Saturday 31 July 2010

Last of the Month

The end of my first quarter here, and I admit thought little progress sees to have been made. This month I’ve noticed that my efforts have not been in vain. It’s been a blast hearing from fans, old and new.
To recap this month, I’ve gone public with a few scribbled villanelles and some new, overall not too shabby.
My other achievement this month have been few, I’ve kept most public to Plurk, my home of happiness inside…well, my home. The completion of chapter 3 in my one day to be completed novel ‘Quest of the Monsters’ has kept me in the spirit of writing.

Overall my aim in the future is to complete more of my novel and to add more types of poetry here. Thanks all you’ve been inspirational.

Monday 26 July 2010

De-stressing

Like everyone else I need to unwind from time to time. Whether it be by cooking, cleaning, exercising or even watching a film, it’s all good. Personally I don’t take days off for myself, obvious enough by my continuous complaints of fatigue and stress. However; today I’m pleased to say,

I took a day off to myself after a three day orgy of writing. Naturally I deserved it for completing another chapter of my novel, which by the way is making slow but sure progress for those interested.

My day off consisted of;
• 6 hours sleep
• 2 Films
• 2 hours of gardening
• Cooking lunch (honey and mustard glazed chicken)
• Cleaning
• And writing this blog post

So it seems I can not just ‘take a day off,’ maybe the rest of a workaholic is to do less demanding work, personally this is the least stressed I’ve been for months, and finally feel happy with the way things are going; a great achievement my closest friends will cry.

So, not to focus on word count; thankfully topping one hundred words, I leave with this thought, 'Today may be a peaceful one in my life, but tomorrow I’ts time to get back to the grind.'

Until next time, don’t forget to unwind.

Monday 19 July 2010

Villanelle II

Well, After a short repose it certainly seems I was missed, so here by almost demand, is another villanelle I whipped together


Dawn

Moving on this night full of dread
The clap of our hearts beat as one
Because I can see daylight ahead

Yet now darkness is so all around
We must echo the night-song sung-
Moving on this night full of dread

I see the daylight, almost overhead
We must run, down this long tongue
Because I can see daylight ahead

The moon, she still smiles, half dead
But there, telling me what has rung.
Moving on this night full of dread

Head high, I see pale purples bled
Out of blue, and orange o’er sprung
Because I can see daylight ahead

We should know better than wed
The night, still as though we’re flung
Moving on this night full of dread
Because I can see daylight ahead

Friday 9 July 2010

Monthly Forum

Well Forum number three, who knows where it could us. The wonders of Wales to the Ballads of old shakey (Shakespeare), enjoy. I look forward to any and all input.

this month a dedicate the poem 'This Be The Verse' by Philip Larkin' I feel it represnts a lot about me and my life.





They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.

But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old-style hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy-stern
And half at one another's throats.

Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don't have any kids yourself.

Villanelle I

This one's a lot less orthadox to the ones I usually write, but I like it nonetheless, hope you do too.

Gemstone Kiss

Your top lip has all the shine
Of the diamond pure pair (As-)
The bottom follows the rhyme

Just all I need clean divine
A look kills the despair. (As-)
The bottom follows the rhyme

All I asked was that it’s mine
But all told to me was ne’er. (As-)
The bottom follows the rhyme

So this night under the line
Of moon, shaming it there (As-)
The bottom follows the rhyme

First touch, I scratch you benign
But fail to see deeper scare (As-)
Your top lip has all the shine
The bottom follows the rhyme

Writer's tips: motivation

As my family and personal friends know, I’m a big sci-fi fanatic. I adore the old Voyager and star trek series, among many others. However what’s this doing in an article about writer’s tips? Before you ship me off to an institute I will explain, this article involves motivation and inspiration: two key things a writer can not be without.
There are many ways that writers energize themselves to create that liquid gold that fills our pages every day, caffeinated drinks. J.K. Rowling commented that she drank an excess of coffee while writing her award winning Harry Potter collection, and indeed I myself find this to be a good tool too. Journalists through the media are conveyed to drink an unhealthy amount of that dark liquid which a great many writers love.
However there are a million ways to find the energy, apart from staining your teeth and reeking of coffee beans all day. Here are my top 10 tips gathered from experience and deep thought.

  • High energy music, with extra speed
  • Coffee, preffered iced cappuccino
  • Excercise, a martial art coupled with aerobics
  • Sci-fi or fantasy films/ or of your own interest, prefered with a good script
  • A healthy appetite for literature


Here are my first five, obviously and wiz will know five more are to follow. First let me explain these five. These five so far are from my own experience, since putting these together I’ve had more energy than ever.
Following on with the list:

  • 10 hours of sleep a night
  • Minimal amounts of alcohol per week, if not at all
  • A little progress every day
  • A tidy room makes for a broadened mind

Plenty of distractions!

The last point sounds odd, how can distractions help you to progress? Simple! To ignore the distractions you must focus harder on the task in hand, meaning the most important thing on your schedule: writing.
If any of this has been helpful let me know, and I hope to share more of my experience with people soon.

Wednesday 7 July 2010

About Me part 2

There’s always a part two, if you didn’t guess, shame on you. No I kid, relax! The inspiration hit me as I remembered the old proverb, ‘Writers are not made, they are born,’ I have to give my honest opinion, forgive the language; BOLLOCKS.
Let me take you all back eleven years, I was aged seven, and a bit; of course. Never wanting to grow old, having fun with my small group of life long friends, as all children do. Being inspired every day just knowing I’d do something amazing when I was ready. However; aged seven in school, I was deemed border line retarded in English. Just think now, a single A level above all in the subject I was deemed less than satisfactory at.
To you and me they were small mistakes that could have been rectified in any child’s mind pretty sharpish. ‘Culd,’ instead of ‘could’ ‘wud,’ instead of ‘would’ in short, how the less adept spell today in order to ‘fit in’. I admit, I was young, and that teaching was still in a rather draconian phase in determining potential or even standards. My speciality then, was the sciences.
Ten years ago this year, I began my training to become a writer, I would love the vanity to say it to be impossible for any old child of eight to do as I did. But it’s not. I was very unremarkable at the time, unsupported and helpless, but I worked hard, at the very least my comprehension of spelling flourished, though that of grammar and punctuation made not change. Thankfully my grasp of grammar was prematurely achieved.
Fuelled by over a hundred television programs and my childhood games on the yard, my imagination was boundless, and still is thanks to my hermit lifestyle, and love of literature of all ages and genres. My skills bloomed in front of a computer screen, the art of plot and character outlining and building formulated in my mind as I puzzled for a few months each year. By the age of 14 astoundingly I had a draft over 100 pages long, and a Bard in the school eisteddfod in the year previously. It had been slow progress in a small pond but I created and shaped myself into the writer I am becoming. All that’s left is the energy to accomplish my greatest task: The novel.
Where am I today? See for yourself! Me, myself and I are astounded by my creations, which lay claim to fantastic tutoring, and patient friends. I hope for more time to amaze whoever stumbles upon me soon, the ideas are budding!

A Bucket of Coffee and some hope

             Hello again, welcome back to my rather sporadic installments of the life of a young Author. The title of this entry speaks...