tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81814509668467578352024-03-05T21:25:59.167+00:00From Brain to Bookshelf - My Writing JourneyMy books are destined for bookshelves and e-readers. How will they reach them, and will the food budget last that long?Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.comBlogger202125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-88861738422554129252011-12-30T23:46:00.001+00:002012-04-07T23:42:39.691+01:00From Bookshelf to Best Seller!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-io-lmEwJiWAfi9EvfxM1Eu0Og0l5-vxeB_Ty1DRhkHio5TuDcm2PY9j2A4E91wENM5Xt30Ylfgg8IYMBWkVf3nUVaKCbW4Ef_90nqn_AG9DdafBDEzGhy173Wgbj7n3OWFT2H7bT5I/s1600/Palaces+and+Calluses+3D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh-io-lmEwJiWAfi9EvfxM1Eu0Og0l5-vxeB_Ty1DRhkHio5TuDcm2PY9j2A4E91wENM5Xt30Ylfgg8IYMBWkVf3nUVaKCbW4Ef_90nqn_AG9DdafBDEzGhy173Wgbj7n3OWFT2H7bT5I/s1600/Palaces+and+Calluses+3D.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, it's the end of the year in which I became an author, so it's only fair I share with you how my book fared when it reached the virtual bookshelves of the web. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's done rather well for itself! In the first place, when I was selling direct to the public without the help of Amazon, it covered its costs ... then went into (dare one even hope for such a thing with a first novel?) ... profit! Took two weeks to become profitable. Considering that most first novels don't even earn out their author's advances, I was rather chuffed with that.<br />
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Once it was in profit, I thought there was nothing to lose by uploading it to Amazon. Within a short while, it was on best seller lists for new releases in both the US and UK ... ahead of books published by big name publishers! The next step was to see whether or not I earned myself any reviews. A nervous wait.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sure enough, reviews arrived. My book went on to become one of the top 20 best reviewed novels in its genre on Kindle in the UK. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you've read it and would like to add to the reviews, please do! <a href="http://amzn.to/rebeccaw">http://amzn.to/rebeccaw</a> is the UK link and <a href="http://amzn.to/palaces-and-calluses">http://amzn.to/palaces-and-calluses</a> is the US link.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, I've been tapping away at a keyboard all year, writing my column for Writing Magazine. Yep... they decided to turn a few articles into an ongoing arrangement. Guess what? The Word Nerd Army did that wonderful thing that the Word Nerd Army does and blooming well supported me. Not only that, but they got hooked on the magazine (because it's awesome) and ... long story short ... it was selling out, so they had to make an app version of it to keep up with demand. Woohoo! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aside from that, I've been obsessive about learning marketing this year. Ob-sessss-ive. I've stayed up until 4am to listen to training calls from the US. Why? Because we all have to take responsibility for our own books and publicity now. Even if we're signed by major publishers, marketing is still our responsibility to a large extent. I've been through all the different methods, and sifted through endless sites and reports, so I could find the best solutions for authors. I'm going to put a course together to help other Word Nerds grab the reins and take control of their marketing and sales.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another thing I've researched is ways that writers can earn money alongside their writing (the kinds of things that will fit around a novelist's need for time with the muse). Now, I'm pulling everything together, packaging it up, and I'm planning to help lots of aspiring authors in 2012. For more on that, see my official site (yep, I've finally gone all WordPress) <a href="http://join-rebecca.com/">join-rebecca.com</a></span><br />
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</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-43756323922422921682011-04-07T10:41:00.002+01:002011-04-07T16:55:35.516+01:00I Am Now a NOVELIST!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9Rfe8iF1YA6JYS5RA8kZ-fkGMLWD3QJeHe4XiHu83uD9H8g3hws0R8RL1IiPxPZ3Y8Rfp5tZZ4wScN8GHi-NQJTZdq0Y_9AdMDnJag56N-6nB5VoDuN1aUTRMlNBwQmTtIKpdtExBDQ/s1600/book+teaser+for+site.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9Rfe8iF1YA6JYS5RA8kZ-fkGMLWD3QJeHe4XiHu83uD9H8g3hws0R8RL1IiPxPZ3Y8Rfp5tZZ4wScN8GHi-NQJTZdq0Y_9AdMDnJag56N-6nB5VoDuN1aUTRMlNBwQmTtIKpdtExBDQ/s640/book+teaser+for+site.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">The book is filled with believable characters — some you’ll love and some you’ll love to hate — including smart women, handsome hunks, a nasty boss and a wonderful dog named Rock. Oh, and did I mention, the author drops us right into the English Cotswolds?</div><div style="text-align: left;">The quality of the work rises above that of much of today’s popular literature because of Rebecca’s writing. She has an easy style that makes you want to leap to the next page. She’s just a natural. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; font-style: italic; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_light/2011/04/06/palaces-and-calluses/" style="color: #c52323; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c52323; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; line-height: 14px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: underline;">Mary Louise Ruehr - </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #c52323; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; line-height: 14px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;">Books Editor for the Record-Courier in Ohio</span>.</span></a></span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>The journey <i>From Brain to Bookshelf </i>is at an end. My book finally made it onto people's shelves. It is sitting on Kindles, iPads, Sony Readers, Nooks, and netbooks as I type. It has been reviewed in a very favourable way. People like my book. What a journey. Thank you for being part of it.</div><br />
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There will be further journeys from brain to bookshelf, but there will never be another 'first' journey. You have been such an important part of this first journey. I hope you like what I said on the acknowledgements page. Please pop across to my author site and check out <a href="http://bit.ly/palaces">Palaces & Calluses</a> if you haven't done so yet.<br />
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I would love it if you'd spread the word on your blogs, Facebook, and Twitter, and share the part you have played in this journey. The short URL for tweets is <a href="http://bit.ly/palaces">bit.ly/palaces</a><br />
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Let me know if you'd like to interview me. I'd love to do a book launch blog tour around my chum's blogs.<br />
