Callum McLaughlin's Blog, page 86

The Search

It’s time that I went hunting,

to see what lies within

this murky inner cavern

I’ve spent so long avoiding.

Weapons they are futile,

a shield of little use,

the place that I must venture in

hosts Pain and Fear like friends.

So take my hand and hold it,

only I can break the lock.

I dread what I must do

if I don’t like what I find.

For there is no turning back,

just searching for acceptance.

It’s That Time Again

Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Huge thanks to Mel and Cassie for nominating me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. It’s incredibly flattering and a massive encouragement that is both hugely welcomed and much appreciated. Their blogs are some of my favourites here on WordPress and their enthusiasm for writing is infectious.

As I believe, the rules for the award are as follows:

 

1. Display the Award Certificate on your blog.

2. Announce your win with a post and link to whoever presented you with the award.

3. Present 15 awards to deserving bloggers.

4. Drop them a comment to let them know you have linked them in the post.

5. Post 7 interesting facts about yourself.

 

I have – as I always try to do with awards – nominated a mixture of blogs; some I have followed for a long time and others I have only recently found, as they all equally excite me. Again, as ever, there is no obligation to partake in the award if I included you, just know I enjoy your blog and look forward to more.

Blogs

A Writer’s Life For Me – Mishka Jenkins posts thought-provoking posts about all things reading, writing and publishing. She recently released three of her own books, one of which I have already read, and I can’t wait to see where she goes next on her writing ventures.
Writing Room 101 – Here you will find a whole host of brilliant opportunities for readers and writers alike. Prompts, challenges, interviews, reviews and an all-round friendly atmosphere.
PERMASHIFT – The blogging home of indie writer S.R. Carrillo. I’m always interested to read the latest posts here and Sierra (whose debut novel, The Soul, I am currently reading) is a big supporter of fellow writers.
Burning Imagination – I love the poetry on this blog. Ailsa has a lovely way with words and I always enjoy hearing her take on the world around her.
Musings from a Ragged Soul – Shayna’s poetry and posts are heartbreakingly beautiful in their honesty. She continually reminds me that we are all humans just looking to be heard and we all deserve that chance.
Booknvolume – The poetry found here is always enchanting and eloquently precise in its beauty and charm.
Head Games – The poetry and posts here are honest, poignant, at times hard-hitting, but always beautiful.
Casual Canadian – On this blog you will find a selection of short yet effective poems on a range of different topics. It’s amazing how much impact you can achieve with so few words.
Winter Bayne – Winter’s short fiction and various writing posts are engaging and always enjoyable.
Kelly’s Wandering Mind – Fiction, poetry, music; you’ll find it all here and it’s always interesting.
Books are Delicious – Here you will find another incredibly active and supportive member of the writing community who posts various reviews and other interesting pieces.
Musings of a Soul Eclectic – Emily Karn takes on various different prompts and challenges and always seems to create something fresh and attention-grabbing.
Radiating Blossom – Flowers and Words – I always seem to be nominating this blog for awards but that’s testament to how much I like it. Stunning photography, inspiring quotes and moving poetry; it never fails to lift my spirits.
A Platform of Sorts – Jackie is a writer who shares her experiences throughout the world of writing and publishing, and her love of all things literature is clear.
And so the story goes – Jo’s blog is one I found a long time ago and have been reintroduced to recently. She shares her progress throughout her writing journey and is nearing possible publication of her first book. There are exciting times ahead and I look forward to following along with her.

 

Facts

When I was young, I went through a brief phase of wanting to be a vet because I love animals so much. That was until I realised I would have to actually see them in pain and the idea was soon abandoned.
I have mild OCD. Displays that aren’t symmetrical make me really uncomfortable (to the point that I have to ‘fix’ them) and I have various odd rituals I must do or recite in various situations that drive me mad, yet I don’t really tell people about (they have enough reason as it is to find me odd).
I hate seafood. I really wish I didn’t, but try as I might to enjoy it, I just can’t.
Most people don’t know that I really like video games. I wouldn’t describe myself as a proper ‘gamer’ by any stretch but I do enjoy them. I have a penchant for horror and the Resident Evil series is probably my favourite. (The GameCube remake of the original game is a masterpiece – and okay, perhaps I’m more of a nerd than I like to admit).
I won a poetry competition when I was 10 and did a recital at a school prize giving, so perhaps the seeds were sown long before I even knew it.
I get stressed incredibly easily and like to do anything with a set deadline right away, rather than leave it ‘til the last minute. This was great for projects back when I was in school and still is now for freelance writing work, but not so great when it means my own ventures sometimes get pushed to the bottom of the pile.
I get major bouts of wanderlust every now and then. Iceland is top of my list. We’re so lucky to live on this planet and I desperately want to see more of it.

There you have it; a little about me and a lot of great blogs to explore. Thanks for reading.

A Wrong Turn

A thousand reasons not to,

a million wasted tears,

craving new beginnings.

A never ending corridor,

a state of constant darkness,

asking fruitless questions.

A hit of harsh reality,

a truth we must embrace;

we only get one shot at this.

Where did I go wrong?

It’s Not All About the Hero

Harry Potter is an example of a series with several strong supporting characters.

Characters are crucial to any book or film; they draw us in, make us feel emotionally invested and help carry the story forward. I read a great post over on Hayley Knighten’s blog recently about what attracts readers to a particular character and my conclusion was that, for me, it’s one with substance; one with something interesting to say; a real driving force rather than a bystander void of any real personality or depth. I soon realised what characters were springing to mind when I thought of this and was surprised to realise the majority of them were in fact supporting characters.

