Filed under: Write
I found this cool thing that makes a word cloud of your twitter words. The biggest words are the ones you use most often.
Are your biggest words going to show what you value? My life has been about writing during recent times so that’s a big feature! Are your words in your word cloud words of life? Are they positive or negative? I have gone through everyone I follow on twitter and stopped following anyone who when you look at the thread of everything they say it is overwhelmingly negative or overwhelmingly a massive whinge to the world about their life. Basically ’cause I don’t need to and I don’t wanna hear it! Sure I am all for honesty but the words you say are important, and if all you feed me is stuff I don’t want to take in then why should I follow you!
Pastor Brian has often said to us as staff and leaders in the church “If the words you say are food then could people find nourishment from that or would they starve?”
(I found the word cloud thingy here http://www.wordle.net/compose)
Filed under: Write
I am in the midst of a writing marathon at the moment. I have been blessed with a little window of time and a window of oppurtunity to be able to focus on writing.
Here’s what I have discovered about myself in the process.
1. I could easily do this forever!
I always wondered if writing was just a creative phase I was going through but after some solid days in a row just writing…yep I love it, I could do it forever.
2. Writing is a lonley place to be.
It’s really just you and your imagination. The phone doesn’t ring, you don’t check emails and the hours and hours pass by until you realise you have only spoken in your head and not aloud. I feel sorry for the first person I encounter after a day of writing, I basically talk their ear off!
3. The more that goes in my head, the easier it is to get anything out of my head and onto the page.
I have read a massive stack of books latley! In the margins of each one is scribbled notes, arrows and ideas. When I go to write my thoughts are never blocked after so much reading and research.
4. I need a plan
I need structure and I need a plan. I have pages and pages of mind maps, notes, lists, tick boxes behind everything I write. I can’t just arrive at a blank page and start typing. I need my notebook, pen and a process.
5. Inspiration comes from above
Pray, God is the source of all creativity, I go directly to the source and that’s the first and most important thing to do.
6. I need to be confident
I try not think about how many people are waiting on the thing I am writing and how many people may read it. I don’t need the pressure. I am so not good enough on my own to be doing it, gifted by grace and trusting in that I can then move on!
I guess this post is more for me than it is for you.. a record of how I am thinking and feeling right now. Although I would love to hear any writing tips from other writers out there!
Filed under: Write
Earlier this year I attended a children’s literature seminar and after talking to many aspiring writers, accomplished writers and big time publishers I learned that to actually get a book published you can be working on it for around 5 years, you can’t choose your illustrator, your book gets only 4 weeks of publicity and if it’s not an instant best seller your book will remain on the shelves for around 10 weeks. Then the book stores might keep two or three copies on the shelf and the rest of the books get basically pulped!! HOW DEVASTATING!!! I can barely handle throwing away the weekend newspaper on a Monday, it’s people’s work, it’s their words….it doesn’t belong in the bin!!
All of this to say that I love the oppurtunity being invloved in something bigger than myself. Through my church I have the priveldge to write and have people read it! All with alot less pain than writing a book and working with a publisher! Our snr pastor has the best qoute “You never come second by putting God first” All of the things I have in my heart to do actually happen through doing well with what is in my hand and putting the kingdom as priority.
It’s also what is so fantastic about the web! You can publish your own words for your audience to read in a matter of minutes rather than years of struggling with editors and publishing houses! LOVE IT!
