bring yourself

Designing New Courses

2010-11-11T21:51:00.000Z

I am in the middle of designing a couple of new online writing courses. It is an exciting stage. I have a paper everywhere and notes written on every scrap. I have so many ideas but wanted to ask you what kinds of creative writing courses you are interested in taking. Would you prefer more creative courses to give your writing a kick start or courses introducing key aspects of writing? Would you prefer beginner or more advanced courses? What kind of course are you looking for right now? Your help will make sure that the new courses suit you. I would dearly love for you to email me with your thoughts or leave me a comment here. Thank you again for all your support so far.

On a Thursday

2010-09-23T17:45:00.000+01:00

I am slowly getting back into the swing of things. September is turning out to be a busy month. The Handmade Writer e-course has started up again and it has been lovely meeting so many writers. Everyone is busy working on this week's writing project and from the ideas they have shared so far they are going to be fantastic.

There are some big changes going on behind-the-scenes at Bring Yourself. Big changes! I can't wait to show you what's coming up. It will probably all be ready in a couple of months. There is plenty of work to do first.

I am feeling ever so slightly overwhelmed by my own writing at the moment. I am re-writing, editing, re-structuring and ripping parts up and starting again. It is dis-orientating. So, I have given myself Thursdays. It is a luxury but on a Thursday I have the whole day to write, plan and think. I don't have to worry, I just have to do. I think it is going to be my favourite day of the week.

September

2010-09-09T22:41:00.000+01:00

September is my favourite month. Autumn is on its way and soon I will be able to play in the falling leaves. I feel justified in buying new pens as I get into the back-to-school spirit. Oh, and it's my birthday too. That might be one of my favourite parts of the month.

Last weekend, I had a lovely birthday trip to Wales to stay in the most wonderful house. I walked most of the way up a windy mountain looking for a lake. I learned that I find it difficult to follow board game instructions. I ate freshly baked bread and chocolate brownies by the plateful. It was exactly what I needed.

Now, it's back to work, back to school, back home.

There are still a few places on the September Handmade Writer e-course. It's perfect if you want to spend your autumn writing.

Thirty-One

2010-08-31T23:36:00.000+01:00

Did I ever tell you about Cafe Kino? I was involved with setting a dear little vegan co-operative cafe in Bristol. It's a place I love and my visit there today was a perfect way to end my August Break.

For The August Break.

Twenty-Seven

2010-08-27T16:09:00.000+01:00

For The August Break.

Twenty-Six

2010-08-26T21:59:00.000+01:00

For The August Break.

Twenty-Five

2010-08-25T21:26:00.001+01:00

I'm back from a lovely break spent by the seaside. There was plenty of paddling in the sea, sandy toes, ice cream cones, beach huts, canoeing and long walks. Even though it rained most days, I indulged in a proper seaside holiday.

For The August Break.

The Handmade Writer E-Course is Back for Autumn

2010-08-25T11:17:00.000+01:00

I am excited to announce that the Handmade Writer e-course is returning in the autumn for a third session. You can read what people have said about the course here.

This course has been designed to encourage you to take a craft-based approach to creative writing. You will examine the material of your everyday life and use it to inspire you to write pieces of fiction. You will join a community of fellow writers and I will give you feedback on every word you write. All the course information can be found here. If you have any questions just email me at amy@bringyourself.com

The e-course starts on Monday 20th September and runs for six weeks. Registration is open now and places are limited.

I have had so much fun running this course and am looking forward to meeting more wonderful writers in September.

Sixteenth

2010-08-16T23:35:00.000+01:00

For The August Break.

Thirteenth

2010-08-13T21:23:00.000+01:00

I found this wonderful book in the library today. The pages were soft and yellowing and it had that yummy old book smell. I love Dada.

For The August Break.

Twelfth

2010-08-12T21:19:00.000+01:00

Can you tell that I've been in the library all week? I'm trying to catch up on work so I can spent next week playing in the sunshine. I am going away for a week and I can't wait. I am ready to leave the library behind.

For The August Break.

Eleventh

2010-08-11T20:35:00.000+01:00

I spent the day in the library. When I found myself taking photographs of the ceiling I knew it was time to go home.

For The August Break.

Tenth

2010-08-10T13:06:00.000+01:00

For The August Break

Ninth

2010-08-09T17:49:00.000+01:00

If you are looking for me, this is where you'll find me.

For The August Break.

Sixth

2010-08-06T21:21:00.000+01:00

For The August Break

Fifth

2010-08-05T20:04:00.000+01:00

My poor little Dahlia is not looking too happy. I blame the slugs.

For The August Break.

Fourth

2010-08-04T20:45:00.002+01:00

Third

2010-08-03T20:32:00.000+01:00

2nd August

2010-08-02T20:55:00.000+01:00

For August Break, I challenged myself to take pictures of the patterns that I saw around me. These are a few of my favourites. It is surprising how many patterns you can find in ordinary places. It really challenged me to look closer than usual.

The Beginning of August

2010-08-01T22:50:00.000+01:00

This is what I want every day to be like.

August Break

2010-08-01T22:47:00.000+01:00

Phew, July was a busy month. It began with the Handmade Writer e-course (which runs for one more week) and has included more marking than I could ever imagine (from my current teaching job) as well as countless hours of writing and plans for what feels like a dozen new projects. I managed to include plenty of long walks and reading books in the sunshine. It has been a lovely, but tiring, month.

