Getting to know Ellen

Call me nosy, but I certainly enjoy getting to know my fellow bloggers in this community. That’s what we are ‘a community.’

Let’s hang out with Ellen today. Thank you Ellen for allowing my intrusion 🙂

A Bit About Me

My name is Ellen, I am married we have four fully formed huge children, three from me and one from he. Best beloved and I  moved to the west country four years ago, giving the four children, four grandchildren, my Mother and two sisters and friends the opportunity to visit us, enjoy where we live…we are near the coast. We took very early retirement giving me the opportunity to be the wordy bird I am today, and to travel the world having adventures with the aforementioned best beloved.

I am often referred to as a bit of a loon or bonkers… but then the best people often are; so said Alice *smiles*. I am full of fun, a morning person who leaps up and attacks everything with vigour… (By everything I don’t mean ironing and mundane chores) I sing frequently though very badly, I talk continually unless writing reading or sleeping…. uh! I take that back because I am informed I talk whilst sleeping too. I can be heard saying “I am not a crafty or cutty sewey person” Make no mistake I can turn my hand to most things, except… * gives a filthy look* knitting; but unless I truly need to make or mend something I won’t.

Once someone described me very rudely as being like a psycho Tigger on crack! I live every day being the best me I can and am grateful for the life we have. My philosophy in life is to be the kindest person I can be and actively do one good thing; without recognition every day; if each of us did the world would be a nicer place.

Me and My Blog

My blog came about by realizing that publishing had changed and any writer would be expected to do some social media stuff; of which I was pretty rubbish at and still am learning today. I have never exposed my blog to family, though close friends and family know I have one. I want to be able to know that the followers, connections made and commenters are people who chose to do so because they have an opinion on the things I write and the way I write; not family and friends who may feel they have to. I believe you can also buy followers on twitter too, this isn’t for me and my bloody-mindedness probably shows in my figures; but at least I am true to myself and my work.

My blog is that of a writer experimenting with genres and form. Visitors should be prepared to not be prepared…not to presume what my response will be to a prompt or a flash fiction. My poetry takes hold and sometimes I hear things in rhyme so answer that way. In life, I learned to deliver a tongue in cheek response, so I often find the most difficult of things easy to lay out in a poem, rap or a rhyme.

In my blog, between the lines squirreled away… are pieces of me. Amongst the words, plaited neatly in, I can be found. Hidden but on show, where no one can see; is my story. We all call on past experiences to form and fill in, but I am hiding me in full view and who knows maybe that is what enables me to write.

How I keep motivated and the blog going.

Now, Jaqueline, that is a question,

I struggle when we go away which is often off grid, but as a norm, I try to have a couple of posts ready in the wings. Often we can pick up some internet when food shopping, enough to send the odd scheduled post, but I do feel guilty sometimes if I haven’t been posting.

If your readers look at my about page you will see that my blog is how I take a break from editing my novel or working on a piece for a competition. Perverse I know “She is procrastinating from writing… by writing”

I pick up prompts and experiment with genres. Each prompt is taken as a gauntlet thrown down; a personal challenge as if the blogger is saying “go on then give this a go… if you dare”. Jane Dougherty is one who challenges me often and will say something like “go on make it nasty” and the prompt will be a picture from an innocent fairytale. Here’s one I made earlier as they say. WARNING! Expect gore.    https://ellenbest24.wordpress.com/2016/12/14/microfictionchallenge26/

Here is a link to Jane’s blog if your visitors want to read some skilled writing.

https://janedougherty.wordpress.com/  and as you know Jackie… can I call you Jackie? I feel we know each other well enough. As I was saying there is a host of prompters yourself included, Sue Vincent, The Friday fictioneers, I dip in and out of them often to be inspired and motivated.

Occasionally I will review a book or put some music on my blog just because I enjoy showing the things that I like. I probably should be more uniform as most others are but I like to be different unique I say.

My Challenge As A Writer

As a person who writes my biggest challenge has been and maybe always will be; self-belief.

My Word To Others

Yes, I hope just being here does just that. As long as you are writing first to please yourself everything else is a bonus. If photography is your thing or crafting, cooking whatever it is, just write it, compile it for you; if it is good enough for you then post it.

It is great for the brain and you virtually meet some wonderful bloggers and can read until your heart is content. I get disheartened when I comment on blogs but don’t get the comments or follows returned.  I see comments as my wages,  payment for my words, my imaginations;  I feel it is respectful to leave something,  so they know you enjoyed their work or the post you have read; commenting should be compulsory.

Spend The Day With Me

I get up about 5.30/6 am to wash and mostly pull on clean PJ’s well who wants clothes at that time. I drink lemon and water; a pint hydrates me and flushes toxins; I have practiced this for years. Then I make a cup of tea (probably three) and go to work on my WIP; upstairs in my office come spare room. I will work for probably four hours then go downstairs to check emails on my tablet. Next, I respond to any comments on my blog then go to the reader on WordPress. I list if there are any prompts that I want to participate in and take my notebook and pencil/pen to the kitchen. The kitchen is where I kick off any footwear and warm my feet on the under floor heating, I eat my yummy homemade muesli and of course more tea, I brew the bed monster his coffee. After housework (we have to show willing) depending on where I am writing wise, I either go back to the office or take the laptop down to the living room to continue. I will sometimes keep at it well into the night but on Other days a morning of writing enough. A friend calls by three mornings a week and we tramp through fields and over styles, laugh and be fools for six or seven miles then I come home and flop in a bubble bath to recuperate.

We go away a lot and writing comes too, along with our bikes (another story for another day) the motor home a trailer with Alfie on top.

Looking To Tomorrow

I am editing my manuscript at the moment and will be seeking an agent in the near future.  Thank you for letting me blether away but you were warned I can talk.