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</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-11479743818536218922011-04-04T01:07:00.000+01:002011-04-04T01:07:54.675+01:00Book Launch: 200 Downloads in 2 Hours!!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi Wonderfuls!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just had to pop over to tell you how the book launch is going because I know many of you aren't following my new author blog yet, so you're missing all this stuff. My author blog - where I running my book launch - is <a href="http://rebeccawoodhead.com/">RebeccaWoodhead.com</a> so head over there when you've read this, because something amazing happened today. I put up the first chapter of my novel and got 200 downloads in 2 HOURS!!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've changed the password now, but I think I might let people know it tomorrow evening, so more people can bag the free chapter. I might even throw in some of Chapter 2. What do you think? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Exciting times! Don't forget to check out Writing Magazine this month. Did you see Goldie Hawn's sister, Patti, in my last column, by the way? She's a total sweetheart, and she's written a fab book. I'm talking Facebook in my column this month, and one of the Word Nerd Knights is featured. Yep. I'm drawing attention to as many of them in as I can - of course. You knew I would! Got to spread the limelight. The Word Nerd Knights are kicking butt at the moment. Brian just got a publishing deal! Nikesh was nominated for a Costa, and Dan is now an Amazon bestseller. What in the...? Either there is some kind of pixie dust associated with being one of the knights or I ROCK at picking winners!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Subscribers should get their copies of Writing Magazine tomorrow. Everyone else can buy them from WHSmith, TESCO, etc from the 6th - which is when I plan to launch my book. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-38275533948122124292011-03-22T21:28:00.001+00:002011-03-22T21:29:27.276+00:00Launch Week For My Book - 31st March-6th April!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjON-VcIGHJlnBqRKO0R809fYtyyVRLVKpt-C-b3Ywul5s0BMtdMGA5fRtDK3Datf22IsHD_nfSN6UT3kOoGmctI5i12GM1v1y5cBFCqT_nkcCeRtQo0QoO4opYDOpQfUJcSGnMCQTug-k/s1600/launch+week+pic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjON-VcIGHJlnBqRKO0R809fYtyyVRLVKpt-C-b3Ywul5s0BMtdMGA5fRtDK3Datf22IsHD_nfSN6UT3kOoGmctI5i12GM1v1y5cBFCqT_nkcCeRtQo0QoO4opYDOpQfUJcSGnMCQTug-k/s640/launch+week+pic.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think that some people haven't cottoned on to what's happening yet, so here it is. My book IS COMING OUT in the next two weeks.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This blog is called From Brain to Bookshelf. Once the book hits bookshelves, it makes sense to have an official Author Blog. I've already launched that. I didn't put a follower gadget on it, but I've just put one up, so pop across and hit 'follow'. I'm posting details of my novels, my Writing Magazine articles, and my Groupon blogs on that site. When I'm looking for quotes for articles, that's where I'll put them. Keep an eye on it, because there will be MANY opportunities to get published.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll still post here, but it's not going to be my official author blog. Things that relate to the journey I've had, and things that are a bit quirky will go up here. News, announcements, etc will go on the new blog. The url is ... <a href="http://www.rebeccawoodhead.com/">www.rebeccawoodhead.com</a> Please go there and leave a comment. Thank you. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The launch week for my book is from 31st March to the 6th April. I will launch my book at some point in that week! :) You can support my book by grabbing the badge in the sidebar on my new blog.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THANK YOU!</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-80283893322504497832011-03-16T14:45:00.000+00:002011-03-16T14:45:32.226+00:00HELP! Planning to Elope NEXT WEEK: Should I?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrg.bz/Gu7GIN" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://mrg.bz/Gu7GIN" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This is the most important decision I've made in years. I NEED your advice.<br />
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Please hop across to my (new) author blog: <a href="http://bit.ly/gVjEiS">www.rebeccawoodhead.com</a> and tell me what you think.<br />
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Thank you!!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-69490885941030950972011-02-28T22:39:00.001+00:002011-02-28T22:40:39.964+00:00My Author Blog is Live!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDluc3s83ROC4yiHnWttnEhzqTwHVvRkjqhwUYHfM0uVls8tw_Y-fEQwMXVmPywkoWfkmpStcNSYItny4HwAljDjRShzfjMg69dLfmURCeUuSEBW4yjjnYyB3QrCFrY-w5RRm-7CaOAnR/s1600/Palaces+and+Calluses+Button.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioDluc3s83ROC4yiHnWttnEhzqTwHVvRkjqhwUYHfM0uVls8tw_Y-fEQwMXVmPywkoWfkmpStcNSYItny4HwAljDjRShzfjMg69dLfmURCeUuSEBW4yjjnYyB3QrCFrY-w5RRm-7CaOAnR/s320/Palaces+and+Calluses+Button.png" width="196" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been busy. Since I plan to launch my book in the next few weeks (Yes. Seriously. Probably around the 21st March) I made an author site. I've also put together a little ebook give-away too. Check out the sidebar when you get there. Hope you like it! Please leave comments.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://rebeccawoodhead.com/">rebeccawoodhead.com </a></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LOVE YOU!!!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rebecca.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S. Both my Groupon blog and Writing Magazine column are doing REALLY well.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-5083114828709861542011-02-11T20:58:00.001+00:002011-02-11T21:01:20.443+00:00I Am a Columnist for Writing Magazine!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpBbveonwVN3LsrUCAUAvV3QdCmZY27UBZGHk3ixvOBARMg0y0iiowwSsYZGAXCT4awtHvZZpi3emqqKaUpbJu1dK7xpXNsIOlhxoqn-TcPSnerH_YxCNV68NStVKgmhwkDcKNvjQmQlV/s1600/writing+mag+spread.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpBbveonwVN3LsrUCAUAvV3QdCmZY27UBZGHk3ixvOBARMg0y0iiowwSsYZGAXCT4awtHvZZpi3emqqKaUpbJu1dK7xpXNsIOlhxoqn-TcPSnerH_YxCNV68NStVKgmhwkDcKNvjQmQlV/s400/writing+mag+spread.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear wonderful blog friends,</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is such a special moment that I haven't known how or when to write it. Those of you who were with me through the hypothermia and malnutrition; the nearly-but-not-quite column disappointment; Dad's aneurysm and coma; and all the other trials and tribs will know how significant this moment is. I'm a columnist. An actual one. I get to write things in a magazine every single month this year. It is bliss.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The article I wrote for <i>Writing Magazine</i> went down SO well that it pretty much floored me. I hoped I'd done a passable job, but the feedback was astounding. In this month's magazine (in which I'm not featured - my column starts next issue) there was even a letter to the Editor about me! This is just beyond my dreams, somewhere in the clouds of writerly hope. I still can't quite believe it. Seeing my dear friend Brian Knight in the magazine with me was such a thrill too. Dear Brian was the first person I really connected with in the blogging community. He took me under his wing and showed me the ropes, even though he was a newbie himself. What a trooper! There we both were in a national magazine. Wow!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The best thing, though, wasn't going into WHSmith, buying the magazine, and telling the person behind the counter that I was in it - although that was pretty awesome: she was so obviously a word nerd - the best bit has been reading the tweets from people saying they've joined Twitter because of me, or reading their DMs about what has happened to them in their first weeks and how it has opened things up for them as writers. That's just fab. My next article will be about building marketing funnels: the nuts and bolts of the business side of writing. I have a couple of stupendous contributors for that article. You wait! Well, the deadline is Monday, and I still have some editing to do, so I'd better scoot. Just wanted to share this with you all and also say 'Happy Valentine's Weekend' because ... y'know ... I love you guys. *Blushes*</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7KPyg3IVcg8O4RjZfssrVewdJIvWZ3Q0VAOvqFrX6gPuAwNFcS1Gw34fBf42HpTc4FSadUGpQkUIXjZnXNQbRnpX4SqhAzjGq-kP4CHf_8J2Mbnusv-PIQ2y511c5rYBfGXxsZH6IcOn/s1600/Valentine+Chocolates.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7KPyg3IVcg8O4RjZfssrVewdJIvWZ3Q0VAOvqFrX6gPuAwNFcS1Gw34fBf42HpTc4FSadUGpQkUIXjZnXNQbRnpX4SqhAzjGq-kP4CHf_8J2Mbnusv-PIQ2y511c5rYBfGXxsZH6IcOn/s200/Valentine+Chocolates.png" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oodles and oodles of love,</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rebecca </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">xxx</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-26507673126977524272011-01-15T22:37:00.000+00:002011-01-15T22:37:41.288+00:00Drawing on Experiences for the Emotional Arc<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBByMsXhio0ZdeUZSDDDN1JW-ya7vorkRRwwsd-3LcfDipw4Ma4K9l0HILXvkSPUI6iIOSiBNPeznA_yQTA_PQ7ehzVsU9kaUtd1cP7usZ4QxzpaVa3Hw1AlMBvWWeTzPTtLGHvtSCSU/s1600/love.