August Reflections ~ The Literary Lady

August should be like a summer siesta – long, dreamy and lazy. Here’s some of the things I’ve been pondering upon this month…

Quotation

‘One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.’ - Henry David Thoreau

There is such an intrinsic link between mood and season. I personally adore Autumn but some people are mournful when it begins. This brilliant Thoreau quote reminds us that there is always a little room for summer living – whether it’s more time in the garden or eating more ice cream.

Reading

This month I’ve been reading (as well as listening and watching) Elizabeth Gilbert. She has a book called Big Magic, presents a podcast called Magic Lessons and has delivered two amazing TED talks, all about the mysteries and delights of the creative process. I’ve adopted her as my mentor because her kind, encouraging and daring voice fills me with inspiration and joy to carry on. Big Magic dispels myths like creative people have to suffer for their art, as well as pinpointing exactly what it is that makes the act of creating so unique. I loved this line: ‘All I know for certain is that this is how I want to spend my life – collaborating to the best of my ability with forces of inspiration that I can neither see, nor prove, nor command, nor understand.’ Well, when you put it like that…

Writing

This month I’ve been thinking about comfort zones in writing. A while back I wrote about what Julia Cameron calls the ‘vein of gold’ (read it here) – the subjects that move and fascinate you and that make your work more vivid when you tap into them. Whilst I think this idea is so true I also think we have our own comfort zones – maybe writing the same character, sticking to the same setting or holding on to the same structure. As I delve into a new project that tackles new territory for me it can be scary to leave the comfort zone. I’m working through this by fully immersing myself in this brave new world whilst staying fully anchored to the themes and issues that I cherish.

Focus on…Full sensory Living

As writers, we’re encouraged to capture the details. I always love reading prose that brings the taste or sound of something to life. This month, notice what makes your five senses happy and make an effort to treat yourself to the things that you love to see, taste, smell, touch and hear.

Three things to look forward to in September:

1. The influx of stationary – infinitely comforting for those who the phrase ‘back to school’ still haunts to this day.

2. The last of summer in the garden.

3. Making a spiced apple cake.

Blog posts to catch up on from August: