Arwa Stone's Blog, page 14
June 28, 2016
June 27, 2016
Passion
When I turned 10, an explosion of poetry came out of me. I don't know what happened. I couldn't stop writing the damn things. It was like a volcano. I filled notebook after notebook. It was fun but also made me look like a freak. Some time later, I started writing short stories. I couldn't stop creating.
Writing wasn't the only thing I loved. I started painting and drawing. I couldn't get enough of it. I went through the starving artist faze and studied Fine Arts too. I loved English literature as much as any day dreaming writer did.
From there, fast forward to a few years ago when I started writing longer stories, songs and more poems. There was a point where I didn't know what to do with myself. I stopped writing for a while but kept writing poems and songs.
There was a weird day at work when I had this idea for a book. I started scribbling things down during my lunch break. When I was back at work again, it was all I was thinking about. When I got home, I cracked open my laptop and started writing the first chapter of my first book. The more I wrote, the more the story unfurled. I wanted to have some element of reality as well as fantasy.
There was a point during the journey when I realised that I was a writer. I was a writer. This is it. It hit me. Shit, no one is going to take me seriously. Everyone is going to hate my book. There was no way I was going support myself as a writer.
These were my old thoughts, my old beliefs. People might tell you exactly what I said before. Ignore them. Keep writing. Finish that damn book and write another one. Passion will keep you going. You know you love it.
I'm still writing now. I still love it. I still write poems and songs. Who cares in what form you write. Remember your passion. It will follow you to your grave. Regret never made anyone into anything. Never give up.
Remember, passion will get you through.
Good night! xxx :)
Writing wasn't the only thing I loved. I started painting and drawing. I couldn't get enough of it. I went through the starving artist faze and studied Fine Arts too. I loved English literature as much as any day dreaming writer did.
From there, fast forward to a few years ago when I started writing longer stories, songs and more poems. There was a point where I didn't know what to do with myself. I stopped writing for a while but kept writing poems and songs.
There was a weird day at work when I had this idea for a book. I started scribbling things down during my lunch break. When I was back at work again, it was all I was thinking about. When I got home, I cracked open my laptop and started writing the first chapter of my first book. The more I wrote, the more the story unfurled. I wanted to have some element of reality as well as fantasy.
There was a point during the journey when I realised that I was a writer. I was a writer. This is it. It hit me. Shit, no one is going to take me seriously. Everyone is going to hate my book. There was no way I was going support myself as a writer.
These were my old thoughts, my old beliefs. People might tell you exactly what I said before. Ignore them. Keep writing. Finish that damn book and write another one. Passion will keep you going. You know you love it. I'm still writing now. I still love it. I still write poems and songs. Who cares in what form you write. Remember your passion. It will follow you to your grave. Regret never made anyone into anything. Never give up.
Remember, passion will get you through.
Good night! xxx :)
June 26, 2016
Starting Out As A Writer Part 2
Starting off as a writer is one of the hardest things, come to think of it. Writers aren't taken as seriously as other jobs. When I was an artist, I'd get the same expression when I said I was a writer; surprise, then a 'you'll never make money as an artist/writer look' and finally a glazed over look.
Although, since JK Rowling had success with Harry Potter, the glazed over look turned into 'oh well, you never know' look. At that point, instead of adopting an F U look, I smile back with a 'DAMN RIGHT' look. Works every time.
As a fiction writer, it all takes a turn for the worst. When asked, 'what kind of writing do you do?'
I reply, 'fiction'.
Here it comes wait for it.
'oh ... what kind of fiction?'
'Fantasy'
I can see the flash of lightening, hear thunder clapping, as suddenly as it went, it's back. The glazed over look.
Now I'm ever more compared to a non-fiction writer. Apparently, they do really well, sell books, make money, have, wait for it, 'VALUE'.
If you think non-fiction writing is the only type of writing that has value, think again. Since I began reading Neil Gaiman's books, I have discovered how many lives have been saved just from reading his books. The hope they have instilled in his readers, including me. That it's possible to do what I love and make a living out of it. Everything is impossible until it has been proven possible. Now this takes me to Alice Through The Looking Glass. There is so much in this film than the story or the movie seems to have on the surface. Time portrayed as a man and time travelling to save the Mad Hatter's family. I won't spoilt it any further if you haven't watched it. It has so many layers to it that it left me awe struck. Fiction digs deeper and pulls at your insides more that non-fiction does. That is my opinion, I'm stating it here.
I found an interesting article about fiction.
http://www.returnofkings.com/35173/on-the-importance-of-fiction-writing
Here is Neil Gaiman's edited lecture for the Reading Agency.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/24/neil-gaiman-face-facts-need-fiction
I hope you've enjoyed this blog.
Good Night :) xxx
Although, since JK Rowling had success with Harry Potter, the glazed over look turned into 'oh well, you never know' look. At that point, instead of adopting an F U look, I smile back with a 'DAMN RIGHT' look. Works every time.
As a fiction writer, it all takes a turn for the worst. When asked, 'what kind of writing do you do?'
I reply, 'fiction'.
Here it comes wait for it.
'oh ... what kind of fiction?'
'Fantasy'
I can see the flash of lightening, hear thunder clapping, as suddenly as it went, it's back. The glazed over look.
Now I'm ever more compared to a non-fiction writer. Apparently, they do really well, sell books, make money, have, wait for it, 'VALUE'.
