Lucy Mitchell's Blog, page 48

When Struggling With Your Writing Always Think – Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

Being a writer isn’t easy. Sometimes those good writing days can feel like a distant memory or even a rarity.

I have found that when I am struggling with my writing looking at the creative process through a different lens helps.

For noting, I’ve also found chocolate, gin & tonics and interpretative dances in my kitchen (when no one is looking) also help, but they are all for another blog post.

Here’s a different way of looking at the writing process. This has kept me going and has made me scurry back to my writing desk on several occasions.

Think Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

I believe writing can be likened to the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

Caterpillar Stage:

The caterpillar performs the same daily tasks; eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down a leaf.

You, the writer, are the caterpillar. As well as eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down your leaf, you also write, read and tweet. 

Chrysalis Stage:

Something inside the caterpillar tells it to enter a private and transformational stage of its life. This involves locking itself away in a protective shell known as the chrysalis. Within the chrysalis the caterpillar goes through great change and personal growth. It also dissolves into a gooey mess and then rebuilds itself.

Something inside of you, normally a new idea for a story, instructs you to enter a private and transformational stage of your life. This involves locking yourself away in your own chrysalis; limiting social media, setting yourself daily word count targets and thinking about what possessed you to work on such a ridiculous idea for a story. Like the caterpillar you also go through great change. I believe working on every draft of a novel changes you in some way and there’s so much personal growth happening as you are overcoming countless struggles. At the same time you are also dissolving into a gooey / emotional mess over your characters, the plot and the story in your head not resembling what’s coming out onto the page.

Butterfly Stage:

There is a period of intense struggle as the creature inside the chrysalis struggles to break free. The caterpillar has been transformed into something truly wonderful – a butterfly.

There is a period of intense struggle for you too; self-doubt, worrying what the world will think of your idea and sleepless nights just thinking about pressing send on the email containing the draft of your story. Finally you also break free and stagger out of your private place. Something wonderful has happened to you too. You have undergone your own transformation; you’ve got the first draft of a novel in your hand. You have created a new world, brought characters to life and encouraged them to step off the page. You have also changed as a writer and learnt something new about yourself.

Writing is a process and I’m afraid, like the caterpillar, we have to go through all the stages.

Wherever you are at with your writing see it as a stage. It won’t last forever and one day you will become the butterfly!

Have a good day shuffling up and down your leaf!

When Struggling With Your Writing Always Think – Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

Being a writer isn’t easy. Sometimes those good writing days can feel like a distant memory or even a rarity.

I have found that when I am struggling with my writing looking at the creative process through a different lens helps.

For noting, I’ve also found chocolate, gin & tonics and interpretative dances in my kitchen (when no one is looking) also help, but they are all for another blog post.

Here’s a different way of looking at the writing process. This has kept me going and has made me scurry back to my writing desk on several occasions.

Think Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

I believe writing can be likened to the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

Caterpillar Stage:

The caterpillar performs the same daily tasks; eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down a leaf.

You, the writer, are the caterpillar. As well as eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down your leaf, you also write, read and tweet. 

Chrysalis Stage:

Something inside the caterpillar tells it to enter a private and transformational stage of its life. This involves locking itself away in a protective shell known as the chrysalis. Within the chrysalis the caterpillar goes through great change and personal growth. It also dissolves into a gooey mess and then rebuilds itself.

Something inside of you, normally a new idea for a story, instructs you to enter a private and transformational stage of your life. This involves locking yourself away in your own chrysalis; limiting social media, setting yourself daily word count targets and thinking about what possessed you to work on such a ridiculous idea for a story. Like the caterpillar you also go through great change. I believe working on every draft of a novel changes you in some way and there’s so much personal growth happening as you are overcoming countless struggles. At the same time you are also dissolving into a gooey / emotional mess over your characters, the plot and the story in your head not resembling what’s coming out onto the page.

Butterfly Stage:

There is a period of intense struggle as the creature inside the chrysalis struggles to break free. The caterpillar has been transformed into something truly wonderful – a butterfly.

