charles barrow's writing

So the Rio Olympic Games end in a thunder of fireworks and celebrations. Team GB finish second in the medal table and come home with a record haul of medals. I have loved watching the Games. I have watched sports that I'd never have thought would grip me and I have been gripped. Amazing stuff. Now I have to return to real life and pick up my work-a-day routines. I realise, glumly, that if there was an Olympics for writers I wouldn't qualify, wouldn't even get picked for the team. My recent word output has been dismal. I'd better get back into training.

I had to be very patient and sit very still in order to get this Jackdaw to come close. I like a Jackdaw. They are strutting little characters. I  like their silvery cap and black face. Plus they have pale grey eyes which sometimes look blue in certain lights. In my current John Mann story (the one still in progress) I do have a character called Jack but not Jackdaw as I thought that was too on the nose. Photo is the author's own

August has come around more quickly than I'd planned for, but summer has finally arrived with it. Although, then, with that comes outdoorsy distractions, beach, country walks, and to top them all the Olympics kicks off and I can hardly tear myself away from the tv coverage. Still, I contine to stick to my eight minute work day morning routine of writing and editing. As stated previously this may not seem worth the while but it's surprising how much work I can get done. It keeps the progress ticking over and more importantly it keeps the story fresh in my mind, and at the forefront, so that when I do get a decent block of time, on a day off, I can really focus in on what needs to be done.