What Do You Want to Write About……………?

Sharpen Your Writing Tools

 

I’ve had a lot of messages from people telling me they haven’t written anything for many years, or that they dry up when they pick up a pen, or that the blank paper/screen stares back at them like a mean teacher as if to say ‘who do you think you are, writing poetry, writing prose – writing anything!’

If you’ve ever had that feeling, here are a couple of  ideas for getting started. Remember that writing words can easily be about play and enjoy yourself.

NUMBER ONE:

Pick a topic – any topic, the first thing that comes into your mind, everything is a possibility …..simply say to yourself “I want to write about…(in the instance of writing a Valentine’s verse, then Love rather naturally springs to mind) and start. It’s the same with most things in life – just begin. Getting started is (I know it sounds ridiculously simplistic) the key. Don’t edit your thoughts or words, let them spill out – you can come back and refine them later….

NUMBER TWO:

Pick some random words: for example, I’ve got a piece of paper near me which says ‘Identity Card’ and the words that catch my eye on the computer screen are ‘Save Draft’…. What could I do with those?

Here goes:

My identity as occasional  bard
Is sending you a Valentine’s card.
I thought of you and sweetly drafted,
So cherish and save  these words I crafted.

It doesn’t have to be a  rhyme, it can be anything – just get started. You could  say something like:

What do I think about identity Cards? Will they really make us more secure, and save us from possible terrorists attacks, stop illegal immigrants, will they help prevent extremist cells from drafting in new, impressionable recruits?

See if this gets your creative juices flowing – look at what’s around you and start writing about it  – you may be surprised how easy it can be to get into the flow!

FOR YOUR FREE GUIDE TO WRITING SHORT POEMS, LEAVE A MESSAGE HERE 

 

Love Is – More than rosy moments

heartstone Christine MillerLove Is

I was reflecting this morning that this is the first Valentine’s Day for three years that I haven’t been involved in some kind of poetry competition or promotion – 2010 and 2011, I was working with Hallmark Cards as a judge on a ‘Twittermantic’ project offering a prize for the best short romantic verse, with the winning words being turned into a card. Great fun and we attracted lots of entries both times.

Last year, I was working with QVC, the shopping channel, as resident poet on a Love Letters campaign to help the British public write messages of love to their loved ones – I turned out hundreds of poems in two days, and it was great fun. Each entrant received a beautiful, specially designed card with a personalised verse inside, and the requests came from sons and daughters, parents and friends as well as romantic interests, the long-married and newly established and those hopeful for relationships to develop. There were some deeply moving stories of loss, illness, misfortune – through which Love had triumphed and endured, and it was such a delightfully endearing project.

Although not publicly involved this year, I am,  as well as writing a book about Love in Organisations, deeply engaged in the process of bringing together a new volume of poems called ‘Courage to Love’, and this seems like the ideal time to give you a sneak preview.

This one is called ‘Come to Love’ and seems quite fitting for Valentine’s Day, even if it’s a little alternative. It’s really a statement that hearts and flowers and romance are not the essence of lasting love. We need more of the kind of love that endures and grows, standing up to all kinds of challenges and upsets, just like every aspect of human life. A Love that is present not only between couples and in families, but throughout our lives, including our work, our politics, and the way we engage with nature and the environment – in fact, throughout the planet, even the cosmos.

I like to think of us rising and standing in love, strong and courageous and loyal, collectively, rather than falling in love and being infatuated, on a hormonal high which inevitably recedes and leaves us wondering what we saw in that person in the first place. A Love that simply Is…not always easy, but one we know will endure the ups, downs and broadsides of human life.

I dedicate this poem to Love  – as a way of being and becoming; inclusive, extensive and pervasive, bringing the joy and spirit of human flourishing to us all.

Christine Miller

Happy Valentine’s Day – Loving Every Day, Every Loving Day 

Come To Love Christine Miller

Valentine’s Twittermantic with Hallmark

Hallmark Romantic Verse Competition Returns for Valentine's 2011

LONDON, England, January 19, 2011

 – UK Wide Search for the Best Twittermantic

– Winner Receives a Luxury Romantic Break Away

After the huge success of last year's Twittermantic competition, which saw more than 600 entries, author and poet Christine Miller, Founder of ReSource, a global intelligence provider in the business and personal development field,  has again agreed to act as a judge.  Hallmark Cards is again giving the UK's wannabe Shakespeares the chance to show off their poetic side in a national creative writing contest, launching today. But in the true spirit of a modern day Romeo or Juliet – the romantic verse must be composed in just 140 characters on the popular social network site, Twitter!

The competition, back by popular demand, is being launched by Hallmark's online personalised card service, Hallmark.co.uk (http://www.hallmark.co.uk/), as part of its build up to Valentine's Day, with a luxury weekend break away on offer for the winning Twittermantic!

The best entries collected before Valentine's (February 14th) will be judged by an online public vote and by a panel of experts, including poet and published author, Christine Miller. (https://www.christinemiller.co)

Christine said: “Many writers – poets, journalists, bloggers et al, have said that Twitter, far from restricting their expressiveness, has helped them hone their skills and improve their writing. This is because they don’t have the luxury of length, so have to drill down and identify the key points and condense their ideas. It has provided a paradoxical opportunity to get more creative and meaningful by saying less – a pared down scenario with greater freedom, where new types of expression like text speak are not only allowed but positively encouraged.  So be playful and have fun.

‘Have great fun, Let your senses soar, send us your love poems, ♥♥♥♥. We want to see lots more!’”

free-guide-to-twitter-poemsChristine is offering a FREE guide to writing poems over Twitter, normally valued at £7.99, to all entrants of the Hallmark competition, and will be offering tips on the Hallmark blog during the competition.

[Read more…]

Guide to Writing Short Poems

Following on from yesterday’s post about my judging  the Twitter Valentine’s poetry competition hosted by Hallmark, I’m delighted to announce that my special 6 page guide to writing short poems is now ready – it’s packed with great tips and will tell you how some famous poets (including the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy) compose their works!  This guide is valued at £7.50, but it’s yours for free as a Valentine’s Special.

pot-cover1

Leave a message here requesting a copy or send an email to poetryguide@googlemail.com giving me your full name and the email to which you want the guide sent.

When you’ve written your Tweet poem, post it at Hallmark and be sure to let us know and come back to post it here too!

Valentine's Poetry Twitter Competition

A Valentine's Message

A Valentine's Message

Valentine’s Fun & Romance on Twitter

Hallmark Cards are running a great competition, of which I’m really delighted to be a judge,  where you can win a £500 holiday – simply by composing a 140 character Valentine’s message your verse can be any style you like – funny,witty,  romantic, serious, light-hearted….whatever best captures the thoughts and sentiments you want to express to your Valentine. You can find out more here:  Hallmark

Get your entry in by January 29th for a chance to win a £500 holiday for two in a romantic cottage…..

Shortly, I’ll be posting some tips on writing poetry to help you be inspired.

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