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

Dreams and Ramblings

It's funny how things fall into place, especially when you least expect it. Not even a year ago I tried out windsurfing for the first time. And since then, I've been absolutely hooked. It's changed my life, and I adore it.

Recently I found an old post on my Livejournal (ha!) from a few years ago, saying that I wished I had the courage to try out windsurfing, and get over my fear of the sea. And here I am, a few years later having done that. Strange how things turn out isn't it? I never thought I would be so keen! And I was thinking earlier that it was strange that I did ballet for 10 years, and although I was never that good, it taught me a lot, and some of the things I learnt are oddly relevant to windsurfing - the balance, the feet, all of that. Weird how you don't know how something you do when you're little will affect you or benefit you later on!

Anyway, so while I'm itching to get back on the water again, and dreaming of longer, sunny days, and with my birthday around the corner once again, I was thinking about other things I want to do, or wish I could try out in the immediate future.

Unsurprisingly, most of these things involve the sea - I'd love to try out surfing, especially while I'm still in the West Country, because it's so iconic, and I'd love to have at least tried it. I'd also love to try out paddleboarding. I'd also love to visit more places in both Devon and Cornwall, while I'm still down here. It suddenly feels as if I don't have long left here, and even though I want to live here for good one day, I know that's not in the immediate future, as I work out just what it is I'm doing (and that's another separate list of dreams and wishes I won't write here!!).

I think I wrote last year about trying out things that scare you, and I suppose this is an extension of that. I overcame so much last year, and so many good things happened because of that.

I also want to plan a trip to the Du Maurier/Fowey Festival trip this year. Last year was amazing, and I want to do all that again. As I wrote before, my beloved Fowey has been rather battered recently, and I'm longing to visit again. But with no train links at the moment, I'm a bit stuck.

Since watching the Winter Olympics (something I've never really been into before), I've become a huge fan of snowboarding. That's another thing that I think it would be cool to try one day. I know right - me, who hates snow with a passion. But then, I used to be terrified of going into the ocean, so who knows! Although, I think windsurfing is where my passion lies. It's all about water and the sea, and I adore the coast <3

I'm planning a trip home for my birthday this year, as I think I've had like two birthdays at home in the last ten years - crazy I know. I'm looking forward to it, it'll be nice. I can't believe that time of the year has come around so quickly!

Spring is finally coming!

It feels like it's been a long, long time since spring, and summer, and sunshine, and warmth. The South West has been hit particularly bad recently, with floods and strong winds, and the coast line being battered violently. The main train line, I'm sure you're aware of, into Cornwall and the rest of Devon has been destroyed at Dawlish. My poor beautiful Fowey has been battered too, with constant floods, and the beaches and coast being hit hard. For a few days too, the entire South West was completely cut off by train to the rest of the country. That was a strange feeling.

But Spring it seems is around the corner, and we've had a couple of beautiful days. It's so nice to feel the warmth of the sun on my face again. It definitely lifts my spirits, more than I ever think it does. Spring flowers are coming out too - daffodils, crocuses, and primroses. I love seeing Spring flowers. It's one of my favourite times of year. It holds so much hope The promise of warmer, longer days, and beautiful flowers, and happiness, and summer ahead. I just love this time of year so much.

The longer days - they make me very happy too. It's so nice that it's not dark at 4 o'clock. I could go on, but I won't.

It's been a while since I blogged. I really don't know where the time has gone! I feel like I'm very busy at the moment, with barely enough time for a lot of things, let alone blogging! I seem to have what feels like hundreds of projects on the go (my own fault) and so I swing between being perfectly happy with the amount of things I'm trying to do, to freaking out at the amount and not really getting ANYTHING done on any of them, because I keep flicking between them, or being unsure what I want to work on. Oh, and I have to plan out my script for the end of this module, and start thinking about dissertation ideas. Oh yeah, so I'm not taking on much at all.

But then, I was away this weekend (at the Harry Potter studios - AMAZING, such an amazing trip. I love it there so much. Best day ever. And also catching up with my wonderful friends from home <3), and following that I had a couple of busy days, which meant I didn't have a chance to sit down for a solid period of time and get any writing done. This morning I finally got a chance to just sit and write, and I forgot just what a feeling it is, and how much I need it just for myself - and my own well being.

So despite all that up there, I know that I need to write, just for me - and I don't mind what it is, whether it's blog posts, small ideas, working on bigger drafts, writing news stories or whatever - just writing the words is what I need and want. That's what I live for. It puts my mind at rest, means I can get out all those crazy thoughts in my head, even if it's through a character living in the Swiss alps training to be a spy (current work in progress and rough draft btw - no idea where it's going, but it's fun). I need writing. It's not just a desire to be published or whatever, it's a deep, deep need, that I think I've always had.

And this got way deeper than I imagined! I'll leave it there for now.

'Sea Fever'

 Sea Fever

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking,

 

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

 

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

By John Masefield 

I love this poem, and it sums up how I feel about the sea and the coast. If I've shared this before, I'm sorry, but I love it and it seems like the right time of year to post it.

Definitely going to head down to the sea sometime soon.....I need it right now.

