I have tried to post, I have. So you know I'm not lying, here are a few titles of articles sat in my Drafts folder:

1. July Update 2021
2. Wrap Up: November & December 2021
3. Getting Back to Basics
4. How to create fictional towns

I know I don't actually have anything to prove and that if I don't want to post anything I don't have to. But somehow, even in this empty void, I still have some guilt attached when neglecting this blog.
It goes something like;

You're a writer, all writers have blogs. You need to write yours otherwise you don't count.

Now... I know that this is not actually true. And that I can do whatever the hell I want. And that it's mentally damaging to assign rules to what being a 'writer' means. But the thought often wafts around in my mind.

This year has just flown by, I still can't quite believe we're in August. Time is absolutely moving in the most random way. When it moves fast, it is FAST and when it moves slow, it is... You get the idea.

I'm 30 now, so maybe this is the way time passes in my old age and it's only going to get more erratic and continue give me ripples of whiplash until the day I die. Which hopefully won't be until I'm a Gandalf-esque pensioner with strange stories that I tell strangers about the time I road a water buffalo through a secret forest meadow. Or whatever.

I think this is as much as I can't muster for today. I'm actually just going to post this now, as is, just so I can say I did it. I don't really know what take away point I'm hoping you readers get from this.

Maybe that it's alright to do You. And that if you assign rules to the things you love it makes them feel like work. And also that time moves oddly but that you can't prepare for it.

Thanks for reading!

Where the heck has June gone?!

I'm so unbelievably dazed about the way time is passing at the moment. When I think back over June and all the things I did (and didn't) do, it seems fairly epic in comparison to the rest of the last year and a half. I've eaten out in restaurants... with my friends! I went to Ascot, a bridal shower, and played D&D with real people in person.

Writing Update

I also made a lot of progress on my book. It's coming to the end of term 2 on my course, and I have a lot of nervous energy surrounding my manuscript. Guys, people, readers, whoever you are... it's changed so much since I started it a million years ago! And I'm so, so happy with the journey my main character is taking now. And I'm so, so anxious that I'm not actually going to be able to pull it off. But, that's a problem for me and my editor now.

I'm powering through and looking forward to... looking forward. I'm excited to keep writing The Moon of Oakport and excited to finish and start something new.

The Thing

I really want to talk about something super boring. It's about this thing I've started doing. Well, it's not that boring, at least I don't think so... I actually think it is going to change my life, but it seems fairly boring and basic... It's called the four-minute rule. I learned it from the Dr of Happiness Andy Cope. And it's simply this:

Be the BEST you, you can be... for four minutes.

Now, I hear you. You're thinking that it sounds a bit corny. What is the 'best' anyway. But it can be anything! And it can help you do... **anything! **Only good stuff, though.

I'll tell you why I'm talking about this. It's because of a thing my brain does that I didn't think I could switch off. For years and years and years, I've been planning for 'perfection'. But in the most damaging way. I had these big over-arching plans that span months into the future with impossible goals attached to them. And I expect future DruidGeorgi to follow through with these goals. Whether they're:

• Write 750 words a day and finish your manuscript in 3 months (Stephen King does 2000 words everyday after all!)
• Lose 15kg and buy a new pair of jeans to celebrate.
• Decorate every room in the house and then you can have friends over to visit.

You get what I'm saying? And what I'm saying is that I've been acting like a crazy person! I never, ever, ever used to set myself goals I expected to fail. And, it's so mean. So I'm not doing that anymore...

I'm saying this instead:

• Sit down to write for 4 minutes and see what comes out.
• When you want a snack, sit for 4 minutes and listen to what your body actually needs. (It's mostly thirsty or sleepy.)
• Tidy a room for 4 minutes and see how it looks afterwards.
• Do that thing you've been meaning to do, for 4 minutes and watch it get done.

And, it doesn't just stop at changing my lofty goals either! I can do it for my own self and mental attitute too:

• When I arrive at this event, I'm going to be the best guest... for 4 minutes.
• When my partner gets home, I'm going to be the best partner... for 4 minutes.
• When I open my manuscript, I'm going to be the best writer... for 4 minutes.
• When I see my family, I'm going to be the best daughter... for 4 minutes.
• When I wake up, I'm going to be the best version of myself... for 4 minutes.

And, it works. But you have to really believe it. You can't fake it. You can't be over the top and stupid about it. You just have to be yourself but the best one. Haha!

My catchphrase in life (because every good cartoon character has a catchphrase) is, 'imagine if I'd done tried or whatever.' And now I can! For 4 minutes!

Listen, I know this sounds a bit bonkers. But it's not. I promise. It's like I've flicked the switch in my brain and things have just become clearer. And I'm enjoying exploring the positive version of myself... for 4 minutes.

Favourites

I thought, whilst I'm rambling on on the subject of positivity that I'd share my favourites for this month (I haven't done one since last summer):

1. My new chest of drawers. All my clothes are finally of the spare bed!
2. Looking out my windows into my garden and spotting bunnies, deer, kittens...
3. Into the Woods by John Yorke
4. My wireless, noise cancelling headphones
5. Mowing my lawn/freshly mowed lawn
6. Sunbathing in my garden or just generally being in or around my garden
7. My Lucy & Yak dungarees
8. Pub gardens
9. Bean bags... just in general.
10. Homemade sweet & salty popcorn

Photo Gallary

Here's a photo of my garden so you can see why it's 3 of my favourite things for June.

Goals for July

Do I even need to write it... Oh, go on then!

Be the BEST... for 4 minutes.

Thanks for reading!

There was something up with March and April this year. Everyone I've spoken to seemed to struggle with something. It's like there was something in the air causing us to spiral. Now the air is filled with dust and gubbins from roads, trees and whatever else as we seem to be in the middle of what will (I secretly hope) turn into an Oz-style storm.

I know it seems weird to come on here and talk about the weather. This was once a thriving blog filled with wit and anecdote and insightful reviews and life-changing advice......

