Category: Jacqui Lofthouse

Day 1430 mins planning + 1 hr planned writing What to do when you’re feeling uninspired, flat, empty? Get away from the desk. Go to the things which you know – or guess – will inspire you. Books, music, places, people . . . Get some outside stimulus. This is Jacqui’s advice, and I think… Continue reading Day 14: Understanding your Inspiration

Day 1230 mins gathering books + 30 mins reading + 30 mins planning + 1 hr planned writing Today, we are looking at the “imaginative transformation of simple fact” — aka researching your fictional world. Jacqui begins with the observation that no matter the fictional world, it is our grounding in it which matters. We… Continue reading Day 12: What about research?

Day 111 hr writing-related walk (inc. planning) + 1 hr planned writing + 10 mins gratitude journal (last one) Part II begins with a dive into the question of inspiration. How does inspiration work?  Does it come to you, or do you cultivate it? Is it gifted, or is it found? What does it even… Continue reading Day 11: How to write when you’re not writing

Part II has some juicy topics coming up, including “research”, “inspiration”, “plotting”, “editing”, and “a writer’s integrity”. I am intrigued . . . Let’s go! all course content copyright Jacqui Lofthouse thewritingcoach.co.uk

Reflection on Part I: Conquering Self-Doubt and Procrastination The first part of the course was aimed at curating a regular creative habit. Firstly, by setting various challenges to encourage us to approach our work in a different way. Secondly, by asking us to uncover some of the negative thinking which has sabotaged our previous efforts.… Continue reading Part I: Review

Day 1030 mins planning + 1 hr planned writing + 10 mins gratitude journal This is our last day of Part I: Conquering Self-Doubt and Procrastination. Jacqui has noticed that the “behind” mentality can stop us progressing overall. We feel like we’ve missed a step, which needs to be ‘made up’ before we can go… Continue reading Day 10: What happens if you get behind?

Day 930 mins planning + 1 hr planned writing + 1hr journal entry + 10 mins gratitude journal Today, we are invited to spot the difference between “truths” and “stories”: not the ones we put into the world, but the ones we tell ourselves. Many of our stories about ourselves masquerade as truths; especially if… Continue reading Day 9: Examine the blocks

Day 830 mins planning + 1 hr planned writing + 10 mins gratitude journal Today Jacqui introduces 10 reflections on writing fiction, one of which we will take forward into the exercise later. As always, I encourage you to try Jacqui’s course yourself. I won’t repeat all 10 points here,  because you can get them… Continue reading Day 8: Ten notes on writing fiction

Day 730 mins planning + 1 hr planned writing + 1hr journal entry + 10 mins gratitude journal Today, we are being encouraged to think big. Jacqui invites us to flip our limiting thoughts, into their radical opposite: what if there were no limits, and you could achieve your full potential? Not just as a… Continue reading Day 7: Think big

Day 630 mins planning + 1 hr planned writing + 10 mins gratitude journal  I really need this advice today. I presented what I thought was a decent first draft to my regular writing group, and it got taken apart. To be fair, I did ask them to. But careful what you wish for. Oof.… Continue reading Day 6: Getting it wrong