There is a period of intense struggle for you too; self-doubt, worrying what the world will think of your idea and sleepless nights just thinking about pressing send on the email containing the draft of your story. Finally you also break free and stagger out of your private place. Something wonderful has happened to you too. You have undergone your own transformation; you’ve got the first draft of a novel in your hand. You have created a new world, brought characters to life and encouraged them to step off the page. You have also changed as a writer and learnt something new about yourself.

Writing is a process and I’m afraid, like the caterpillar, we have to go through all the stages.

Wherever you are at with your writing see it as a stage. It won’t last forever and one day you will become the butterfly!

Have a good day shuffling up and down your leaf!

When Struggling With Your Writing Always Think – Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

Being a writer isn’t easy. Sometimes those good writing days can feel like a distant memory or even a rarity.

I have found that when I am struggling with my writing looking at the creative process through a different lens helps.

For noting, I’ve also found chocolate, gin & tonics and interpretative dances in my kitchen (when no one is looking) also help, but they are all for another blog post.

Here’s a different way of looking at the writing process. This has kept me going and has made me scurry back to my writing desk on several occasions.

Think Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

I believe writing can be likened to the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

Caterpillar Stage:

The caterpillar performs the same daily tasks; eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down a leaf.

You, the writer, are the caterpillar. As well as eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down your leaf, you also write, read and tweet. 

Chrysalis Stage:

Something inside the caterpillar tells it to enter a private and transformational stage of its life. This involves locking itself away in a protective shell known as the chrysalis. Within the chrysalis the caterpillar goes through great change and personal growth. It also dissolves into a gooey mess and then rebuilds itself.

Something inside of you, normally a new idea for a story, instructs you to enter a private and transformational stage of your life. This involves locking yourself away in your own chrysalis; limiting social media, setting yourself daily word count targets and thinking about what possessed you to work on such a ridiculous idea for a story. Like the caterpillar you also go through great change. I believe working on every draft of a novel changes you in some way and there’s so much personal growth happening as you are overcoming countless struggles. At the same time you are also dissolving into a gooey / emotional mess over your characters, the plot and the story in your head not resembling what’s coming out onto the page.

Butterfly Stage:

There is a period of intense struggle as the creature inside the chrysalis struggles to break free. The caterpillar has been transformed into something truly wonderful – a butterfly.

There is a period of intense struggle for you too; self-doubt, worrying what the world will think of your idea and sleepless nights just thinking about pressing send on the email containing the draft of your story. Finally you also break free and stagger out of your private place. Something wonderful has happened to you too. You have undergone your own transformation; you’ve got the first draft of a novel in your hand. You have created a new world, brought characters to life and encouraged them to step off the page. You have also changed as a writer and learnt something new about yourself.

Writing is a process and I’m afraid, like the caterpillar, we have to go through all the stages.

Wherever you are at with your writing see it as a stage. It won’t last forever and one day you will become the butterfly!

Have a good day shuffling up and down your leaf!

When Struggling With Your Writing Always Think – Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

Being a writer isn’t easy. Sometimes those good writing days can feel like a distant memory or even a rarity.

I have found that when I am struggling with my writing looking at the creative process through a different lens helps.

For noting, I’ve also found chocolate, gin & tonics and interpretative dances in my kitchen (when no one is looking) also help, but they are all for another blog post.

Here’s a different way of looking at the writing process. This has kept me going and has made me scurry back to my writing desk on several occasions.

Think Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

I believe writing can be likened to the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

Caterpillar Stage:

The caterpillar performs the same daily tasks; eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down a leaf.

You, the writer, are the caterpillar. As well as eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down your leaf, you also write, read and tweet. 

Chrysalis Stage:

Something inside the caterpillar tells it to enter a private and transformational stage of its life. This involves locking itself away in a protective shell known as the chrysalis. Within the chrysalis the caterpillar goes through great change and personal growth. It also dissolves into a gooey mess and then rebuilds itself.

Something inside of you, normally a new idea for a story, instructs you to enter a private and transformational stage of your life. This involves locking yourself away in your own chrysalis; limiting social media, setting yourself daily word count targets and thinking about what possessed you to work on such a ridiculous idea for a story. Like the caterpillar you also go through great change. I believe working on every draft of a novel changes you in some way and there’s so much personal growth happening as you are overcoming countless struggles. At the same time you are also dissolving into a gooey / emotional mess over your characters, the plot and the story in your head not resembling what’s coming out onto the page.

