With New Years resolutions flying around like wildfire, I thought that I would take this opportunity to let you know my resolutions for the year ahead.
Over the years I have had the tendency to make and break resolutions without a bat of the eyelid, but I am hoping that this year will be better, and there is one very simple reason for that. I am not going to be specific. I am not going to say that I am going to lose 10kg, or even 5kg, because as soon as I put on a gram I will decide that the resolution has been broken anyway, so might as well go nuts! And so, instead of giving myself specific goals to focus on, I am going to focus my attention on areas in my life that could do with improvement. Which areas would those be in particular?
Family
Health
Photography
Writing
During 2012, I found myself feeling very disconnected from my FAMILY. I have found that it is all too easy to become out of touch with even those who mean the most to you when you are half a country away. Grahamstown in particular is so out of the way that it is not as easy as just hopping on a plane to be with those that you love. This meant that 2012 was a year of huge regrets when it comes to my family. I missed the birth of beautiful Zach, and have yet to meet him. I missed seeing my American cousins when they were visiting and my American aunt on both occasions that she came down. I missed birthdays and anniversaries, happiness and sadness. But my biggest regret of 2012 is that I didn't get to say goodbye to my Biba, my grandfather, who has always meant so much to me. The loss of my mother's parents hit hard while I was in Korea, but the loss of Biba hit harder because I was so close, but still couldn't be with my family when it meant the most. 2013 is going to be different. I am determined to spend more time with my family over the coming year, starting with a trip up to Cape Town as soon as I can manage it (potentially March).
Weight has always been a problem for me. I bounce up and down like you wouldn't believe. I lose weight in a heartbeat and put it back on just as quickly. When I was in Korea, I lost 10kg in the period of just over a month. Upon my return, I put it back on almost as quickly. I don't want my new years resolution to revolve around weight loss or gain. Instead, I want to focus on HEALTH during 2013. In my mind, being healthy is far more important than being thin, and while I don't think that the two go hand-in-hand (being healthy for me has never meant being skinny), I do hope that improving my health will improve my weight. And physical health is not all that I am aiming for here either. I am also hoping to get over the fears that inhibit my mental health - my phobias of spiders and needles - so that I can leave a fuller, more generally healthy life and lifestyle without fear. My phobia of needles significantly affects my health in particular, as I need to go for regular blood tests and the fear is preventing me from keeping my health in check.
2012 was a great year for my PHOTOGRAPHY. I started getting regular clients and I set myself up with a studio. I realised that each month, I was getting at least one paid gig, and I even got a booking for October 2013 a year in advance. My main aim for 2013 is to keep it up and get it better and busier! More clients! I want to be able to get a steady income from my photography, and I want gear gear gear. One of the aims is going to be a 52 week project (one a day for a 365 project ended up being a bit too much for me to handle after all, so hopefully one a week will be manageable) and another will be to start putting away some money each month to put towards new gear.
In 2011, I completed the mammoth task of finishing NaNoWriMo! It was a great feeling typing the last of the 50 000 words and knowing that I had accomplished what I had set out to do in one short month. 2012 was not a year for WRITING. I slacked on my blogs, and writing took a sidestep to make space for photography and work. This is going to be the year for writing once again. I have an idea for a story, and I really want to make it work. I do, in fact, have about 10 uncompleted ideas lined up and ready for me to work on, but I am both a procrastinator and easily distracted, which does not make for successful writing. I need to focus my time on these projects to make sure that they get done and get that sense of accomplishment back.
So bring on 2013, the year of FOCUS!!
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Some Nights
I never know just how I will feel from one night to the next. My mood changes with the temperature, with the day that has passed, the day that is to come, with ever so slight alterations in my surroundings and in the attitudes of those that I spend my time with.
Some nights I lay up cashing in my bad luck
Some nights I call it a draw
What will it be? A night of joy and laughter, soft music and popcorn, or a night of grinding teeth and glaring eyes staring blankly at a computer screen without taking anything in, waiting to snap at the first person to walk in the door. Will it be a night of tap tap tapping on the keyboard, or one of clicking away at the mouse incessantly, trying to get the picture just right, just the way that I imagined it in my mind, just the way that I saw it before it got compressed into 1s and 0s. Will I lie down and sleep, or will I twist and turn, first too hot and then too cold. Will the cat be an annoyance or a welcome distraction and cuddling partner?
