Lists

Today’s Guardian has an article in the Review section called
‘Ten rules for writering fiction.’

This immediately caught my eye because; I have to admit, I am a list freak.

• If you give me a problem, I will write a list.
• If I have too much to do, I will write a list.
• If I think things are out of control, I will write a list.
• When I am buying a house or planning a holiday, I will write a list.
• When I am shopping, I don't usually make a list!

Lists have guided me through my life. The thing about lists is that they give a sense of being in control of things even when you have done exactly nothing about the object of the list. It gives a feeling that there is a plan. That’s the secret - planning. Of course, it’s important to rank order the list, preferably putting a number 1 next to the most important item and a 2 to the next most important item and so on. This approach is helpful because it means you do the most important things first and don’t spend lots of time prevaricating on a less important item on the list. It can be tricky deciding which order to put things in because everything seems important… but, hey, life is about making choices!

There, I’ve admitted I am a list freak, but what about other people’s lists, like the one in the guardian today? Again, I admit it, I like other people’s lists, but only if they are good lists. In my word documents I have a file called creative writing/writing tips/authors tips. I looked in it and found…lists. Here are some of them:

1. Ma's editing check list. Develop a hide of a Rhino.
2. Ten Commandments for the Happy Writer by Nathan Bransford.
3. 8 Writing tips from Kurt Vonnegut.
4. Top Ten Tips for Writing a Novel by Pearl Luke.
5. Seven deadly sins of novel writing by the book muse.

The lists in today’s guardian article are made in heaven. There are lists of ‘rules for writers’ from 29 well known authors. They include Sarah Waters, Margaret Atwood, AL Kennedy, PD James and Zadie Smith. Most authors have produced a list of ten rules, but some have less. Helen Simpson. writes that she has only one rule… ‘get on with it.’ Some lists are short -Ian Rankin’s, has only two words for each rule, or they can be long… Sarah Waters list covers a column and a half.

I’m travelling by train to Wegieland later, so I intend to immerse myself in top authors lists… mmmm.

My First Tooth

I never expected it to happen, but here I am, one month into blogging. I have posted seventeen times (including this) and I now have a stack of labels as long as your arm. Labels… what? Yes, it’s true, there is a lot of jargon to learn when you try anything new. Labels are those handy little… well, labels that you put on the end of each post (submission to the blog.) But already I’ve got into trouble. The very nice list of labels that appeared somewhere on the blog, which you could hit in order to go to the blog in which it was featured has disappeared. Now, if I want to hit a label, all it does is give me the post I’m already reading. This is a pity because some of the labels are intriguing e.g. blood, horror, celebrities and cafes.
That brings me to my next discovery about the blogging world and me. We want to share our musings. In following this fine and noble cause, I have committed myself to a few things already.
• I’ve promised to start up a review of cafes I visit. There are two reviews on blogs already and I visited another today. So I am going to have to master the dark art of setting up lists on the blog .
• I’ve also promised to put another version of ‘An Autumn Leaf with Attitude’ on the blog and unless someone offers me money not to, that’s what I’m going to do.
• This is the biggie – I am following other people’s blogs. Yes, I have been seduced into the whole blogging world. This is particularly apt because the latest blog I have linked to is ‘.Belle du Jour,’ maybe seduced is the right word.  Confession time – I have nine blogs which I follow and blogger (trade name for the Google blog) kindly manage for me. I’m going to have to control myself.
My proudest moment has been getting my first follower. Zoë gets the gold medal for this. I’ve also had quite a few comments, which always gives me a little buzz.
So, what next? I’ve already got an idea for another list.
• Books, I have read. I hope that the world is ready for this – I am going to share my thoughts on my random book reading exploits.
• The best news yet is that I have a helper. Harvey has been mentioned on the blog quite often and he has agreed to contribute an occasional post. Thanks Harvey.

"Look forward to it - woof."

PS Just found out where the labels list is - in the edit page, which I think is a strange place to put it! (Harvey has the most labels - YES.)