Grab Yourself Some Writing Space this Christmas
Posted on 18. Dec, 2009 by joanna in News, Writing
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…
The perfect time to grab yourself a little bit of writing space…
Even if it sounds like a far-off dream in these last frenzied days before Christmas, here are some ways you could squeeze out or maybe just plain grab yourself a little must-have writing space over the holidays:
1. Go for a walk. Even 15 minutes will do. Walk, wander, wonder, notice, pay attention… breathe. Trust that a word, a phrase, the beginnings of an idea will follow.
2. Carry a notebook wherever you go. You can always jot down writing ideas when you’re supposed to be doing other things.
3. Write down your writing goals, dreams, hopes and wild ideas for 2010. Then you can play with them in your mind and work on ways to start to make them happen instead of getting stressed with other things.
4. Think like a writer. Watch out for dialogue, incidents, events from the sublime to the ridiculous that you can absorb into your writing later.
5. Capture the moments. Writing it down helps to give you space and perspective. Take ten minutes to capture some of what’s going on round about you:
The points of detail.
The emotions you’re feeling inside, not just the good ones but the awkward, the sad and the ugly.
The things you want to remember, to capture, to turn into treasure with the power of your words.
The quality of the moment – this moment, right now, when not a creature was stirring… not even a mouse 
~~~
I hope you do manage to grab yourself a bit of wonderful writing space this Christmas. It does help!
Thanks for all your support in getting the Writing Space up and running. I hope to see you at a Writing Space event or writing retreat sometime in 2010 
Welcome to the Writing Space
Posted on 11. Dec, 2009 by joanna in Info, News
Hello and welcome to the Writing Space!
I’m opening the doors ‘officially’ today to this new site – a new space for me, creating space for you.
Here’s the philosophy behind the Writing Space:
Sometimes you need space and distance from the way you normally work, play, think, write, live… in order to get back into your natural writing rhythm. To tap into the power of your own words.
Sometimes you need to share space with people who will encourage and support you, who will coach and challenge, who will listen and respond wisely, who will write with you, and then share their words.
Sometimes you need space and time away from the busyness to write the things that want to be written. That are asking you for the gift of that time, and space, so the words might flow.
Sometimes you need to give yourself writing space to help make sense of what’s going on in your life: to notice patterns, to realise what’s significant, to process, to reflect and to learn.
Sometimes you need space in the natural world to wander, to wonder, and to listen to what nature has to teach you.
The Writing Space is about giving you that space.
You’ll find information on new opportunities that will be running in 2010 and beyond, including writing retreats and weekends. (More on the writing retreats here).
There are other things in the pipeline including some one day events, and products to inspire and encourage you to write.
If you’ve got a particular product or service that you think would help create space for you to write, please do just let me know.
I hope you enjoy looking around. If you know of someone who’d be interested in or in need of some space to write… please do let them know about The Writing Space.
Thank you, and I hope to see you again soon
Joanna
Writing Retreats in Scotland: 2010 Programme
Posted on 09. Dec, 2009 by joanna in Dates, News, Scotland
I’m delighted to announce the 2010 programme of writing weekends and writing retreats.
You’ll find more information on location, prices, what’s included, writing focus, how to book and so on by following the links.
2010 Writing Retreats in Scotland
February 19 -21: Out of Hiding Writing Weekend , Lendrick Lodge, Trossachs, £195
Summer 2010
June 14 – 18: Tell Your Story Women’s Writing Retreat, Cambo House, Fife, £445
4 day writing retreat in the sumptious house and gardens at Cambo on the East Coast of Scotland, near to St Andrews.
Enjoy the time and space to explore and expand on the stories you’re writing and telling, in the stories you share, the words you write, the language you use, the life that you lead…
You don’t need to be ‘a writer’ to join us – just be interested in and curious about the stories that run through your past, present and future…
***Only 3 places left**Book soon!**
Autumn / Winter 2010
Please note: I’m not currently taking bookings for an autumn / winter retreat, but if you’re interested please do drop me a line at joanna [@] thewritingspace.com and I’ll keep a note of your interest and keep you posted with possible dates.
The Writing Space Philosophy
Posted on 07. Dec, 2009 by joanna in News, Writing
A poem to illuminate the Writing Space philosophy, first shared at Confident Writing.
An ABC of Confident Writing
A is for audacity, for attention, and remembering to focus it
B is for belief that your words count
C is for clarity, and courage, and confidence
D is for go on, I dare you
E is for essence, the bones of your writing
F is for fear and walking on past it
G is for gratitude and what happens when you write it
H is for heart and the hero’s journey
I is for intention: the fuel of the fire
J is for the journey your writing will take you on
K is for kindness, the core of confidence,
L is for lists and the words that flow from using them
M is for your muse, and remembering to thank her
N is for now, no better time to write
O is for ownership, fully present in your words
P is for power and for purpose, for what writing makes possible
Q is for questions that open up change
R is for rhythm, the flow of your words, it’s for rules and regulations, and knowing when to break them
S is for simplicity and singing your song
T is for trusting in the power of your words
U is for unstoppable, what happens once you start
V is for voice, and knowing how to find it
W is for words, the currency of stories
X is for extra, what you add to the page
Y is for yes, and the courage to say it
Z is for zest, for zing and pizzazz, it’s for zip, and zap, and zigzagging lines, it’s for zinging and zooming and zany old poems
It’s for endings, and last lines, and knowing when to stop.
~~~
I’m including the audio version too, so you get a chance to hear my voice before you meet me
7 Reasons to Enjoy a Writing Retreat in Scotland
Posted on 01. Dec, 2009 by joanna in News, Scotland
I have to confess to being something of a fan of Scotland.
It’s the country where I live, work and walk, hour after gorgeous hour, drinking in its beauty. But what is it about Scotland that makes it a perfect venue for writing reatreats?
Here are 7 reasons that I came up with:
1. The landscape reflects and illuminates your inner landscape: towers, castles, bridges, mountains, rivers, falls.
2. It works in any season. Your mood, your words, your powers of reflection shift and adjust with the natural cycles of the year.
3. It’s never too hot. I don’t know about you, but I find it hard to write when I’m too hot.
4. There’s plenty of space. It’s easy to get away from the madding crowd.
5. There are rich seams of history wherever you go, reflecting the time lines and layers of your life
6. The light is constantly changing, creating the space for every shade of light and dark to emerge through your words
7. It was good enough for George Orwell
What would you add to the list?
PS The collage of photos is from my Images of Scotland set on flickr. Click on the link for more images of Scotland.