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBByMsXhio0ZdeUZSDDDN1JW-ya7vorkRRwwsd-3LcfDipw4Ma4K9l0HILXvkSPUI6iIOSiBNPeznA_yQTA_PQ7ehzVsU9kaUtd1cP7usZ4QxzpaVa3Hw1AlMBvWWeTzPTtLGHvtSCSU/s320/love.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The Golden Rules</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you lift it straight from life, it needs to go into an autobiography, a biography, or another non-fiction book. Fiction is fictional. Don't let your imagination rust up by copying and pasting the lives of your nearest and dearest into your novels.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you ignore '1' your friends and family will never speak to you again.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You CAN lift the EMOTION out of your life, but a better way to do it is to start with the fictional world you are constructing and, from within the character's psychological mindset, sink into those experiences you have had that resonate with the character's own.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This will hurt (if the emotions are painful).</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Make sure the pain you're feeling is the character's and not your own. If it is your own, leave the room and have a piece of cake. Have a whole cake if you need to. Literature is more important than your waistline. The pen is mightier than the pin-up, and so on, and so forth. This is important stuff.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take time away from the scene.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Go back to it when you can read it in a readerly, rather than writerly way. If, when you read it as a reader, you still cry for the character, you've got it right. If you cry for yourself, get therapy. Whatever the problem, it's not worth ruining a book over it.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can graph the plot and emotional arcs if you desperately want to, but an easier way to test them is just to read your book. Give it time to cool. Then read.</span></li>
</ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Any other tips you can share, word nerds? Leave them in the comments section. </span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-1835079657618245662011-01-11T18:21:00.009+00:002011-01-11T19:01:38.387+00:00How to Overcome Writer's Block (and LOVE the Process)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bit.ly/countryholidaylets" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZIbEvp0lnwVt_AMIZyBBFsI8JOPpWCXJ3llNuyEen87wTZKyu57HFZnuLQJHQJdH0cVxaD3tU-taetEk-jhWI7wHH2mAKBX7USBfTcDeu_-SBnaa6zD80y_vKFbzNMb3WoUc2A4CyY0Y/s320/dream+in+a+frame.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The oft-quoted phrase ‘writers write’ is all well and good if you can bring yourself to do so, but what if you are blocked?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blocking comes in many forms. Some people refer to it as Writer's Block but that needs to be deconstructed because it’s not a simple malady. There are many components that could lead a writer to feel blocked. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/ Your family does not take your writing ambitions seriously<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/ You don’t have time to write<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3/ You don’t have space to write<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4/ You lack inspiration<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5/ You are too exhausted<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6/ You need to prioritise your writing<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first and sixth points have the same root. Your family (you can substitute this word with ‘friends’, ‘colleagues’, etc) does not take you seriously, so you don’t take yourself seriously. Our views of ourselves as writers can be nurtured or harmed by those around us. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sometimes, criticism is helpful. Constructive criticism is crucial. If you are subjected to the ‘drip, drip, drip’ of negativity, however, your confidence and creativity will be eroded.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Any of the following ring a bell?</u></span></b><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">‘Who do you think you are?’</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">‘Ooh. Get you. Next JK Rowling, are you?’ followed by a snigger.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">‘Great, Mum. Happy for you. Where’s my supper?'</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">‘Saw you writing your “novel” on your lunch hour, Tony. You’re wasting your time. Come down the pub with us.’</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">‘You’re a writer? *Yawn*. Fascinating. When can I expect my free, signed novel?'*</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'I would write a novel too, but I haven’t got the time. You must have a lot of time on your hands.'</span></li>
</ul></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><ul></ul></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* TOP TIP: The answer I give is: ‘You’re an Estate Agent? *Yawn*. Fascinating. When can I expect my free, signed house?’</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Of course, there are social media versions too, which tend to be variations on:</b></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>‘Call yourself a writer? You’re a nobody! *Unfollow*’</span></li>
</ul></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well ... this is all very unpleasant. It is no surprise that you feel blocked, especially if you are fitting your little nuggets of writing time around work or family, and struggling to stay inspired – and awake – squashed into the corner of a sofa, with a laptop on a tray, at 3am.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Stop. Listen. Your writing deserves to be read. For it to be read, it must first be written, and edited. You need to take a stand to create a space in which it is safe for you to be a writer. It doesn’t matter if you have never been published. If you are putting pen to paper – or tapping out words on a keyboard – you are a writer. </b></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Find Space, Time, and Your Muse</u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got this idea into my head a few months ago, and I set out to look for a place that offered writing retreats. I’m not talking about the big, organised writing retreats, where you meet up with loads of other writers. What interested me was the idea of a personal retreat. A bit of personal time and space. That is what you need, to write.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I found it closer to home than I had anticipated. Not only are these wonderful cottages close to where I live, but <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">Charles Cawley </span></span>and <span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black;">Lorna Philip</span></span>, the lovely people who run <i><a href="http://bit.ly/countryholidaylets">Country Holiday Lets</a></i>, follow me on Twitter and Facebook. I approached them and suggested the cottages would make marvellous writing retreats, and they not only agreed, but furnished me with fascinating writerly facts that proved my hunch. Each of them helps a writer in a different way. In this first post about the retreats, I'll share two with you, along with the ways I think they will help writers the most. See which would help you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Surround Yourself with Books<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhdTtP1lVMOyGGtn5ZV3jGi3aAJYWUdIMPKMmV6DrYj5V5dfOYLZLTHzpQZUCwnOjBocS0xnOptE4SeA2Hmb0CHHfvaHib8UnggTiDDSXYl6FLym2SVXEP5Xu9p7R3z1HwEuRZ15VxiA/s1600/books+on+shelf.