Creative work ...

Would you like to know what I have been working on?

If you said "Yes!" you're in luck, because I am in the mood for sharing.

My main writing project in recent times has been creating a new website and Facebook community ... allow me introduce you to GLOW: heart, mind and soul.   Most of the conversation takes place on the Glow Facebook page, but I have quite a few draft articles ready to polish and publish on the blog, so stay tuned.

"Jars of love" which I made for my Mum, Dad and Nanna

Also this month I started my InkyWings Facebook page to share ideas and inspiration for my twin creative passions, art and writing.

My longest-running blog is Chrysalis Island, which received a lot of attention last month when I participated in a blog hop ... AND I have a Facebook page for homeschooling, Freestyle Fun Homeschool.

I don't know if I have too many pages and blogs on the go, but at the moment they each serve a purpose.

It's the year of 'having a go' ... 

this was my first attempt at nature journalling.  

I have been decluttering my home and wardrobe, using the ideas of Project 333 and Marie 'KonMari' Kondo ... if that sounds boring and like hard work, it's actually been the opposite.  Deciding what to wear has never been simpler, and I have found white space ... little pockets of calm white space amidst the chaos of family life.  I haven't yet managed to find a corner just for me, for writing and creating art, but with our small home looking more fresh and organised, I am more likely to find a spot to work in quite contentedly.  And contentment is what it is all about!

Sketching is a skill I have been deliberately practicing this year!

To increase my confidence and hopefully skill in sketching (which is fun and will also influence my painting) I have taken part in some home ed group challenges ... for the picture above the subject was 'sour'.  I am also working through a delightful set of lessons using a book on my iPad, You Can Draw in 30 Days, by Mark Kistler.  Rather than whizzing through it I am taking several days per lesson, and loving it!

Painting wise, it's been a time of incubation ... I have been gathering ideas and getting to know my preferred style.  Today I undercoated a stack of canvases ready for the next round of experimentation.  I am really excited.  I do have a lot to learn about materials though ... in an effort to save my good paints for the details, I used house paint, which is cracking as it dries.  Oh well, it might give a cool effect if it doesn't all flake off.

Writing wise, in addition to the online projects I mentioned above, I sifted through my writing archives which now have a dust-free home in a garage cupboard.  Glamorous, I know!  I chose a few of my favourite half-baked plots to bring inside, and have enjoyed meeting my characters again and asking what they have been up to in my absence.  I also bought Scrivener on a whim when it was on special, and imported a couple of manuscripts into new project files to see how easy it is to work with.  Already I am loving it!  I am not loving my most promising story so much ... 16,000 words but ... let's just say there's a lot of work to be done!

That's a bit of what I have been doing.  I have bought (read and savoured) some brilliant books this year which I will tell you about them next time.  If you'd like to leave a comment, perhaps you could tell me about your current creative work, or join the conversation on one of my Facebook pages!

Until next time,
Vanessa

Newcastle Writer's Festival

I spent this afternoon at the Newcastle Writer's Festival.

City Hall was full of writers and bookworms ... it was blissful to be amongst my tribe!

I only attended one session, "Going it Alone," in which host Linda Drummond interviewed authors Greg Field, Nim Gholkar and Francesca Suters about the complexities of self-publishing both digital and print.  Here is Francesca's blog entry about her experience as the presenter.

I was thoroughly impressed and took six pages of notes during the one hour session.  I found plenty of inspiration for now as a writer, and practical tips to prepare me in case I decide to self-publish a book in the future.  Here is an article Greg shared on Facebook about the choice between traditional and self-publishing.  

Of course, I also found the bookshop.  This is what I brought home:  

*  My Year Without Matches, by Claire Dunn 

*  Returning, by Francesca Suters

*  How I Rescued My Brain, by David Roland

*  Unravelling Anjali, by Nim Gholkar

Happy reading days ahead!

Finally, here is what can happen when you take a selfie in front of a half-finished painting ... it's not something I have tried before, and I unwittingly discovered what I'd look like as a reindeer:

I was more successful capturing a 'writerly' pose when I enlisted the help of Miss 9 ... she did well, and I chose this one for my profile picture:

Until next time, happy writing!

