Wondrous Wherabouts of the Wings

A huge hello and welcome to the next instalment of my blog journey, this one covering August and (in a slight change) very early September. This is due to a very exciting new development which I just have to share with you all! Be sure to read on to find out more, but first let’s get into August’s adventures…

I hope you all noticed and enjoyed my ‘Summer of Writing’ escapades on my Instagram page. I really enjoyed posting more often over those two months and even though the subject matter was not always directly writing-related I like to think everything I did and everywhere I visited did, in one way or another, contribute to my mood or add inspiration to my day. After all, a writer seeks inspiration from a variety of different avenues and so needs to get out and explore in order to put down to paper that which is in their mind’s eye and their heart. I found this to be exactly the case, boosting my already naturally high optimism as I remember to appreciate all I have and can achieve in the future. So, here are some key moments from August’s outings:

In terms of actual writing, I did manage to accomplish certain goals I had set myself before the summer began. This included pushing past not one, but two mental blocks arising from a plot wall I simply could not break down. As is usually the case with me, the answers literally jumped into my head during the day or night when I am getting on with daily tasks and not thinking about my novella at the time. I also have my boyfriend to thank for one of the EUREKA! moments. As a fellow writer - which, in itself, is awesome to me - just discussing his own work further motivated my brain to tackle my own narrative hurdle and to almost effortlessly discover the way over it. Honestly, what is a writer without sudden unexpected but desperately needed brainwaves at crazy hours? Either way, I am much happier with the forthcoming events of my text and look forward to writing once more in between my work days.

Speaking of joyful continuation, I received a further spark of motivation during my recent Inset Day training. This was a fairly surprising development to me, not because the talks given by my school were inspiring in themselves in terms of teaching - this is to be expected after all - but the way one particular talk influenced how I perceived my novella. Without spoilers of course, there is an aspect of my novella which is vastly different to my own upbringing, customs and culture, therefore as I am writing about something I do not have experience with I am conscious to approach this carefully and respectfully. As such, after the educational talk I approached the lady who ran a workshop on a vitally important factor in the school environment to share with her my concerns, my fears and whether what I am doing is correct, including how I have hired a sensitivity reader for my piece. I even went so far as to say “is this project something I should continue?”; I’m sure every author has experienced this doubt in their own work previously. What she replied has stuck with me ever since (I may have the wording slightly wrong but the general idea went like this):

“Yes, absolutely continue with it! You are asking the right questions and seeking to know what it’s like from [their] point of view and to appreciate [their] way of life. Keep researching and seeking a [member of that community] to open up that courageous conversation and form that representation.”

Although I am not sure she was a writer herself, her role as a representative delivering talks and presentations in schools about key issues and resolutions, plus through her own experiences I imagine, meant I was truly thankful for her opinion and her support. I came out of that event with a widening smile on my face. As a writer there are more doubts in your craft and your piece than you ever thought would occur, so take it from someone who is trying her best to ignore them and push onwards - as nerve-wracking as it can be, disclosing your cherished work to others will help you and your work. It is a daunting but necessary step to help mould your author mentality and success. I am taking this all on board in the hopes it brings me one step closer to achieving the ultimate goal of having my work published and stored in bookshelves and bookshops across the world.

Another little mention before I disclose perhaps the most exciting development to happen this year, not just this past month, recently I have found myself more inclined to read other works besides my own. They say reading other works helps with the development of your own, which I definitely agree with, but I am relishing reading for my own enjoyment once more and not experiencing the anxiety of needing to complete a work prior to a university seminar or other class. I will admit there are still moments where I find myself speeding up and so return to earlier on the page so I can reread at a slower pace and actually take in the prose alongside the plot. With a bookshelf constantly growing, I certainly have an array of choices and am looking forward to entering all the worlds they produce.

So without further ado, the news you have been waiting to read all throughout this entry. As stated before, I am currently working as a Teaching Assistant. Obviously for safeguarding purposes I cannot disclose where this is, but I will say I am extremely excited and feel exceptionally lucky to be where I am. I am even more thrilled with the recent acceptance of my proposal to put forward and teach an after-school creative writing activity! Although optional for a TA, I simply jumped at the chance to suggest something I know I would absolutely love to involve the younger generation in - and of course would love to experience myself. The next thing I know I am told this idea is “magic!” and “exactly what the programme needs”, then offered a day, a room and a choice of which year groups to aim this towards. I am over the moon with this opportunity and I am currently writing down as many ideas as possible to hopefully engage others with a passion I have studied and loved throughout my whole life. I hope to pass this on to the next generation. Be sure to see next month’s entry where I am sure to disclose (according to safeguarding of course) the events of this downright awesome new beginning! (As you can tell, I am very excited…)

This is where I leave the entry for this month. As you can no doubt see, I feel I am living quite the lucky life currently. That is not to say there have not been difficult moments, for there have been plenty, but I am contented knowing this is a definite high I am riding and I am extremely hopeful for the present and the future.

Until next time,

Emily