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhdTtP1lVMOyGGtn5ZV3jGi3aAJYWUdIMPKMmV6DrYj5V5dfOYLZLTHzpQZUCwnOjBocS0xnOptE4SeA2Hmb0CHHfvaHib8UnggTiDDSXYl6FLym2SVXEP5Xu9p7R3z1HwEuRZ15VxiA/s1600/books+on+shelf.png" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine yourself in a book shop. You are breathing in the scent of beautifully bound books. On the shelves are the classics that inspired you to become a writer. Now you are in another book shop. Now another. Each one bustles with people who, like you, believe in the power of books. You buy the book that inspires you the most, go back to your retreat and, filled with the kind of self belief the writer of <i>that</i> book had, you write your own. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i><span style="color: #365f91;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having never been to Hay we would certainly go back again to get a proper look at all of those amazing book shops.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i><span style="color: #365f91;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><i><span style="color: #365f91;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hay-on-Wye, on the Welsh/English border, is the location of the Hay Festival for good reason. The place is full to the gunnels with books.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imagine staying in your own elegant retreat as the fresh air, and sounds of the river, play through your open window. That is what 25 Millrise offers.</span></span></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/25millbanktable3of6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/25millbanktable3of6.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/25millbanktop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/25millbanktop1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/25millbankextra11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/25millbankextra11.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/25millbankextra7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/25millbankextra7.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/25millbankextra5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/25millbankextra5.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Charles tells me that The Shepherds Teashop in Hay on Wye is a good place to sit outside and write. Click for a beautiful description of the area, and more pictures of <a href="http://bit.ly/25Millrise"><b>25 Millrise</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #365f91;">Millrise was one of the nicest places I think I have ever stayed! The house is really well finished, very comfortable and in a lovely location! I would go back and recommend it to others! </span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #365f91;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Write in a Cottage Where a Book Was Written<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When you walk into a building in which the writer of a classic novel once breathed, something happens. You get inspired. You see what they saw when they wrote, you look out of the same windows. You inhabit the same space. Your writing echoes this.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</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="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/coachmanstable4of6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/coachmanstable4of6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/coachmanstable1of6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/coachmanstable1of6.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/coachmanstop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/coachmanstop1.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/coachmansdescription2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.countryholidaylets.co.uk/images/coachmansdescription2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #365f91;">The cottage was fantastic, so well presented and so very comfortable. The time seemed to stand still, due entirely to the relaxing atmosphere of both the cottage and surrounding countryside. An inspirational kitchen garden to look at and enjoy - everything was an absolute delight. Our first break for many years but one we shall repeat thanks to finding you on-line. All being well we shall be in touch in early 2011 to sample one of your other cottages, such is your high standard.</span></i><span style="color: #365f91;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I was a child, I studied the book <i>On The Black Hill </i>so I was elated to discover that the cottage in which Bruce Chatwin wrote some of its most brooding chapters was also one of the cottages in the Country Holiday Lets stable: <i><b><a href="http://bit.ly/coachmanscottage">The Coachman’s Cottage</a>.</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Set in an area of the South Shropshire Hills, one of the most beautiful areas in England, the cottage is perfectly located to explore the castles of the area. See more about the cottage<a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_1173080614"> </a><b><a href="http://bit.ly/gLwVs5">here</a>.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you enjoyed this introduction to writing retreats that inspire me. Part two will be posted shortly, but if you are inspired by either of these retreats, I advise you to act before they are booked up. First, ask yourself these questions:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;"><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>How long do I deserve to give myself for my writing retreat?</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>Do I deserve more than one writing retreat in 2011? If so, how long will they be, and at what times of year?</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span>What do I want to accomplish? (e.g. Write/finish a first draft; edit a manuscript; come up with an idea for a book; research for a book; immerse self in books, etc).</span></li>
</ul></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For more information, go to <a href="http://bit.ly/countryholidaylets">countryholidaylets.co.uk</a></span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-21271256783304462322011-01-10T18:24:00.000+00:002011-01-10T18:24:26.078+00:00Got an Article in Writing Magazine!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two amazing things happened this week. My GROUPON Blog finally went live this morning:</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://blog.groupon.co.uk/2011/01/10/a-guide-to-beating-the-winter-blues/#comments">A Guide to Beating the Winter Blues</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and my first article in Writing Magazine was published! I say 'first article' in the hopes of a second, third, etc. You never know. :)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://writingmagazine.withrebecca.com/">My article on how to build a Twitter-fuelled author platform</a></span></div><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/AVvXsEijcMydE0hCJz1ZmYtcK5qyIJb6Eec80bSaO1Gbc7UZtV2bGv37pmyVt1ETIFgI98YMtfCKmrxLE7sE6uHYJxrAMV3hjkWMqlQTvPxhQEe-buQ2BBHRe2USrIQ5nEa5odvQZ_Juc07bQhcl/s400/writing+mag.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijcMydE0hCJz1ZmYtcK5qyIJb6Eec80bSaO1Gbc7UZtV2bGv37pmyVt1ETIFgI98YMtfCKmrxLE7sE6uHYJxrAMV3hjkWMqlQTvPxhQEe-buQ2BBHRe2USrIQ5nEa5odvQZ_Juc07bQhcl/s320/writing+mag.png" width="282" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Either tomorrow, or the next day, I'll put up a post that will help you commit to your writing in 2011. Some wonderful stuff to share with you. Make sure that you check back for that. I think you'll find it helpful and inspiring. Until then, please be a sweetheart and pass on the link for this post. Appreciate it. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rebecca xxx</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-49421134070738107042011-01-04T18:15:00.002+00:002011-01-04T18:19:12.085+00:00I am a GROUPON Writer!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">HAPPY NEW YEAR!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">2011 Is Going to Be AWESOME!