Famous for literary classics including Animal Farm and the dystopian thriller 1984, George Orwell is arguably one the world’s finest ever word smiths.
The first ever novel Orwell wrote was called Down and Out in Paris in London, for which he exchanged his upper-class roots and tweed jacket for the impoverished life of a bottom feeder in two of Europe’s most cut-throat cities. Continue reading
Although the stereotype of the starving artist is something we’ve all heard of, in order to produce work of any significant value (of course, there are exceptions), our brain needs fuel for the engine. In fact, brain cells rely on more food energy than any other cells in the body in order to function at its fullest.
If you’re in a creative slump and in need of a boost, here are four brain foods that will lend a helping hand… Continue reading
Jim was lost in an eyeball circus of beams, bells and Lucky Sevens. Today was going to be the day.
Having grown up in Reno, Jim knew all about the majesty of the slots; how they made men and broke them in two; how they sucked you in and then spat you out without warning. But, of course, that was the appeal. Continue reading
A manifesto is a public declaration of policy, aims and promises. These are mainly issued by political parties just before a big election and it’s fair to say, that many of them are not worth the paper they’re written on.
There are so many incredible books and publications out there, that sometimes, it’s difficult to know what to pick up next.
So, as part of the Must Reads series, I’d like to introduce you to Hoxton Mini Press…
Founded in 2013 by Martin Usborne and Ann Waldvogel, Hoxton Mini Press is a small yet mighty independent publisher of collectible art books about East London – one of the capital’s most iconic and vibrant areas. Continue reading
In this second instalment of Flash Corner, I’d like to present my Hit the Road mini series.
This consists of two pieces of Flash Fiction loosely based around one of my own travelling experiences. Essentially, both tell the same tale but from two different perspectives:
Hitching South
It was rocky on the road to Dunedin.
I sat cramped in the rear corner of the campervan amongst two American tourists, two travel companions, six bags, three guitars and one overzealous German Shepherd; it was getting warm.
The day was bright and prosperous, as were the blue and emerald blurs of the South Island buzzing by the window. We had been chatting and singing, but as the temperature grew and our thoughts became our own, an exhausted, almost paranoid atmosphere began to linger in the air – we were no longer a bunch of happy campers.
Before long, the Americans were dropped off on their merry way, leaving myself and my two friends at the mercy of the German Shepherd’s sloppy embrace. Twilight set in above us and we were heading for the sticks. The friendly man with the bushy beard driving us became less jovial and more subdued as we trawled along barren land which showed no sign of the city lights.
Nerves grew; sweat steamed the passenger windows and our fists began to tighten as we looked at each other in disbelief.
Someone had to do something. We had to find out where this hill dweller was taking us.
“Excuse me friend, how far are we from Dunedin?”
“Far enough not to see it” replied our bearded driver as he grinned and showed tombstone teeth.
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Driving Back
I like company on the way back from the North Island, even with the dog it gets lonely.
It’s not even so much being able to prod and probe someone for information, it’s just the ambient sound of crowd noise and sing songs in the background that keeps me entertained; you know like when you leave the telly on to do the dishes.
That’s why I pick ‘em up and cram ‘em in. There are lots of backpackers hustling for a free ride on the road from Christchurch to Dunedin so I’m rarely ride on my own these days – the wife tells me not to trust people and their unpredictable ways, but she’s one to talk.
Occasionally they’re chatty, sometimes they’re silent and other times they just talk and joke amongst themselves as if I’m not even there; they’re the best ones.
Last week I picked up a bunch like that. When the two American guys went on their merry way it went a bit quiet, so I cranked up the radio and ploughed on into evening. After some rustling and bustling in the back one of them asked me how far we were from their destination, to which I replied “far enough not to see it”.
They didn’t like that too much and firmly requested that I pull them over on the most desolate country road they’d probably ever seen. They even tried to take Shep hostage: I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Just as things started to get real heated, we pulled into my driveway where my full beams glistened on the faces of my wife and children and things were instantly diffused.
Hours prior to our little funny little face-off, I overheard them saying that they’d blown most of their dosh in Wellington and hadn’t eaten properly for a while, which was plainly obvious due to their pale complexions and the tent-like sweaters that swayed from their coat hanger shoulders.
That’s why I took a detour: to invite them in to for a feed and allow them to book accommodation with my internet facilities. Yes, even a hill-billy like me surfs the web sometimes!
After a hearty meal, a few smiles and some friendly banter I dropped them at the pub up the road so they could grab a pint and pick up a local connection into the city.
They returned to my doorstep beaten, bloody and potless less than an hour later. The three of them had been turned over by the locals, so I let them to stay the night and then drove them to the British Embassy in Dunedin the following morning.
