Folks, if you need a wake up call, I’ll give you one right now.
It really helped me, so I’m going to share it with you too.
Your book will not write itself (unless you’re getting ChatGPT to do it).
There will also never be a right time to get started or get back to it. You can put it off all you like and make excuses, but your book isn’t going to get any longer, refined or finished if you do that.
How do I know this? Well, because that’s what I was doing. I was waiting for the right time. I was procrastinating. Why? Because I didn’t know where to start. It felt like I was standing at the bottom of Everest, looking up and thinking “this is going to be a huge task.”
And I’m not wrong – writing a book is a huge task! It’s possible – but not without a bit of elbow grease.
It’s very easy to get wrapped up in thinking:“but where do I start? I don’t have time. There’s so much to do.”
If you’re in a similar place, where your book is gathering cobwebs in the corner, or your project hasn’t been updated in a while, or you don’t know where to start, here is my advice:
Take action. Just start, and do a little at a time.
I took action and I’m back working on my book – and you should too.
Remember: this is your dream, your goal!
You’ve got to take action because the hard truth is … it’s up to you. Unless you have a ghostwriter, the person who is going to write the book has got to be you.
But how?, I hear you ask. Well, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. What does that mean?
Just put one foot in front of the other. Write down the ideas for your new book. Set aside time to work on it. Pick up where you left off, whether that was a month or six years ago. Tell your family or friends that you are working on your book and have them hold you accountable. Remember, you don’t have to do this alone!
Slowly and surely you will get to where you want to be – and your future self will thank you.
Now, go! Isn’t there a book you’re supposed to be writing??
On the surface, lyric writing and creative writing might appear to share similarities. In other aspects of the writing process, however, they couldn’t be any more different, as I learnt today from my interview with Indie pop artist Lucy Lou.
Scroll down for Lucy’s new single & full list of socials!
Inspiration
We began by talking about Lucy’s song-writing background. She started writing in 2017, when she joined a music school known as the “School of Rock”, except this one didn’t have Jack Black. Lucy said that she had to explore writing original songs and that “up until now I’ve been writing my own music.”
I then asked where she finds inspiration for writing a song:
“It just depends really … I think the best songs come from things you’ve experienced.”
Lucy also invents her own stories, or thinks of a scenario, or a an event which has happened in real life, and romanticises/dramatises it.
What about those ‘a-ha!’ moments? I asked if Lucy had ever thought I have to write a song about this, to which she said “definitely. If I’ve been on a night out and something happens to me, or I’m really struggling with my mental health, or something, that’s when I’ll be like I need to express this in a way other than journalling.”
Writing
With an idea in mind, Lucy told me she prefers to go straight to her guitar, and pen and paper. Here the music brainstorm begins. It can be as simple as one lyric that really sticks, Lucy told me; “then I build the whole song around that one lyric.”
Timing wise, Lucy said she can write a song in a day, or it can take up to a week. On the topic of process, and if she has a step-by-step formula for song-writing, Lucy said she enjoys writing songs from the start.
“The verse is where you introduce what the song is about … laying the foundations for what’s going to come next.” However, she noted it depends: “Sometimes if you write a solid chorus first, it can be the anchor for the song. The chorus is probably the most important part of the song, it’s the thing that people remember, it’s the catchy part.” And the all important bridge, she told me, is an opportunity to “go out of the box, compared to the rest of the song.”
A lot of great songwriters that Lucy admires are poets themselves, and she believes that having a background in poetry, english and creative writing is a good skill to have in song writing:
“I love songs when I have to sit down and figure out what the writer is trying to say … versus you just telling the story – it’s that show, don’t tell thing. You want to leave some room for exploring the lyrics and the deeper meaning of them.”
And what happens when the flow state is interrupted by writer’s block? Lucy said that she tackles this in two ways. Firstly, by taking a break: “if it’s not going anywhere, it’s not going anywhere.” And, secondly, by trying to stay in the creative state. This might look like trying to write a chorus, even if it’s difficult, or thinking of an idea.
Music
At some point, the song must be introduced when songwriting, and Lucy said she writes this first: “I typically would write my lyrics second, so I always write the music first, because chord progressions allude to the emotions of the song.”
This is a fair point. As Lucy said, sad songs and hopeful songs have different chords. Similarly with certain genres and their tropes, all songs have their own list of ingredients. However, she said that she is trying to write lyrics first now, adding, “with music it’s different, because it needs to flow rhythmically”.
The editing phase in songwriting is also markedly different to book writing. “Demo stage is the draft stage,” which Lucy told me is essentially the idea of what an artist wants the song to sound like. Production day is when she might rethink structure or the lyrics: “working with a producer is a great opportunity for two creative people to work together.” She notes how working with someone else, and seeing how others write, is all beneficial to the end product.
