John Green on creating and the future

John Green is an awesome YA author and a HUGE inspiration to me (as you might know if you regularly read my posts!). Recently he gave a speech, entitled 'Thoughts on How To Make Things and Why', at his alma mater, Kenyon College, about creating, not worrying about the future, and being a writer, with plenty of inspirational advice and stories. A truly inspirational speech - I love this man! And especially at this point in my life, this is perfect <3

Looking back at 2013

Wow. What a year. I realised the other day I hadn't posted in nearly a month, and although I meant to write a Christmas post, it seems to have passed me by and so instead I'll write a looking back post. When I first started to look back on the year, I thought, in many ways, well that sucked. But then, after reading the lovely Laura's post, and really thinking about this year, I began to think, well actually, a hell of a lot happened and SO much of it was good. I've had a wonderful year really.

In the more immediate past though, Christmas was certainly different this year. We woke up on Christmas Eve morning to find we had no power, and remained this way until Boxing Day evening. Luckily we have the wonderful AGA and we had a small generator so we weren't completely in the dark, but it certainly created tensions. I've never been more grateful for power.

But now heading back to the beginning of this year, there have been many wonderful things:

In Februrary, I met John and Hank Green, and my lovely wonderful CP Laura in London (FINALLY!!).

In March, I met JK Rowling (!) and joined SCBWI, which has been an awesome experience. There was another wonderful trip to Fowey too.

May, I saw Mcfly, ventured down to Fowey by myself for a camping trip and visit to the Fowey Festival, and tried Windsurfing. I also met Emilya Hall and other lovely authors at the festival. I also started Treading Water.

June, I saw Neil Gaiman talk about his new book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

July, Murray won Wimbledon, and I found out that one of my short stories, Tide, was going to be published in an ebook by Mardibooks and IdeasTap. It was also a wonderfully hot, perfect summer. Did a windsurfing course.

September, I spent a week in Fowey, which was perfect. I also went to Mcfly's 10th Anniversary Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall.

October, I joined the MuggleNet team as a News Intern.

December, I was promoted to a full staff member and News Writer (!), which has been one of the best and most awesome experiences I've ever had. I love it and am so grateful to be there! I also had a lovely day trip to Fowey.

I have also been very lucky to read lots of wonderful drafts by my amazing writer friends, and I've managed to write plenty of drafts and words myself.

I'm sure I've missed something out, but it's been an amazing year!

I never really like New Year - it always makes me nostalgic and strange, but this year I think I have plenty of good things to look back on! Bring on 2014.

Reading YA and Editing

This past week (or is two now?! it's crazy!), as I've been fangirling and squealing over John Green and riding high on a cloud of love and happiness, I started to think about how I came to openly love reading YA novels and not be ashamed. Because there is this thing around them. That they're for teenagers and they're a lower sort of literature and not as good, and all this RUBBISH that is perpetuated. I know this has been blogged about countless times, but I just felt like I wanted to add to it.

And yes, there have been times when I've felt embarrassed to be out and about reading some because of their awful cheesy titles and I just want to scream it's really well written! Leave me be!

Somehow with John Green it's okay.

I've been rereading them all, and carrying them around, and as I sit reading, hoped many a time that someone would come over and say 'Hey I love John Green', or 'DFTBA'. 

But I don't care so much anymore about what people think when they see me reading any sort of YA. Because I know it's good. I love it, and why should I be embarrassed about what I know is good and what I enjoy reading?

So thank you John Green, for reminding me that YA is cool.

And there's my brief thoughts on that.

A quick writing update; I am editing again. I think I mentioned before that my wonderful CP, Laura gave me amazing feedback on my story and so I have been obsessively editing it. It has been great to be able to see it with a fresh perspective. I was so stuck in the thought that 'meh, it'll do', that I just couldn't be bothered. Now somehow I have a whole new energy for it, and have been excitedly editing. Yes, I am actually ENJOYING editing. I did one edit through, with Laura's suggestions and my own careful rereading of it all, and now I am going through it again, reading it out loud, which is SO painful but so worth it. It's mad how many silly things you pick up on once you start reading it out. I always put it off because of the sore throat that happens, but it's so worth it. So I'm working through it like that at the minute, obsessively making sure every sentence reads well. Phew. I needed to do this. I'm delighted (at the minute) with how things are going. Yay!

Writing weekly exercises for class too, which is challenging, because developing a new story and characters in a few days is difficult. This week I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone, and have written a 29 year old male character as the MC for the exercise. And I actually like it. What a crazy world!

In other news, things are busy at the minute, this term is always crazy, but this year there are added things (my own fault) but I like being busy. And it makes me more organised!

Family are down this weekend to celebrate my birthday early (as it's half term) so I better go get ready!

TFIOS Live!

