Don't be anti-immigration and not pay attention to the EU referendum!

It's funny really that those who know very little about certain fields tend to be the loudest. That regardless of their education, social understanding or even age, they can convey an opinion that is usually exaggerated or outright wrong. But there seems to be a lot less of it at the moment with regards to the rather important topic of the EU, from the everyday citizen that is. The media, however, are going all out on highlighting the MPs who have a 'big say' and the pros or cons of leaving the European Union.

When the two Paris attacks took place social media exploded with views and opinions which were usually hurtful, wrong or out of place. When the Lee Rigby attack happened there were outcries of the danger of Islam. When Adam Johnson pleaded guilty of one count of sexual activity with a 15 year old and one count of grooming the UK went crazy over the professional footballer's disgusting crimes.

But with something as important and defining as the upcoming EU Referendum, people seem to be pretty quiet.

Why?

Because it seems that people are only bothered in having a go at others rather than discussing something as vital as whether we stay or leave in the EU, or is that too dreary to discuss? I hate how those who claim we are bombarded with immigrants will not take the time to do a little reading and find out how we could sort these issues out, even though we are not bombarded with immigrants and refugees. I hate the only reason people would vote for leaving would be because of border control. I hate how some claim that we'd be 'fine by ourselves' when they don't know what that even entails. Bust most of all I hate blatant ignorance over the whole matter.

I've chatted many times with friends at uni about whether leaving the EU or not would be beneficial. Not in some sort of open fire, pipe smoking, 'Hmm yar, yar' sort of way but just in general chit chat. None of us know the proper ins and outs of the consequences of what it would mean to leave or stay but it's nice to think that we are at least respecting it as a major step in the UK's history.

Granted the EU is a topic that is filled with endless questions and answers but surely it should be something people should be taking more seriously?

I'm not pro Brexit and I'm not pro staying in either.

To be honest, I'm not sure what I am but that's merely because I'm still weighing up both sides. If you aren't aware of the sides then it might help to do a google search and do a bit of reading.

If you genuinely don't care then that's fine too.

I have absolutely no issues on whether someone doesn't give a toss into whether we go or not. But if you are someone who moans about issues that could be solved by either staying in or leaving the EU then don't bother moaning if you aren't going to educate yourself.

Do that first and then maybe you can put a little more substance to your naive, irritating and pathetic argument.

What it's like writing a novel at 21.

This blog post has been created to serve two purposes.

1. To give a bit of an insight into what it's been like writing something as large and complex as a novel at the tender age of 21. An age in the writing world that means I am practically a foetus.
2.  Gives me the perfect excuse to take a break from uni and novel work as I trudge through it in the university library.

So...

For the majority of those who know me, you will know that since May last year I have been writing a novel for someone else. A ghostwriter if you so wish. However, I have far more of an active role in plot and actual communication of plot than the conventional ghostwriter. I am in essence the 'chief writer' of a project that will end up with a fully working, hopefully publishable novel.

If you are a writer or a reader you will understand that a novel is not a small thing. It is a large, sometimes extremely complex work of prose that has not only taken an enormous amount of imagination but a mind boggling amount of time too.

As a writer, I like to consider myself one anyways, the novel is the most difficult thing to get absolutely right- this is debatable however. In my eyes the novel is the forefront of writing and the most influential weapon in a writer's arsenal to show intelligence, talent and skill. Nothing requires more grit, determination, blood, sweat and tears than a 70,000+ worded piece with every word being considered.

So what's it like to write one at the age of 21?

Well some of you reading this might think, what's the difference between writing a novel at 21 or 61?

A fair question but one that has a rather basic answer.

Lack of experience. This being in both reading and writing.

Of course I've read plenty of novels but unfortunately I have not had the same amount of time to read as many as a 61 year old. To be a successful writer you need to have a read a vast amount of books to both appreciate the good stuff and be aware of the bad stuff.

Another point is that a 61 year old has had the time to write a considerably higher amount of work than myself.

I've written short stories, blog posts, a script, part of a screenplay etc. But this amounts to nothing if I have not written a gargantuan amount. The ONLY way of improving as a writer is by writing. Simple as that.

So when I went into this project I certainly felt an air of pessimism around me, as if the world was quietly reminding me that I am not quite ready for something as large as this, especially as I am in third year of university too- a bleak and rather vile period of life at times.

But as I finish up chapter 14/20 and the end comes into sight over the horizon, I feel quite pleased at how it has gone.