Well.

It was, wasn't it?

I maintain that I have always written insightfully about whatever topic happens to fall from my foggy mind, travels down my fingertip and onto the keys. Today my mum dropped off my old diaries from 2003 - 2011, and oh boy, it's a treat. When I'm wistfully reminiscing on my childhood, I like to imagine myself to be constantly scribbling and filling notebook after notebook, like some kind of prolific child. But the reality is much different, as the evidence suggests.

My diaries from 2002-2011 consist of partly filled notebooks which, until I was about 14, all begin with a Tracey Beaker style opening. Name, Age, DoB, favourite food, colour, book. You get the idea... And then after those informative front pages where I state that my favourite colour is green, but my personality colour is pink, there are a few further entries. Fewer words every time. Sometimes promises to keep it up. But eventually there is nothing.

I wonder if anyone else did this? Or still does this...

And what's a personality colour? What does that even mean?

The rest of May has been exhausting, honestly. With work to the house going on, it's meant that I've had to provide multiple cups of tea - which is great, I like having people around to host to. But what I don't like is the panic of remembering to have enough clean mugs to last the day. To clean the mugs the dishwasher needs to be filled and/or emptied every day. Every single day! Cleaning!! I know!!!

There, that's my problem.

Besides that tremendous exhaustion on my life for which I require much sympathy, please and thank you, I read a book. After not reading a book for March and April. I also started a NEW notebook and have written in it every day, which I did not do in March and April. And I've seen my friends and family in the flesh, inside and outside, which I also didn't do but for much longer than March and April.

The point of this list of things that I'm doing now that I didn't do in March and April being - Things move always like a river flows. And it's okay to get a bit stuck on the bank for a while because when you're ready you can just hop back in and go with the river once more.

Thanks for reading.

Ps. I read Front Desk by Kelly Yang

It's been a month.

Nothing bad has happened. Everyone I love is fine. Everything at work is fine. My home is coming together. I'm getting some traction on my writing course. But I feel an intense pressure like I'm suffocating, or on the verge of suffocating, or have just suffocated. I've felt this before and can manage it, probably. But it's been a hot minute since it's been this... Stormy.

Speaking of. The weather arrived today. It's been so sunny and warm for the last few weeks. Whenever IT felt too much, I've been stalking off, away from my desk, to sit in my wild garden, letting the sun warm my grey, tired skin.

Now the rain has come and I get to bask in the gladness that comes with knowing that I don't have to leave my house in the rain. And if I do leave, I get to come back to a cosy blanket fort and dry off.

The cost blanket fort has been a necessity for over a year now. It's the safest place to be. No phones are allowed in the blanket fort. No judgements. Or future thinking. Or past thoughts. It's been an essential part of my survival.

Whenever that feeling comes up it's imperative that I get in the blanket fort.

Walks have been good. The abandoned canal at the bottom of the lane is an awesome source of inspiration. It's a breeding ground for birds and has a few bird hides for watching the birds being birds. It's peaceful. There are trees. No screens.

So, I guess that's all I have for now. A little melancholy, I'm afraid, but there are the times I suppose.

I don't know how to start these things any more. It's like the how has dropped out of my head. Same when my coffee machine broke last week and I had a panic attack in the kitchen. I forgot how to react to a situation like that without tearing the roof off my emotions.

Don't look at me like I'm mad. I know I'm not the only one who's had series of minor breakdowns during all this. I'm not proud of my actions but I am trying to own them.

I'm writing my book. It's going well. I'm on the Golden Egg Academy fiction course, which is supposed to be a bit of a kick in the butt. Writing-wise. I've never done anything like this for fiction.

Obviously screenwriting is fiction but it's different and I'm still trying to train myself out of screenwriter's habits. I actually wish there was a switch or a dial, Howl's Moving Castle style, that could change the way I write.

Like, today I want to write my children's book.
Tomorrow, it might be adult fairytale graphic novel.
The day after, a visceral re-telling of the single most painful experience of my life.

I don't think it works like that though... Instead, I'm splitting apart my brain one ew-y, goey brain lump at a time, trying to compartmentalise the different sides of my writer's mind. I don't want to lose the screenwriting instinct. But I DO want to gain the novel-writing instinct.

Though it's wildly possible that I write everything like a slightly passive-aggressive email these days, as that's what I've mostly been doing...

Why is this post called, Reclaim the Hour?

It's simple.
In this time, you know the time, I'm not going to say it. It's boring now and I miss my friends.

In this time, I wake up, roll out of bed, grab a coffee (before my machine's act of betrayal) and turn on my computer. THEN for the next 6-7 hours, I work.
That's not healthy.

I know this.
You know this.
The pigeons that live in the tree in my garden know this.

So I'm reclaiming the hour after I wake up to do things that I like, or that I've been meaning to do, or that bring me a little spark of inspiration/gladness/satisfaction.

And what did I do this hour? That's right. It's you.

You, Blog. Untouched and unloved. Covered in almost as many cobwebs as my house. And I'll tell you something too. I think it's going pretty well. Right?
The time is 8:58am. And I have to stop soon.

But please enjoy this photograph from my favourite spot to sit in the mornings.

Part One: Pre-Rabble

I'm completing Nanowrimo this year and I'm going to blog about it to keep me honest and motivated. It's not Na-no-wri-for-two-weeks-and-then-go-do-other-things-mo.

Last year I was panicking about other life things, the year before I was galavanting around in Greece and the year before I was supposed to be doing a Master's degree.

But this year, this year is prime nanowrimo fodder. I've already finished one novel this year that's sat waiting for me to fix it so you could say I'm on a roll. Let's not even mention the whole, stay inside, don't travel, have no fun theme of the year. So I can't think of a better way to spend my time...

Well, that's not true. I've done a pretty good job of watching the F out of TV this year - so much so that I'm thinking about re-watching The Office (US) AGAIN! That's nine seasons of pure, fun trash.

