Always Chris

The Importance of Being a Reader

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:03:09 +0000

Now I enjoy writing a lot but it’s my main profession and when I need an escape I retreat into reading – as a writer you must never underestimate the importance of reading. It’s what provided me with the inspiration to put pen to paper in the first place and continues to do so. However I am a bit of an adventurous soul and decided to break my solitary reading cycle, which is why I joined a book group. In case you’re interested in following my example I’ll let you in on how I got found the group I’m in and what we get up to.

Now as you might, or might not know there are variety of book groups out there. I took the easy option and browsed the groups listed on Gumtree but there are bound to be more specific book group lists elsewhere. Whilst on Gumtree I came across specific groups, such as ones that focused solely on science fiction or others that adhered to certain lists, e.g. 1001 books to read before you die. I was hoping for something more open-minded so continued browsing, always having in mind the location the group was based in and their preferred day and time of meeting.

Eventually I came across a single-title group that seemed to meet my requirements and emailed them. A day or two later they replied and asked me to drop in on their next monthly meeting which was the following day at a pub near Camden Town. Obviously I didn’t have enough time to read the book in question but I logged onto Wikipedia, not the most academically rigorous sources, but enough for a synopsis. This allowed me to offer a few opinions when they turned to me after discussing ‘The Collector’ by John Fowles. People often take divergent views on a book with some very strident indeed. It’s likely to vary from group to group but the one I attend usually focus on the book for about an hour or so before we move onto just socialising. The latter can be aided by the venue selected for the meeting. So far the meetings I’ve attended have been inside pubs or the beer gardens attached to them, although hints have been made that during the summer we might meet up in a park.

At the end of each meeting someone selects a novel for the next month’s meeting, we take it in turns. Thus far the other group members haven’t exactly opted for rapid page turners. My turn will come around again however. I do like a challenge, so excuse me whilst I browse my bookshelves.

ShareThis

The Life of a Writer.

admin — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:33:05 +0000

Because I am a writer by trade, I have always felt that it is my duty to inform people of things. And since I write hundreds of articles, blogs and press releases on a huge amount of different subjects, I like to think that I’m actually pretty good at this! I mean, one day I could be doing a piece on the best recruitment software currently on the market whilst the next I may have to write about the most effective diet plans.

As you can imagine, this gives me plenty of scope when it comes to keeping my readers bang up to date. And it also means that I am quite knowledgeable with all manner of different subjects!!! Not only can this be interesting in itself, but it can also give you a really good head start if you are having a game of Trivial Pursuits with your friends!!!

However, being a writer does have its down side too. Some of the subjects I cover will require a great deal of research and others are downright boring. And then there is the %u2018brain drain'factor to consider; I’ve had many days where, after writing four or five thousand words, I feel totally and utterly boggled! So much so, that I will often find it difficult to shut off my mind when it comes to sleep.

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t change my job for anything, but it can be really hard work. A lot of people will think that sitting on your bum in front of a computer is a pretty cushy number… although they would soon change their minds if they had to do it themselves for a few weeks!

All in all, writing is just like any other job; it has plenty of its own pros and cons.

Similar Posts:
Things You Can Do Other Than Drink : I have been on antibiotics…
London 2012- Showcasing cultural unity : Any and every…
The Future? : I’m in business, am well up with the latest…

ShareThis

Writing? Of course I too can write when unemployed

admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:03:30 +0000

Why is it that people believe that anybody can become a writer? Why is it that people believe that a person who uses the term writer to describe his or her occupation is unemployed? I notice this drastic shift in the thought process of the masses especially when the economy faces a recession. The moment unemployment increases, the number of writers in the market go up drastically. Of course, this is a counterproductive process because the price that the customer is prepared to pay for quality writing services automatically comes down.

A large number of individuals decide to become freelance writers and think that they can become the next sensation on the Internet by writing ghost blogs for others. The funny thing is that nobody sets up a new data cleaning services firm because they feel this is a technical field and yet they try becoming a writer. They invariably believe that anybody can become a writer and start offering their services online.

Of course, very few individuals have the ability to run a business. The process of finding new clients when you are a writer can be a very difficult task. If you are of the artistic and temperamental type, then you will find it very difficult to mollycoddle clients who believe that they know everything. The irony is that these large number of freelance writers would have no hesitation walking out of the market once the economy improves and the job position becomes better.

This is something that I have noticed in the travel forum that I moderate. The number of entrepreneurs who are obviously submitting paid posts increases drastically. When I point out that I have been doing this for many years and that I understand what they are doing, these individuals feign ignorance and create a big fuss. I have to throw them out and only then do they realize that I was serious about my intentions to keep my forum free of silly writers.

Similar Posts:
Things You Can Do Other Than Drink : I have been on antibiotics…
Community pulls together : Back in May this year a 60 meter…
The Future? : I’m in business, am well up with the latest…

ShareThis

It doesn’t always have to seem exciting, you know

admin — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:03:04 +0000

You’d think the answer to the question in the title would be Yes.