</span></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/AVvXsEhAFFnql0OgHSwtQ82pHG2dawZI5KY5-XHykAIHqli6vY__agwKjOJByew7HtYOisH5UrocWtpMaW7Z0WbehpRa7RsrkQt4TN5Koeltz7zMiEV28ExOnKU2urxx01Clpv8PHqzz5r9crbU/s1600/Groupon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAFFnql0OgHSwtQ82pHG2dawZI5KY5-XHykAIHqli6vY__agwKjOJByew7HtYOisH5UrocWtpMaW7Z0WbehpRa7RsrkQt4TN5Koeltz7zMiEV28ExOnKU2urxx01Clpv8PHqzz5r9crbU/s640/Groupon.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hello, lovely people. It's me! Remember me? No? Oops. Sorry about that. Been a bit busy, but I'll make it up to you with some splendid news...<a href="http://blog.groupon.co.uk/author/rebecca"> I'm a blogger for Groupon</a>!! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you don't know what Groupon is, they are the fastest growing web company of all time. The people behind the scenes are LOVELY, and the deals are beyond amazing.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The thing I love about Groupon is that they've hit the sweet spot between paraonia about the economy and plugging your ears with your fingers and pretending it doesn't exist. Groupon acknowledges that people are looking for bargains, but they do it in a fun and positive way. No doom and gloom here. Utter luxury for next to nothing. My kind of place!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next bit of news is that my Writing Magazine debut is in TWO DAYS! Whoop whoop! I haven't seen the finished article, so I'm curious to see what it looks like. Can't wait!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By the way, if you're not a pen pal of mine yet, you're missing out on lovely postcards...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://penpals.withrebecca.com/">penpals.withrebecca.com </a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leave me a comment. I want to natter with my lovely word nerd chums. :)</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-8204810417372359372010-12-16T21:44:00.002+00:002010-12-17T00:31:22.189+00:00Happy Birthday Blog, and Jane Austen!!<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/dePMU8R131s?fs=1&hl=en_GB&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/dePMU8R131s?fs=1&hl=en_GB&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Quite by chance, I just realised my blog is 2 years old today and, via an Act of Google, I discovered it is 235 years since the birth of Jane Austen. Permission to say 'O.M.G.'? I hadn't a clue. I set up my writing blog on Jane Austen's birthday. How perfect is that?</span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So... since my <a href="http://frombrain2bookshelf.blogspot.com/2008/12/from-brain-to-post-office.html">first blog post</a>, when I worried about agents, and talked about the 'tricky middle bit' in public for the first time, what has happened? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, from a personal perspective: my husband was made redundant and I had to learn how to get 16 meals from a chicken; my dad got an aneurysm and had to go through endless operations, and a coma, to be with us this Christmas; I developed a sunlight allergy that kept me housebound for months, and I made stacks of chums online, who helped me through all this. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BUT... </b>None of the random trials held me back, so if you've been hit by the recession and are putting off being a writer until conditions improve... DON'T. Here's what I've accomplished in an 'impossible' market....</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From a writing, blogging, and micro-blogging perspective... we are not in Kansas any more, my friends. It has been a WHIRLWIND since this day two years ago!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wrote another novel</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Edited the first</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was published in <i>Poetry Against Cancer</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was published in <i>The Times</i> and <i>The Telegraph </i>(my tweets!) and mentioned in the <i>Wall Street Journal</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was published in Lori Gama's<i> Become a Twitter Pro in 20 Days</i></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was approached by literary scouts, agents and publishers</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Decided to self publish (watch this space. It's a trickier process than anticipated, and harder to set a deadline on than anything I can imagine, but my first novel will be out early in the 2011).</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was approached by a UK publishing house and asked to write the foreword for a book that will be launched next month, called <i>140 Characters</i>. </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wrote my first article for <i>Writing Magazine</i> (the magazine to which I was referring in my very first post). A HUGE moment for me. Will be out next month in the UK. Subscribe!</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have been approached with increasing frequency to write all manner of things next year.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Won Ms Twitter UK contest in 2009</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finalist in Shorty Awards 2010</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ms LitChat 2009</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blogger Blog of Note awarded for my <a href="http://thebexter.com/">new blog</a></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Was Follow Fridayed twice, and given a quote for<a href="http://rebeccawoodhead.com/"> my site</a> by Stephen Fry</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wrote the first half of a third book</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Became one of the top 5 most influential women on Twitter in my country</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Became one of the top 100 most influential women on Twitter IN THE WORLD!</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Set up my own <a href="http://zazzle.co.uk/wordnerdarmy*">shop for writers</a>! (US version is<a href="http://zazzle.com/wordnerdarmy*"> here</a>)</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and... I haven't told anyone this yet, but it seems a good enough opportunity. You know Groupon? The fastest growing site on the web? The one that Google tried to take over? I'm now an official blogger for them. I've gone pro! I'll post back here once my page is up.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What an AWESOME couple of years. Thank you so much to everyone who's followed me, here or on Twitter, Facebook etc. Please spread the word about my blog and I'll re-invigorate it with wonderful writerly things for you all. And... please leave a comment below. I know it's trendier now just to skip back to Twitter and DM me, but there's something so very lovely about blog comments.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks for everything.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rebecca (Word Nerd)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">xxx</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-31473853894746751042010-12-06T17:30:00.000+00:002010-12-06T17:30:25.487+00:00My Moment Has Arrived! Here I Go!<div style="text-align: center;"><object style="height: 390px; width: 640px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZKEaypYJbb4?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZKEaypYJbb4?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This is what I've been waiting for, and why I turned down another publisher. Time to go! </div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-89270273349305217052010-12-03T18:09:00.000+00:002010-12-03T18:09:25.557+00:00Will Books Die Out? Will Apple Destroy the World? Will Publishers Become Extinct?<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hirlekjqkdQ?fs=1&hl=en_GB&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hirlekjqkdQ?fs=1&hl=en_GB&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-31372512392088408572010-11-27T02:53:00.000+00:002010-11-27T02:53:10.424+00:00You Will Never be Pretty<div style="text-align: center;"><object height="390" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/M6wJl37N9C0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/M6wJl37N9C0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Amen.