No. Now it's time to wri the F out of something. Like I said in my previous post, I've been planning my new-ish novel for the whole of October instead of starting from square one on November 1st. I did that with The Moon of Oakport and it's a total mess so I want to try writing the other way. I'm hoping it'll make my life a bit easier...

Part Two: Planning

This novel was not a totally fresh idea for this year, it was actually my attempt at Nanowrimo last year but at that time I was also on a draft of The Moon of Oakport so I think it was a bit insane to try to write two novels simultaneously - I'm still a baby writer after all...

But I never stopped thinking about my main characters and the setting and if writing has taught me anything - it's to follow your instincts and listen to the characters that speak to you.

First, Characters

So I started planning with my main characters and as ALL the writing books will tell you, I started asking some pretty simple questions:

1. What do they want?
2. What do they need?
3. What is their flaw?
4. What is their internal conflict?
5. What is their external conflict?
6. What is their internal journey
7. And, what is their external journey?

Next, I did some simple first & third person writing exercises to get to know them. I've actually got two main characters in this book so it's been really important (and totally new and scary) for me to get to know both of their voices separately.

Ask similar questions of your supporting characters - including any antagonists you have. There's no need to go into too much depth, especially if your working on a passerby, but you should know the basics of everyone that appears in your story.

Second, Story

One of my major flaws as a human is that I start things but never finish and this includes telling stories. I'm SO GOOD at openings and setting up hooks and tidbits and crumbs but they will never lead anywhere because I never plan to resolve them.

But not this time... This time I've forced myself into a planning corner as I've decided to have a murder mystery element to my story.

YOU CAN'T NOT PLAN A MURDER MYSTERY.

To plan a story, you take what you've already written about your characters and then answer these questions:

1. What happens at the beginning?
2. How does a character go after what they want?
3. What happens when they realise what they want isn't enough?
4. How do they change?
5. How do they go after what they need?
6. And, how does everything get resolved?

I also do a fun little Disney Pixar story-telling exercise which goes like this:
Once upon a time...
Everyday...
One Day...
Because of that...
Because of that...
Finally...
I find that when you fill in the gaps with your story this exercise helps to create some drama, chaos or complications shaping it into a story and not just a series of beginnings.

It's at this point I decide on the central themes of my story.

For example, I know I'm writing YA so there are integral themes of self-discovery/coming-of-age/sexuality/identity.

As well that there are issues around discrimination and disparity between classes.

I also have death as one of my main themes because there are murders. So death and life after death is important. So that's a sprinkling of religion.

Nothing heavy there - right?!

Third, Setting

Setting is my favourite. It always has been and always will be. I LOVE creating worlds. It's so much fun! So I start by listing the settings and locations I know will feature in the story and the overall feeling I want them to have.
Here are a few on mine:
Chandry's Room - Cold
Kellen's Room - Warm
The Metropolis - Serious
Throne Room - Tense/Ominous
Olive Grove - Peaceful

Then, of course, there's the over-arching setting. Which was, for this story, my initial inspiration from my holiday to Greece two years ago. The Byzantine city of Mystras. It's was immediately everything I wanted from a fantasy setting. A walled city, conflicting religions, huge palace looking down on tiny houses. Olive groves and quiet (working) nunneries. It was perfect.

Fourth, Murder & Magic

Obviously, this step doesn't apply if you're not writing a story with murders or a story with magic. I happen to be writing both.

Let's start with murders.
Here's the series of questions I worked through to plan the murder mystery aspect of my story:

1. Who is committing the murders? And why?
2. What is the murderer's want & need? And what is their overarching plan and motivation?
3. Who is the first victim?
4. How are they killed?
5. How are they found?
6. What wrong turns does the investigation take?
7. Does anyone (other than the murderer) have anything to hide?
8. How does the killer react to being found out?
9. What happens to them?

It's vital to know who's been committing the murders and why before you start writing. Otherwise, the red-herrings and clues won't be planted correctly... So, get this right! (I'm still hoping I've got this bit right...)

Let's move onto magic
Magic is always fun to include but it can also be rubbish if you don't give it the proper rules and attention it deserves.
Here are the questions I use to create a viable magical system in all my stories:

1. What types of magic exist in this world?
2. Where do they come from? (Schools, bloodlines, deities etc)
3. What limitations does magic have? (Money, skill, commitment etc)
4. What are the 'tools of the trade'?
5. Who should handle magic?
6. Who shouldn't handle magic?
7. How does magic support the story themes?

Two final things on the use of magic: Magic is neutral. But in the hands of good people and bad people,it can have good and bad consequences. And do not let the magical element carry too much weight at the resolution. Doing this has the potential to cheat your readers of a satisfying story ending.

Fifth, Theme & Language

Theme
This is what I'm working on right now with four days to spare before the beginning of Nanowrimo. We've already asked the questions around theme but it's time to make sure that everything is going to link together with one very important question:
Do you have conflicting characters/circumstances that can argue both sides of your thematic questions?
If not you should go back and find them. They might be hiding somewhere already so spend a little bit of time looking over your plans and notes for those with the potential to help you take your themes to the next level.

Language
In a first draft, I'm not sure how vital it is to have perfect language. As long as you're getting across the themes, story and visuals, surely you can go back and edit in that beautiful language you always hoped to use?
But there are a few things you should decide before you start and here are some questions to help with that:

1. What tense will you use?
2. What viewpoint/person will you use?
3. Is your narrator reliable?
4. How would your story change if you swapped to a different tense and viewpoint?

Finally, a few questions to help when telling a story with multiple points of view. As I said, mine has two so I've had to think about this too. My biggest worry is that they'll sound the same so I've tried to outline a few questions to think about that:

1. What does one character see that the other does not?
2. How do they think? (If you're writing in 1st person or very close 3rd)
3. How do they speak?
4. In what ways do they draw readers in? And how do they differ from the other?