This weekend I went to London. I stayed with one of my best friends, and we had a great time, visiting Borough Market and walking all over London, somehow seeing all the main sights without intending to!

The main thing that prompted the trip however was John Green's The Fault in Our Stars UK tour, or '#TFIOSlive'. We were going to the first show, at 12, so we got there a little early, and headed into Cadogen Hall. I'm not going to go into details of the show here and all the lovely people we were chatting to, but the whole atmosphere was just incredible. Everyone was so friendly. And I met the wonderful and lovely Laura, who gave me lots of critiquing comments -which was amazing!

IT WAS AMAZING.

The whole thing.

I'm trying to contain myself here, because I've been fangirling so much the last few days. Oh my goodness, it was so awesome. John talked about TFIOS, and Hank played some songs, and they answered questions and they were just THERE. Really on stage. These amazing people I watch online, read John's books, and there they just are.

And then after they did a signing. The ticket had included an already signed paperback copy of TFIOS and we were warned the signing would take a while, but quite a few people left, and it was one of those opportunities I felt you couldn't really pass up.

I MET JOHN AND HANK GREEN. 

Eeeeek. It was so nerve wracking, but so awesome. They signed my copy of Looking For Alaska and my notebook (which yesterday I just kept flipping open and grinning). And they were so friendly and lovely and just wow. Amazing day. Have I said that enough?

They just inspire me so much, and John makes me want to work even harder at my writing and just be the best writer I can be.

I was still on such a high yesterday <3 Although it already felt like such a long time ago. We went to a 'Fruni' lecture last night by one of our favourite professors, who I swear is an older John Green. So that was bizarre.

Anyway, I'm going to go start working on some edits. Excited!

Tennis and Monday Blues

Disappointing tennis result yesterday. Poor Murray. But then it wasn’t as excruciating as matches were a couple of years ago, because he can do it, and he fought so well yesterday. It was a fantastic match, and they’re both brilliant players. And I like Djokovic. If he hadn’t been playing Murray I would have been rooting for him! The commentators were saying that the big rivalry is now between these two, now that Federer is waning a bit, and Nadal has still not made his return (sorry, Nadal who?). 

It made me feel very summery though, all this tennis. I love it. Makes me long for the summer even more though. Warm days, bare feet, Wimbledon, swimming, reading outside... *sigh*. I watched the Wimbledon film afterwards which I adore, but probably didn’t help. Although it did make me feel better. Strange how dated that film is (it’s nearly ten years old, gosh?! Really?!) what with no hawk eye, no roof on centre court and the fact that then a British guy int he final was wistful thinking. HA. Not so anymore. This has to be Murray’s year!

I seem to get a lot of ideas too from tennis which is excellent. Lots of notes made. 

Feeling rather flat today though. Delayed case of Sunday night blues I think (going back to school syndrome) which I haven’t had in ages, normally because I’m busy on a Monday. And this week I’m not, which is rather odd. I don’t like it. 

And what doesn’t help either is that I FINISHED my draft (third?) of Love-All yesterday, which being tennis themed was fantastic to be writing yesterday, I think the matches being on helped a lot! Helped me get in the mood. I love listening to the commentaries, even if I’m not that bothered about the match. So I finished that off. I was giving myself until the end of January so I’ve been left with a few spare days now. What?! I feel a bit lost without it, I just want to open it up and do stuff, but I know I should leave it for a few weeks so that I can look at it again with a fresh eye. It’s difficult though. I made so many big changes to it, it was quite a challenge and i don’t think I realised quite how much it was affecting me. I feel much lighter now, but at the same time I don’t.... because I feel lost. And I guess that isn’t helping my feeling today. 

Technically I have lots of other stuff to be working on, like an assignment for this week, but I just don’t feel motivated at all. I am also wondering what project to work on next. I hate inbetween projects. I have something to type up I wrote last summer, so I will do that and I had a new idea the other day so might see what comes of that, but still.

Hmph. 

After such a great few days (especially writing wise) and a lovely quiet weekend hiding at home I just feel sad now and I have no idea why. 

But I am going to London this weekend, which is exciting because JOHN GREEN IN SIX – SIX – DAYS!!! Eeek. Very excited!

Murray Final.... eeek!

Sorry about the moaning post last week. This week has been much better. I got that story done (yay) and as I guess often happens when you are so immersed in something and hate it, I was surprised to receive nice comments from my class and very helpful feedback. Looking at it in a different way now!

I also managed to get to grips with the story I was editing and suddenly got it. Suddenly realised what I needed to do in some chapters I wasn't sure about, which made me very happy.