P.S.  Lucky me, I made it to another session ... "Take Your Writing to the Next Level" ... check it out at Jessie Ansons' blog.

HUGE collection of Writer's Resources

Tessa Emily Hall, 19 year old author of YA novel  "Purple Moon" (released a few weeks ago), has just posted a HUGE list of writing resources:

Tessa's blog is an absolute goldmine of tips and insights.  I started reading it a year or two ago, and never tire of reading her content ... and I can't wait to read through this list.

I'm looking forward to rediscovering some gems to help with my latest writing adventure, along with lots of new inspiration.  Hope you enjoy it!

Flashback ... and crocodile eggs

I found something I wrote 3 years ago which really should be on this blog ... a journal entry about my desire to get back into writing.  I didn't write much on Ink Island back then, as life was pretty crazy with younger children home full time and writing, much as I loved it, came about 17th in my list of priorities.  When I had a rare chance to write, I chose my pen and paper journal, home education blog or on home ed forums.

Now for something other writers might find useful ... here's an article I wrote and had published in a magazine (my memory is shocking, and I forget now whether it was in print or an ezine) in 2006 ... Crocodile Eggs for Writers.

Are you quick to share your ideas, or cautious?

Where do you write?

I love to see where other writers do their creative work.
Where do they sit while they stare into space, wrestle with ideas and feverishly scribble?
What insights into their personality, methods and success can be gleaned from seeing where they work?

I remember first seeing a picture of Roald Dahl's writing shed, many years ago, and later a video tour of his shed and the garden where he walked while ideas gathered momentum.  I could picture him sitting in his armchair with on a board across his lap, pages places just where he liked and left undisturbed, pencils ready.  Thinking up the imaginative, peculiar stories I read as a child

Just a simple shed, but it was his own.  A place he could be alone with his thoughts and characters.  Somewhere his papers could be left undisturbed and his stories could incubate until they were ready to hatch.  I don't think I coveted his specific shed, but certainly I wished for a space of my own.  I've been collecting ideas on Pinterest, just in case.

I dream of finding space in the ceiling to build an attic (I look up there once every few months but it never changes, there are still too many beams and trusses) or a little garden shed in the backyard (which of course, the children would want to share and being a softie I would probably let them).  For now though, I have found contentment in portability ... an Officeworks cloth shopping bag to take to any peaceful little corner I find.  I create little retreats for myself.

Here are some of the places I have written in the last few months:

The desk in our study ... peaceful after everyone goes to sleep.  The Mac is my preferred computer for research, email, blogging, typing up handwritten notes, proofreading, editing and designing.  This is a space shared by all of us, but when it's my turn I can work here surrounded by noisy, occupied people, but not when they peacefully sit and watch.

Directly behind the desk in the study, my Poppy's armchair, with a children's table (it floats around the house serving many purposes).  I also set up on our lounge, with my work spread out on the coffee table and a little lap desk for my netbook, exercise book or notepad.

Standing in front of my chest of drawers using the netbook.  The day I took this photo, I had an idea for an article for my home education blog, so I kept racing into my room to tap out a sentence or two at a time, in between helping my children with their activities. 

A corner in our bedroom.  The chair is not comfortable, but at least I have a view of trees from that angle.  After admiring the view for a while, I moved to the bed to write, feeling satisfied that I had found a little corner just for me!  

My side of the bed, propped up with lots of pillows and under or on the covers as needed.  This is my favourite place to brainstorm, write in my journal, use my white ASUS netbook or scribble ideas in little red exercise books.  

Here is a huge, wonderful collection of websites which show off writer's spaces ... this one was my favourite.  My friend Paula Beavan often writes in the garden.  Another friend Kerrie Paterson writes while she waits for her son to finish a drama class or sport.  Recently published teen author Tessa Emily Hall sometimes writes standing up.


For a look into the workspaces of some well known, successful writers, go here (unfortunately some of the links are dodgy, but there are enough to make it worth including) or here.


