One of the most difficult parts of writing is figuring out when and where to squeeze it into our busy lives. But writing spaces are crucial, and there is a reason for this. As animals, we like to fall into the groove of routine. It makes things easier on our brains. A habit drops us into mode and eliminates the need to waste energy on making decisions.
A writing space may be a particular corner of the house, a Starbucks, or a closet. Wherever it may be, if you write there frequently, you will notice that once you get there, you are more likely to be ready to write (or ready as you’ll ever be when it comes to writing).
At this time last year, I was on my seventh month of being stuck in Florida due to COVID airport closures. I didn’t know when or if I would ever get home. This sense of waiting spilled over into my writing. Psychologically, everything was on pause. I was blocked creatively until life flowed freely again.
During that time, I began Zoom Write-Ins at the Writers’ Mastermind. Zoom Write-Ins are live meetings where writers from all over the world get together online for an hour of undistracted writing time. Afterward, we all stay for a quick chat and to trade resources and advice.
This write-in ritual gave me the routine my brain needed. When working alongside fellow writers in this virtual space, I felt motivated and inspired. These meetings have become my new “writing place.”
I know many writers struggle to carve out time to write, and the new normal is still restrictive. We wonder when or if life will get back to the way it used to be.
Claiming a writing space is an effective way to get our heads in the game, no matter how crazy the world is.
We may have to squeeze it in on the train, or in the middle of the night, or on lunch break or in a noisy household. We have to be adaptable and write wherever we can and make the most of what we got.
If we wait until conditions are perfect, we may wait forever.
It’s up to us to actively design a safe place for the muses to land and for creativity to flourish.
10 Tips to Create Your Writing Space
How can you make the most of your current situation?
What can you do to remove distractions and feel safe from interruptions?
How can you change the atmosphere or shape your environment to cue you creatively? Plants, paint colors, incense or essential oils
How can you ritualize your routine and transform whatever spot you’re in into your writing place?
Can you team up with other writers to hold yourself accountable?
Change the lighting–close the shades, brighten the lights, light a candle
Attach writing to another habit—start with the first cup of tea, after a workout, before bedtime
Cover your walls with inspiration—your favorite quotes, pictures of your writing heroes, artwork that stirs you
Cue your brain with sound—classical music, a writing playlist, or white/brown/pink noise
Wear a writing “uniform”—a favorite robe, a special pair of reading glasses, a lucky T-shirt
Where is the most unusual place you’ve written?
What is the best time and place for you to write?
What tip do you have for creating a writing space?
How to write books that cast a spell over your reader and change them forever.
What is a book of power?
Our culture, and indeed many cultures across the world, are full of legends about magical books containing forbidden knowledge, sources of energy, or secrets that might elevate one to the level of a god – or at least a wizard. In my own travels and explorations of the occult, I have encountered many such rumoured tomes, all of which, to a degree, made the same promises: the power to fly, to create wealth, turn invisible, even to move mountains.
The greatest books, the true “books of power”, are themselves spells that work upon the unconscious of the reader.
One of my favourite occult theories around “books of power” is that of the oneiric grimoires – books accessible only upon astral or dream-planes. One cannot ever “own” such a book, one can merely access it in states of altered consciousness. Attempts to write these books down in full invariably go badly; madness and death seem to await those who try to defy divine decree and manifest the un-manifestable.
The occultist Kenneth Grant theorised that Lovecraft’s Necronomicon was one such oneiric tome, and that unwittingly the atheist writer accessed it through dream, leading to the creation of the Mythos we know today. Certainly, one feels Lovecraft “doth protest too much” when it comes to the alleged “fiction” of his writing, endlessly insisting in his letters to friends and admirers none of it is real, which surely would be so obvious as to require no justification. Unless, of course, deep down Lovecraft himself feared maybe some of it was real.
Now that’s a scary thought.
I have my own collection of grimoires. I possess books once banned, books containing ritual methodologies which would make most peoples’ skin crawl, books of which only a few hundred copies exist in the entire world. There is one tome I possess which is referred to by those in my circle as simply “his black book”, and despite the courage, strength (or indeed skepticism) of my friends, they refuse to read even a line of it. The irony of this is that my black book is by far one of the least potent talismans in my possession.