Some nights I wish that these lips could be a castle
Some night I wish they'd just fall off
It speaks volumes to me as I ponder how I am going to be feeling tonight, what mood I am going to be in and how it will affect those around me, from my loving boyfriend to my housemate to my pets. Because while the good nights are wonderfully, blissfully good, I know that the bad nights are horrifying and I live in a constant fear that one of these days the bad night will end and I will not know how I got to where I am, alone and bitter.
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost...
The ghost that I see is all too familiar - a ghost of my past. A ghost of a better me, of the person that I wish I could be, especially when compared to the person that I have become. A person with hopes and dreams that cannot be quelched by reality, when I stand here wondering what became of those dreams. I can remember a time when I knew what I wanted in life, when I knew what would make me happy. Today, I look at myself and do not know where to start. Each day goes on relentlessly, and I am left in a zombie-like state, living out day to day without any feeling or meaning and not knowing when it will end.
Oh Lord I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh..
What do I stand for? What do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know anymore.
Some nights I lay up cashing in my bad luck
Some nights I call it a draw
What will it be? A night of joy and laughter, soft music and popcorn, or a night of grinding teeth and glaring eyes staring blankly at a computer screen without taking anything in, waiting to snap at the first person to walk in the door. Will it be a night of tap tap tapping on the keyboard, or one of clicking away at the mouse incessantly, trying to get the picture just right, just the way that I imagined it in my mind, just the way that I saw it before it got compressed into 1s and 0s. Will I lie down and sleep, or will I twist and turn, first too hot and then too cold. Will the cat be an annoyance or a welcome distraction and cuddling partner?
Some nights I wish that these lips could be a castle
Some night I wish they'd just fall off
It speaks volumes to me as I ponder how I am going to be feeling tonight, what mood I am going to be in and how it will affect those around me, from my loving boyfriend to my housemate to my pets. Because while the good nights are wonderfully, blissfully good, I know that the bad nights are horrifying and I live in a constant fear that one of these days the bad night will end and I will not know how I got to where I am, alone and bitter.
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost...
The ghost that I see is all too familiar - a ghost of my past. A ghost of a better me, of the person that I wish I could be, especially when compared to the person that I have become. A person with hopes and dreams that cannot be quelched by reality, when I stand here wondering what became of those dreams. I can remember a time when I knew what I wanted in life, when I knew what would make me happy. Today, I look at myself and do not know where to start. Each day goes on relentlessly, and I am left in a zombie-like state, living out day to day without any feeling or meaning and not knowing when it will end.
Oh Lord I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh..
What do I stand for? What do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know anymore.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Power of the Written Word
I was contacted a few days ago by Melanie Bowen, a contributor at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog. At first, when I heard who she was, I wondered why on earth she would be interested in writing a post for my blog of all places. I support her cause, of course, but I wondered to myself how I could help. I told her exactly that, but it didn't deter her, and when I read the post that she wrote, I realised just how well it fits into the theme of my blog (not that my blog really has a theme). Perhaps, actually, that is exactly why it fits in so well. A blog is not just there for a specific purpose. Well, it can be, but mine certainly isn't. It is there to write down thoughts, not caring who reads them. It is there to help those who might be feeling the same way, just to show them that they are not alone in the world. It helps the writer know that they are not alone in the world! And I can kinda see, especially after ready Melanie's blog, how that can help. So, I'll stop my rambling now and hand it over to Melanie.
THE POWER OF THE WRITTEN WORD
By Melanie Bowen
There is a magical quality about putting down our thoughts, our
dreams, our hopes, out goals, into words--it makes them seem more
real, more concrete. From the experienced writer crafting his or
her story, to the mesothelioma treatment patient expressing hopes
and feelings, writing is not only the art of self expression, it is
a powerful tool in inspiring us. Writing helps in motivating us to
achieve our ultimate goals.
