Write from Source

Spring is an interesting season in Tasmania. She has not quite relinquished her grip on winter and there are storms and chilly temperatures, yet the birds and buds in the trees tease of warmer days ahead. I've come to learn that the sound of rain on a tin roof is a beautiful thing and the dam is filling nicely (perfect for the new turbo chook chicks and ducklings)- plus it's a wonderful day to be in the warm studio.

It's another writing day - and I'm beginning to see the vision I had for my client's second book take form. The more challenging the weave - the more vibrant the story - the more powerful the impact. Well that is the plan. There is still a lot of work to do but I feel the energy flowing through the pages now. The magic of ghostwriting for me is I often feel I am channeling the person I'm writing the book for - so it genuinely feels like their words on the page - and then the craft of the weave ...

I'll leave you with a little musing - Did you ever think you'd live in a time when it was a differentiator to say "written by a real human being"?

I have been thinking about my process and the fact I sometimes channel when I write (whether as a ghostwriter or in co-creation with Source). I wonder, will the creators of AI (machine learning) ever be able to "meaningfully" replicate the "connection" and the magic that humans experience when they either "co-create" - or encounter any given art form be it music/art/writing/acting etc?

I feel there is something of the Divine in our connections with our fellow human "Beings". There is something of the Divine in all creative endeavours, something intangible that ignites the spark of Love, Joy or Healing, Connection and Transformation ... I sense, if we are truly awake, we will "feel" the difference between AI generated and Divine Inspired ...

Hmmm .... I probably sound quite anti-AI - I believe there is a place for machine learning - in the medical industry (for example), it is being put to incredible, life-saving use. There is fun to be had with it too ... But I do feel conflicted about those in industries that purport to be all about "people" and "authentic connection" using AI as a business model ...to promote their face, their image and perhaps even to do their work (which atm means AI is stealing bits and pieces of other people's work - be in no doubt about that).

We live in interesting times and it's a time to be "awake" and "aware" for sure.

Either way, I will always be old school when it come to the "creation" of my Craft - but it is an interesting Rabbit Hole to go down isn't it? It feels like that age old battle between using our gifts for the light - or the dark. Well - If all that doesn't get your creative juices going - I don't know what will 😆.

Have a fabulous weekend beautiful souls. Keep your spark ignited, protected and shining bright. Keep your Curiosity alive ✨🥰

My mother used to say "empty vessels make the most noise" ... Now that I'm older I wonder if it was just one expression in a long line of the many ways to keep children quiet - seen and not heard. In our house mum didn't suffer fools gladly either 😅.... so you might be getting the picture there was little tolerance for those who liked the sound of their own voice - or talked with great confidence about matters they knew nothing about ... lol

I am not sure why this memory has surfaced other than the acknowledgement I have been quiet on this page. Perhaps this page has taken my mother's mantras to extremes. The thing is there is a lot happening on the professional & personal writing front and always has been - it's who I am. Yet it's the business page I always feel less inclined to update.I wonder why, when writing is my love, my passion, my sustenance. Is it an abandonment of self on some level?

More than likely it's because I just try to do too much and I really must remedy that. But also, I wonder if it's because when I am working on a ghostwriting project I like to keep things under wraps until the book has been published - ensuring my client gets to do the big reveal ... but then time goes by and I move to the next project ....and the writing in solitude and secrecy continues.

Anyway, I'm still here - I'm still writing. I'm now working on the second book of someone I've worked with before .... I'm still creating courses and workshops, still running a spiritual practice and still keeping the embers warm on my own writing project.

Sometimes I wonder whether I should have another page in my name for my own writings, but it all gets very difficult to maintain social media when you are in the writing zone.

I'm sure I'll work it all out - one day ..

Until then, do you remember any saying your mum or dad used to say while growing up? Did they have a catch phrase that, as you got older, you thought "hang on a minute?" I was born in Glasgow and heard many colourful things that would never be uttered nowadays - things that were part and parcel of where you came from - you just have to watch Billy Connolly to get where I'm coming from 😁 If you are a writer - or you have dreams of bing a writer - are there any such expressions you heard growing up that are holding you back today? When you start thinking about it - you might be surprised.

