Mountains For The Mind

Tags

Adventure, anxiety, Blogging community, Community, Discover Prompts, Fear, Hiking, Humanity, Inspiration, Life, Mental health, Mind, Motivation, Mountains

As I’m writing this, I’m staring out at a stormy grey sky in August. IN AUGUST! The weather has been like this across South-East England for ten days now, and it’s set to continue for a few more. I, like others, hoped that once we were out of lockdown that the summer of adventure could begin.

But it’s been a slow, stop-start affair.

I’d wanted to put up posts with photos of hikes more frequently, but this is all on hold until the shoddy weather clears. Don’t get me wrong: I’ve hiked in all sorts of conditions, and will enjoy continuing to do so. I guess I’m just frustrated at not being able to enjoy the countryside as much after all the restrictions we’ve faced.

PUTTING IT INTO PERSPECTIVE

I recently came across the Mountains For The Mind Facebook group. This is a campaign set up by Trail Magazine in the UK to encourage people to go out and explore to aid their mental health. Members may have mental health conditions of their own and/or they find the benefits of immersing themselves in nature.

Reading the stories and achievements of others is encouraging in a number of ways. I feel boosted to go out there and explore again, knowing that the outdoors will always nurture me in some way. Also, being part of a community like this reminds me of the strength of humanity, and how important it is to encourage each other.

TAKING HEART

Reading the stories of others has a direct impact on my self-worth. It reminds me that the restorative effects of being in the open brings joy to the heart and soul. Spending time in the countryside can give a person the ability to put things into perspective and makes what life throws at us less intense.

So, I’m going to go outside tomorrow and explore – even if it’s in my local woods for an hour after work. Come rain or shine, my mind is set.

I encourage you to do the same. You deserve it.

Please check out http://www.mountainsforthemind.co.uk for more info.

SELF-PUBLISHING UPDATE: FULL STEAM AHEAD WITH MARKETING

Tags

Adventure, Author, blogging, Blogging community, Book, Discover Prompts, Hiking, marketing, Self-publishing, WordPress

Hi Everybody,

I hope you’re all keeping well.

I knew that when I published my book, Adventure Dayze, last month that the marketing side of things would keep me busy. Just how busy, though, has been a complete surprise to me!

Taking a different route to market

As I was writing, the advice I’d researched about marketing a self-published book told me that I should do the majority of it before publication, including reaching out to established book reviewers. However, the gut feeling I got when I told others that I was writing a book was that it’d be believed when seen. So, perhaps somewhat counterintuitively, I decided to wait and do the marketing after the release date.

Family And Friends First

Once the book was up on Amazon, I put the word out to my nearest and dearest via social media. Whether people offered kind words, bought the book and maybe left a review, I was humbled by the response. The reviews I’ve received have provided me with an important step in the next stage of my marketing strategy.

The Importance Of A Marketing Mentor

I discovered Hollie Anne Marsh via the freelance website Fiverr. Hollie has a background in marketing and she is an award-winning author with her Sweetbriars book series, which is set in the world of horse-riding. Hollie has supported me to get the book published, and has sorted the advertising campaign on Amazon. This week the Facebook advertising campaign will start.

Working with Hollie has taught me a lot that’ll benefit me in the future: how to navigate Amazon Author Central and my Facebook Author page; how to write a press release statement; how to actually get a book live on Kindle; the ins and outs of marketing.

From the start, Hollie showed me the importance of having reviews for when the time comes to reach out to organisations.

Hollie has helped me brainstorm a list of hiking magazines, podcasts and websites to contact. Libraries, local newspapers, charities and bookshops are on the list too.

The Next Step

After much brainstorming and research, then, I now have a list of contacts that I’m working my way through. It’s an enjoyable process magnified by the hope that something will come of it. It takes a lot of perseverance – there’s a lot of phone calls to find a named person to contact in an organisation followed by a lot of emails – but hopefully the fruits of the labour will show soon.

