:00.001-07:002019-02-17T12:21:03.028-08:00Beautiful cat :)<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>If Ii put an image with my post then I can stick it on
Pinterest too!</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong></strong><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong></strong><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>So here is Balooga-Baloo</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83jySVefPclAPkQBTavs1meqTInKBDT_YFemFys96LHS7biDRKFyXMU0XunwGMmW7VCXz_pxu65eWiYtHpYsVnt8EsJbvCivSMfztkKGxLmMxFnUeZXZEa_9xM5J-zOnEScloqPBF/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83jySVefPclAPkQBTavs1meqTInKBDT_YFemFys96LHS7biDRKFyXMU0XunwGMmW7VCXz_pxu65eWiYtHpYsVnt8EsJbvCivSMfztkKGxLmMxFnUeZXZEa_9xM5J-zOnEScloqPBF/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-21961069612130784522014-05-21T09:03:00.000-07:002019-02-17T12:19:29.848-08:00For the love of cats!<b><i><span style="font-size: large;"></span></i></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"><strong>My beautiful book-end cats.</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"><strong>Without books in the middle</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"><strong>Just bums.</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLw5xfB1JlTVAgIQacK1TvTbcvvfwIlCz0wEi9fNMHZu-SRiYDbfS1vEGvGIE8y1hRHRzW5rjvu07h7T6PgrO6A-3TtPjg0baJchK4-dEf3NhaYooDvnakAl6cIMrWhTv46oxKk06/s1600/IMG_0035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLw5xfB1JlTVAgIQacK1TvTbcvvfwIlCz0wEi9fNMHZu-SRiYDbfS1vEGvGIE8y1hRHRzW5rjvu07h7T6PgrO6A-3TtPjg0baJchK4-dEf3NhaYooDvnakAl6cIMrWhTv46oxKk06/s1600/IMG_0035.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"><strong>xx</strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-28885099149531344362014-04-06T06:00:00.001-07:002014-04-06T07:48:19.713-07:00Nottingham Writers' Conference 2014<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>ENGAGING WITH YOUR COMMUNITY</strong></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
I went to the <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.writingeastmidlands.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">WEM</span></a> <a href="http://allevents.in/nottingham/the-writers-conference/225803437597929" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Writers'Conference</span></a> </span>t'other day. Last Saturday, actually. <br />
<br />
It was held at the Portland Building in the beautiful grounds of <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Nottingham University</span></a>.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zC5zfKBN-aTsavZk9Fr93Ma4W_gQKoHEb_g5fpO8y1jmFDVvqP9mOwTDciJV_wc0I30URKkLFfrIll7MWFNr744qHZzTn1gxhSK8KnmoG-YSSqjacQUPsoJBw5b91F5jC5yoRy28/s1600/IMG_0255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zC5zfKBN-aTsavZk9Fr93Ma4W_gQKoHEb_g5fpO8y1jmFDVvqP9mOwTDciJV_wc0I30URKkLFfrIll7MWFNr744qHZzTn1gxhSK8KnmoG-YSSqjacQUPsoJBw5b91F5jC5yoRy28/s1600/IMG_0255.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>A lovely volunteer steward</em></strong></div>
<br />
<br />
And it was good! A runaway success that will therefore be annually repeated.<br />
<br />
One of my favourite writers - <a href="http://www.matthaig.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Matt Haig</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> -</span> did a Keynote speech. He spoke bravely and honestly about how anxiety attacks and depression have plagued his life but kind of fed his creativity too.<br />
<br />
I have a blurry photo of him. And I'll apologise in advance for many of my pictures. Problems, like focus, composition, zooming, backs of heads, abound. The joys of trying to snap people unobtrusively :)<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDuvFe2bBsW62MF20Tc8PvFNDnYtH5JRzRRuTERXJKWeBN30UdIW8ac1ualxirKsUClJ9lY442gL7ZVR4CzAgr5RhMTJ88oddt1RhwK5tL475vccPjnRwS9bZTi4kG7ys_wuTkqvI/s1600/IMG_0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDuvFe2bBsW62MF20Tc8PvFNDnYtH5JRzRRuTERXJKWeBN30UdIW8ac1ualxirKsUClJ9lY442gL7ZVR4CzAgr5RhMTJ88oddt1RhwK5tL475vccPjnRwS9bZTi4kG7ys_wuTkqvI/s1600/IMG_0250.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>Here is Matt and someone's head</em></strong></div>
