The Writing Coach

Two monoprints

 Last night, in the spirit of being brave, I let rip when creating two monoprints in the pre-Foundation portfolio class I'm taking at Kingston University, created using a round button as a drawing implement.  Tonight, I've played with colour using digital photography which has turned them into something else again.  I'm excited to be creating art, having held back for a long time.  I'm looking forward to the journey.  I don't think I have this right yet.  I think I need to get better photographs and may play with the imagery a lot more before it's right.  But in the meantime, it is interesting to make the parallel between writing and making art:  that you don't have to always 'get it right', you have to 'get it down'.  I have quite a challenge ahead of me if I am to put together a portfolio from nothing by the beginning of January.  The blank sheet of paper is more daunting than ever, but also very enticing.  Most of all I was pleased with the freedom of my work here, that I was able to move away from perfectionism and towards mark-making and experimentation.  Still, I don't think I would have believed just a week ago that I'd be able to produce this kind of image.  Do keep sharing the brave acts here...

Self-portrait (Being brave)

This week I began an  evening art course at Kingston University; a 'pre-foundation portfolio' course.  It's fun to be a real beginner again and tonight I took a risk and decided to draw a self portrait instead of watching tv.  I've taken a couple of short art courses over the past two terms with artist Stephanie Wilkinson and I have such a long way to go (although Stephanie is an amazing teacher).  But what I love about this journey is the being free to make mistakes, being free to make bad or mediocre art and say 'that's ok'.  It's what I encourage my writing clients to do all the time- back to Maupassant's 'Get black on white'.  Just get something down and wait for the interesting creative accident.  This self portrait is, I feel, at least a little closer to a likeness than the last one I did when working with Stephanie, so I can see progress and that's exciting.  I'm doing this just for the pleasure of it and I think that's how we should write too: because we love the art of creation, not because we're looking for some prize at the end of it.  Publication is a wonderful treat and being able to share the work and make money from one's art is an amazing feeling - so long as in the process we don't lose sight of why we made art in the first place.

Sharing this self-portrait here is part of my new 'Be Brave' project.   I'm taking the idea from artist Jessie Marianiello who began the project in 2007 (so I'm rather late for the party!).  Here's Jessie's 2008 post about the idea.  It stems from the Eleanor Roosevelt quotation:  "Do one thing every day that scares you."  When I first saw Jessie's post, some months ago now, I found it inspiring, but I wasn't ready to take up the challenge.  Now I am.  I began the project six days ago.  This is what I've done each day.  Not things that terrify me of course:  no sky-diving or solo trips to the Arctic.  Just small things that push me beyond my comfort zone (and take me forward in my life.)  I'm trying to see this as a challenge to look at things differently, so sometimes I may do more than one thing in a day, but I have to say, it has been a fabulous week.

Here's what I've done thus far.  Every day I've faced the blank page of my novel (oh yes, still scary) and I've also:

Day One - Sunday - Researched MAs in Art History on the web and printed details about three courses.

Day Two - Monday - Enrolled on a short course in Art History (High Renaissance - 1860) starting January.

Day Three - Tuesday - Bought an online 'Learn to Play Guitar' course at Jamorama

Day Four - Wednesday - Emailed my agent and asked if she was still happy to look at the first three chapters of my edited novel to be certain I'm on the right track with this rewrite.  (She said 'of course' and instantly).  Attended the art course at Kingston, only to find out I was only one of two mature students in a class of twenty - yikes!

Day Five - Thursday - Invested in Dave Navarro's 'More Buyer's Mastermind' which is totally fabulous by the way and only $97 dollars until Monday (then it goes up to $197 and no, I'm not an affiliate, just a fan).  Dave Navarro is brilliant by the way and if you're not on his Monday morning 'Kick in the Ass' list, you should be - it's fab.)  I listened to the first interview with Naomi Dunford of Ittzybiz en route to the British Library where I spent the day writing and polishing those three chapters to perfection.

Day Six - Launched my Career Development Coaching for writers on my website; practised guitar; sent the three chapters to my agent, did a self-portrait, posted it here and stayed up far too late.  (Early nights clearly scare me, I need to tackle that one...)

I have no idea what I will do to be brave tomorrow.  My daughter plans to take me shopping for halloween goodies.  My only plan for the evening is to watch the X Factor.  I hope to see Stephanie's work at the Landmark Arts Centre Autumn Art Fair but I'm not planning to buy any paintings.  (Have spent enough on myself for one week.)  I'll let you know... 