If you think non-fiction writing is the only type of writing that has value, think again. Since I began reading Neil Gaiman's books, I have discovered how many lives have been saved just from reading his books. The hope they have instilled in his readers, including me. That it's possible to do what I love and make a living out of it. Everything is impossible until it has been proven possible. Now this takes me to Alice Through The Looking Glass. There is so much in this film than the story or the movie seems to have on the surface. Time portrayed as a man and time travelling to save the Mad Hatter's family. I won't spoilt it any further if you haven't watched it. It has so many layers to it that it left me awe struck. Fiction digs deeper and pulls at your insides more that non-fiction does. That is my opinion, I'm stating it here.
I found an interesting article about fiction.
http://www.returnofkings.com/35173/on-the-importance-of-fiction-writing
Here is Neil Gaiman's edited lecture for the Reading Agency.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/24/neil-gaiman-face-facts-need-fiction
I hope you've enjoyed this blog.
Good Night :) xxx
June 23, 2016
Starting Out As A Writer Part 1
When I first started writing my first book, I couldn't stop. It just flowed out and I kept writing until I finished it. After editing, I started pitching to agents and publishers. Getting rejected can be one of the hardest things. At the beginning, I was excited about the rejection e-mails. Why, you're probably asking, was I excited about rejection e-mails?
Well, one of them had to be an acceptance e-mail. One of the 22 e-mails had to say yes. No one said yes, but they were positive rejections. I was mildly surprised. After trying for a while, I decided to self-publish it. I edited again and published it on Amazon through Kindle Direct Publishing. At the beginning there was some traction and then a few sales. A few months later, the excitement was over and the sales dropped. For a coule of years, there were hardly any sales. It was very discouraging, and soul destroying. I didn't stop, I couldn't stop writing. I had to carry on.
It was an odd day when I had the idea of my second book. It came to me at work on a day when I felt like writing a dark story. When I went on my lunch break, I had to write down the ideas in my head. I started getting really excited about it and couldn't get it out of my head. When I got home, I dreamt of the story I had to write. That was the start of the second book.
In the second part of this blog, I'll continue my story as a writer.
Good Night xxx :)
Well, one of them had to be an acceptance e-mail. One of the 22 e-mails had to say yes. No one said yes, but they were positive rejections. I was mildly surprised. After trying for a while, I decided to self-publish it. I edited again and published it on Amazon through Kindle Direct Publishing. At the beginning there was some traction and then a few sales. A few months later, the excitement was over and the sales dropped. For a coule of years, there were hardly any sales. It was very discouraging, and soul destroying. I didn't stop, I couldn't stop writing. I had to carry on.
It was an odd day when I had the idea of my second book. It came to me at work on a day when I felt like writing a dark story. When I went on my lunch break, I had to write down the ideas in my head. I started getting really excited about it and couldn't get it out of my head. When I got home, I dreamt of the story I had to write. That was the start of the second book.
In the second part of this blog, I'll continue my story as a writer.
Good Night xxx :)
Personal Space
I find as a writer that the place I write is my personal space. I tried a couple of times to write in Starbucks and Costa. That was a fail, to some degree. I wanted to see if I could write in a public space. I don't like it. It feels intrusive and awkward.
When I write, I like to write in a space where I feel safe. I like to write in a space that I can control and where I can be myself. I guess that's the curse of the introvert.
I write best in my bedroom on my bed with my notebook and pen beside me. I don't know if anyone else writes this way. I'm going to try to write in public spaces again and see how I do. May be I'll create some sort of a challenge to find a public space that I find safe enough to let my imagination loose.
I'll try to write in a different place once a week and let you know how I get on.
Good Night. xxx :)
When I write, I like to write in a space where I feel safe. I like to write in a space that I can control and where I can be myself. I guess that's the curse of the introvert.
I write best in my bedroom on my bed with my notebook and pen beside me. I don't know if anyone else writes this way. I'm going to try to write in public spaces again and see how I do. May be I'll create some sort of a challenge to find a public space that I find safe enough to let my imagination loose.
I'll try to write in a different place once a week and let you know how I get on.
Good Night. xxx :)
June 22, 2016
June 21, 2016
Hearts and Feelings
During my singing lesson, I was talking to my coach about one of the characters in the book called Eva. I've mentioned her a lot as I've been working on her for a long time. I was telling her that Eva's heart was pulled out when she was staked at Richmond Park. The wolves who attacked her ate the rest of her heart while she lay on the snow watching it fall. When the wolves ran off, she just lay there recovering from the gaping wound in her chest feeling numb and lifeless.
I found this interesting article about the heart and the sense of familiarity.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/308849.php
We started talking about feelings and the heart, how they are linked together as well as the brain. I found it fascinating. I know exactly where to take Eva on her journey now. I won't tell you anymore. You'll just have to wait until I finish the book.
I'm creeping up to 5,000 word now. I like to give myself small targets to get me where I want to go quicker than bigger ones. Bigger target always seem overwhelming to begin with until you start breaking them down. As I write, I keep creating these small targets until I reach the main target. I usually write a bit more than that because I find that psychologically, it tricks me into thinking I'm nearly there. I guess this is one tip into how to write a book.
It's a short one today. I'll catch up with you tomorrow. xxx :)
I found this interesting article about the heart and the sense of familiarity.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/308849.php
We started talking about feelings and the heart, how they are linked together as well as the brain. I found it fascinating. I know exactly where to take Eva on her journey now. I won't tell you anymore. You'll just have to wait until I finish the book.
I'm creeping up to 5,000 word now. I like to give myself small targets to get me where I want to go quicker than bigger ones. Bigger target always seem overwhelming to begin with until you start breaking them down. As I write, I keep creating these small targets until I reach the main target. I usually write a bit more than that because I find that psychologically, it tricks me into thinking I'm nearly there. I guess this is one tip into how to write a book.
It's a short one today. I'll catch up with you tomorrow. xxx :)
