It is often said that everyone has at least one book in them, but have you ever tried writing one? If you have, you’ll know what a huge challenge it can be to transform the ideas in your head into a completed written work. Here I share a tool which is proving helpful in the writing of my own novel.

yWriter - free novel writing software by Simon Haynes, Spacejock Software

I’d always written using just a text editor, one file for each chapter. That was fine when it was short, but with twenty chapters or more it gets harder to keep track of what has happened, to whom, and when. Especially if you don’t write often. Seeing the big picture isn’t easy with just a huge mass of text to look at.

Then I found yWriter, software that applies project management tools to novel writing. The author designed it to help him write his own three published novels, and found it so useful he made it available to all at no cost. It works with plain text files, but text is organised into scenes, with scene descriptions, character profiles, details of the conflict and outcomes for each scene, and the ability to generate synopses and timelines, and more. It allows the whole project to be broken down into well-documented scene-sized chunks which are easily visualised, and helps with plot development.

Since recently finding yWriter I’ve used it to provide structure to my novel so far, effectively giving a skeleton to what had become (in my mind) just a huge mass of flesh. It has helped me organise my thinking in regards to the whole plot. With a clearer mental picture of the story so far, I’m more likely to work out how the story ends, and perhaps finish writing it at last!

It also helps with continuity. What type of explosives did Brutus hide up his dress at the autopsy? How much detail of the accident did Rupert reveal to the maid in the wardrobe incident? If these details occurred in chapter two they may be hard to remember when writing chapter nineteen, especially if many years have passed. With yWriter, small but important details can be found and kept track of more easily.

You still have to think of what to write, which is the hard part, but yWriter can help you organise the project and thereby shrink one of the obstacles. If you’ve ever dreamed of writing a novel, why not have a go!

Carrying a lighter load makes a trip more enjoyable for many reasons, but how can the average over-packer reduce the burden? The internet abounds with specific packing tips, but these five strategies sum up how I’ve put my own luggage on a successful diet.

1. Use a packing list

To most this may sound like a mundane and time-consuming chore, which may explain why most people don’t bother. However, if you’re serious about reducing weight by travelling with as little as possible, it is perhaps the most important tip of all. Having a list ensures that nothing important is forgotten, but more importantly ensures that nothing unnecessary is packed. Creating a list makes you evaluate each item thoughtfully, avoiding the temptation to just throw things in willy-nilly when packing at the last minute. A list can also be evaluated at the end of a trip - adjustments made, unused items crossed out - to make packing even quicker and more efficient next time.

I’ve been using packing lists for over ten years and have never regretted a single minute spent modifying them (spreadsheets work well). By knowing what I took last time, and what didn’t get used, I’ve progressively reduced the weight of my hiking backpack from 25kg down to 12kg which includes food, fuel and tent (as pictured). For me, that’s the difference between enduring a hike and enjoying it!

2. Leave stuff behind

My biggest weight reductions have been achieved not by reducing the weight of an item, or taking a lighter alternative, but by leaving something out altogether. This is easiest done when you have a packing list, and for each item you ask yourself “can I do without it?” (or, after a trip, “what could I have left behind?”).

For cooking on camping trips, do you really need more than a single pot and spoon? Plates, bowls, knives and forks can all be left at home if you plan meals differently. Do you need to take a heavy guidebook, or can you just borrow one from a library before the trip and make notes? The benefits can compound as leaving out one item can make others unnecessary. For example, by deciding not to take my own supply of coffee, I was also able to leave behind powdered milk, sugar, their containers, and the cup that I no longer needed to drink coffee out of.

3. Substitute lighter alternatives

Many common travel items have lightweight equivalents. If you need to take cutlery, use Lexan plastic utensils instead of stainless steel. Specialist camping shops sell small quick-dry towels that are much lighter and less bulky than what you use at home. Modern LED torches are a fraction of the size and weight of those containing incandescent globes. A giant standard umbrella can be replaced with a small travel umbrella that fits in a back pocket. And if you reduce your overall packing enough, a smaller and lighter bag can be carried. You name it, there is probably somebody selling a lightweight equivalent … for a price (note that omitting something altogether can save money as well as weight).

4. Take reduced quantities

Instead of throwing in full sized containers of travel supplies, give some thought to how much you will actually need and transfer the appropriate amounts to smaller containers. For example, don’t take a full 200ml bottle of shampoo if 40ml of shampoo transferred to a small plastic container will suffice. Find a miniature soap or a half used bar rather than a full sized bar of soap. Take a partially used tube of toothpaste that contains enough for your trip, rather than a full tube. If taking a guidebook, and it’s your own copy, consider removing the pages you will need and leaving the rest at home. A lot of small weight savings can really add up.

5. Use quick-dry easy-care clothing, and keep it to a minimum

Specialist camping and travel shops boast an abundance of modern easy-care clothing which can be rinsed in a hand basin (or under the shower) and dried overnight without creasing. Using such clothing minimises what you need to take, as you don’t need a supply of fresh clothes to sustain you between laundromat visits. In fact you may not need to visit a laundromat at all, which is a big timesaver. Last year I survived an eight-week trip with only two pairs of underpants, three pairs of socks, two sets of thermal underwear (it was winter), two shirts, and one pair of long trousers, plus jumper and jacket which I didn’t wash.

The above are my top five general strategies for travelling light, and have served me well. Much more information, specific tips and useful links can be found at the One Bag (lightweight general travel) and Lightweight Backpacking and Hiking websites. Also I’m sure many readers will have tips of thir own.

I was motivated to write this by a competition at the ProBlogger.net website, where a cash prize was offered to a randomly chosen writer of a blog post on the “top 5″ theme. Judging by the many responses from other writers, the offer of a cash prize is a good remedy for writer’s block! I plan to post my favourite (top 5?) entries here soon.

When someone takes pride in their work and does something really well, it can be an inspiration to others. I found this to be true recently at Epic Espresso in West Perth (Western Australia).

Originally I went there for some of their beans to try out at home, but the glorious aroma of fresh coffee enticed me to sample one of their drinks immediately. It was exquisite! I read their brochure/menu and learned just how seriously they take their coffee, and why it is so good.

They use their own custom blend of fresh, locally roasted beans, as well as filtered water and the best milk. The espresso machines are gorgeous, hand-crafted and state of the art - there are only a few hundred in the world as good. Naturally the grinders are of the highest quality, and even the cups are of a high standard to maximise heat retention.

In keeping with the tools and ingredients, the staff are all highly trained to world barista champion level. In fact one is the 2006 WA Barista Champion, and another is the 2006 WA Latte Art Champion. The owner, Corey Diamond, was trained by the 2003 World Barista Champion (also an Aussie, by the way) and is an accredited coffee judge. His mission for Epic Espresso is “to raise espresso coffee to an art form” and “be the state’s leading authority on espresso coffee”. In other words, they really know what they’re doing, and they strive to do it well.

The payoff for customers is fantastic coffee. I’ve always drunk coffee with sugar, but Epic Espresso is the first place I’ve truly enjoyed it without. Their espresso was the best I’ve had, as was the long macchiato (pictured). And the ristretto … awesome! What this drink lacks in size (the cup wouldn’t look out of place in a doll’s house) it makes up for in quality and intensity - I could still taste it three hours later.

I took some of their beans home with the aim of improving my own coffee creations. With my comparitively humble equipment I can’t expect to match what is served at Epic Espresso - but experiencing the excellence of coffee done really well has inspired me to have a go.

Note: Some bloggers write paid or sponsored reviews; I don’t. The above is my own opinion.