In fact, it’s not that easy…to answer or write a book, I mean!

Here’s an example, though, of how literally anything can be made into an exciting read. You don’t have to write about vampires and the undead to satisfy a reader’s craving!

1) Sarah had an idea for a book…the only problem was, it was a bit unconventional…it was about roller banners . Sarah’s problem was that she knew what she wanted to write, but wasn’t sure that there was a market for it. After a while, she got an idea: she’d join the local writer’s group and see if she could get inspired enough to pen this idea.

2) Sarah turned up and was immediately happy; she felt like this was the perfect situation to give her inspiration. The only problem was, there was too much talk of writing and not enough writing! After a few weeks she dropped out, but at least she now had some idea of what was good and what was bad, and now she knew what a plot was she could get started on her great idea.

…In almost all scenarios, by the end of the book or film, the characters have learned something…

3) She began by changing the mundane into something menacing. OK, so these banner things weren’t devilish or anything, but what if they could come to life and eat people? Hmm, this got her mind racing, and soon she had come up with the characters who would live out this nightmare.

4) What Sarah learned in the first draft was that the dull and ordinary can be just as frightening as anything else! She read a few books, Stephen King in particular, and before long she knew just how much gore to use and where humour was appropriate.

The point of this example, of course, is that it isn’t really about the subject. That may sound strange, but in fact, the horror in most films and books comes not from the monsters, but the effect they have on the world around them. In almost all scenarios, by the end of the book or film, the characters have learned something, and this usually means they have become stronger or weaker.

So if you have an idea which is a bit unconventional – roller blinds which grow razor-toothed mouths, maybe or something to do with a sinister toilet that has a very powerful flush – then don’t be afraid to turn it into something special on paper. You never know, you just might scare a few people in the process…

ShareThis

Virtual Writers Group

admin — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:33:03 +0000

Localism can sometimes be a lie. It is good to have friends around that are close by that you can talk to, but as a writer, you need other people that understand and sympathize with your work, and you won’t necessarily find them around the corner. As you know, I spend a lot of time online moderating forums, and it was at a writer’s forum that I had a huge brain wave; why not start a hard working online writers group.

The problem with getting all of your support as a writer from an online forum or discussion board, is that there is no sense of commitment. A writers group is 4-6 writers that are committed to a professional career that want to critique each others'work. We meet fortnightly for a 45 minute video chat. Before the meeting we circulate writing. It is a good thing that we have mathematical minds, because we have worked out a very specific formula that allows us to manage our burden of reading while at the same time make sure that everybody gets an equal amount of time for feedback.

Each member takes a turn in order to moderate the group. When a writer has something to submit, they send it off to the moderator. Every Monday we check in about how much time people have to devote to reading in that week. The moderator takes an average of all the times and sends out reading from the top of the list. Each week the order of the list is adjusted so that the writers are in order of how many pages of writing they have submitted up to that date. We have members in 4 different continents so sometimes working out the best time for our meeting can be difficult. Again we alternate so its not always in the middle of the night.

ShareThis

Moderating

admin — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:03:16 +0000

It happens to all of us who work as forum moderators. A dispute breaks out and we need to resolve it. Sometimes, it does actually get a bit ugly, and I personally tend to lose sleep at this point. There is something about the anonymity of online communication that allows people to be more horrible than they would otherwise. Last week Global Pal got a nasty and it was up to me to sort it out.

I had to do two things at the same time: sort through the hurt feelings to create a sense of resolution and figure out who was saying what to whom and if they were using any additional aliases. The whole thing started with somebody being accused of being a racist. I am sure it is entirely possible to do by hand, but when I moderate forums, I use high end HR software. When problems arise, I am able to track the most frequent writers, what they write about, and certain key phrases that they are likely to use. By doing this on a consistent basis, I have an excellent data base of people who use the forums I moderate. This is important, because if I block somebody for being racist, I am able to identify if any additional posts are aliases of the original writer.

It is relatively easy, you simply create a profile for each of your frequent contributors as you would for an employee. A frequent writer will usually identify personal details such as location, family status, age, profession, and places travelled. Just note them down on their profile. This has really helped me deal with the current conflict, as the original writer did return under an alias and tried to stir up more dissent. My bosses were so pleased with my work, I got a raise.

ShareThis

Grammar – A Sturdy Pillar On Which Language And Communication Stand

admin — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:03:09 +0000

Do you know what is loreal majirel? I guess very few blog posts that you have read till date would have had such a muddled beginning. The word loreal sounds familiar but one just cannot be sure, right? Well, what if I rephrase the query? Do you know what is L’Oréal Majirel? You may not be very hot on make up and fashion accessories but you probably have heard about L’Oréal, right? Now, you can take the logical leap and conclude that it is probably a make up product offered by the famous company L’Oréal.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is a 95 word crash course on the importance of grammar. Language is the primary tool we use for communication. Grammar happens to be one of the pillars on which language stands. Remove grammar and language will collapse taking communication along with it.

