Monday 27 April 2015

Why Writing is Like Dancing


How fitting that for part four of my serial, Charlotte's War, illustrator David Young chose the scene with Charlotte and Denise doing the jitterbug at a dance. Why is that fitting? Well, because that's what I've been doing this weekend - not jitterbugging exactly but close, as my husband and I have just got back from our annual jive weekend at Warner, Hayling Island.

Those of you who have followed my blog since it started in 2012 will know that we are very keen dancers - in fact I've been dancing modern jive for over twenty years now! When I was younger, it used to be classes twice a week and a dance every weekend but over the years salsa, and more recently ballroom and Latin, have taken over as our dances of choice and, apart from the occasional local local dance, we tend to only jive now at this event. This is probably why we enjoy the weekend so much as it is like getting to know an old friend again.

If I show you the timetable, you'll see why I feel ready to sleep for a week.
Anything circled or underlined is a class we did... and that's just the Saturday classes. Sunday was just as full and, on top of that, there were dances each evening until the small hours to practise what we'd learned. The only problem was that each time we did a new class, we'd forget what we'd done in the class before!

The weekend wasn't all about jive, though. There was the opportunity to learn Social Foxtrot, West Coast Swing, Bollywood or Rumba if you wanted. Here's a picture of our lovely Milonga teachers, Andy and Samantha. Milonga is a bit like a fast tango and we've added some of their moves to our own repertoire.

I have to say, it was quite nice to have a proper break from writing, social media etc and be able to do nothing but dance and eat... did I mention the food? I'd better not as you might be jealous. What I will say, is that I'm not sure the dancing burnt off all the calories from the evening carvery!

Two, three rest... two, three rest... that's the rhythm of the Rumba class we took and in some ways it reminds me of my writing. I need those rest phases to get the energy back for the next spell of writing. It's also a bit like my publications. Last week, as well as my serial, I was lucky to have two stories in the People's Friend Special. It often happens that way and then there'll be a break. Here's the one I wrote called The Midnight Sun, which is set in Antarctica.

I hope you all have a good week. I'd planned to do some writing... but I think I'm off for a sleep!

21 comments:

  1. love Warner holidays. So much going on that I feel as if I need another holiday when I get back, though! And love dancing too...(as you know)

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    1. They really do look after you there, don't they, Annie.

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  2. Sounds like you had a terrific time, Wendy. Bit jealous now I know they're were classes on swing & Bollywood. I love Bollywood!
    But I have to say this re the illustration: is Charlotte dancing with a transvestite?

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    1. I didn't do that class but you would have loved it and you made me laugh about the picture - I think it's a shadow not a moustache!

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  3. You'll be on Strictly Come Dancing soon! Very soon! And you'll win. Have they had a writer on before?

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    1. Not that I know of. How I'd love to but I don't think I could be classed as a celebrity Lindsay!

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  4. Sounds like you had lots of fun. However much we enjoy writing, I think it's good to take a rest from it now and then.

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  5. I love to dance, too. It makes me happy. And yes, the rests are just as important as the movement, whatever you're doing.

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  6. Unfortunately I have two left feet and couldn't possible manage a rhumba or a salsa. However, I used to be pretty good at line-dancing. Does that count? :)

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  7. Tracy's comment about the transvestite made me laugh too...a lot! Wish I could dance, Wendy! (oh, I know I could learn but I don't have the patience!!). I have another non-writing friend called Wendy who also loves to dance! (she likes Ceroc)

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    1. Everyone called Wendy liked to dance (Btw Ceroc is just another name for modern jive)

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  8. Lovely to hear you had a good weekend, and I think you're right, we all need a break from writing to recharge. Dancing is such a fun thing to do too!

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  9. I am always envious of your dancing weekends, Wendy, but I wouldn't be able to keep up, nor do I have a husband who would enjoy it that much! However, it's lovely to hear about them and to read your dancing-themed stories.

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    1. I know I am very lucky to have a husband who dances too, Rosemary.

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  10. We go house and pet sit for our daughter every so often. The house is surrounded by fields and it's so restful. And I don't look at the computer or write at all. Just read and do 'holiday' things - and it's a wonderful break. So glad you enjoyed your weekend - sounds exhausting but such fun :-) x

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  11. Sounds like an active weekend Wendy! What a lovely hobby to have (or is it just a hobby, sounds like you're probably very good at it!), and it's something you can do together too.Congrats on all of your recent publications :-)x

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  12. Sounds like a lovely weekend, Wendy xx

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