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| In my study; a quiet retreat, away from the world... |
It is a dull and foggy evening as I settle into my study to write this post. The daylight is giving way to dusk and I can hear the wind whistling down the chimney, mournful and melancholy. For the past few weeks I've been lost in my writing and studying. The psychotherapy course I am doing has gathered pace and as we head towards the end of another term, I am working hard to put together an interesting and informative Presentation, which I have to deliver to fellow students in a couple of weeks.
It is a nerve-wracking time. Public speaking is far outside my comfort zone so it is not something that I am looking forward to - I'm much better with book work. I tell myself that I should be able to do this quite easily - I've done lots of media interviews and gone live on the BBC, so a night school presentation really shouldn't be a big deal. But the shy-girl nerves rattle me nonetheless. I have approached this task as I would a journalistic assignment, so there has been lots of research and note-taking involved. I have also conducted an interview with a leading therapy organisation, which I really enjoyed. As an author it made a nice change for me to be the one asking the questions rather than answering them! Now all I have to do is write up the piece and practice my public speaking, ready for the presentation.
Also it is a long time since I had to write academically, so I am a little nervous about that too. I am a commercially published author, which means that my work is meant to be accessible. Academic writing is meant to be far less accessible because it reinforces the aloof clique of the Educated, separating them from the masses. It involves the use of lots of jargon and lingo, which I do remember from my previous University days, but which I have always found to be rather pretentious and I hate that kind of snobbery so I am trying to strike a balance in my course assignments between being true to my writer-self and meeting the academic criteria.
I wouldn't say that the course so far has been mentally taxing though...it's more my own unwillingness to conform to the ranks. I'm a Bruce, so I want to do things my way, but it doesn't really work like that and I have to abide by the rules, making myself sound like a super-smart-snob when I am anything but! I can see where people get the idea that certain professions facilitate a superiority complex - it is due to the jargon those professionals have been trained to use as normal language. I have to say though, that my vocabulary is being improved and that can only be good for my writing career!
When I haven't been writing for publishers, doing home-work or putting together the presentation I have been trying to enjoy some quiet me-time to help me relax and that's what I'm doing right now. I have a lovely Glade Honey&Chocolate candle burning, with a Yankee Honey&Spice tart simmering away. My house smells warm, cosy and a bit like a chocolate shop! As soon as this post is up I'm going to make a cup of tea and curl up with a novel and my cat, Pyewackett, for a snug night in.
Whatever you are doing tonight I wish you a great weekend!
BB Marie
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