A recent oncology study indicated that writing for as little as twenty
minutes a day could help a cancer patient think and feel more positive
about their disease and increase their quality of life. Researches in
Georgetown University further found that expressive writing, which
involves writing one's deepest feelings and thoughts, can result in
immediate changes of thought about illness and improve the patients
perception of a better physical quality of life in just three short
weeks. There are other advantages of writing especially for those
suffering from depression or chronic illnesses.
Seeing is Believing
From to daily to do lists to grand "bucket list" life goals, seeing
the things we want to get done on paper helps us organize our thoughts
in a way that breaks our smallest tasks and grandest hopes into real,
doable steps. It makes them real, and motivates us from the inside
to go for them and relish the satisfaction of crossing them off our
lists. Don’t let daily task or a stated prognosis or treatment stop
from from living a quality life of wellness.
Hope during Hard Times
We all have good days and bad days. Writing down our good days reminds
us during the rougher times that good things happen and keeps us
hopeful that the present darkness will give light to dawn once again.
Writing the Blues Away
We can sometimes get 'lost' in our thoughts and writing is a way
out. It helps us see the ridiculousness of irrational fears, applaud
ourselves for the noble moments, and gives even the smallest thoughts
and actions a new sense of meaningfulness that lifts the spirits no
matter what one's life situation is.
Tangible Reminders
We learn by repetition, and when we write down our hopes and our
positive thoughts, they tend to stick more. Whether in a personal
journal for your eyes only or if it is a public blog on the Internet,
both serve on the behalf of positive rewards. What is stopping you
from starting your own blog today?
Our Stories Inspire Others
When we share our defeats, perseverance and our victories, we inspire
others to push through and make it as well. There was a time when
in order to get one's story out, one had to write a lengthy book or
submit a professional article to a newspaper. But in this day and age,
anyone can share their story online through a blogging website which
reaches a vast population of young and old. It is a powerful tool and
medium to mutually encourage each other and has proved over time hope
through the written word is contagious.
THE POWER OF THE WRITTEN WORD
By Melanie Bowen
There is a magical quality about putting down our thoughts, our
dreams, our hopes, out goals, into words--it makes them seem more
real, more concrete. From the experienced writer crafting his or
her story, to the mesothelioma treatment patient expressing hopes
and feelings, writing is not only the art of self expression, it is
a powerful tool in inspiring us. Writing helps in motivating us to
achieve our ultimate goals.
A recent oncology study indicated that writing for as little as twenty
minutes a day could help a cancer patient think and feel more positive
about their disease and increase their quality of life. Researches in
Georgetown University further found that expressive writing, which
involves writing one's deepest feelings and thoughts, can result in
immediate changes of thought about illness and improve the patients
perception of a better physical quality of life in just three short
weeks. There are other advantages of writing especially for those
suffering from depression or chronic illnesses.
Seeing is Believing
From to daily to do lists to grand "bucket list" life goals, seeing
the things we want to get done on paper helps us organize our thoughts
in a way that breaks our smallest tasks and grandest hopes into real,
doable steps. It makes them real, and motivates us from the inside
to go for them and relish the satisfaction of crossing them off our
lists. Don’t let daily task or a stated prognosis or treatment stop
from from living a quality life of wellness.
Hope during Hard Times
We all have good days and bad days. Writing down our good days reminds
us during the rougher times that good things happen and keeps us
hopeful that the present darkness will give light to dawn once again.
Writing the Blues Away
We can sometimes get 'lost' in our thoughts and writing is a way
out. It helps us see the ridiculousness of irrational fears, applaud
ourselves for the noble moments, and gives even the smallest thoughts
and actions a new sense of meaningfulness that lifts the spirits no
matter what one's life situation is.
Tangible Reminders
We learn by repetition, and when we write down our hopes and our
positive thoughts, they tend to stick more. Whether in a personal
journal for your eyes only or if it is a public blog on the Internet,
both serve on the behalf of positive rewards. What is stopping you
from starting your own blog today?
Our Stories Inspire Others
When we share our defeats, perseverance and our victories, we inspire
others to push through and make it as well. There was a time when
in order to get one's story out, one had to write a lengthy book or
submit a professional article to a newspaper. But in this day and age,
anyone can share their story online through a blogging website which
reaches a vast population of young and old. It is a powerful tool and
medium to mutually encourage each other and has proved over time hope
through the written word is contagious.
