Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness
John Keat’s poem To Autumn is one of the greatest ode’s for this season of harvest which also holds the promise of Spring even as it moves towards Winter.
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - September 15, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Creative Writing poetry prompt writing prompt Source Type: news
The hero ’ s journey a metaphor for coaching?
One universal story…
In his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces- originally called How to Read a Myth- is found a description of the hero’s journey (Campbell cites examples like Jason and Prometheus):
“A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.” (1,p23)
Joseph Campbell’s seminal book is well known for inspiring George Lucas and his Star Wars epic, as well as many other novels and f...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - September 14, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Life coaching Source Type: news
Green Man reminding
The Green Man is a sacred symbol of death and rebirth often found in religious buildings on the pew ends or up in the stonework.
Although the name appears to be modern, the green man has been celebrated in festivals for hundreds of years at least in representations such as Jack in the Green and Green George first mentioned in the 18th Century. It’s worth remembering that although figures like this may have been relatively recently referred to in writings it’s not unreasonable to assume they have been a feature of life from pre-Christian times when the population was more likely to venerate the natural world aro...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - September 8, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Creative Writing picture prompt writing prompt Source Type: news
In conversation with Laura Besley
Laura Besley was a finalist in the short story category in Hysteria 2020, a reader for Hysteria 8 and a reader for Hysteria 9 as well. She is a full-time mum to two young boys and squeezes her writing time into the bookends of her day.
She has recently been listed by TSS Publishing as one of the top 50 British and Irish Flash Fiction writers with her story ‘On Repeat’ (Reflex Fiction). Having lived in Holland, Germany and Hong Kong, she now lives in land-locked central England and misses the sea. Her flash fiction collection, The Almost Mothers, was published in March 2020 and her collection of micro fiction, 100neHun...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - September 3, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Podcast author interview hysteria 2021 hysteria 2022 hysteria 8 hysteria readers Source Type: news
In conversation with Laura Besley
Laura Besley was a finalist in the short story category in Hysteria 2020, a reader for Hysteria 8 and a reader for Hysteria 9 as well. She is a full-time mum to two young boys and squeezes her writing time into the bookends of her day.
She has recently been listed by TSS Publishing as one of the top 50 British and Irish Flash Fiction writers with her story ‘On Repeat’ (Reflex Fiction). Having lived in Holland, Germany and Hong Kong, she now lives in land-locked central England and misses the sea. Her flash fiction collection, The Almost Mothers, was published in March 2020 and her collection of micro fiction, 100neHun...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - September 3, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Podcast author interview hysteria 2021 hysteria 2022 hysteria 8 hysteria readers Source Type: news
Autumnal pleasures
The seasons I love most are Spring and Autumn, the elbows of the year that mark the passage from Summer and Winter and which are usually the most benign and pleasant of months.
This month’s word has a selection of words which have a flavour of Autumn about them and which represent some of the activities and traditions associated with this time of year. As with all word squares, the aim is to choose one word from each column and weave them into a story, a piece of flash fiction, a poem or even a first paragraph that sets the scene for the reader. If you feel inspired you could do what Lesley Mason did with last month&...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - September 1, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Creative Writing word square wordsquare writing prompt Source Type: news
Why personal thinking matters when it comes to changing behaviour
If you’re unsure what ‘personal thinking’ is just sit back for a moment and allow your mind to empty (as far as it’s able to), watch the thoughts flow in and out, spot the ones that settle and hang around for a while and then see what happens when something else catches your attention.
Personal thinking is something we humans are surrounded by every single minute of every single day; whether we are awake or asleep our world is full of the thoughts going through our heads in a constant stream of ‘awareness’.
Right now, I’m trying to work out how to construct a post that conveys the ...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - August 31, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Technology 3 principles coaching Source Type: news
Spooky action
Time, the greatest challenge of our lives and the greatest illusion. Why is it that time goes slowly when we don’t want to be where we are, and fast when joy and happiness are spread around us?
Each week in August I’ve been encouraging you to look to the greats for inspiration and today is no exception. And it’s also another first. This week I’ve chosen one of my favourite poems and invite you to consider what images, ideas and imaginings arise when you read it?
Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and ligh...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - August 25, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Creative Writing poetry prompt writing prompt Source Type: news
Death of an attachment
It occurred to me earlier this week that I was seeing the death of an attachment.