Needless to say, I take my grammar very seriously because I wish to become a professional writer. Not only do I need to communicate stuff to my readers but I need to do it in such a manner that they are encouraged to open their wallets and pay me to write more.

One reason why people are afraid of grammar is that it is a hydra headed monster that just cannot be controlled. Focus on punctuation and you may trip on the voice. Cover voice and you may have an awkward sentence structure. Take care of that as well and you may end up messing up with transitive verbs without even knowing what that is.

Most individuals do not like to think that language can be such a complex thing. That is why grammar is left alone even if it implies one will never become an expert in the language in question. All said and done, there is no denying that mastering grammar helps one explore all facets of the language with supreme skill and expertise.

ShareThis

How much is luck and how much is skill?

admin — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:09:03 +0000

Growing up, my Grandmother put a lot of emphasis on luck. To Gran, luck was something amazing that some lucky people had and others didn’t have. Those who had it were blessed. Those who didn’t have it…well, it’s probably best not to talk about them…

The point is, listening to Gran go on about luck made me believe that luck was all there was to it. Until I was about ten, when I discovered that actually, someone could possess plenty of skill and not much luck.

Take James Michael, for example. We didn’t trust him for two reasons. 1) He had a Surname which was really a first name and 2) He could juggle. Juggling to us was a bit strange and a little bit mystical. This combination, along with the fact that James Michael had ginger hair, made us kids steer well clear of him!

All you can do, really, is do your best and hope that things work out for you. If you have a good bit of skill then that’s no bad thing either

This was totally and completely unfair, of course. In reality James Michael was just a lad with redder than average hair who also could juggle really well (which would later lead him to have some surprising success with a certain number of red-hair-loving-ladies). The point was that James was really very unlucky, yet he possessed this amazing skill that no other boy in school had. So that was when I started to think that maybe luck and skill were totally different entities.

Gran didn’t help much, of course. She still believed in her luck and wouldn’t have it any other way.

All this pondering about skill and luck made things confusing growing up. Even now it makes me wonder how much is skill and how much is luck?

Well, the truth, me thinks, is that the answer is unexplainable. Things happen for reasons unknown to us and it isn’t always easy to tell why one person is successful when another person – no matter how much they try – isn’t.

The lesson here, I think, is that it doesn’t matter if you work with hybrid cars or train monkeys for a living (that’s monkey-training not monkeys who live specifically on trains!): life is full of chance and random possibility and there are still plenty of things we don’t understand about how the world works. All you can do, really, is do your best and hope that things work out for you. If you have a good bit of skill then that’s no bad thing either, as really, skill can only ever increase your chances or being where you want to be.

Similar Posts:
Things You Can Do Other Than Drink : I have been on antibiotics…
The Future? : I’m in business, am well up with the latest…
I Want to Buy Bonds? : I am a wanna be investor but deciding on…

ShareThis

Organise your desk

admin — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:13:49 +0000

One thing I’ve learned over the last couple of years – the hard way, I might add – is that organisation is key. It really does matter. When my desk is a total mess, I can’t function and my working day revolves around trying to find lost paper – a serious nightmare. But, when my desk is organised well, everything is so much easier. You may not believe me, but that’s fine, because now I will tell you how you can do the same. Try it out for yourself and then we’ll see who’s laughing!

1) Clear your desk and I mean CLEAR IT. That means removing the Ascis Gel Kayano from it, and all those notes which are actually just nonsense gibberish which you will never look at again. We need to start from scratch here, so make sure you clear it properly. Be harsh!

2) Now, place your laptop or computer more to one side than the other. For some reason, this helps me. I now have a small space on my right for pens and stationery, and a bigger space on the left which is ideal for my diary and a few sheets of paper to make notes on as and when I need to.

3) You’re not done. Now you need to organise a place for your mug of tea or coffee. Do this and you won’t end up sticking it in any old place. Like I said, organisation is the key!

4) We’re almost there, but not quite: at the end of the working day, you’ll need to have a quick tidy up. Put your notes face down and write the date on the back of them. Then the next day simply file them away under that date. Easy? Yes. A good solution: indeed!

Similar Posts:
Things You Can Do Other Than Drink : I have been on antibiotics…
The Future? : I’m in business, am well up with the latest…
Why Bristol is great : Everyone knows that Bristol is great,…

ShareThis

Organise your desk

admin — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:24:41 +0000

3) You’re not done. Now you need to organise a place for your mug of tea or coffee. Do this and you won’t end up sticking it in any old place. Like I said, organisation is the key!

Similar Posts:
Things You Can Do Other Than Drink : I have been on antibiotics…
The Future? : I’m in business, am well up with the latest…
Character Ideas For Your Writing… : Stuck with your mystery…

ShareThis