Monday, January 2, 2012
2012
2012 has arrived! Every year at this time, I make resolutions. They usually involve losing weight, taking up hobbies and spending more time doing the things that I love with the people that I love. But I also know myself, and I know that a week after I write up those resolutions, they fall to the wayside. This year, I have decided that I am not going to write resolutions, but I am instead just going to write down what I hope the year 2012 will be like in general.
2012 will be a year for photography. I have been a bit lax of recent with not picking up my camera and taking it out for a spin, but I am thinking of doing yet another 365 project, and considering that I did take photos yesterday and that today is only the second day of the month, it is definitely a possibility. However, even if I don't end up doing a project, I still want this to be the year where I really get my ass into gear in terms of my photography. I am launching a website which I have big ideas for, I am building a studio in my garage and I am sincerely hoping that I can get a business going on the side by December next year. Why December specifically? Well, because I went for walks around the botanical gardens a few times last month and every single time I went, there were at least 3-5 weddings going on and photographs being taken in the gardens. Next year, I want to be one of those photographers.
2012 will be a year for fitness. Yes, I say it every single year, that I am going to buck up and get healthy. And I am not exactly off to a good start, since New Year's Eve was a drinking binge fest which needed to be smoothed over yesterday by breakfast at Spur (not particularly healthy). But, I have taken up squash and want to do that at least three times a week, and have resolved to join the gym this year, since I recently found out that ex-Rhodents can join for the same price as students if they get an alumni card. Healthy eating is something that is going to come slowly to me, since it is not just myself that I would be cooking for, and cooking in itself is not something that I have the energy to do often. But at least I want to get moving and get exercising.
2012 will be a year for writing. Writing has definitely taken a sideline over the last few years. Though my job last year involved a lot of communication with clients and writing newsletters and writing brochures and such things, this year there is going to be less of that. Well, still communication with clients, but definitely less newsletters and such since I am no longer the Communications Agent at the company, but have been promoted to the Accounts Manager (or a title along those lines). But I do not intend to let that stop me. I won Nanowrimo last year and am hoping to try it again, but in the meantime I am going to keep blogging and am thinking of writing up some articles for the local newspaper occasionally just to get back into the journalistic style of writing.
2012 will be a year for fun. I was a bit of a downer in 2011. I hardly ever went out, I hardly ever did anything fun or exciting. I think that I was in a bit of a slump, but no more! I am going to make 2012 the year for fun and partying and enjoyment. I want at least one more of those before my big 2-5 in 2013. And, after all, 2013 may never come (according to the Mayans) so I might as well live it up while I can. ;) I am the only person to blame for my lack of fun in 2011. I complained and moaned about not having friends when my friends were right in front of me and when there was a town full of people going out on a nightly basis that I could have become friendly with. I know that this is not going to be easy, but Kath and Emma, if you are reading this, I expect support and assistance and for you guys to drag me out of the house more often, because I know that if it were up to me, I would just be curled up in bed with pjs and a book every single night.
And finally, most of all, 2012 will be a year of awesomeness. I know it. I sense it. Let's make it so.
2012 will be a year for photography. I have been a bit lax of recent with not picking up my camera and taking it out for a spin, but I am thinking of doing yet another 365 project, and considering that I did take photos yesterday and that today is only the second day of the month, it is definitely a possibility. However, even if I don't end up doing a project, I still want this to be the year where I really get my ass into gear in terms of my photography. I am launching a website which I have big ideas for, I am building a studio in my garage and I am sincerely hoping that I can get a business going on the side by December next year. Why December specifically? Well, because I went for walks around the botanical gardens a few times last month and every single time I went, there were at least 3-5 weddings going on and photographs being taken in the gardens. Next year, I want to be one of those photographers.
