It’s difficult to feel positive when there’s so much going on in the world that’s dark. But there are things everyone can do to add positivity on a huge or small scale. When the world goes dark just look at all the people helping. Look at all the good the bad brings out. I’ve done a few things on the spur of the moment this week and that’s my message today – don’t wait! Sometimes you’re just in the right place in the right time to do the right thing, or do a good thing, or simply bring a smile or give a hug.
As writers our job is to entertain and inform. I’ve written a few factual articles in the past, but I prefer writing to entertain, setting a small message of hope within. One of those hopeful stories has recently been longlisted – it’s been a while since I submitted regularly and I love finding a new place to submit things to. Being longlisted – just that! – was such a buzz, as it’s been a while. It reminded me to keep writing, keep submitting. If the story goes on to be on a shortlist, all the better. I shall be ecstatic. This time it’s Cranked Anvil, a small indie press with lots of good stuff going on. See link below.
I like to vary where I send things; once I’ve had a story accepted somewhere, I tend not to go there again. I suppose it’s to spread my stories around more widely, but really I just like change and variety. That’s why I’m a teacher – you don’t get much more change and variety than working with over 100 teenagers each day! Some days 145 pass through my classroom, with all their individual moods and dramas and challenges. One of my goals at the moment is to understand what challenges they are facing on a global scale, think of the news they are hearing, and try to brighten their days and make them smile. As well as retrain them after the plague. I love my job, 99% of the time. On good days I feel I’m being paid to have fun. On bad days I wonder what on earth I am doing – teenagers can be lovely, but they can be exceptionally hard work, especially en masse. En gang. On those days a glass of wine or six helps and a good sleep and a will to start all over again the next day…
You’re only as good as your last lesson/story…. Learning to Bounce is good. It’s also much much easier in Spring. Bouncing in Winter I find extremely difficult. I find Winter difficult, but these days I get up and it’s light and I get home from work and it’s light and all that brightness lights me up. Thank god that winter is over. I hate wishing life away but Scotland in Winter takes ages. Next Winter I plan to start a full on exercise regime and be much stricter with myself to get the dark days done.
I talk to kids about what they want to do. Many don’t know. I knew I wanted to teach at 23, but I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was 5. It’s both a gift and a pain to have always had an ambition. Rejections come thick and fast, but I keep going. I do try not to write, when I get really fed up with it, but I can’t. I’ve just written a short story about meeting one of my heroes and sent it to him. He’s the only person that will see it. I write stories featuring my classes, and then read them out in class. One of the things all kids need is to be noticed. Making them a hero in a story is such a good way to get a smile!
It’s Sunday, it’s sunny, I’m doing what I can on a small and large scale.
We’re only here once, whatever it is you want to do, go for it. Don’t wait, don’t hesitate. Live it!
Emma J Myatt 