I read about the marvelous Susannah Conway's August Break and it sounded like just what I need. I love the idea of taking more photographs and sharing them here during August. There are so many people taking part in this project. It really is fantastic. I haven't had a camera for a while now, since I broke mine, so will have to use the camera on my iphone until I get a new one.

During my August Break, I will be working industriously on some changes to Bring Yourself. I am planning a new course and a few bits and bobs to shake things up. I have a feeling that August will be a busy month. I will keep you posted.

The Trouble With Feedback

2010-07-01T09:07:00.000+01:00

I had some good feedback on my own writing a couple of weeks ago. I learned how hard it is to hear positive comments about your work. My brain somehow turned every positive into a negative and assumed the worst. I was waiting for the 'but ....' to follow every positive comments.

I had to consciously shake myself out of it because it wasn't getting me anywhere.

Am I the only one who finds good feedback harder to hear?

Giveaway Winners

2010-06-26T12:11:00.000+01:00

The winner of the Bring Yourself giveaway for a place on the Handmade Writer e-course is .... Caiti. (I used random.org to pick the winner.) Thank you to everyone for your wonderful responses to my question.

The winner of the Kind Over Matter giveaway is Marybeth.

You still have until Sunday to enter the giveaway on Our City Lights.

I am getting very excited about the e-course starting on Monday. I'm so looking forward to meeting all the lovely writers who have signed up so far. There are still a few spaces available so if you want to enroll you still have time.

Three Chances to Win

2010-06-21T16:25:00.000+01:00

Happy Summer Solstice! The sun is shining and I want to run around barefoot and eat honeycomb ice cream.

There is just one week to go until the summer session of the Handmade Writer e-course starts on 28th June. If you want to spend your summer writing then this course just might be perfect for you. You will find oodles of encouragement, plenty of creative stimulus and I will (gently) critique every word you write. That, plus sunshine, sounds good to me.

To celebrate both the run-up to the course and the summertime, I have partnered up with Diana at Our City Lights and Jenn and Amanda at Kind Over Matter to offer you three chances to win a place on the summer session of the Handmade Writer e-course.

Here's what you do:

1. Go over to visit Diana at Our City Lights and leave a comment telling her why you would benefit from a place on the Handmade Writer e-course. You have until Sunday 27th June to enter.

2. Go over to Kind Over Matter and leave a for comment for Jenn and Amanda telling them your absolute favourite part of summer. You have until noon on Friday 25th June to enter.

3. Leave me a comment here, telling me about the piece of writing that most inspires you. This could be your favourite book, a poem that makes your heart beat faster or a memoir that makes you cry. You have until Friday 25th June to enter.

You can enter all three giveaways if you want.

Of course, if you want to sign up to Handmade Writer right away, you can do that here.

If you want more information about the e-course to see if it's right for you go here. If you want to read what people have said about the e-course so far, go here.

I can't wait to welcome you onto the e-course and get the summer of writing started.

Back to Learning

2010-06-16T11:02:00.000+01:00

I haven't been documenting my learning for the Learn Something Project as much as I intended. At first, I thought that it was because I wasn't learning anything at all. Then, I realised that it was because I have been learning so much that it has been impossible to decide what to share.

Over the past few months, I have spent most of my time learning. I passed my PhD upgrade panel last week after submitting 40,000 words. Phew! That involved some serious concentration and, yep, quite a bit of learning. Running the Handmade Writer e-course has been a huge learning experience. It is a wonderful, challenging experience but, for me, it has been all about learning how to engage people with writing and support their creative development.

Oh, and I am learning about experimental art and am still trying to learn how to play the accordion.

So, now I am trying to slow down a bit. I want to pay attention to what I am learning. I want to find a bit more space for thinking. I plan to start documenting it again.

Today, I learned the sometimes I need to start with the most different thing first. Every single day, there is something on my to-do list that I don't want to do. It could be an email that I need to send or a phone call that I need to make but it scares me. I avoid it. Often I have no idea why that one particular task bothers me so much but it does. So, starting today, I am going to do that thing first. The difficult thing will be the first thing I cross off the list. I did it today and it feels great.

What have you learned recently that might help you work better?

Experimental Art E-Course

2010-06-12T18:57:00.000+01:00

I am excited to be taking the Experimental Art E-course, which starts on Monday. Thanks to a wonderful suggestion by it's creator, Amelia Critchlow, (that's her collage featured opposite) I am enrolled and ready to go.

Although I spend part of each week engaging people with visual art through creative writing, I never create any artwork myself. I am comfortable with craft but the idea of producing visual art still daunts me.

So, as part of my commitment to try new things, I am jumping straight into the Experimental Art E-Course. I am ready to experiment and challenge myself. I can't wait.

If you want to join Amelia's course, there's still time. To sign up, go here.

Waves

2010-06-10T10:58:00.000+01:00

Sometimes when I go to an art gallery it challenges me to see everything differently. I start paying attention to things around me in the gallery. I notice all the spaces between the art work. Everything starts to look like art - even the light switches, the floor boards and the window frames. I leave the art gallery and everything around me looks different. The world is suddenly brighter, bolder, more detailed.

I went to glorious exhibition last week when I visited my brother in Cambridge. The artist, Maggie Hambling, had created the most wonderful paintings inspired by the north sea. She had captured these huge, powerful waves at the moment between rising up and crashing down. They made me giddy and as I traveled home everything I saw reminded me of the waves.

