I received a response back from Red today, but it was just someone giving me the right email address and contact to submit a proposal to, so that was quite nice as I'm sure they receive a lot of crap everyday and she didn't really need to, but yay, I've now emailed it off to the right person - so begins the wait for rejection again though lol :) I'm only being realistic people!
Ok, so I quite enjoyed doing my little writing exercise over the last week, or God knows how long it actually took me, so I think I'll do it again :)...ok dig the book out...got it...flick to the first random page...
1. Panic
2. Write about a graduation ceremony that was particularly meaningful for you
3. Virus
Ok, number 2 is just boring, I've been to 3 graduation ceremonies and none of them was particularly meaningful, not even my own, they're just boring events. As much as I love number 3, I feel it could take me years to finish that one as I would probably end up turning it into novel length as I like virus stories. This leave me with number 1; panic. Still a tough choice...hmmm...thinking cap. Could be done from a number of different angles - now I'm panicking! haha
Monday, 17 May 2010
Sunday, 16 May 2010
Writing
So I have finally finished that marathon story, as you can see in the post below. I have also finally gotten around to re-emailing Red since I haven't heard from them regarding my article proposal (which isn't very surprising, I hadn't actually expected to) but I'm following the rules from my course which say you can follow up a lack of response asking if they have made any decision yet, and then if I don't hear anything again in the next 2-3 weeks, I send another email saying that if I haven't heard from them in a number of days then I will assume they don't want it and I am free to submit it to another magazine. So it might be worth my while investigating other magazines I could send it to.
In the week, I also bough a subscription to The Lady magazine. I have no idea what it's like but they had an offer of 5 magazines for £5 so I thought that was probably much cheaper than buying a couple of them in the shop, plus I haven't actually seen the magazine anywhere yet. So hopefully it should get here very soon as it's a weekly magazine, and I can have a flick through and try and get some inspiration.
As I've said in a previous post, I started on my Assignment 3 doing the do's and don'ts list for bridesmaids. I've asked Laura a couple of questions which I'm hoping will help me finish that but she's so busy with her uni work that she doesn't have a chance at the minute, but I don't mind at all as I don't have any deadlines, and I need to do something else as well for the assignment as I don't think the list will be 2000 words.
Dad showed me the magazine that Pet Plan insurance send out every so often and it had some interesting stuff in there and said I could send in a letter to them about Jay, which would be a good idea. We managed to come up with quite a few ideas about what I could write about Jay - anything from him having been bought to help with my phobia and him being as scared of spiders as I was - and then how he got better with them and chased the down. Also could do something about all his allergies he has and how over the years Pet Plan insurance has helped with the cost of all of that, which might be a good way to get it published, by saying wonderful things about the company :)
Well I need to go now and have a look at this magazine and see how I can fit Jay into it. There's also the option of writing a filler about him, either for this magazine, or something like Your Dog possibly.
In the week, I also bough a subscription to The Lady magazine. I have no idea what it's like but they had an offer of 5 magazines for £5 so I thought that was probably much cheaper than buying a couple of them in the shop, plus I haven't actually seen the magazine anywhere yet. So hopefully it should get here very soon as it's a weekly magazine, and I can have a flick through and try and get some inspiration.
As I've said in a previous post, I started on my Assignment 3 doing the do's and don'ts list for bridesmaids. I've asked Laura a couple of questions which I'm hoping will help me finish that but she's so busy with her uni work that she doesn't have a chance at the minute, but I don't mind at all as I don't have any deadlines, and I need to do something else as well for the assignment as I don't think the list will be 2000 words.
Dad showed me the magazine that Pet Plan insurance send out every so often and it had some interesting stuff in there and said I could send in a letter to them about Jay, which would be a good idea. We managed to come up with quite a few ideas about what I could write about Jay - anything from him having been bought to help with my phobia and him being as scared of spiders as I was - and then how he got better with them and chased the down. Also could do something about all his allergies he has and how over the years Pet Plan insurance has helped with the cost of all of that, which might be a good way to get it published, by saying wonderful things about the company :)
Well I need to go now and have a look at this magazine and see how I can fit Jay into it. There's also the option of writing a filler about him, either for this magazine, or something like Your Dog possibly.
