Showcase: Get Writing Fit For ’26! + An Architecture Of A Life + Eat The Frog

Edited by Claire Buss

Hello and welcome back to our last January Creative Writing Showcase. My name is Claire, I’m an author, Mum and Deputy Editor of Write On! Magazine. I recently attended an in-person writing event where writers are encouraged to work on whatever writing project they like for two half-hour sprints and then, inbetween those sprints, chat to their fellow wordsmiths. It’s once a month, run by two fabulous authors, Lizzie Chantree and Chris Penhall, but what struck me hard this month was the phenomenal amount of procrastination I pile up in front of myself. Other people were brimming with can-do attitudes and firm plans on what they were going to achieve while I trotted out excuse after excuse as to why I couldn’t. Mindset is important and, while Clare Cooper’s piece on getting writing fit takes a humorous viewpoint, I may actually implement some of her advice!

Get Writing Fit For ’26!

Getting fit/joining a gym is often on peoples’ minds at the beginning of any new year, so I wrote this light-hearted writing advice piece using a gym/fitness analogy. I hope you like it!

WALKING AND LIFTING

Power-walk your way to your nearest bookshop. Buy as many books as you can afford. Now’s the perfect time to use up that handy Christmas book token gift. It’s all good for research and you’re helping to support other writers, of course. Then power-walk back home, carefully balancing the weight of all your lovely new books in each hand, thereby giving your upper arms a much-needed workout.

Sitting down for a spot of writing, remember to take regular breaks. Walk around the room, walk along the hallway, walk up and down the stairs, but do try to resist walking to the fridge or food cupboard more than once every hour. OK, twice. Those Christmas leftovers won’t eat themselves!

TONING

Your arms and legs are toning up nicely, but there’s another type of tone: your writing voice. Make this the year you develop your own unique tone and style. Remember what Oscar Wilde once said: “Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.” Target your chosen market or genre and do your research. Don’t give up too easily if you receive a few rejections before you hit the mark.

RESISTANCE TRAINING AND TREADMILL

You’ve been submitting your work for a while now and you’re still not getting anywhere. Resist the urge to take it all personally. Step off the treadmill of negativity. It’s not the fault of the editors and publishers. They know their publications inside out and they know what their readers want. Keep reading, keep learning, keep trying and remember to be patient!

PRESENTATION

Don’t sweat the small stuff. House styles vary between publications and no two are the same. Your job is to provide the words in an engaging, clear and readable manner, with all facts checked and double-checked. You’ve done your research and put in the groundwork. Now treat yourself to a high-octane energy drink for your next workout…

BODYBUILDING

It takes time to build the perfect body and it takes time to build a good relationship with your editors. Keep it polite and pleasant; don’t be stroppy or difficult. Accept their critiques (through gritted teeth) and learn from them. Who wants a reputation for being awkward? (Bribes won’t work, either, but they will make editors very happy. I like chocolate, btw.)

SPINNING

Don’t get yourself in a spin with words. There is such a thing as overwriting. You may think, why use two words when you can use ten? But it won’t help your story along. It will, instead, halt the flow and befuddle the reader. Less is often more. Many consider Raymond Chandler novels to be among the best. Read them to find out why.

STRETCHING AND FLEXING

After sitting at your desk for some time, you’ll be needing to flex your fingers and stretch your neck and limbs. My top tip: never put food within stretching distance. Always have it where you have to leave the room to go and find it, thus building in a little more exercise along the way.

Back at your desk, try stretching yourself with your writing: don’t just stick to the tried and trusted same-old, same-old themes because you’ve had some success with them before. Expand your markets. Flexibility can also mean taking constructive criticism on board. Work with your editors to make the necessary changes to improve your writing’s chances.

BOXING

Sometimes, the cut and thrust of the writing business will get to you. We all have our off days. If you get knocked down to the canvas (or carpet), get up again. Take any criticism on the chin. Switch off that critical, nagging inner voice and cut yourself some slack, remembering that Mary Wesley, Delia Owens, Daniel Defoe and even the aforementioned Raymond Chandler were all published in later life. Raise those gloves. Slug it out. There’s plenty of time for another round!

ROWING (WITH AN “OH” NOT AN “OW”)

Don’t worry too much about how you’re going to get to the finishing line. Some have it all planned out and will only ever steer straight, with no distractions, while others won’t have a clue and will be quite happy to meander endlessly around the byways and tributaries until they can see where they’re going. Everyone has their own preferred method. It’s not a race. Just follow your own course.

PULLING, PUSHING AND PRESS-UPS

When you feel the pull of the computer, don’t fight it. Push yourself to write something every day. Get into the habit of a daily workout with words. Press yourself to do a little more each time, even if you don’t think you have it in you. Be inspired by the everyday and the mundane. Keep a diary. Life, even at its most routine, will still be fodder to an active imagination. Enter writing competitions, review books online, send something to magazine letters pages. Build up your writing muscle.

