Writers Forum #99 January 2010

READERS’ LETTERS
1 neck
2 hea
S
d
t

retch
3 nec
r
k
e

traction
4 Sho
To increase the stretch, use the e
u
x
l
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n
r
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op
R
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it
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t
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a
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i
p
ot
r
h ■
e
e
s
■
s
r L

a
g
p i
e
i f
n
st t
t

ly
and author
Sir Robin advocates this exer
a
cis
n
e
d
as

t
a
e

nse both shoulders
ag
S
a
ir
in
R
st
o

b
yo
in
u

r
M
h
c
e
K
a
e
d
n
.
zie recommends this
to
f

o
h
l
e
lo
lp
w

-
n
o
e
n
c

k
fr

o
p
m
ai

n
th
:
e head retraction. ■■ Ho
ld for 10 seconds, then drop and r
elax
■■ Sit up straight and
■■ Whilst sitting, look
■■ Hold your head in the
■■ Repeat 3 times
drop your right
straight ahead
retracted position
shoulder
■■ Tuck your chin down
■■ Lift your chin up and tilt
■■ Looking straight
and in
your head back as far as
ahead, try to touch you can, looking u
your le
■
p
f
■
t
S

l
s
o
h
w
o
l
u
y
l

d
p
e
u
r
ll your
at
with you
h
t
r
e
h

a
e
le
d

f

c
t
b
e
e
a
il
a
c
in
r
k
g
wards
as far as you can
■■ In this position, move
Writers
■■ Hold for 5 seconds your head 2cm to
■
t
■ Hold for a few
he
■■ Repeat on each
s
l
e
e
c
f
o
t.
n
H
d
o
s,
l

d
th
f
e
o
n
r

r
a
e
m
lax
oment
side up to 5 times ■■ Return to starting
■

■ Repeat up to 5 times
position, and repeat
CIRCLE
on right side
5 Shoulder
rotation
■■ Sit upright and
Writers
6 arm Stretch
rotate
F
you
o
r left
r

u m autho
r
■■ Stretch both arms out in front o
f you
at shoulder height, palms upright
shoulder, first ■■ Bend forear
ms back and
forwards and then
backwards
■■ Repeat with right
shoulder
deS
kerc
ises
touch your shoulders with
your fingertips
■■ Repeat up to
5 times
■■ Alternate 2 or
3 times
Take just a few minutes
out of each writing hou
r to stay fit and active
Your news and views, writing tips and funny stories
7 hand Stretch
8 Back arch
9 leg clench
■■ Clench your fists tightly for
10 leg Stretch
11
■

■ Sit upright and place
foot lift
To
5
p

r
s
o
e
m
c
ot
o
e b
n
lo
d
od
s
flow and improve tone. To improve circulation and tone the calf,
This works
t

h
th
e
e c

a
b
lf
a
a
c
nd
k
t
s
h

ig
of your t
h
h

ig
m
h
u
a
sc
n
l
d
e

s
t

u
a
m
nd
■
m

■ Clench your calf
y muscles. gets the blood fl
owing.
Email letters@writers-forum.com and please include a full name and address so we can post your notebook!
■■ Stretch your fingers out, hands on y
our
th
a
e
n
n
d

