Love this, such great gift suggestions!! Just to say that the makers of that documentary have been using the work of activists/authors working in the area of climate and consumption without paying them or acknowledging their work. So a quick shout out for Consumed by Aja Barber which is an amazing book on the topic and much of her unpaid work has gone into the documentary….awful.
And yes. Hard agree. Solitude and reliable childcare please! x
I'm clearly too busy to read lately too, bit late to the party... I regularly daydream about having my own Bernard's watch and how I'd use it to simply read and write. I also find that when I do have a fleeting moment of time, I feel so much pressure to use it wisely, I panic and don't!
Love this - my own attitude, ie taking myself and my writing serious enough to carve out time in a busy schedule. Right now I have given myself the task of writing an Advent story which means no two is due on Sunday. It will happen, but wow it aint easy!! But great to accomplish
I also want the gift of time (mine, outside of the day job, seems to be spread around between house admin and endless DIY). However, I imagine that if I sat down and did something of a time and motion study on myself, I could quite easily swop out an hour a day from doomscrolling - either on socials, or on streaming apps as I fail at choosing, yet again, something to watch.
I need an app that sounds some kind of foghorn after five minutes on social media, accompanied by a flashing screen takeover which says 'GO AND WRITE INSTEAD'.
Yes, yes, yes to the desire for time to write things that may never earn any money, or certainly not for a very long time, and to develop speculative projects & pitches!
Oh my gosh the dream of having more time to write! Honestly, having more childcare would be such a lovely gift. And for me, a course that gets me to write more amongst a community is definitely on my list.
Oh Penny, what a lovely list and I can't begin to thank you enough for sharing my retreat with Kerri and the solo retreats, so very grateful to you. I got given the Mslexia planner as a gift last year and it's soo good. For me, my dream gift would be going to Gladstones Library... it looks incredible and of course the gift of time and childcare are so very precious too! Sending you huge love from Cornwall and thank you again so very much xxx
This is wonderful, and thank you so much for the resources! I just taught myself Scrivener and am using it to work on my first book… I’ve been on this same tip this year. I just want to write! I took a writing retreat last week that was pretty much my xmas gift to myself. :) Maybe I’ll get new slippers though, and a candle to write by!
It’s so good!! Filling out the form is so much fun too 😂. My boyfriend has requested it again this year - he’s discovered some much loved writers thanks to their incredible book selecting!
Penny this is such a beautiful post - that question is everything: "Do I want to spend precious time earning the money I just spent back? Or do I want to spend time writing instead?"
I am chuffed to bits you included the Mslexia dairy & planner which I've worked on with the team for the past three years. A stunning and immensely practical book. I am also very proud to have worked for Arvon at the beginning of my writing career (or career helping writers) and now I get to tutor for them and also be a guest at Ease Retreats and run workshops with London Writers Salon.
I must add Scrivener to my own Christmas list (and the time to learn it properly) and Christmas came early yesterday with a day of writing at Gladstone's - the Reader pass is free so a day trip if you're local is very affordable - and so productive.
Ahh the diary looks amazing Bec! And I didn’t know you were going to do some work with Tanya ❤️. I’m dying to get up to Gladstone’s - that would be an absolutely dreamy Christmas gift 🥰
Childcare. And solitude. Hard agree. No ribbon required.
Solitude is actual heaven ❤️
100% on childcare so I can write! As a single mom, finding time when my brain is also working properly is the hardest part.
SO hard!!!!!! Childcare is the greatest gift ❤️
Love this, such great gift suggestions!! Just to say that the makers of that documentary have been using the work of activists/authors working in the area of climate and consumption without paying them or acknowledging their work. So a quick shout out for Consumed by Aja Barber which is an amazing book on the topic and much of her unpaid work has gone into the documentary….awful.
And yes. Hard agree. Solitude and reliable childcare please! x
Consumed is a great book - I’ve recommended it to so many people.