Stream Lucy Lou on Spotify
Lucy is currently working on an EP (Extended Play), which you could consider as a selection of short stories. She said they are upbeat heartbreak songs that listeners can boogie to, adding “no tears will be shed at Lucy Lou’s concerts”.
As a final word of advice for beginners to the music industry, Lucy said “do it for yourself. This is your music at the end of the day.”, and that you need to remember your why.
Lucy’s latest Single Last Summer is now available to stream on Spotify. Follow Lucy Lou on Instagram @its_lucy_lou and Tik Tok @itslucylou for updates!
Spotify Wrapped is here again and it has inspired me to share my top players, not only in music, but in books and movies. Let’s start with Spotify…
Top Artist: Post Malone
Yup, Posty’s put on his cowboy boots and I’m here for it. To be fair, I’ve enjoyed all of his albums, but his newest country style is particularly infectious. Don’t believe me? My Top Song was “I had Some Help” by none other than Postie and Morgan Wallen. It’s fair to say I’ve had this song on replay since it got released – I don’t know, there’s just something about it that makes me feel happy and carefree. Give it a listen here!
Top Book: 127 Hours
What would you do if you got your hand stuck under a boulder weighing 360kg (800 pounds)?
This is the exact conundrum that outdoor enthusiast Aron Ralston grappled with (literally). You may already be familiar with the famous story, but for those of you who aren’t …
In 2003, Aron was scaling rocks in Bluejohn Canyon (Arizona, USA) when a boulder dislodged and fell – dragging Aron down with it. What’s worse is that, during the fall, Aron’s hand got trapped under the rock. He was alone, had little food or supplies and had told nobody where he had gone.
With such a grim premise, you might think “why on Earth would I want to read about such a horrible ordeal?”. Well, because he survived.
This is a book that will inspire you, amaze you and make you cringe. You will feel like a fly on the wall in that dusty canyon and, at times, you will feel just as helpless as he felt. I guarantee you that his quest for survival, the human spirit to never give up, is what makes this book an absolute winner in my eyes. In those moments of suffering and sadness, there is also light and laughter.
I could hardly put 127 Hours down – you can check it out right here:
Top Movie: Kung Fu Panda 4
As a huge fan of the Kung Fu Panda franchise, I didn’t know what to expect from yet another Kung Fu Panda sequel. However, I was pleasantly surprised and I ended up seeing it multiple times at the cinema. I genuinely didn’t mind this movie at all. [Spoilers ahead duh].
We’re back in the Valley of Peace, where Po isn’t quite ready to give up being the Dragon Warrior, despite Master Shifu’s badgering. In one final hurrah, he sets out to defeat the Chameleon with a crim call Zhen. A skilled sorceress, The Chameleon sets her sights on the past with her vision to conquer the future. When Po is outsmarted by Zhen, The Chameleon is granted access to the Spirit World, where she harnesses power from fallen Kung Fu masters.
Not only is there a banging Britney Spears cover by Tenacious D, but a pretty cool Boss Battle (not quite as epic as Tai Lung in the first Kung Fu Panda, but still). Not bad Dreamworks – Skadoosh!
What were your top picks of the year? Let me know below in the comments or on my instagram @rebekah_writes_stuff 🙂
Hey blogsters! Bloggeroonskiis – it’s April! I thought I would answer a few questions. I haven’t done something like this before, so let’s get into it!!
I started blogging for a bunch of reasons: I wanted to practice writing, I wanted people to read my writing and I wanted to be more confident (especially posting my writing!). I definitely struggled getting posts out when I first started and perfectionism really blocked my flow. I worried a lot about what people would think of my writing. Plus, physically setting up a blog seemed so daunting! I’m glad I just decided to give it a go. It took a few tries on different platforms, and now I’m pretty happy with my WordPress blog.
Interestingly, the less I worried about what people might think and whether my writing was perfect or not, the better the words flowed. I’ve realised that the more I blog about stuff I enjoy, and because it brings me joy, the easier it is to press publish!
What’s my favourite blog post so far?
I think my favourite blog post is the thing with spicy food. It was genuinely a lot of fun to write and such a funny concept. I’m not great with spicy food – a mild curry is about my limit – and it made me think lol this could be a fun and relatable post to write about. Everyone has an opinion on spice, you know? They either love it or hate it!
How’s your creative writing journey going?
Yeeeeeah, it’s fair to say I haven’t even looked at my novel drafts in well over six months. It’s hard when you’re busy! I spent a while working on my novels and they say it’s good to take a break and come back with fresh eyes – and I will! Besides, blogging is fun and a good way to keep the writing muscle ripped.