It's been a busy week, so I'm glad to have a very quiet weekend with nothing on so I just can just focus on lots of writing and reading (yay!). I am currently listening to the women's singles finals of the Australian Open on the radio. I am not that bothered about the women's matches, but I like having the commentry on in the background and it is an interesting match! Listening to tennis makes me feel very summery. Of course the most exciting news is that Murray is through to the FINAL! EEEEEK! Best news ever! It was such a tense match. I couldn't properly watch it as I was at work, but work was so quiet I was able to keep up with it, which was good, just a little nerve wracking! So elated though. Can't wait to watch the final tomorrow morning, going to be VERY exciting, and VERY tense. Eeek. I don't know if I'll cope, ha! Anyway, I'm excited about that. I like that it is timed so that it is perfectly acceptable to be able to watch it in the morning live and not in the middle of the night like the US Open was. Yay!

What else?

So editing is going well. I am working on the next exercise for class, which is going well so far. And an exciting story idea just occured to me too. Yay! I have a huge stack of library books too, and I went book shopping yesterday (shhh... totally for my course, of course.....). Lots of reading to do! Right, I guess I better get on, rather than rambling away here! Have a wonderfully creative weekend everyone.

P.S EIGHT DAYS TILL JOHN GREEN. EEEEEK.

Back in Exeter!

Back again. Christmas is over again. I'm glad to be back. Although it's always strange to adjust back to another way of living, much as I wanted to get back. And I have a deadline on Wednesday, for an essay and poetry portfolio, so it's straight down to that (supposedly). Although I think I'm getting there. If you follow my twitter you may have seen that I was getting a little stressed out about the essay and at that point where I was just so frustrated.

I'm hoping today isn't going to be the same.

On the other hand, editing is going well with the story I wrote over the summer and I've finally got it - it always takes me a while to get into editing, and now I've got it with this one (and I'm wondering why it took me so long to write a school series, I mean come on, I love those books and this is awesome). So I'm happy with that at the moment.

Right, time to go tackle the essay, just a quick update.

Although at the moment 2013 is looking pretty cool - John and Hank Green, JK Rowling and Mcfly. AWESOME.

Home For Christmas!

Home again for Christmas - and I can't believe how quickly the last few days have already gone. So much to do before Christmas, although I think we're getting there, the tree is all decorated, things are more sorted out and organised. I can't believe Christmas is on Tuesday! TUESDAY!

Oh man.

So soon.

I'm excited to see all my friends who are just getting back, although the novelty of being home is definitely wearing off. Oh, family politics. So frustrating.

Trying to settle down to write my essay and get on with some work and some poetry, but it's hard. Trying to make lots of time to do edits too, but that's hard around this time of year with so much other stuff to do!

Very exciting news though - yesterday they announced John Green's UK book tour... and guess who's going?! I am UNBELIEVABLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS!! And Hank Green will be there too... I never thought I would be able to see these two, EVER! It was all rather sudden really, so I guess it hasn't really sunk in yet. But oh man, I cannot WAIT!!

Eeek!

Books and Authors I loved/discovered in 2012: Part One

I was thinking of posting a list of books I was excited about being released in the New Year and I was looking back through some old notebooks and thought why not post about some of the books I'd loved this year, and the authors I'd enjoyed reading and those I'd discovered? So here we go. (While some of these were published this year, many were not. And this is an edited selection of things I've read this year!)

PART ONE

Books I adored (and I read many of these authors for the first time and love them dearly now) 

1. The year started off with the release of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. And oh man, what a good start to the year this was! It started as it meant to go on. Of course this book has been covered so much this year, but it deserved it. It was amazing, heartbreaking, heartwarming and perfect.

2. I have been gradually working my way through the beautiful and lovely novels by Sarah Dessen. One that I read this summer was The Truth about Forever and I fell in love, like you do when you read a Sarah Dessen. I could see why this book is so quoted on tumblr! I loved the characters, the set up, everything.

3. A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd, is one of those big books that I had heard a lot about, before I picked up a copy at the library. This was such a lovely but emotional read and I was glad I was able to read it. It was beautifully written, and so well constructed I just adored it.

4. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Lani Taylor was another book I had heard a lot about, and so when I finally got it this summer I was delighted and instantly hooked. I was drawn into this world and these characters, and I'm hoping I get the sequel for Christmas!

5. The Book of Summers by Emilya Hall was a lovely summer novel which I devoured. The first one on this list which isn't a YA book, I know. I loved the rich setting and characterisation, and this was the perfect book to read on a lazy summer afternoon!

6. Another 'grown up book' as it were that I loved reading was The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. I loved how this was about sisters and how all the threads tied together. It was a really enjoyable read and really explored family dynamics!

7. Julia Albain is one of my heroes, and so A Glamorously Unglamourous Life was a must read for me. I don't know why I hadn't read it until this year, but I read it with a coffee just before I graduated - the right time to read it I guess. It is such an inspiring little book, I felt instantly inspired and determined to go out and do!