2012 will be a year for fitness. Yes, I say it every single year, that I am going to buck up and get healthy. And I am not exactly off to a good start, since New Year's Eve was a drinking binge fest which needed to be smoothed over yesterday by breakfast at Spur (not particularly healthy). But, I have taken up squash and want to do that at least three times a week, and have resolved to join the gym this year, since I recently found out that ex-Rhodents can join for the same price as students if they get an alumni card. Healthy eating is something that is going to come slowly to me, since it is not just myself that I would be cooking for, and cooking in itself is not something that I have the energy to do often. But at least I want to get moving and get exercising.
2012 will be a year for writing. Writing has definitely taken a sideline over the last few years. Though my job last year involved a lot of communication with clients and writing newsletters and writing brochures and such things, this year there is going to be less of that. Well, still communication with clients, but definitely less newsletters and such since I am no longer the Communications Agent at the company, but have been promoted to the Accounts Manager (or a title along those lines). But I do not intend to let that stop me. I won Nanowrimo last year and am hoping to try it again, but in the meantime I am going to keep blogging and am thinking of writing up some articles for the local newspaper occasionally just to get back into the journalistic style of writing.
2012 will be a year for fun. I was a bit of a downer in 2011. I hardly ever went out, I hardly ever did anything fun or exciting. I think that I was in a bit of a slump, but no more! I am going to make 2012 the year for fun and partying and enjoyment. I want at least one more of those before my big 2-5 in 2013. And, after all, 2013 may never come (according to the Mayans) so I might as well live it up while I can. ;) I am the only person to blame for my lack of fun in 2011. I complained and moaned about not having friends when my friends were right in front of me and when there was a town full of people going out on a nightly basis that I could have become friendly with. I know that this is not going to be easy, but Kath and Emma, if you are reading this, I expect support and assistance and for you guys to drag me out of the house more often, because I know that if it were up to me, I would just be curled up in bed with pjs and a book every single night.
And finally, most of all, 2012 will be a year of awesomeness. I know it. I sense it. Let's make it so.
HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE!!!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
November Life
So as many of you may have noticed, I have been quite quiet
recently. This is because, as I suspected would happen, I have been crazy busy!
But, there are a couple of aspects to this busyness that I had not expected.
So Lara, what have
you been doing?
There have been three things taking up most of my time over
the last month. The most obvious one is work, and the less obvious are writing
and photography. I have stuck to my NaNoWriMo plans, and am 33240 words into my
novel. I still have 8 days left to write, and I think that I can make it if I
buck up and start writing a little more than 2000 words each day. Which is
totally possible, considering that I got to 25k by the 10th of the
month and have just been slacking since then.
In terms of photography, I have been participating in a
mentorship programme as the mentee. My mentor is a Photography professor in the
States, and I have been chatting with him over Skype 3 days of the week. I am
given assignments to do and am learning how to use PhotoShop, and the
experience has been great (Sausi, my tutor, is AWESOME), but it is also
extremely tiring and leaves little time for other things, like writing.
Oh, and I have been packing. Not as much as I should be
since I have had other things taking up my time on the weekends that I plan to
pack (things like photo shoots or trips to PE or no packing tape being in the
house). But there are a good number of boxes taking up the area under the
stairs and we intend to move a lot of them to the new house this weekend. The
move really is around the corner and it is uber-exciting, especially since I
GET A PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO IN MY GARAGE! Plus, two giant gardens, plus a
house-warming party where people bring gifts and things. Can you tell how
excited I am? I don’t think you can. SQUEE!!!!!!!!!!
What have you been
reading?
Oh yeah, I haven’t given up on reading completely. Though
most of my books have, at this point, been packed into boxes, I left one out
for my reading pleasure, and that one is the book that I recently received from
Loot – “The Gospel According to Jesus Christ” by Jose Saramago. I first heard
of the book when I was doing my post-grad diploma and have been intrigued and
wanting to read it since then. Unfortunately, it is not the most popular of
Saramago’s work and has proved difficult to come across. But I found it on Loot
and ordered it a couple of weeks ago. It arrived last week and I have been
reading it (slowly but surely) since. It is definitely interesting, but not the
easiest read. I will let you know what I think of it when I’ve finished, which
will not be this month considering everything else that is going on.
What have you been
watching?