I tell you this not to “flex” my library, but merely to illustrate one important point. Whilst many spell-tomes or grimoires plead their significance by virtue of their inclusion of recipes for potions, ritual mechanics, or the lexicon of demonic, angelic, astrological, or elemental names, none of these books are truly magical, or powerful, in the most potent sense. Ultimately, many of these books rely, much like businesses do, upon assuring that “their formula works best” and will “produce results”. Whilst fascinating, and not entirely without merit, any power derived through deploying rituals or recipes learned from such books is circumstantially effective at best.
The greatest books, the true “books of power”, are themselves spells that work upon the unconscious of the reader. They use words as symbols which they bury deep within the psyche, only to activate them at a later stage, rather like the spores of a fungal node bursting into life within the mind of an ant. However, unlike fungal spores, which take over the ant and rob them of agency, these spores catalyst change not death; in fact, they precipitate far greater agency because they remove the previous shackles of limited thought.
They infiltrate the human mind through the back-door of subconscious dream-language. They speak directly to that which is buried deep within us.
I refer to these tomes – and they are rare – as “oneiric psycho-agents”. They alter and shape the dreams and desires of the reader, which in turn reshapes who they are as person. In some ways they operate similarly to a magic mushroom trip, though with far less ambiguity attached, and far greater precision and efficacy. They infiltrate the human mind through the back-door of subconscious dream-language. They speak directly to that which is buried deep within us. Such books are powerful beyond measure. Merely to read them is to feel one’s essential being changing, to open one’s perception to a whole new realm, to activate a dormant current within the Self.
A mage who can author such a book is not to be trifled with. Such writers have harnessed and understood the power of the Word. Words are, after all, magical forces. Words spoke the universe into being. We feel this every time we pick up a fantasy novel and read of worlds hitherto unmapped: the raw energy of unbounded creation. The religion of modern science may ever claim otherwise, as is its want to destroy human imagination, but the spiritual truth remains unassailable because it is experienced, it is lived.
As writers, we must not seek to write works that have only superficial power by virtue of what they include – whether that be popular genre elements, modern zeitgeists, new information, or pop-culture references. We should seek a deeper and more profound power: that of transforming the dreams and desires of whomever should read our work, so that they might become all they were ever meant to be.
As someone who helps upcoming writers refine and structure their work, I get a lot of questions about my craft: how I do what I do, the secret knowledge of how narrative works. All great writing is built on a deep philosophy which, at least in a healthy organism, evolves over time and with greater learning and understanding. Many people look to me for guidance about the underlying principles of narrative and how to work spells upon your reader.
This Patreon, the Mindvault, is built to give you the answers to these questions.
Once a month, I will share with you a Lost Relic – a piece of occult writing expanding on a narrative idea. For higher tier backers, I’ll also be sharing short behind-the-scenes videos about my creative process, the tools I use to create fiction and narrative, the hobbies that feed my creativity, and more. This is your chance to get up close and personal with a fully tentacled mindflayer.
Every other Monday, we introduce you to a writer from the Writers’ Mastermind. Today we are excited to present Sara Cristia H.J.. She is a storyteller and freelance writer who was born in Venezuela and lives in Lebanon.
Sara writes historical and contemporary dramas with touches of surrealism, the paranormal, and fantasy. She also creates blog content for websites and is now in the editing process of her first fiction novel.
You have seen her reading an excerpt of her story, The Witch’s Amulet, in the Writers Mastermind Mash Up. Learn more about her rich Caribbean/Mediterranean life and her dreams for the future.
Tell us a bit of yourself. Where are you from? Where are you now? What has your life been like?
My background is a mix of Caribbean and Mediterranean. I was born in Venezuela to Lebanese parents who raised my siblings and me there for the first ten years of my life. Then, my father thought it would be best for us to grow among our relatives and culture. So we moved to Lebanon, where my interest in historical, religious, and esoteric topics caught my genuine interest.
Afterward, we were constantly moving or traveling from Lebanon to Venezuela and vice versa. This caused me some gaps in the three languages I know. Though I manage them fluently, except for Arabic, which I know at a medium level, I still needed to improve my writing skills. I realized that the only way to do so was by reading.
