Today, on the podcast I.m talking about how you can up your game with writing during lockdown. Well worth listening to improve your writing while we are all staying indoors.
Today, on the podcast I.m talking about how you can up your game with writing during lockdown. Well worth listening to improve your writing while we are all staying indoors.
Hi, and welcome to the writing and Marketing Show brought to you by author Wendy H. Jones. This show does exactly what it says on the tin. It's jam packed with interviews, advice, hints, tips and news to help you with the business of writing. It's all wrapped up in one likely podcast, so it's time to get on with the show. And welcome to Episode 51 of the writing and Marketing Show with author entrepreneur, Wendy Jones. It's a pleasure to have you join me again for the 51st show. Next week, it will be a whole year since I started this podcast. And what a year it's been when I started this podcast one year ago, I didn't know the things we'd be going through in this year. But there have been some strange things, they've been some awful things because COVID has been been prevalent throughout the year. And that shaped everything we've done, everything we've gone through in the past year. And it's been horrible for some people. But there have been some good things as well. And it's a pleasure to have been able to do this podcast for you throughout the whole year. And today, I'm going to do a bit of a rallying call for the year. And I'm giving my guests a couple of weeks off to enjoy a very nice break over Christmas and New Year. And I thought we would look at what we could do. Because as I record today, Scotland and indeed the whole of the UK has gone into a further tear for lockdown. And we're locked down tighter than an author's pocket as they say. And I know I'm making a joke of it. But it's not a joke. Because people are stuck inside however we're doing it so that we can stay safe. And while we're inside, there are a lot of things we can do. So before I get on with that, I just like to say it's an absolute pleasure to bring you this show every week. I do it willingly. And I do it get it fully. And I really enjoy doing it. However, it does take time out of my writing. If you would like to support this time, you can do so by going to patreon.com that's pa t ar e o n.com. forward slash Wendy h Jones. And you can support me for just $3 a month, which is less than the price of a tea or coffee. And hey, you're saving a fortune at the moment because all the places where you can get tea and coffee are shot. So if you would like to just spend the price of one tear coffee, on supporting the show every month, I would be very grateful. So what am I going to talk about today? Well, I thought I'd talk about lockdown, right? And what can we do in lockdown. Now I haven't covered lockdown at all. In any of this. However, I've decided to do it because it means that we can actually, even if people are listening to this in the future, and they're thinking what on earth is locked down and what was covered, it will still work if for any reason you're stuck at home because you're unwell or you can't get out you broken your leg, all sorts of things can happen and you can be stuck at home. So although it's called lockdown writing, it's all about writing while you're stuck at home and can't get out anywhere. So the first thing I would like to suggest that you do is that you do some journaling. I love journaling I have bought, let's face it, I love the opportunity to buy lots of notebooks because every time I think journaling, I think, Oh, I need a new notebook. But it's not just about not buying notebooks, it's about writing in them. Now it doesn't matter how fancy your journal is, it can be a plain, old notebook that you buy for 50 pens and tescos. Or it can be the most expensive mole skein that you've paid a fortune for. Whatever journal you're using, the important part is that you actually write in it. And I think journaling is a really good thing. Now I'm not suggesting that you write about COVID and lockdown although you may want to do that what you put in your journal is up to you. But as a writer, you might want to journal about your writing journey, you might want to journal about how you're feeling that day about your writing. You might want to journal about what you're going to do that day and your goals for moving your writing forward. So there are a lot of things you can put in your journal. And a lot of people use electronic journals. And that's very easy to do as well. There are lots of electronic journals that you can buy, not buy or even use for free as an app. One of the ones that I use is called D one and D one is excellent. I also use Evernote and i i do some journaling in there as well because sometimes you don't want to have your your journal with you. You just want to have your phone and you can do that on your phone. So you can journal on whatever you want. The important thing is that you're writing and you're recording what's going on. And I love journaling, because it does help you to see things from a different perspective, it helps to free up your mind, it can help you to write your worries down, so you can think them through more clearly. And the very act of journaling and writing constraints and the words you use constraints in your brain connections, there are a lot of neurological and neurological benefits from actually journaling. So my first thing is do some journaling while you're in lockdown this time. The next thing I'd like to say is, why not start the day by doing some free writing, no free writing is just basically five or 10 minutes where you write about anything, anything that comes into your mind, just write it down, don't think about it too strongly at or too long, are thinking it needs to be a really difficult what you need to do is right, and just and that will get your brain started for the day. And we'll make it more willing to do some writing later on. When you want to write in your text, your text, in your work, your work in progress. So you can do some free writing. And that will help you I find free writing extremely good way of limiting my brain up and getting it ready to write for the day. So that's my next tip, we've got journaling, we've got free writing, I've got another tip here. And it is to do with writing. But it's not to do with the physical writing, what it is, is to do move rooms. Now a lot of us will just write in our offices, or a lot of us will also write in different places. And I know people that go to coffee shops to write they go to libraries to write I write everywhere I write in coffee shops, libraries, my office, in the park, everywhere I can think of I will write train stations, on trains on planes, not quite in automobiles. But if you're the sort of person that likes to wring the changes in terms of your writing, and you're feeling a bit stuck, because you're not getting to go anywhere, move rooms. Now you're probably saying that's easier said than done when they because my computers in my office. And my laptops broken down are the kids are using a laptop, because they're homeschooling, I get it, there are lots of issues, because you might have free access to every computer in the house, or to Natalie, but suddenly your kids are claiming every last one of them. Do you know what you can move rooms and right on your phone, you can move rooms and write on your laptop, you can move