January blues and 'Potter' ramblings

I was going to write a post about how terrible it is that I haven't written a post yet this year (how has that happened? I don't know, I'm sorry) and what has happened this year and how low I'm feeling at the moment (January blues), but instead, I've become lost in a YouTube vortex of JK Rowling videos.

It happened because I re watched Deathly Hallows P2 the other night (having watched some of the others over the last few weeks) and that one more than any others brought up a web of emotions and just nostalgia and disbelief at how wonderful those stories are, and how important they are, and the power of the story and the message of love, and all that. And just how intricately plotted they are. How important they are to so many people, me included.

Watching all these videos of Jo makes me remember just how much I look up to her and how much of a hero she is to me.

Of course there's that tiny bit of me that is sad that I will never write something as popular or wonderful as Harry Potter, but then I have to step back and just be happy about what I write, because I do love what I write. Anyway, that's beside the point.

Thinking back to that kid who found the first two Harry Potter books in her stocking one Christmas and didn't expect her life to be changed in such a big way by the book series, it's mad. I just did not know at all how huge this would all be for me and how it would change my life and my world, in the best way possible. I'm sure I've talked about this before, and just how important the books and characters have been in my life. But still, some things struck me (again). Mostly that Harry Potter is a series about LOVE. Most importantly, a mother's love for her child, and this is evident throughout the whole series. ALL OF IT.

That is the main plot line, the main feeling running through the WHOLE STORY. A mother’s love. Harry potter is about how much Lily loved Harry. How that love is unbreakable, never goes away, no matter what. She wasn’t alive for the whole of the series, yet her love had the greatest impact on the whole story. She was always protecting him from afar.

I know this is nothing new, but I just love it.

So many feels and emotions from that last film. 

In other news, January is nearly at an end (how?) and the January blues have got to me. Sigh. Today seems a bit brighter though, a bit better. Maybe helped by a good night's sleep and the fact that it's now light until about 5. Yay!

Writing wise, am plodding on as usual - switching between far too many projects and wanting to work on so many different things. Is good at times, but then I find myself just switching between things and actually getting nothing done at all, which is not so good. But am cracking on, and also focusing on Treading Water, and getting that maybe ready to query in the near future. Maybe.

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.

'It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...'

I'm sure I've used that title before, but somehow it seemed right again today. I can't believe it's nearly the end of NOVEMBER! I haven't posted since the beginning of the month, I'm sorry - it seems to have FLOWN by, so quickly. In fact, I can't believe that it's only two weeks until the end of term now, and under a month until Christmas itself. Where have the weeks gone?

It's noticeably winter now though, here in the UK. It's cold, and all the layers have come out. The cold just makes me miserable and grumpy, like a bear trying to hibernate, and I already miss the summer like crazy. The summer and Fowey. Of course there are high points of winter (grimaced as I typed that) - I mean sure, I love Christmas and when things are all magical and Christmassy, and I love Christmassy things, but it's the cold I hate. I miss wearing shorts and flipflops and tshirts. And suncream. I miss suncream. That's kind of weird I know.

But I suppose got to look positively at everything, and right now I'm beginning to look forward to Christmas. It's always a slightly stressful time, but ultimately enjoyable. Just a lot to do beforehand! Things have got kind of crazy recently, with lots of academic work to do, as well as other things. I've been busy working, writing, volunteering, and windsurfing among other things. Yes, still windsurfing even in this weather - I think the fact that I'm able to get out and do that (in my winter wetsuit, gloves and shoes) is helping me get through the horribleness of winter. It's nice having something outside to do regularly. I'm still swimming too, and that's helping to stop me be so miserable.

Otherwise, I've been busy writing, and trying to keep on top of several different projects. As I told you before, I haven't done NaNo this month (and it's felt very freeing. I haven't missed it at all. Not one minute. That's kind of telling I guess!), but I've been busy writing. I finished that draft I was half way through when NaNo started, and I've put it aside for now so I can come back to it with fresh eyes. It's a mess, but I think there's a story in there somewhere and I'm looking forward to editing it and teasing it out. Fingers crossed it will work, because it's a story that could be very important to me. Treading Water is still being edited, although it's taken a back seat. I'm hoping to start querying it sometime next year. I started something new too, because the story crept up on me and grabbed me, and made me want to start writing it, so I'm ten chapters into that and loving it. It's more NA I think than YA because the characters are older, but I'm just going with it and seeing where it takes me. For my course at the moment I've got to write a film treatment, so I'm also engrossed in that, trying to keep all the elements of the different stories separate - phew! Confusing at times. Luckily the stories are quite different enough. I'm also lucky enough to have been picked to be a MuggleNet Intern, writing news stories, so I've been busy with that too, and it's been tremendous fun. As I mentioned before, I've been taking part in PiBoIdMo too, so I've been scribbling down lots of ideas and it's been very productive, just for coming up with ideas. So that's me all caught up, sort of, for now!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends - I'm going to a Thanksgiving dinner tonight and I'm VERY excited about it! I was asked to make Cornbread for it, something I've never made or tasted before, so I hope I've made it right. Fingers crossed!