Eavesdropping

2010-06-04T09:00:00.000+01:00

I am nosy. If I were being nice, I would say that I am curious, observant or that I pay attention. But really I know it is nosiness that makes me listen in to conversations on the bus or in a cafe. That's why I was so delighted when I read about the Bugged project. They understand that eavedropping is part of being a writer and have organised a creative happening to celebrate.

Between the 1st July and 15th August, they want everyone to try eavesdropping and then create a piece of writing inspired by what they overhear. The Bugged team will feature the best writing on their website and publish an anthology.

I love the idea that during the project there will be people everywhere listening in to conversations. I will definitely be joining in and maybe someone will overhear something I say and write about it.

Have you ever written anything based on something you have overheard?

Handmade Writer E-Course - Summer Session

2010-06-01T11:56:00.000+01:00

After a wonderfully received first session, the Handmade Writer e-course is
returning for a six week summer session. This is a perfect chance to spend
your summer daydreaming and writing. You will be encouraged to take a

playful approach to creative writing as you are challenged to explore your

life and the world around you. You will find a unique creative community

and get individual critical feedback on your writing.

The Handmade Writer e-course will help you gather together material from
every source imaginable. You will learn about the craft of writing and how
to sew these fragments together to build your own pieces of creative writing.
The e-course has been inspired by the strength of craft communities as well
as the impulse to transform everyday finds into something amazing.

I am a author and experienced workshop leader and will be your tutor during
the six week e-course. I will set you a writing project at the beginning of
each week send you twice weekly creative challenges and keep you supplied
with enough creative stimulus to keep your imagination buzzing. I will read
every word you write and give you critical feedback on all your work, including
suggestions on how to develop your writing further.

The summer e-course begins on Monday 28th June and costs £60/ $87 (based
on current exchange rates.) Enrollment is open now. Places are limited to
make sure everyone gets individual attention.

For more details and to enroll on the e-course go here.

I have had some lovely feedback on the last session of the Handmade Writer

e-course. You can read it here.

Snapshots

2010-05-13T22:05:00.000+01:00

I found a wonderful photograph album recently. It's full of dozens of little photographs documenting the lives of a group of friends. They looks so happy as they pose on the beach, feed the ducks in the duck pond and dig the land. I wonder what happened to them after these snapshots were taken. I'm sure they have stories to tell, stories of a whole lifetime. This album of snapshots is like a little window into their world, a glimpse into life in 1940s Britain. As I turn the pages of the album, I look in and imagine what it would be like to be part of that world.

Where do you look to find ideas for your writing?

Inspired Image

2010-04-28T15:17:00.000+01:00

You can find out why this photograph inspires me at Things We Make. Thanks Amy for asking me to take part.

I Learned ... I am going to be published in Japan

2010-04-20T22:01:00.000+01:00

I just learned that my first book 'DIY: The Rise of Lo-Fi Culture' is going to be published in Japan by Blues Interaction. I am very excited about this. I can't wait to see my words translated into Japanese, a language I can't speak.

Do-It-Together

2010-04-19T10:53:00.000+01:00

I am such a big fan of do-it-yourself culture. I love it when people create something on their own terms just because they can't find what they are looking for anywhere else. I get giddy about zines, independently released music and blogs and all that good stuff. I admire people who write, make art and play music just because they want to, without worrying whether it is perfect and polished or how much money it will make them.

I have always had a strong sense of community. I am lucky to be surrounded by people who take action just because they want to see things get done. My friends can do anything and they do. They play music, curate art shows, start clubs, run cafes, take photographs, draw, sew and write. They build, make and do and inspire me to try and do the same.

A few years ago, I wrote a book about do-it-yourself culture. It was a wonderful experience to research and write about how people find new ways to create and distribute, away from traditionally commercial routes.

Recently, I was asked to write a piece for a Canadian art journal about how I felt about Do-It-Yourself culture. I wrote that, instead of just doing-it-ourselves, we should do-it-together. Together we are tougher, stronger, braver and infinitely more creative. I believe in that.

Thank You

2010-04-12T19:40:00.000+01:00

The first Handmade Writer e-course started today. It has been so wonderful welcoming all the students to the course. I have a feeling that we will have a fantastic six weeks together.

I want to thank everyone who has helped during the process of launching the course. I especially want to thank my buddy Michal. He is the brilliant graphic designer behind Bring Yourself. He has listened to all my garbled attempts at explaining my ideas and tolerated my last minute design changes. If you want a graphic designer who cares more than anything about finding the perfect font and tells you that all your ideas are possible then you can find him at Semi Square.

Exploring

2010-04-12T15:00:00.000+01:00

Your writing won't suffer if you take a day off. Especially if you are invited to visit an old disused church tucked away on a backstreet of the city.

And you climb a staircase barely as wide as you are, up and up, to the roof.

And look at out over the city from a place you have never been before.

You will remember how important it is to explore and learn that a day off from writing might not be a day off after all.

Sunny Days

2010-04-09T08:49:00.000+01:00

I have just come back from a beautiful few days in Dorset. I ate Easter eggs, played on the beach and went on long walks. It was glorious.I can't wait for the summer to come. I am going to enjoy every minute of it.

Now, it's back to work, head down and jump straight in. The Handmade Writer E-Course starts on Monday and there are plenty of last minute preparations to be done. I am so excited about this course that I can't tell you.

Handmade Writer - One Week to Go

2010-04-05T21:15:00.000+01:00

There is only one week to go until the Handmade Writer E-Course starts on Monday 12th April. This is exciting. I am thrilled that so many people have engaged with the idea of Handmade Writer. Thank you to everyone who has supported the course so far by writing about it on their blog, tweeting about it and signing up. I really looking forward to meeting the first class of Handmade Writers on Monday.