Today, I live in Lebanon with my husband, three lovely and smart daughters, and my spoiled mini-toy poodle, Lassie. Life has been a bit of a challenge in every aspect, and I still don’t feel like settling here for a long time. Yet, what helps me to carry on with the tedious routine is my constant learning. I’m so grateful for the online education to find something new to upgrade my skills.
My life has been a mixture of adventure, freedom, adaptations, drawbacks, up-scaling, self-growth, and excitement with a bit of the Caribbean warmth and the traditional Mediterranean freshness. I consider life a journey that we have to travel as positively and thrilled as possible, taking the challenges and lessons for our benefit and enjoying every detail of it.
What kind of stories do you write?
I write historical and contemporary romantic dramas. I’m editing my first novel, which is a stand-alone but also the first in a series. The story revolves around two lovers who find each other in the late Austro-Hungarian Empire, but a fatal incident and mysterious events separate them. They’ll meet, however, in another lifetime where sharper challenges will dare them to stay together. I’ll treat diverse topics in this series, such as emotional abuse, anxiety, reincarnation, Latin American corruption, etc.
I also write short stories with bits of surrealism, paranormal, and real-life events.
More recently, I decided to give my creative writing a break while exploring the objective world of freelance writing. I must say I am most satisfied since I consider myself a logic-thinker, and I love researching and writing about various topics that defy my intellect and skills.
What sets you apart from other writers in your space?
Each writer has their unique spark. I think what sets me apart from other fellow writers is that I like to treat subtly real-life facts and conditions through fantasy and fiction.
My perseverance in upgrading my writing skills, despite all the educational challenges I had when I was younger, and consistency are also keys to my writing. I don’t like the words “give up,” so I try to do my best to find my way and show others that if I can do it, they certainly can, too.
Writing fiction not only liberates our creativity but also provides us with endless ways to see and treat life’s events. We can entertain, enlighten, and guide people through our stories and make them reflect on the different facets of life.
Sara Cristia H.J.
What drives your writing? What do you mean to accomplish with your stories?
We can achieve so much through the written word. You can say the world’s most significant truths through the beautiful lies of fiction and state life’s facts through well-crafted and researched articles. You can influence a generation with your opinion and stories, soothe the depressed, and guide the one who seeks the light. This and more is what I want to accomplish with my writings.
Who are your favorite writers and books? What are your other creative influences?
I have a bunch of favorite writers and books that have influenced my writing. Among those I most enjoyed reading and learning from are: The Lord of the Rings books; Pachinko, by Lee Min Jin; almost every Jane Austen’s book and Lara Temple’s too; The Thorn Birds; Three Daughters of Eve, by Elif Shafak; and books of Paulo Coelho and Gibran Khalil Gibran.
Some of my favorite non-fiction books are: You Can Heal Your Life, by Louise Hay; the Rich Dad, Poor Dad series, by Robert Kiyosaki; The Giant Within, by Tony Robins; Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. I also love Dan Brown’s style.
There are certainly more, especially among indie books, such as Through Her Eyes, by Sophie Fahy; Murder at MacBeth, by Samantha Goodwin; The Seven Lives of Grace, by Elena Shelest; That Truthful Place, by Patty Lesser; The Last Nautch Girl, by C. Phillip; Lilia, by Linda Ganzini; Seeker of Time series by, J. M. Buckler; and Behold the Dawn, by K. M. Weiland. Now, I look forward to exploring more indie jewels, like those of Joe Sale, Christa Wojciechowski, Clennell Anthony, and Bia Bella Baker.
Do you write in silence? Background noise? Or music? What kind?
It depends on the scene’s mood. If it’s an action or mental health issue, you will find me writing with some metallic or gothic rock in the background, such as Poets of the Fall, Nightwish, Disturbed, or Within Temptation. If I’m writing a rough-love scene, I’ll listen to Lady Gaga, Allan Walker, or Demi Lovato. Otherwise, I’ll be listening to softer and more classic melodies, like Beethoven, Chopin, BrunuhVille, Sade, Jazz music with rain, or coffee shop background sounds (my favorite when I want to chill out), etc.