But most of all I want to thank Jessie for inspiring me and for the most amazing week!  I feel incredibly energised knowing, each day, that I have to push myself just a bit further than I usually would.  I remember seeing a post Jessie wrote some time ago about the day she got her new art studio - and how it wouldn't have happened without the 'Be Brave' project.  She now runs her own business, 'Stray Dog Arts', painting dogs for a living.   

I'm going to encourage every writer who comes to me for the Career Development Coaching to be brave alongside me. I'm looking forward to meeting many new writers and working together for their success.  And I'm really happy about the future I'm building - writing, painting, studying and coaching others as they take their own creative journeys.  

If you'd like to join in with the 'Be Brave' project, why not leave a comment here to let me know what you're doing to be brave?  I'd love to hear and we can encourage each other.

"An Evening with The Writing Coach" in conjunction with "My Writers Circle" - Tuesday 17th November 2009

"Confidence, Productivity and Career Success for Writers" 

Come and meet Jacqui Lofthouse "The Writing Coach" and network with a group of committed writers at the lovely "Coach and Horses" Hotel on Kew Green. Jacqui will talk on "Confidence, Productivity and Career Success for Writers" and there will be a chance to ask questions about any aspect of writing, publishing and making a career as a writer.  This evening is also the first unofficial gathering of members of the online writing group 'My Writers Circle'.

Venue:  "The Coach and Horses Hotel"  - Kew, Surrey

Date:  Tuesday 17th November 2009

Time:  Networking and tea/coffee from 5.45pm, Talk at 6.30pm, Optional Dinner/drinks at 8pm

Price:  £12 (includes tea/coffee and talk but not dinner/drinks)

Limited to 25 participants.  Only 6 places remaining.

This evening is set up in conjunction with "My Writers Circle" a leading online forum for writers and is a not-for-profit evening.  

This is a one-off, unique event.  We will meet for tea and coffee in the lovely function room of "The Coach and Horses" a boutique hotel, close to London's beautiful and world-famous Kew Gardens. Rooms are available for those who are interested in staying the night - do contact the hotel direct. 

Jacqui will be speaking on all aspects of the writing process including:

• Productivity and Time Management for Writers 
• How to take yourself seriously as a writer and commit to your work
• Self-confidence for writers 
• The organic process of writing (or 'busting the myths around planning in advance')
• Self-care for writers
• The keys to high creativity and breaking through limiting beliefs
• Answering specific questions on your writing challenges including characterisation, dialogue and structure 
• The publishing process - how to get an agent and a publisher interested in you and your work   

There will be plenty of time to ask Jacqui questions and for those who wish to join us for drinks in the pub and dinner afterwards, you are very welcome.

If you are serious about your writing work or want to take it to the next level, this evening will be an opportunity to make new commitments to your work and to get support not only from Jacqui but also from other writers.  

Jacqui says:

"This evening is an opportunity for "My Writers Circle" members to meet with my current clients, my writing colleagues and many other serious writers who are looking to create a sense of community.  I'm really looking forward to the conversation and to getting to know many of you better over drinks and dinner."

If you would like to find out more about the evening, do contact Jacqui direct to book your place.  

How NOT to get published -

I'm delighted to welcome Writing Coach consultant 

Sara Bailey to write this, the second Guest Post on the Writing Coach blog.  Sara will be running two courses for The Writing Coach over the summer including 'How Not to Get Published' and 'Plan your Novel Day' at Shane Global, London (pictured).

Sara is a lecturer in Contemporary Fiction and Screenwriting at Solent University, Southampton and is one of my most trusted consultants.  She writes:

We've all read those books offering advice on How to Write and How to get published – here are some a few tongue in cheek pointers on how NOT to get published.

How NOT to get published - 10 top tips

• Send your manuscript in accompanied by full-length photograph, or indeed any photograph.  In fact if you send in a glamour shot, your chances of not being published will decrease, unless of course you are a glamour model, in which case you just struck gold.
• Send your manuscript in with fancy font and if possible coloured paper, if you can add in some sparkly confetti all the better.
• Do say in your letter that this is not so much a cross genre novel, as a new genre, where you have taken several different well-established genres and bonded them together.  No one likes to pigeonhole an author’s work. 
• Do remember to add in all the testimonials and quotes from your family - obviously if they loved it then the reading public and possibly the Booker Judges will adore it too.
• Don’t worry about finding out the name of the agent.  Best to just send it to the agency and let them fight over it.
• Do remember to make sure your manuscript is well over 400 pages or under 100.  Everyone knows a book is sold by weight.
• Don’t bother to check the spelling or punctuation; otherwise the editor won’t have anything to do.
• It is perfectly acceptable not to number the pages.  The story will be so compelling they’ll easily find the next page
• Tell them that this is your final draft and that you won't change a thing.  You are after all an artist and this is your perfect baby.
• Finally - it is fine to call the agent within the week to see if he has made you an offer.
  

