Hi folks,
There’s only one thing you need to do if you want to call yourself a writer: pick up a pen, or sit at your keyboard, and let words flow. Messy drafts, ‘morning pages’, poems that only you (or you and your lover(s)) will read, competition entries, essays, postcards, hey… maybe even a book, or at least a chapter or an idea for a book… how about a newsletter?
Five ways to get writing if it’s been a while:
Try automatic, or ‘free’ writing. Put the pen on the paper and let the words come out, without editing, without judgement, simply keep the pen moving. Don’t go back, no crossing-out, just keep moving. Do this for a specific amount of time, set a timer, maybe three minutes or six minutes. You can choose a theme if you want. Write about that apple in the bowl, the bowl that’s not very ‘you’ but belonged to your grandmother, or write about how the dog looks when he’s sleeping and dreaming, or why you hate peanut butter. Or how silly you think this writing exercise is, just write.
Find a piece of writing and use the same format to create something new and fresh in the same style. It could be the ingredients on the back of a packet, a poem you like, a page of a book, a recipe. Re-write it with a new theme. So perhaps the ingredients on the back of that granola packet could be re-written as the ingredients for a perfect Sunday morning.
Get into a writing routine. For me this looks like: regular poetry open mic nights; entering competitions – adhering to their word counts and deadlines – and of course this newsletter. These commitments create a rhythm for me each week and month. What does your own writing rhythm and routine look like?
Read more. You might find that swapping a night of TV for a night of reading, or listening to poetry or prose, helps stimulate your writing. I’ve definitely found that listening to people read their own poetry out loud has made me want to write more. It feels like my head is busy with poems and rhymes when I travel home from open mic. And suddenly the task of creating my own poetry begins to feel more possible. I sometimes start to write next week’s poem on the way home. Because suddenly everything is poetry.
Collect words and phrases. I walked past a person handing out flyers in the street in Brighton recently – the repetitive lines they were shouting: “discount entry to revenge tonight”, inspired the first line of a new poem: ‘Free Tickets To Revenge’. And last week I was waiting for plaice and chips, in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, and there were four soldiers in uniform waiting too. One of them said “You can’t go to another barber, it’d be like cheating on your wife, it wouldn’t feel right”. I wrote it down for future use. I find dialogue hard to write, so I love borrowing inspo from words and phrases I hear. Then, if I hit a block, I can revisit these ideas and borrow them to help me progress. Give it a try! (It’s fun).
And if, like me, you’re partial to a bit of ‘procrasti-cleaning’ or rearranging your home, do have a read of this month’s case study below. Maxine McKenzie is a feng shui expert and talks about the important relationship we have with our homes. Enjoy!
Let me know how you get on.
Big love,
Helen
helen@coachingbyhelen.com
Coaching By Helen
- Coaching For Creative People -
Want to meet a literary agent?
A couple of times a year, I hold free online taster sessions for writers who might be interested in my Write The Book group. A ‘try before you buy’ opportunity, including an expert guest Q & A.
How to get a literary agent is a key question for a lot of new writers and so I’m excited to introduce you to Anna Pallai of AMP Literary in the next free taster, on Tuesday 3rd December. It begins at 18.30 (UK time). You DO have to book a ticket, but there’s no cost.
Our guest Anna Pallai has more than two decades’ experience in British publishing. She’s devised and managed nationwide publicity campaigns for Booker Prize winners, A-list celebrities and breakout authors alike.
She founded AMP Literary in 2016 - a boutique literary and publicity agency, representing authors and specialising in non-fiction, with a particular focus on female voices. As well as author representation, she provides freelance publicity services to a variety of leading publishers and organisations.
You can join my free session with Anna (pictured below, centre), by clicking this button:
And if you enjoy the free taster then the year-long Write The Book group itself begins again in January, so do let me know if you want to join for 2025.
Members of previous groups have successfully had their work published, such as Harvey Morton, pictured below. We have a fabulous line-up of speakers lined up for 2025, including journalist and author Greta Solomon, (pictured below, right).
What else is exciting me at the moment?
Books and music (as usual!), including
Gender Theory, by Madeline Docherty, a book which I raced through, fascinated by its second person narrative. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever read a book in that style and it made it feel so immediate. Would recommend. It reminded me quite a lot of Sally Rooney’s Conversations With Friends. If you liked that you’ll most likely enjoy this.
