Improv, letter-writing, and hiding from reality 🤡💌 [Friday Goodie Bag]

“I’m Alexis Rose!” I trilled, as I booped a complete stranger on the nose.

Laughs around the room and I breathed a sigh of relief and launched into a story about how I used to be engaged to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia until I was kidnapped by pirates.

The man on the “park bench” next to me nodded and asked if I’d like to come watch his football team play.

*END SCENE*

Improv is so much fun.

On Sunday, I spent the day in Cheltenham with Comic Sans Script on their beginner’s improv intensive course with 20 other misfits and it was so cool if totally anxiety inducing.

I’m always on the lookout for new writing and speaking and creativity and performance skills and workshops, so I jumped on this when it cropped up on Meetup.

To be honest, I was also spying — because there’s nothing like this where I live, and I want to start an improv group. But I don’t really know anything about it other than the online course I did during lockdown and years of watching Who’s Line Is It Anyway?

So I went to find out, and learn stuff, and I mentioned my plans and CSS immediately offered to help me set it up.

People are kind and helpful and fun, especially groups whose aim is literally just to play.

Playtime for grownups, that’s how someone described Sunday afternoon, and they were right.

It’s the weekend now, so make me a promise, dear reader.

Make yourself a promise, too.

Promise me you’ll find some playtime over the next couple of days.

Do something silly, or fun, or something you’ve never done before.

While the kettle is boiling, imagine you are the kettle filled with bubbles.

Dance, kettle, dance!

What does all this have to do with writing? EVERYTHING. Doing new things fires our neurons, makes new connections in our brains. We can’t think well if we’re sat in the same place all day. Creativity doesn’t work like that.

Move your body as much as you can.

Do something weird.

Get uncomfy.

Write.

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This girl from Gaza and her senior year in America

Every year, the Yes program pulls dozens of kids from around the world into a student exchange in the States. In September 2023, 13 teenagers from Gaza arrived in America to do their senior year, fully expecting to go home afterwards. This episode of This American Life follows Majd, one of the girls on the exchange, and tells her story of the war from the perspective of a child separated from her family and not knowing what was happening at home.

​Listen here.

The not-so-lost art of letter writing

If you’ve ever been a client of mine, or a friend, or someone who has somehow given me their address, you’ll know I adore sending letters and postcards and stuff through the post.

So when I read an article in The Idler magazine about Dinah Johnson, who founded the Handwritten Letter Appreciation Society from her garden shed, I was thoroughly delighted. Her organisation has 1,692 members in 36 countries, which is pretty damn cool.

If you don’t really consider yourself a writer, but you’d like to be, start with a letter. Or even a postcard. You’ll delight whoever you send it to.

Just don’t do one of those terrible round-robin “here’s all the things I am doing to keep up with the Joneseses” versions.

Tell a funny story, share something you know the recipient will love, or let them know why you’re thinking about them right now.

How to do B2B better

I do love Dave Harland’s work on LinkedIn. He’s a funny copywriter. And extremely good at what he does. So when I saw he’d shared this genius storytelling lesson for B2B marketers, I had to share it with you.

Flip through all the slides because the story itself is hilarious but the 3 little lessons at the end — most business owners need to hear them, understand them, and DO THEM.

This uplifting song by Yard Act

Thank you to Marc Thomas for WhatsApping me this tune out of the blue just because he thought I might like it and it’s uplifting. I do like it and it IS uplifting.

Also the video is great, reminds me v much of 90s Britpop vibes.

Word of the day is…

Latibulate.

And I think this a concept we can all get behind right now.

It’s an 18th century word that we need to bring back because it means “to hide in a corner in an attempt to escape reality”. Perfect Autumnal timing too because I’m in my Blanket Goblin Era. Join me?

What I’m reading

During our ADHD Rambles podcast chat Vicki LaBouchardiere mentioned the book Dopamine Detox by Thibaut Meurisse and because it’s a MicroBook and it’s bright yellow in my brand colours, and it’s about dopamine which I am interested in because my brain struggles with it, I bought a copy.

It’s only 60 pages long. It’s giving me some techniques to help me remove distractions and get my brain to do hard things, including how to break up with my smartphone, which I am in an abusive relationship with.

It’s an easy read!

What I’m writing

I’ve just completed the Reader Journey for my next MicroBook, which is called Kickstart Your Book. I’m very excited about it because the workshop it’s based on is always a big hit. It’s going to be part workbook and contain doodles of questionable quality.

If you’d like to get on the waiting list and be the first to know when I publish it, click here.

That’s all folks! Happy Friday and enjoy your weekend.

If you do anything interesting or see anything interesting, please share it with me!

p.s. I’m looking for 2 people to work with me in Book Coach In Your Pocket before Christmas. Are you in?

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How to work with The MicroBook Magician

​Nonfiction Book Ghostwriting: Idea to book in just 20 weeks

​Buy My Book: How the hell do you write a book?

​VIP Book Breakthrough Day: Make a quantum leap in book progress in just one day

​Book Coach In Your Pocket: Your first draft done (or all but) in just 30 days

​MicroBook Magic: Write your MicroBook in just 8 weeks

​Creative Playground: Write every day + get advice, support, and bonus access to my workshops! (1 week trial for £1)

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