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Well it's the middle of the week now and today is my reception day - which is ok, especially since I have been "looking after" the quality street :-) which is also bad though as I have been eating my unfair share of them lol. But they're almost all gone now, so I'll soon be saved! yay!
Saw Peter Kay last night and it was very good, he's still got the funniness - though why he chose Rick Astley to do the warm up act I don't know - it was actually boring and every song sounded the same! AS for Peter Kay, there was only a couple of jokes that I'd heard before and the rest was fresh stuff which was quite impressive. The encore was very entertaining and wish I'd been on the floor so the sparkly stuff could have reached me :-)
So going home tonight to do nothing except catch up on some TV stuff I've missed this week - Derren Brown, Fringe and the new Junior Apprentice starts tonight as well so got a few things on, but at least it should be quite relaxing. Yes I know i should probably be doing some writing but with being out so late last night (on a school night and everything) I think I'd probably write mush - well that's my excuse anyway! haha
Also got told off by Carol last night for not finishing the marathon story yet - I was shocked as didn't think anybody was even reading the blog still lol - oh well must be careful what I say from now on on the just in case :p lol
Gotta get off now
Saw Peter Kay last night and it was very good, he's still got the funniness - though why he chose Rick Astley to do the warm up act I don't know - it was actually boring and every song sounded the same! AS for Peter Kay, there was only a couple of jokes that I'd heard before and the rest was fresh stuff which was quite impressive. The encore was very entertaining and wish I'd been on the floor so the sparkly stuff could have reached me :-)
So going home tonight to do nothing except catch up on some TV stuff I've missed this week - Derren Brown, Fringe and the new Junior Apprentice starts tonight as well so got a few things on, but at least it should be quite relaxing. Yes I know i should probably be doing some writing but with being out so late last night (on a school night and everything) I think I'd probably write mush - well that's my excuse anyway! haha
Also got told off by Carol last night for not finishing the marathon story yet - I was shocked as didn't think anybody was even reading the blog still lol - oh well must be careful what I say from now on on the just in case :p lol
Gotta get off now
Sunday, 9 May 2010
Back to Sunday again
How does this always happen so quickly? I don't think I should be surprised by this any more really haha :)
So I have finally started assignment 3, with what I think will be a filler. It was actually Sian's idea, or rather what she said made me look at a previous idea in a different way which I think will work better for it. For assignment 2 I'd considered doing an artcile on being a bridesmaid so many times, in a similar style to the intolerances one I actually did - so it would have been an article from my point of view. But I didn't think it was very marketable really, so I scrapped the idea. But talking to Sian yesterday, she suggested doing a do's and don'ts of being a bridesmaid, so that's exactly what I've started to do. I thought something quite short and simple like this could possibly be marketed at a bridal magazine, the bride could give it to their bridesmaids to read - actually would be cool to have it as a pull-out section but I don't think they'd appreciate me suggesting that lol.
I've still not finished doing the marathon story either lol, I need to spend more time writing I think. I might go to the library tomorrow to get some done, or should I go dancing? I feel like I'm just doing no exercise whatsoever and eating a load of crap and putting on loads of weight :-( I keep avoiding trying all my summer clothes on cos I feel like they're all going to be too small and that's my least favourite reason for going out shopping! But then I just get to the end of the day and can't be bothered, which is so lazy and unlike me really. I think having the sinus issues for so long, which have made me very lethargic are still continuing on unfortunately and I'm hoping it will start to ease up soon. I think I should start avoiding all the crap foods, and stop snacking so much and that should help a bit, although not loads in only 7 weeks.
