Tag: ideas

inspiration, Uncategorized

It All Starts Tomorrow

carolyncordon

Today is the penultimate day of January, and I can almost say that tomorrow will be the first day of February, and that means it’s also the first day of February, and the first day of the month of creative writing prompts! I’ve been talking with members of my writing group about this, and the blog posts I’ve written about it, are on my Facebook page, and being read by some people.

I’ve put some links on my twitter accounts, and who knows how many people may have seen the information there. I’d like hundreds of people to be reading this blog post, obviously, but life isn’t like that – you have to work hard to get stuff like that happening in your life.

And my life is full of lots of different things, and I don’t have the time or the knowledge, understanding, or inclination to get all of those kinds of things done. In my ideal life, I’ll have a p/a, who will attend to the details, and I’ll be able to concentrate on the big picture stuff only. I’m not living that ideal life though.

Puss in Boots and I hape we all have a great creative month together, for February, with lots and lots of words written!

So I do what I can, what I want to do, what interests me the most, and what ‘floats my boat’. I get a huge kick out of inspiring other people to write, when they never realised creative writing was a skill they had. Giving feedback and encouragement taught me these things, and I’m grateful to the people who helled me in these ways. This February writing prompt idea is a way of giving to others.

Giving to others, helping them to write better, inspiring them to write, as a writer, of course I want others to write too, they’re my peers, and writers, are also readers, and of course writers and readers have a symbiotic relationship, giving to each other …

So the month of February will be a month of exploring ideas, writing on the new prompts I’ll be handing out, a new one every single day … And I’ve just today discovered that Writers’ Week starts in Adelaide, on the last day of this project, and that seems so appropriate to me, a month of new writing, ending with a great writing and listening and learning, as well as chat and schmoozing event, that brings together writers and readers from around the world, all getting together in the that little grassed space …

I’ll be there, for some of the event, not sure how many days, but at least two days, hopefully more. Writers Week always feels like I’m ‘one of the gang’ the gang of writers, sharing with others, and learning more and more about this writing world …

So this month of writing prompts starts tomorrow, the fun starts tomorrow (I hope!), and with luck, by the end of February, I may have enough poems for my next poetry collection! Or I may have a breakthrough and really truly get to work on my series of Cosy Murder Mysteries, or I may even turn the first draft of the novel I’ve written into the second draft, and have begun giving it to readers to make it into a publishable book, perhaps! You never know what might happen, when inspiration is in the room!

So I hope you’re feeling inspired for February to bring good writing, as I am, buckle in and be preapared to write and write and write!

poetry, writing prompts

It’s Getting Closer! Are You Ready?

carolyncordon

Prompt list for February 2020

You are invited to use the pompt for each day, for your writing on that day. You can use any form of the word, ie, for the first prompt, , you could use rushed, or rushes, or similar. You can also use anything that is prompted by the prompt for the day.

You don’t have to leave your work in the comments section, but if you have anything to say about this, please feel free to let us know about it. 

I hope February is an excellent month for your writing. I’ll be posting some of my own responses to the prompts, if and when I feel they are relevant, or if I particularly like what I’ve written!

poetry

A ‘Prompt’ Idea for February

carolyncordon

A friend from my main writing group (hi Marie!), gave me an idea that I’m thrilled with, the idea of posting a writing prompt every day in February. So, I’m going to find my little box of writing prompts I’ve put away ‘somewhere safe’.

I think I know where this ‘safe place’ is and very soon, I will look for it, so I will be able to put up a new prompt every day for February. I’m looking forward to this, and will quite likely post my own response every day, if I’m happy with what I’ve written.

So the safe spot wasn’t where I thought it might be, but that doesn’t mean this Prompt a Day creative writing spectacular won’t happen, no way! My mind is abuzz with writing prompts, and I’ll easily find a new one for every day!

