Nicholas Bate

On Writing, 89

If you want to write. Fiction or non-fiction. A block-buster or a slim volume of poetry, commit to daily.

Daily actually reduces the effort, the friction of getting to the writing.

Daily: at your desk, on the train or with your lunch-time sandwich.

Daily.

 

Coming Soon. Love, Life and Legacy:  three short stories.

The Time Machine: what would it be like if you discovered your very own functional but limited use time machine?;

In Memoriam, Mr. Rock Star:  ‘What Makes the Most Money for This Business? Dead Rock Stars.’ Courtney Love.

La Résistance: It’s 1940. It’s Paris.

A shadow fell, Jacques looked up from his newspaper, balanced his Gauloises Caporal and opened the door.

‘Merci. Et bonjour, Jaques,’ said Alain.
‘Ca va?’ He added.
‘Oui, ca va.’ Replied Jaques ‘Good to see you.’ He closed the door, scanning the street as he did.
‘And you.’ Replied Alain.

A well-practised move saw Jacques retrieve his cigarette before it began to burn the Formica table-top; he turned the barbershop chair and invited Alain to sit.

‘A good week?’ asked Jaques.
‘I’m here!’ Smiled Alain as he stared at the matches.
‘The projects went well?’
He nodded silently. The shop was empty, but they were paranoid.

 

Christmas Presents 2023, sorted.

• Brother Luke, Brand New Job:  The Budget Business Skills Collection.
• Sister Sue, thinking of an MBA: Instant MBA
• The Team at Work: How To Be Brilliant
• Stressed Out Buddy, Tom: Get a Life
• July 2023 Best Man Eric: Love Presenting
• Jenny: planning start-up: Brilliant at Business
• You: You, Only Better
• Anybody wondering what’s the answer in this Brave New World of ours…..Meet Molly.

The Most Powerful Productivity Tips, 75

Take a long, calming, reflective walk. 

If Your Mood is Low

1. You need music. Or different music. Or better music.
2. A walk would be good. Long. Rain or shine. And your dog would love it.
3. Do some baking. Fresh bread? A perfect Bakewell Tart?
4. Escape into a novel.
5. Play ball against a wall. Higher. Longer. Faster. Look for mesmerising rhythm. 
6. Write it all out. Every single thing. Every demon, angst....every bit of unfairness in your world......
7. Know that it isn't for ever.

Saturday 36

1. 25 Mini Standards.
2. The Writing Primer.
3. Bram, A Spy Story: a story of coming of age, of Queen and country and the origins of Covid-19. “Once you start reading this book, it’s difficult to put down. Initially, you are immersed in the delights of Oxford academia, only to then be exposed to the starkness and brutality of Moscow during the Cold War. Bram, a brilliant Oxford chemist, turns spy whose mission is to save the world from a highly dangerous and ubiquitous threat. This book is characterised by most of the attributes of a good spy story with action, heroic exploits by a larger-than-life protagonist and a strong plot. Well worth a read.”
   
4. How to Start your Very Own Business.
5. Instant Productivity.
6. Seven choices.
7. 22 Essentials.
8. How to Create your Home Office.
9. plus The Start Up Myths
10. Stay STRONG
11. Crazy Bold Experiments
12. Just say NO to PPT
13. The Marketing Primer.
14. Being the Best version of you, the book, back in stock.
15. Redundancy
16. Hunter-Gatherer 21C
17. Tackling Stress.
18. Manage that career
19. Be Bold 101
20. You still haven’t read Being The Best?! 
21. Things They Don’t Teach at Business School
22. the secrets of success
23. Life Tips 101
24. Zen & Art of Cubicle Freedom
25. Carnage At Kodak
26. The Very Best Drugs You Need
27. Billions of Light Years Away In Another Galaxy
28. 22 Routes To Your Non Fiction Book
29. Lists For The Life You Love
30. How To Lessen E-Mail Pain
31. Professionalism 101
32. 21 Ways to Improve your Zoom Conference Call.
33. Productivity Primer
34. 101, redux
35. The Basic Basics.
36. Not a single one made the NYT best-seller list. 

The Definitive Pension Plan

1. Start now a plan to do work you enjoy. And why would you stop doing it?
2. Start now a plan to stay physically and mentally fit. And why would you not stay active in every sense?
3. Thus the only need for a pension is an emergency Plan B if 1 or 2 go astray.

Thing Again Thursday Seven

1. When
2. things
3. don't
4. go
5. your
6. way.
7. Do it another way.

1. When
2. things
3. don't
4. go
5. your
6. way.
7. Do it another way.

Managing A Business in a Crazy World, 31

AI, robos and an infinite numbers of communication methodologies (such as Email, Text messaging (SMS), Instant messaging (e.g., WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal), Video conferencing (e.g., Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams), Social media messaging (e.g., Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs), Collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams) don’t change a thing: great customer service is still an absolute winner.

Productivity Seven

1. Things?
2. What Things?
3. Getting Things Done?
4. Getting The Right Things Done!
5. Getting The Right Things Done About Which You Have Passion...
6. Getting The Right Things Done About Which You Have Passion And Make The World a Better Place...
7. Today.

The Most Powerful Productivity Tips, 75

Write it down; keep your amazing brain free for strategy, reflection and productive breakthroughs.