Walking Words & Habits of Writers

Walking is not just good for overall health. It is good for writers who are looking for a few extra minutes to develop ideas in what few brain cells we have not burned out.

I take some justifiable pride in how much I devote to my overall health physically and mentally. Since around 2000, I gradually started to take more of an interest in improving my personal health in small steps. Best thing about this whole process is every time I set myself back, it seems I always find ways to take several more steps forward.

Gotta love self-redemption.

This particular Saturday I found myself wanting to find a different way to exercise that might be a little bit out of the norm. I dressed up appropriately for the cold and went for a long walk. It was well worth it. During the brief tour of the area I am currently based, something I remembered reading on Twitter jumped out at me as an sub-topic that needed to be included in my book manuscript.

I was looking forward to an afternoon of work. So after recording audio for my latest short film, My first book manuscript visited me again. It is an old friend I have come to cherish and love dearly considering the investment of time that went into working on it.

Today, this book I have written has eclipsed the 27 thousand word mark. It is one of those moments where the pride of being a writer just magnifies itself tenfold.

At my home office desk is a wonderful list of ten daily habits that make a good writer. Off hand I forget where they came from, but I treasure the wisdom contained. The first thing on that list is to eat healthfully, the second is to be physical.

To my colleagues reading this, by all means please remind me who sent this to me and who is credited with writing this great list.

The other eight things on this list are worthy of observation for another series of posts altogether. Today was a great reminder of the two I mentioned. Seems that a clearer mind is a great assist to great content creation.

Write 4 Life and Live 2 Write

 

 

 

Tea & Sandwiches at Grand Central

It’s one of those mornings. Maybe it’s one of those weeks.

Certainly would be a good day to land at Grand Central for lunch. Man, I reflect fondly on those times.

Grand Central refers to a home in Trenton where my Grandfather still lives, the home he shared with my Grandmother for much of their life together. Before I left Nova Scotia, my daily routine had included a noon-time visit to their home almost 5 days a week. I was in the midst of taking a course in town which only went until around noon. After that I usually made a point to land at or just before noon. I ended up having lunch there at least 3 days of the week. My Grandmother especially cherished those moments just as much if not more than I did.

I was still consuming an appalling amount of Pepsi and Coke at the time, so she started upping the amount that she kept around the house. Not just for me though, although I’m certain I ended up drinking most of the stock every week.

As years have gone on, a few things have changed. My grandmother is no longer with us, I have replaced the colas with tea, and am much more mindful of what I eat not just wish sandwiches, but with the rare sweet that may go with it.

Every time I return to this house it has become tradition that I take a walk through it and remember what I can about the different rooms. The back yard is still a sprawling open area where their dogs ran freely near a bountiful garden. As much as I miss being close to this house, the memories are stronger than the missing.

 

Recovery Room of Writing

The seemingly down moments in this business can be turned into the most sobering and uplifting.

Last night I started to picture what a recovery room would look like, full of some of the people whose work I respect and admire. Further, I picture how each of these great talents might have gotten through a few brief minutes of lost self-confidence the easiest way possible. By continuing to work. A writing recovery room is just a state of where you might be feeling while trying to work, and a place where writers can have themselves working through the “blocks”.

Christopher Hitchens was one of the most prolific word arrangers the community has ever had. Within hours of hearing of his passing in December, I was listening to an interview with one of his close friends who mentioned that “Hitch” was literally working almost up to the last possible time when he could not work no more.  He insisted on having a writing desk near his hospital bed in order to continue working. Part of me thinks that Hitch may rarely if ever had to spend any time in his own writing recovery room. Given how prolific his output has been, perhaps any moments of misguided literary energy were short-lived.

One of the books I am currently reading is the brilliant “Iron Man” from Metal Legend and Black Sabbath co-founder Tony Iommi. Thanks to this book, I have been reminded of finding brilliance in moments of the unexpected. Could only really imagine what it would have been like to be in the room while they were trying to come up with something while under a tight studio timeline and budget. Mind you, this is under a different type of circumstance. Seems like going to the Pub was part of the band’s writing recovery. They might have been on to something. A pint or shot of something is surely not always the best way to get things going again.  But it has worked for a few people.

One of my favourite ways to recover from a lack of professional self-confidence is contained within one of my favourite movies. “Stranger Than Fiction” should absolutely destroy any “blocks” for anyone. I relish in the brilliance of Emma Thompson as she portrays a novelist pushing through a long-overdue manuscript for her publishers. You must see this to get where I am coming from. No point in going through the whole screenplay here!

Time best spent in the writing recovery room should be spent seeking out inspiration in between work or while working. Humour never fails to ignite something in the few brain cells I have. Retreating to reading also helps many, as it is certainly helping me.

I think everyone in this business has their down moments. Lesson is to learn how to turn those down moments around.  Grab paper or turn on a computer screen and write out your thoughts until you come across an idea worth developing. Turn a failed article into a fab opportunity to sharpen skills and re-build. Find that favourite movie, episode on television or book and really study the lines in it that get you thinking or laughing. Write it all down, and then some.

Find comfort, find yourself, and regain the voice that seemed temporarily lost.

 

 

Twitter #TrendStories

Coming soon to my Twitter Account @WriterDann , I will be periodically writing out #Trendstories.

Concept

Monday morning, I was very amused by the order of which trends appeared on Twitter. So much so I improvised a short few sentences based on the order the trends appeared. It turned out to be really funny. So, whenever I see a good trend list I will improvise something and write it out on the spot. There is no real goal here except entertainment. I also hope it might spark some improv from a few others on Twitter. It’s like being a comedy writer using as little actual words as possible.

My plan is to not just stick to trends that may be happening in Canada. I will periodically check out trend lists from other countries and even regional lists, and take it from there. You will see those tweets tagged with #Trendstories and if necessary the respective region the list is drawn from.

It will be lots of fun and I hope some of you can join into the madness. No doubt will come up with some funny stuff in due course.

Insomniac Paraphrasing

Surely you would think I have learned to never write on little sleep by now after all this time in the game. Brain never stops working. A major mistake I have made is having any caffeine later into the evening even from a mild blend of tea. This is taking a mild form of speed. Logic sometimes completely escapes me on a few of the evenings that I work.

I was just about asleep at the helm of my office when a client sent a payment for some work I did this past weekend. It woke up my bank account and it woke me up for all of about 5 seconds. Caving in, I dragged myself away from the desk craving a duel with a Vegas Blackjack dealer. Settled for a battle with a computerized Android based application. Apparently I had ten thousand dollars left, but won on a stood hand of 12 while the dealer drew to 17. With twenty-thousand dollars of fake money, I could make a few fake car payments I suppose.

I seriously doubt I would ever drop that high amount of real money on a single hand of Blackjack….

 

“Winning” the War Against Yourself

The Cat did it….

Although I rarely watch the news, I do follow certain streams of information that allow me to get some interesting and odd bits of entertainment headlines. When I think of some of the news headlines that were front and center in 2011, one that most stands out to me is the insanity that Charlie Sheen brought on. For certain the trademark agents who helped him register brilliant catchphrases such as “Tiger Blood” and “Winning” can retire on the money he paid them to get the famed copyright symbol next to these words.

In the space of a few short days, Charlie Sheen managed to make more money off of simple english words. In related news, Donald Trump is working to incorporate “You’re Fired”  into Sheen’s more memorable word blasts (Editor’s Note copyright infringement not intended)……

The concept of winning is forever associated mostly with sports triumphs and political victories. We rarely hear tale or read writing of the battles waged and won against ourselves. Sure we rightfully delight in viewing or reading stories about survivors of major illness and injuries. Reality television has also given a preliminary personal glance into the self-battles involving addiction. It can be argued to infinity whether this is a fight a person brings on themselves or whether they have invited a form of illness into their personal space.

A brief evening chilly walk around the residential area where I am based reminded me of a place that once in a while seemed colder than the worst Canadian Winter.

Ten years ago, I was renting a garage that had been converted into an apartment in Southwest Calgary. It felt like an igloo with no walls in the wintertime, and a glorious walk-in cooler in the summer. I reflect rather fondly on my time spent in this neighbourhood. Once in a while I have visions back to walking through the nearby market while drinking overly expensive coffee.

I had started to work harder on making more positive changes, yet lost sight of the fact that this is would be a  never-ending quest. The concept of setting personal goals was always something I felt was easily understood and achievable.

This was ignorant thinking at its brightest.

Whenever I lashed out at life occurrences it may have been out of frustration or a complete lack of understanding. Much of the blame was directed at medication bottles containing various things which I no longer consume. Even today once in a while I will slip and catch myself using pills as an excuse for things I have said and poor decisions made past-haste.