Butterfly Stage:

There is a period of intense struggle as the creature inside the chrysalis struggles to break free. The caterpillar has been transformed into something truly wonderful – a butterfly.

There is a period of intense struggle for you too; self-doubt, worrying what the world will think of your idea and sleepless nights just thinking about pressing send on the email containing the draft of your story. Finally you also break free and stagger out of your private place. Something wonderful has happened to you too. You have undergone your own transformation; you’ve got the first draft of a novel in your hand. You have created a new world, brought characters to life and encouraged them to step off the page. You have also changed as a writer and learnt something new about yourself.

Writing is a process and I’m afraid, like the caterpillar, we have to go through all the stages.

Wherever you are at with your writing see it as a stage. It won’t last forever and one day you will become the butterfly!

Have a good day shuffling up and down your leaf!

When Struggling With Your Writing Always Think – Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

Being a writer isn’t easy. Sometimes those good writing days can feel like a distant memory or even a rarity.

I have found that when I am struggling with my writing looking at the creative process through a different lens helps.

For noting, I’ve also found chocolate, gin & tonics and interpretative dances in my kitchen (when no one is looking) also help, but they are all for another blog post.

Here’s a different way of looking at the writing process. This has kept me going and has made me scurry back to my writing desk on several occasions.

Think Caterpillar & The Butterfly!

I believe writing can be likened to the metamorphosis of a butterfly.

Caterpillar Stage:

The caterpillar performs the same daily tasks; eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down a leaf.

You, the writer, are the caterpillar. As well as eating, sleeping and shuffling up and down your leaf, you also write, read and tweet. 

Chrysalis Stage:

Something inside the caterpillar tells it to enter a private and transformational stage of its life. This involves locking itself away in a protective shell known as the chrysalis. Within the chrysalis the caterpillar goes through great change and personal growth. It also dissolves into a gooey mess and then rebuilds itself.

Something inside of you, normally a new idea for a story, instructs you to enter a private and transformational stage of your life. This involves locking yourself away in your own chrysalis; limiting social media, setting yourself daily word count targets and thinking about what possessed you to work on such a ridiculous idea for a story. Like the caterpillar you also go through great change. I believe working on every draft of a novel changes you in some way and there’s so much personal growth happening as you are overcoming countless struggles. At the same time you are also dissolving into a gooey / emotional mess over your characters, the plot and the story in your head not resembling what’s coming out onto the page.

Butterfly Stage:

There is a period of intense struggle as the creature inside the chrysalis struggles to break free. The caterpillar has been transformed into something truly wonderful – a butterfly.

There is a period of intense struggle for you too; self-doubt, worrying what the world will think of your idea and sleepless nights just thinking about pressing send on the email containing the draft of your story. Finally you also break free and stagger out of your private place. Something wonderful has happened to you too. You have undergone your own transformation; you’ve got the first draft of a novel in your hand. You have created a new world, brought characters to life and encouraged them to step off the page. You have also changed as a writer and learnt something new about yourself.

Writing is a process and I’m afraid, like the caterpillar, we have to go through all the stages.

Wherever you are at with your writing see it as a stage. It won’t last forever and one day you will become the butterfly!

Have a good day shuffling up and down your leaf!

#BookReview Call Me, Maybe Stephie Chapman @imcountingufoz #TuesdayBookBlog #Bookish

Did you have a crush on a pop star when you were a teenager?

Did you spend hours in your bedroom gazing longingly at a poster on your wall which showed your pop star crush looking gorgeous and hot?

I did. Simon Le Bon from Duran Duran and I had something going on back in the day. Simon was pinned up on my wall and my favourite poster was of him clad in army gear with beautiful bare feet. Thanks to him I would inspect all the feet of future boyfriends.

I spoke to him a lot on my wall, sang to him and had many dreams where we would meet in the future and fall in love. OMG – Stephie Chapman you read my teenage mind with this book!

