What's new in November? Travel, Quit Smoking, Novel writing month. World Travel Market. Quit Smoking.

November national writing your novel month. If you are stuck at home, or on the move in public transport, time to start that novel, writing a minimum number of words every day to finish first draft by the end of the month.

My problem is not writing the novel. It's converting to an ebook. I keep trying and getting told that it is not formatting correctly. This is the month I shall try to get my first ebook published. Even if I have to do two pages and sell if free to get it in the right format.

From Monday November 2nd to Thursday November 5th (Guy Fawkes night) it's World Travel Market at Excel in London. DLR (Dockland light railway) has a predicted strike Tuesday to Thursday but WTM is negotiating. Maybe there will be buses. I expect to get an update during Monday. Let's hope for good news.

Guy Fawkes Night, celebrating saving Parliament in London, England, is November 5th. But many official displays will take place on Saturday, eg in Harrow.

How about writing a travel book? Or a novel taking in 30 destinations? Too many? One destination. Not A Month in the Country because that's been done but November in Norway, November with the Navajo, November in Nantucket. November in Norwich, November in Newcastle.

Combine all three events. Giving up smoking whilst writing a novel travelling the world's town's beginning with the letter N.

For a list of cities starting with the letter N see
http://www.wunderground.com/weather-by-city.asp?L=N
Nagoya, Japan might suit somebody.
I picked out some well known places and some amusing names.
Nan, Thailand.
Nairobi, Kenya
Name Unknown, China ???
Nancy, France. Also Texas and Kentucky.
Nantes, France.
Nantucket, US.
Napier, New Zealand.
Naples, Italy.
Napa, California.
Narawilli, Northern Territory, Australia.

If you like a place with a girl's name, there's Nancy in France or Naomi in the USA.
In addition to New York, lots of New ... towns, New Castles, Napoleons, Nelsons.

Halloween Sale Items
Today is the day after October 31st which was Halloween so the supermarkets are reducing prices of their Halloween items, useful for those of us who buy in advance for next year. I have been on the phone to a relative in a UK supermarket and they have described what's for sale. I opted for a hand puppet kit in Waitrose. You do have to sew it yourself.

National Rail in November.
nationalrail.co.uk
National Novel Writing Month
http://nanowrimo.org
World Travel Market
http://www.wtmlondon.com
American quit smoking Thursday in November
http://www.cancer.org/healthy/stayawayfromtobacco/greatamericansmokeout/index

Remember to keep readers interested, end each chapter with a question.

Every year for the travel trade and travel press there's the World Travel Market in London,

Next year World Travel Market will be at Excel November 2016 Mon 7 to Wed  9.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author.

Summer Writing Courses

Writing courses in the UK attract visitors from all over the world. Our writers also travel. If you are looking at the UK, here are some options:

JULY WRITING
WRITERS' HOLIDAY at FISHGUARD HOTEL, WALES (Formerly at Caerleon)
Also spring and autumn writing weekends.
I have been sent an invoice for £499 (deduct £10 if you paid that deposit last year).
NB Different prices for sharing double room and for a single room - it's a hotel. Some rooms at front have sea view, others don't, but mostly you are not in your room. You can sit outside on the terrace and have an extra day there. Hotel was used in films.
Free trip/time one afternoon midweek.
Courses - choose one of 5, second course choose one from 6-11.
Stay on for half board price of £49 per day.
Free parking. Station very near but it's uphill dragging your case to the hotel and they will collect you.
Run by Gerry and Anne and their family.
Courses include
1 Children's writing Anita Loughrey
6 Using photos to sell more by Simon Whaley.
Also Travel writing, poetry, contemporary romance, painting and drawing, historical novel, crime writing, short story.
Last year we went to Fishguard for the first time. We drove back to London stopping at a Welsh vineyard and seeing an evening performance at a Royal theatre in Bath, reaching NW London before midnight.
www.writersholiday.net

AUGUST SWANWICK Writers' Summer School, Derbyshire
Saturday 8 Aug to Friday 14 August.
email: secretary@swanwickwritersschool.org.uk
Swanwick also has a Facebook page.
Prices vary according to accommodation:
Prices: Main house standard £440 (washbasin in room, bathroom in corridor); main house en suite £535.
Lakeside £535.
Alan Booth Centre £595.
Part time accommodation (£130; £85 on Saturday from 4 pm.) from mid morning coffee on arrival day and one breakfast on day of departure.
Day visitors (no breakfast, starts after breakfast, includes other meals lunch and dinner £90; Sat £45.
Coach pickup and return from Derby Midland station at 3.45 and 5.15pm on the Saturday and returning 8.30 am prompt on Friday 14 Aug at £12.50 non-refundable.
You could continue north to the Edinburgh Festival.
Run by a committee of friendly and dedicated writers.
www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk

SEPTEMBER WRITING
WARWICK UNI
2015 Warwick Festival of Writing
4-6 Sept, 2015 Conference Park, Uni of Warwick. Orangeades by National Association of Writers' Groups.
Three days £300 for non-NAWG members, and £270 for members.
www.nawg.co.uk
The university of Warwick offers delegates bars, cafes and restaurants and free use of the Fitness Centre and indoor swimming pool. Free parking permits are available to delegates.
You have t check out by 9.30 on departure day.
Non-writing partner for the whole weekend without the four workshops, £220 for non NAWG members, reduced for NAWG members to £190.

Others:
ARVON
Writing courses and retreats - where you spend your time mostly writing, rather than listening to others talking about writing. You may have to cook your own food in teams for just one meal - which could be a good thing to learn for the reclusive writer. To help you start and finish a novel. Grants available to help you with course fees.
Arvon.org

Comedy Writing Courses
All year, run in London by Amused Moose, and all over the UK by others. If you can find a comedy course in Edinburgh, ending in a performance, you might be able to attend a reunion party in London whose guest list includes other performers and talent spotters.

Overseas: Look for:
Courses in Europe.
Australia.
Songwriting (in expensive five star hotels in USA) - look for magazines, Nashville, Hollywood, Florida.
Songwriting in UK. (Expensive hotels for worldwide hits; or cheap campsites for the guitarists and folk singers. Swanwick has run two songwriting courses. I hope they will repeat them.)
WEA

Courses are advertised in writing magazines sold through newsagents and by subscription and available at festivals.

I'm saving this and stopping for coffee. Will add more details and photos later. Come back for more.
Angela Lansbury BA Hons
Author of ten books by mainstream publishers including:
Wedding Speeches and Toasts (Ward Lock / Cassell)
Etiquette For Every Occasion
Also ten recent books including:
Quick Quotations for writers and speakers (Lulu.com)
Who Said What When (Lulu.com)
Poetry Workbook
Writing Poetry For Fun
See more by and about Angela Lansbury author on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube (performing poetry).