PERSONAL TRAINING

Sometimes we need a nudge, a helping hand, to enable us to reach our goals. At the gym, we will be assessed regularly and our training program adjusted accordingly. Our trainer will hopefully be supportive and encouraging, too. So, try joining a writing group or going on a course. You’ll get valuable feedback and possibly some new ideas. If nothing else, it’s a break from your normal daily routine and you will likely end up with a few more friends on Facebook.

STAR JUMPS

Because when you’ve finished your work and, even better, had it accepted, you will feel like jumping for joy. Probably best to do it outdoors, though. Never mind what the neighbours may think. They’re well used to you and your funny little ways by now.

(c) Clare Cooper, 2026

Connect with Clare on Instagram: @clareatclarelou

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This next fictional piece from Sebastian Elanko shows how important early years encouragement can be in our creative endeavours.

An Architecture Of A Life

“Sixty-seven this year. Not bad,” Jeevan muttered to himself, turning the pages of his diary from his seat in the Chesterfield captain’s desk chair. His wife, having crept in quietly, stood behind him. Hearing his muttering, she put her arms around his shoulders and whispered in his ear.

“Sixty-seven is very impressive, honey.”

“Oh! I didn’t know you were there. Without you, none of this would have happened.”

Jeevan leaned his cheek against her arm lovingly. His latest short story had been published in a leading magazine just two days after Christmas. It was his 67th  publication. He’d never thought he would become a writer. Memory drew him back to his pre-teen years.

Jeevan had been a keen reader, exploring all sorts of genres from the age of ten. Reading inspired him to write. He wrote his first poem at 11; it was about the stars and moon, only eight lines long. When he finished, he showed it to his best friend, who read it with a blank expression, showing neither understanding nor interest. At home, his uncle said he would read it later, and his father’s comment was: “Do your homework first, son, then show me your poem.”

Jeevan was disappointed no one was there to read his poem, but his interest in writing persisted. One poem was about a magpie, capturing the essence of the bird’s connection to winter. He titled it Magpie’s Love and kept it in his notebook. His English teacher accidentally found and read it.

“Did you write this, Jeevan?” the teacher asked with surprise.

“Yes, Sir,” Jeevan replied politely.

“Very impressive. And very good too.” The teacher’s words were music to Jeevan’s ears. “Do you have more poems?”

“Yes, Sir! Poems and short stories,” Jeevan replied excitedly.

“Bring them to me next week.”

“Of course, Sir.”

A month later, the teacher told Jeevan several pupils would be representing the school at the district literary ceremony two days’ hence and that Jeevan had been chosen to be the school’s lead representative. He was instructed to wear his best attire and to bring his parents and the teacher handed him an invitation letter to give to them. Jeevan was thrilled to be representing his school and couldn’t wait to get home to share the news.

The ceremony was held in the town hall and the chief guest was the district mayor. Jeevan, his parents, his teacher and others from his school sat in the third row. The hall was packed. The ceremony began at six o’clock sharp in the evening.

After speeches from a few dignitaries, the presenter announced: “This year’s District Schools Poem Of the Year is Magpie’s Love, written by the young poet Jeevan Matthews from Saint Francis Xavier’s school. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, please welcome our winner, Jeevan Matthews, to the stage.”

He was speechless, frozen in his seat. Jeevan hadn’t expected this. His teacher stood and tapped his back. “I submitted your poem for the competition,” he said.  “I knew you would win and I kept it a surprise to see your face. Well done, my boy.”

“Honey, are you all right?” His wife’s voice brought Jeevan back to the present. He looked at her with deep affection. She was the one who’d encouraged him to carry on writing, finding  sources, contacting publishers, gathering research and seeking advisors to help him. Jeevan knew he owed her a huge debt of gratitude: without her, his writing journey would never have continued.

© Sebastian Elanko, 2026

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I really hope our Showcases this month has inspired you with your own creative choices and given you the oomph to crack on, try something new, resubmit or maybe just tear out a new sheet and start again. I’d like to end my guest-editorship resharing a poem from a Showcase six years ago which is definitely still relevant today!

Eat The Frog

When you get up each day
Make sure you take a moment to say
Eat the frog!

Don’t let a moment pass by
Because you’ll be asking why
You didn’t eat the frog

It’s a way of making you do
The thing that feels worst to you
By eating the frog

Don’t worry about the slime
It’ll slither down just fine
If you eat the frog

I’m told the legs are particularly yummy
They won’t hop about in your tummy
Get on with eating the frog

I’m sure it will give you a jump
And help you get over the hump
If only you’d eat the frog

So take a deep breath and begin
To slither the amphibian in
It’s time to eat the…

… what do you mean it’s not an actual frog?

(c) Claire Buss, 2019

You can connect with me on Instagram: @grasshopper2407

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