8. Night School by C J Daugherty was one of those ones I stumbled upon and then wondered why on earth I had never come across this book before. The combination of fantastic characters, a boarding school in the middle of the countryside, intrigue and well what's not to like?

9. So one of the big events of the year, of course, was the publication of JK Rowling's first book for adults, The Casual Vacancy, and I was definitely one of those who was very excited and had to go buy it on the day it came out. I was not disappointed. Yes, it was different to Potter (of course it was) but her style is fantastic and I loved the way she creates characters and draws you into the world she creates. I have not one bad thing to say.

10. Unsaid Things, the Mcfly biography, the only non fiction book on this list, is another of those ones I couldn't wait for it to come out and had to order it, so I had it immediately. I spent an afternoon reading it and was emotionally drained afterwards. Felt like I had been waiting forever for this book to finally come out, and to learn all the secrets they'd been keeping, so this was amazing to read. My heart broke though.

11. Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater was one of those anticipated books and it didn't let down. I loved this book. It was wonderful, with fantastic characters and a plot which drew you in.

Phew!

Coming soon: Part Two - Authors I discovered and loved, series I devoured, books I should have read before, and rereads of the year.

A new term awaits.

I've now been back nearly a week and I don't really know where it has gone. Having done my exam and handed everything in (finally!) I turned to sorting everything out which I had abandoned over the last few weeks, whilst I did everything else. As soon as my exam was over however, I felt like there were tonnes of other things that I needed to be doing. Luckily handing everything in yesterday (my story and my essay) relived some of that tension, but I still feel like there's lots to be done, although I've done all my reading for next week, it's catching up on other reading which I didn't do for my dissertation over Christmas, and getting back into the swing of that again. I now feel like it's time for a nice Christmas break.. oh wait...

It feels strange to think that the new term is around the corner, it doesn't really feel like we've stopped, yet at the same time, seeing everyone again and everything, it all seems rather far away... It's also odd to think that when the next holiday comes round I will have done this term, and my dissertation will be getting near ready to hand in. I feel like there should be another break in the middle of all of that. This term is certainly going to be busy - what with my dissertation (looking forward to getting going again!), my children's literature module (which I am SO excited to do, really would like to get going now, but I think that's what's odd about the last few days, it feels so... uncertain and like we're waiting for something. Anyway), the infamous MethAng Musical (again, EXCITED) and my birthday, and all the other stuff that generally happens in a term. Oh, and the usual family crisis just round the corner...

Having finished this short story I had to hand in this week, today I finally turned back to some of the longer pieces I have been working on which I neglected. Of course this short story wasn't the only reason I neglected these projects - I was beginning to work on other things and I wanted to get some time and space from them, so that when I went back it was with fresh eyes and I wasn't so attached, which I think definitely helps. One project, which I wrote a very rough first draft for last summer, is one which I'm looking at again and trying to be a lot more brutal and vicious with. I love the story so much, but it needs so much work and I'm determined to do that. However, it's always a bit of a surprise to be reading through and get to a chapter that just reads: 'chapter (number): to write'. Oh so encouraging... It's the same with something else I did a lot of work on over the summer. It still needs lots of work. I also opened up my NaNo novel from this year. I was uncertain what I was going to do with this. I actually quite liked what I wrote this year and it came easy-ish, unlike some years, so there's hope. I wanted to leave it for a while thought, and I reckon a month and a bit is an alright time. I've been so caught up with other stuff I've forgotten it really, and I suppose it won't hurt to just have a look at it - even if I put it away again for a few months!! I'm looking forward to getting back on track with all of them. Though of course that doesn't eliminate the itch to just write something... anything...

One last thing I want to mention, because it's been on my mind, before I end this rather long and rambling post, is a book I read last night. Or rather I want to RAVE about it. The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green. This book came out on Tuesday, with an impressive amount of online hype which I got sucked up into, despite only having read one of his novels before (Paper Towns and I really enjoyed it. Been wanting to read others for months!). I didn't order it however and when I was finally released back into the world on Thursday (seriously, I've been so trapped inside the last few weeks, partly because Christmas makes everyone hibernate away anyway, but also because of all this work. I'm not complaining, but I did start to get restless being back here and trapped inside. It's different at home, in the middle of nowhere) I made a trip to Waterstones and got myself a copy. It was lovely; they had a whole little table display with them on. Anyway, I'd read a bit of the first chapter on an online preview but that still didn't prepare me for it. I don't want to spoil it, but this book was beautiful and heart wrenching and oh so wonderful. I adore it. It made me cry. It made me laugh. It made me stay up late last night just to finish it. I couldn't put it down. It is such a wonderful book; I really couldn't recommend it enough. Such a powerful book. And on that note, over and out.