In terms of intensity my crush on Simon was just like Cassie’s (the character in this book) crush on her heart-throb. My love for Simon was also at the ‘actual, fierce, slap-you-in-the-face, punch-you-in-the-gut’ level. In hindsight now I should have had a crush on John Taylor, the Duran Duran guitarist, who was much better looking back then, but that’s a different blog post and one titled, ‘what happens when you realise years later that you were crushing on the wrong pop star?’

This book by the wonderful and very talented Stephie Chapman helped me through a hangover at the weekend. Who needs paracetamol or Ibuprofen when you have a funny and uplifting romantic comedy to lose yourself in? It took me down memory lane as well which was another bonus.

Here’s the blurb:

What if you got a second chance with your first love?

What happens when you meet your teenage heart-throb – when you’re both all grown up?

When Cassie was fifteen, all she wanted was to marry Jesse Franklin, the bassist from her favourite band, Franko. Now she’s single, in her late twenties and wondering what happened to that teenage dream.

A chance encounter on Facebook soon leads to a transatlantic hook up, and soon, Jesse and Cassie are having a long-distance love affair spanning five thousand miles.

Cassie is on cloud nine – until she hears something that makes her think that Jesse might not be all that he seems. They say never meet your heroes – but what happens when you fall in love with them…?

Are Cassie and Jesse star crossed lovers, destined to be together? Or should Cassie have left her crush in the box marked ‘teenage memories’?

Here’s my review:

I think chapter four of this book is brilliant. Jesse Franklin, Cassie’s teenage heart-throb has accepted Cassie’s Friend Request on Facebook and as a reader you are with Cassie on the shock factor of this happening. Cassie then does what we all would do in this situation – systematically go through all of his photos. You wouldn’t be able to stop yourself would you?

Then after a night out Cassie finds herself having this awkward but very funny conversation with Jesse on messenger. The way these initial messages are written are great as the cringe levels certainly rocket.

Cassie comes across as an ordinary and down to earth young woman and this is what I love about this book. Her inner dialogue is hilarious like when she’s bracing herself for Jesse to tell her all about his life. Cassie is waiting for Jesse’s wedding story as for all she knows he could be happily married with a herd of pretty children, when she’s telling herself to get a grip and when she starts worrying about what she would do if Facebook got shut down and she doesn’t hear from Jesse again. I also liked her lack of confidence as this added to her coming across as an ordinary young woman who finds herself in an extraordinary situation.

Jesse is really fanciable with his Pantene-shiny dark hair and a strong stubble game. As a male character he ticked all of my boxes and that hotel room chapter made me reach for my electric fan.

There’s a fab cast of supporting characters and they all add an extra layer of depth and humour.

I adored the ending of this book. The last few chapters are so good! Some books falter at the end but Stephie Chapman takes her reader on a rollercoaster of emotions.

A funny and modern heartwarming story which whisks you away down memory lane.

Click here to find out more about this book.

 

Naming Characters – Things to Consider #WritingCommunity

Naming fictional characters is one of those writing activities a non-writer might view as...simple to do. *Sigh*  They probably think we pluck a random name out of thin air, sit down to write and bring that newly named fictional person to life.

Ha! If only naming a fictional character was that simple.

This activity is not simple to do. It can take ages to come up with a name that fits your character, their era and the story.

Also, there’s no guarantee you will like the name you have chosen by the end of your drafting process.

Naming a character can cause the writer all sorts of havoc:

The amount of time you will spend thinking about the names of imaginary folk will shock you. Some of us can take weeks, even months!
If you struggled naming children, pets or toys – you will find choosing names for characters to be much the same; guaranteed huffing, puffing and hours of googling the hell out of names.
Loved ones may panic or get excited when you are caught browsing baby naming sites.
It is guaranteed that once you name your character their name will start appearing in real life.
If you talk in your sleep you can expect to say your character names. Handy tip – supply your loved one with a sheet full of your current characters so when you are letting off soft moans and saying ‘oh John yes..!’ – they can do a quick check to see whether ‘John’ is fictional or someone they should be worried about. Sigh!
Your characters will change throughout the drafting process and it might be that they grow out of their name.
The name you have chosen for your character might start to annoy the hell out of you. This can be tough but I have found your story will start to tank once you start grimacing at typing your character’s name.
Your character’s name stays with you. Once you give them a name you will struggle to use it for anything else; pets or children etc
Every time you use your character’s name – bingo – they appear in your mind. Also linked to this is your general view of the piece of work they featured in. I have found that the names of characters from my bad / ‘pile of literary wrongs’ stories always haunt me the most.
During the naming process (which can go on for some time) you will find new appreciation for movie credits! They are great for getting your creative name juices flowing.
If your character has children you are also in for a challenging time as naming the offspring of characters will cause more stress.