I refused to take full responsibility for how I dealt with so many things and just kept on forging ahead. This was often with the worst attitude possible and a sharp axe to grind with society. I was standing on a battlefield, a soldier looking to fight every reason and blame others for every problem I seemed to cause. Most of which I may have brought on myself. It was a personal war and it seemed like I was losing badly. Most of this was a result of the negativity I was attracting to myself.

I had lost touch rather significantly that year. In the midst of this seemingly never-ending storm it didn’t dawn on me once that one must always work to improve themselves. Too often, too many spend time looking for the quick fix rather than giving themselves reasonable windows of opportunity to take small steps forward.

In the last ten years I can reflect fondly on the glorious steps forward I have taken. When I have needed help in my personal wars, I have asked and graciously received that help.

Once you are able to win smaller battles and build up to bigger things, you will gradually be able to take yourself on in grander wars of self-struggle and come out victorious every time.

Ten years after, I feel like now I am always “winning” the war against myself even on what may seem like the worst of days. Seems that with wisdom comes more wit, and therefore more “winning” days.

Happy New Year to everyone. Thanks to all family, friends and fans for your support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ten Randoms

1.  Woody Allen may be odd, but as a writer and film maker he is an American Legend. He still writes one movie per year, on a typewriter.

2. Christopher Hitchens’s greatest lesson for the writing world was for everyone to find their own voice. I agree completely. Acknowledge your influences but refine yourself to be just that. Yourself.

3. My favourite Christmas Records are Boney M Christmas and Merle Haggard’s Christmas. The religious references do not bother me. Christmas is whatever I make it to be and I still love this time of year. Always have.

4. Great food and drink are a comfort at any time of year. Something about sharing it all, especially during the holidays that makes people happy. Could be the alcohol content? It helps when you know your own limits and of course have plans for a safe ride home.

5. I rather enjoy house work. It means I have a house. Plus when I watch a few seconds of Hoarders I am grateful to know I will never be like that.

6. “Iron Lady” is likely going to win Meryl Streep another Academy Award. I have yet to even see the film but am looking very forward to it. For every bad movie she has been in, she has been in three times as many good ones.

7. The Spengler Cup in Davos Switzerland is one of the few times in the year that Canadians can find out what happened to some NHL players who suddenly went missing in action and ended up playing in just as strong European leagues.

8. I tend to over-use my jokes on the Amish. Part of this is because I know they will never find out. Plus it’s just funny.

9. Adam West hocking flavorless frozen dinners is amusing, but at least he is getting a pay cheque.

10. Antique Clocks are cool. I never need to look at them to tell time. Just want to have them around because they are unique.

 

Absurdity & Humour

Scene – A television debate between a Catholic Cardinal and an author preparing to debate the existence or non-existence of God. Instead of debating through words, the scene turns into a ringside wrestling view. The existence or non-existence of God to be determined by best 2 out of 3 falls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfRkcJ0BLS0

Surely this paints to some of you a rather absurd picture. Yet, it works. This is a rough description of a brilliant old sketch from some of my comedy heroes. While seemingly absurd on the surface, this idea works well and is just downright fucking funny. Religious wars happen all over the world, and always will go on as long as there are extremists who want to push an agenda onto others. The conflict in this sketch was the “God or No God” debate. The resolution and punchline are for the moderator to say to hell with it all, you can fight it out like everyone else. Adding to the humourous end of things, moderator decides a wrestling ring is the perfect venue.

This leads me to believe that a perfectly scripted pro-wrestling match might be a way to solve many of the great debates of the world.

Outside of sketch comedy, there is no other more obvious place to find absurdity and humour than the music world. Al Yankovic introduced a generation of music fans to the idea of taking popular songs and giving them new life with new words. Al’s subject range alone is worthy of being called absurd. Yet his brilliance is now being shared with a new legion of fans. Meanwhile anyone with a guitar and a camera can upload and share their own interpretations to YouTube.  Often some of these amateur expressions turn out to be hilarious.

Frank Zappa perfected mixing humour with music. I was late coming to his vast repertoire of work. His compositional skills mixed with eye-rolling lyrics are something to be in amazement of. Even as Zappa was nearing the end of his life, he still threw in different odds and ends to inject humour into his classical compositions.

Surely many of you reading this have an inside joke that might even date back to your childhood days. One of my long-time friends and I to this day will throw out our seemingly absurd yet wonderfully funny inside jokes from our days recording our “radio” shows. I treasure every single memory of sitting up late at night with a notebook or two and writing out the most ridiculously amazing and sharp-witted for our time jokes and then record them to tape. I should have done a better job of storing these tapes.

