A New Start

Well only one more week before I move to Brisbane full time. Be great to be in one place for awhile. I've changed my blog title so it reflects writing rather than travel. I'm starting up a separate travel blog to post my travel stories. I'm currently waiting for Nature and Health magazine to publish a piece they liked, a funny take on Coffee's benefits. Should be any time now. I haven't had much chance to be writing my stories but I've been trying to come up with some flighty angles so Fast Fiction will bite. Here's hoping.

TWITTER

I'm so desperate to find the value in twitter that I actually went to the twitter guide website but must say I'm not much the wiser. I did learn that you can actually search using twitter, and somehow my following links managed to hook me up with Kevin Rudd, the Prime Minister of Australia. My excitement knows no bounds. Now I can know every little Ruddism hot off the press.
If you're not Australian you'd never understand how casual we are about our leaders. We even have a name for it - the Tall Poppy Syndrome. You put your head up, we'll chop it off. A nation of apathetic sun worshippers that we are, how could anything a pollie have to say be important? However, I was looking for a simile so I chose one about pollies - '...spreading faster than the jet streams from the politicians winging their way around the world...' That will be included in an article I'm working on. I changed it from 'spreading faster than economic instability.' Rather boring...

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

On the road again in more than one way. Thanks to Antonia I feel encouraged to keep plugging away. Busy with researching a couple of articles and reading, reading, reading every spare mo. Just finished On Nefertiti Street, mostly about Egypt, and was quite startled to slowly realise this is the woman whose Ancient History texts I used when teaching Ancient History. Hmmm. Quite a woman! Also just finished The Spare Room by Helen Garner. Been wanting to read it for ages and was very moved when I did. Will write a book review of it for bookseraz.
Well, back to the packing...

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Just reading through all the blogs I subscribe to and they are really inspirational. Seems people are hard at it everywhere, whether travelling to write about it, attending writing workshops, finding they're mentioned in other blogs, reviewing books...all good...hoping to get one done soon. I'm looking forward to being settled again and being able to work every day, not in bursts. Of course your mind never stops. There's always stories floating around. Meanwhile I have a few to finish up and get out there...

GETTING DISCOURAGED

Just home from a Brisbane trip again. Getting a bit discouraged as I'm not into how to get this blog underway yet. Very discouraging to have only 1 follower and writing for no one to read. Oh well, I guess I'll get it happening yet...

ANOTHER SHORT STORY

I've been so concentrated on the travel article I'm writing and collecting pics for I've been neglecting the more creative side of writing - fiction. Last night I couldn't sleep so I wrote a whole story in my head. I've yet to see how much I remember. I was staying at someone's place so I couldn't get up and put it on the computer. Bother. Anyway, let's see how this story works out. Be so exciting to get it written and accepted somewhere...

OTHER WRITERS

Was inspirational to read a writer's blog today and see she is 75% through her novel. That's so good! This writer also writes in other genres, both fact and fiction. There is a bit of a thing about that and it is good to see someone who has success in different genres. For myself, I like to write about travel primarily, whether fact or fiction, then fictional short stories, but of course am always researching bits for that novel I hope to write one day...When the days are longer, of course....Meanwhile I have to prioritise as am moving in about a month and will have to move this mess off my desk, so would like to toss off a few stories as it'll probably be a bit of a break while I get set up in my new abode...

NOOSA PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPEDITION

Been up to Noosa today taking some photos. Place was really bustling as the Food and Wine Festival was on. Mainly spent time with the surfers of the National Park. Was a great day for the surf. Took some great action shots.

Also went to the Tourist Bureau and checked out some brochures. Best part of the day was the Mossoma Rocher icecream. Yum....

A WRITER'S LIFE

Just reading a news article by a local writer who points out that yes, it's hard work writing a book, quite miraculous to get it published, but the real slog begins as you try to get your work reviewed and sold. She told horror stories about out of a crowd of 20,000 at a writer's event, only 2 turned up to hear her speak about her book on Italy. Turns out they just wanted info on the trains from Milan. Bit hard to take.

So obviously those of us who've chosen to write have chosen a pretty tricky ride. But we can't help ourselves ourselves, can we?

Still working on my article for gonomad online travel site. I'm so verbose. Just cutting it down from 4,000 words to the required under 2,000 is a task and a half.

Happy writing everyone!

TORN

Today I am torn, as well as under pressure. What to do first? Sell off some of my books on ebay? Edit that article I am writing hoping to get it published on Gonomad? Do a bit of swotting for that new student I'm tutoring next week? Polish a few short stories and get them sent off?

Really, life is so full, and that's just the virtual part! What with reading everyone's blogs, joining Twitter , which took ages since every Paris lover had taken every Parisian-themed name I thought of - finally settled on pichetsinparis, thinking of all the pichers of rose I scoffed at lunch time at the waiter's insistence, only to totter around all afternoon half asleep. I've also been searching writer's sites, writing my blog - how do we prioritise these days? Maybe you're more focussed than I am...hope someone is!

But I have got some books for sale on ebay. Now I'll have to go on every day to check on progress! Oh, well...Now I'll start on the gonomad article...