Sports Blogger

I have also seen advertised a sports blogger required, so I applied for that with a couple of blog posts from my training blog.

I have not heard anything back since then so I assume I did not get it but at least I am applying for writing stuff.I will do a follow up later to see if they have any comments about the work or why I did not get it.

My Race Report on Running Web Site

Parts of my race report have been included on the web site running magazine's editorial for the event. Also included is one of the photos I took which happens to be me at the end with the commemorative horse brass.

Out of the 1,300 word race report they included under 100 words but also included some details of the place names which did make it read better.

They are doing a 2 page article in the next issue of the magazine so I may be included in that.

Marathon Scribbles

Late the other night I wrote my race report and emailed it directly to the online editor of the running magazine that I am a subscriber to along with some photos I took during the event. Before the event they asked for some people to write a race report for the online section of the magazine, so I replied back to this request.

I got a reply back from the person which seems encouraging as it was not a rejection message, I should know in the next few days if they have used any of the stuff I sent them.

I think the amount of fresh sea air that day must still be affecting me as the race report was 1,365 words, that's 52 words per mile. Also the 40 photos I took averages out as one every 2/3 mile (1 km), some of which are the more arty type which they often use in the magazine.


Also while on my sight seeing tour of Hastings I was chatting to a few runners as I went around. One of them I recognised the club as part of the cross country league that my running club is in, so I started talking to her. It turns out she is the editor of a new free running magazine launching this month. So I have since emailed her asking if she would want a report and photos of the race for that magazine.

Oh yeah I completed it in just under 5 hours.

No longer doing NaNoWriMo

Due to the lack of preparation before the event including writing skills plus also due to other training and time management issuea I have decided to not continue with NaNoWriMo this year.

Next year I will plan better and will have longer to improve my writing skills.

Although I have continued to write entries for my writing and my training blog including race reports.

This experience was good as I can see the comparisn between writing and running. As you would not run a marathon with only training to 5km, although technically it is possible it would be painful and not advisible.

Finally Started NaNoWriMo 08

Nearly 2 days into NaNoWriMo 2008 I have finally started and done a massive 40 words. Now I know I should have done some preparation before the event started.

Typically I now also have a more stuff planned for in November, so I will have to increase my word count per day when I am able to write.

Plus I have still yet to write on my other blog about the Marathon I did last Monday.

I can see how time management and reducing distractions will be important this month.

Blogging improving your writing

I have come across this article about blogging improving your writing.

It has 5 good points which all mike sense to me plus the comments add extra details as well.

It is worth a read prehaps it will help with your writing.

Taking part in NaNoWriMo 08

This year I have decided to take part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).







The basic aim is to write a novel of 50,000 words during November. That's about 1,300 words per day which is more than I have written in a single piece of work.

I will try and blog my progress and thoughts about the process during the month but I may be all out of words.

I have added a counter image to the side which will show my progress throughout the month.

Google Books

Google Books is now accepting submissions from non ISBN books. So I have uploaded a book that I have done on LuLu.com.

After getting over the initial screen which they have yet to update for the non ISBN books it takes a few weeks for either to get included. Then you had settings such as link to buying the book elsewhere.

So hopefully in a few weeks I may see it on google books.

Meet Colin

After a heavy night on the town Colin felt rough and looked even worse. When he woke up in the morning he wondered how on earth he ended up sleeping in a bush!!


That was from a home work about a cone from the writing club. Below was the inspiration for this when I was on a lunchtime walk.

Result of Txt Lit March

Included is a link to the results of the March competition about flood.

Entered Txt Lit Competition

This morning I entered this months Txt Lit writing competition.

Which you have 154 characters (including spaces and punctuation) to write something on the topic of flood on a mobile.

I created mine at about 11:30pm last night while lying in bed dozing of to sleep. My mobile was next to my bed so I put my writing in last night making only a few changes this morning before sending it of.

Txt Lit Entry

With the pitter patter of the rain drops on the window pane. You could see the river flood its banks all over the fields again. Oh I wish I was in Spain!

Airwolf Competition

I watched part of the Airwolf day on DMAX channel today. I did not win for the episode I picked to write about.

However I did learn I should do my research before writing. As instead of just going on the episode title I should have viewed it first as there were some key moments during the episode.

Crime Writing Show on UK TV

On the BBC this week they are a showing a program called "Murder Most Famous" which is about 6 "celebrities" writing for a place to writing a crime novel.

I have not thought of writing a crime novel but the tips given so far make sense I can see how it would fit together, may even give it go.

Write an Intro for Airwolf

In the UK the DMAX channel (a Discovery Channel) had a competition to write an intro for an episode of Airwolf for their Airwolf Day, with a maximum of 30 words.

Which I have entered.

Not to give too much away, my entry also included related reference to another 80's classic tv show.

It Worked

It worked blogging from Word.

It only added extra formatting at the start of the post and not every paragraph as in previous versions.

In addition to the issue with the images the categories cannot be added to the post from within Word.

Blogging Just Got Even Easier

I found out in a magazine that you can blog from within Word 2007.

So it is even easy now to blog my posts, plus I get the benefits of the spelling and grammar checking. This is subject to your opinion on how well the spelling and grammar functionality is within the latest Microsoft Word.

The only issue I can currently see is that my photo provider is not currently listed, so I would just have to add it after posting the blog item.

Hopefully this will work without adding all the extra non essential formatting characters that previous Word versions did when saving as a web page.

Review of my 10 Determinations for 2007

Reviewing my 10 Determinations for 2007 before setting this years later this month.

1) Ironman UK - I Completed it and I am now an Ironman.
2) Decluttered some but still room for improvement.
3) Time Management still has a lot of room for improvement.
4) Not writing as frequently as should be.
5) I have increased my writing skills but still have a lot more to learn.
6) Created some more short stories and other items on LuLu.
7) Only wrote some chapter headings.
8) Did some relaxation time including some yoga and pilates sessions.
9) Saved some money.
10) I actually gained wait this year despite doing a number of endurance running and triathlon events.