As you see, my music list is as eclectic as my readings.
What is your favorite thing to do when you are not writing?
I think I don’t have that much free time. When I’m not writing or researching, I’m with my girls, helping them with their studies or watching a movie together. I have to attend to my house chores and my online learning. But I would much prefer to have a fixed time to go for a walk or hiking. I also love gardening and reading, of course.
Who is your current celebrity crush?
Celebrity crush? Not now, lol! But when I was younger, I liked Johnathan Brandis, the first time when I watched The NeverEnding Story and then SeaQuest DSV.
I also loved Gerard Butler’s role in The Phantom of the Opera.
Why do you think it’s important to write fiction?
Writing fiction not only liberates our creativity but also provides us with endless ways to see and treat life’s events. We can entertain, enlighten, and guide people through our stories and make them reflect on the different facets of life. Storytelling is such a powerful tool to plant the seed for a better future.
Who would be the best writer, alive or dead, to tell the story of your life?
I have never thought of this, but I think I’d like Paulo Coelho to write the story of my life for his magical and surrealistic style and his vast exploration of the Mediterranean and South American lifestyles.
What are you working on right now?
My creative/fiction writing is somehow slow-paced now because I’m more dedicated to my freelance writing and internship at the Digital Nomad Writing Club. However, I always spare some time for my editing, mainly because my characters don’t give me peace of mind.
Besides, I’m building my portfolio with a variety of topics, though I’m niching down to more specific themes on B2B strategies, emotional and mental wellness, self-growth, and productivity. I’m also completing my specialization in SEO which will serve my blogging skills greatly.
Thank you for sharing your fascinating writing life with us, Sara!
Grammatical expletives are not dirty words, but they can be equally offensive. Grammatical expletives are empty words that take up valuable space and dilute the power of your sentences.
This article from Just Publishing Advice tells us how to target these words in your writing and how to formulate your sentences so that each word does a job.
You probably use the grammatical expletive very often in your writing. But what is it?
The definition of the word expletive is an oath or a swear word. But in grammar, it means to use a word or phrase to fill out a sentence without adding to the meaning or sense.
The word derives from the Late Latin word, expletivus, which means to fill out.
When you know what you are looking for, you can quickly edit these words with no meaning.
What are expletives in grammar and writing
They are empty words that occupy space in a sentence but with no meaning or action.
The most common forms use there or it as the subject of a sentence.
When a sentence starts with either of these two subjects, the verb that follows is usually the verb to be.
The forms are almost the same.
There is/are/was/were/will be
It is/was/will be
When you start a sentence with any of these combinations, the words say nothing.
As with many writing rules, there are exceptions. For example, you can certainly use grammar expletives when you want to add emphasis or delay the main subject of the sentence.
However, in general, the best practice is to remove them when you can.
Grammatical expletive examples
Here are some example sentences that start with the expletive.
There were more than one hundred and fifty people at the wedding.
It was a very violent storm that hit the city last night.
There are so many politicians riding on the gravy train.
It is my fault that we lost the match.
There are lots of reasons why you shouldn’t take the job.
It will be my 21st birthday in June.
There is no way you can learn all the grammar rules.
As you can see from these examples, the first words give no meaning, sense, or action to each sentence.
How to fix grammatical expletives
If I use the sentences above, you have some options to change each one.
All you need to do is start the new sentence with a subject that is a person or thing, and if possible, follow it with an active verb.
There were more than one hundred and fifty people at the wedding.
More than one hundred and fifty people attended the wedding.
The wedding was attended by one hundred and fifty people or more.
It was a very violent storm that hit the city last night.
A very violent storm hit the city last night.
The city was hit by a very violent storm last night.
There are so many politicians riding on the gravy train.
So many politicians are riding on the gravy train.
The gravy train is ridden by so many politicians.
It is my fault that we lost the match.
We lost the match because of me.
I lost the match for my team.
There are lots of reasons why you shouldn’t take the job.
You shouldn’t take the job for lots of reasons.
You’ve got lots of reasons not to take the job.
It will be my 21st birthday in June.
I’m turning 21 in June.
My 21st birthday is in June.
In June, I’m celebrating my 21st birthday.
There is no way you can learn all the grammar rules.