I would definitely like to talk more about my writing and any tips I’ve learnt along the way and hear about your guys’ writing journeys too!! Are you an aspiring novelist like me? Do you want to be traditionally published or self published? Or are you already published?? Let me know!
What advice would I give to new bloggers?
Just wing it! As a new blogger myself, I’m still getting my head around it! It can definitely seem quite daunting. I think it’s helpful to remember why you wanted to start a blog in the first place: i.e to write about whatever it is you are passionate about or that you enjoy or think is interesting! Pizza, movies, cooking, whatever! I write about pretty much anything I think is interesting because I enjoy it!
Don’t get too bogged down about views and statistics. It’s easy to look at some blogs and accounts and compare. Remember, you’re just starting out! Sometimes I feel disheartened when I don’t get many views on a post or followers on instagram – but so long as my stuff is out there and I’m writing, I honestly don’t really care too much! It’s a win when I publish a post! And when I do get a like or a new subscriber or a follower, it always makes my day. I appreciate my little community!! Shout out to you who is reading this! 🙂 So yeah, as a relatively new blogger, just focus on actually writing and getting your stuff out there and the little wins along the way.
Before I was even born, humans had created some of the most important, life changing inventions, from the car (1886), the lightbulb (1879), penicillin (1928), to the internet (1983), the polio vaccine (1955) and, dare I say it, plastic (1907). Yup, these are just some of the many clever ideas which have changed our world.
But what about the inventions that are overlooked and less in your face? I can guarantee there’s at least one or two you take for granted everyday – I know I do!
Roads
We don’t have to dig out the spades when we head out to the supermarket (get it, dig out?). You don’t have to cut your way through bramble and bush. You don’t even have to think twice when you’re pulling out of your driveway and heading to work. All that back breaking work has literally been done for you. Sure, potholes suck and rain is becoming a bit more of an issue with climate change, BUT you must admit that roads are incredible. Next time you go for a drive or you get stuck in traffic, be grateful that someone in Mesopotamia 6,000 years ago decided to lay down a path – and that the trend caught on.
A road in a modern city by evening_tao on freepik
The indoor toilet
Need I say more?? Did you know that Thomas Crapper wasn’t actually the first person to invent the flush toilet? As disappointing as it is, Sir John Harrington actually beat him to it in the 16th century. Despite this, most toilets weren’t inside. Roughly 100 years ago, most UK houses didn’t have an indoor toilet. Indoor plumbing is pretty recent and still not the status quo across the world. Think about it. You don’t have to brave the elements for a midnight pee. You don’t need to put on shoes or light a lamp and look for rats outside. Indoor toilets are the sh*t.
An outside toilet (1978-1979), Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museum
Toothpaste
9 out of 10 dentists will agree that toothpaste is pretty awesome. I shudder to think about how bad everyone’s breath would stink and just how many of us would lose teeth and need surgery. A breath mint will only get you so far.
Oral hygiene has an interesting history. Most cultures had their own toothpaste remedies, but it didn’t come out of a tube. The Ancient Egyptians, for example, mixed oxen hooves, pumice, myrrh, egg shells and just a splash of water. That did the trick. People of Ancient Greece, Rome, China, India – different variations of toothpaste existed long before modern toothpaste. Doesn’t say people’s teeth were in a good state though. Did you know Tudor Queen Elizabeth brushed her teeth with honey? She hardly had any teeth in the end. Mr Peabody and Colgate, I owe you one.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses didn’t actually do what they said on the tin for many years. Sure, they were fashionable and protected people’s eyes from Michael Bay-esque lens flares, but apart from that, they had no sun protection whatsoever. It wasn’t until the 1930s that protection from UV rays was integrated into the design of sunglasses. Edwin. H. Land invented polarised lenses in the late 1930s and Ray Ban’s Aviator sunglasses became renowned for their utility and style during World War II. Where would my sensitive blue eyes be on those hazy, cloudy days without my sunglasses?
The Barcode
Imagine carting your big shop up to the checkout. The checkout lady stares at the heaped trolley and gives a sigh as you start loading your stuff onto the checkout belt. She picks up a box of cereal and manually types in the number on the back. She does the same thing for the chicken breasts, the chocolate, the washing powder, the pasta sauce. This monotonous routine continues and, by the time she’s reached the bottom of the trolley, the chicken’s gone off.
Yup, those little black lines are a godsend. The barcode revolutionised shopping and stock take forever. Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver invented the very first barcode in 1952. However, the barcode was ahead of its time and when technology finally caught up, the barcode was integrated into supermarket software. The first barcode scanned at a checkout was a packet of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit in Ohio, 1974. The rest is history!
Aren’t you just bursting with gratitude? There’s definitely more I could write about!! What other inventions would make your list? Let me know below! 🙂
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rebekah writes stuff. 