Lessons Learned

Although I’ve taken a different approach as to the order of publishing and marketing the book, I can see the importance of following the much suggested route to market for my next book.

However, as a self-published author I can see that marketing is an ongoing thing and can take place any time after a book is published. So, all I’m doing now is giving me experience for the future.

Having an experienced hand to guide me has been so important. It’s made the whole experience more navigable and rewarding.

Thanks for reading this. I hope to come back soon with some positive news about who I’ve reached out to.

If you have any comments or advice, it’d be great to hear from you.

Peace and love for now 😃.

PHOTO POST: HIKING BOOK COVER REVEAL

Tags

Adventure, Author, blogging, Blogging community, Book, creative writing, Discover Prompts, non-fiction, Self-publishing

Hi Everybody,

I hope you’re all doing okay.

I’m very excited to reveal the cover for my first book, Adventure Dayze, which charts the adventures of my friends and I. The book covers my progress to overcome a fear of heights and a dodgy sense of direction as we attempt the highest mountains in each of the countries of Britain and then Ireland.

• 

The cover shows me wandering off in a completely different direction to my friends even though I’m holding the map. That’s a very common theme on our mountain hikes! The cover is mostly green for two reasons: this is a nod to my Irish roots and because my favourite colour is… you guessed it…green!

The cover was designed by Laura Antonioli, who I found on Fiverr. Laura was so patient and kind, and very supportive of any changes I needed. She also did the internal layout of the book – and I am really pleased with that too. I look forward to working with her on future projects.

In the next post I’ll reveal more details about the book’s release!

Thank you for stopping by and reading this. If you’ve got any comments, it’d be great to hear from you. I’m looking forward to reading your posts as well.

Peace and Love for now 😊

Poem: Let’s Begin Again

Tags

Adventure, blogging, Blogging community, Coronavirus, Discover Prompts, Hiking, Lockdown, Poem, Poetry, Travel

List of things to do

But the sky is blue.

So I put on my shoe

One and then two.

Head out the front gate

Quick walk, won’t be late.

Calm, not in a state.

Out again, that’s great.

Lockdown shut me in

Start again, let’s begin.

To see Nature – a win!

I can say with a grin.

For now respect and keep apart –

Please keep this in your heart

As we adapt to this new start –

And plot a new course to chart.

ABOUT

As Lockdown begins to slowly lift in the UK, I wrote this as we can enjoy the outdoors again. However, it’s also important to have respect for others and keep a distance as we acclimatise to this new way of being.

Wherever you are in the world, it’s my true wish that you enjoy the Great Outdoors without worry and that you stay safe.

Have a happy weekend, Everybody 🙂.

Discovery Prompt 28: Stay Focused on WordPress

Tags

Adventure, blogging, Blogging community, Discover Prompts, Discovery Prompts, Hiking, Love, WordPress, writing

Checking out what others do on WordPress has become an increasingly important part of my day. By reading the posts of others I’m learning new things all the time and I’m making connections.

We swap stories, poems and information. It’s great to be amongst others who have a shared interest in one art form or another. It encouraged me to come back and keep posting. Being here has boosted my efforts to keep on track to get published.

I love that I can learn about other places across the world from those who have seen it, breathed it and walked it. In a time when we’re all shut in our houses it’s so important to remember there’s so much beauty on this fragile rock we call home.

So, being on WordPress is so enriching to my mind and soul. It grants me a new kind of focus that makes me want to reach out in the world.

Thank you for sharing your journeys with me and letting me share mine with you.

Have a good week, everybody. 😊

Discovery Prompts: Hidden

Tags

Adventure, blogging, Blogging community, Discover Prompts, Discovery Prompts, Time, writing

I liked the suggestion in the prompt regarding items that could be put in a time capsule. I remember doing writing activities like that when I was a kid. Another one was what ten things would you take for a year to survive on a desert island.

These exercises fire the imagination and begin to create the ideas of lives and futures – even if fictional – that’d otherwise be hidden from us.