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-31849960548552837062010-11-07T23:32:00.001+00:002010-11-08T17:24:54.249+00:00Word Nerd Gifts. Check Out My Shop!<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-d8yAkmIyCJnMZkhzGweaGlfTrOODNWMfflwOvvxdakkNeBdclgyWIbWtBk3uypgFyB7Y_7XeONa9exeOqQPAy-7o4Z_Cq3RRgLwcnyxzaiWCOBGQnSAgSjHOYEcXACkj8WsEijK-c8/s1600/word+nerd+bag.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-d8yAkmIyCJnMZkhzGweaGlfTrOODNWMfflwOvvxdakkNeBdclgyWIbWtBk3uypgFyB7Y_7XeONa9exeOqQPAy-7o4Z_Cq3RRgLwcnyxzaiWCOBGQnSAgSjHOYEcXACkj8WsEijK-c8/s400/word+nerd+bag.png" width="362" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Only another couple of pay days until Christmas. Can you believe it? Now's the time to buy your pressies, and drop big hints about what you want. To help you with both, I've been a bit busy at my virtual kitchen table building a Word Nerd Gift Shop. Check it out and leave your thoughts below. Hope you like it! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The shop has a home behind the Word Nerd Gift Shop tab above. The UK version is http://zazzle.co.uk/wordnerdarmy* The US version is http://zazzle.com/wordnerdarmy* - and it looks as if the US postal service has approved my stamp!!! The Facebook version is http://bit.ly/wordnerdgifts .</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><embed flashvars="feedId=0&path=http://www.zazzle.co.uk/assets/swf/zp/skins" height="300" src="http://www.zazzle.co.uk/utl/getpanel?tl=My%20Zazzle%20Panel&at=238497588936089407&cn=238497588936089407&st=date_created" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" wmode="transparent"></embed><br />
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</span></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-42001172791054374892010-11-04T09:59:00.002+00:002010-11-04T12:04:18.382+00:00Stephen Fry, The US Election, and Harmonious Existence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40782f2cDcbzuZ34ix19a66dk_2qlXqvI3ofFsT-4t8dcn1M6wefXQAG7_JR22z0rnvblIhkJJQ_bqMzNtI9IKs4dzWbmPMdK7P4BcW3GqNDuBxWvLDuQkj0SYxNS03Pw393tATiXmtU/s1600/BOARD+BARD.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj40782f2cDcbzuZ34ix19a66dk_2qlXqvI3ofFsT-4t8dcn1M6wefXQAG7_JR22z0rnvblIhkJJQ_bqMzNtI9IKs4dzWbmPMdK7P4BcW3GqNDuBxWvLDuQkj0SYxNS03Pw393tATiXmtU/s400/BOARD+BARD.png" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last couple of weeks, I've witnessed so much hatred, and such a lack of sense and dignity. I thought - as a feminist - that I should blog about the issues raised by Stephen Fry's recent comments. Sexuality, social cost, and cultural oppression need to be discussed. But not like this. Not with this venom. <b>Let's work towards harmonious resolution of inequality. No bullying.</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wanted to write about the dear, sweet, person that Stephen Fry is. I wanted to detail all the many ways he has gone above and beyond to help me, and others of my female friends. I wanted to scream out 'THIS IS NOT FAIR! HOW DARE YOU CALL THIS MAN A MISOGYNIST' and go into pages of explanation as to why this is not the case. It would fall on ears that are hungry for salacious gossip. It wouldn't be heard.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've watched, as the <b>right and left political wings of America</b> tore each other new orifices: the personal attacks of the supporters every bit as gruesome as were the attacks in the run-up to our own recent elections. I watched, too, the added element of religious hatred, and intolerance.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The flip side? My father was dying, and people of all religions prayed for him.<b> Services were held in the religious places of 'opposing' religious tribes</b>. You know what? NOT ONCE did anyone try to convert me, or my family, to their faith. Not once. Atheists sent love, and kind thoughts. They did not lay into the religious people. The religious people did not lay into them. All the different notes of belief merged into one harmony: love. I didn't feel the need to pick out one note and say 'THIS IS THE PERFECT NOTE. ONLY PLAY THIS NOTE.' <b>It was beautiful to hear all of these notes played so freely</b>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>So. What has this to do with Stephen Fry?</b> Sometimes, he hits a wrong note. Sometimes, we all do. We are not, however, creatures of a single note. Each of us contains an orchestra of instruments. Some are in tune with others. Some are not. This is WITHIN ourselves. We hold competing beliefs. <b>We're a bunch of hypocrites</b>. That's not a criticism. It's the nature of the human state. If you look at political questionnaires, it's blindingly obvious. We want free health care, and low taxes. We want governments that handle the big issues and take the tough decisions, yet we punish them when they do. The only way to handle this conflict is to see the bigger picture - hear the whole piece of music. If you focus too hard on just a single note, you miss the beauty of the whole. Aristotle said something about that, I believe. <b>You need to step back. You need, sometimes, to let the music play without trying to control every last thing</b>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In time, I hope, Stephen Fry will be back. Maybe he will be moved by the extent of the reaction, to study the issues facing women. Maybe he will make a documentary, or series, on persecution faced by women around the world for expressing their sexuality.<b> It says a lot about our own culture that some throw-away comment by him about female sexuality has got more coverage than the imminent execution of a woman (by being stoned to death) for adultery</b>. The blood lust of certain journalists for the hide of someone who dares to be successful and wealthy is sickening in this context.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before I go into too much detail - not my intention here - I'll end with this thought:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We are all different. We are all human. We all mess up</b>. Religion, gender, sexuality, political beliefs... these are all areas of difference. For this reason, they are areas of battle. They need not be. If we respected difference, valued friendship and kindness over being 'right' the whole time, and looked at the bigger picture, they COULD be areas of harmony. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh43ZEsH-_hr_zFIsB2QXabfLbYZKNksz0ZKIcEKxV1FhHKmQ3fMkyBCzO5u2B3Ihu-Uvb-0JqGMmpoBRnPQ5zO_qam_CHMYGIpSyCETduiYaWum8rwxV97TCYh5JIqmqKXiBaLUf3U6bU/s1600/comment+rebeccawoodhead.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh43ZEsH-_hr_zFIsB2QXabfLbYZKNksz0ZKIcEKxV1FhHKmQ3fMkyBCzO5u2B3Ihu-Uvb-0JqGMmpoBRnPQ5zO_qam_CHMYGIpSyCETduiYaWum8rwxV97TCYh5JIqmqKXiBaLUf3U6bU/s1600/comment+rebeccawoodhead.png" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-81356742216604468772010-11-02T14:09:00.001+00:002010-11-02T14:09:55.699+00:00NaNo (No! No! No!) WriMo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIbtq7M2mPDur9gOXAqhqqMBdIBn5qqT20kO-iz5En2gTm_Fi7DiXwxeXkgd2MRUmAflDI91v1CAP16VZlMw3bGVU-4kRgjDpDOhxzaRe-iByWOwulCvbcCLwmRM0d9dYz939v0DQO7w/s1600/writing+hand.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFIbtq7M2mPDur9gOXAqhqqMBdIBn5qqT20kO-iz5En2gTm_Fi7DiXwxeXkgd2MRUmAflDI91v1CAP16VZlMw3bGVU-4kRgjDpDOhxzaRe-iByWOwulCvbcCLwmRM0d9dYz939v0DQO7w/s320/writing+hand.png" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't do NaNoWriMo. I've watched it since it first started, but didn't jump in until last year. BIG mistake. I am NOT NaNo compliant. It screwed up my whole writing year. No exaggeration. I already had everything I needed to write a novel. I'd done it before. The interference of others during the NaNoWriMo process wrecked it for me. The perfect creative flow established over the previous years jarred into a whole year of chaos.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a way, this was a good thing. I had a bunch of non-creative stuff to do. The last year has been about the business side of writing: </span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Setting things up for publication </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Building a kick-ass platform</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Getting smaller pieces of creative work published</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Getting articles published in print media</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Working out a solid business plan for my writing for the long term</span></li>
