Write a scene where your character finds something unexpected in their pocket. Or, in the pocket of someone else...

Happy New Year, writers. I'm not going to tell you this is your year to finally finish that book. Or that you need to write every day. Or that you should have your goals mapped out. Instead, let's start gently. This weekend's creative spark: The First Pages New year. Fresh notebook. Blank screen. But no pressure. Your no-pressure exercise: Write for just 15 minutes about: "Something I want to pay attention to this year..." Not goals. Not resolutions. Just... attention. Maybe it's: - The way light changes through your window - Small moments of connection - The stories your body is telling you - What makes you feel alive - The questions you're sitting with Start where you are. Write what's true. Trust what emerges. Share in the comments if you feel called: What are you paying attention to? Or just drop a ☕ to let us know you're here and writing. Welcome to 2026. Your words matter here. 💫✨

You know what your writing might need right now? A little creative chaos. Sometimes our best work comes from giving ourselves permission to write something completely unexpected, slightly absurd, or delightfully strange. So, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to this weekend's creative spark: The Genre Mashup... Take your current project (or any story idea) and ask yourself: What if this story were told in a completely different genre? - Your memoir becomes a detective story - Your business book becomes a fairy tale - Your romance becomes a thriller - Your historical fiction becomes sci-fi The exercise: Pick one scene or chapter. Rewrite just the opening paragraph in your new genre. Try writing by hand if you like; that adds an extra layer of mash-up from typing. Notice what changes. Notice what stays the same. Notice what surprises you. You can do this for 5 mins, 15 mins, or longer if the mood takes you. You're not ruining your work - you're playing with it. And sometimes play reveals something your story or content has been trying to tell you all along. Share in the comments if you would like to: What genre are you mashing up? Bonus points for the most unexpected combination!

Firstly, l wish to say a BIG thank you to Tracy for inviting me to share details of my STIL course here, within our community. l've had the pleasure to work with Tracy since 2021, and l am deeply grateful for the support she continues to give on my book, workshops/courses, and more recently the STIL online course marketing! Following on from the success of the September session, l am excited to share news of another STIL online course! Taking place over two sessions, 21st and 28th November, l'd love to have you join me on this creative and interactive journey of self-discovery. Know friends, colleagues or family, who might have interest to embark on this fascinating adventure? Please feel free to share the link with them. Through this reflective and interactive journey, you will : - Map your life's flow - Discover hidden connections and patterns - Learn to recognise signs and synchronicities, move forward with trust and intention - Transform your perspective - Learn ways on how to re(connect) to flow - To save your spot, and to learn more, click on the STIL website link https://www.seeingtheinvisibleline.com/courses (Spaces are limited to enable a focused and more intimate environment.Enrolment closes 11.11.25, so if you wish to secure your spot, l encourage you sign up within the next few days). Thanks so much for reading, and for the welcoming creative spirit found within this writing community.

Let's shake things up a little this weekend. Sometimes we get so focused on ‘finishing’ our stories that we forget to ‘play’ with them. We forget that writing can be curious, experimental, a little wild. So here's your weekend creative spark: The 'What If?' Exercise. Take a scene you've already written—or one you're about to write—and ask yourself: *What if I flipped one thing?* What if it happened at night instead of day? What if the character said 'yes' instead of 'no'? What if the setting was completely different? What if the tone shifted from serious to absurd (or vice versa)? You're not rewriting your whole book. You're just playing. Exploring. Seeing what happens when you give yourself permission to try something unexpected. Here's the exercise: 1. Pick one scene (even a paragraph works). 2. Change *one* element—time, setting, tone, a character's choice, the weather, anything. 3. Rewrite it quickly. No editing. Just see where it takes you. 4. Notice what surprises you. You might discover something that makes your story stronger. Or you might just have fun. Either way, you win. Drop a comment and tell us: what are you flipping this weekend? 👇 Happy experimenting. ✨