Anyway, here’s my ten items to put in a time capsule:

1. A photograph of a toucan.
2. A spoon I placed in my neighbour’s flowerbed for about five minutes.
3. A signed copy of ‘Tick Tock Ping A Ding’ by King Henry X.
4. A packed lunch with some used staples.
5. A spanner with a small engraving of a shamrock.
6. A shamrock with several large engravings of spanners.
7. Geoff/Jeff.
8. Eagle Sawdust Soundclub Track.
9. A well acted scene from 4 films: you decide.
10. Crafty Lalbanor and his guide to packing spoons, shamrocks, staples and other stuff in time capsules.

The metal box that contains these items shall have a label on the front that reads ‘Open on 27th November 2156 or before if you want to watch Cagney and Lacey’.

The box will be buried by a rocky outcrop on some faraway moon about 3 minutes from my dad’s t-shirts.

It will be opened in a time of peace.

Discovery Prompts: Distance

Tags

blogging, Blogging community, Coronavirus, Discover Prompts, Discovery Prompts, Poem, Poetry, writing

I reach a hand out to future me

Five or ten years from now.

Looking for confirmation that all those I love

Got through this year somehow.

The gap of uncertainty grows wider and wider

Making all I knew worthless and obselete

There’s a growing mountain of boredom

That makes it hard for me to get off my feet.

But there’s wisdom to be gained in these times

An understanding previously untouched.

Learn to grow, educate, share and reach out

Time to make life something that means much.

Days and situations like these can define us

Shape us, evolve us and affect our daily lives

So please commit to what makes you happy

Commit to what makes you come alive.

My Self-Publishing Resources Guide

Tags

Adventure, Author, blogging, Blogging community, Book, Discover Prompts, Hiking, Novel, Self-publishing, Walking

Hi Everybody,

I hope you and your families are having a safe and wonderful Easter.

I said in a post about a week or so ago that I was going to post up about the resources that I’ve used in my quest to get my hiking book self-published.

But then something wonderful happened: those wonderful people at WordPress HQ started doing daily prompts and I became distracted in that. I found myself writing poems and reminiscing over my youth. It’s been a happy journey doing that and connecting with new people. I’ll carry on doing the prompts over the next few weeks. However, it’s important that I remain focused on editing my book and learning about self-publishing too.

So, in part, this post is also an attempt to help me refocus, share a little knowledge and the resources I use. I decided to do this in a Q and A style as it seemed a good way to organise my thoughts.

WHY DID I CHOSE TO SELF-PUBLISH?

I chose to self-publish because over the the last few years I’d read books by a few authors that had gone down that route and it encouraged me to do the same.

WHAT’S THE BOOK ABOUT?

The book is called ‘Adventure Dayze’. It recounts my hiking journeys in the build up to tackling Ben Nevis – the UK’s highest mountain – in 2018 and how I attempted to overcome my fear of heights and bad sense of direction. (‘Dayze’ is a mix of the words ‘day’ and ‘daze’ as I’m always in a daze on a day out).

Next, I look at 2019 and how, despite my poor navigational skills and fear of heights being issues, with the help of my friends I walked up the highest mountain in Ireland.

I wanted to write the book as a way to encourage the reader to get out and walk and know that they can overcome obstacles blocking the way.

WHAT STAGE AM I CURRENTLY AT?

I received my manuscript back from my editor, Jessica Grace Coleman (www.colemanediting.co.uk), about 3 weeks ago. I wouldn’t be where I am or as dedicated as I am without Jessica’s support and encouragement. I’m currently working on the changes suggested. I think it’ll take me about another three weeks in all. After that, it’ll be one final check for grammar and I’m ready to publish. I’m hoping for a release date of late summer this year.

HOW DID I GO ABOUT LEARNING ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING?

Firstly, I watched a lot – and I mean a lot – of YouTube videos on the subject. Two people stood out for me, so I watched their videos some more. The first person was Ellen Brock. Her engaging style left me feeling inspired after every video. The second was fantasy author Natalia Leigh. When I watched her video on her self-publishing checklist I was delighted when she recommended to signing up to her website to receive the checklist as a PDF (visit http://www.natalialeigh.com).