Here are some things to consider when naming characters:

Have a few reserve names up your writer sleeve. It sounds like extra work but believe me when I say disliking a character’s name during the drafting process can be painful and in my experience it can bring on Writer’s Block. When you have a character with a name you loathe and a story with more crater sized plot holes than the moon it can be tough to turn to write.
Changing a character’s name mid-drafting can reenergise you and your story. I have done this and it does work.
Start with the parents. Think about your character’s parents. Why?  They name your character, not you. Gasp! When I realised this….a little bit of my character naming excitement died. I know this is tough, handing over naming responsibility to other fictional folk, but it’s the most realistic approach. So, after profiling fictional Mum and Dad give some thought to what names were popular at the time when your character was born?  Think about their nationality, culture, setting and the time period. Play the role of the parent and think about what would influence their choice.
Nicknames. These are useful as they can reflect how the family and friends of a character perceive them. Useful for characterisation. Plus remember that parents rarely use their children’s proper names; I have so many names for mine.
Theme. Link your character’s name to the theme running through your book.
Breathe life into your character’s name! Keep saying it whilst listening to how it sounds. Shout it, scream it and whisper it. This sort of thing brings your character to life. It also helps you to see whether their name is believable.
Be careful when asking for feedback on character names. It’s a bit like discussing child names – everyone has an opinion and no one will like your preferred name. I would just go on gut instinct.
Think of other characters in your story. Make sure you don’t get carried away and give two characters a similar name. I have done this and readers do notice it.

Keep the faith if you are currently looking for a character’s name. The right name will come to you…once you have changed it a few times

#CoverReveal The Cottage on Wildflower Lane @LizDaviesAuthor #Bookish #Romance

I love doing cover reveals for other authors. They are such a special time for the author as their book baby’s birth is imminent and excitement is building.

I can’t wait to read this book. It has such a PRETTY cover and the blurb below is drawing me in as well.

Luckily for me I have managed to wangle a space on the book blogging tour so watch out for my review in February!

Well done Liz, this looks amazing!

The Cottage on Wildflower Lane

Esther’s life isn’t perfect (whose is?) – but she’s happy enough living in her little flat with her boyfriend, Josh.

But that’s about to change.

Bored out of her mind in work, she wishes that something, anything, would happen to liven her life up.

Unfortunately, her wish comes true when Josh calls her from the airport to tell her he’s going to work in a bar in Spain, and she’s not invited, Esther is devastated, and her unhappiness is compounded when she discovers she can actually view the bar via a webcam link and watch him chatting up other girls.

But when she inadvertently clicks on a link to another webcam which shows a pretty cottage and the rather hunky man who lives in it, her interest is piqued and she wishes she could get to know him.

Wishes don’t really come true, though – do they…?

Pre-order links:

Publication Date: 14th February

Author Bio –

Liz Davies writes feel-good, light-hearted stories with a hefty dose of romance, a smattering of humour, and a great deal of love.

She’s married to her best friend, has one grown-up daughter, and when she isn’t scribbling away in the notepad she carries with her everywhere (just in case inspiration strikes), you’ll find her searching for that perfect pair of shoes. She loves to cook but isn’t very good at it, and loves to eat – she’s much better at that! Liz also enjoys walking (preferably on the flat), cycling (also on the flat), and lots of sitting around in the garden on warm, sunny days.

She currently lives with her family in Wales, but would ideally love to buy a camper can and travel the world in it.