Part Three: Preparation

Because we writers are not machines, it's important to prep your life before beginning Nanowrimo too.
Here are some questions to help you plan your life around your writing:

1. How long does it take you to write 1000 words?
2. Where in your day to you waste time?
3. What do you need to write? (What are your tools?)
4. What are the key ways you get distracted? (I use mine as a reward!)
5. What are your key motivations for writing this project? (Your goals... keep them in mind.)
6. What are your least favourite things to write? (dialogue, fighting etc)
7. What are your most favourite things to write?
8. What will you read during this month?
9. What other plans do you have this month?

So with the answers to all these questions, you should be able to carve out a chunk of time in your days to writing. (And plan for those days where you can't write at all.) You should also be able to motivate yourself with rewards & distractions. And prepare yourself for slumps!

Unfortunately, I have to move house slap bang in the middle of Nanowrimo which is not ideal. But as it can't be helped I'm trying to plan for the inevitable chaos particular to moving...

But there we have it, my Nonowritmo ultimate prep guide, I hope this is useful!

Thanks for reading.

Hey, folks. So it's been two months since I last posted and it's also one week until Halloween and I thought it would be nice to do a quick summer update in preparation for the thinned veil between our world and the spirit world... So that 'they' know what I'm like. A bit of a mess but generally alright and not deserving of a spooking, haunting, possessing or anything of that nature.

So, it's not hot anymore, it's cold. Which I'm grateful for. I love the cosy feeling of curling up with a hot drink or snack in one of my many, many hoodies and knowing that I don't have to go outside for anything at all.

I think that planning even just a morning or evening a week like that does wonders for the mind. At least it does wonders for my mind...

So as it's been a little while, I thought I'd do a quick wrap up of the last couple of months - but spoiler alert - there's not much to report.

Writing Update

I'm about to start Nanowrimo. With a NEW STORY! That's right! I've put The Moon of Oakport into the digital bottom drawer for a while to focus on a new idea that I'm really excited to explore. I've been planning it for about three weeks now and here's a HOT TAKE for everyone.... Planning a big writing project actually seems like a smart thing to do! Knowing things about your characters and story BEFORE pouring thousands of words into it WORKS! Tell everyone, spread the word! Plan your novels, fools!

I will - of course - return to The Moon of Oakport eventually, I just wanted to see if I still had the passion for world-building and story-crafting (instead of spending all my time editing and criticising) and I DO! It's a huge check in my 'am-I-still-living-the-way-I-want-to?' box.

Books

I don't have photographic evidence of all the books that I've read since the last reading update because all my books are currently snuggled into boxes ready for us to move house. But I was reading quite a bit especially over the summer.

Here's a quick list of my new reads:

Saga by Brian K Vaughan
I started collecting these graphic novels back when I worked at Waterstones but never actually got around to reading them - and now I've read volumes 1-6!

Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell
This was such a fun little graphic novel to read - it would make a great autumnal read too - but I read it in spring and it was still wonderful, heartwarming and cosy.

Circe by Madeline Miller
I listened to this one and my memories of reading it are intertwined with chopping and baking. But this story broke me. So that's twice this year that Madeline Miller has broken me. Can't wait to read everything else she's ever written.

The Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
This one was a quick one day read and it was a great one too! I love reading middle-grade fiction because of this. I am never disappointed by the endings of these books and yeah, it's so much fun!

Shockingly, that's all I've read. But my GoodReads is telling me I'm currently reading twelve books so I'm clearly great at starting books but terrible at finishing them... but we all knew that already!

Favourites

1.Tony's Chocolate- it's delicious! Buy some and learn about the inequality of the chocolate industry
2.** Good Omens** - Yep, I'm behind the times I know but it was a great show.
3. Tropic Skincare - It's so gentle makes my skin so smooth!
4. D&D - Homebrew Level Zero University Campaign is angsty and a fun escape
5. Neko Neko Post - Bring Loft (Japanese stationery store) to me as I cannot go to it!
6. **My Logitech Keyboard **- Oh my, it's so, so fancy! And so nice to type on.
7. 60 Days In - Docu-series where citizens volunteer themselves into incarceration in America's worst prisons, so addictive.
8. Eventbrite - Been having an amazing time watching my favourite authors in some online events
9. Punting in Oxford - Yep that happened! We had a mini-holiday!
10. Cane's Ride Calculator & Optimizer for Planet Coaster - This helped me get (nearly) all the stars on Planet Coaster - it's not cheating it's innovation! Thanks Cane.

Photo Gallery

Here's a small collection on photos from things that I've done... Not going to lie - it was hard to find some... Special shout out to the tree in the bottom left picture clogging up the footpath in Oxford and the birthday boardgames.

Goals for November

I'm doing Nanowrimo so my goal is to write a book... but I have a nervous disposition so I'm just going to say that my goal is to write lots!

Thanks for reading!

Today marks the end of an era, the dramatic close to a period of my life, the loss of a beloved companion.

Today I finished my notebook.

This is a big deal because I, for years, struggled to finish things. I used to be what the world calls a 'quitter'. Though I would call it 'afraid-of-success-to-the-point-of-aggressive-self-annihilation'. Either way, I've been trying to grow out of this destructive behaviour pattern for a few years now and have discovered the joy of finishing things. That sense of fulfilment from actually getting to the end of something.

But what's all this got to do with filling a notebook?

I'm not sure if these two things are actually related or not but this is my website and I'll do what I want! (As long as I'm not hurting, insulting or exposing anybody other than myself.)

But I'm a writer - and I also have a stationery addiction.

If I am somewhere with amazing notebooks - I WILL BUY ONE! I've given myself pretty harsh restrictions in an effort to decrease the amount I buy too. Only Moleskine or Moleskine-sized notebooks. It might sound a bit snobby but I seriously don't care. I want them to look uniform on my bookshelf and that's that.
But even with that restriction - I can't be stopped.

So, with all these wonderful empty notebooks around - filling them becomes a pretty overwhelming process. And if you're at all like me - you know exactly what that feels like.