</ul><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> This is all important stuff. The endless obstacles in the way of publishing my first novel are starting to annoy the heck out of me. I like deadlines. I can't fix a reliable deadline on this, and it is beyond frustrating. Every time I'm within an inch of publication, the giant Pigeon of Delay flies overhead and drops something smelly onto my plans. I'm not giving up though. No! No! No! The novel will come out (PLEASE let it come out by Christmas!!!) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyhow... back to NaNoWriMo. It is a great idea - if you're not me - and I plan to support it just as much as ever. Let me know in the comment section if you're taking part, and give me your Twitter name so I can add you to my NaNoWriMo list (the VERY FIRST EVER NaNoWriMo list on Twitter, by the way).</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-41828212459978295852010-10-27T12:59:00.000+01:002010-10-27T12:59:39.538+01:00Is Your Writing As Important As You Think?<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/AVvXsEjGa2Er0tsszZVDKI1XCiGT8pyPOWp_OT5Xx-wUUpQVOX7OgLMkYVy780WemSbXwUi4-nL3gf1i33ZuK2cIlpemar9eMP8ncT7LsSJv3GKwT_cE0W7rMNBv3i3WJXD5tglS77Kt36-F65E/s1600/look+after+loved+ones.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGa2Er0tsszZVDKI1XCiGT8pyPOWp_OT5Xx-wUUpQVOX7OgLMkYVy780WemSbXwUi4-nL3gf1i33ZuK2cIlpemar9eMP8ncT7LsSJv3GKwT_cE0W7rMNBv3i3WJXD5tglS77Kt36-F65E/s320/look+after+loved+ones.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Be someone for somebody' - J Shroeder </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since May, my father has been fighting for his life. Part of me wanted to abandon social networks. Part of me wanted to abandon friends. Part of me wanted to abandon writing. But I didn't.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Why?</b> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because others hadn't. I had watched one friend write through the death of her mother, and another through the death of their father. I had watched friends write through illnesses and catastrophes. They didn't go away because things got tough. They kept writing, because it was important.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>How Important Is Your Writing?</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Very. It turns out that it's important for reasons that are not immediately clear. The part of us as writers that wants to throw in the towel when 'bigger' stuff happens, is the part of us that judges our own work. We forget that others are ALREADY invested in it, whether we've sold it or not.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I was struggling to pay for heat last year, one thing kept me writing. Obviously, the people who said they wanted to buy my books were a huge motivator but even more so were the aspiring writers who wrote to me saying:</span><br />
<blockquote>PLEASE keep writing. I watch what you go through and it gives me faith that I can succeed. If you give up, I will give up.</blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I got loads of emails like that. Even more surprisingly, I got loads of emails like this:</span><br />
<blockquote>PLEASE keep writing. I am [poor/losing a family member/suffering from a chronic illness, etc, etc] and I don't know how to go on. Watching you handling all this stuff gives me faith that I can too. If you give up, I will give up.</blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now... obviously the responsibility for a person's happiness and choices lies with that person, and threatening writers with emotional blackmail is not a good thing, but the point is that you have no idea who you are touching, or how, or why. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The idea of the hermit writer is fine if you are one. We are not. Even if you never leave your house physically, you do so in spirit and mind every time you connect to the web. Other people use you as a point of reference for their own lives. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To put it another way... if you have been blogging, or on social networks, consistently for more than a few months, you are a landmark. You may be a little well in a village, or you may be the Statue of Liberty or Big Ben. It doesn't matter how big you are as a landmark. If you are a point of reference for someone, you will be missed in ways that have nothing to do with your own personal world if you disappear.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If other people are important to you, and you have become important to them through writing, then your writing is important. It's not as important as YOU think. It is as important as THEY think. With all its imperfections, grammatical tensions, and flaws, it is an expression of the human condition. Whatever life brings, and however insignificant you feel, keep sharing your writing. You never know who you are helping. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the spirit of sharing... after nearly half a year of operations, a coma, and all sorts of life-and-death drama, Dad came home yesterday. In an hour, I will see him, aneurysm-free for the first time in years. Before I went to see him, I had to write about it and share it with you. It was important.</span><br />
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</b></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-61105195191848080152010-10-12T11:53:00.000+01:002010-10-12T11:53:26.411+01:00Please Pray. Dad Just Rushed into Operating Theatre<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6y_Fsxqw73ETIu4qLbJxBruPANuhQfk7lSvTqHDUF0o5z2G3-wpy4wTqrEcC3gunxYbwyhhwPTssx3Bk8XJLHX1-QPYMh9PPIhJmtk7AodopRhaDJ5WjGGMG6NubeRJqlcIPCIvqHfqk/s1600/Dad.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6y_Fsxqw73ETIu4qLbJxBruPANuhQfk7lSvTqHDUF0o5z2G3-wpy4wTqrEcC3gunxYbwyhhwPTssx3Bk8XJLHX1-QPYMh9PPIhJmtk7AodopRhaDJ5WjGGMG6NubeRJqlcIPCIvqHfqk/s1600/Dad.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dad was recovering well, but things suddenly changed. He's been rushed into the operating theatre for an emergency operation. PLEASE pray and/or send positive thoughts.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rebecca</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-5267886360088611012010-10-04T12:31:00.000+01:002010-10-04T12:31:42.076+01:00How to Handle Trauma<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Thank you to all those of you who've been praying for my <a href="http://bit.ly/dn0yp6">dad</a>. It isn't easy to cope when someone you love is in a coma, or not able to communicate with you. I've been through this with a friend before, and it's very stressful. That said, I've also been in a coma myself so I know that however stressful it is for me - or the family, or Dad's friends - it is way more stressful for him.</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Rather than just feel sorry for myself (which helps nobody), I thought I'd try to be honest about this experience while I'm going through it, so that I can try to help anyone else going through something similar. Dad would expect me to do something like this, and I can't let him down. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">If you're going through trauma...</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><b>Keep going</b>. Breaking down is not an option when other people depend on you. As long as there is hope, there is work to do. Be honest and practical about what Covey calls your 'circle of influence'. What CAN you do? </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"><ul><li>I can ask people to pray. </li>