Anyway back to it
So I have finally started assignment 3, with what I think will be a filler. It was actually Sian's idea, or rather what she said made me look at a previous idea in a different way which I think will work better for it. For assignment 2 I'd considered doing an artcile on being a bridesmaid so many times, in a similar style to the intolerances one I actually did - so it would have been an article from my point of view. But I didn't think it was very marketable really, so I scrapped the idea. But talking to Sian yesterday, she suggested doing a do's and don'ts of being a bridesmaid, so that's exactly what I've started to do. I thought something quite short and simple like this could possibly be marketed at a bridal magazine, the bride could give it to their bridesmaids to read - actually would be cool to have it as a pull-out section but I don't think they'd appreciate me suggesting that lol.
I've still not finished doing the marathon story either lol, I need to spend more time writing I think. I might go to the library tomorrow to get some done, or should I go dancing? I feel like I'm just doing no exercise whatsoever and eating a load of crap and putting on loads of weight :-( I keep avoiding trying all my summer clothes on cos I feel like they're all going to be too small and that's my least favourite reason for going out shopping! But then I just get to the end of the day and can't be bothered, which is so lazy and unlike me really. I think having the sinus issues for so long, which have made me very lethargic are still continuing on unfortunately and I'm hoping it will start to ease up soon. I think I should start avoiding all the crap foods, and stop snacking so much and that should help a bit, although not loads in only 7 weeks.
Anyway back to it
Friday, 7 May 2010
Woo Friday!!!
And we're back to Friday - time is actually going by so fast at the moment, it's unreal! We're not far off being halfway through the year already.
I do like my little writing exercise I've decided to do, but I haven't finished the first one yet. I wonder whether doing this might actually create a short story out of it that could potentially be submitted for the competition in June as I'm finding it difficult to look at both the competition and my assignments, and also I'm supposed to be trying to write articles for submission :(
Speaking of which, it wil be 2 weeks on Sunday since I sent the email proposal to Red Magazine and I haven't heard anything back and according to my course documents, I can send a polite request to them. So I will try and structure that over the weekend. So much to do, so little time - ok ok, so much to do, so much procrastination! I so need to shift my arse into gear and get into it!!! I know I keep saying this over and over and that's not really helping me much really is it? lol
Since I'm home tonight, I might try and get something done - probably finish the story on here.
Right lunch almost over
I do like my little writing exercise I've decided to do, but I haven't finished the first one yet. I wonder whether doing this might actually create a short story out of it that could potentially be submitted for the competition in June as I'm finding it difficult to look at both the competition and my assignments, and also I'm supposed to be trying to write articles for submission :(
Speaking of which, it wil be 2 weeks on Sunday since I sent the email proposal to Red Magazine and I haven't heard anything back and according to my course documents, I can send a polite request to them. So I will try and structure that over the weekend. So much to do, so little time - ok ok, so much to do, so much procrastination! I so need to shift my arse into gear and get into it!!! I know I keep saying this over and over and that's not really helping me much really is it? lol
Since I'm home tonight, I might try and get something done - probably finish the story on here.
Right lunch almost over
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
An idea
Hello
So I've had an idea. I have this "Writer's Block" book thing, which is an aid to 'jump-start your imagination'. There's lots of little square pages which add up to a block, ingeniously enough. Now I've no used this since I got it about a year ago (oops) but I thought I could maybe have a go at utilising it on here. So if I just pick a page at random and then have a go at writing something on that subject, saying, topic etc and see how it goes?
Now when I say I'll pick a page at random, what I actually mean to say is that I'll pick a page at random and see if I like it or not, if not, I'll pick another, and so on until I find one I like :) I think that seems extremely fair. I will write down all the pages I pick and if anyone would like to contribute to any of those that are left unpicked, or indeed the one that is picked, please feel free. OK, I have come back to slightly amend my way of choosing - I will go to 3 pages randomly and I have to pick from one of them.
