As many of my readers are aware, I am constantly urging people to write their memoirs - not least because it is one of the greatest gifts they can pass onto their children and grandchildren. It will survive the house, the car and the weary old bones, and if you are lucky it will give future descendants of your bloodline an insight into how their family has evolved. What wouldn't we give to take a peek into the lives our ancestors, to understand the times in which they lived and their hopes and dreams for the future. And if you want to publish it, you might even have a bestseller on your hands!
Everyone has a book in them, and writing a memoir is often the kickstart they need. When you write a memoir, you have a subject that you already know, you were there, you lived it. Sights, sounds and even smells can bring all those memories flooding back, and I can show you ways in which to capture those moments with the written word.
The biggest hurdle for most wannabe writers is their irrational fear of other people reading their work. I know that fear! I have lived it. For many years I crept downstairs during the night to bash away at an old typewriter, only to scrunch the pages up and throw them in the bin. I felt that my 'secret habit' was a bit weird, it wasn't something I ever spoke about - while sober. In my social circle, writing was seen as a bit arty and pretentious and being a writer wasn't something a working class woman like myself should aspire to.
To all those aspiring writers out there struggling with that hurdle, I would say, don't scrunch your work up and bin it, and don't press that delete button. But most of all, don't give up! Many writers can overcome that hurdle with writing classes and I can't recommend them enough, but what they are really looking for is a way in which to get started and a way in which to structure the narrative so that it has a beginning, a middle and an end.
I will shortly be offering a 6 session writing and mentoring course to kickstart that memoir. The course will be individually tailored to each writer's needs, with personal tuition via phone and Skype together with written critiques. I will also be offering reviews and editing services for those further along in the process.
I am hoping to get a website up and running soon, but in the meanwhile, if anyone is interested, please contact me at Rosalindhutton@aol.com
Ros says: " it wasn't something I never spoke about"
ReplyDeleteAre you sure about that double negative Ros?
Oops, will correct, thank you.
DeleteFrom your ex-BFF to you:
ReplyDeletehttp://nottextusa.blogspot.pt/2016/02/liars.html
"I deleted my comments for two reasons - one, because I don't see why they should serve as clickbait for her, and two, because I have no further wish to be associated with her blog. I have a copy, naturally, in case she wants to deny anything.
Unfortunately, Ros, for all her grandstanding, is just another blogger whose knowledge of the case mostly comes from the TV. It became increasingly obvious that many of her readers are profoundly stupid people who can see no further than the 'kneejerk' reaction they pull whenever anyone points out to them that half of what they think they know about the case is total bullshit."
LOL, thanks for that. I kinda of expected NT's ejection to be followed by a major temper tantrum, that is what happens when the emotionally immature are right, dead right and no-one believes them. You see it a lot in stroppy teenagers.
DeleteMr. NT can keep his mucky drawers safely tucked away in the bottom of laundry basket, I doubt anyone wants to look there. Unfortunately for him, the problem with claiming superior knowledge is that you really need something to back it up. Anonymity, name calling and angry rants persuade no-one, neither does calling a large group of people profoundly stupid.
No doubt he will use my name as clickbait (lol)for his own less popular blog, but it bothers me not, I have merely added him to the same pile of detritus as the rabid pros and Tony Bennett.
For whatever reason, my previous blog and the responses to it have been captured by the 'Wayback machine', and the deleted Not Textusa comments can still be seen there:
ReplyDeletehttp://web.archive.org/web/20160225122704/http://cristobell.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/why-i-wont-support-richard-hall-videos.html Cheers JATKY2, lol.
I see Not Textusa won't be commenting on this any further - probably nursing his whooped arse :)
ReplyDelete"half of what they think they know about the case is total bullshit."
ReplyDeleteThat would be the half they got from reading nottextusa.blogpsot.
The other half's perfectly sound.
I see the destructive element has departed, can't say I'm over concerned. Such unparalleled audacious conceit to think people are hitting on this blog because the clucking cocky is displaying it's glorious plumage , I thought Gerry McCann was gold medalist in that discipline but look-out Ger, you've got serious competition.
ReplyDeleteOf course Not Textusa is not commenting further, s/he knows it's a no win situation. Seeing the rebel in you, I imagine s/he tried to use your blog as an extension to the Not Textusa trustworthy only zone, thinking you a kindred spirit. Is the Not Textusa blog really "my blog where only the tried and trusted are allowed through the gates and riff raff are strictly off limits"? If so it explains a lot, it's tough and lonely at the top, I wonder if that's how Einstein felt when his tongue was hanging out.
Good riddance to rotten rubbish.
Tony Verdi, Verdi Tony. Is a complete tosser and a joke. Seriously, does anyone, ever, take him seriously. Cringeworthy most of the stuff he posts these days. Not to mention all his socks. The bloke needs to set up a sock company. Instant millionare. If he had half a brain, which he's not. Poor sap. Stick him in a cage and give him some water now and again. Tosser.
DeleteNT was a strange one too. Just about an ego for him. Lots of fluff. Never been to his blog, although did have a look earlier and obviously nobody, ever, visits. Nevermind.
Tide is turning, perception is changing and the truth will always win.
Not long now.
Regards, Andrew.
No doubt Bennett has numerous socks, but Verdi definitely is NOT one.
DeleteWhat relevance is this to the blog, Andrew?
ReplyDeleteYou really need to move on now; this is likely to goad TB - just take no notice of him, for goodness sake.
Do apologise, Bridget. Yes - I do need to move on. Just annoys me though (like I'm sure it would you) with all the lies he has said about me. Accusing me of making death threats etc.
