Haworth, a place like no other.

Hi, friends

Recently I visited a beautiful place called Haworth, which isn’t very far from where I live in Yorkshire. I remember the exact moment I fell in love with the place. It happened during one of my English Literature classes when my lovely teacher who so encouraged me to write, gave me a copy of Wuthering Heights.

I took the book home and read it. My teacher had given me an incredible gift. It was a piece of literary treasure which has stayed with me since. She opened up a world to me which I had never imagined or experienced before.

I developed an intense passion and love for Haworth, Wuthering Heights and an admiration and awe for everything Bronte. I would and still do, drink in anything about Haworth or Emily Bronte.

During a school visit to Haworth, it felt amazing. I remember walking up the cobbled path and taking in the beautiful view but I never went up onto the moors. 

This time when I went to Haworth, I felt an even greater affinity with the place. It has such an incredible atmosphere. After looking in some wonderful vintage shops I went to the place I have always had a yearning to visit, the moors.

I don’t think it is possible to put into words how beautiful the moors are. The beauty of certain places can’t be described, it has to be felt. I stood and looked out at the breathtaking view before me and felt such a calm. I imagined Emily Bronte, sat up on the moors, writing her book. I imagined Heathcliff and Cathy, the characters from the book.

From where I was stood, I could see, Top Withens. 

I felt incredibly emotional. It was such an overwhelmingly moving experience for me.

Everything felt truly magical.

Not only are the people so warm and very kind, but Haworth is such a beautiful and inspiring place. For me it is a place like no other. Although I love so many other places and countries, Haworth is very special to me.

“I wish that all of nature’s magnificence, the emotion of the land, the living energy of a place could be photographed.” ~ A. Leibovitz.

I don't own the image below. Had to borrow it off the internet because none of my photo's reflect just how beautiful Haworth is. 

Thank you for visiting, dear friends.

Happy Writing!

The Beauty of Rejections

Hi, friends

For a writer, getting a rejection is one of the hardest things to deal with. It is one of the worst feelings in the world, receiving a letter or an e-mail from publishers telling you, thanks but no thanks.

Speaking from my own experiences of getting that dreaded ‘R’, a feeling of worthlessness as a writer invades you. Your grip on positives starts slipping real fast and without even realising it, you are cloaked in doubts about your abilities as a writer.

You don’t feel like cooking or cleaning (well maybe not cleaning, I don’t like doing that on most days anyway!) and all you feel like doing is eating and wallowing over how your writing is not worthy of publication. 

You go on a hunt for food. You reach for the twenty four variety pack of crisps, any flavour will do because the thing inside of you that needs feeding isn’t bothered about flavour or taste, it just needs to be fed. You crave chocolates and plenty of it! 

After an episode of manic eating you slump down on the sofa and mull over why your work wasn’t accepted and you tell yourself that thinking you could become a writer was and is wishful thinking.

I say, allow yourself to feel miserable, let it out, there’s nothing wrong with allowing yourself to feel.

After a while, maybe days, something incredible begins to happen. You might be watching your favourite movie or any movie, you might have just read a book, or read a quote or even actively researched authors who too, have had rejections before becoming successful. Slowly you start to snap out of this cloak of doubt you’ve been wearing, a cloak which you thought would never come off again, begins to lift. 

A fire in your belly becomes ignited and a feeling of, “I am not going to give up!” starts to filter in. “I can do this!”  You tell yourself. Gradually you put yourself back on the path you were walking before, of trying to realise your dream. You pick yourself up, brush yourself off and you start on your journey of achieving what your heart is set on.

Write that best seller or that Oscar winning play, because it’s there inside of you. Don’t be afraid to show your own true voice. Write the way which inspires you, write from your heart. Allow your essence as a writer to shine. You are unique.

Do whatever you have to do to reach your goal because it is there, right in front of you waiting to be reached.

The flames of passion for what you love doing most may wane sometimes, but they will never go out.

The beauty of a rejection is that it makes the taste of success that much sweeter.

Happy writing, my friends.

Happy Writing