You can’t possibly learn all the grammar rules.
Don’t think that you can learn all the grammar rules.
You all know this famous phrase. It is the opening line written by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in the novel Paul Clifford (1830).
It was a dark and stormy night.
When you think about how you would change this sentence, the possibilities don’t seem right. The night was dark and stormy; it doesn’t have the same ring to it.
Although the expression may have originated before the 14th century, it was made famous by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz.
There’s no place like home.
In the Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens uses the grammatical expletive to emphasize each element of the sentence.
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair …
As you can see, using expletive phrases have a use. So while you are not competing with the greats of literature, you know that it is a tool you can use.
Summary
There is no right or wrong when it comes to using either common or grammatical expletives.
But usually, a little goes a long way. When you are aware of the rules, you can then decide to edit them out or leave them as is.
Every other Monday, we introduce you to a writer from the Writers’ Mastermind. Today we are excited to present Christie Adams. She is a storyteller, blogger, podcaster and videographer who writes short stories, children’s books, mysteries, thrillers, YA novels, and even erotica.
Learn how Christie left the rat race to pursue a life she loves and why she says that mid-life is anything but a crisis.
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? Where are you now? What has your life been like?
I’m a Yorkshire woman, over 50, rebellious grandmother and global online entrepreneur. Storyteller, blogger, podcaster, videographer, motivational and creativity coach, eco advocate, travel addict (on hold right now) and multi-passionate ‘squirrel.’
Whilst bringing up my family, as a single mum, and working full time, I completed a BA Hons in Literature. I didn’t want to settle for something I knew wouldn’t be fulfilling or rewarding, but leaving the rat race was a hard decision. Since age 13 I’d always had a pay slip, a regular income. There’s been tears, doubts, rebellion even anger. I’ve come out the other side and I’ve never been happier!
History… In my teens… left home, joined the army and then left again to start buying my first home. I worked two jobs, and spent Saturday nights from 2am until 8am at the cinema watching Kung Fu films. In my 20s… worked hard, partied hard – well maybe a little. Moved from my first apartment to a house with a garden and had no idea what I wanted to do when I grew up. In my 30s… moved house again, became a single parent to my awesome daughter. Adopted a dog, a big dog! Faced redundancy, a few times, got promoted, and still didn’t know what I wanted to do when I grew up. Volunteered for the YHA, painted hostels, worked with teenagers. I read to nursery children each week. My first official taste of giving back in the community. Promotion and redundancy and led to numerous pivots in direction. In my 40s… realised my career wasn’t what I wanted to do ‘when I grew up’ so I went back into education, still working full time to afford the fees. After 6 years of deadlines and assignments I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Literature, oh and trained as a swimming teacher. Adopted a dog, a different loopy dog, and volunteered as a mentor for teenagers and students. In my 50s… having gone through yet more pivots and changes. I got married. Became a grandmother. Moved to another town, co-incidentally ending up back where I was born. I was yet again offered a change in role. You may notice a theme here! This time I decided to take the redundancy offer. I took a gap year, travelled, wrote fiction and had family time. Some of my life’s changes were my choice, some certainly came out of the blue and were well beyond my control. I’ve been there, done it, acquired quite a few t-shirts but I’ll tell you now it certainly wasn’t all plain sailing. Sometimes it was downright scary. Anyway, I’m super proud to tell you I’ve learned to embrace change and now move forward with optimism and confidence. In my 60s… Watch this space!
I write short stories, children’s books, mystery, thriller and YA novels, and even erotica.
3. What sets you apart from other writers in your space?
I believe passionately that everyone should use their voice. Mine is no better than another but is unique. We bring our own experiences, culture, perceptions, imagination and opinions to all our work. The more I write, the more I’m confident to allow my own voice be heard.
4. What drives your writing? What do you mean to accomplish with your stories?
My ‘Why’ is to support my family. I’d love to buy my daughter a home, it’s so difficult to get on the property ladder in the UK. I have always been a book addict, so writing them was a natural development.
My grand-babies love being part of the process too, and I’m thrilled to have instilled a love of books in them too. If I get a chance to mention my beloved Yorkshire I will. So far, I’ve written ‘escapism’ books to allow people to enjoy a fictional world. I am working on various non-fiction books.