ReplyDeleteJust letting off a bit of steam. Feel better now. Right, say no more.
Have a lovely day.
Andrew.
Ros can I ask you a few questions?
ReplyDelete1. what experience do you have in writing and mentoring students?
2. what experience do you have in teaching - especially online via phone and Skype?
3. how much does it cost?
4. what certification/accreditation will I receive at the end?
5. will you be sober?
I have a lifetime experience of writing 22:08, for me it is an OCD/addiction that dates back to adolescence. It is beyond my control (fav movie line).
DeleteI also have many years of teaching English A level and GCSE both in colleges and privately on a one to one level. I also had tutor groups - that is groups assigned to myself to guide and mentor through their studies while at college. Should also add, I have a drawer full of thank you cards and letters, and I am as proud of their successes as I am my own.
Phone and Skype is a new one for me - but hey, the technology exists so why not give it a try? I know just how effective, the right words and the right pointers can be, especially when those words and pointers are tailored to an individual. As much as I loved teaching classes and groups, it vexed me that I could not give each student the individual one to one time they needed to truly sparkle.
As a lecturer, I was constantly exhausted! I always gave my students several shots at their assignments, which of course quadrupled the marking I did every evening. It paid off with their results, but it would have killed me if I had carried on - I was just too soft, as my dad used to say, lol.
I'm afraid I was a 'bad' teacher within the Education system, because I could not stick within the rigidly set rules and guidelines. Imo, the admin and the bureaucracy puts a (v.low) ceiling on what it expects from state educated students. There is very little room to explore anything beyond the National Curriculum. It breaks my heart that so many talented kids slip through the system and accept mediocrity because their individual talents haven't been recognised or nurtured by those educating them.
I am at the moment gushing with enthusiasm for the 'Schoolswap' experiment that was shown on ITV. I was of course aware of the gaping chasm between Public schools and State schools, but this documentary made it all too real. So many kids in state schools have zero self esteem - the result of a lifetime of no-one actually listening to them.
For example. When I taught A level, I had to prepare lesson plans breaking a 2 hour lecture into 15 minute slots. If, as often happened, an interesting subject turned into a lively debate, with even the 'quiet ones' participating, it had to be brought to an abrupt end after 15 minutes if an Ofsted inspector was sitting at the back of the room.
continues.........
But I don't want to go off on a tangent.
Do you have QTS?
DeleteNo, I don't have QTS, I left before it became compulsory - it wasn't something I wanted to do. I am afraid I became very disillusioned with teaching, due to the huge volume of paperwork that was expected above and beyond teaching, marking and quality time with the students. I found it soul destroying.
DeleteYou might be interested to know that most of the older generation were taught by teachers and lecturers without formal teaching qualifications. Today's teachers are not more effective for having PGCEs, in fact some might say, they are limited by the National Curriculum.
I don't necessarily agree with you, actually, but whatever. QTS was introduced in the 1990's, so that's quite a long time ago. What do you think of the revised teaching standards?
DeleteA good comment from someone on Amazon:
ReplyDelete"Was Madeleine still knocking about on the 3rd May 2007?
Well, signed statements from people who knew her, people who fed her, people who looked after her, timed and dated photos and creche registers all say 'Yes'
So why has a video just been released claiming that she wasn't?
Step forward balding loon from Essex and a Canadian halfwit......."
Could it be another child that looked like Maddie that was being used to cause confusion, crèche records could have been altered as can photo's? such a tangled web of lies and deceit, It's impossible to find out what's true and what isn't.
DeleteThat would be one Not Textusa who recently flounced from this arena because of ego issues. Your comment has nothing to do with this blog.
DeleteMove along the car.
Anonymous28 February 2016 at 12:04
DeleteAh - are you going to be a prefect at Ros's writing school? Maybe head boy/girl?
Anonymous 27.2 @22:14
ReplyDeleteWhat makes this a 'good comment' in your opinion - the glib, and no doubt deliberately inaccurate answer to the author's own question, or the insulting tone adopted at the end?
Just curious.
I know you're working on a website Ros but in the meantime can you give an indication of your charges?
ReplyDeleteI see bennett the blonk is making a fool of himself on Justice Forum again.
ReplyDeleteI also see the resident drunk has made another appearance.
ReplyDelete" blonk
ReplyDelete« Reply #402 on: Today at 09:17:39 PM »
Suppose, hypothetically, something very serious happened to a 3-year-old girl, let's call her 'Mary', late on the second day of a holiday. Suppose that in some way it was the fault, or responsibility, of her parents.
Suppose also that her parents came on holiday with three other couples and their infant children.
Suppose once more that no-one else on that holiday knew Mary before the holiday, with the exception of Mary's crèche nanny, who just happened to be Facebook Friends with the daughter of Mary's godfather.
All it would then need, to cover up her disappearance for say three or four days, would be the co-operation of the three other couples - and for the creche nanny to allow the parents to add Mary to the crèche records, and then, finally, to provide some confirmation by way of a statement verifying that Mary had really been there on those later days, when she actually wasn't.
No-one else would be needed."
Does he really believe that by using a fictitious name on a Madeleine Mccann forum makes it possible to blatantly breach his undertaken and the judgement of the High Court?
http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?topic=6981.390
God, he talks some nonsense. I doubt he believes a word of whatever it is he is coughing up now as an alternative to Kiko's crèche substitute theory.
DeleteI don't know why "blonk" - where does he get these names from? - has not been taken to task for breaching the agreement on many occasions in the last three years.
ReplyDelete