I'm clearly too busy to read lately too, bit late to the party... I regularly daydream about having my own Bernard's watch and how I'd use it to simply read and write. I also find that when I do have a fleeting moment of time, I feel so much pressure to use it wisely, I panic and don't!
That would be amazing! If it wasn’t for audiobooks, I’d be screwed - I’m always listening while I’m cooking/cleaning/running errands 😆
Love this - my own attitude, ie taking myself and my writing serious enough to carve out time in a busy schedule. Right now I have given myself the task of writing an Advent story which means no two is due on Sunday. It will happen, but wow it aint easy!! But great to accomplish
What a wonderful challenge!
thanks for the mention, lovely list! ps saw Home Matters looking lovely in Hampstead's Daunt Books over the weekend :)
Ahhh that’s so lovely to hear 🥰❤️
Great read, with some brilliant suggestions!
I also want the gift of time (mine, outside of the day job, seems to be spread around between house admin and endless DIY). However, I imagine that if I sat down and did something of a time and motion study on myself, I could quite easily swop out an hour a day from doomscrolling - either on socials, or on streaming apps as I fail at choosing, yet again, something to watch.
I need an app that sounds some kind of foghorn after five minutes on social media, accompanied by a flashing screen takeover which says 'GO AND WRITE INSTEAD'.
Haha - that would be a great app!
Yes, yes, yes to the desire for time to write things that may never earn any money, or certainly not for a very long time, and to develop speculative projects & pitches!
Love this list! Especially time/childcare. Sometimes to write, but even more so for time to fill my creative well.
Oh my gosh the dream of having more time to write! Honestly, having more childcare would be such a lovely gift. And for me, a course that gets me to write more amongst a community is definitely on my list.
Oh Penny, what a lovely list and I can't begin to thank you enough for sharing my retreat with Kerri and the solo retreats, so very grateful to you. I got given the Mslexia planner as a gift last year and it's soo good. For me, my dream gift would be going to Gladstones Library... it looks incredible and of course the gift of time and childcare are so very precious too! Sending you huge love from Cornwall and thank you again so very much xxx
Pleasure! 🥰❤️
This is wonderful, and thank you so much for the resources! I just taught myself Scrivener and am using it to work on my first book… I’ve been on this same tip this year. I just want to write! I took a writing retreat last week that was pretty much my xmas gift to myself. :) Maybe I’ll get new slippers though, and a candle to write by!
So lovely you took yourself on a retreat ❤️. The best gift!
Yes to Mr.B’s. The best present I ever got. The staff there are top notch.
It’s so good!! Filling out the form is so much fun too 😂. My boyfriend has requested it again this year - he’s discovered some much loved writers thanks to their incredible book selecting!
Me too. And I can’t deny I took great pleasure from having my own ‘bibliotherapist’…
Lovely post, thank you for writing this. Childcare and energy please 🙏 🙏
Penny, YESSSSSS to this! Time! To write! And a notebook and green ink cartridges and a latte paid for for me!
Thanks for the generous share on our retreat (it’s sold out too which is so beautiful!) x x x
Ahh well I’m not at all surprised it’s sold out! And yes, here’s to notebooks and coffee and time ❤️
Penny this is such a beautiful post - that question is everything: "Do I want to spend precious time earning the money I just spent back? Or do I want to spend time writing instead?"
I am chuffed to bits you included the Mslexia dairy & planner which I've worked on with the team for the past three years. A stunning and immensely practical book. I am also very proud to have worked for Arvon at the beginning of my writing career (or career helping writers) and now I get to tutor for them and also be a guest at Ease Retreats and run workshops with London Writers Salon.
I must add Scrivener to my own Christmas list (and the time to learn it properly) and Christmas came early yesterday with a day of writing at Gladstone's - the Reader pass is free so a day trip if you're local is very affordable - and so productive.
Thank you for all the work you do Penny.
Ahh the diary looks amazing Bec! And I didn’t know you were going to do some work with Tanya ❤️. I’m dying to get up to Gladstone’s - that would be an absolutely dreamy Christmas gift 🥰