In many cases, I find that heroes and heroines are actually the most flat, one-dimensional characters within the plot. They are so heavily embroiled in the main arc that they become largely tools to drive the story and are sometimes deprived of the chance to show real growth and individuality. The characters around them – the ones that introduce supporting ideas, sub-plots and themes – they are so often the ones given the opportunity to really shine.

How often do we see an every-man hero who remains somewhat neutral that encounters quirky side-kicks, enigmatic love interests and evil foes throughout their adventure?  It’s a structure that works, that’s why it is so popular, and my purpose is not to say that I don’t like every-man lead characters; quite the contrary. I was simply rather intrigued by my realisation that it is those around them – the often unsung supporting characters – that really draw me into a story and keep me hooked.

Are there any supporting characters in film or literature that you love?

Inside the Interview Room – Round 1

callummclaughlin:

I was lucky enough to be interviewed over on Writing Room 101 about all things literary. It was great fun and a pleasure to be involved.

Originally posted on Writing Room 101:

WR101

1 June 2014

Interview with Callum McLaughlin, author of The Vessel.

1. What is your first memory of writing?

When I was about six, I hand wrote and illustrated (to the best of my limited ability) a book called Lucy and the Lettuce Monster. It was about a young girl whose dinner of lettuce (not a full salad, just lettuce) came to life, and so began an exhilarating chase around her home as Lucy tried to vanquish her foe before her mother found out. Needless to say it won’t be going into publication any time soon but I remember being immensely proud of that book and holding on to it for a long time.

2. When did you first consider yourself a writer?

That’s a tricky question because even now I have issues with it. I think the title, ‘writer’, comes with a lot of preconceived ideas and a pressure…

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Hot off the Press

Ink, dripping like blood from a fresh wound;

they are blind to the human that hides behind the story.

Pens, carving deeper scars than any blade;

they are oblivious to fires that burn brightly in their wake.

Words, carrying insults that drop like toxic bombs;

they are hunting for a headline to feed their selfish lust.

Lies, spreading like a virus through fragile human hearts;

they are insatiable creatures consumed by soulless hunger.

Those sharpened tongues are aimed right at your throat;

beware the deadly crossfire.

We’re in this Together

I love the community spirit of WordPress

One of the things I have come to love most about WordPress is the meeting of minds, even if only in a virtual setting. I initially set up my blog because I love writing in all its capacities and thought it was an apt way to further my creative output, plus I had only recently published my first book and knew blogging was a good way to meet other people interested in reading and writing. Meet people I most certainly did and I continue to be amazed by how many exciting projects, generous spectators and likeminded writers there are out there willing to support others. There are people whose work I now admire and advice I value.

Take for example, Mel; a fellow writer and blogger whom I found out about here on good old WordPress, who continues to support my writing endeavours. There is also Morgan, a poet and writer whose work I stumbled upon here and have followed ever since, with her debut novel having recently been released. Then there is Mishka, another highly involved member of the blogging community who today has released three books that I can’t wait to read.

I could go on, but at the risk of being here all day naming great bloggers, I will simply close by saying that I truly appreciate the support of people, however small a gesture may seem and hope I can return the favour by continuing to follow your posts and discover your work. It’s a great feeling knowing we are all in this together.

Unravel

Open up,

peel back the layers,

expose the fragile, beating heart.

Pulsing veins,

a stolen breath,

that shield, once strong, unravelling.

Feel the words

flow past your lips,

and carve in me a memory.

Close it up,

shut out the world,

pretend I feel no influence.

Casual smiles,

they mask the truth;

a tainted core will never heal.

Edit as you go?

Editing – A writer’s biggest foe

Any writer will likely tell you that the editing process can be both intimidating and time consuming. So often the excitement of officially finishing a manuscript is at once diluted by the realisation that this means we must embark on the painstaking task of revising our work to try and iron out any errors and polish the quality of the content. To put it bluntly, it simply isn’t much fun; completely contrasting with the immersive delight that comes with actually writing.

With several projects I’ve worked on in the past, most notably the first book I released, The Vessel, I got into the habit of editing as I went. Of course there were still major revisions and repeated tweaks to be made once the initial draft was complete but my routine generally consisted of a solid block of writing, followed immediately – or sometimes the next day – by reading over what I had just written and fixing any glaring mistakes such as typos and repeated words. It may have only made a small dent in the overall workload but I liked the idea that I was at least lessening the burden, making it somewhat less daunting when the time came to delve fully into editing.

With my current work in progress however, I have abandoned my usual habit and opted instead to focus solely on my first draft as a means to get the story out of my head, leaving the entirety of the editing to later in the process. I must say I am enjoying the feeling of progression and continuity this has allowed but know I may doubt my decision a little when I have to start looking back over what I have produced.

Do you prefer to edit as you write, or do you leave it all until after your first draft is finished?

Hope on the Wing

I gaze at you with envy,

soaring oh so free,

drifting where your wings may take you,

a chorus from within.

To shake off the shackles of humanity

would be the greatest gift of all,

to join you in the skies

and leave this world behind.

Oblivious to turmoil

and spared of self-made strife,

Mother Nature’s messengers

with purest of intentions.

Alas, I must stay,

but where’s the harm in dreaming?

So fly my feathered friends,

in you our hope lives on.