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Giving NaNoWriMo a try

Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month
Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month

 

November is National Novel Writing Month. This is when your best writing ideas can all come together to form a great novel! Or, failing that, you’ll have a good few thousand words that can be transformed into anything you wish. There are plenty of events, meetups and motivating folks taking part. So why has it taken me so long to take part in it?

1. The power of a short story

More than anything, I enjoy reading four or five pages of prose that deliver a powerful impact without the length and weight of a novel. And when writing, this is an effect worth imitating. There isn’t enough time to write down bigger narratives – there’s little time to read them if someone wrote them down.

Short stories are sharp punches aimed at one point. They’re memorable in its entirety, and still spacious enough to contain lots of good writing.

2. The resistance

“I’m not really a writer.”

“Well, I do write something. But I’m definitely not a novelist.”

“I haven’t really got a serious commitment here. It wouldn’t work anyway.”

This is what I’ve been telling myself. And all this time, I’ve actually been writing stuff. Often short stories – experiments, sketches, one-off ideas turned into a narrative. But sometimes they would be linked up – even if I didn’t see it at first.

Short stories have their merits, but for a fearful writer, they can also be a perfect excuse. Look, I could say, I’m doing something. I’m trying. And even if it wasn’t going anywhere – even if it only required a one-hour commitment – I would still be satisfied that I did something.

3. The Stakes

NaNoWriMo rewards you for word count. It has gadgets that show if you’re making progress. It had word wars between users or regions.

Sounds brutal? For me, this could be the only way to make sure I actually write something bigger.

It’s a crude example of the “Stakes” stage of learning to master a new skill. What’s more, the online word count translates to a huge volume of work – something I can actually use for whatever I’ll dream up later.

4. The Dots

Fifty thousand words does not a novel make. And I’m not completely sure I want one, to be honest.

This is what I’ll be writing – but if I later break it up into three novellas, scrap it to salvage one brilliant story, or turn it into a whole new idea – who knows? The writing cannot be planned out from A to Z – that’s the difference between creative and technical writing, I guess. So whatever we’ll be working on may change form, shape and intent.

Which is OK, but won’t happen without the material. Without the words, all you have is an ambition and some intentions. They’re cute, but unworkable.

5. What you can do

Sign up for your NaNoWriMo today.

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BRAVE Blog

Polyglot Geeks Unite: Lessons from the Language Show

chinese language pandaLast weekend in London meant that anyone could once again take part in a sample foreign language class, learn about multilingual vacancies or new publishing for foreign language. This was the second Language Show for me – and I was super happy to attend again!

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Foodies, boroughs and the wild connection

 

1. The “G” word

It used to be the case for us, and it was easy to see: turn right in Peckham and you end up among lovely, quiet and clean streets. Turn left and join the crowd, the noise, the hustle and bustle. For us, this was not an experience worth having, as we were new to town and trying hard to combat the culture shock.

But it turns out that we’re not the only ones who saw it. Gentrifying Peckham is widely commented upon. And having a borough that’s torn between “rich” and “poor” neighbourhoods necessarily means that as money flows in, those without it find it hard to get by.

2. The Skint Foodie

I discovered this blog and fell in love with it instantly. The author’s story, the recipes, the background – everything about it makes me want to read on, and applaud, and maybe cook and eat the dishes described – not because I’m hungry, but because I want to relate to that kind of cooking, living, coping.

The story of food, recovery and being “in-between” is perfectly set in Peckham. The foodie tastes on a tiny budget, attempting to live normally after falling on hard times in a cruel city – this is more than a cookbook, it’s a cautionary tale-cum-cinderella story.

3. Food may be all that Londoners have left of nature

OK, dramatic, I know. But there really are some areas of this city which have very little access to green, wild open space. Which is important, even if you’re not George Monbiot. Peckham is quite fortunate in this respect, but I’ve seen patches of London where “concrete jungle” is a most fitting term.

This matters also because of the food we eat. A tandoori takeaway does not only mean that your stomach craves something. It’s eyes, ears, nose as well. And maybe the reason why some Londoners are so eager to part with their cash on farmers’ markets is this: they pay for the wild, the green, the fresh that they’ve been deprived of.

Which makes the Skint Foodie a survivor in more ways than one.

4. The added value (food as art, food as connection)

Freakonomics would be right in telling you that for many Americans, it makes no financial sense to cook at home. True also for Londoners. But only if money and time is taken into account.

Cooking food means being able to say “I made this.” It means choosing ingredients and spices. And then it actually means working to take them to a new place. This is a connection worth having – with the food you pay for with your money and labour, with the people you get the food from / serve the food to. And for many Londoners – as evidenced by some reactions to Jamie Oliver’s “cook more” plea – this is no longer an option they’re given.

5. What you can do

– Cook more.

– Shop sensibly.

– Move out.

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BRAVE Blog

Make Libraries Your Language Learning Headquarters – Here’s Why

foreign language learning in libraries

Neil Gaiman’s defence of libraries comes at a crucial time: people begin to wonder whether these places still serve a useful purpose in today’s societies. For language learners, a library can become an extremely valuable resource, even with the online world at their fingertips. What should a foreign language guerrilla learner expect from librarians – and how to make it work?

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Vocabla is a lean, mean, English vocab machine

vocabla.001The best thing a foreign language learner can hope for is a helpful system that helps her learn. And the worst thing for a future polyglot? Too many learning systems! Vocabla could have been just another vocabulary training app – but it manages to be more than that. Read on for my quick review.

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Alice Munro and Malala Yousafzai – the power of stories and learning

Credit: Public Domain Photos / Flickr
Credit: Public Domain Photos / Flickr

 

Two women are making the headlines today. And they have more in common than you think. Both deserve the recognition they’re given, and both make the news in a way which makes me really happy. Here’s why Alice Munro and Malala Yousafzai matter to me.

1. They stand for things I believe in

Alice Munro is the master of the short story. For over 50 years now, her readers have been turning into fans and observers, one story at a time. This kind of writing is something I enjoy myself – and it’s great to see it being honoured by the Nobel committee. 

Malala’s quest is for education, and for equal access to it. This is what got her in trouble – and this is what she continued to fight for. The only weapon worth possessing is the one between your ears: Malala knows this and wants everybody to experience this equally.

2. They perfected the long run and they owned the decisive moment

This year’s Nobel prize in literature went to a person with over 40 years’ worth of writing experience. This is a track record which daunts and inspires me. I can only imagine how Alice Munro felt as she wrote another story, sketched out one more plot twist or one more idea. 40 years of such work requires commitment and the ultimate awareness of the long run – till one becomes the best in the world.

For Malala, the work may have just begun. In her case, the event which could have ended her project – the bus shooting – became a turning point. This was when everyone started paying attention. Now here’s something I hope I won’t have to imagine – but it does make me think: will I be able to spot the decisive moments, will I turn back or press on when my (infinitely smaller) adversities come my way? Will I ride my wave?

3. Their power is not like your power

It’s about watching, thinking, writing down a sentence or two, telling one story and then starting another. It’s about other people. And humility. And doing your own thing, no matter what.

It’s not about pressing big red buttons, writing a super-promoted 800-page bestseller for the film rights, yelling the loudest.

It’s probably about how you deal with obscurity and failure. Or cruelty and hostility, even.

This fascinates me more than I can say in a short post like this. This other kind of power: a more introverted, more observant kind.

4. How you can connect

There’s a great initiative happening tomorrow – campaigning for equal education access for girls. Go spread the word.

Alice Munro wrote a lot. Go read it in your local library.