So here are my top tips for filling a notebook...

1. Don't be precious.

If you're always waiting for a beautiful, poetic sentence to put into your notebook I'm sorry but you're going to have A LOT of blank pages. Sometimes I start by just writing the words 'I'm writing in my notebook.' Just to get that fear of being perfect to disappear. Because there's nothing more stupid then writing in your notebook that you're writing in a notebook.

2. Vow to do it daily - and set a page limit

Set aside time in your day to write some pages. I follow (loosely) Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way guideline of writing 3 pages in my notebook every morning. Sometimes I go over that limit and sometimes I forget to write in it at all - but whenever I do - I NEVER write less than three pages. (Even if it's absolute rubbish and it takes me all day to get there.)

3. Use your best tools

The number one thing that writing in a notebook should be is a pleasure. It should be a wonderful event that fills you with joy and offers you a moment of escapism in this crazy world. I know it can be tempting to save your best tools for some kind of special occasion, but don't. Use your best pen or pencil and your best paper because your thoughts are always worth it.

4. When you're too tired to write - draw.

Sometimes it's difficult to come up with words. And sometimes writing ca be the biggest ball ache in the whole world. On days like that - draw something instead. It obviously doesn't have to be a masterpiece - it just has to fill up a couple of pages. Draw what you see in front of you. Or just scribble the same word over and over in different fonts and sizes. It'll be cathartic too. And it'll fill up those pages.

5. List something

Throughout my notebooks, I have list pages which I add to later. Listing things is something that I've always found fun but it can also be an excellent way to fill up a notebook. (or pad out a website...) I've got lists of what makes me happy, best tv shows of all time, creative seedlings (ideas), memories, thoughts, food, feelings. etc etc. If you can think of something to list - Do it!

6. Don't feel pressured to finish anything

One of the hurdles of writing in a notebook is when you're attempting to be creative. If you start writing a little story in your notebook - don't be afraid to abandon it halfway through. If the idea is still interesting the next day - you WILL come back to it. And if it isn't, well at least you still explored it a little in your notebook. Don't worry about leaving things unfinished and unpolished - the notebook is a tool for exploration*, thoughts, ponderings and worries - it's not supposed to house publishable stories. The notebook itself should be finished - but the stuff inside shouldn't be.

Okay folks - that's all I've got for today! Remember the best way to fight the fear of the blank page is to scribble on it!

Thanks for reading!

I bought a really expensive planner from Poderlily at the start of this year. It's pink and lovely and has all these different sections for goals and experiences and explorations. And at the end of each month, you're supposed to recap on what you've achieved that month and make plans for the next.

It really is a wonderful thing...

Enter the virus and my £40 planner sits in the dust - with my experiences and exploration being marred by a lockdown countdown and scratched out plans with my faraway friends.

But this is not a blog entry about complaining. I'm sure I could create a tag of previous blogs that ARE about complaining but that's not my intention here.

I want to talk about how reflecting on my life so far has led me to discover some hard truths about moving forward.

So you know, light and airy internet content or something.

The theme of this year has been staying inside, something which I've knighted myself as an expert on. I am Sir DruidGeorgi the Hermit, Sofa Dweller and Vampire Queen.

But it's different this time. The agency, the choice has been taken away from us. The news sources are riddled with tragic and horrible events as we're sitting inside all across the world hearts are breaking and people are dying.

I think everyone can agree that it's been the worst.

I, along with my loved ones, have been remarkably lucky in all of this. We have been safe and well. And because of my lifestyle - I'm extremely lucky (I cannot stress that enough!) that I have been able to carry on in relative normalcy when compared with the world around me.

But here's the thing about enforced isolation...

It gets you thinking.

Deeply thinking.

And I am often averse to deep thinking.

This is because I'm no stranger to thoughts of an existential persuasion. Whenever I deep think, meditate or just try to fall asleep at night - in they creep.

In fact, I'm now so prepared for these thoughts I welcome them, as a valiant soldier welcomes the fiery breath of a dragon. I'm prepared, sword and shield in hand and garbed in minus-ten-to-stealth metal armour. And so in the last few months, I have been prepared for the onslaught of existentialist thoughts.

But these thoughts didn't come.

My birthday came and went without thoughts that would send me plummeting into a crisis. I'm 25 for another year - totally, one hundred per cent unmarked by age...

I submitted my manuscript to a competition and have proceeded to ignore said manuscript for two months and shockingly THAT didn't cause a meltdown.

My unsold house gathered dust on Rightmove and that didn't get me spiralling down the deep dark hole. Nope...

It was that damn diary that got me. It was turning over every damn page at the end of the month and wondering what the hell to put in those little boxes. THAT'S what got me.

What did I do in July? What did I achieve? What's even the point of counting the days when they're all exactly the same?

So what happened next? Where do we go from here?

Enter...

The moon.

Wait! Don't click away - please stay with me on this!

The moon's monthly cycle is arguably the most famous one in the world. You know what I'm talking about:

Now, for the sake of this tangent let's imagine that the moon is a 25-year-old self-employed writer-ish person living the same routine over and over....

And if after ONLY five or six months of staying inside the moon get a bit fragile when staring at a diary she purchased because Instagram advertised it at her so hard.

Now, let's think of all the things that might happen...

You know what, let's not... Let's just say that the earth would get a bit wobbly and it generally it would be hell'a chaotic.

Like world-ending chaotic.

Everyday the moon sticks to her routine - she knows it well. (See above tutorial video for the moon...) She completes her phases and cycles back around - over and over and over. Full moon - half moon - new moon - half moon - full moon - half moon - new moon.

Sure she's completing the same actions day in day out but her purpose never shifts. And it is never, ever, ever less important to the way of the world.

Now, I'm not saying that I'm the moon. (I wish!) And I'm not saying that any human CAN EVER be the moon. (Or can they? The premise of my YA novel.)

But, if we mimic her strength and consistency in these difficult times then maybe - just maybe - we can get through it.