<br />
<br />
And another Keynote speech came from the brilliant local writer <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.jonmcgregor.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Jon McGregor</span></a></span>, who covered the importance of writers engaging with their community- in today's widely connected world.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gMenM5rahb31oG64eqpKs_K9lAn7JLDRr30iv2VeHcA8QYAms7-3VJhcbJj6X1Ue8jyK6_fxb6KdqGDNmbrtmDgbxVdzI1Mw3zN_W5wyVcBHEB23jJsZSzgJdfxWCcG5FnPS_0C6/s1600/IMG_0253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gMenM5rahb31oG64eqpKs_K9lAn7JLDRr30iv2VeHcA8QYAms7-3VJhcbJj6X1Ue8jyK6_fxb6KdqGDNmbrtmDgbxVdzI1Mw3zN_W5wyVcBHEB23jJsZSzgJdfxWCcG5FnPS_0C6/s1600/IMG_0253.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>Here is Jon and Matt, and more backs of heads</em></strong></div>
<br />
<br />
On offer at this conference were talks on all aspects of publishing, <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/sheila-crowley/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">agenting</span></a></span>, promoting oneself, marketing, self-publishing, <strong>engaging with the community</strong>, and writing in various mediums, etc. Lots of things. And very informative it all was too. Nice to meet other writers, chat and make connections, hear what <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://blakefriedmann.co.uk/carole-blake/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">agents</span></a> </span>really want, get an environmentally-friendly goodie bag...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9hyphenhyphenNpoJ2qkyS_ePPDx1_kkpztqOhPZrQMP5WXb0PMM2_Att7A2WuxkKWA9eFzwZyGcVm7QbbLW0evg1hTz7a7Hw8CqejxO1RCJExSQWuSgqndBTBEuc5MVMzIUrNngIcoP0KPr42/s1600/IMG_0262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9hyphenhyphenNpoJ2qkyS_ePPDx1_kkpztqOhPZrQMP5WXb0PMM2_Att7A2WuxkKWA9eFzwZyGcVm7QbbLW0evg1hTz7a7Hw8CqejxO1RCJExSQWuSgqndBTBEuc5MVMzIUrNngIcoP0KPr42/s1600/IMG_0262.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>Panel event - Promoting Yourself As A Writer (and sides and backs of heads for variety)</em></strong></div>
<br />
<br />
By the way, this blog-post represents a hazy snapshot of my day. A more thorough review of the entire conference can be found in many locations, I'm sure, one of which is: <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.creativenottingham.com/2014/04/02/guest-blog-l-d-lapinski-reviews-the-writers-conference/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a></span>! <br />
<br />
Obviously there were a lot of keen local writers at this event, as one might expect. <br />
<br />
Some, more well-known, include: <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.nicolamonaghan.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Nicola Valentine</span></a>, <a href="http://www.cathybramleyauthor.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Cathy Bramley</span></a>, <a href="http://jameskwalker.co.uk/blog/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">James Walker</span></a> (of <a href="http://www.dawnoftheunread.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Dawn of the Unread</span></a>),
<a href="http://www.davidbelbin.com/" sl-processed="1" target="_blank" title="Link to David Belbin's web site"><span style="color: blue;">David Belbin</span></a>, <a href="http://panyabanjoko.wordpress.com/about/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">Panya Banjoko</span></span></a> and Poet
Laureates <a href="http://www.cathygrindrod.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Cathy
Grindrod</span></a> and <a href="http://www.helenmort.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Helen Mort</span></a>.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQcZgBHxHcnizjuSuhh_0gZI2voQHFVbjF2FvHndM9i-YZi9Z-RfQ6T-VVZ8lUWVml9vEEDNGMN3HLaQF97lvzL1JvPVb8O-kuYqzQquBIyOwRgcLj2wriZfUs6RdTSkmjAym9GfI/s1600/IMG_0256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQcZgBHxHcnizjuSuhh_0gZI2voQHFVbjF2FvHndM9i-YZi9Z-RfQ6T-VVZ8lUWVml9vEEDNGMN3HLaQF97lvzL1JvPVb8O-kuYqzQquBIyOwRgcLj2wriZfUs6RdTSkmjAym9GfI/s1600/IMG_0256.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>Panel event with Cathy Grindrod, Ali Betteridge (Chair), Helen Mort and Panya Banjoko</em></strong></div>
