TV Guide.

Evening all,

I have no real excuse for not posting this writing task earlier, I just forgot about my early start. Sorry about that.

Anyway, this week's theme is Writing Exercises which I think could actually work in favour of my timing after all. I wrote this task for the Hodgsonberry festival event three of us attended at a local high school way back in July. I have actually aimed it to be a start point for some year 8s but I'm sure you can get along without my assistance and write something on your own, after all, there is nothing on TV tonight...

FINDING INSPIRATION: A WRITING WORKSHOP

When looking for something to inspire, it is easy to get lost in your own head, especially with a blank page in front of you. You are not stuck for ideas, you just think you are. Your body and mind have experienced thousands of different words and senses today and you have only just thought about it. With this in mind, before you start writing remember that 5 minutes of jotting is almost always more fruitful than an hour of thinking.

Today, we are looking at Objects. Objects can be great for inspiring you. They have been made, been lived with, been used and, somewhere along the line, probably seen or done something pretty wicked. Remember, there is a story behind everything.

Pick up the object. Turn it over. Ask yourself everything you can think of about it. Here are just a few to get you started

· What is it?

· Who does it belong to?

· Have you seen it before?

· What colour is it?

· Is it smooth?

· Does it smell?

· Does it say anything (i.e. is it religious, does it represent anything else)?

· Where did you pick it up?

· What has it seen?

· What does it do?

· Why does it interest you?

Think about all of these questions. Have a look at the POEMS idea below. Do you have enough ideas to piece together a picture now? Find a PERSPECTIVE you would like to write from and you are just about ready to dazzle with poetry.

	P is for People: Who are the characters in the poem? O is for Objects: What do they symbolise? Find 3 interesting things to say. E is for Emotion: Is the mood sad, happy, reflective, angry...? M is for Message: Is there something you’re trying to say? S is for Setting: Where is the poem set? Why here? What does this add?

Note: Nobody writes amazing poetry on a first draft. Never be afraid to cross out and re-write a line. You will know when a line fits, trust your instincts!

Thanks for reading guys, S.

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Boy.

Monday morning. The constant string of whirrs and whistles from my phone ensures that absolutely no more sleep can be had here and so, reluctantly, I am out of bed. Today is my 25^th birthday. I am, for the first real time in my life, aware of my own existence and one day eventual demise. To this point in my life, it is becoming increasingly apparent that I have achieved precisely sod all. And I’m late for work, which comes as nothing of a surprise.

It is fair to say that, as with most birthdays post-eighteen, it means little to me. Other than a reluctantly ticking time bomb poking and prodding me from the inside out, you wouldn’t really know I was in my late twenties (optimism there, see). I get asked for ID on a weekly basis, still work part time and to be fair, could be any student you happen to cherry pick from a bar. In reality though, I’m starting to become an old man.

This time last week I was the most inspired I have been for weeks. Returning from Latitude with a clutch of ideas just waiting for a paper home and I’m happy to say, some of those refugee thoughts made it out alive. ‘Location/Environment and Writing’ is a theme that fits most appropriately with my thoughts and, to be honest, I wish I was back under canvas. Or, actually, in my shed. Or in my car. Basically, I will write if I’m somewhere pretty. Here, I can’t find the motivation.

The great post yesterday from Fiona Pitt-Kethley got me thinking. I’m not in a position to move. The writing isn’t jumping out at me and so, how the hell can I do all of these things. I don’t quite feel a novella coming on- I don’t really know what direction I’d take that. So, in true Apprentice style, I’m going to try and print some money. Whoring myself out to the world of the ‘ooh, there is a gap in the kindle market there’ - I’m going to see just what happens with a little bit of effort and a lot of carrot-stick-chasing.

I figure, if six of the country’s worst business brains can impress Lord Sugar with some meowing and giggling, I can fill a gap in the market selling some e-books. I don’t know yet what the market is. I don’t know what I’ll write but, with experience as a football journo behind me, I am more than willing to plough out some rhetoric in search of a $0.49 profit.

I’m aiming for a vegan ice-cream out of the experience and any gain over and above that will be kept aside. Maybe, I’ll be in Spain one day. Maybe a new shed. All I know is that any kind of writing beats twiddling thumbs waiting.

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