I know this might seem a bit like new-age-hippy-dippy-wishy-washy content.

But honestly, at this point, I don't care.

If I can take my favourite object in nature and turn it into a means to cope in this stupid, horrible, stressful time then I will. And if the moon can ground me and give the strength to keep ticking on over - then I'm going to let it help.

There's nothing more important than keeping yourself sane moving forward into murky waters - even if you sound completely batshit insane in the process.

So, if you ever find yourself wavering maybe just try looking up at the night sky. And at our ancient friend. Maybe it might make you feel better too.

Stay safe out there.

Who could have predicted that March would be like this? I can't even remember what the start of March was like because the last two weeks in isolation have felt like an eternity.

All things considered, March has actually been quite productive... Before the virus took hold of the world I did a spring clean. Finally, vacuuming all of my hair out of the carpets. Of course, now that I've been stuck inside for much longer portions of time, it's all back.

Events

The biggest events of this month have been:
1. Putting in an offer on a house... to have the virus cancel it...
2. Going to my first ever writer's group - to have it Virus Cancelled..
3. Being two thirds "done" with Oakport - see below for how the virus nearly cancelled that...
Things the virus can't cancel:
4. Spring cleaning the house
5. Release of Animal Crossing!
6. Actually using this blog again... And making it look fancier.

Writing Update

Without turning into a big miserable blob, I've gotta preface this whole writing update section with a note about relevance in this difficult time. It has been incredibly difficult, especially in the last couple of weeks to write at all - let alone writing anything of substance. Reading the news and all the horrible details of what's happening outside my front door and beyond has tended to stunt any flow of creativity - obviously. Who has the mental capacity to put a group of magically gifted teenage girls, living in an alt-version of Gloucester, through terrible trials and disasters so that they can eventually live their best lives when in the real world literal trials and disasters are challenging real people and changing the course of their lives forever? I don't...

... Or didn't, until I remembered why I write. To escape... to create stories so that other people can escape too. Now, obviously, no one but me (and a few close others) are going to be reading this story right now. But in the future, someone might... and it might help. I don't know...

Long story short... It's not irrelevant to want to help people get through difficult times by telling stories.

So with that out of the way, I've found writing a mental battle this month. I've been resisting the urge to not write at all. But I'm trying to complete a full draft of Moon of Oakport by my birthday... So we'll see.

Books

Two books this month - and one failed book, that I had to return to the library before the virus kicked in... Both of the books I read were also stories I've listened to/knew already but oh well!

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins by Matthew Colville

Favourites

1. Chamomile Tea in my medieval mug - Calming and badass at the same time!
2. South-facing wall of windows for the optimal sun in the afternoons
3. Animal Crossing - It's saving my sanity
4. Anno - Also amazing at keeping me sane (multiplayer is where it's at!)
5. Lino Art - It's so fun and messy. I love the results.
6. D&D - Ghosts of Saltmarsh campaign is starting to kick off now!
7. My basil farm - fresh pesto all the time!
8. 30 Day Fitness Challenge (already talked about this in my App post)
9. Studio Ghibli themed stuff - Post-its, socks, pens.... Studio Ghibli 4 life!
10. Getting to 'briefly' go outside and see the blossoms...

Goals for April

As always, get this book done! I also want to work on shorter projects to feel that sense of accomplishment. And prove to myself that I can finish something. I'm also working on my fitness level, I've not been happy with it a while so whilst I'm stuck inside I'm going to work on that!

Thanks for reading!

Guide to Working from Home from a Serial Hermit

Working from home is something I know A LOT about. As a budding/struggling author/writer I have cursed myself to live a life of daytime solitude.

Druid GeorgiDruid Georgi

So this is happening - the world is crumbling. But life isn't, yet. I've worked from home for over two years and I'm a self-described introvert with crippling social anxiety. So, I've got this lockdown covered.

(Though all the work I've done on my mind - like forcing myself to interact with the world, going outside, to an office with strangers for work, starting random conversations with people in shops etc has gone down the drain. So, yay for covid-19 mental health issues! Am I right?)

But for some people, I know it's going to be tough. You're going to feel like you're on holiday. Then you're going to wish you could hang out with your friends. Then you're going to make yourself a friend out of a volleyball and a bloody handprint. THEN you're going to make yourself a raft out of toilet roll tubes and sail it around your house but then your friend will fall off the raft, tearing the two of you apart forever...

I know, it sounds crazy but I saw a documentary just like it once...

So here are my favourite apps to keep a routine that somewhat resembles real life. (NB. they're not just apps but websites, youtube channels and just a little bit of advice.)

Exercise

1. Fitbit - Get one. It counts your steps and tracks your activity. Mine buzzes me every hour, reminding me to move - most of the time I ignore it - but it tries it's best. During isolation, we're going to be moving a lot less so let's keep ourselves accountable!
2. 30 Day Fitness Challenge - Everyday, this app gives you around a 5-minute fitness challenge that you can do in your bedroom. It's got simple exercises, including star jumps, push-ups, plank, that don't require any exercise equipment. I like this app because it encourages you to come back every day. (It has a bonus meal planner too.)
3. Yoga with Adriene - A YouTube Channel. Adriene hosts wonderful guided yoga classes in a variety of lengths, strengths and focuses. Seriously, she has something for everyone! Yoga is going to be your best friend whilst you're stuck inside. Giving you permission to slow down, forget work, forget the world. Give it a try.