rooms and write on your tablet, you can write in a journal, you can write in a notebook on a sheet of paper, just move rooms. And that will help you to get writing. Because a lot of people have said to me all this lockdown is playing havoc with my ability to write I just can't do it. Well, changing things around can help you do it. And one of the ways is to move rooms and to move what you the medium you're right on. So as I say paper pen notebook, you know, the back of a bag of a cereal packet of it's all you've got handy at the time. Although one would assume if you're stuck at home, you do have a bit more than that. And under at least some paper in the house somewhere. So use when I say during the changes, I mean during the changes in terms of moving your position in the house, right in the conservatory right in the garden. Although it's a bit nippy for that at the moment, I agree. Right in the sitting room right in the kitchen, right in the bedroom, just move rooms. And you and I'm lucky because I've got various places I can write, I can write my office, my sitting room, my bedroom, my Conservatory, my garden. And I do do that. But it does help so change rooms and change what you're writing on. And no excuses, guys, I'm sure that the kids haven't got every single device in the house. or using every single pen in the house, you will be able to do something. Changing genre can also help kickstart you. So I'm not saying you know, if you're halfway through a romance, suddenly write a fantasy book and leave your romance aside. What I'm suggesting is you might want to change genre in terms of writing maybe a bit of flash fiction, or 100 words on a different genre or planning out maybe a different book in a different genre. Just to get your brain thinking in a different way. That can be really helpful. And there are lots of flash fiction, lots of flash fiction competitions out there. And you might want to enter one so think about writing a piece of flash fiction in a different genre. And my second episode, no third episode of the show, if you go to Episode Three was about writing flash fiction with the wonderful Alison signs. And that is a brilliant episode, and you will get lots and lots of tips on writing flash fiction. So why not think about writing a piece of flash fiction in a different genre? And if you normally write nonfiction, why not try some fiction? If you normally write fiction, why not try some nonfiction. So I'm going to give you some ideas for doing the different things. So writing flash fiction and a different genre or writing fiction writing nonfiction, I'm going to give you three writing prompts now, and they're going to be straight out of my head, I haven't got them written down. But I'm going to give you three writing prompts and see if it can prompt you to do something with your writing, and do it in a different way. So my three writing prompts are when I went out of the door that morning, I wondered why there were multicoloured safe draw, sorry, drawing pins all over my path. Now that's a good one, it can lead you in many different ways. I'm not entirely sure if everybody says drawing pins, but if you don't, and you say they're called tax or something, then that's what I mean. They're all over your path. What? How that will lead you in a lot of different ways. So what's my next writing prompt while I'm doing it from things that are around me at the moment, so they might seem a bit strange, but my next writing practice, I went to my Amazon Echo device, and I asked, and I'm not going to say the name because she'll pipe up and you'll hear what the weather was going to be like. And she said, on Mars today, it will be hold an even colder with a temperature of minus 40 degrees. That's the answer you get from your device when you ask what the weather's going to be like. So try that one. I hope you'll forgive me for not mentioning the name, but I didn't want it to pipe up and you would hear her over the podcast. And my third one is I took I watched my husband take a sip of his wine. And now before you think I'm a bit of a chopper and I've got wine in front of me, I don't I can just see a decanter for wine sitting nearby. So that's why I've said that. And then one bonus one that has nothing to do with what's in front of me. And it can be as I was walking, walking along the promenade, I noticed that everyone was there you go, that's one, and they can all lead you in different directions. So why not think about writing something else? Why not try your hand at some poetry, or a short story? Or write if you are a poet writing a different type of poetry. And I've set a really nice little competition for the Scottish association of writers at the moment. And it's write a poem of four verses that are in the style of McGonigal. And if you don't know who McGonigal is, he's actually gone down in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's worst poet, and he comes from Dundee where I live. So that's why I said that. So there are a lot of different things that you can actually do to get yourself writing during lockdown. But I want to talk not just about writing, but about what you can do to develop your writing. So you can do it by reading articles. You can develop your writing by listening to podcasts. If you haven't listened to all these podcasts, why not go back and listen to some of the back catalogue of podcasts and you get some cracking ideas from industry experts. I could also recommend the creative pen podcast which is outstanding. Joanna pen runs horse Sonics Greenway professional and highly informative podcast. And one of the other ways that you can develop your writing. I have started a new author, Academy and it's called entrepreneur accelerator Academy, and it's a monthly membership and for one low price at the moment because it's it's a special funding price. You can join me and you can get access To all the courses you can get access to webinars, you can get access to master classes, from myself and industry experts, group coaching calls, everything you need to to write, write, format, publish, and market your book and run a writing business. So if you wanted to take a look at that, if you go to my website and look at the courses page, you will find the the author printer, accelerated Academy, and you will be able to see more about it and what it's all about. And you would be made very welcome. It only started on the second of January. So it's very new. And you will join all the existing students who are all very excited about moving their author journey forward. So it's been an absolute pleasure chatting to you again. And I look forward to seeing you next week when I will have another guest now that I've given them time to have a break over Christmas and New Year. Until then, I hope your writing goes well. That brings us to the end of another show. It was really good to have you on the show with me today. I'm Wendy h Jones and you can find me at Wendy H jones.com. You can also find me on Patreon where you can support me for as little as $3 a month which is less than the price of a tea or coffee. You go to patreon.com forward slash Wendy h Jones. I'm also Wendy h Jones on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Thank you for joining me today and I hope you found it both useful and interesting. Join me next week when I will have another cracking guest for you. Until then, have a good week and keep writing. Keep reading and keep learning