Tuesday night at 7:30pm Bangkok Time, we do our final Write Night of the current series. Then, we go on hiatus as we rethink our current slate of programs and roll out new initiatives (interested in writing with a wine and chocolate sampler overlooking the beach?).

Also, our dear Sarah Seymour is leaving the island so we will see what happens with the current “Rise & Write” Wednesday morning writer meetups. In recent months, we went to Kali, Footprints, and other local cafes to write, meet, and connect. 

Here is the posting for our last Write Night of the series. 

Here are the next Write Night subjects for our Tuesday night, 7:30pm Indochina Time events on May 18, June 1, June 15, and June 29. 

Finding the Time to Write

David Baldacci on how to become a writer while holding down a separate job. How to plan a text.

The Elements of Story

Dan Brown on how to build a story; the use of conflict as a basic plot element.

Intrigue your Reader

James Patterson on creating scenarios that pull your readers along.  

Exploring Taboo and Darkness

Joyce Carol Oates on committing to what you want to write about; and how to break your craft out of your comfort zone.

Thank you to French poet Sophie Foucher for her lovely testimonial. I had the privilege to coach Sophie through the editing, design, and publishing of her poetry anthology Alchemy of Love. Each poem is in both English and her native French and features an original hand-painted illustration  For information on coaching, editing, publishing, and marketing services to take your book from concept to completion, check out my new www.Sandscribes.com partnership with Tom Vater and Henry Roi. 

“Brian has been my Jiminy Cricket to help me finish my first work as an author and artist. He was guiding me the all time, and I could go where I needed to go in the process of this work without any hesitation. 

“He supported not only the flow of my work but also giving very beneficial advice on marketing ideas. He made the connection for me to get a graphic designer and supervised all the work also in this field. He did my proof reading in English and still gave me marketing and strategy advice till now. I’m so grateful I met him for my first project, because he had removed all limitations to realise the finishing product. 

“He is specialised in self-publication so the distribution part is through Amazon (in my case). 

“Brian was also with when I first give a lecture of my book in front of an audience and today I can lecture during book festivals with ease. 

“He is enthusiastic, realistic, find solutions fast, he is reliable, affordable, super communicative, and funny. 

“Beside, the book project, I also met an amazing human being and working together was a source of joy and immense pleasure. That also inspire me a lot to work in this way now. 

“Cannot wait to collaborate again with him from his tropical island Koh Phangan!”

To check out the book, go to https://www.amazon.com/Alchemy-Love-poems-dreams-about/dp/171109787X

We are all storytellers. Imagining the world, then sharing our tales through the written and spoken word is our genetic heritage. Come join Writers of Koh Phangan each Tuesday night at Orion’s waterfront Beach Shala for an evening of communing, writing, and sharing. Every level of writing experience welcome, including non-native English speakers. We learn, we swap ideas, and we have a ball writing and sharing on a theme, from a prompt. Bring something to write on, then shuffle in to the shala next to the restaurant, grab a mat and a bolster or two, and leave with a new story.

In my coaching experience, while talking to aspiring writers who have a book in them, anxious to find a path forward, I often encounter a mysterious phenomenon. For a period, the idea percolated but there was not the sense of urgent drive that, suddenly, appeared, motiving the writer to act. That drive becomes too fierce to ignore and, though there is some sense of being overwhelmed, mystified at the process of starting the task, there is invariably joy and passion in the pursuit.

And then, there is a choice. To act, or to to wait for some time in the future, when execution of the task might be more convenient. In my experience, if one does not act when that passion is still fresh, it will wane. It might return, but likely will not. Why? I believe we signal something important to our psyche when we act. We tell it this is important, and so one’s inner resources, call them what you will, are activated, allowing a more forceful setting aside of distractions and doubts. We have the enthusiasm and intention to stay on the path. When we choose not to act, we send another message to ourselves, this is not important, and thus other priorities, various mundane activities get in the way. That’s why I like this quote so much.

Here’s another:

When the impetus to write a book or produce a completed creative work arises, act on it or that passion vanishes. It’s sapped of its power, and power is needed to produce something of enduring value. If you have never heard Oliver read, here she is with a favorite of mine, Coleman Barks, famous for his popular and delightful interpretations of the Persian poet Rumi.