<li>On occasion, I am allowed to see my dad. </li>
<li>I can look after my mum. </li>
<li>I can take care of myself so that I'm strong enough to be there for my dad.</li>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><b>Expect nothing</b>. When my brother died, people who'd been there for me all my life disappeared. My best friend never contacted me again. Expect nothing of the people around you. It's not about you. They have their own issues. Many people talk up a good game when it comes to supporting others, but flake out the moment you need them. My brother used to like the expression 'friends are like parachutes. If they are not there for you the first time you need them, chances are you won't be needing them again.' Even family members can sometimes fall into this category. Don't get involved with it. You have enough on your plate.</span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><b>Wonderful things can happen. </b>Miracles can, and do, happen. There are other good things that happen too, though. The flip side of point '2'. Some of the people you least expect to be there for you, will be there. I can't overstate how supportive some of my Twitter friends have been. Some have been more supportive than 'real world' friends or, even, family. </span></span></li>
</ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">I hope this helps someone. There's loads more I could probably put, but I've got to rush off and see Dad. Keep saying prayers and sending positive messages.</span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;">Rebecca</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br />
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</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-91653724475418568312010-10-03T13:01:00.000+01:002010-10-03T13:01:21.430+01:00† Please Pray For My Dad. Thanks.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6y_Fsxqw73ETIu4qLbJxBruPANuhQfk7lSvTqHDUF0o5z2G3-wpy4wTqrEcC3gunxYbwyhhwPTssx3Bk8XJLHX1-QPYMh9PPIhJmtk7AodopRhaDJ5WjGGMG6NubeRJqlcIPCIvqHfqk/s1600/Dad.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6y_Fsxqw73ETIu4qLbJxBruPANuhQfk7lSvTqHDUF0o5z2G3-wpy4wTqrEcC3gunxYbwyhhwPTssx3Bk8XJLHX1-QPYMh9PPIhJmtk7AodopRhaDJ5WjGGMG6NubeRJqlcIPCIvqHfqk/s1600/Dad.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By chance, during an unrelated scan, my father was found to have an aortic aneurysm. We were told in May that there was a one in four chance he could die any day. I can't imagine how terrifying this period of time has been for my dad. The surgery to fix this problem was life-threatening but necessary.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He went through the operation, only to wake from the anaesthetic and be told they'd done nothing. A huge, painful scar showed the ordeal of the operation, but the aneurysm was still in place. It was in an awkward position, and he would need treatment elsewhere - if a doctor could be found who was willing to take on the surgery.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We waited. Eventually, a wonderful doctor stepped forward. Dad was making a good recovery from the first operation when we heard he would now go in for another. Dad was adamant that the operation should go ahead as soon as possible. A few days ago, it did.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last couple of days have been very difficult. The operation took over eleven hours. He has been in an induced coma since then. There was a point when we thought he would have a leg amputated, but that has not happened. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday, he came out of the coma but was not able to speak. He's now been sedated again. We can't communicate with him, and we don't know how he feels or what the effects of the operation have been on him. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the last operation, so many people online prayed for my dad and when I told him of this, it meant so much to him. He can't tell me anything at the moment, but I know it would mean a lot to him if my online friends prayed for him again. Please tell people at your churches, and ask them to share his story and pray. If you are not a religious person, please keep him in your thoughts, and think positively about his recovery.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rebecca</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-91685097375811236002010-09-25T16:33:00.000+01:002010-09-25T16:33:39.141+01:00The End of September Approaches...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIvts9Nx3ejXgFfZ3Z_aWSKRrIOzAYm8In5RfqXZbaq01rybuoGN6VICHM7fvL1DQDWjRHY64oDcYPjyrLUHVBPN3OGiMKG2_fimes9nO-9dONRl6KHA0ObInDSfIk1I6uQ87s2P70fU/s1600/determination.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTIvts9Nx3ejXgFfZ3Z_aWSKRrIOzAYm8In5RfqXZbaq01rybuoGN6VICHM7fvL1DQDWjRHY64oDcYPjyrLUHVBPN3OGiMKG2_fimes9nO-9dONRl6KHA0ObInDSfIk1I6uQ87s2P70fU/s400/determination.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A year ago, I set a deadline. Five days from now, I'd hoped to publish my first novel. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Extraordinary things are happening in my life. The kinds of things that make you down tools and give up. I won't give up. My deadline may have to be a bit stretchy, and it may be hard to prioritise it, but I'll do it. This book will be out, on Kindle, well before Christmas. I may or may not be able to celebrate the launch, but the launch will happen. I've worked too hard to give up now. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-32986102909927633652010-09-15T23:22:00.000+01:002010-09-15T23:22:09.472+01:00OMG! One of my Blogs is a Blog of Note!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thebexter.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_l6HxP5Rfg7LqPpMCTYM9sbpQE3Qa6wT4M37Q0gRjv99rBdB8SZ_n42m1jD3lKBGf1-_lJywiu4rAPO-cwC-rsNWu4IMotdMLWmwEREVaJJYlVmCrLxfVYMnoY7NIflUIru0n0Lb5abs/s640/Blog+of+note.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://thebexter.com/">The Bexter Review</a></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8181450966846757835.post-4906503580101782802010-09-14T17:27:00.000+01:002010-09-14T17:27:21.963+01:00Sad News for Writers<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know when you wake up and think 'why did I bother?' I've had a couple of those days in a row. Yesterday ended in a giant drama-fest of sobbing and tea over a teeny tiny Facebook error. Today is much worse. I'm bored with crying though, so the eyes are dry. Every cloud..., eh?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The editor of<i> Publish Now!</i> emailed me today to tell me that he has decided not to go ahead with the magazine. Market changes make it less financially viable.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think it's sad for the writing community as a whole as I've had so much positive feedback about the idea of a magazine for people interested in self-publishing. Obviously, I'm now not a columnist any more and the interview slot I had in the magazine has now disappeared, so those of you I planned to interview for the magazine will not have that opportunity any more.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is all very sudden and a bit gutting, but this kind of thing happens. Rather than cry into my porridge, I'm putting together a plan for something a bit different. I'll keep you informed. Meanwhile, chilly weather is closing in and porridge three times a day is proving uninspiring, so if you know anyone looking for a writer, I can herd words into all kinds of reasonably priced formats. Thanks. :) </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I lost 100+ (unpaid) hours, so Operation Sh*tstorm is officially back on, but now my timetable gapes open, and in the empty spaces I feel inclined to write the following words:</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PUBLISH YOUR BOOK, WOMAN! </span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Feel free to link to my blog but please respect my copyright. Protected by Creative Commons Licence (link and details on blog). If in doubt, ask.</div>Rebecca Woodheadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06553726565354166076noreply@blogger.com4