Tuesday 30 November 2010

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Whilst the rest of us are freezing our bahookies off, it seems that there is at least someone enjoying this white weather -


Please can we go in now?

Things I have learnt since my dad got cancer…

In October of last year, my dad was diagnosed with multiple Myeloma.  I’d never heard of it and couldn’t even spell it to be honest.  In the summer, he underwent a stem cell transplant using his own cells that had been harvested and is doing well considering.

Here are the things I have learnt since my dad was diagnosed –

Myeloma is a type of bone cancer and is incurable.  That’s not to say its terminal, just that the symptoms can be reduced with drugs.

The majority of sufferers are over the age of 65.  My dad was 57 when diagnosed.

It’s been linked with chemicals and certain occupations where chemicals are used such as farming, hairdressing and the plastic industry.  That’s not to say that if you work in these trades you will get it. 

Since my dad was diagnosed, I have binned all the air freshners I have in the house.  With the research I have done I am convinced then any needless chemicals in the house are a bad thing. 

If my dad hadn’t have got his stem cell treatment he was told he wouldn’t live past the next two years. 

It’s important to tell your parents that you love them whilst they’re still there.  I don’t come from a particularly touchy feely family, but since my Dad was diagnosed, he tells me he loves me all the time and I tell him I love him.   

For more information, visit - http://www.myeloma.org.uk/

Friday 26 November 2010

Things that have helped my writing

Here's some of the thing I have learned so far –

When telling the story from a particular character's POV ask what would he think of characters as they are introduced and remember what they think of others  also reflects his or her own life experience.  

For example - a 40-year-old teacher at a school disco may think the girls have turned up in their underwear and not their best party gear.  Well, when he was younger girls wore more clothes, or at least that was his recollection of things.  

Giving characters a theme tune that makes you think of them when you hear it can work wonders.  For instance an elderly woman who dreams of going windsurfing could have Young At Heart.  A man who thinks he's god's gift to women could have You're So Vain.  You play the song or hear it in your head and hey presto they're there in the room with you.  

Speech tags he said and she said, may seem repetitive, but when you're reading they fade away and it’s almost like you don't see them.  If you try and vary tags and write things like 'she said angrily,' 'he said brightly' that does start to grate with the reader.  So minimise the use of these if possible.

When someone is speaking break up the dialogue with A and B.  

A is for action i.e. 'She stopped speaking to brush the hair from her eyes, and then she inspected her chipped nail polish like she'd find the answer there.'  

B is for body language.  What are her lips, mouth, hands, shoulders doing?  Is she sitting up straight or is she slumped?  Are the feet still, shuffling, tapping, moving, shoeless (she's so relaxed she's kicked off her shoes).  

It can be distracting to write when Elvis is in the next garden.  Yes really.  I live next to a pub beer garden and the impersonator is currently belting out Love Me Tender. 


Most read