Anna Aden Writes

Day 2 - If you could live anywhere, where would you choose? Where I am right now in London. It's a boring answer however I am happy living where I am with family close by and in a magical city. If I could have a second home, it would be in the somewhere in the tropics with mangrove trees and a beach. A third home may be a ranch in the Rockies, or somewhere.  That was simple so catch you all in day three. 

Dear all, I've decided to take a break from blogging until the end of September. Also there hasn't been much to write about because I've been so busy at work, then coming home.  When I come back, I'll be about to let you know whether I got a place at the Faber Academy for yet another editing course. It took a lot for me to submit my story to them. A lot of discussions with Big Momma and Sis, both were very encouraging but I was doubtful on a few levels. First the expense, second my genre and three my setting. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. I've been stuck on that book for the last few months, so hopefully getting a place, and going on the course will make a difference. I do have another final course to consider but this is the one, I think will make a difference, if not merely because I need to rock up to class everything and deliver something. That makes a difference.  I just need a break from the blogging. This year, I've exceed my normal...

General Walking This week I decided to do a little more walking to count as exercise, I'm not currently using the gym despite my membership. I'm just tired when I get home, and in a rush to work in the morning. Plus I do writerly things, so that is also a time-suck. Anyway with such a sedentary lifestyle, I've had to increase somehow. If you remember, I even got myself a pair of walking shoes so no excuses. And there hasn't been - I've been walking a lot more on my route to walk. The walking shoes have been excellent - worth the money. Merrells. Before that it was I would wake up, walk about five minutes to my transport link, get dropped literally in front of my office block, sit at my desk for eight hours plus. Go back to transport link, get dropped five minutes from home. At home, I'd be too tired or either I'd work on my novel. So very little. Now I'm walking for at least thirty minutes a day, and up to the hour and an half on clear days. ...

Nothing much this week, apart from a busy week at work. And a busy week tends to have a knock-on effect on other things I want to do. I've been slight off-kilter since I was ill last week so it will take a while to settle back into my routine again.  I didn't do the movie or have time to visit a London location. I discovered a magazine called Breathe - and make time for yourself.  It professes to have articles on wellbeing, living, mindfulness, creativity and escaping, and I thought it would be a different sort of reading. Not really but I'll share some things with you. Wellbeing Embrace the Downtime Life can be pretty hectic and chaotic at times. Look at me missing blog posts. So they reckon look for some down time activities such and flower arranging (er no thanks), reading (yes please), learn a craft - knitting for some reason is a hot favourite, try a crossword or socialise. However a 26 minute - nap is probably the ultimate option (this is according to N...

I've had a bad cold for most of the week, which knocked me out badly so nothing much happened. On Saturday, I went to a festival called Mighty Hoopla in Brockwell Park, South London. I wanted to do something different this summer, and having never being a festival I decided on this one. The acts where mostly cheesy pop and about three music stands. For some reason, I was on the mailing list last year, so when it came up this year, I asked Sis if she wanted to go and she agreed. I opted for the VIP tickets, which was nothing special only there were proper toilets (no plastic portaloo business) in the VIP enclosure - still long queues. There were also 'intimate' celeb DJ sets, and two bars. I realised bars were very important at festivals because the bars out side the VIP enclosure was very very long.  It was an extra £20 on top of the tickets so that was reasonable for peaceful atmosphere in the VIP enclosure. The festival was very chilled and had a carnival like ...

My desk is probably due a good scrub down to get rid of the pencil marks but let's roll. In the upper left hand side is  a bottle of Pukka organic castor oil, I use this as a hair treatment. A friend and former colleague suggested it was good. It sits on my desk because normally in a rush, I tend to use the living room mirror to do my hair. Don't ask why. I just realised I have a mirror in every room apart from the kitchen. What does that say about me? Next to it is a container with scenes summary of my story, some masking tape and a complimentary post-its from Netgallery - I got this from a book fair. I needed the masking tape to seal some mail before posting. Yes, I still use snail mail. The greenish-blue tube contains some hand cream. I think that is a ringlet curly curler...Don't ask why...I have no idea. After that is a jewellery box - it contained a pair of gifted ear rings from Sis. A padlock which I tired to use for the gym but was too small.  My handy ca...

My day-to-day casual shoes were wearing out. They are pair of green suede converse pair of tennis shoes, I think I got them in the sale. The soles are worn down, and I keep on meaning to find where I could get a decent pair of shoes. I don't mean going-out shoes - I have lots of those. But just something for daily wear (I'm not this isn't good so at least have a few pairs to alternate). The only really daily pairs are trainers/sneakers/tennis shoes and they tend to be branded. I'm sorry, I'm not going to pay beyonds the odds just because of a brand. I probably need a good pair of walking shoes but for the interim just something decent. Made more apparent when the security guard at work looked at my feet. Yes, I was shoe-shamed in a way so that did force me into buying something quicker. I wanted to check out other stores. So shamedfaced, I found my way to Clarks - there is an outlet shop near me. And I discovered a nice pair of knock-about shoes for fairly r...

So I finally cleared my desk. The dark spots are from pencil and sketching at my desk, so it probably needs a good scrub but I couldn't find my duster. I cleared my desk to start on my next lesson of editing which I didn't do because I thought it was busy work. Yes, it seems out of all the lessons the last ones have been rather disappointing from my point of view. It is probably very good for some but I find it a lot of busy work of stripping something to rebuild it again. However I guess it's a valid method but not for me. Week ten of editing and I haven't done much. The course focuses on story structure which I already have. So I'm holding out for lesson 12 where I deal with plots. And if that doesn't work then it will probably from lessons 15. However, I'm definitely looking forward to lesson eighteen onwards when I get the real deal for myself. However because I've been disappointed for the last few weeks probably I've being considering o...

