During WWII, a large group of soldiers from the Argyle and Sutherland Fusiliers were captured by the Germans. Whilst in their POW camp, and having some time to kill, they devised a new Highland dance reel. The dance setting was sent home but intercepted by the Germans. Then for the rest of the war, the Germans tried to crack the code, which they couldn’t, obviously.
Self Publishing
Think even better! (80/20 + Eisenhower Matrix = ?)
Wednesday Recap #17 07.08.24 I’ve a lot of creative stuff knocking about that I have made and that I know is good. I’m not being pompous or delusional, I don’t think everything I do is good, most of my work has ended up filed in the trash, literally or electronically! The next biggest heap is … Continue reading Think even better! (80/20 + Eisenhower Matrix = ?)
Creative Eisenhower Matrix
The Eisenhower / Priority Matrix is a very helpful mental model for creatives. Sometimes the most urgent and important task is letting our minds wander and dipping into every last thing that catches our attention. But once we’ve found something worth doing we need to focus on it. That is get it done!
Surviving the summer as a creative and parent.
Wednesday Recap #15 31.07.24 How do you Survive the Summer as a Creative (and a Parent) Let’s start with a definition. Flow state is when you completely focus on one activity, it completely captivates your attention so that your focus is solely on that one thing. This does not describe the summer holidays! Rather Go … Continue reading Surviving the summer as a creative and parent.
Keep Showing Up
Last Sunday morning I saw three deer on the top of the hill near where I live. If you live somewhere that deer live, that’s no big deal. If you live somewhere that deer aren’t supposed to live, then that’s pretty cool!
100 days of……
Wednesday Recap #14 17.07.24 I’ve started a #100DayChallenge on speaking and acting! My greatest creative joy comes from telling my stories. When you tell your stories yourself they are more than just the words you wrote. Normally words you wrote on your own, with no audience of listening ears, or seeing eyes! During this part … Continue reading 100 days of……
Old Ways on the New Web – people who believe in you.
I’m an old guy and can remember old style blogs, blogs with blog lists of other people’s blogs on the side bar. This was amazing for finding cool or interesting new stuff. No algorithm, no advertising, just personal unpaid endorsements, can you imagine a world like that!
Agent – Secret, Estate, Literary???
Wednesday Recap #12 26.06.24 When I think of an agent, I think of a secret agent: James Bond, George Smiley, Johnny English, you get the idea. Or less excitingly an estate agent. But the arts also have agents. So what is an agent? Or what does it mean? In Latin, where we get the word … Continue reading Agent – Secret, Estate, Literary???
No hacks, No gimmicks, No 10 point plans
Wednesday Recap #11 19.06.24 Every time I think I’ve found something new, I realise I’ve just rediscovered something old! And that’s what has happened, I’ve rediscovered the things that make me better. The elements of this rediscovery are simple, boring, uncomfortable and highly rewarding. So what are these mystical things? Hard cardio, weights (resistance training), … Continue reading No hacks, No gimmicks, No 10 point plans
Ulster Scots Design Work (Part1)
I’ve started to create a flyer / livery for my #UlsterScots materials (books, poetry, spokenword, EDM, art). I wanted to record my progress and the evolution of the various ideas. The background is a skull (death), Bible (wisdom) and an hour glass (shortness of time / life) This kind of iconology is very common on … Continue reading Ulster Scots Design Work (Part1)
Nothing steals your time – you give it away
Wednesday Recap #7 29.05.24 Thought Hiking is tremendous fun. Well if you like walking up hills, crossing streams and rivers, trying to work out where you are, carrying everything you need, ringing the water out of your socks, and being on the go for nearly five hours. One of my happiest formative memories was going … Continue reading Nothing steals your time – you give it away
Wednesday Recap #4 08.05.24
This week has been about pressing on with the creation of scripts. I’ve other, much more visually creative things I want to do, but I need to get certain specific things finished before I start on to them. 1. George and the Elephant (the version for younger children) got another read through at the tail … Continue reading Wednesday Recap #4 08.05.24
Wednesday Update (01.05.24)
https://youtu.be/HJKuM0VAlRc?si=BMB3oRFFslQnJsYm Wednesday Recap (#3 01/05/24) Whoa the year is flying in…May already! 1. The latest draft of George and the Elephant is now finished. The next part of the process is very easy…leave it for a few weeks, get it out of my mind, and then come back to it fresh. A better way of … Continue reading Wednesday Update (01.05.24)
Dust yourself down and go again!
