Weekend Inspiration #3: Sian Fair

Hey,


I'm back today with a guest post by one of my favorite British scrapbookers/storytellers: Sian Fair, whose blog, From High in the Sky, is full of stories, scrapbooking layouts, sewing and knitting. It's one of the blogs I visit regularly and there's always something special for me there. I "met" her in one of Shimelle's classes and every month, I try to participate to her Storytelling Sunday challenge. If you're not yet familiar with it, every first Sunday of the month, we all gather on her blog to share one of our stories. We're extra lucky as Sian shared 2 of her scrapbooking layouts with us AND you have a cool writing challenge waiting for you, if your heart feels so inclined. I prepared my story for tomorrow, so I hope you'll join us there! 
*****
Hello,

Right up to my teenage years, I believed everyone thought the way I did. That writing was like breathing, that life without a notebook was no life at all. I wrote letters to my friends, I published family newspapers. I entered poetry competitions and I took my turn editing the school magazine. I thought about journalism; but that got lost somewhere along the way as I pursued my second love of History. It took a hobby to bring me back.





I discovered scrapbooking. The simple act of gathering up photos and putting them on a page with some decoration and a few words. I started small and then I realised that I wanted to dig deeper, to record my life and tell my story. Now I’m passionate: everyone has a story and I want to hear it!


That’s the idea behind Storytelling Sunday, which runs on my blog on the first Sunday of every month. Sometimes I’ll get an email and it will say something like – I’d love to join in, but I don’t think I can write.
Do you know what I say? I say: if you can talk, you can write. Really. I deal in memories; in stories about ordinary lives, made extraordinary by the way we remember them. And you don’t have to go back far to make a start. We all know how to talk about what we did yesterday: we do it all the time! Write it like that. It doesn’t have to be fancy to have meaning. That’s what I say.


There are beautiful words out there waiting, to be sure, lyrical words, outrageous words; but you don’t always need them to tell a good story. I’ve always believed that if you want to start, but you don’t know how, you just need to start anyway. Simply, quietly, with a notebook and pencil if it suits; and a story about something you do every day. That’s how I work. I can’t write on a computer, so I don’t; and I can’t pull a story right out of my imagination, so I write about what I know. And that’s fine with me, for I have one other piece of advice I like to offer anyone who asks. Remember: whatever you write? It’s right.
..and whatever you write, I’d love to see you at Storytelling Sunday tomorrow. The rest of the community would like to meet you too. You won’t find a friendlier bunch anywhere on the internet. Guaranteed.
 *****



Sian Fair lives in the UK with her husband and two teenage children. She makes stuff, she blogs on From High in the Sky, and she is currently writing for the UK scrapbooking magazine Scrap365.




Thank you a million times, Sian, for writing this post and for sharing 2 of your layouts. As for you, readers, don't hesitate to visit Sian's blog tomorrow to read some good stories or sharing one!
Have a good weekend,

Sabrina S.

Comments

  1. Oh I agree, the only way to get started is to just start. And don't be surprised if you are hooked in no time at all, your stories getting a little longer and better told each time.

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  2. I cannot remember not writing, Like Sian I thought everyone felt like me and it came as a shock to realise that some people can go their whole lives without writing anything more than their signature..... I have written that but I still can't totally believe it..... So just start as you would when telling someone a story in your kitchen or at the bus stop, only this time you write the words down as you say them out loud. Don't judge your effort just write, and then write more. It is truly marvellous.

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  3. Good advice Sian. It doesn't matter if you don't think you're much of a writer, it's always interesting to read other people's stories.
    Hoping it's 3rd time lucky with the tricksy word verification!

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  4. Lovely piece, Sian,

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  5. interesting piece Sian. Writing has never been my strong point not at school, not now. STS means that I have a go and although it may not be grand a memory has been captured.

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  6. Like Sian, I've always enjoyed writing and scrapbooking really is a (pretty) extension of that
    Alison xx

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  7. Lovely piece Sian..am just off to write tomorrow's story..I apologise for the self-indulgence in advance, but it's where I am right now
    Alison xx

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  8. Lovely Sian! I agree that some of my Storytelling Sunday posts are better written then others, but I'm always happy to have the chance to get the stories out and to connect with others.
    Rinda

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  9. Nice post Sian... I should really give STS a try... not only do I feel like I can't write very well but I also don't remember much!!! Ha! :P

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  10. I always love reading all the different stories linked to Storytelling Sunday...each writer with their individual style letting us have a glimpse into their world, life, heart :) Thank you, Sian!

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  11. Considering I'm currently teaching a course on Spiritual Journaling and recording your stories is the main theme this made me smile and nod emphatically in agreement :)

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  12. I agree that scrapbooking has re-ignited the joy of writing stories, and I always enjoy the variety of stories on Storytelling Sunday.

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