Not so well. I've missed a few posts, and I've been busy off line with other commitments. Even though I have two films/movies lined up, I had no time to watch them. So I'm going to have to review what goes and what stays. I'm thinking of reducing the blogging but I'll see. Did I not have a plan? Yes, I did but it more about time and scheduling, and finding what I'm interested in. Also I'm supposed to be a writer and I'm not even promoting my own work. Plus not even sure people are reading this. Okay but just like one or two people. Not even sure if its consistent.  Show My Desk  I missed one feature, just totally forgot because I had some urgent errands that day. And who exactly what's to look at at my messy desk? I might give this a miss but I'll see. Wednesday - Film/Movie Night I don't have a Netflicks subscription and I do watch movies but not as much. So this will probably be a struggle. Also I'm quite fussy abo...

I missed this last week but as you can see my desk is in a state. This is due to lots of things happening  and I normally also use my desk as a spare surface space. Yes. So at the upper left hand corner is a day-to-day calendar from 2017 - that was actually a complimentary from a publisher at the London Book Fair. I get them but don't really use them. I start of each year thinking, great let's use but hardly. I guess I can take the spare one I have for this year to work. Next is  organic Pukka castor oil which I use to condition my hair. And no, I have no idea if it works or not, but I use it. After that is some peppermint Bodyshop foot lotion. I use it occasionally.  After that a jumble of things including strings for a former guitar I had. I was learning. My non-aluminium deodorant. Apparently it's healthier. I've been using this for years, though I have the normal ones for spare. A black complimentary note book from a CPD I attended years ago. After t...

There is a bit of crisis because I'm not sure where this is going and the last week was slightly tedious. The course is very good but I feel it's too risky to do wait until the 21 week for do some writing. Also I was getting bored. Last week was about world-building and the lesson and worksheet were excellent but it wasn't for me because I don't think that way. But I am going to revise it at a later point. And I'll be using it for other genre writing. Next lesson - week eight! Can you believe I've been editing for eight weeks now! Can you? So lesson eight is below. Themes.... FINALLY, IN LESSON EIGHT: You’ll discover your story and theme. While you were writing, you may have considered Story and Theme. You may not have. Most writers, after all, give them only cursory attention. But Story and Theme are what pull everything else together. They refine your target, illuminate the priorities in your promises, and spotlight every Scene, Plot, Conflict, Chara...

So this is my £11. It was harder this time - check out my mini-rant last week. I get weary especially when I realised for the next 8 weeks I'd have to find £10 plus an incremental 2 - 9. But this is the challenge I took. Beware of taking random challenge for likes and hits. Yes the money tin, with the Queen of England starting at you from the five pound note. I'm not even sure why I am doing this. I've got another of uses for this savings though. The money is now in the tin. So it will be balance remember I started in week 7 and this is week 11 but I'm not counting now. I might have to change the tin. This is pretty boring and painful.

Another black and white movie, this was a recommendation about looking at plots. It's quite a simple plot where everyone is after the same thing but it is quite dated in some respects unlike the Sunset Boulevard. Great twists and turns with a cast of brilliant actors - The film stars Humphrey Bogart as private investigator Sam Spade before he hit the big time. Nobody is good and bad and everyone has a secret agenda. If you don't mind black and white movies with hardboiled detective-speak then watch this. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Maltese_Falcon_(1941_film) I'm a member of a film club so this was the disk I borrowed. I like images for authentic.

Today, I'm blogging on the go. I missed my desk feature but a desk is just a desk. I love sitting upstairs on the London Buses. You get a nice view of the busy streets. Making my way through a posh part of town. West London. I'm coming back from the London Bookfair which was queiter than last year. Got some good tips about Author Branding - basically be yourself within reason. Cloudy rainy day which is typical in London. Anyway, I'll be back on Schedule tomorrow.

I didn't do much of last week's lesson because I thought it was too tedious and it was better saved to another part of the course - that may be lesson 11. This week is about world-building. IN LESSON SEVEN: You’ll learn how to triage your world. I've gone through the lesson notes and it seems complicated.  Basically I have to go through all the settings in my book which is fine. Since it's a contemporary setting, I may not have that much to do in terms of world building.  We'll see.

I draw for pleasure, not seriously at all - it's a dream hobby I persist on doing on and off. Over the years, I start and stop so there is no consistency to it.  I have been for a few classes but due to not practicing, I'm always starting from the beginning.  I prefer inks, and markers. I'm not too big on paints or colour  or finishing but I have a case full of copic and Promarkers. As you probably can tell, I love going to the art supplies shops - I'll feature two of my favourite . At one stage I was even into card marking.  Because it's for fun, I try different styles - manga, classic comics, line drawing etc. I do what I want depending on what's happening. I have a ton of drawing books, like I have 'how to write' books and I once in a while, I'll go to an art exhibition. The last one I went to was on cats at the British Library though photography was not allowed. This exhibition will end on the 17th March if you are in London and ca...

Waterstones bookshop on Tottenham Court Road To lighten the boring nature of this editing I decide to feature a bookstore. So today I'm looking at Waterstones on Tottenham Court road. I was in the Westend and it caught my attention, I do have a regular bookshop I use as well as Amazon. But the staff here are super-friendly and took the time out of explain books covers and packaging. You know I self-publish so I went on a fact finding mission. I think there is a coffeehouse upstairs but I was running an errand so couldn't stop for one. The last week's editing lesson on conflict   I think a cute picture of two kittens will help motivate me. Though the course material was excellent, I've started to lag on the course. It's not hard just boring. For five weeks now, I've been going through the same material looking for different elements so the week before last it was plots, last week it was conflict and I'm finding it boring even thoug...