r
t
e
h
l
i
a
g
x
h
■■ Stretch your
■■ Sit wit
t
h
h
y
e
o
h
u
a
r
nds lower back
muscles
legs out
feet in line with
■■ Repeat up to 5 times ■■ Arch your
back a few ■■ Point your your knees
by pushing your times toes up
■■ Raise both
hips forward
■■ Hold for feet and hold
and pulling
1 minute for 1 minute
your shoulders
and repeat
LOVE FORTY
to keep up with my brain. How
back
■■ Repeat
■■ Ho
refreshing to ﬁ nd that there are FREE MOLESKINE NOTEBOOK
ld for 10
seconds and
repeat up to
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As a teenager, rejected by my ﬁ rst other writers who do the same.
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As he didn’t comment on my just like Jo. is a discount for all Writers’ Forum readers of 10 per cent. Use the
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Years later I realised I had
NO DEAL
inadvertently chucked the memo I followed Vivien Hampshire’s seemed at one time to have a November). When I am asked
out with the rubbish, and have column last year and can feel her direct pipeline to publishers. what I want for Christmas I
kicked myself to this day for not agony and disappointment at not The would-be novelist is now always ask for book vouchers.
realising what a kind gesture it getting the required result. We in the position of an aspiring They obviously think this is the
was for this very important ﬁ gure have all been there and have the marathon runner ﬁ nding most unimaginative gift possible,
to write to me. I now realise requisite ﬁ les, rejection slips and themselves barred from the but I could not disagree more.
that it was Sir John Betjeman’s T-shirt to prove it. starting-post. I get so much pleasure in
touching interest in me that made I thought that she was MG Sherlock, Colwyn Bay touring the bookshops on Boxing
me love writing… and 40 years extremely brave and believe that Day (I never save them!) and
later I still have that passion. it is the times we live in that were Ed: Was it ever different? A hundred choosing books I would not have
MA Turner, Frodsham, against her. At present, we all years ago aspiring writers would normally bought. I would love to
Cheshire struggle against two great evils – have been complaining that only receive a book, too, but I have
the dreadful economic period we Oxbridge dons and society ﬁ gures read so many it would be an
THE APPRENTICE
are living through and the public could get publishing contracts. impossible task for my friends and
and publishers’ obsession with Celebrities have always been relatives to choose one.
I purchased Writers’ Forum for the celebrities. We can work our way popular too and you can understand I always buy books as gifts for
ﬁ rst time in October (issue #97) through the ﬁ rst evil, but I do not why – publishers get a ready-made my friends’ children at Christmas
and found the article written by know how we tackle the latter. fan base and free publicity. (What and birthdays, helping them
Jo Lamb to be a true inspiration. Gladys Alcorn, Dundee has changed is that ‘celebs’ today to develop skills in vocabulary
I have recently retired from a are often famous for being on TV and literature. They are always
long career in the Health Service In her bravely hopeful Book Deal rather than any discernible talent, received gratefully and cherished,
during which I spent many hours or Bust (#98 December) Vivien which is particularly galling.) as mine were as a child. A good
(probably years) writing business Hampshire quotes Kaz Jordyn as A good new year’s resolution is testimony to this is the condition
cases and project reports. I now believing ‘nothing beats having a to stop worrying about the things my books are in!
ﬁ nd myself with time, a clear good agent ﬁ ghting your cause’. you can’t change. Yes, there is still Dawn Stanmore,
brain and hopefully another 20 I’ll tell you something that easily a media clique and an obsession Inkersall, Derbys
lively years and so have joined beats it, though, and that’s having with celebrity, but we must also
a creative writing class. I am contacts inside or close to the remember that publishing is far
enjoying the challenge of writing publishing world. broader and open to a wider cross-
WRITE STUFF
for my pleasure rather than that If you look at the author’s section of society than ever before. I have been interested in creative
of my bosses. biographical notes on almost any ‘Ordinary’ folk do get book deals. writing for over 30 years but
I empathise with Jo, in that I novel which has appeared over only recently started taking a
too prefer to write or scribble the past 30 years, you’ll notice course, with the Writers Bureau
in longhand and cross out and they’re in journalism or some
VOUCH FOR IT
in Manchester. After two modules
amend as I go. My typing skills branch of the media or their I read with interest Alison I have gained so much knowledge.
are good enough for copying my partners or parents are writers. Baverstock’s article about giving If you want to write professionally
handwriting, but not fast enough The University of East Anglia books for Christmas (#97 and get guidelines on how to
10 Writers
’
FORUM #99
WF99JAN10.indd 1 24/11/2009 23:54:50
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