My favourite mentor - before the term was invented

Years ago I worked with a woman whose life was and still is long after her death, an inspiration to me. She had a 'can do' attitude which for her included taking her children to live in France while her husband was in the navy and starting an antiques business at the age of 57.

It would have been her birthday today and since occasionally I have wobbles about what I'm doing with the Writer's Little Book Club, she's been in my mind quite a lot recently. She pushed and poked and prodded me to try things and long before I ever thought of going into business told me that I should do it.

She was one of those people who despite what was happening in her own life always had something fun to say to encourage other people.

So thanks Madame for all your inspiration and I still feel you egging me on.

Who was your favourite mentor?

Wacky words

Gamut

Means the whole range, especially coming from the musical scale.

Dorothy Parker once remarked of Katherine Hepburn that "She runs the whole gamut of emotions from A to B"

Political absurdity by Jimmy Carter in Writer's Almanac

www.writersalmanac.publicradio.org. I've mentioned Writer's Almanac before but if you haven't found it yet then I recommend it

Everyday I'm reminded of writers famous and not so famous with poems and pieces of their work. Today a short poem by Jimmy Carter about the absurdity of votes for the dead. Yes really.

I can't reproduce the poem here without permission so I recommend you take a look.

Writer's block - a tip to clear it

Sometimes I just feel overwhelmed by words. And when I get to that point I simply can't write.

So following on from David Bach's advice I have a clear out and tidy up. I've just been through my filing cabinet disposing of unwanted records and long out of date files.

It feels so good and I feel virtuous with my clear desk and tidy cabinet. Tomorrow I'll be able to see the wood for the trees with my current writing project.

Story telling in non-fiction

What's the use of story telling in business books?

If we were lucky then right from our earliest memories there were stories. 'Once upon a time' is the most exciting opening for a child to hear. What's next? What will the story be today?

We don't lose that need for stories. Because I can travel for free on my local buses, I'm often on the bus surrounded by people telling stories. About what's happened to them. About what they've heard. And about the things that concern them the most.

If we ignore that when we think about writing business books, we're mssing a real opportunity to help people relate to what we're offering them by identifying similar challenges and solutions to their own.

At the moment I'm helping my colleague Babu Basu with a book for one of his clients. It's about the story of this man's upbringing and business life seen through his mother's dismissal of his talents and potential.l

And it's a great read because it's full of stories. There are very few people who haven't been rejected at some time. In childhood, in school, in work or in love. We can all relate to the feelings of rejection.

So even if you think you're not a natural story teller, just mull over the stories of how you've helped clients solve problems and think how you can weave those into your sales and marketing.

Wacky words

Lounge lizard

I love this phrase - it reminds me of the villains in all the 1930s romantic films. Men with sleeked back black hair and striped suits.

Would fit well with lotharios and gigolos - looking for an easy life with a rich woman.

Bookshops and their future

Two weeks ago I spent a week in Mallorca including a visit to Palma. Lovely city and a great place to linger.

What struck me walking round was the number of bookshops. Coming from Nottingham where a decent bookshop is becoming harder to find (Waterstone's aside), it amazed me that in a side street in the old city, I found not one, not two but three separate bookshops plus a shop selling regional food which had a substantial book section.

And I hadn't even been round the main shopping centre so I have no idea how many I would have found there. Given that Palma has about the same population as Nottingham, it made me really sad that we seemed to have lost that popping into a bookshop habit, corralled as we are by Amazon and the supermarkets.

Is it any better in your area?