Not very much – one movie and a couple of series when I am
going to bed at night. The movie that I watched was Easy A, which I LOVED and
will be writing a review of later this week (probably). The series that I have
been watching are Dollhouse (I didn’t get into it when it started, but am
loving it now) Misfits (during my lunch breaks at work – another review around
the corner) and Castle (uber-awesome!)
What about that
uber-awesome cat of yours with the incredibly lame name?
Oy! No being mean to Puddims L
He’ll totally kick your ass! He is a superhero after all! He has been saving me
from 8-legged monsters left, right and centre, occasionally jumping on my head
at 4am to do so and attempting to do the same to Grant (though I stopped him).
He is also LOVING the boxes that are around the house and thinks that they are
there just for him. I think he is not going to be such a happy kitty in 9 days
time, however, when he finds himself in unfamiliar surroundings. But there will
be boxes (and spiders I’m sure) to keep him company, so he will survive.
And so my life over the last few weeks has pretty much been
explained. What’s going on in your lives?
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Fiction vs. Reality
Sometimes I pick up a book and wonder why that can't be my life. Sometimes I watch a movie and find myself wishing that I was that girl. Other times I thank my lucky stars that my life is as good as it is, but it doesn't take away from the fact that sometimes fiction is just better than reality.
I have brought out the notes again and have been considering trying at writing my Korean story down once more, not for the first time and probably not for the last. This time around it has been inspired by a friend of mine publishing a book. This friend is not a close one, and is not someone who I would have thought of as an author. She has never shown an interest (as far as I know) in writing a novel, and the fact that she got there before me makes me, well, helluva jealous. But then, she clearly wasn't like me in terms of the procrastinating and struggling to get her story out.
Anyway, now that I am considering writing again, I have been considering a new angle to approach the story from, and that is one of fiction. It would certainly fix a lot of the dilemmas that I have been considering about writing my own story in that it wouldn't affect the privacy of the people that I met and came to be friends with overseas. It would be fiction, and though I might draw from experiences or stories that I had and heard while I was in Korea, it would for the most part just be made up of the things that I wanted to do while I was there. My imagination could run wild and I could have a lot more fun with the writing of it.
Of course, so far it has been difficult. Even drawing from personal experiences and fictionalising them has been difficult. Take for example a part of the first chapter where the heroine of the book is having a fight with her boyfriend at the time because she is leaving. The fight itself never happened in my life, though it is based on a number of conversations that were had with my boyfriend and I before I left as well as the worries that I never voiced, but had in my mind before leaving. After writing that particular section, my emotions were all over the place and when Grant came home from work, I was close to tears because I felt like we'd had a real fight.
I am hoping that it is going to pan out this time. I am hoping that this isn't just going to be another of those fruitless attempts that end up going nowhere and just sitting on my harddrive for years. I have so many of those that I keep looking at and considering picking up again, but I think that my Korean story needs to be told before any other. It is a personal one, and if there is one that I am going to finish, this should be it. If I can't finish this, I have no business writing fiction. At least to my mind.
Anyway, that is all for today. I have wasted far too many words writing up a silly blog about writing. Words that could have been written into my new novel. Alas. Back to the grindstone I go! Wish me luck.
I have brought out the notes again and have been considering trying at writing my Korean story down once more, not for the first time and probably not for the last. This time around it has been inspired by a friend of mine publishing a book. This friend is not a close one, and is not someone who I would have thought of as an author. She has never shown an interest (as far as I know) in writing a novel, and the fact that she got there before me makes me, well, helluva jealous. But then, she clearly wasn't like me in terms of the procrastinating and struggling to get her story out.
Anyway, now that I am considering writing again, I have been considering a new angle to approach the story from, and that is one of fiction. It would certainly fix a lot of the dilemmas that I have been considering about writing my own story in that it wouldn't affect the privacy of the people that I met and came to be friends with overseas. It would be fiction, and though I might draw from experiences or stories that I had and heard while I was in Korea, it would for the most part just be made up of the things that I wanted to do while I was there. My imagination could run wild and I could have a lot more fun with the writing of it.
