Tag Archives: fiction

Day 1 – Three hundred words

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If you have stumbled across my blog and are thinking “Day 1 of what?), have a quick read of this explanation:

I have set myself a challenge and need your help, (please).

Day 1

How can it be that hard? Three hundred words? I mean, that’s basically a shopping list and a to-do list, right? Actually, you probably don’t even need the shopping list, we all have so much to do each day. That has to be three hundred words. Having said that, I don’t imagine you will get a tremendous amount of pleasure from reading my to-do list. Therefore, I need to write something of interest, gain or amusement. But still, three hundred words a day, surely I can do that. Clearly not. I decided four days ago to start, and today is my first attempt. Why is it so hard? I want to write. I have a story to tell. I want to help people. And yet, I don’t. I find every reason I can think of not to do it. What the hell is that all about? Well, I can tell you. Procrastination, due to fear of rejection, people won’t find it interesting, good enough or get value from it. No one would want to hear my story anyway, I am a nobody. A nobody with a story to tell. Isn’t everyone? Or should I say, hasn’t everyone (a stoy to tell, that is)? Tell me a bit about you and I am all ears, I love to hear about other peoples lives, the good and bad bits.

However, I have convinced myself that no one wants to hear mine. Even though so many people have suggested that I tell my story, “You really need to write this; it will help so many people.” I have spent hours thinking of book titles, front cover photos, back cover write-ups, and how I will market it, and I haven’t written a bloody word. Stop thinking of the outcome, Liz, and enjoy the journey. But I am terrified it won’t be good enough. Despite always saying if my story can help just one person, then everything I have gone through will be worth it. I don’t think I mean it. Well I do mean it, that would be incredible. But, I want to help everyone, always have, and likely always will. To my detriment, I might add. I often forget about me. You can’t help others if you don’t help yourself. Isn’t that selfish? Oh, I can’t do that; what will people think of me? How do I turn my brain off? Well, not fully, obviously. Perhaps reprogramme would be a better choice of word. 

And there is it: in just a few minutes, I wrote 300 words. You may think it is utter shit, and you are perfectly entitled to it. I may think it is utter shit (I haven’t re-read it yet), but that’s ok. I got the bloody words down and I am satisfied. Let’s see what tomorrow brings!

If you would like to join me on this journey, please like, subscribe and comment. If you make a comment, please explain what it was that made you feel that way.

Thanks, Liz

I have set myself a challenge and need your help, (please).

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As some of you may know, I have been through quite a lot, I recently had my 18th surgery and I was suicidal for a few years. I would like to write a book to tell my story in the hope that my experiences will help others.

However, I have been wanting to do this for years, taken numerous writing course but to no avail. I am currently on holiday and have just read the book Bird by Bird written by Anne Lamott. I have found numerous snippets to help me on my writing journey but the one I have decided to grab by the jugular is this. Aim to write three hundred words a day.

So, this is what I have challenged myself to do.

Anne Lamott, also discusses the fact that one should just write because no-one reads the “Shitty first draft”. I have made a decision, that I may live to regret. People are going to read my “Shitty first draft”

I will write at least three hundred words every day this year (or until I get death threats if I don’t stop writing). No particular theme planned as yet but one might materialise. These excerpts, for want of a better expression, will then be posted on my blog, without being edited (other than spelling mistakes). What you read will be exactly what I wrote straight away. I know, no writer in their right mind would do that, I am pretty sure that in no time at all it will become blatantly clear that I am not in my right mind. Besides, if you don’t take risks you will never know what you are capable of.

One of the reasons I have chosen to share my daily writing exercises is I need your help. When we first start something new there is always an element of excitement that provides momentum. However, as time goes by and the novelty wears off, so does the momentum and this is when we are prone to giving up. I want to write my book so badly that I am prepared to be vulnerable and share my ramblings with you in the hope that over time I will find my voice, my writing style and my courage to get the job done.

If you would like to join me on this journey, please subscribe to my blog. On the right hand side of the post is a box for your email address, fill that in and click on the follow button below and you will receive a notification each time I post.

If you choose to follow me and would like to encourage me to keep going please like the posts but more importantly, please leave a comment. This doesn’t have to be positive, although that is rewarding it doesn’t help me improve. Therefore, if you leave a comment, please add why you felt that way. For instance, if you like it, say why e.g. it made you laugh, it resonated with you, you like my style. Alternatively, if you didn’t like it, say why e.g it made no sense, your sentence structure needs improving, it was just plain boring.

And then…

If you don’t mind.

Give me some hints or tips on how to improve, e.g. I want to understand why you felt that way. I need more detail, give me some senses, what did you see, what could you hear. By the way, I know I haven’t used senses in my first 2 so you probably don’t need to spell that out for me. Anything you can add that will help me grow as a writer witl be gratefully received. Well, maybe not gratefully when I first read it but once I have taken my head out of the oven, calmed down and appreciated the fact you are helping me. Then I will be grateful.

I will finish this now, unedited, as stated.

I hope to have you on board, if you’re up for it, remember to add your email address and hit the follow button.

Thanks in advance,