Productivity

1. To be honest, I just use a notebook and pen to keep track of my daily tasks. But anything like Evernote, Microsoft OneNote digitally do the same thing. The point is - write a to-do list for your daily tasks! And include a variety of different tasks - including the mundane things like doing the washing or stacking your toilet rolls into a mountain.
2. Pomodoro Timer - This is the writer's worst kept secret! If you're struggling to focus because the world is breaking apart outside a Pomodoro timer will help try to reset your brain. Set a timer and aim to complete something within that time. I use it for freewriting, emails and emptying the dishwasher... though for the latter the timer is my toaster... and the prize is buttered toast.
3. Clockify - This is a timekeeping app. It'll help to organise where you're spending your time during the day. (To be honest, I've only just started using this but it's made me realise how long I spend doing pointless things...)
4. Habit trackers: Loop, Habitica(HabitRPG), Fabulous. I've used these guys sporadically over the years to help me keep on top of the things I want to achieve. They all have their strengths and weaknesses and there are loads of other options. Just give them a fair try. If you keep at them they WILL help you develop some healthy habit whilst we're all stuck in our apocalyptic prisons.
5. Rowena Tsai, a YouTuber who specialises in blogs about productivity and inspiration. (Also makeup but that's unrelated.) If you need a little help figuring out your new work system she's got some informative videos to help you out.

More on what not to do here:

How to Live: The Eight Stages of Procrastination

You’ve got work to do today. You know it. I know it. But for some reason it justdoesn’t want to flow. Your brain does not like your job today, it does not likeyour essay, or homework, or project. It doesn’t even like you. Perhaps you havea deadline. Your brain likes that even less then. Great!Th…

Druid GeorgiDruid Georgi

Communications

I'm not sure what to write in this section. Everyone has their preferences so I'm not going to bother linking them. Just please make sure you have a good quality camera and microphone or you'll drive everyone mad during voice chats and online meetings!

Downtime

I'm going to skip the obvious options like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Youtube, Steam Games, Animal Crossing. Because, well, duh!

1. TED Talks - There's a risk that we're all going to vegetate in isolation. We're 'stuck at home' so 'might as well' watch all the seasons of Brooklyn 99. (Random choice... not something I've been doing.) So take advantage of brain-stimulating websites like TED.
2. Future Learn, Open Learn, Udemy, Skill Share, Masterclass, Pluralsight, Professional Writing Academy - Online courses (varied prices) will be a huge game-changer to your evenings! So take the time you'd spend commuting or in the pub to learn something new or finally finish that novel...
3. Google Podcasts, Audible, Radio Public, Spotify - Podcasts, audiobooks and music can become your best friend whilst doing mundane tasks around the house. Or take a moment during golden hour to find a patch of sun, close your eyes and listen to your favourite audio entertainment. This might seem obvious but it can be so easy to forget these small pleasures! When was the last time you listened to a whole album? (I challenge you to listen to Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of All Time)
4. Shut down the screens! I know this is a post about apps to help you work from home but do not underestimate the power of a screen-free lunch hour! You will go back to work feeling refreshed, inspired and energized! Read a book, talk to your quarantine buddies, take a walk. (Because YES! we are still allowed outside once a day for exercise use it to exercise your mind!)

That's all I can think of for now! I hope this helps keep you all a little more sane in these strange and trying times.

Take a look at a my in depth guide to working from home:

Guide to Working from Home from a Serial Hermit

Working from home is something I know A LOT about. As a budding/struggling author/writer I have cursed myself to live a life of daytime solitude.

Druid GeorgiDruid Georgi

Take care everyone and thanks for reading!

Working from home is something I know A LOT about. As a budding/struggling author/writer I have cursed myself to live a life of daytime solitude. When my partner goes off to work at 8am every morning with nothing in his backpack but a pair of shoes and a Monster, I start the long grueling process of turning my home into my workspace. (I'm exaggerating. It's really neither long, nor grueling but it does take some ol'fashioned self-motivation.) Here are my top tips to survive working from home.

1. Get dressed.
   This is an important/often overlooked step by the WFH crew. Although it might be a novelty to WFHIP (work from home in pyjamas) at first. I promise, it's going to lose its appeal. Especially when you realise it's been four days and you haven't changed your pants or brushed your hair and that thing you smell is you. Now I'm not going to say that you should dress in your workgear... You're gunna feel rediculous wearing a suit/tights/whatever I don't know what people wear to an office. But just change out of the stuff you slept in, you grubby buggers.
2. Set a Schedule.
   I know that this may be enforced by your employeers but I'm not necessarily talking about sticking to your 9-5 routine. I'm talking about the rest of the time. One of the worst things about working from home is feeling that you have to be 'on it' all the time. You don't have to wake up and immediately begin working. You also shouldn't feel compelled to work into the night. So set up a 'normal routine'. Get up, shower, drink coffee, have breakfast, play with the dog/kids. Just do a version of what you'd normally do before starting work.
3. Build an Office Space
   You actually don't need a desk at home to have an office space! I know! Crazy, right! If you have a table and a chair that you can sit in comfortably then you can build you WFH office space. Create a ritual out of setting it up in the morning. Clear up the breakfast things, put out your laptop, get out your planner, make a cup of tea. Even if it's a temporary space, make it a moment! And if you're sharing the space with others, make sure that THEY know it's a work zone.
4. Be Kind to Yourself
   I used to be my worst boss. I was mean to myself when I didn't do enough work in the day. I was also mean when I did. You  know what that does? Lower moral... You know what that does? Reduce work performance. You know what that does? Leads to you spending your work day watching reruns of random 00's TV in a blanket. So be a good boss to yourself. Take breaks and celebrate the little wins.
5. And Finally, Keep Your Lunch Hour 'TV Free'
   Seriously, it's a dangerous slope... it starts off as a lunch hour. Then it's a two-hour lunch. Then it's a 'light afternoon.' Then you're just taking 'me time'. Then it's evening so you're allowed to watch TV. Seriously. Don't get on this slide!!

Here's My Working From Home Survival Kit

1. Headphones
2. A Blanket
3. Fun stationary
4. Water bottle
5. Chocolate
6. A really NICE mug for tea breaks
7. A window with natural sunlight
8. Comfy clothes (but NOT pyjamas)
9. Something cute/decorative like a candle or plushie
10. Inspirational poster/artwork

So I'm gonna get back to trying not to watch the news.

Thanks for reading!

