Menna Van Praag's Blog, page 37

A little R&R…

The art of doing absolutely nothing at all is not something that comes naturally to me, but since arriving in Portugal I’ve been practising. I confess that, especially when I’m writing, I tend not to rest or be social or take time off until it’s done. But these few days of doing nothing much of anything reminds me how essential rest and relaxation is to creating. It makes me think of music, how the spaces between the notes are as essential as the notes themselves, otherwise it’d just be a riot of noise. This week I’d intended to edit the Witches – one more time – but I won’t. I’m taking the week off. And, I’m sure, as well as having a wonderful time here, when I get back to work, my writing will be all the better for the rest.

Pic: the view out of my window right now

The Cambridge University Witches

I’ve just completed the second draft of The Cambridge University Witches! & the day before we go to Portugal for the week – perfect timing. I thought you might like to see the collage for Witches (I do one for every book) with pictures of Cambridge colleges etc, along with the actors who bare the closest resemblance to the image of the characters in my head. I don’t think many writers do this sort of thing but I love it, & find it very inspiring, especially as it’s always fun to imagine the film of the book as I write…

About Time review

I’ve just come home from seeing About Time, feeling all warm & fuzzy. It’s a beautiful, sweet film about living in the moment and noticing all the rich, goodness of life. It’s about how lovely life can be when you choose to see all that’s lovely about it, when you open your eyes and your heart to purposefully notice the beauty all around you. That’s when seemingly mundane moments become magical, when you smile at strangers for no reason, when you find yourself grateful just to be alive. All in all, a pretty prefect film

Procrastination & Poop…

WARNING: don’t read if you’re squeamish!

So, this morning, I had a very vivid experience of the consequences of too much procrastination. I used to be a master in the particular art of procrastination. Then, when I really started going for my writing, I’d just immerse myself in that and put off everything else. I learnt though that when I put things off they’d hang on me – buzzing around my brain like distracting little mosquitos – or they’d explode with dire consequences. Well, this morning, I woke to find that O had pooped in the night and, since I was – happily, but perhaps regrettably – asleep at the time he’d been left with it. Needless to say, O and his cot was completely covered with poop! A perfect lesson, I thought as I cleaned, in not putting off ’till tomorrow what you could do today

Pic: O & the beginning stages of a (nearly as messy but far less smelly) play-dough explosion…

Creating Freedom: The Lottery of Birth

“You make a difference. And the difference you make is up to you.” – Ariel & Shya Kane

I used to underestimate myself. I didn’t think I that mattered much, not even to the people who loved me. I certainly didn’t think I could positively affect people who didn’t know me at all. Then I discovered Instantaneous Transformation and I saw so clearly what an impact we all make – on the people who love us and the ones we don’t know at all – even if we don’t think we do. We have the power to make someone’s day – for better, or worse. Last week I watched a film that also changed my life: Creating Freedom: The Lottery of Birth. It’s incredible. I highly recommend it. It inspired me to do everything I can to help make the wider world – not just my little nook – a better, brighter place. Because I can, and so can you.

Pic: a white peacock at Helen & Tom’s wedding, I’d never seen one before – beautiful!

Genius & Talent

“Genius gives birth, talent delivers.” –Jack Kerouac

This weekend I’ve been deep in the jungle of rewrites, hacking and chopping and building new cabins out of old logs. Last night, around midnight, I had a revelation. A new, brilliant plot twist came out of nowhere and kissed me on the lips. What a thrill! And, funnily enough, I’d feared I wouldn’t get any good writing done yesterday because I was pretty knackered. I had the idea I needed to be well-rested to write well. And, like all limiting beliefs, it wasn’t remotely true. Which, given that O (nearly two) doesn’t seem to share my belief in the need for sleep, is a jolly lucky thing indeed.

Pic: O feigning innocence after raiding Mama’s notebook collection

A Life-Changing, World-Changing Film

Last night Artur & I went to London for the premier of an absolutely fascinating film: The Lottery of Birth, co-directed by my cousin, Josh van Praag. Nearly twenty years ago, Josh & I would hang out talking long into the night about films. He wanted to be a director and I wanted to be an author. Neither of us know how the heck we’d go about achieving these ambitions but we knew that we wouldn’t give up until we had. His journey took him to America, while I stayed in England. He did lighting work on movies, I waitressed. I must confess, at the time, I thought he had the better end of the deal And yes, some nights, as he worked his way up the ladder on famous films, I questioned if I’d ever be an author. But still, I never gave up. And now, I am. Which just goes to show, no matter how far you feel you are from your dreams, just keep going until you get there…

Pic: the Q&A after Creating Freedom: The Lottery of Birth – my cousin is the second on the left

The Magic of Music

What is it about the power of music? Isn’t it incredible how just a few bars of music can make you feel a certain way in an instant? Today I’ve been rewriting scenes and listening to Leonard Cohen. His music puts me perfectly into the mood to create the life of a character, to write about extreme events that I’ve never personally experienced. Funnily enough, having then googled LC, I discovered he’s touring Europe and will be in London in a couple of weeks. The tickets, of course, cost a lot but I always think that money is better spent on experiences rather than things and, since he’s 78, I may well not get the opportunity again. I’m very excited to spend an evening full of music, just imagine the scenes I’ll create after that…

Be bold!

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” Goethe

This morning I had another driving lesson. It was so much fun! I glided around corners, drifted along roads and slid in and out of manoeuvres. Everything was effortless and easy. It’s funny to think that, just two months ago, I was ever-so-slightly terrified and never really believed I’d master driving, let alone enjoy it! Writing novels felt very easy in comparison. But, of course, during the wilderness years when I was unpublished, getting rejection upon rejection, I never believed I’d be where I am now either. It just goes to show that possibility and impossibility is only a matter of perspective. Keep being bold and, soon enough, what was once seemingly impossible will be effortlessly and easily possible.

Pic: Corpus Christi College, Cambridge – taken while going on an adventure with Alice.

Debuting Online Writing Workshops…

On Friday evening I did my very first online writing workshop. It was wonderful! I had a sweet & talented student who wanted to come to London on the 28th for my first in-person workshop, but it’s a long way to fly from NYC for just one day, so I offered to teach her the course via skype. Having never done anything like that before, I had no idea how it would be but I loved it even more than I imagined I would! Isn’t it funny how, if you stay open to what life has to offer, you can have beautiful & amazing experiences you never ever expected. I always dreamed of being a writer, I never dreamed of being a teacher – I used to be incredibly shy so the idea never entered my mind – then about 6 months ago I found that simply writing wasn’t fulfilling me completely anymore, I wanted to inspire and connect with others directly – and now I’m doing it & absolutely loving it.