Of course, so far it has been difficult. Even drawing from personal experiences and fictionalising them has been difficult. Take for example a part of the first chapter where the heroine of the book is having a fight with her boyfriend at the time because she is leaving. The fight itself never happened in my life, though it is based on a number of conversations that were had with my boyfriend and I before I left as well as the worries that I never voiced, but had in my mind before leaving. After writing that particular section, my emotions were all over the place and when Grant came home from work, I was close to tears because I felt like we'd had a real fight.
I am hoping that it is going to pan out this time. I am hoping that this isn't just going to be another of those fruitless attempts that end up going nowhere and just sitting on my harddrive for years. I have so many of those that I keep looking at and considering picking up again, but I think that my Korean story needs to be told before any other. It is a personal one, and if there is one that I am going to finish, this should be it. If I can't finish this, I have no business writing fiction. At least to my mind.
Anyway, that is all for today. I have wasted far too many words writing up a silly blog about writing. Words that could have been written into my new novel. Alas. Back to the grindstone I go! Wish me luck.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Trying to get it write
I am attempting to write a book.
This is not something new for me - friends of mine from high school may remember my attempts at book writing back in those days; friends from uni (particularly those that did the creative writing course with me) will surely remember my NaNoWriMo attempt, and those closer to me may remember the other numerous attempts that have come in between. Readers of this blog my recall a certain promise to get a script going involving a modern day Northanger Abbey. But I refer to them all as attempts. None of them have progressed any further than a couple of thousand words (30 000 in the case of my WriMo attempt of 2009) and the ideas behind them still intrigue me and are still lodged somewhere in my brain, waiting to be rekindled, they have all essentially fallen by the wayside. Once this happens, it is incredibly difficult to pick them back up again. I lose my train of thought, that particular style of writing that was being used, and no matter how hard I try to get it started again, I just cannot get back into that novel's particular rhythm.
This time is different. This time I am trying really hard not to let my novel fall by the wayside. I have great plans and I am not going to let myself and my silly little brain get in the way of letting me succeed. This time it is personal.
So what is my next great attempt about? I am hoping to write up a detailed account of my year in Korea. I don't know how many of the people reading my blog received my fortnightly updates, but many of the people who did read them insisted that I should attempt to write a novel. They said that they all thoroughly enjoyed the short(ish) accounts that I provided them with, and thought that my adventures would make a brilliant book. And so I am trying to put it together piece by piece, trying to figure out what should stay in and what should stay out; who I should mention and who I shouldn't.
Of course, there are aspects to this that remain very difficult. Pieces of information were intentionally left out of letters for example (my parents and grandparents don't need to know about my semi-drunken escapades), and I am sure that some of my friends would not appreciate their own personal lives being put on display. Does that mean that I shouldn't include that information in the book? Does it mean that I should change names to protect anonymity? Should I do all of this now, during the writing stages, or should I finish writing and remove the dodgy bits later during the editing stages? Ah, life's great questions.
Regardless of these questions that keep pestering my mind, I am moving forth. I am not very far into the writing of the book yet, and still have to figure out how I am going to lay everything out, But I am writing, and that is the important part. As long as I keep doing that, I am sure that this one will pan out. Hold thumbs for me.
Oh, and the question for today: Would you object to being referred to in someone else's novel?
This is not something new for me - friends of mine from high school may remember my attempts at book writing back in those days; friends from uni (particularly those that did the creative writing course with me) will surely remember my NaNoWriMo attempt, and those closer to me may remember the other numerous attempts that have come in between. Readers of this blog my recall a certain promise to get a script going involving a modern day Northanger Abbey. But I refer to them all as attempts. None of them have progressed any further than a couple of thousand words (30 000 in the case of my WriMo attempt of 2009) and the ideas behind them still intrigue me and are still lodged somewhere in my brain, waiting to be rekindled, they have all essentially fallen by the wayside. Once this happens, it is incredibly difficult to pick them back up again. I lose my train of thought, that particular style of writing that was being used, and no matter how hard I try to get it started again, I just cannot get back into that novel's particular rhythm.
This time is different. This time I am trying really hard not to let my novel fall by the wayside. I have great plans and I am not going to let myself and my silly little brain get in the way of letting me succeed. This time it is personal.