OH MY JEEZ! This is gonna be a tough-y but I've gotta start somewhere else I won't be able to catch up. 2020 has been A LOT already so I'm going to do my best to share what's up.

Writing Update

I'm so close to the end! SO SO close. Like in the summer (my last wrap up) I'm still basically doing the same thing but now my mum's read it and said it was good so that's pretty cool!

I'm definitely closer to the end than I was in the summer, and I'm even more ready for someone else to help me make it REALLY good. Because it's becoming blindingly obvious that I can't do this on my own.

EXCITING NEW PROJECT ALERT!
On the 17th February, I started planning my new book... That's right, I'm duel teaming it! The (incredibly smart and not at all damaging) idea behind this is that when I feel like procrastinating, I'll just switch over to my new project and work on that! Stay tuned for an in depth process post about what I'm doing to not waste time and make a mess of my plot.

Books

I've started the new reading challenge on Goodreads. After crashing and burning last year, I decided to set my target low and smash it! So far, I've read these beauties. And in the picture my headphones and library card represent the books I've borrowed from the library/listened to and don't have a photo of.

January

In January:
Changes by Mercedes Lackey
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
The Secret Commonwealth by Phillip Pullman

February

In February:
The Tribe of Witches: The Religion of the Dobunni and Hwicce by Stephan J. Yeates
Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Masterclass: Writing Crime Fiction by Rosemary Rowe

Favourites: January & February 2020

1. Baking Bread KitchenAid for Christmas. Bread for life!
2. Cozy Winter Blanket Days I never feel like leaving my house right now.
3. House Hunting That's right, we're buying something!
4. Porridge for Breakfast Return of Super Porridge, peanut butter mixed in.
5. Patrick Rothfuss Lunches Bread, cheese, honey, pickle. Medieval, yo!
6. The Good Place - Series Finale I love this TV show! Ending was perfect.
7. The Rookie Nathan Fillion as a cop. Character dynamics, second to none.
8. My Planner It's pink. It's on recycled paper. It's overpriced. It works
9. Pilot Legno Mechanical Pencil It deserves some love!
10. New Phone! It doesn't random turn off. Or delete things. Or burn my hand! I'm so lucky.

Goals For March

So we're technically in week two of March but that doesn't matter. I haven't achieved anything tangible yet so it's all good!
Obviously, I want to finish my book! I've joined a writing group too so I'm hoping that that'll help to boost my love of writing... which I hesitate to say... has wavered a little bit.
Back in November, I went on a illustration course and fell back in love with lino printing. So, a goal for March is to work on producing lino art. To hopefully sell.
My final goal for March is to move house, one final time for the foreseeable future.
If you're interested in learning more about my novel: click here for my latest update.

I've been working on this thing for around two years and it FINALLY feels like I'm nearing the end. My deadline was February... which it isn't anymore... but that's okay. Right?

I've been working on plot because it's so THICK with side quests and subplots and sub-drama and distractions that the real story that I'm trying to tell is almost non-existent especially towards the end.

What's even more frustrating (and my poor friends who've had to endure reading literally ANYTHING I've written will attest to this) is that my ending are always like this. In a nutshell: Confusing, confusing and... confusing.

So, I'm currently working on pairing down my story to ONLY exactly what it is. I don't want to start new story arcs two thirds of the way through my book... because I don't like reading that so I'm not gonna write it.

If word count is still important, it's been sitting pretty at 69,000 words for the past couple of months after I brutally sliced 20,000 off the end.

I'm still hoping to have it done, like, now. But that means I need to stop procrastinating like the life gremlin I am.

Thanks for reading!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything — September last year was my last post. And I’ve been struggling to understand why I’ve not wanted to write on my blog… Until NOW!

I’m now going to attempt to explain it in a rambling post, so buckle in or click away.

I’m not good at social media. And I don’t want to be either. Scrolling around on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter makes me sad. It makes me sad because I find it incredibly difficult to stop once I’ve started. Like a party bag of cheese balls, I won’t stop until I get to the end. I have profiles on everything social media platforms and use them mildly, mostly to follow my favourite Authors/Actors/YouTubers (yes I’m one of those). But, on the whole I don’t like it.

Actually, (and I don’t like to say ‘hate’ that often…) but I would say, I hate it.

The way social media makes me feel reminds me of how I felt at school. Awkward and embarrassed that people are constantly judging me. It sends the personal critic that lives inside my head into a vile monologue about all the things I need to change. It makes my anxiety skyrocket. Now, is this a ‘me problem’? YES. But nevertheless, it is the problem. But, it’s not just that anymore. It’s this whole ‘personal brand‘ thing. The idea that you should create an online identity that packages your personality into easily consumable chunks, in order to gain followers or something.

I literally took classes on this when I was in university.

If you look back on my blog, you’ll probably be able to see my attempts at personal branding too. I was the awkward, lazy girl attempting self-improvement techniques. I was the writer frantically trying to finishes screenplay drafts. Back in the day, I was even a poet. But it’s been a while. These are all facets of my personality but none is larger than the other, and I don’t really want to pick.

So, that’s where I’ve struggled. My blog, this blog, became a stressful facade. And I had no idea what I wanted to ‘do with it’. But, now I know what I don’t want; to SEO the crap out of it and plaster it all over the internet.

But, I do want to use it. I’ve had it in my life for so long (nearly 8 years). It’s grown with me, changed with me. Become increasingly insecure and flaky with me.

I want it to be a place to practice writing. A place to explore ideas and share things that I’m passionate about.

I have no interest in followers, views or clicks. But I like to share.

I don’t have a personal brand. But I am a person…

That’s all.

So, here’s to that…

Thanks for reading.

P.S. Something really weird happened yesterday. I found a whole egg buried under a little bit of gravel outside my door. I took this picture after I’d unburied it. My house is far back off the road and gets zero foot traffic so I have no idea how it got there. But the date on the egg was 6th February so it’s got to be fairly recent… Any ideas what this means?