This has been an entertaining week. I started trying to make contact with people who might be interested in my work. Most of it was cold calling, okay cold emailing, with a few vague exceptions. I am not good at this kind of self-promotional stuff, or perhaps it’s more that I am very uncomfortable doing … Continue reading Dust yourself down and go again!
Time and Creativity
How do significant life events or the passage of time influence your perspective on life? Here’s three lessons that only come with time for authors or creatives. • Growth takes time. • Learning takes time. • Connection takes time. Growth takes time. Fails that lead to growth aren’t failure. But failure needs wisdom. Sometimes failure … Continue reading Time and Creativity
Magic, Mystery, CS Lewis and to Much Christmas
“I am not a trained author, I do not possess GCSE English Lit never mind the thingy majiggy you get from a university. Therefore my writing has been a process. Normally a very simple process: write good sentences. At the start that was good sentences that were understandable and not full of repetition…” #Writing #Author #WritingTips #CSLewis #Narnia #GeorgeandtheElephant #Creativity #Imagination
14 days and 6746 words.
I love numbers, connections and patterns. So today after two weeks I am where I should be in one month. I’d better explain that last sentence. As my New Year’s resolution I decided to write 200 words each day through January. This was towards a story I promised to write for my children in the … Continue reading 14 days and 6746 words.
Climbing Mountains (is the easy bit) – Hard Truths For Writers
Mountaineer - image from WordPress It’s like climbing a mountain; all alone and totally untrained. You learn as you go; you work out what to do; you learn how to use the equipment. Then you wing it; you get lucky; you take hard routes, easy routes, bizarre routes. Eventually you traverse the final assent, you … Continue reading Climbing Mountains (is the easy bit) – Hard Truths For Writers
Peep Frae Your Mind (& Lock Doon Poyams) Audio Book
Peep Frae Your Mind & Lock Doon Poyams This isn’t going to turn the world upside down, but today I’m very proud, I’ve accomplished something I’ve always wanted to achieve - an audiobook! This has been neither easy nor straightforward. Like everything during this writing and publishing carry on, I’ve had to do it myself, … Continue reading Peep Frae Your Mind (& Lock Doon Poyams) Audio Book
George and the Elephant (promo video)
https://youtu.be/l5OiUDPtntE Here’s a short video about George and the Elephant, you can read more about the book here or you can buy it here
George and the Elephant – a proud moment.
George and the Elephant I think I’ve hit one of my proudest moments as a writer. This week has seen the publication of George and the Elephant. Along with that Lock Doon Poyams (as part of Peep Frae Your Mind) has been placed into the hands of the great AI bit rate checker in the … Continue reading George and the Elephant – a proud moment.
Captain Timmy has set sale!
Okay, sorry about the dreadful pun in the title, I thought it was good, I’m excited, it’s early in the morning! But whatever the title of the post, finally Captain Timmy and the Bobbing Barrel is live and for sale.
Social Media Works – the odd time!
The story is about someone who worked extremely hard over a very long period of time. It is about someone who loved and believed in their creation. It was about someone who wouldn’t give up.
Act pro with your time – Hard Truths For Writers
Life speaks to every person who would make, create, design, paint, illustrate, sign write; who would be an author, a writer, a poet, a composer, a singer, a musician, a performer; but will we listen, and then will we do?
Writing with Dyslexia
So what’s it like being a dyslexic writer? I wanted to write a sharp, witty, cathartic piece. “My journey through dyslexic writing” kind of thing. But straightaway I ran into a problem, a really big one, I haven’t a clue what it’s like not being dyslexic. When there’s a point of comparison, you can understand … Continue reading Writing with Dyslexia
RobertCampbell.me 