Wondering how to create a space? 

Check out this NaNoWriMo advice or the Easy Way to Write blog.
If you need MORE links, check out these:  one, two and three.  

*********************

The car, library and park are sometimes the best place to find a little peace.  I often come up with new story ideas when we drive, especially on country roads.  I keep a notebook and pen in my handbag to jot down thoughts, snippets and names whenever they hit me.  And of course, there is always a pen and notepad on the bedside table.


Have you photographed your writing space?
I'd love to see it, if you are willing to share a link!

NaNoWriMo and the YWP

NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month.  It takes place in November each year and is described as 30 days and nights of literary abandon.  Does that sound like fun to you?

NaNoWriMo for me ...

I literally put my writing away in boxes when we decided to homeschool our children.  Do you wonder why couldn't I write AND home-educate?

When the kids were younger, it went something like this:

ME (parent, teacher, wife) + WRITING = preoccupied, distracted, frustrated, guilty, sad

The combination wasn't good for me as a writer or mother, and one role had to be put on hold.  It was an easy choice!  

There is a season for everything, and it wasn't the season for me to focus on writing.  I dipped my toes into the writing waters a few times in recent years, but quickly discovered the water was still too chilly.  There were always other issues we had to deal with more urgently ... fast forward to this year, and the forecast is much more favourable.  

Now, perhaps it is the season for me to write a little ... at least for an hour a day during the month of November.   With a healthy mix of energy, caution, passion, commitment and prayerfulness, I am doing NaNoWriMo 2013.  I am SO excited!  I have updated my NaNoWriMo account, gathered my tools and have started to find some time to write each day.

... and NaNoWriMo for my children!

They are coming along for the ride, in the NaNoWriMo Young Writer's Program.  They are keen, Miss 8 and Mr 9, but there will be no pressure.  We're enrolled and ready to rock!

I have some excellent resources already, but was nevertheless happy to discover the Lesson Plans NaNoWriMo has provided for teachers.  I have chosen the Upper Elementary Curriculum, and will use whatever parts of it I think we will find useful.  I have downloaded Student Workbooks.  My budding authors like to plan out loud, so I will be keeping a phone or iPad handy to catch their ideas.

Have you ever taken part in NaNoWriMo?  Do you think the Young Writers Program is something your children would enjoy?

Recent Writing

Ok, so I humbly admit that last brilliant idea is still safely tucked away in my notebook, until I decide what to do with it.  I still think it has potential ... I'm just not sure it's what I should be doing with my time at the moment.  But in evaluating the worth of my idea, and in the process reflecting on my goals and desires in life, I did a lot of soul searching (and talking) about what to do with my desire to learn, express ideas, debate, inspire, empower others and reflect ... of course whilst refusing to compromise in my other roles!

I decided NOT ...

*  to launch into Nanowrimo (fun and enticing, but at this point too self indulgent) 

*  to execute my ambitious plan to publish the above-mentioned book by next November (since I can't commit large chunks of time to a project unless I believe without a doubt that the world needs it now, that I'm the only one who can deliver it, and that the opportunity cost is worth it ... never likely to finish anything with those standards am I?)

*  to go back to Uni (physically or online) to get formal recognition for the research and learning I am unofficially undertaking.  I don't mean this to sound arrogant, but I decided I'm too busy learning to be limited by conventional studies.


So, lots of 'NOT's ... but I have been writing.  Even if I don't often have anything to show for it.
I've written ...

*  in my journal:  thoughts about faith, physical and mental health, adjustments to my diet, thinking patterns and lifestyle
*  home ed. lists, plans and ideas, to help me compare and prioritise goals, resources and practicalities for future years
*  essays and articles ... home education, gifted education, why underachievement is over-rated
*  encouragement for writers
*  dreams for an alternative education community resource centre
*  various exercises from an old favourite writer's resource, "The Writer's Path"
*  my own eulogy, after watching this last night!

I don't know what, if anything, will ever come of my writing.  But that's beside the point ... it's just something I love to do.  It's part of me and the way I think and express myself.