<br />
<br />
Lots of members of the <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.nottinghamwritersstudio.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Nottingham
Writers' Studio</span></a> </span> (including me) were there. I met up with a lovely copywriter friend of mine at the event - <span id="goog_2074255144"></span><a href="https://twitter.com/CopycatCreative" target="_blank">Cat Roberts<span id="goog_2074255145"></span></a> - who is also a Children's writer. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipj6bCVg_68Q-HHctk0lOwv-xBxPk9GcEt-CsUDYwEXHRPvmpZWUT3c-yQ8UsWs-UK1es4qvpr5YsaUQMNeP13I-MVUvYmUWsE2usPVpNHWj8KTIJr1K4QAK5XiWa1kefok34Sf-vA/s1600/IMG_0275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipj6bCVg_68Q-HHctk0lOwv-xBxPk9GcEt-CsUDYwEXHRPvmpZWUT3c-yQ8UsWs-UK1es4qvpr5YsaUQMNeP13I-MVUvYmUWsE2usPVpNHWj8KTIJr1K4QAK5XiWa1kefok34Sf-vA/s1600/IMG_0275.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>Me and Cat in the Atrium of the Portland Building</em></strong></div>
<br />
<br />
I think that the Nottingham Writers' Conference is (and will be) about forging connections with like-minded folks, exchanging experiences and information, supporting one another in our long and arduous writing journeys - wherever we may be heading....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-UmbDFc_iXcJU0jjiOpcb46CBfGo85XYejLaLB7cekYfKFbQarkEEVPc6xn4cnGsvBfqKZVW4teaGMDbDnBGOkh773BGluh2riDmay829fvOu1auhHYLW1yFIivDTAYJ6Q3_ywkK/s1600/IMG_0274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-UmbDFc_iXcJU0jjiOpcb46CBfGo85XYejLaLB7cekYfKFbQarkEEVPc6xn4cnGsvBfqKZVW4teaGMDbDnBGOkh773BGluh2riDmay829fvOu1auhHYLW1yFIivDTAYJ6Q3_ywkK/s1600/IMG_0274.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>Writers mingling in the sunny Atrium</em></strong></div>
<br />
<br />
A handful of highly-sought-after agent one-to-one's were also pre-awarded for the day. Here's one writer's experience of this precious offering: <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.leftlion.co.uk/articles.cfm/title/writing-wrongs/id/6588" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Writing Wrongs</span></a> </span>from David R Thompson.<br />
<br />
And what we all ultimately want (don't we?) is confirmation that we are doing the <em><span style="font-size: large;">write</span></em> thing (see what I did there?) That we are treading the right path, worn and winding as it may be.<br />
<br />
And getting help or constructive feedback, along the way, from anyone in the know, is always going to be invaluable, I think. Writers need to help one another. Right?<br />
<br />
Because it's all about <strong><em>community.</em></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuYhs_l67I4muyaWTFqJOilvpmltPVwDRxYE5_emIP4eA3AzT36HwfViVQgw4WXUXlfc57mjm1dFYOUVXwmYXYjJfEYrOxqLWIJ2_uUUzGfqaPe6ofebdbewcJDTtUv-jvWggW5z5/s1600/IMG_0258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPuYhs_l67I4muyaWTFqJOilvpmltPVwDRxYE5_emIP4eA3AzT36HwfViVQgw4WXUXlfc57mjm1dFYOUVXwmYXYjJfEYrOxqLWIJ2_uUUzGfqaPe6ofebdbewcJDTtUv-jvWggW5z5/s1600/IMG_0258.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>Inspirational poster</em></strong></div>
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">What do you think?!</span></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
:)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-1460828530107968882014-03-24T10:13:00.000-07:002019-02-17T12:14:08.813-08:00Mogli has an announcement to make...<b><u><span style="color: #000120;"></span></u></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWo8skwTaMQandAzAXjMNMqu5uKO7yKJnEVfKmbu8bmxi6_i0BZKhuDQJSL-lpjci2HIz-NVDg2CKb2Noj85f8mcEnJGWU1c1lh2ALUd3yXN94-TwwbGRpyYtb_84XYj2eVIpVVVAY/s1600/DSC00363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWo8skwTaMQandAzAXjMNMqu5uKO7yKJnEVfKmbu8bmxi6_i0BZKhuDQJSL-lpjci2HIz-NVDg2CKb2Noj85f8mcEnJGWU1c1lh2ALUd3yXN94-TwwbGRpyYtb_84XYj2eVIpVVVAY/s1600/DSC00363.