Saturday 16 January 2016

Dear Diary...

I love January! All your crisp white pages just waiting to be filled… the opportunities…the potential…

It’s that time of year again, time to plan daily word counts, set weekly reading and writing goals, along with reviewing those annual objectives. For a to-do-list fanatic like me, this time of year is heaven.  

But something is different this year – whereas in the past I’ve muddled along with jotters full of lists and scribbles on a calendar, this year I decided to invest in a proper Mslexia writers’ diary. For those perhaps not familiar with Mslexia, it’s a quarterly print magazine designed to support female writers. Find out more of what they get up to at www.mslexia.co.uk . Anyway, back to my diary.

So I was swayed by clever marketing - ‘I love the beautiful, inspirational quotes that appear every week’ – Adele Parks.  And Adele is right, as the quote for the coming week just happens to be from one of my writing heroines, Jodi Picoult, who says –‘You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page’ – so true. Now that I knew Adele Parks, multi-million bestselling author of ‘If You Go Away’, uses a Mslexia diary, then I needed one too.

The first thing that struck me when it arrived was its size. Not too big, not too small – perfect for note taking on the go. So what’s inside? Well, alongside the obvious diary pages, there’s space dedicated to writing competitions, literary festivals and awards – pages for keeping note of those all important submissions, as well as ‘need to know’ info covering things such as literary organisations, writing courses and retreats. There’s even a page earmarked for recording your menstrual cycle!

And what inspiring writing events have I lined up for January? – The first had to be this, joining the fantastic team on the Novel Points of View blog. Then, as well as word count goals and to finish editing my debut novel, ‘Leaving Baku’, there’s another extra special date circled in red. An exciting invitation to join an American USA Today and Sunday Times Best Selling novelist, for afternoon tea at Pan Macmillan’s offices in London – on the 29th. To find out who this amazing author is, along with exclusive photographs and juicy snippets about the event, please join me next time…


So as you see I really do love January. Now, what am I up to – time for a cup of tea whilst I consult my diary…  

12 comments:

  1. I want one of those diaries too, Rae! Although I have vowed not to buy anymore notebooks until I've used all the ones I've already got. I wonder if a diary counts as a notebook ...

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  2. No, definitely not, Gill. We should always make room for lovely stationery!

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  3. I'm afraid I have a terrible stationery habit. I have a box with (literally) dozens of notebooks in, though this does include some of my old used ones (I keep them if they're particularly nice).

    I should invest in a writer's diary - sounds a great idea. :)

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    1. I find it hard to walk past pretty notebooks too, Jennifer. At least I knew I'd use the diary, rather than just gaze at the beautiful cover!

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  4. I love the Mslexia diary - have one every year. They used to include a pocket in the inside where you could slip cards and things, I miss that but I now make a clic-in one of my own from a cut-down spiral folder!

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    1. That's really inventive, Jennie. Thanks for sharing the tip.:-)

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  5. I used to buy them regularly, sort of got out of the habit...I too have a terrible stationary addiction.

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    1. It's only terrible if you don't use them, Maria - eventually! :-)

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  6. I've loved the Mslexia diary for many years now and hate to be without one! I also love January (and winter) and all the untapped potential ahead. Enjoy your diary, Rae, and I'm looking forward to hearing about your literary day.

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    1. Thank you, Rosemary. January (and winter) also offers some spectacular natural displays, as Neil's new dramatic photo captures so well. :-)

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  7. Am I the only one who has a horror of the virgin notebook and the blank page??? Arggggh. I always scribble something on the first page - first sentences for short story ideas or something - just so it isn't too daunting. Ah, MSlexia.....my bestest friend sent me one years ago and I kept it for the quotes!

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  8. Lots of notes in my diary already, Linda. Mainly because if I don't write everything down, then I forget! And I agree, the quotes are great. :-)

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