Alanis Morissette, I was a big fan in my teens and so when she recently announced that she’d be playing at Cardiff Castle, my sister and I rushed to grab tickets. I’ve never actually seen her live, but as soon as I revisited her music the lyrics all came flooding back to me. Looking forward to the show next summer.
Hay Winter Weekend: I love this festival, it’s so much cosier than the big May one and it coincides with the switching on of the festive lights in Hay. It’s always very magical. Do check it out, especially if you’ve not been before, you’re in for a treat.
Diary: now booking
Click the button below for the events booking page
November:
28th Nov, 6.45pm GMT, Cosy Journaling (online) £25
December
3rd Dec, 6.30pm GMT, Write The Book taster FREE
(includes live literary agent Q & A)
January
17th & 18th Jan, A Retreat For Creative People, Brighton, £300* / £350
*earlybird price, for the first 6 to book on
Case Study: Maxine McKenzie
Feng Shui consultant
What's the story of your business?
I'm co-founder of a Feng Shui interiors company which is launching soon. We offer an exciting journey into greater self-awareness, creative expression, and healing.
Using the principles of energy healing, Feng Shui, colour psychology and design coaching we help people create harmonious, organised, supportive spaces that align with their personal and business goals. We start from the principle that the energy of our home or work environment is key to how we think and feel. Feng Shui works on the basis that what shows up in our physical space shows up in our lives, because it’s all energetically connected. Through a deep dive consultation process we gather information and insights and advise on practical, real-world changes people can make in order to create greater happiness, health and success.
Why do you do what you do?
Around 15 years ago I started to explore alternative therapies to help with the personal and professional issues I was suppressing. This led me to train in energy healing and Feng Shui. It’s been a journey that has transformed my life and relationships and it’s a privilege to light this path for others.
Has there been a big turning point for you in your career so far?
My 30-year career in Marketing and Communications has been a great source of learning, as much about myself as anything else. I was able to prove myself and reach pretty much every professional goal I set (and some I didn't!) but I'd always achieved it from a place of 'imposter'. I started to explore this through alternative therapies which led me to train in energy healing and most recently Feng Shui. In the last couple of years the calling from the universe to fulfil my purpose of lighting the path for others has got louder. My children are now pretty much through uni and I'm in a really secure and happy place in my life. Everything has lined up perfectly to allow me the opportunity to change careers.
How has Helen’s coaching helped you?
When I wanted to make the long-thought-about change of career a reality Helen was the first person I turned to for help. We spent a fantastic day in Worthing, eating, talking, walking and making a vision board.
I remember cutting out the date April 2024 from a magazine and sticking it on my vision board. I had no idea why that date but sure enough, that's the month and year I left my corporate job! What I loved about working with Helen was that in those early stages nothing had to 'make sense' I didn't have to be clear on what, when, how etc. She encouraged me to just let things flow, be creative and stay in a positive mindset.
What really motivates you in your work?
The desire for people to recognise that one of the most important relationships we will ever have is with our home. Home is not just where we are, it’s who we are. But often, and for many reasons, we feel dissatisfied or disconnected with our home environment. And for sure this is likely to be a mirror to issues that are going on in our lives. I want people to know that by changing things in their home they can literally change their life. It’s an accessible and empowering approach to self development and a better life. If I can help bring about that change for someone, then that's hugely motivating.
Anything else you’d like to tell us?
Applying my Feng Shui practices alongside Helen's coaching has been totally transformative. I'm so delighted I took the plunge and made the career change as I now literally love my life. My lucky clients get a very happy and fulfilled Feng Shui consultant and Helen has been a big part of that. I look forward to working with Helen ongoing, as coach and also maybe a collaborator!
Photos by Iurdana Prada
You can contact Max on: maxine.mckenzie@googlemail.com
If you’d like to be included in a future newsletter, with your own news and creations, do let me know.
Big love!
Helen x
helen@coachingbyhelen.com
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Still reading? You might enjoy the interview I recently did with Jules Herd for her ‘On The Edge’ show on Marlow FM. Choose ‘On The Edge’ from the dropdown menu and pick 29th September: www.marlowfm.co.uk/listen-again/
For all my events, visit: www.coachingbyhelen.com