This checklist then formed the basis of my approach to self-publish.

Even though Ellen Brock and Natalia Leigh live and work from the USA, I feel a lot of the advice they give out is universal and was really helpful to me in the UK.

WHAT BOOKS ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING HAVE I USED?

I’ve only used two:

The first is ‘The Indie Author Checklist’ by Adam Croft. This was highly recommended to me by Jessica Grace Coleman. This has been extremely invaluable so far and will continue to be in the months ahead. The advice given in this book has stopped me feeling overwhelmed about the whole process.

The second is ‘The Writers Room’ by Rick Wood. This is a handy little book I found myself on Amazon. This book deals well with explaining the various pitfalls that may be encountered in self-publishing, so I find it really useful in giving me a reality check.

Both Adam Croft and Rick Wood are successful authors, and so I find their honest accounts of self-publishing a real bonus to my arsenal.

WHAT HAVE I GOT LEFT TO DO?

A lot!

I mentioned in a recent post that I’ve gone about matters in a semi back-to-front way. The absolute focus for me was getting my manuscript to a stage where I was happy to send it over to Jessica Grace Coleman. Only recently have I begun to look at other parts of the process whereas if I’d have been following Natalia Leigh’s checklist earlier I’d have a fair few more boxes ticked.

I’m so glad this website is up and running again. The true joy of WordPress is the connections that you make with other people.

I’ve written a blurb of sorts for the novel too.

I’m gathering info on cover design, ISBN numbers, formatting for different platforms, setting up mailing lists, marketing and a whole list of other stuff.

All of it can make me feel overwhelmed, I admit.

However, determination and perseverance are gathering pace within me. Jessica – who is also a self-published author herself – has been really great with encouraging me step-by-step. So, with her sage advice and the other resources I have, I know I can make this happen.

Admittedly, I’ve got a lot to learn. As I learn each of the component parts of self-publishing in more detail, I’ll share my findings and any other resources here.

Thanks for reading. If you’re really interested in self-publishing, I hope this article has helped. It’d be interesting to hear from anybody out there about any advice they may have.

Peace and love, Everybody 😊

Discover Prompts Day 4: Street

Tags

Childhood, creative writing, Discover Prompts, Poetry, Prose poetry, Street, writing, Writing prompts

This prose poem is called ‘Halfway Down Our Street’. The start of each sentence starts with a letter from the title to spell out the name of the poem.

Home was in the middle of our street,

An equal distance to the shops or park.

Life for eight year old me began on

Friday night after school when I couldn’t wait to

Wake up with a fistful of pocket money

And run til I reached the comic store.

Yeah!!!!

Darkness seemed far away as

Once afternoon came I’d play in the park

With my friends at soccer or tennis or a

New crazy creation that passed for fun back then.

Out and about, exploring by the stream

Until we heard our parents call us to

Return home for our dinner.

Saturday night was alright: chips and the A-Team.

Then I’d ask politely to go outside and play again

Right up until the moon popped up

Ending another day of uninterrupted fun.

Eight o’clock was bedtime as I shuffled up the stairs

To read comic books and dream of tomorrow.

Discover Prompts: Day 3 – Song

Tags

blogging, Blogging community, Community, Discover Prompts, Writing prompts

My love for music is lost in the nineties from the days of shoegazer and indie rock to Britpop.

It’s so easy for me to become lost in a haze of spangly or churning guitar, or dreamy keyboards that float over me.

Those memories draw me back to being in the sweaty back rooms of pubs or music venues where I’d either sway on the spot or jump about with my mates as the music demanded.

On Saturday mornings, the first thing I did was hop on my bike and pedal to the local music shop. Then, I’d rifle through the stacks of records looking for that rare gem. If the house was empty when I returned, I’d play my music the way it was intended: very, very loud!