Hello beautiful creative souls. I hope all your writing dreams and plans for 2025 are taking shape. As many of you know I have a couple of writing projects on the go. One of them in particular has been a challenge for all sorts of reasons and chances are you'll have had challenging writing projects yourself. On such days, the planning you did early on, such as having your structure already mapped out, is a blessing from the Goddess.

You may recall in December, as a gift to you wonderful writers, I shared some important 'non-negotiables' when it comes to writing your book. I can't emphasise enough how important it is to know all this before you start to write.

Early on at school you would have been taught, a story must have a beginning, middle and end. At the very least your book or play must have a beginning, middle and end - though in our writing world we are talking - Act 1, Act 2 and Act 3 ... (There are many different types of structures but this is the easiest for beginners to relate to).

Within Act 1 (the set-up), you will have:
The Exposition
The Inciting Incident
Plot Point 1

Within Act 2 (Confrontation), you will have:
Rising Action
Midpoint
Plot Point 2

Within Act 3 (resolution), you will have:
Pre-climax
Climax
Denouement

Within slightly different structures you will find additional plot points or different names - but this is a good easy level to start with.

You then map out which chapters of your book sit in each Act. You will be able to see if you are missing, the exposition, or missing a plot point very easily this way.

If you are using this structure, your manuscript must start with the "Exposition" (in this example). If you are wondering what the Exposition is ... wonder no more ...

The Exposition (SET-UP) sets the scene of the story.

It introduces the Protagonist in their Ordinary World (if you are familiar with the Hero's Journey you will recognise the Ordinary World). So basically we see the main "character" doing his/her normal every day thing. We get a sense of what is important to them, and we get hints on things in their ordinary world that challenges them.

The Exposition should also offer the reader a glimpse at the Protagonist's internal conflict (very important) setting it up right from the very beginning, to collide with their external goals later in the story.

MOST IMPORTANT - just as in Memoir - the Protagonist is in a different state of being here than they will be at the end.

Now these are just a few things to consider in the Exposition - but ultimately what you are aiming to do here is make the reader care about what is happening - or else they are not going to keep reading.

Breakdown:
If Act 1 makes up the first 25% of the story.
Exposition should take approximately 10% of the story - so it's important to get this part right.

By knowing your structure and chapter outline in advance - mapping it out - you can now see how useful it is when you become stuck. It's the map that will navigate you back on course.
Did you set up the conflict? Did you set up the ending through your exposition?

This is the stage that takes the time. This is the stage that makes the rest of your writing effortless (well relatively), so it is worth spending the time and effort to get this stage right.

I hope that helps. You can now begin to explore what the other stages of your structure should include (if you are following the three-act structure) :)

On that note, I better get back to it. Happy writing.

Happy New Year all you creative souls out there. Wow, here we are at the start of a new year - a year where everything is possible. All we have to do is make it happen. If you think that sounds easier said than done, just think about the last 365 days. They flew by in the blink of an eye. You're probably thinking, 'how can it be 2025 already?' Imagine if you had written just one page every day of last year - you'd be sitting on 365 pages. Or perhaps, if you started a new hobby, you'd be feeling a bit more accomplished 365 days later. We often find ourselves paralysed by the enormity of a project, when really, we should just start and take things day by day.

This year, I've made a promise to myself to get back to my own writing. For me, it doesn't matter whether I'm working on my Memoir, a Haiku for a print or greeting card, or some journal exploration, as long as I am creating something. However, my major creative goal is to have my memoir mapped out and ready to write by mid year. I have a couple of clients on the books with significant writing projects, so this year is going to be fairly busy on the writing front professionally and personally. And that's just the way I like it.

I've also decided to to learn a new skill (as a hobby) - something totally random for me. I'm going to learn how to work with fabrics and felt to make little spirit dolls. My mum was always incredibly creative and for much of my life I never tried other forms of creativity because I felt "what's the point, I could never be as good as her." But something has shifted this year and I want to see if I do have any hidden crafty talents beyond writing.

Both of these 'projects' represent a commitment to myself and my own personal desires to live a fulfilling creative life in 2025.

So what about you? Is this the year you want to write your first or maybe your second book? Maybe you've always fancied being an artist but you've been too scared to try.

What creative projects are you considering this year? Where would you like to be one year from now?

Whatever you decide, I hope you will find some inspiration, learnings and motivations here at Write from Source. I'll be right there with you walking, musing and creating my way through 2025!