My book ‘Well Really, Fairy Rose, by Ruby and Angelica Brave’ was the most ‘important’ book for me on a personal level. I want all children to see themselves in books. I commissioned an artist to base the main character on photographs of my mixed-race grandbaby. Diversity in books is improving but still a long way to go. WRFR encourages care for the planet and nature without being ‘preachy.’
5. Who are you favourite writers and books? What are your other creative influences?
I studied literature and over the years have read so many I can’t pick one favourite. I do love The Color Purple, Jane Eyre and other classics.
The recent books that have blown my mind are Sapiens and Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. I will at some point read his others, but they are truly life changing.
Peter James writes great detective novels. I’ve just discovered Gregg Hurwitz who is a genius at page-turning thrillers. Stieg Larsson books are dark but inspire me to embrace a darker story.
6. Do you write in silence? Background noise? Or music? What kind?
Depends on what I’m writing. I can’t write fiction is anything with lyrics is playing. If I play music, classical, instrumental, even whale music I cut off anyway and don’t hear it as I’m deep inside the world of my characters. If I’m doing admin etc I listen to podcasts.
7. What is your favourite thing to do when you are not writing?
Toddler wrangling, board games, Top Trumps or drawing on Procreate with my grandbabies. We also have a great game of storytelling. We each get a couple of sentences and then take turns to build a story. I hope it’s helping them know it’s OK to have fun with words. We also watch Tiktok together. I love that they know their Nannan works on social media, so they see a positive side.
Helping my daughter as she builds her new business. Knitting, sewing, rock painting, creative stuff. TV, addicted to real crime, NCIS, Law & Order etc.
8. Who is your current celebrity crush?
Along with the other 5 million, @taylor_thatdancer on Tiktok.
It’s important to remember that fiction is not desire or ambition. The darkest fiction is often written by the most generous and settled writers. By allowing our shadow side to be indulged in our writing, we release from our ‘real’ world.
9. Why do you think it’s important to write fiction?
It’s important to remember that fiction is not desire or ambition. The darkest fiction is often written by the most generous and settled writers. By allowing our shadow side to be indulged in our writing, we release from our ‘real’ world.
Books have power. It can be a way to give a political or revolutionary thought. Story can be life changing or life affirming. It can also just be a good read. It doesn’t always have to be ‘important.’
I have no idea why I love it, but I will always make things up.
10. Who would be the best writer, alive or dead, to tell the story of your life?
Great question. Stephen Fry does ridiculously well researched books and makes the facts easily understandable. I guess me, coz there’s so much that others don’t know. Lately I have been thinking of writing a bio. Kafka, too dark. Attwood, I’m too humble. Dickens would be fun, just to show he can write good women after all.
11. What are you working on right now?
Lol! Erotica, as it’s bringing some money in. Editing (ugh) my next thriller. A business planning book. A children’s book. I’ve also got a book that I’m writing twice. No idea if it’ll work, but I’m toning it down to a YA book, and making it extremely dark as a post-apocalyptic horror.
Ashes – A Jezzabelle Jones Mystery
A warehouse fire leaves a homeless military veteran dead. In his pocket a dog-eared birthday card, and a faded photograph of a young girl.
Jezzabelle ‘Belle’ Jones, insurance investigator, is surprised when she’s trusted with the case. It could finally lead to her long-awaited promotion. Her instincts tell her this fire wasn’t an accident.
When her boss comes under pressure from the wealthy warehouse owner, she’s told to close the case quickly. She knows she should follow the rules, but Belle’s never liked doing as she’s told.
She calls on Barnaby ‘Mac’ St John, a reclusive ex-firefighter, to help her work out what happened. The little girl in the photograph deserves answers.
Then there’s another fatal fire… Can Belle keep her job long enough to catch the arsonist? How many more people will die before she solves the case?
This first Jezzabelle Jones murder mystery is set in Yorkshire, England. If you love crime solving duos, this new pairing will not disappoint.
June 2021 – This version is a rewrite and edit. It is the same story, but the book has been improved overall for the reader’s enjoyment. Link: https://books2read.com/ashesmystery
