Courtesy of www.facebook.com/openmindyoga - check it out - great for writerly triggers !
So, why not turn your life around?
Other than my pre-children life, I've only really re-learned to focus on creative projects over the past few years - I've been a busy fool - putting all the little things in place to clear space for the big things ... Obviously that hasn't been working from a business and writer's point of view [although it did work for children's birthday parties, the school run, uni visits; food hampers, laundry, washing up 12 pans of dried food, laundry, tea in the pub and twenty quid dropped in the pocket for no apparent reason. But now the nest is empty - at least Mon - Fri - and I have time to focus on new Big things. Writerly things.
Researching for a recent writing project, I realised that turning your life around doesn't have to be one huge leap [there I go, thinking 'little things' again!]. Making small changes [oops], trying new things or re-visiting things you used to do in the olden days can be so rewarding - and useful for writers in the re-seeing, re-remembering of events [ a bit like Proust's 'little crumb of madeleine' ]. So for me, one thing I've done is join Poulton People's choir, mastered by the wonderful musically talented [obv] and energetic Tony Brindle [see Facebook page www.facebook.com/groups/ppchoir/]. [oh and ps - thanks Gareth Malone for reviving the choir - and all things singing].
From a writer's pov [and this isn't the reason I joined a choir], the opportunity to explore and examine 120 expressions, tones, non-verbal mannerisms, idiosyncrasies, costumes [thank-you singers], on a weekly basis is wonderful. In truth, apart from the music, the energy re-vitalises me, presses a creative button and there I am ... writing till gone two in the morning [not to be recommended].
Even in these times of constraint and financial gloom, there appears to be more opportunity to join in with creative stuff - or is it just that I've re-surfaced? People seem to be joining in with creative community projects, book clubs, poetry groups and mini-lit festivals appear to be popping up all over the country. My next project is to seek out Blackpool's Dead Good Poets [see Facebook page] which seems to be going from strength to strength.
But back to the small changes. At the choir, I came across an opportunity to join an Am-Dram group [more expressions, mannerisms, costumes ...] from there I met a freelance journalist, after that, we formed a writers' group. Triggered by this, I invented two characters; a short story which I extended it into a novel with ebook and series potential. Okay, the second part isn't totally true - but isn't that fiction?
And back to the little things. Turning your life around doesn't have to be a massively colossal, hugely overwhelming project ... it's quite often the little things that count !
Join something new. Get involved. With people. Write. You know you want to.
Hope it works for you, Gillian
No comments:
Post a Comment