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Who is prettier, him or me???</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 72pt; line-height: 115%;">Me!</span></em></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">Obviously</span></strong></div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"></span></b><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"></span> </div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #999999; font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<em><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>MY CAT IS ASKING YOU TO LIKE MY FACEBOOK PAGE.</strong></span></em></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<br />
<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"></span></em></strong> </div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl</span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
</div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-69883657392465106532014-02-20T09:28:00.000-08:002019-02-17T12:11:42.563-08:00<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>When the going gets tough and you're starting to lose the plot...</strong></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUR6skvsmcM23eFTegtX2LgKMVdPHxImjxuoUQVhHmXsQGMhgTE8XgwAtGq1h4iNXYpfVrIiZ0RPmdmIJ83AafOIZXTBzA42Xz_WFXkX0cWZN_ajKgeAqOalu1fWNy1iUqVy_CkLqI/s1600/IMG_0218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUR6skvsmcM23eFTegtX2LgKMVdPHxImjxuoUQVhHmXsQGMhgTE8XgwAtGq1h4iNXYpfVrIiZ0RPmdmIJ83AafOIZXTBzA42Xz_WFXkX0cWZN_ajKgeAqOalu1fWNy1iUqVy_CkLqI/s1600/IMG_0218.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Try to keep your head, at least...</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>(and your tail)</strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;"></span></em></strong> </div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl</span></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
</div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-19480977959825562952013-11-21T09:32:00.001-08:002014-02-20T06:57:44.872-08:00A Little Discovery...<div style="text-align: center;">
Last weekend I went to <a href="http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/discovery-day-ii/" target="_blank">Discovery Day</a> at <a href="http://www.foyles.co.uk/" target="_blank">Foyles</a> Bookshop in London Town :)</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iEOUhcC1pxJ3mwd8q5DrQ6jc0OqHizSzUbuI-TXJeJi3yejrQAO-bneX-fzJrks44byVS2m0y3a5TC649ug0CCcWI-NWVk3K-3im2lK79IbPt1w-8vyo67kcslXYTXbc-fKDiLy7/s1600/IMG_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iEOUhcC1pxJ3mwd8q5DrQ6jc0OqHizSzUbuI-TXJeJi3yejrQAO-bneX-fzJrks44byVS2m0y3a5TC649ug0CCcWI-NWVk3K-3im2lK79IbPt1w-8vyo67kcslXYTXbc-fKDiLy7/s640/IMG_0080.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
This free event, brainchild of <a href="http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/books/" target="_blank">Curtis Brown Literary agents</a> (and in association, this year, with sister act <a href="http://www.convilleandwalsh.com/" target="_blank">Conville & Walsh</a>) was to enable writers from anywhere on Earth to go and pitch their novels-in-progress to living and breathing literary agents. </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUGl28-Bl2N3LXtZIhaW7vmdJifCfTC6W_9K4d98AkMt81VTjeWXLNTQOa8ZztomYsU2syOO3rXk6dkvxrUqafprw5DothWp-7fde8D76tyvP9w2d9n1gemirXedwKoNt4PYMmoRu/s1600/IMG_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXUGl28-Bl2N3LXtZIhaW7vmdJifCfTC6W_9K4d98AkMt81VTjeWXLNTQOa8ZztomYsU2syOO3rXk6dkvxrUqafprw5DothWp-7fde8D76tyvP9w2d9n1gemirXedwKoNt4PYMmoRu/s640/IMG_0089.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In preparation for this significant event, I gave myself two weeks to compile and practice the requisite <strong><u>30 second pitch,</u></strong> trying to devise some intelligent questions to boot. And, for the remainder of my prep time, I usefully bricked myself. I've never done anything like this before, and I've been writing forever.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-_oqFka1d-biwE5JGNapVtyCBF1mCBnaFAYelMJOmo_VN4vVtT8eVYGmgDhMPP1AuVeiq6ZQeWpDlAgQVjuHdBdqlhjgDgp_RtEhQl_u1VZUrLfRJ7Yn42bTVNnfKl991ZpGe5la/s1600/IMG_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-_oqFka1d-biwE5JGNapVtyCBF1mCBnaFAYelMJOmo_VN4vVtT8eVYGmgDhMPP1AuVeiq6ZQeWpDlAgQVjuHdBdqlhjgDgp_RtEhQl_u1VZUrLfRJ7Yn42bTVNnfKl991ZpGe5la/s640/IMG_0083.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
