Nicholas Bate

On Writing, 35

Accept that creating your novel means bringing a wild beast into the world.

It will need a lot of taming before you can reveal it to the world.

But it’ll be worth it, despite the scars for life. 

Go write. 

Sometimes 7

1. You get it wrong. Learn.
2. You are lost. Try a different map.
3. You are too fatigued. Rest deep and long.
4. You can't be heard. Be bolder.
5. You lack focus. Find stillness and meditate.
6. You need greater resource. Ask nicely and persistently.
7. It works. Take the time to celebrate. 

Always Helpful, 122

A good novel to escape awhile. 

Monday: The Keys to Freedom.

(1) know what freedom is for you and for the love of your life: have that discussion otherwise it's often a mutually misunderstood assumption (2) that's the first key to freedom (3) then decide to get really, really good at something; then you can charge for value rather than time (4) that means you gain time which is the second key to freedom (5) and the third key to freedom is understanding that when you get exceptionally good at something you tend to really enjoy doing it so work isn't-well-really work anymore (6) the fourth key to freedom is realising you do not need that much stuff after all, despite it seeming to be the basis of a global conspiracy; still you do not need to be a part of such a socially induced trance (5) we need a bit of stuff to be happy (6) but too much stuff makes us unhappy because we can lose it and thus become miserable and/or we have to work harder and harder to both look after it and get more fresh stuff (7) so key four is to chase quality of life rather than standard of living (8) key five to freedom is to realise that most-if not all-of what we want, is available to us now if we simply slow down and notice it. (9) Key five is thus don't defer good times. Don't think when. Nor one day. Think now. Build them in now: breaks, walks, conversation, home cooking, reading to the children, learning that skill, charity work, learning how to knit (10) key six is to note that people become free every day in an instant when they wake up and realise that the thing for the majority of us in this part of the world is that freedom is a decision not a goal, qualification nor purchase. A decision. And that's pretty damn cool. Thus key seven: make that decision. In this instant.

Always more in You, Only Better. 

Nearly twenty years old….

Still works….

Always helpful, 121

Planning your breaks, rests and pauses. 

Friday Curiosities, 7

1. Discovering what you really want to do absolutely, definitely requires doing a fair bit of what you don't want to do.
2. Love is actually all around. Open your eyes. And your heart. Oh, and your arms.
3. History is better when you have lived a bit of it.
4. Interviewers find it incredibly hard deciding on the right candidate. Your job is not to (just) impress them with your qualifications but make it easy for them to choose you. And people being people, that's getting them to like you because you are smart, effective and balanced.
5. Sex, drugs and rock n' roll are all about getting a high. Bizarrely so is bringing a great product to market, closing a deal and helping a buddy find a job after redundancy.
6. Your job is 25% more enjoyable when you decide to enjoy it.
7. Pick a song. Any song. The Beatles back-catalogue has the answer you need.

Coffee: a simple pleasure, 7

1. Buy a decent bean. Try those from you local roastery. Buy small, fresh batches.
2. Store those beans well: in an air-tight container out of heat and sunlight.
3. Use a french press, scrupulously cleaned after previous use.
4. Use Just-off-the-boil water. 
5. 3/4 minutes before plunging.
6. Warmed cup. Consider no milk nor sugar.
7. Find a friendly barista to teach you the finer details.

On Writing, 34

Let go of needing approval of all you create. You’ll never get anything done.

Meet Molly: story, fable and great read.

 

Let go of needing approval of all you create. You’ll never get anything done.

Meet Molly: story, fable and great read.

You Need Jeroen Sangers.

Start here.