According to the block, there are 3 different types of writing exercises: a writing challenge - which are short assignments designed to get you writing as quickly as possible. You can only ponder the exercise for a couple of minutes, then you just have to get going (although I doubt the book will find out if you think for five minutes!). This particular exercise is always paired with a photograph, relevant to the challenge, which you can use to help you, or not as you see fit.
Exercise type 2 is 'Spark Words'. This will just be a single word, also accompanied with a photograph(s).
The last exercise is 'Writing Topics' which is advice from authors, which may or may not conclude with an exercise.
Ok let's give this a go then - drum roll please - and the first page has opened to...'Marathon' with a picture of people (amazingly) running a marathon. Ok, let me think for those allowed couple of minutes...ok, onto the next page -'write about the worst driving you have ever done' Moi? Bad driving, I don't think so! :p haha lol - to be honest, I can think of a couple of occasions but it'd very boring, normal things and the 3rd one is 'Fireworks'. OK, give me a minute (or 5) to think about these 3 topics, well 2 as I'm already discounting the worst driving one.
Read my next post to find out what I choose, well to be fair, it'll be the first post you see as you'l see the newer post before this one :)
So I've had an idea. I have this "Writer's Block" book thing, which is an aid to 'jump-start your imagination'. There's lots of little square pages which add up to a block, ingeniously enough. Now I've no used this since I got it about a year ago (oops) but I thought I could maybe have a go at utilising it on here. So if I just pick a page at random and then have a go at writing something on that subject, saying, topic etc and see how it goes?
Now when I say I'll pick a page at random, what I actually mean to say is that I'll pick a page at random and see if I like it or not, if not, I'll pick another, and so on until I find one I like :) I think that seems extremely fair. I will write down all the pages I pick and if anyone would like to contribute to any of those that are left unpicked, or indeed the one that is picked, please feel free. OK, I have come back to slightly amend my way of choosing - I will go to 3 pages randomly and I have to pick from one of them.
According to the block, there are 3 different types of writing exercises: a writing challenge - which are short assignments designed to get you writing as quickly as possible. You can only ponder the exercise for a couple of minutes, then you just have to get going (although I doubt the book will find out if you think for five minutes!). This particular exercise is always paired with a photograph, relevant to the challenge, which you can use to help you, or not as you see fit.
Exercise type 2 is 'Spark Words'. This will just be a single word, also accompanied with a photograph(s).
The last exercise is 'Writing Topics' which is advice from authors, which may or may not conclude with an exercise.
Ok let's give this a go then - drum roll please - and the first page has opened to...'Marathon' with a picture of people (amazingly) running a marathon. Ok, let me think for those allowed couple of minutes...ok, onto the next page -'write about the worst driving you have ever done' Moi? Bad driving, I don't think so! :p haha lol - to be honest, I can think of a couple of occasions but it'd very boring, normal things and the 3rd one is 'Fireworks'. OK, give me a minute (or 5) to think about these 3 topics, well 2 as I'm already discounting the worst driving one.
Read my next post to find out what I choose, well to be fair, it'll be the first post you see as you'l see the newer post before this one :)
Monday, 3 May 2010
May Day
It's been a few days since I last wrote anything on here. I think my apathy has come from struggling a lot with my third assignment for my writing course. I've spent some time focusing on this and not really getting anywhere that I suppose the idea of writing on here also hasn't really appealed. But i'm back on here now and I must say I'm quite pleased that I have 19 blogs written in April. My aim is to beat that this month :-)
So this has been the bank holiday weekend - we've had the typical rainy weather, but it's not been all bad, it's quite sunny today, although I haven't left the house. I had a great time at Sian's on Friday when me and Carol went over for a games evening and also to eat Sian's yummy cooking - Caribbean meatballs, mmmmm..so pretty! I even managed to win 2 games! Very unlike me so I was chuffed with myself haha - although it's more likely to be down to an off day with Carol and Sian than me being better than normal lol.