So what is my next great attempt about? I am hoping to write up a detailed account of my year in Korea. I don't know how many of the people reading my blog received my fortnightly updates, but many of the people who did read them insisted that I should attempt to write a novel. They said that they all thoroughly enjoyed the short(ish) accounts that I provided them with, and thought that my adventures would make a brilliant book. And so I am trying to put it together piece by piece, trying to figure out what should stay in and what should stay out; who I should mention and who I shouldn't.
Of course, there are aspects to this that remain very difficult. Pieces of information were intentionally left out of letters for example (my parents and grandparents don't need to know about my semi-drunken escapades), and I am sure that some of my friends would not appreciate their own personal lives being put on display. Does that mean that I shouldn't include that information in the book? Does it mean that I should change names to protect anonymity? Should I do all of this now, during the writing stages, or should I finish writing and remove the dodgy bits later during the editing stages? Ah, life's great questions.
Regardless of these questions that keep pestering my mind, I am moving forth. I am not very far into the writing of the book yet, and still have to figure out how I am going to lay everything out, But I am writing, and that is the important part. As long as I keep doing that, I am sure that this one will pan out. Hold thumbs for me.
Oh, and the question for today: Would you object to being referred to in someone else's novel?
Monday, March 7, 2011
Welcome
Welcome to my new blog!
Let me introduce myself and explain why I have started this. First of all, my name is Lara. I am 22 years old and have recently returned to South Africa from a sojourn in South Korea where I taught English for a year. Let me say this from the start, however: I AM NOT A TEACHER. I wasn't before I went to Korea and I would never like to be one again. If my year of teaching taught me one thing, it is that.
Now I suppose I should explain why I started this blog. I tried to get a number of blogs off the ground in the past and none of them succeeded until I started Travellin' Thru Korea. The reason why I think it worked so well is because I had people who were interested in hearing about my journey and pushed me to work at it. When my time in Korea started drawing to a close, I started wondering whether it would be worthwhile carrying on. And then I had a chat with my friend Nikita, who insisted that I should keep writing because she had finally found a blog that she enjoyed reading and she didn't want to give it up. And what was I to call it? What was it going to be about? Why would people want to read it?
Well, as my friend Shaina explained to me, it was the life experience that drew her to my blog in the first place and it was these life experiences that kept her there. Just because I'm not in Korea doesn't mean that my life is going to become boring. Just because I have lived in South Africa all my life doesn't mean that I can't look at South Africa with the eyes of a new-comer, and nor does it mean that my life here wouldn't be worth noting. And so, this blog is going to be about my life experiences as a 22 year old experiencing life the only way she knows how. Expect to see book reviews, food reviews, restaurant reviews and just the details of my life strewn across the interwebs for all to see - or at least for all those who would be interested.
I hope you stick around to enjoy the show!
Let me introduce myself and explain why I have started this. First of all, my name is Lara. I am 22 years old and have recently returned to South Africa from a sojourn in South Korea where I taught English for a year. Let me say this from the start, however: I AM NOT A TEACHER. I wasn't before I went to Korea and I would never like to be one again. If my year of teaching taught me one thing, it is that.
Now I suppose I should explain why I started this blog. I tried to get a number of blogs off the ground in the past and none of them succeeded until I started Travellin' Thru Korea. The reason why I think it worked so well is because I had people who were interested in hearing about my journey and pushed me to work at it. When my time in Korea started drawing to a close, I started wondering whether it would be worthwhile carrying on. And then I had a chat with my friend Nikita, who insisted that I should keep writing because she had finally found a blog that she enjoyed reading and she didn't want to give it up. And what was I to call it? What was it going to be about? Why would people want to read it?
Well, as my friend Shaina explained to me, it was the life experience that drew her to my blog in the first place and it was these life experiences that kept her there. Just because I'm not in Korea doesn't mean that my life is going to become boring. Just because I have lived in South Africa all my life doesn't mean that I can't look at South Africa with the eyes of a new-comer, and nor does it mean that my life here wouldn't be worth noting. And so, this blog is going to be about my life experiences as a 22 year old experiencing life the only way she knows how. Expect to see book reviews, food reviews, restaurant reviews and just the details of my life strewn across the interwebs for all to see - or at least for all those who would be interested.
I hope you stick around to enjoy the show!
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