There are a few last-minute places available so you’ll need to register now if you want to be a part of Handmade Writer.

I have received many questions about the e-course so I thought I’d share a quick selection of my replies with you.

Will I get individual feedback on my writing from you?

Yes, definitely. I will be available during the course to give individual feedback. I am looking forward to reading everyone’s writing. One of the aims of the course is to build a supportive community of writers where you will be encouraged to offer feedback on your fellow writer's work.

How can I sure that I won't get too many writing assignments during the course or too few?

Everyone is different and I know that some of you will have more time to devote to the course than others. I believe in an individual approach to teaching so will try my best to match everyone's needs. So, if you feel overwhelmed by the assignments you can let me know and I’ll tailor them to suit you. If you feel you want more creative stimulus then let me know and I will supply it. I will do my best to make this a fulfilling experience for everyone.

What kind of writing will we do?

The aim of the course if to get you looking at yourself, your life and all the things around you in a new way. We won’t focus on one particular kind of writing. You will experiment and play with words. You will examine and explore all the details of your world. The focus will be on finding new inspiration, re-visiting old ideas and creating pieces of writing to be proud of in a supportive environment.

Maybe I’ll meet you on the 12th April?

Anatomy of my Study

2010-04-04T23:23:00.001+01:00

I love seeing photographs of the places where writers write. Amazing creative things can happen in scruffy attics, corners of kitchen tables and sheds at the bottom of the gardens. Everywhere there are writers sitting alone somewhere working away. There are some fantastic photographs of these places here.

I thought I'd share some photographs of my study with you.

There is a comfortable chair where I do most of writing. Alfalfa, my littlest dog, usually snuggles up next to me to keep me company but sometimes she wriggles so much that she gets the chair all to herself. I have a pink metal fold-up desk. I bought it years ago to use in the garden but now it makes the perfect desk. There's a little bookshelf overflowing with books that I am currently reading and a cabinet where I keep odds and ends. Outside is the garden. Alfalfa keeps a look out for cats and I watch the flowers grow. It suits us both perfectly.

The walls are bright yellow. I think the landlord painted them years ago and I have grown to love them.

The room is full of books. I also use the bookshelves to keep the little things I love - artwork and things people have made for me. I like having them close by but it gets a bit cluttered sometimes.

This cabinet is called 'Big B'. I can't remember exactly why. I do have a tendency to name things. It's from the 1950s and was once used as a sort of pantry to keep food cold. It even has a cute egg rack inside. It stores all my craft materials and pens and paper too. The front pulls down and you can use it as a table.

So that's it. My study. I never thought I'd be so lucky to have a room all to myself for writing. I plan to enjoy it for as long as a I can.

Where do you write? I'd love to see some photographs (add a link to some in the comments if you want to share.)

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T17:55:00.000+01:00

I hope you are all having a lovely day full of chocolate and relaxing. So far I have been on an Easter egg hunt in the woods, eaten a few chocolate bunnies (and a chocolate duck), given a dog a crazy hair cut and am about to eat a feast. A perfect kind of day all in all.

I Learned How to Crochet

2010-04-02T16:11:00.000+01:00

17. I Learned How to Crochet

I have tried to learn to crochet before, many times, but I can never get the hang of it. I get stuck at the stage where it feels like I'm wrapping fiddly knots around funny hooks. I suppose that's that it is really.

So, today I tried again. It still feels like a mess of little knots but it's getting easier. I am progressing. Slowly.

Is there anything that you'd like to learn that you've been putting off?

I Learned ...

2010-03-30T15:22:00.000+01:00

16. I can climb a mountain if I want to.

I might not want to very often and it made my legs ache for days afterwards but I can climb a mountain.

I climbed this amazing mountain in Wales last week. I didn't climb up the side in the photograph because I'm not sure I could have, I went round the side but it was still very steep.

I didn't really believe that I could get to the top. I think I said, 'Sure, I'd quite like to see what it's like up there' without really thinking. We started walking and walking and it was steep and it got steeper. We walked until we got to the tip of the top, among the clouds. Now I know that I can climb a mountain if I want to. I never knew that before.

What have you learned about yourself recently?

Handmade Writer Giveaway on Our City Lights

2010-03-30T15:09:00.000+01:00

The lovely Diana at our.city.lights is offering a final free place on the Handmade Writer E-Course. Head over there, leave a comment and maybe win a place. If you don't already read our.city.lights, oh dear, you really should. It's ace.

There are few places left on the Handmade Writer Course, which starts on 12th April, so if you don't win the giveaway book your place soon. I am so excited for it to start. Oh boy, it's going to be fun.

Write Away

2010-03-29T11:34:00.000+01:00

Spring is here and I just want to write. I want to explore and daydream and put it all down on paper. Maybe you feel the same way?

It can be really useful to get feedback on your writing and that’s what I want to offer for free to four writers during April. I will chose one writer’s work (up to 1,000 words) to read each week during April and give detailed feedback by email. This could be an extract of a longer piece of writing or whole piece. It can be in any form i.e poetry, creative non-fiction, short story, life writing. I will read whatever you have written and do my best to help. The feedback will be constructive and supportive. Hopefully it will give you that push to write something during April and the encouragement to keep on writing.