When it came to crunch-day, my boyfriend and I travelled down from Nottingham on the train. That morning, my nerves somehow transformed into a twisted sense of excitement, despite this being <a href="http://novel-by-sjs.blogspot.co.uk/p/the-novel.html" target="_blank">ABNORMAL</a> for me. Normally, facing interviews and similarly terrifying situations, I'm sick with panic. I've clammed up before panels when job-hunting, I've cancelled interviews through fear. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But I practised my pitch over lunch in London, asking my boyfriend to scarily act as agent. Then we headed off to Foyles too early, masterfully avoiding the pub. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
There are many other write-ups which detail the day's events, so I'm giving a stunted but flavoursome taster of my own experience here. My heart began its obligtory pounding as I was directed to my allotted agent. Which was <a href="http://www.convilleandwalsh.com/index.php/agents/publishing-agent/clare-conville/" target="_blank">Clare Conville</a>. </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSMovlpgj1f2AO-cZi3zqUoyu73xMYEsbMXOfp2S5V7h0uzX9ehc5M50hSmiL9EsB6A9AqFJSdRX2wSloTwPtnIrecHjWYOprbsx_KvGyotGuz944qx3-VNmg2lvCCC9FYLah1C7K/s1600/IMG_3312EDIT-402x402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSMovlpgj1f2AO-cZi3zqUoyu73xMYEsbMXOfp2S5V7h0uzX9ehc5M50hSmiL9EsB6A9AqFJSdRX2wSloTwPtnIrecHjWYOprbsx_KvGyotGuz944qx3-VNmg2lvCCC9FYLah1C7K/s1600/IMG_3312EDIT-402x402.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I've had feedback from both Curtis Brown and Conville and Walsh before - on previously submitted novels, so I felt, at least, some (imagined) familiarity on seeing Clare. But, as others have said about #discoveryday, everyone was so welcoming, reassuring, friendly and interested in what we had to say, they made things much easier anyway. I didn't see or hear any ogre-like roaring. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My pitch seemed to go quite well, although - can you really tell for sure? Clare was lovely and enthusiastic and gave me useful pointers. I'm writing my novel-in-progress online (on this very blog, in fact), so I was keen to know if pre-exposing one's work (to try and gain readers) scuppers writers' chances of traditional publication. And the repeated and positive message I took away from the day was:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><strong>'If the book is strong enough it will not matter'.</strong></em> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
My one regret is that I didn't take notes whilst there, only photos. (I looked round at people scribbling during the panel event and silently mocked them for not just: 'Subliminally absorbing it'.) However, I've forgotten loads already. As well as being a sieve-head I think it was generally overwhelming. I wish I'd recorded my session on my phone (as I heard one writer did.) </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>So</em>. My little discovery on #discoveryday was that I'm not quite as timid and jelly-fied as I'd supposed. Perhaps, when it really matters, when it's something you've yearned for, slogged over, been 100% serious about, all of your life, then it's far too important to let fear destroy your chances. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5Q1k7D5Lir_cCquAhFBrZln3wY29gNbn-pcGCH-ERsx-Y4dbrgmfg6Qs0-n_Br1uRScsQ24dZ9IHyFSBCYb3s7Ssb7nHfZBryztD_CV8xzsUbbElkfMsErs-rjJpxzKWeshCL82Y/s1600/IMG_3310EDIT-601x402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5Q1k7D5Lir_cCquAhFBrZln3wY29gNbn-pcGCH-ERsx-Y4dbrgmfg6Qs0-n_Br1uRScsQ24dZ9IHyFSBCYb3s7Ssb7nHfZBryztD_CV8xzsUbbElkfMsErs-rjJpxzKWeshCL82Y/s1600/IMG_3310EDIT-601x402.