Sunday, July 25, 2010

New bread, tanks for the memory (sorry) and strawberries.

I was very pleased yesterday to get a message from James Heald, saying that a combination of 3BT and Pythagorean philosophy inspired him to start blogging. He is planning to spend 18 minutes a day writing, and here he talks about his aims.

I wanted particularly to mention this, because I know a number of 3BT bloggers tail off after a while. One reason is the format doesn't work for them. If that's the case, they might find a timed exercise, or a word count fits in better with their nature and lifestyle. 

I do think a limit is vital with writing -- it prevents blank page fright. I use this idea every day -- my to-do list includes items like 'Write 75 words on hair removal article' and '100 words on jam' (actual examples from last week). My thinking is 'Only a total loser would fail to write 75 words.'

So if your 3BT blog has withered on the vine, don't be disheartened -- try a different tactic. I still think I was very lucky to stumble, first time, on a formula that has worked so well for me. If writing a list of three things every day doesn't work for you, you are not a bad blogger -- you are a different blogger.

1. Simon has had his lunch on the train, but "I just want some of that new-baked bread."

2. Nick and Simon are bouncing off the walls when they come home from War and Peace -- they can't stop talking about the tanks and the Jeeps and the Lancaster Bomber flypast and the lone World War Two Swedish army re-enactor with his long-suffering wife.

3. To stain the chopping board by cutting up a punnet of strawberries. Just before dinner, I strew them with a little sugar, which will brings out the juice.

Straight to coffee, rain walk and for the post.

1. We woke up so late that we don't bother with breakfast tea, but go straight to coffee. 2. We return from our rain walk with feet wet ...