I have a life (as all of us do) outside of my employed work and mine often involves writing and author interviews. And, when I get an email request for an interview I used to send a reply with a Word attachment containing instructions and sometimes a set of questions.
My process worked well until it didn’t; the document came back and it was a simple matter of copy, pasting and editing to get the info onto the website, along with the video (if it’s a podcast). Simple.
But then I had a glitch in the system. One of my authors couldn&...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - August 21, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Technology digital wisdom Source Type: news
The sun shines on Parkgate
Inspiration can strike anytime, anywhere. It can be overhearing something in a cafe, a well written paragraph in a novel or a line from a poem. For me, I’m often struck by ideas when listening to music.
This month all my writing prompts are about begging, stealing or borrowing from great artists. And today, I’d like to introduce something a little different with a challenge to be inspired by this favourite of mine, Sunshine On My Shoulder by John Denver.
What does this song inspire you to create? Is it a poem, a story, a memory? Why not leave your inspiration in the comments below. You could even use it as a st...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - August 18, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Creative Writing song prompt writing prompt Source Type: news
How to be a rockstar blogger – part 5
Write consistently – themes, timing, timeless
The best tip I can give you about becoming a Rock Star Blogger is to write consistently both in time and subject. Writing on your blog on a daily basis is a must for those starting out if you want to have a chance of competing with others in your field. If you can’t do it daily, then you need to be thinking in terms of several times each week. Once a week is a poor third and it will take you much longer to reach any goals you have set yourself.
When I ran the Hysterectomy Association I would write on a daily basis for the first five years, remember this was the early ...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - August 17, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Writing Business blogging rockstar blogger Source Type: news
Of many a smutch ’d deed reminiscent
Welcome to my final blogpost as the 2022 Hysteria Writing Competition’s Writer In Residence. Over the last few posts, I’ve written about following the guidelines, getting started, and revising and editing your creative writing. In the last blog, one of the things I talked about was what to do with a piece that just isn’t quite there, with lots of suggestions for developmental edits. I promised that for this blog, I’d write about a different kind of revision process, often called ‘polishing’ a piece, and titling your work.
Since writing that most recent blog post, I’ve read more than 100 stories for a ...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - August 15, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: El Rhodes Tags: Hysteria hysteria 2022 writer in residence Source Type: news
Lady Convolvulus
Almost every year for the past ten years there has been a Hysteria Writing Competition. Back in 2012 it was for short stories and poetry and has since then included flash fiction. And every cover reflects one of the category winners entries.
Sticking with this month’s theme of being inspired by greatness, I thought it would be interesting to see what other writers make of the base cover image from Hysteria 1.
The cover of Hysteria 1 was inspired by the poem Lady Convolvulus by Abigail Wyatt
Pretty as a picture in white and pink,
Lady Convolvulus lifts up her head;
the jewels of the morning adorn her cheeks
and her gr...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - August 11, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Creative Writing picture prompt writing prompt Source Type: news
Beat boredom by creating meaning at work
There is no doubt about it, most people, when pressed would say that they would rather do something that interested them than bored them.
But what exactly does ‘interested’ mean. I would hazard a guess that at some level it is about creating something meaningful within the context of a working day. I’m fortunate of course, as are many entrepreneurs, we are often doing the things that have meaning for us; we have even built businesses around those things too. Passion, it seems is the order of the day for us, because typically you don’t have an entrepreneur who has no passion for the business he or s...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - August 10, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Life work Source Type: news
Inspired by greatness
According to T. S. Eliot “Good writers borrow; great writers steal.” so this month we’re on a journey to borrow and perhaps steal from the greats who have gone before us as we are inspired by their greatness.
This month’s word is a set of words related to some of the classic writers whether for children, screen or adult. As with all word squares, the aim is to choose one word from each column and weave them into a story, a piece of flash fiction, a poem or even a first paragraph that sets the scene for the reader.
My effort is below.
My attempts to be the next Enid Blyton were failing miserably. The words, ...
Source: The Hysterectomy Association - August 4, 2022 Category: OBGYN Authors: Linda Parkinson-Hardman Tags: Creative Writing word square wordsquare writing prompt Source Type: news
