Writing workshop Day 2

These last two days have included two main activities. Being taught about writing for publication and writing.

The first has covered topics like making your writing interesting, organisation, knowing your market, submitting for publication and writing in a Christian way.

The second has been more free choice. Most people here have one or more books they are currently working on. I do not. I do have a number of magazine articles I want to write. Some are stories I told while we visited churches on home assignment. So I’ve been working on those. I got a good first draft on two articles just today. Yesterday she asked us to write a story for quantity – so I wrote a 2 200 word true story in 1 ½ hours. I cannot remember the last time I wrote so many words on one day. I am not sure what I want to do with it now. But it was a fun challenge to write.

Last night our programme ended at 9pm, which is 10pm on my body clock, Hong Kong being an hour earlier than Tokyo. I was so pumped, however, that I didn’t turn my light out until two hours later. And only then because all room lights go out at that time. (This is a place they have youth camps and programmes at – a very useful feature, centrally controlled room lights, wish they’d had them at the campsites I was a leader at in Australia in my younger years). It is pretty usual for me to get wound up at conferences and camps. I am an extrovert after all. This writing business, though, gives a high that is quite impressive. I’m having a great time.

Tonight we have the option of doing a tiny bit of tourism, by way of a short break. We’re taking a ferry somewhere. It will be a lovely sight, all the lights at night. Hong Kong has amazing geography compared to Australia. Heaps of tiny islands and steep mountains. Like Japan most people seem to live close to the ocean. Unlike Japan most people seem to live in massive high rise buildings! Our accommodation is a bit up the side of a mountain. If the smog weren’t so bad it would be a beautiful view. But the darkness hides the murky atmosphere at night time and the twinkling lights on the tall buildings are magical. I forgot to bring the cable which connects the camera to the computer, so I cannot download photos for you to see. You’ll just have to wait.

So, while I’d planned to do some work tonight (our news/prayer letter, for example), I’ve decided to go on the trip. Other things will have to wait until later in the week. Breakfast is late, maybe I can squeeze some in before. Our rooms are light hours before breakfast, so I read for ages this morning before going and checking my email in the lobby (no internet in the rooms).

Now I rave. Good time to stop!