In 2022, I was reminded that people don’t think as I do. We are not all the same, even deep down. Some people will villainise you. Some people will look off in another direction and see something you don’t see, while saying you are wrong. Some people have stubborn minds. Some people are hurt so… Continue reading Repeated life lessons
Walking into 2023 (prose) piece)
The thing is, you bring you into the new year. All the scars and the hurt. Chipped nails painted red and white from Christmas, a reminder of your imperfection. You were supposed to clean it off before the new year. But you forgot. And isn’t that just poetic? I still feel the bloody bite marks… Continue reading Walking into 2023 (prose) piece)
Reading stats of 2022
Total books read: 36 Average book length: 300-499 Audiobooks: 14 Number of non fiction read: 7 Number of fiction read: 28 Favourite non-fiction book: The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green Favourite fiction book: The Book Thief, White Smoke, or House of Hollow (yes I can’t pick one!!) Number of authors of colour read: 10 Top… Continue reading Reading stats of 2022
My intentions for 2023
I wanted to desperately to have a beautiful, simple idea to guide my year. Every year I like to pick a motto or phrase to help me stay focused and set the tone for my year. As you go, of course, you forget what this was, unless you intentionally revisit it. My motto for last… Continue reading My intentions for 2023
My year at a glance
As per usual, this is my post about what my year’s achievements and high points were. I like looking back at these as the years go by, so that’s why I document it all. Got married in summer Changed jobs to a better school Ran 5x5km runs (never ran 5km before) Wrote an 84,000 word… Continue reading My year at a glance
Self-Censorship
I wrote a long reflection post about my time in South Africa. But I deleted it. I felt censored. I felt afraid to say the truth of my experience. I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, even though my feelings were hurt many times on and around the trip. It’s lead me to writing this… Continue reading Self-Censorship
A reflection on my trip to South Africa
I was going to write a detailed post about my whole trip, but I no longer feel called to do this. One, it would take a long time. Two, I’m not sure anyone cares enough to read it all. And three, you can see highlights on my Instagram and achievements of the year post. At… Continue reading A reflection on my trip to South Africa
Tired of the battle with myself (journal entry)
Why are we so hard on ourselves? As if life isn’t hard enough as it is! We cut ourselves down with a sharpened scythe, hoping to fit in with people and places that don’t value us. We try so hard, gasping and screaming and gripping with blistered fingers at the edges of what we think… Continue reading Tired of the battle with myself (journal entry)
How to create natural tension and conflict in your narrative
Tension and suspense are key to gripping your reader. Conflict is what makes a story interesting but there is boring conflict and then there is natural and tense conflict! You want the latter if you can! I will be talking today about natural conflict and tension using the latest Planet of the Apes franchise to… Continue reading How to create natural tension and conflict in your narrative
What’s truly scary (motivation for the last 2 months of the year)
You know what’s scarier than getting on the plane? Never having left your hometown and widened your perspective. To stay small and inexperienced, not understanding, on a deeper personal level, the other cultures and beauties in this world. That’s terrifying. You know what’s scarier than publishing a book and being judged? Not publishing and bearing… Continue reading What’s truly scary (motivation for the last 2 months of the year)