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Just thought just in case anybody was interested that I would endeavour to explain my process of writing.

I guess the first thing to remember is that I never meant to write this story. It is all done by memory and lacks attention to any detail that is worthwhile. This is intentional and what I like the most about my writing.

My favourite place to write is in cafes. There I can think, the hub and the bub of people talking, cups clanging and of course the cappuccino machine foaming, seems to just kick me into action. Usually I manage to sit on the one coffee for a few hours and write hard. Though in cafes I do miss google and dictionary.com. The luxury of cafe writing is something that is usually reserved for holidays. It is during my holidays where I manage to get ahead of my blog. Usually the latest chapter posted at out for lunch was written a minimum of three weeks earlier.

I have a day job, unpaid but a day job. out for lunch and late for supper are my hobbies and are designed not to conflict with the other six days of the week. I write like clock-work on Monday mornings between breakfast and the gym or between 10am and 12noon.

Naturally enough I start with making the coffee. Coffee is important to my writing, it is my comfort drink and no doubt the caffeine helps as well. Next it is time to wake up the computer and release the jazz from its file. Jazz because it is groovy without words. I cannot think words and listen to words at the same time. Oscar Peterson is by far my favourite artist. Then I open the file that is marked by a tree and titled ‘Ziploc’, followed by opening out for lunch, google and my dictionaries. Next I amble into the kitchen and gather my coffee. My favourite coffee is a fare trade organic Caffe L’affare. But anything fair trade and organic works well for me. Next I log into facebook and often tweeter and let the world know what I am drinking, to whom I am listening and that I am writing the Ziploc Bag.

Now I am ready to start the process. The first thing I do is go over the corrections from the last chapter whcih Sharon checked. I am dyslexic and the frustrating side of that gift is the many spelling and grammar mistakes that I make. Then I read through all of the previous unchecked unpublished chapters. This makes Sharon’s job easier and also helps me get into the zone. Once all this is done, I write.

Writing for me is like surfing. I just float out there on the waters of my imagination continuously scanning my peripherals waiting for the wave that is going to carry me in. So what this means is that I just start writing the story, knowing that sooner or later I will get excited about something in the story. I always like to write about the other side of the coin, so often when I am writing I start gazing at the art on my desk and turning over the coins of simple subjects; when I find an interesting one, the creative juices start flowing and all of a sudden I am on the wave enjoying the journey. Next thing I know the two hours are up and it is time to push the save button. I do use my photographs and our old journey itinerary to help my memory, but when I get in the zone things are surprisingly clear.

The last thing I do in the morning is print any chapters that I have checked and give them to Sharon to check during the week. Then I am off to the gym.

After the gym, after lunch and after an episode of ‘Star Trek’ I return the Ziploc Bag. It is time to put it on the blog. With practice this has become a relatively simple affair. I add the ‘read about blah blah next week blurb, put my Paypal donation button on and then post it. After it is posted and checked on-line, I add the link to the chapter on the Ziploc Bag page and the blog sidebar.  And then finally when America comes on-line I facebook and tweet that the chapter is posted. And that is how it is written.

It is my dream and hope to put it in book form and sell it. The book will have a few extras that will not be available on-line. This is my bait to lure you into a sale. Among other things I plan on adding an extensive and funny glossary of ‘Kel slang’.

Any money donated or earned through out for lunch and late for supper to date goes straight back into my art. I am also very keen to invest into other artists who believe their artistic abilities are a gift from God and who exercise a kingdom approach to their art. If this is you and you are trying to find your artistic feet, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you so much to all of you who have been reading, I do enjoy your comments on facebook and at out for lunch, please keep them coming. And thanks to all of those who indirectly help make both out for lunch and late for supper possible.

And that is me for this wee boring blurb, hope it was helpful.

Cheers Kel

The art on my desk is a Lithuanian calendar that lacks February and November.
A Tomas Seckus painting of a child.
And a Brian Nisbett photo of a Scottish loch on a trademark overcast day.