Late Night Writing

Whichever day of the week it may be, once the sun has dunked its head into the horizon and the night takes hold, my will to write becomes stronger.

My imagination becomes more vivid and my thoughts become clearer. I'm not saying I can't and won't write during the day, ofcourse this is the case. However it all seems to fit together better under the metaphorical sheet of darkness that night brings, or perhaps the more real duvet.

Why is this? Is it because the internal bodyclock is trying to relax and therefore the thoughts of the day have dwindled away, leaving room for new ideas. Although the silence and calm can also lend well, especially when in a busy home.

Whatever the reason, if writing at night does anything, it eventually sends you off to sleep and if your lucky, some rather interesting dreams!

Modern Society: Have we lost the plot?

I recently learnt of primary schools in the area that actively look to not give their students (children) first place medals. Whether this be for their work, a sports day or whatever else may come by. The reasons behind this? To ensure that the other children who didn't place first do not feel inferior.

Is this the politically correct, 'we can't insult or degrade anyone in society' gone mad? I would think that a child learning the feeling and value of defeat is one of the most fundamental learning curves a child could take. The children who do not learn these essential drawbacks surely do not have a true grasp on what life is really like and the true, sometimes hefty, pitfalls it brings.

With the way the world is developing and has done in the past years, it appears it is only going to get more competitive. So, in order to be able to compete in this modern world, surely we need to expose our children to this, and not 'wrap them up in cotton wool'.

I'm not saying to go hardcore on these children. I just think modern society has it ways of doing what it thinks is right and convinces itself to that fact, when in actual fact, it is only narrowing our children's focus, vision and understanding.

Blogging vs Writing

I realise as I write this of the sheer irony it creates. The difference between the blog and of writing itself can be extreme, but can also be relatively indifferent, I guess it depends on the blogger themselves.

Writing a short story or book requires thought, and lots of it. Teamed with hoards of imagination, willpower and of-course a willing and able skill with the language itself. Writing is a passion, a state of mind. It can take us to worlds that we never thought we could ever imagine. It's liberating, yet screams escapism. It's creative, yet largely private.

Blogging on the other hand is rather different. Blogs do not need a word count or (technically) any kind of structure or thought process. Due to this, they can act more as a distraction and degrade the skill of your writing as a whole (perhaps only in extreme circumstances..). 

Writing is a life-long skill which is never fully mastered, but you can happily blog after a few mere minutes. Can the two work productively together?

Watching A Film Before Reading The Book (or vice versa)

With the continual onslaught of new films coming out on a weekly basis, there seems to be a lack of creativity amongst the ideas and stories that are created these days. Resulting in the creation of films that have predictable plot lines and characters, and a story that I don't feel attached to.

With the exception of many, the majority of films seem like passable filler between more glamourous, thought provoking work. Why is this? Does the sheer volume of films outlaid these days mean that little work still results in a considerable paycheque? If this is so, then who buys into these films?

So brings me to my point. Films that tend to do the best are the films that are based on books. The ideas, the creativity and full plot are all already there, ready to be pixated onto the big screen. From our imagination, we can see for ourselves how near our imagination was to that of the author, or perhaps the film director.

However, does reading the book prior to watching the film create unrealistic expectations and possible imminent disappointment? I have found this recently with 'The Hobbit'. Having read the book I was excited to see how this was conveyed onto the big screen. Although it is a rather good film, I was left feeling slightly deflated about the whole thing. This is purely because i had read before I watched.

The End Of The Bookstore?

Could it be true? Are we on an inevitable course towards the demise of our trusty bookstore?

If it wasn't bad enough for the sole trading bookstore with the development of major chains such as WH Smith and Waterstones, the continuing onslaught of e-books is no doubt harming this sector considerably.

The one and only reason I buy the e-book as opposed to the real thing is for easy reading in bed. Countless times I've felt inclined to read my book in bed but have been unable to. This being because I'm unable to keep the bedside light on, or even use a specialised book light, as this is also too bright for my other half. It also takes up less room ofcourse. The e-book simply works.

Whilst the e-book is the practical choice, the traditional paper version cannot be beaten and its a real shame its being faded out as time goes on.

Is it the imminent end for the bookstore. If not now but in many years time..