If you dream deep enough...

When I stop to think what this year has meant to me, writing-wise, what jumps out at me is that its been a year of milestones achieved and dreams coming true. I can recall the sense of determination, when I began my first class on the MA in Creative Writing two years ago, with which I wanted so badly to have Hanif Kureishi as my tutor at the end of the two years, when I had to write up my final collection. Instead in May 2010, my allocated tutor turned out to be an unimaginable 100 times better - his editor from Faber and Faber. My first deep insight into how publishers think, breathe and behave. In July, I got to read out aloud, for the first time to a UK public, an unpublished work in progress from my short story collection. In September, I submitted a 15,000 word chunk of my 'Ghost stories from Goa' along with a 3000 word critical essay, as my Master's thesis. In October I had my first travel article published by no less than the Times of India and they've just accepted a second from me, to be published in 2011. I also managed to get the first 15,000 words of my second book written up this year. And all of this, while in full-time employment in a demanding job that I love and am thoroughly grateful for.

So, don't ever tell me dreams aren't possible. I'm living proof that everything is possible - if you dream deep enough.

Status quote

One of my absolute favourite quotes:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

From Marianne Williamson's book "Return to Love." Nelson Mandela famously used this quote in his inaugral address in 1994.

The Artist's Way

For those of you who have already heard me wax lyrical about Julia Cameron and her book, "The Artist's Way," you will know for yourself the usefulness of the two tools I'm about to talk about. For those of you who haven't read the book, used to be creative and wonder now when you lost your way - this book is for you. If there are only two things you need to take away from this book to build into your daily routine so that your creativitiy is jump-started its these:
Numero Uno, Morning pages: Set your alarm for half an hour earlier in the morning, get up and write three pages of stream of consciousness stuff into a journal before the busyness of your day and your mind take completely over your sanity. The point is to put the things on your heart, mind and soul onto pages. IF you feel there is nothing to say, put down three pages of nothing. Think of it as a way of massaging the knot out of a tough, harderned muscle. I do. It works. According to Julia, you'll see amazing results within weeks. I only noticed after a year - but I'm like that.
And Two, The Artist's Date: Once a week, take your lovely self on a date. With yourself. No one else you know allowed. This could be as large as a weekend visit to a new place or as small as an hour of coffee while reading your favourite paper in a new cafe you've always walked past and wondered about but never wandered into. Cameron actually gives an example of buying gold stickers and putting them in scrap books or other places of interest. This is harder for me to do. I find it easy to hang out in places that I know like my fave coffee hang-outs or discover new ones. No problem. But if you're like me, you will find your weekends taken up with household chores and social time. Throw in the huge amout of quiet downtime I need in my life personally to read, write and remain sane and there is very little room to be creative for myself EVERY week. Golden stickers on a scrapbook stress me out, don't even seem worth the investment of time compared to what you want to achieve with an Artist's Date (focus people): Enhanced Creativity. But my oh my, is it worth it! As with everything, its all about practice and giving yourself time to get into being on a date with yourself. I'm still learning but my last one was walking around in Gamla Stan, Stockholm.

Yummy Writing

I’ve been slow to write lately. Reason: Writer’s Brain. That’s what I call having too many thoughts in your head to think – all writing related of course! So, I’ve resorted to reading instead and I’ve been watching as many movies as possible – learning to appreciate them for their plot, storylines, editing, dialogue – stuff I never chose to notice before. I actually stay long enough after a movie to scan the credits now to see who wrote the screenplay. A whole world of Writing for Movies is opening up for me people. You read it here first!

My latest favourite is Julie & Julia. If you love food and you are a writer (as I do and am) you simply MUST see it. No excuses! Even if just for the opening scene with Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci sitting in a French restaurant and Streep’s character Julia Child savouring the first morsel of her dish. As a writer, I just love the visual that no words are needed when food hits the senses. I’m a big fan of keeping it simple. A simply delicious moment in the movie.

I’m a Meryl Streep fan though, that helps too. And I thought she was fabulous in this movie.

What I love most about the movie though is that it brings to life a woman’s struggle to blog – enter Julie Powell. After watching this movie, I wasn’t sure what to do first – google Julie Powell’s blog or Master the Art of French cooking! So I went for the easier choice - http://juliepowell.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html