So it's back to work tomorrow - time goes so quickly, it's just felt like a normal weekend, even though I've had an extra 2 days off! But never mind. It will be nice seeing Karen back at work tomorrow - those 9 months have flown over, can't believe she's back already! Speaking of time flying, who can believe we're in May??? It doesn't feel like any time since Christmas was here and then we were hit with the snow storms.
Spoke to Phil and Lisa on Skype yesterday and they were saying they're currently preferring the idea of a driving holiday within Texas. Possibly driving down to Houston/Galveston which is on the South coast of Texas, and hire a beach house down there -and of course you have to visit the space station...Houston...we have a problem :-) Then there was talk of driving over to San Antonio and then back up to Dallas. It would be a nice trip. Phil said he was going to look into things to do etc and send me an email on it. That kind of spurred us into a bit of holiday action as we booked car hire today and also my mum and dad's travel insurance. We also wanted to put our heavy wniter clothes into the loft, and to do that meant we had to bring our summer clothes down, so it was exciting to see all those nice pretty clothes that we'll be taking away with us! I was also tempted into looking at the KLM website to see how much our flights were now, which I know can be quite a dangerous move and make you feel really bad, but not in this case, the cost had increased dramatically to £1073!!! wow! Don't know if that's something to do with the ash cloud possibly, and all the money they lost from that that they're trying to recoup? Ah well, not bad for us anyway lol.
Well so much for my plan to get some writing done. I'm finding it hard to find that balance between doing assignment and writing my stories, not sure what the ratio should be so it's kind of levelled out at 0:0 haha. I really need to knuckle down and get some done -I need time off work where I actually have nothing planned, not sure that will happen in the near future though :-(
Anyway better get off, almost dinner time
So this has been the bank holiday weekend - we've had the typical rainy weather, but it's not been all bad, it's quite sunny today, although I haven't left the house. I had a great time at Sian's on Friday when me and Carol went over for a games evening and also to eat Sian's yummy cooking - Caribbean meatballs, mmmmm..so pretty! I even managed to win 2 games! Very unlike me so I was chuffed with myself haha - although it's more likely to be down to an off day with Carol and Sian than me being better than normal lol.
So it's back to work tomorrow - time goes so quickly, it's just felt like a normal weekend, even though I've had an extra 2 days off! But never mind. It will be nice seeing Karen back at work tomorrow - those 9 months have flown over, can't believe she's back already! Speaking of time flying, who can believe we're in May??? It doesn't feel like any time since Christmas was here and then we were hit with the snow storms.
Spoke to Phil and Lisa on Skype yesterday and they were saying they're currently preferring the idea of a driving holiday within Texas. Possibly driving down to Houston/Galveston which is on the South coast of Texas, and hire a beach house down there -and of course you have to visit the space station...Houston...we have a problem :-) Then there was talk of driving over to San Antonio and then back up to Dallas. It would be a nice trip. Phil said he was going to look into things to do etc and send me an email on it. That kind of spurred us into a bit of holiday action as we booked car hire today and also my mum and dad's travel insurance. We also wanted to put our heavy wniter clothes into the loft, and to do that meant we had to bring our summer clothes down, so it was exciting to see all those nice pretty clothes that we'll be taking away with us! I was also tempted into looking at the KLM website to see how much our flights were now, which I know can be quite a dangerous move and make you feel really bad, but not in this case, the cost had increased dramatically to £1073!!! wow! Don't know if that's something to do with the ash cloud possibly, and all the money they lost from that that they're trying to recoup? Ah well, not bad for us anyway lol.
Well so much for my plan to get some writing done. I'm finding it hard to find that balance between doing assignment and writing my stories, not sure what the ratio should be so it's kind of levelled out at 0:0 haha. I really need to knuckle down and get some done -I need time off work where I actually have nothing planned, not sure that will happen in the near future though :-(
Anyway better get off, almost dinner time
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