If you are interested in taking part in Write Away all you have to do is email me at amy@bringyourself.com with:

1. Your name and email address.
2. Title of the piece of writing that you want me to read.
3. Brief description of any particular issues you are facing with this piece of writing.

I will email the four writers directly to arrange submission dates.

I learned ...

2010-03-22T18:34:00.000Z

15. I am addicted to my laptop.

I love my laptop. There is no denying that. I love the internet too. But maybe I am addicted?

I am going away to spend a few days in the most beautiful house in the middle of nowhere. It's off grid, heated by a wood burning stove and the water comes from a spring. All this wonderful eco stuff means no electricity and certainly no internet. I hope it will be relaxing but I worry a bit that I will miss my laptop. Is that really so terrible?

The Secret of the Second Idea

2010-03-21T18:55:00.001Z

Imagine that you have come up with the best idea ever. It might be a plot for a novel or the perfect way to describe your character. It just comes whizzing out of nowhere and lodges itself in your brain. You think no idea could ever be better. You might do a little 'I've got a new idea' dance or just feel smug for a while.

But I usually find that this isn't actually the best idea that I am going to have. It's usually just the most obvious idea. It might be a cliche or something I've heard somewhere before. The very best idea comes later. It might take some pondering but the second idea always comes and it's always so much better than the first. I think it's strength comes from not being the most obvious. It's usually more original and has more of me in it.

You might find that for you it's the third or fourth or twenty-eighth idea that is the best but for me the second idea is always the one to watch out for.

New Year Novel Duel ...

2010-03-19T16:05:00.000Z

I stumbled across this interesting project - a writing duel between two writers, Chris Jackson and Rob Smedley. They each started to write a novel on 1st January 2010 and aim to keep writing until the end of the year. It is a battle, a race to finish writing their novel and document their progress.

Writing a novel can be long and lonely and I love the idea that two writers can spur each other on during the process in friendly competition.

I Learned ...

2010-03-18T21:00:00.000Z

14. I would like to live in a paint by numbers painting.

I am a bit of a fan of vintage paint by numbers paintings. Okay, I admit I do have a few of them hanging on the walls of my study. I like landscapes with trees, log cabins, farms, houses or the odd deer. I realised that when I look at these paintings I want to jump inside and live among those chunky blocks of colour. I'd like to see the world that way.

Handmade Writer Giveaway on Sleep is for the Weak

2010-03-16T11:47:00.000Z

There is a chance to win a place on the upcoming Handmade Writer E-Course at the Sleep is for the Weak Writing Workshop. All you need to do is a bit of writing for the chance to win your free place.

The Writing Workshop is run by Josie and each week she gives five writing/ blogging prompts inspired by blogs, current affairs and daily life. Writers then post their responses to the prompts on their own blogs and link back to the Writing Workshop. It's a sort of writing community and a great way to see how different writers interpret the same prompts.

This week, by taking part in the Writing Workshop and posting your responses to the prompts on your blog before Sunday 21st March, you'll have a chance to win a place on the Handmade Writer E-Course, which starts on 12th April and runs for 6 weeks.

Head over the Sleep is for the Weak Writing Workshop for all the details and to see Josie's fantastic writing prompts.

Thanks Josie for offering the giveaway.

Making Time

2010-03-15T10:57:00.001Z

Sometimes it can be hard to find time to write. There are always people wanting you to do something else right now and so writing can easily slip to being your last priority. I want to share with you a few tips for squeezing more writing time out of a day. These are all strategies that really work for me and maybe some of them will work for you too.

1 . Start thinking

You don’t need a pen or paper or even a computer to start writing. What I do is schedule my thinking time before I even start writing. So, if I am walking to the shops then I decide to plan a certain bit of a story in my head or work out a plot problem. It helps ideas to incubate and it's usually time that you would be wasting anyway.

2. Carry a notebook

Take a small notebook with you everywhere you go. Try to write in it whenever you can. Write when you are waiting for someone or in the five spare minutes you have when you are early for an appointment. I tend to do these bursts of writing in the car or on the bus. Little and often is the key. You’ll soon feel like you’re getting somewhere.

3. Make extra time

I know it sounds terrible at first but getting up either an hour earlier or an hour later does work. If you can’t manage an hour then even 15 minutes will do. You get a chunk of extra quiet time to write.

3. Tell people that you are writing

I have found that this one really works. If you tell someone else that are busy because you are writing then it helps you take your writing more seriously. It makes it more real somehow. Hopefully it will stop you putting everything else above your writing.

4. Take the time you do have seriously  .

Set yourself goals. Work counts and time limits work brilliantly. You’ll get more done if you use the time you do have more productively.

Do you have any other tips for making more time for writing in your life?

I Learned ...

2010-03-12T20:27:00.000Z

13. Withershins

Meaning: Going in a direction contrary to the natural one, esp. contrary to the apparent course of the sun or counterclockwise: considered as unlucky or causing disaster.

I realised (after my last post about the word 'nerd') that I am a word nerd. Today, I wanted to learn a new word and found this obscure Scottish word.

When I was about seventeen and facing a daunting English exam, I decided that I needed to learn some big, impressive sounding words. Well, books are full of big words right? That was my seventeen year old logic anyway. So, I flicked through the dictionary and wrote down lists of words and tried to memorise them all.

After she had marked my exam, my teacher took me to one side and asked what was going on. By sprinkling my new words throughout my exam, I had ended up writing nonsense. SMy teacher had no idea what I had written and I hardly knew what the words meant anyway. I vaguely remember that the word iconoclastic featured quite heavily.