I went down that pub today and collected one third of their bags, coats, passports and wallets. Well, there’s no such thing as a free ride, is there?
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Next year I’ll be relocating the blog, and launching my literary publication. In the meantime, if you’re a keen writer of fiction and would like to be published as part of Flash Corner, please drop me a line.
For those who make their living out of words, writer’s block can be a real plague.
Your fingers hit the keys, your eyes go out of focus and your start to sweat – as you’ve just realised that you can’t string one engaging or even legible sentence together. Frankly, it’s a nightmare.
If you’re currently browsing the web because you’re suffering from a bout of writer’s block, here are 5 quick fire tips that will help clear your head, and get back on that all-important wordy horse…
Before we go any further, the first thing to remember is – don’t get discouraged. This writer’s block business is only a fleeting thing and you can overcome it.
Step away from your writing and do something else that’s creative: make a collage, take some photos, paint a picture. Whatever you do, it is sure to free you from the shackles of your slump and leave the mind feeling fresh.
Try Freewriting: get into the habit of doing this for around 10 minutes every day. What do you do? You just write. Get up a fresh word doc or blank piece of paper and put down whatever comes into your head, ignoring standard structure or punctuation. This will allow your thoughts and ideas to spill onto the page organically and help you get back on track.
Cast away distractions: Your phone, television, personal emails, social media, magazines, radio; basically anything that will take you away from stringing a solid thought together. Yes, audio and visual things can help give us inspiration sometimes, but when you have a serious case of the block, it’s essential to be able to focus when you are at the screen. In this case, a neutral, silent, internet free room without gadgets is just what the doctor ordered!
Write at the pinnacle time of day: Research suggests that many of us are at our most productive, alert and creative, either very early in the morning, or very late at night. Depending on your personality and situation, pick what’s best for you, then stick to it for a while. Take a decent writing break in the middle of your day, and tune into your words at your pinnacle time – from personal experience, this really helps your writing to flourish.
Get moving: with creative disciplines, positive stress if often the key to creativity. So if you’re in a little bit of a rut, head outside and do something active. Go for a cycle, jog or a long walk – this has been scientifically proven to help relax the mind and re-set the cogs so that you’re essentially working with a blank canvas. As you are in motion, you are bound to connect those missing dots and when you return to the computer, you’ll be a lean, mean word churning machine. If walking etc. doesn’t work for you, meditation also has very positive creative effects.
If you’ve been sat staring aimlessly at your screen for a long time and don’t know what to do with yourself, read over these tips, step away from the computer, free your mind and before long, you’ll be back to your old creative self.
Please let us know how you get on by leaving a comment below: have these methods helped your writing, or have you found others that have proved effective?
Image: Drew Coffman via Flickr
Words are a powerful thing.
To demonstrate the power of words and how they can make us feel, I’d like to share this video put together by Rethink Homelessness.
Recently, a group of homeless people in Orlando Florida were each asked to write down a personal or interesting fact about themselves and show it to the camera, and it’s fair to say the the results is pretty amazing…
So there you have it: The Power of Words in action.
Keep your eyes peeled for more from this series over the coming months.
What do words mean to you? Let us know by leaving a comment.
Image: David Blackwell via Flickr
The written word is an incredibly valuable component when it comes to expressing thoughts and feelings, sharing experiences, creating vivid scenes, describing situations, selling things…the list goes on.
Putting words together isn’t something that always comes easy, even to the most gifted writers among us, and often when we try to express ourselves through text, the words don’t necessarily come out as eloquently as we would like.
So, if you are currently struggling to tackle a tough literary project, perhaps these little pearls of wisdom (or at the very least, bold statements) will offer you the inspiration you need to put pen to paper (so to speak) and achieve the results you are craving…
To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme.
To gain your own voice, you have to forget about it being heard.
If a nation loses its storytellers, it loses its childhood
Style is to forget all styles
If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it
Okay, these quotes may not completely change your life or exactly tell you how to write, but hopefully, they’ve given you the gusto to review your current work, get stuck in and attack it with a brand new attitude – good luck!
If you have any tips or advice to offer those struggling with how to write, please leave your comments here.
Images: Juliette and Tempus Volat via Flickr
In today’s virtual world, working from home is becoming an increasingly popular option for many, as it provides the freedom, autonomy and flexibility that a traditional PAYE job often can’t.
Although working from home sounds great, it is very easy to get distracted by familiar comforts such as the TV and occasionally, without a regimented office schedule or the chance to talk to colleagues, a severe lack of motivation or inspiration can occur – this is never good, particularly if your livelihood depends on your own creativity.
So, apart from setting yourself up a suitable work station, what can you do to get inspired when working from home? Here are a few tips… Continue reading
Catchy Content Writing 