Social Media Links:

Website: https://lizdaviesauthor.wixsite.com/home

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LizDaviesAuthor1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizdaviesauthor

#BookReview Make It Up To You @Lucy_K_Author #TuesdayBookBlog #Romance

I think author Lucy Keeling rocks for a number of reasons:

She’s called Lucy.
She writes witty romance.
Her insta stories where she talks to her followers everyday from her car are fab! Check out Lucy’s instagram because this lady always makes me smile on a morning before I shuffle into work.
Her debut novel which I am reviewing below is one of my best Romcom reads from 2019.
She’s part of the UK RomChat team and loves a good tweet.

This book, Make It Up To You, will transport you into the world of make-up artist, Sophie Timney and online make-up tutorials.

I have two teenage daughters who are GLUED to watching makeup tutorials on YouTube and they make me watch them (in an attempt to teach me how to apply makeup. At forty something my makeup skills are sadly lacking and anything other than a quick finger dab in something sparkly is a challenge), so I could relate to this book.

Here’s the blurb:

What do mascara wands and gardening shears have in common?

Absolutely nothing! At least that’s what wannabe beauty influencer Sophie Timney thinks when her friend Polly suggests involving her brother Marcus in Sophie’s make-up tutorials. She needs more views, Marcus needs promotion for his gardening business – in Polly’s mind joining forces will help them both. Sophie isn’t so sure.

Because Marcus Bowman has a habit of getting under her skin in a way that no exfoliating face scrub ever could. But, as the views and comments on her videos begin creeping up, it becomes increasingly obvious that Sophie’s subscribers like Marcus, and what’s even worse is that Sophie might be starting to feel the same way…

Here’s my review:

When the story opens Sophie is having a bad day as she thinks she’s uploaded the wrong makeup advice video and she’s fretting because her followers are not increasing.

I really warmed to Sophie. She’s passionate about her makeup advice tutorials and will do whatever it takes to make it a success.

Her relationship with Marcus is funny. They bicker and argue whilst this gorgeous romance grows between them. Sophie thinks he’s cheeky, wonders what fake tan he’s using and gets frustrated when he makes a tea for himself. He enjoys winding her up, thinks she can be a bit of a diva and can’t stop thinking about a kiss they once shared.

This book gave me lovely warm tingles especially around Marcus He is gorgeous and it really was a delightful read.

Lucy Keeling has written a fab novel about what happens when career paths and romantic urges are bound together. She’s thrown in some fab female relationships for good measure and drizzled over a good helping of love.

If you want to find out more check out this book here.

It is perfect with a cup of coffee and a pastry!

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Important news:

Tomorrow I will be back with a fantastic book cover reveal. 

Watch this space!

Writers: Attention Seeking Minor Characters – Blessing or a Curse? #WritingCommunity

Currently rolling my eyes at a minor character who has ideas well above his station.

There’s nothing worse than trying to write a scene and being distracted by some diva of a minor character who believes you made a big mistake when main character roles were handed out.

Some minor characters are born into your story knowing they are NEVER going to be centre stage and make it their fictional LIFE AMBITION to change this. 

What I want to know is whether attention seeking minor characters are a blessing or a curse to us writers?

Attention seeking minor characters can be a pain. They can be hard to control and if left to their own devices they will frustrate the hell out of the writer and take the story in an unwanted direction.

Minor characters can also turn into sparkly objects, especially when things get tough in stories. It’s no surprise after EIGHT drafts sweating I have found myself getting side tracked by someone funny, energetic and desperate for my attention. I end up finding myself writing about him when I should be writing about the main characters.

Needy minor characters can send your story down a new rabbit hole and at editing stage you can end up deleting pages as they got way more limelight than planned.

However, I don’t think they are all bad.

Attention seeking minor characters are trying to tell us something about our story or cast of characters.

The questions I think need answering when faced with an attention seeking minor character are:

Is there a reason why I am being pulled in another direction?
Is this character actually trying to help me?
Is he stealing the limelight away from my main characters for a reason?
Does he have a stronger voice than my main character?

I also think they tell you that you need to tighten up your book plan and not let them run riot.

So, I am going to sit on the fence and say attention seeking minor characters are both a blessing and a curse.

Please let me know your thoughts on this hot topic!

Have a good day!