Bookshops, build a story and brilliant minds

One week down…

And what a weird and wonderful week that week has been.

It’s rather strange to contemplate that I only moved into this house a week ago today – so much has happened in that time period that it feels as if it has been much longer.

I’m enjoying being back in Exeter so far. It’s so nice to be able to see everyone again, and (geeky as it may sound) I’ve been enjoying sinking my teeth into my new modules.

I’m still adjusting to functioning on my own – you know, remembering the basics like when to eat, when to buy food, and when to wash your clothes – but so far I think I’m managing fairly well. I haven’t turned any white shirts pink (although the washing machine in the background whilst I’m writing this sounds like it’s about to take off into space right around now. And I haven’t given myself food poisoning (yet).

All in all, I have high hopes for this year – I want to believe that despite the difficult circumstances we’re all facing, it’s going to be a smoother year for me than last year was.

Surprisingly (or perhaps not so surprisingly), I have had quite a bookish week. Who knew settling in would involve so many brushes with literature?

One of the many perks of being back in Exeter has been seeing one of my closest friends again. I hadn’t realised quite how much I’d missed spending time with /talking to him.

On my first day here, when I was still muddled and up to my ears in unpacking, he took me out for a nice breath of air. He told me all about his new hobby of browsing charity shops and introduced me to the virtues of book shopping in said charity shops.

As a self-confessed lover of second-hand books, this was pretty much my idea of heaven.

There’s something so much more special about a second-hand book than a new edition. The book is more than just the story inside; it’s had a past life, a past journey, before it found its way to you. And something about that seems quite magical to me.

On our first trip, I found an edition of “The Three Musketeers” by Alexandre Dumas in the classic cover edition I collect, and a beautiful version of “Cranford” by Elizabeth Gaskill (if you haven’t heard of it, watch the tv series if you can find it; it’s such a lovely story). I’ve now added them to my seemingly-never-ending book pile and am definitely looking forward to reading them.

It made me realise the virtue of book shopping in a charity shop, particularly when you’re trying to stick to a budget. You never know what little gems you might find.

A few days later, we ventured out to another little book shop near the quay area of Exeter. For anyone living in Exeter, this is definitely worth an explore.

Book Cycle, as the little shop is called, is not only a beautiful Tudor-style building in itself, but also a treasure trove for all genres of book.

And I mean all; they’ve got everything from classic books to study guides. From romances to political histories. From children novels to religious texts.

It’s such an amazing place.

In and amongst those little adventures, I’ve started my new module for this term, Creative Writing: Build a Story. It’s the first time I’ve ever done a creative writing module; usually I'm no good at following patterns or briefs when it comes to my writing, which is probably why my English teacher was quite astounded when I told her that I was a writer

So far, it’s shaping up to be quite fascinating and thought-provoking. Most of my writing such as it is usually takes the pattern of me just making it up as I go along. I’m looking forward to studying the creative process on a deeper level; it’ll be nice to learn something new. And who knows, a new approach may be helpful.

I’ve also had a few encounters with a very interesting individual this week. This person has made me think a lot of things over, particularly when it comes to my reading and writing. Talking to them allowed me to uncover a more genuine side of myself which I haven't harnessed in my writing; I found myself speaking with more passion and raw honesty than I have in a long while.

It’s quite fascinating to be inspired by something quite different for a change. I never thought that being unsettled by something or someone could help you to produce work from a whole new place.

It reminded me that inspiration is all around. In a random conversation in the living room, over a cup of coffee between friends, on an evening walk through the streets.

I count myself incredibly lucky to have so many amazing friends with such brilliant minds. I'm thankful for them more than I could ever say, and I know that I have become a better writer, and will continue to improve with the influence of them and the inspiration of their incredible ideas.

I feel as if you’ll be seeing elements of this inspiration in my writing very soon. I've already written some strong bits, and I hope that I'll be able to share them with you in time.

You may wonder the significance of me telling you any of this, and it is quite simple; I wanted to demonstrate that things can go back to normal. Or even better than normal, as this week has turned out for me.

It sucks, to put it mildly, that we’re having to deal with so many restrictions right now. For so many of us, this is supposed to be one of the most exciting parts of our year. Starting afresh, making new friends and seeing old ones.

And as the situation stands right now, so that we can stay safe, those opportunities are limited, if not completely off limits for some of us. It’s not easy to see a brighter side.

This week I have learned new things, seen new places, had fascinating debates, been challenged, and been inspired.

Honestly, I couldn’t ask for more, even under normal circumstances.

It may not be easy, but if we persevere, we can make the best of this. I just know it.

#roxyelle #bookshops #buildastory #brilliantminds