While I do not watch a significant amount of television these days, when I do I am looking for fresh and original writing which will capture the seemingly absurd and make it humorous.

I often reflect fondly on the work of some of my favourite work like Monty Python and compare it to stuff from today. It amazes me that their material still stands so far and above most modern-day comedy. It just goes to show how far ahead of their time they actually were.

The most seemingly mundane thing. The most odd observations. The most absurd words.

Can generate the most laughter.

Business Twitteracy

Going to further elaborate on my last posting. I admit the post was very much self-promotion so I wanted to follow-up with a useful introduction to Twitter for business.

The use of hashtags (your # sign) will become the most useful tool in flexing your advertising muscle on your messages (tweets).

Twitter For Business

Three important points should be consistent in your tweets. They do not necessarily have to be in the order listed.

#TypeOfBusiness #Location (you could do 2 or 3 #Location tags alone depending on where you are) and Website address. When you enter your website address, you will want to sign up to a web address shortening service like http://bitly.com . Bitly allows you to collapse a website address into something shorter. This service is tremendously beneficial when you have only 140 characters to fill in your tweets.

What is great about the character limit is you are challenged to be creative using a little bit of space. You may actually spend a few minutes really thinking out what you want to say on behalf of the business.  As a business gradually develops a stream of 10-20 tweets which are effective advertising, those tweets can sit on a list and be put in on a regular rotation of messages.  At the same time, it is important to mix it up by putting in links to relevant news articles related to the area the business works in and things of that nature.

Basic Business Tweet Example

A custom-home building business in the Ottawa Ontario area may want to have a tweet that looks like this.

Looking 4 a custom #homebuilder ? Visit us at  (website address here) #Ottawa #Ontario .

The effective use of a hashtag draws in site users who are outside your followers list. The hashtags act as an emphasis of key words in your messages. Those who may be searching under the keyword of #Ottawa are likely to pick up this tweet in a search of Ottawa.

Businesses that become “Twitterate” effectively can build and maintain an audience. By following their competition, suppliers, and customers, business can be in complete touch with things that are going on around them.

Any business that takes to Twitter should have an open profile. They should want to be accessible to the global audience that Twitter facilitates.

 Within the next few weeks, I will go further into Twitteracy for busy persons like artists and executives.

If you are a business looking into building your audience through Twitter or any other Social Media Platform, visit my main site at www.dannalexander.net for more information about what I do. I can be reached via e-mail through dann@dannalexander.net .

My Twitter feed is located at www.twitter.com/WriterDann

Writing & Social Media Management for Business & Busy People

I pride myself on being a great storyteller. I know I have the talent to get words up onto the web and onto paper in such a way that people become entertained, educated and sometimes enraged. Some of my greatest strengths as a writer include being well-researched, well-informed, and well-aware of the world around me.

Part of my business has become understanding business. Business drives almost everything. I am grateful to have worked for some great clients who have taught me some valuable lessons as I continue to build things.

When I am in discussions with clients and potential clients about the content they want to see on their pages, my time at first is spent looking for opportunities to give more to what they are looking for. If I am handed a set of key words or phrases that are required to turn up in their copy, then I will set about to using those key words and phrases in as many ways as possible. The end result in several instances has been eye-opening for a few clients.  Many would realize further potential in the information they are ultimately paying me to write about. More than a few times, one particular client has told me that they came up with a few other things that they wanted content about as a result of a sub-topic realized within a main topic article.

Of course I was happy to oblige. I had over two years of straight work with this client. An experience I benefitted from tremendously.

I expanded my practice into Social Media Management only recently. I relented on becoming a user of Twitter for probably too long. Once I decided to become proficient in its’ use (or as I wrote recently, become “twitterate”), I saw the potential for business to use it as a way to promote and keep customers informed. The use of hashtags to draw in and retain an audience is just one of many great things people can do for their business with Twitter.

If you are a business seeking someone to produce quality content, want to take the leap and have someone create content for your pages on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, visit my website at www.dannalexander.net to check out further information.

if you want to contact me directly, drop me a note through dann@dannalexander.net . I am proud to be building long-term business relationships with clients and colleagues alike. I would be pleased to read about the content and social media needs you may have.

I am also open hearing from clients who may just be very busy people in their fields.  Whether you are an artist or an executive, you may be looking for someone to create those flashes of brilliance for your webpages and Social Media Platforms. By all means, contact me for more information!