I learned then that using big words does not necessarily make your writing better but using the right word, even if is a ordinary kind of word, will.

I still like stumbling across new words and learning what they mean. But I'm not tempted to use them in my writing just for the sake of it. So, you probably won't see me using the word 'withershins' unless I really need to.

One Month To Go...

2010-03-12T07:59:00.000Z

It's only a month to go until the Handmade Writer E-Course starts on 12th April. I am very excited and looking forward to meeting all the people who have enrolled so far.

The response has been wonderful and I want to thank everyone for being so supportive and enthusiastic. Thank you to everyone who has told their friends about the course and sent them my way. It can be hard to launch a little business so I am really grateful for all your support.

Places on the Handmade Writer course have been filling up fast so if you want to be a part of this then register soon. It would be fantastic to have you along. All the info you need can be found here.

Thank you again and hopefully I'll meet you on the 12th April.

I Learned...

2010-03-11T20:25:00.000Z

I felt a bit like a nerd today. I spent most of it in a library surrounded by books about obscure things. Yep, I was being pretty nerdy and I liked it.

Slow Readers Book Club

2010-03-11T18:08:00.000Z

I just joined the Slow Readers Book Club. I don't think I have ever joined a book group before. That seems odd. I'm sure I should have by now. I suppose I have done my share of talking about books with groups of people in other ways.

Slow Readers Book Club looks fantastic. It's a online gaggle of readers who discuss a set book. The best bit there is no race to finish the book and no pressure. The idea is connected to the slow food movement. It's all about slowing down, taking it steady and connecting with people as part of a community. Those are all my favourite things so I signed up straight away.

I love the possibilities for these sort of projects on the internet. Do you know of any similar online community projects that bring people together? Please share.

I Learned...

2010-03-10T11:29:00.001Z

11. My lucky charm broke.

Technically, it was chewed up by my littlest dog, Alfalfa. She was caught surrounded by all the broken bits.

It used to look like this ...

London Clay Birds

It was made from 50/60 million year old clay found in London and sculpted into the shape of one of the birds that live in the city. I'm not entirely sure whether it really was lucky or not but I liked to think it was. I tend to collect all sorts of bits and bobs that I think are lucky. This one was particularly beautiful and tactile. I fiddled with it while I was writing. My novel-in-progress is called London Clay, and there are a few birds in it too, so it was a perfect good luck charm.

Luckily, there are still plenty in stock at London Clay Birds so I will have to get myself another one. I hope that my next one is lucky and I will try to keep it away from curious dogs.

Do you have any lucky charms?

I Learned ...

2010-03-09T17:21:00.001Z

10. One tree yields enough paper to produce 62.5 books.

What will happen to books? Will they stop being made from paper and ink? When will we all buy e-readers and download books? I ask myself these questions all the time. I wonder (as a writer, digital literature researcher and a reader) what will change. I worry a bit and then I get excited about all the new possibilities that I can't even imagine yet.

I was thinking about all this today and I found out that books, on average, use a huge amount of paper. I'm not sure whether I think we shouldn't use paper for books. We use paper for worse things. But it made me think about the world and the place that books have in it. I need paper books around for a bit longer. And libraries, I definitely need libraries full of books.

Finishing

2010-03-08T21:54:00.001Z

I have been writing a story for as long as I can remember. It is one particular story that I have been wanting to tell. It has been bubbling around in my imagination for years trying to get out.

It took me a long time to get started. I worried that it wouldn’t be good enough, that no one would read it, that even I wouldn’t want to read it. I tried and tired and failed to start and tried again. Then I decided to take it slowly and steadily. 1000 words at a time. I chipped away at it gently and now I have almost finished the first draft. I am about 5,000 words from the end. Of course there is editing and re-writing to do but this is the end of the first stage.

It feels huge but doesn’t feel how I expected it to. When I have been this close to the end of writing a non-fiction book, I want it to end. I want to email it to someone and never see it again. I want print all the pages off the computer and send them far away. I feel relieved and tired, proud of myself but ready to finish. This time I want to hold on to the book. I am not exactly sure how it will end and I like that feeling. I like it how it is and I don’t want it to finish.

It is funny that I didn’t want to start this book and now I don’t want it to end.

I Learned...

2010-03-04T09:09:00.001Z

9. A woodpecker sounds a bit like its laughing at me.

Sort of. I don’t think I had ever heard one before today. I have still never seen one. I need to change that.

I Learned...

2010-03-04T08:58:00.001Z

8. I would rather live in a deciduous forest than a pine forest.

I would rather live in a deciduous forest than a pine forest. I learned this today while walking my dogs in a pine forest. I prefer the jumbled chaos of deciduous forests. Pine just seemed too neat.

I daydream constantly about living in a log cabin in the woods, with gingham curtains and a wood burning stove. But it would have to have high speed broadband and be near a big city. That’s where the dream always falls apart for me.

A Field Guide to Now

2010-03-03T20:49:00.001Z

I love reading My Topography. It's author Christina is such a talented writer. Her latest project is the brilliant A Field Guide to Now. She describes it as 'An illustrated collection of essays and prose exploring the present tense. A field guide to the marks and traits and habits of now.'

She is trying to raise enough money to fund the project and needs your help.

I have donated a chance to win a place on the Handmade Writer e-course (which starts 12th April) to supporters of her project. All you have to do is head over to her site and pledge money towards her project. She is collecting money through Kickstarter so it's really easy to donate.

I think this is such a fantastic project and really worth supporting. I think it is incredibly important to support writers who are bravely following their dreams. I know Christina would really appreciate your support.

I Learned ...

2010-03-02T20:41:00.001Z

7. Playing the accordion is very difficult.

I was given an accordion for my birthday. I wanted one badly. I imagined myself playing French songs, Bulgarian folk songs and the soundtrack from Amelie.

Then I got intimidated. It was so loud when I played it. I was worried about my neighbours. I didn’t want them to come round and ask me what was going on, like they did when I got a puppy and she shrieked all night like a monkey. The noises I was making with my accordion where that bad. So, I put the accordion on a shelf and ignored it for months.

Today I took the accordion down. I looked up simple sounding songs on Youtube. I tried again. Properly this time. I learned that yes, playing the accordion is very difficult.

Spinning a Yarn

2010-03-01T15:34:00.001Z

We talk about writing in a similar way to crafting. We gather material, spin a yarn, weave a tale, unravel a story. We talk about the craft of writing. The processes are definitely similar. We hunt for scraps of ideas, piece them together and create something new. There is skill and technique needed to put the pieces together and in the way we talk about what we’ve done.

Both writing and crafting feel familiar to me. They feel part of the same thing - the process of searching for ideas, connecting things together, standing back and looking at the whole. I am fairly haphazard in both. I jump straight in. I either plan endlessly or don’t plan at all. I am wild with the scissors. I trim and snip until there is very little left. I make mistakes and end up with something I like even more.

I like that writing and crafting feel similar. Writing seems to feel less daunting if I approach it in a crafty frame of mind. It has always felt quite physical to me. I move words around the page to see where they fit best. Like planning a patchwork quilt, it takes a bit of rejigging to see where each word should go. Sometimes it feels like I am sewing ideas together. Other times it feels like I am patching up something old and giving it a second chance at a new purpose.

Writing is handmade. I don’t mean handwritten, I use a computer to write as much as anyone else. I mean, it’s created by the act of making. It’s brain to hands to output. You won’t have a hat or a quilted bedspread at the end of it but you will have something equally handmade.

Swimming and Writing

2010-02-26T18:20:00.000Z

I love to swim. I really do. When I was small I swam every single day. Most of my early childhood memories involve swimming with the hot sun on my back.

I didn’t swim for a long time. For more than ten years I pretended that I didn’t swim, that I couldn’t swim. I somehow forgot how much I loved it. Then one day, I needed to swim again. It was all I wanted to do. I couldn’t think about anything else. I was too scared to swim in a crowded pool so joined a fancy health club. It was the kind of place where they give you a pile of fluffy white towels when you walk through the door. I really couldn’t afford it. I didn’t even have a job but I had a beautiful swimming pool. I swam and swam and swam and kept on swimming.

Now, as I swim, I make up stories in my head. I try out new ideas. I close my eyes and all the sticky bits in my writing come unstuck. It’s a kind of magic that happens under that electric blue water.

It is important to find those places that help you write or the routines that get your mind whirring. You don’t even need to do any writing. It might be that you always get your best ideas by going for a run or on a particular walk or by sitting in a certain cafe. You might already know your secret thinking-about-writing place but if you haven’t then you should go and hunt it down. Try different approaches, go to new places and see what happens. You might stumble across your best writing yet.

I Learned...

2010-02-25T21:46:00.000Z

5. I have too many books.

I never believed that you could have too many books. I thought that was just something people said. But I have recently got into a lovely habit of buying at least a book a week. Before that I worked in a bookshop for years and slowly tried to buy every book I thought I might need in the future using my staff discount. If books got damaged then we could have them for free so I ended up with loads of sad torn paperbacks. I used to write book reviews so all those free proof copies got added to the piles.

Now, I think I finally have reached the point of having too many books. They are piling up around me. I looked round my study this afternoon and they are everywhere. All the bookshelves are full and there are books stacked on top of other books. There are stacks on my desk and piles on the floor. I need more bookshelves but I have run out of space.

So, yes I learned this afternoon that I do have too many books but I also know that I can't get rid of any of them.

I Learned ...

2010-02-23T20:58:00.000Z

5. I was accepted onto an amazing mentoring programme for writers.

This is some great news that I learned today. There are only ten places on the programme and I am really excited about getting in. It is a new programme set up by a university to work with professional writers. It will be 18 months of support while I finish my novel-in-progress. I believe in finding the best support you can for your writing and I think this will be perfect for me. Days like this make me want to write even more than ever.

I Learned...

2010-02-22T22:02:00.000Z

4. It is easier to do something than worrying about about not doing it.

When I am about to start a piece of writing I start to worry. I worry about finishing it and realising it is terrible. I worry about what would happen if I didn't write it at all. Then I start writing and all the ideas swimming around in my head start to some together. The writing begins to take shape and I wonder what I was so scared of in the first place.

So, today I learned to just write it and stop worrying so much. It can't be as bad as you think it will be.

I Learned ...

2010-02-22T21:46:00.000Z

3. Sometimes the only way to get any work done is by hiding in a library in an unfamiliar part of town.

This is what I do. Alot. I get much more work done when I exile myself away from my comfortable chair in my study with the happy yellow walls and spend all day in a library. I prefer an obscure library, somewhere I would never usually go. I have just found one in a suburb a few miles from my house. I don't know anyone there so I can spend hours in silence, thinking and working. It sounds dull but really it is wonderful.