Finding something to write about can be a thing that stops new writing at times, but for me, the difficulty is actually dealing with all of the ideas I have. But new prompts leading to new ideas, are always good things, for writers, particularly if they have a possible new book in the offing, as I do, several new books, in fact.

One of those potential books is another poetry collection, which I hope will meet the approval of the publisher I send it to. If that is to happen though, I have to make the collection the best I possibly can, and having a broad range of my own poems to choose from will certainly help.

So I hope February, and the writing prompts I’m going to post (one every day of February), will help both me personally, and other people too, to find poetic and/or creative writing success.

So if you, or anyone you know, wants something that will give creative ideas, why not come and visit every day next month! May February be the month that really brings your writing alive!

 

writing opportunities

What is a Writers’ Lock-in?

carolyncordon

A writers’ lock in is when a group of writers all get together for a set period of time, and they write! Simple, yes? Yes it can be, if the group has a place available that has tables and chairs, and with food, drinks, and toilets available. Such a place is where my writing group meets every week.

It’s a hotel in Gawler, the Prince Albert Hotel, where the Adelaide Plains Chapter and Verse group catches up for our meetings at 4-6 every Thursday afternoon, and again on the last Sunday of every month, for the Gawler Poets at the Pub event, which has been going for over twenty years.

And every now and then, our group holds a Lock-in, and today is the day again, hooray. Personally, I have several writing projects I wish to work harder on, and not be bothered by chores at home, so today will be a great day for working on those projects, I can knuckle down and write, knowing that the other people there with me are doing the same thing, on their own projects.

The vibe in the room will be all about getting our words written, that’s it. There will be some talking too, of course, because that’s what humans do, but it won’t be lame rubbish nothing talk. Or hey maybe some of it might be, but that can help with the writing too, to have a joke too, so the pressure level doesn’t get too high. And there might well be some things the executive of the group needs to work on, and this will be a good opportunity for that too.

We’re very lucky to have this great hotel to work in,and work with, and they’re very lucky to have us there too. We have food and drinks there, and bring other people in too, when we have our events at the P/A. Many people have commented on what a lovely hotel it is, very historic, and with fine food, and a great range of drinks.

So I know the Writers’ Lock-in will be starting when the hotel opens at 11.30am, and will go through to 4, for our usual group meeting, and then there might be dinner after, for those interested in that. I hope to get lots done, but even if I don’t dramatically improve my work count, I will definitely get some sort of a start on all three projects.

If you live in or around Gawler, and you write, why not come and join us, you’ll be most welcome!

inspiration

Write For What’s Right!

carolyncordon

I am a writer, I write for a number of reasons, but I’m thinking right now, I can use my writing skills for assisting good things to happen. Not good things for me, but for my community, my country, and for the world!

I am the editor of a monthly newsletter, that goes out to my local community, and beyond. I have hundreds of people who read that newsletter, the Mallala Crossroad Chronicle. As editor, I have complete control over what gets printed and distributed, and I feel like this avenue is a fine one to assist me in helping good things happen.

I often slip in little items of interest, random thoughts and ideas, so from now on, some of these items may begin to get a lot more serious. The country is burning, and my passion for doing what I can to help is also burning. We all can do something to help, whether by growing trees with Trees for Life, getting involved with a community group that helps other people in various ways, or something else that truly speaks to you.

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I’m looking for the good in all, in the hope others will want me to see it in them too! That’s my take on life, especially right now, thinking about the way our country is burning, people, property, animals, habitat, dying … But there are wonderful people doing wonderful things, both big things and small, and in this way, Australia can keep on going, doing the best we can.

As a writer, I will use my way with words for good, sharing good being done, finding good within myself, and in others, sharing the good news, and spreading hope and help however I can. I suggest that I’m not the only person out there, there are many writers with a much wider audience than I have, and I welcome anyone in this position top do whatever they can do too!

If you have a voice in the community, use it to speak good things, spread good news stories, engender hope, and together we can be forces for good!