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And this last picture shows the back of me, far left! :) And a lovely writer I met on the day in the foreground with agent <a href="http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/gordon-wise/" target="_blank">Gordon Wise.</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Keeeeeeeep writing.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Sjs :) </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-11522300799289449152013-11-14T09:15:00.000-08:002019-02-17T12:30:43.394-08:00Cats with freaky eyes....<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div align="center">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrckybqtt1zmT2c1XPvRisw8GuDbYBpt47S7oXhvWnL17_M5vcTyRHnNqNe2UpEDUS4I2XJposjRXimhneL2hACV4WEk5wXRTvMn69mmLf7sf4KlgIJYupAZMTXDfJ45XE7Y5nESN/s1600/IMG-20131023-00356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrckybqtt1zmT2c1XPvRisw8GuDbYBpt47S7oXhvWnL17_M5vcTyRHnNqNe2UpEDUS4I2XJposjRXimhneL2hACV4WEk5wXRTvMn69mmLf7sf4KlgIJYupAZMTXDfJ45XE7Y5nESN/s320/IMG-20131023-00356.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This is Mogli, my four-month old kitten. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">You may have seen her here before! You may also notice something interesting about her? Well, I've been looking into this and it's called <strong>COMPLETE HETEROCHROMIA IRIDUM.</strong> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">AKA Different coloured eyes; bit easier to say. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It's apparently more common in animals than humans whereby it almost always involves one blue eye. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Gripping, hey? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> Wiki can tell you more about </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterochromia_iridum" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">that</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">But I was interested to learn that a number of people I've obviously heard of and <strong>SEEN</strong> on TV have forms of this intriguing trait.... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I wonder if you'd noticed? Because I hadn't. They are:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">David Bowie (the only one I knew about)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Dan Ackroyd </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Kate Bosworth </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Robert Downey Junior</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Simon Pegg ?!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Jane Seymour </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Kiefer Sutherland ?!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And Christopher Walken. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Amazing ey? They must have been hiding their eyes under their hats. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I've always been fascinated by this genetic phenomena because - as a child - I <strong>always</strong> wanted different coloured eyes. </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl">https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl</a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
</div>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7392601331148163319.post-58385965116914337152013-10-29T09:43:00.001-07:002019-02-17T12:31:15.052-08:00Wondering how to rattle off emails in a hurry?<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Get your <strong><em>SUPERFAST</em></strong> kitten to do them all for you...</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrPpaFaanKAIEwIj7WQnfuwjuB2oR0BXBoLnMlPZzkwbyfOsnCX4JqwnHgyWPxfUQnvG0ROZm2CY93r-IBrr6QUHhU2NLnNsrzeFuLZ3TTqJCei7uiciB1bmPjQ1laEpjX_3wp749/s1600/IMG_0056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrPpaFaanKAIEwIj7WQnfuwjuB2oR0BXBoLnMlPZzkwbyfOsnCX4JqwnHgyWPxfUQnvG0ROZm2CY93r-IBrr6QUHhU2NLnNsrzeFuLZ3TTqJCei7uiciB1bmPjQ1laEpjX_3wp749/s320/IMG_0056.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl">https://www.facebook.com/AbnormalANovel?ref=hl</a></div>
<br />
<br />
<h2>
</h2>
Sara Jane Potterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07623374456488381508noreply@blogger.com0