Obviously I am aware that there is fair amount to go but I am very pleased with how it has gone so far.

The biggest thing I've learned is that it IS possible to write something this large. All it takes is a little perseverance and a lot of patience.

There have been times when I've sent my work off to get reviewed by the 'rights owner' and he has come back and said in polite terms that it is not what he wants.

Now you could argue that if he didn't get what he wanted then he should have done it himself but you need to respect that he is the one who is demanding a level of quality and is only pushing you to get better.

The biggest and by far the best thing I have learnt is how to accept feedback and apply it. There is nothing worse than reading over the comments of your own work and finding out they didn't in fact think it was the work of genius that you thought it was. As soon as you learn that and even become able to critique your own work, you take a big step into becoming a better writer

Patience is another skill I've learned, or a virtue if you like.

Re-reading the same chapter 7-10 times is dreary, frustrating and takes you one step closer to absolute madness. But of course it is necessary. Without doing this you never iron out the spelling mistakes, plot errors or cumbersome passages of text. It is painful and does make you question whether you can actually do it but trust me, do it and you feel great for it. Don't and you might as well draw a big cock over your work.

I will, most likely, never read the novel from beginning to end, if it ever gets published that is. Simply because I don't think I could read something I wrote without feeling slightly embarrassed. The same way watching a video of yourself makes you cringe. This isn't to say that I don't think the novel will be a compelling read. Of course it will be. I've just read it about 300 times by the time it's finished. But to open and maybe read a passage every here or there would be quite a nice activity. Just because it will remind me of the pain and torture it was to create it but at the same time the pleasure and pride it was to do so too.

Petitions: Hear me out and read it first!

Well...

Granted it's been a while since I expressed an opinion, revealed a drunken story or made some other statement which is usually invalid to most people's views or understandings, but I'm back.

Why haven't I posted anything for over a month?

Because I haven't had anything to write about. I've been in a sort of idea desert. I've tried to find stuff to write about but nothing really stood out and I thought it would better to not write anything at all rather than to write something not worth reading. That way I don't waste time writing it and you don't waste time reading it.

So!

What is this fantastic, revolutionary and inspiring topic I have picked to divulge your minds and alter your philosophical output?

Petitions.


Yeah, petitions.

I have built up all of this to talk about sodding petitions but don't despair, click the small x on your screen or press the lock screen on your phone because I actually, I think, have a point.

When I was a kid petitions were the weapons of door-to-door campaigners. They were the little pieces of paper on a clipboard that usually asked for a signature so that the new road wasn't built near your cute little town and thus give you a bit of extra traffic.

Now, however, they seem to be the only way people wish to 'get back' at the government.

Nowadays I can't go onto Facebook without being bombarded with petitions asking for this or that.

The most popular one I saw recently was the 'Block Donald J Trump from UK entry', and this got me thinking.

Donald Trump is, to be polite with my description, a bit of a tosser. I don't particularly think he is a wise or even balanced individual but he is somehow running for the presidency of the US of A, and with strong support too!

This lead to some idiot wishing to create a petition to ban the billionaire barnet disaster from entering the UK.

This is to state that the UK public would BAN the next possible President of the United States.

Trump's a dick but my god! You can't just ban a man from entering the country because you don't like him or his views!

If the world acted like that most people wouldn't get anywhere!

What's even more worrying is that, on last count, the petition has received 579, 077 signatures!

That means that the House of  Commons HAS to debate it.

What a waste of time in the Government's already busy schedule.

Now before people get on my back and state that we have to have some way of raising issues to parliament, hold your horses!

I get it, we need them. They are very important and necessary but leave them for important issues like the NHS, welfare etc.

After looking at the most popular petitions I am genuinely confused.

The second most popular petition is

Stop all immigration and close the UK borders until ISIS is defeated.

THIS! is second to the Trump one. This petition is stating EXACTLY what Trump wants in the USA but people don't want him here? Ridiculous.

There's a few more on immigration and asylum seekers and predictably one on making cannabis legal, another stupid thing to raise in government. There's bigger issues than whether you can buy a bit of green in your local newsagents.

What I think people need to realise is that petitions are actually quite serious things. Only sign a petition if you really feel passionate about it. Otherwise you're just going to waste time in parliament. What's more, use them rarely so there use is more prominent. Don't just make a petition because you had a bad McFlurry and want more smarties in it.

Think about this way. If you get hundreds of Valentines cards every year you won't pay much attention to them. If you just get the one, you might want to read it with a little more care and consider what is being said.