A working holiday is a great way to get to know a place, have fun, earn money and travel at the same time. Unlike a whistle stop tour of a place or a couple of days overnight in a destination, a working holiday gives you a different perspective of the place you are staying in. As well as getting to live like a local and experiencing the area in an authentic way, rather than rushing around trying to cram in…
Writing groups are often free or low-cost and are a great way to meet like-minded people and develop your skills as a writer. For me, joining a writing group is probably one of the most important things I have done with regard to my creative writing. Whether you join a regular group, a short course or a writing retreat, the experience can be extremely valuable. So, here are 7 reasons why I think joining a group is a good idea….
Do you love reading books that take you places? Read on to find five fabulous book choices that will transport you to different countries, eras and cultures. Books that take you places The Wind from the East – Almudena Grandes Set in Andalusia in the South West of Spain this book takes you on a journey into the lives of two strangers who are both escaping their past. It’s a fascinating insight into the lives of the characters Juan Olmedo…
Have you ever thought about running a writing retreat? There’s no doubt that retreats are great opportunity to do something different that your writers will love. We ran our first writing retreat in our tiny mountain village in Andalucia, Spain. The writers loved it. They got the opportunity to spend quality time in stunning surroundings exploring and developing new ideas whilst immersing themselves in writing their books. We got to add something exciting to our business model that makes us…
My blog had been off track for a while due to a lack of energy and a heavy workload. I knew that if I was to continue blogging, I needed to take action. So, when the email from Problogger popped into my in-box with news about a ‘content’ sprint, I checked it out. The reasons Darren Rowse, creator of Problogger, gave for setting up the content sprint resonated with me. I have been following Problogger since I started this blog…
As a writer, new stationery is always welcome. As much as possible, I like to buy sustainable stationery, dairies and notebooks that either support charities, local artisans or are eco-friendly and Fairtrade. Surprisingly, this is often inexpensive and can be much better value than buying mainstream. Living vibrantly calendar This year, I decided to kick-start the year with a beautifully painted calendar by Bristol-based artist, Fleur Barnfather. Each month comes with a stunning copy of one of Fleur’s paintings, an…
Over the past year, I’ve been experimenting with morning writing. While it’s not my first attempt at writing early in the morning, I have noticed that my morning writing has taken a different course. Therapeutic writing In the past I have used free flow or unconscious writing as a technique to 1) rant and get rid of stress and negative emotions without upsetting anyone else 2) to clarify my thoughts when I have needed to make an important decision Some…
A weekend at an eco-camping retreat This summer I went to Tiverton for a weekend of eco-camping in Devon at Coombe Farm. Never having visited an eco-camping retreat in the UK before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Narrow country lanes led us to the entrance of Combe Farm and a spectacular view across the countryside. From there, a steep hill took us down to a parking area where we were able to park and forget about the car for…
Like many other areas, Bristol is blessed with lots of talented and competent writers to choose from. So, this week to inspire participants on the Develop Your Writing Skills course, we looked at blogging techniques through the work of local bloggers, writers and authors in Bristol. The learning The learning outcome for this session was to identify different types of blog posts and articles as part of the overall outcome of writing one. Explaining to participants how to write different…
Los Caños de Meca Picture a Mediterranean pine forest, a clear blue sky and a long, sandy beach. A laid-back type of place where you don’t have to worry much about anything. Welcome to Los Caños de Meca, one of the hidden gems on the Costa de La Luz. Wild coastline Called ‘Los Caños’ for short, this small coastal village is a not far from Tarifa. Off the beaten track, it’s a one road hamlet with a wild unspoilt coastline…