Giveaway on WishStudio

2010-02-21T11:37:00.000Z

We have a giveaway going on right now at WishStudio. It's for a place on the upcoming Handmade Writer course (starts 12th April.) The giveaway ends Saturday 27th February. Hurry, hurry, don't miss it.

I Learned...

2010-02-20T20:46:00.000Z

I Learned...

2010-02-19T21:12:00.000Z

Yep, I learned that it is hard to eat soup from a huge silver spoon in a ladylike manner. Yep, tricky.

Learn Something

2010-02-17T21:01:00.000Z

This my new blog project. Since launching the first Bring Yourself e-course, I have been thinking more and more about teaching. Learning is a huge part of teaching and I want to learn more. Admittedly, I do already fit a huge amount of learning into my days. I surround myself by stacks of books in academic libraries, read novels, research obscure subjects and spend an unimaginable amount of time on the Internet. But I am hungry to learn more.

This project is about learning in a different way. I want to learn different things. Instead of big, earth shattering things, I want to learn things that are important to me. I want to find things out about myself and the places I go. I want to explore and investigate the world. Even if that is just by taking my dogs for a walk in the woods or having a conversation with someone I don't know.

As soon as I learn something, I am going to write it down on the nearest scrap of paper. I will photograph it there and then and share it with you. The sharing will be a part of the learning.

I am going to try and learn as much as possible. It will involve walking around with my eyes wide open looking for opportunities to learn. I think that's a good thing.

If you want to join me on my learning experiment/ mission/ whatever you want to call it, I would love to have you along for the ride. Please share what you learn. Maybe you could write it in the comments or post what you learn on your own blog. I would be thrilled to work on this with other people. That's when the fun stuff happens.

Reading

2010-02-12T18:37:00.001Z

I often work teaching literacy skills to adults. Today, I was teaching a wonderful fifty-something year old woman to read. It was amazing to see the words she uses everyday begin to come alive for her on paper. She began to sound out the letters and understand how they could be put together. It made me realise that I take reading for granted. I expect it to be easy. But being able to understand all these little marks on a piece of paper or a screen is a kind of magic.

Spring

2010-02-10T23:25:00.000Z

Today, it felt like Spring was just around the corner. The sun was shining and I noticed pink clusters of blossom on a couple of branches. I bought myself some early daffodils and put them on my desk so I could watch the yellow come bursting out. Then I looked out of the window and it had started snowing. Spring suddenly felt far away again.

Talking About the Internet

2010-02-10T23:10:00.000Z

Yesterday, I put on my favourite old shoes for luck and drove for three hours to speak at an academic conference.

The conference was all about Transliteracy (defined as ‘the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks’ in case you were wondering.) It as all about how the way we interact with each other is changing due to new technologies, like the internet. I gave a talk about how the role of the author and the reader are beginning to blur and overlap. If everyone is encouraged to join in then how does this change the way we usually think about who write and who reads literature? I spend alot of time researching such things and get over excited by new possibilities for writing.

But oh it was nerve-racking. It is a terrifying business being on a stage with lights shining on you as you try to sound coherent. This was a pretty high-tech conference, so as I was speaking the main points were turned into tweets and posted live on twitter. Even people in the audience were encouraged to tweet about what they thought. There were people blogging about it live and it was being filmed. So clever but a little bit intimidating. In such situations, it is hard not to stare down at your shoes and hope for the best.

Giveaway

2010-02-08T10:10:00.001Z

There is a chance to win a place on our new Handmade Writer e-course over on The Creative Mama. You have until Friday 12th February to enter and it is open to everyone worldwide. Go here for all the details. Good luck!

Joining In

2010-02-01T13:35:00.000Z

I am usually more of a listener, an observer and a recorder. I save everything, store it in a notebook and write about it later. Blogging seems fast and furious, a rapid pace of thinking and writing. I read dozens of blogs everyday; craft blogs, creative blogs, book blogs, blogs written by people I haven't met who live in places I have never been.

It is daunting to join in the conversation. I want Bring Yourself to be a place where everyone can take part. I want it to be a place where all that listening, watching and reading gets turned into words and stories.

Handmade Writer

2010-02-01T13:21:00.000Z

The first e-course offered by Bring Yourself is Handmade Writer. This 6-week course starts on 12th April and registration opens today.

Handmade Writer is all about taking a crafty approach to creative writing and using the fabric of your life to tell your own extraordinary stories. You will supported by me, Amy, to gather together material from every source imaginable. You will learn about the craft of writing and how to sew these fragments together to build your own pieces of writing. You will go on your own creative journey and document everything your discover along the way.

During the 8-week course, you will be set a writing exercise each week. You will also receive a variety of creative stimulus each week, including challenges and videos. With me as your guide, you will be encouraged to share your writing with a unique community of writers in our private online community space.

I hope you like the sound of it.

Bring Yourself

2010-02-01T12:32:00.000Z

I am incredibly proud to launch Bring Yourself. There have been months of plotting and scheming, designing and writing and now we are ready to go. Special thanks to Michal William at Semi Square for all his wonderful designing.

Bring Yourself offers creative writing e-courses. Each course is an opportunity to try something new. This might be a new approach to writing, a fresh way of looking at things or a chance to experiment in a new genre. The e-courses are about building unique creative communities, online spaces where writers are able to share their writing in a supportive environment. Each course is lovingly designed by a experienced, published writer who will support you all the way.

Thanks for visiting. I can't wait to see what happens next.