Of course, if you really want to get published, Sara would love to welcome you along to one of the courses she is running this summer in London at Shane Global, South Molton Street, W1.

The 'Plan your Novel Day' runs on Saturday 11th July from 10am - 5pm. This one-day course uses the techniques derived from Nanowrimo (Novel in a Month) to help the writer bypass the internal editor and get to the brilliant story waiting to be told.  You will cover the basics of technique and storytelling and find a way to combat the blank page on a daily basis.  

The 'How Not to Get Published' course runs on Saturday 1st August from 10am-5pm.  This is a one-day course on presenting work to Agents.  The course will show you how to find an agent and the best way to approach them.  You will learn how to write a synopsis and covering letter.  We will look at some common mistakes and some alternative approaches. Bring your first ten pages and a sample synopsis.

The fee for each course is £80 or you can attend both courses for £140.  Both courses are limited to 12 places.  

If you'd like to book a place on either course, please fill in the contact form on the website here.

A Room of One's Own

"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction." - Virginia Woolf 

When I was working with my own coach Cynthia Morris earlier this year, I talked a lot about 'creating space' for something new to happen.  It was quite an alien concept:  the idea of finishing projects but not taking decisions about what would fill the space that would open up, once the project came to a conclusion.  And yet - this sense of space was exactly what I wanted. I wanted to be open to 'not knowing'.  And in the end I became comfortable with the concept.

So here I am, several months later, sitting writing this from my new office (pictured) on Richmond Green in London.  The office is just three doors up from Virginia Woolf's first home in Richmond-upon-Thames and looks over a beautiful green open space.  I have 'A Room of One's Own' from which I coach clients and I am now an Associate of the Richmond Green Practice.  I'm quite a pragmatist but even so, I can't help but be just a little awe-struck at this particular outcome. 

It's been a while since I blogged here (and now, with a little more space, I'm going to have time for blogging more often) so let me fill you in on what's happened since I last wrote a post. 

First, I finished my fourth novel.  I'm tremendously excited at that, and this has of course opened up a lot of space in my diary.  I'm now waiting for my agent's response and am focussing on taking the business forwards and introducing more in-person coaching to my practice.  Other aspects of the 'creating space' theme, included graduating from CoachU my coach training school.  And also reducing the number of literary consultancy clients I take on, by building up a team of consultants. I was determined to have a summer where I had more time for developing my own creative play by taking art classes/learning guitar and one where I had lots of time for the children - but also for a new challenge.  And the office has provided exactly that. 

Essentially, my intention is to use the office as a place where I can meet coaching and consultancy clients in person. To offer my clients 'a Room of One's Own' - a calm environment where you can develop your creative process and get productive, whether as a writer, an artist or a creative entrepreneur. I plan to work with clients who seek focus and success in their creative lives and will coach on all aspects of the creative process from the initial germ of an idea, through brainstorming, time management, discipline, organic growth, structuring your work and bringing a project to fruition. I will also run a limited literary consultancy service from the Practice.

In addition, I am launching an Advanced in-person Creative Writing group, limited to four people. This will launch on Tuesday 23rd June and is an opportunity to get feedback on your work from a group of fellow experienced writers who take their work seriously. The group also includes three one-to-one coaching sessions, a Yahoo group and a monthly drinks meeting. Please do get in touch soon if you are interested in the group, as I am anticipating strong demand - and I want to choose people who are truly committed to a mutually beneficial working relationship. Full details are available on the Richmond Green Practice page of the website.

Richmond Green holds fabulous memories for me and I know I'm going to create a lot of new good experiences here too. The little coincidence about Ms Woolf is just the icing on the cake to this venture. Most of all, I'm looking forward to more in-person work: to meeting my clients and working together to facilitate exciting creative work.  If you are based in London, do feel free to book in  for an introductory session over a cup of tea.