5869. Autofiction tips by Mercy Hutchinson

 Writing Magazine Sep 2025

Autofiction is a method of writing a story based on your own life.

It is a truth-driven form of writing that blends elements of the writer's own life experience with fictional characters, experiences and situations. It often reads like a first-person account and will contain similarities to its author's own life.

Some of the text may be verifiable, other elements within the autobiography will be speculative. Examples include The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart  and On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. 

 

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Marcia's five top tips for writing autofiction. The Mercy Step by Marcia Hutchinson.

1. Pick a specific incident from your life and start from there. It doesn't matter what it is as long as it has resonance for you.

2. This is fiction, not fact, so you can embellish the 'truth' as much as your imagination will allow.

3. Try to get to the feelings behind the incident(s) and describe them in as much detail as possible in your first draft.

4. Be prepared to defend your work if anyone can easily be identified by your work will feel about it.

5.A traumatic life 'helps' but anyone can write auto fiction. It's all about being willing to go deep, excavating your feelings and finding the universal truths.  

 

Her book "The Mercy Step" by Marcia Hutchinson. Dysfunctional childhood. She wrote a tragic-comic novel as she knew humour had to play a part to leaven the difficult material. 

She dictate her drafts via her phone during dog walks.She can dictate 2000 words straight into Google docs during one park circuit. Less than one hour. Edit at home.  NOT easy. All her first drafts are dictated.  

She wanted to describe what it felt like to be an intelligent but very young child caught up in the maelstrom of a malfunctioning marriage.

My mental health is at its bestg when I'm writing whether anyone buys siad writing is almost beside the question. I am a writer so I have to write.

Advice other writers. Keep experimenting with ways of writing unjtil you find the one that works for you. There is no one true way. 

Dictating my first drafts into Google docs proved to bemy breakthrough in making the jump from short stories to novels.

She is a social writer - workshop my work-in-progress with a writing group or other writers and this really helps. She writes in fits and starts. First draft she wrote 80,000 words novel in 17 days as she has ADHD. 

 

 

5867. Phone photo tips: Give space for viewing and editing

 Spring St Subway Station, New York CitySmartphone photo: Michelle TanAdvice: Step back 3 steps before taking photo, so that the unique TILE WORK “SPRING ST (R)” has more spaces for viewing and photo editing

 

 

5866. Vit D deficiency in adults and Seniors

 

Key Takeaways

1. In Singapore, up to 40 percent of the general population are vitamin D deficient. In pregnant women, the number rises to a staggering 90 per cent.

2. To ensure adequate vitamin D, eat foods rich in vitamin D such as fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna) and eggs, and spend 10 to 15 minutes in the sun daily.

3. All newborns in Singapore receive a vitamin K injection to prevent bleeding disorders, as they are naturally deficient and breast milk only provides limited amounts.

Being in sunny Singapore, the last thing you’ll expect is for Singaporeans to have vitamin D deficiency.

Yet, according to a recent study published in 2024 by KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), a member of the SingHealth group, up to 90 per cent of pregnant women studied had insufficient levels of vitamin D.

Similarly, a 2010 National Health Survey found that 40 per cent of Singaporeans were vitamin D deficient, while another 8 per cent were very deficient.

Professor Jerry Chan, Senior Consultant from the Department of Reproductive Medicine at KKH and Director of the KKH Research Centre, shared, “Rising temperatures, greater awareness of sun protection, coupled with added fears since the pandemic have led to the increase of staying indoors, especially for expectant mothers. This could be reasons why many in Singapore have insufficient vitamin D.”

Dangers of vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D is available in two main forms — vitamin D2 and D3. While vitamin D2 can be obtained from food sources, vitamin D3, commonly known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’, is produced in the skin upon sun exposure.

Dangers of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy

Pregnant women need an adequate amount of vitamin D to reduce the risk of complications in pregnancies such as pre-term birth and low birth weight in infants.

When asked if an expecting mother with insufficient vitamin D passes it to her unborn child, Prof Chan answered, “Yes, it does. This is because the baby gets vitamin D from the mother through the placenta. Babies born with vitamin D deficiency can have problems with bone development, breathing issues, and get sick more easily.

This is why doctors often recommend vitamin D and calcium supplements during pregnancy – to protect the mother's bones while supporting the baby's development,” he added.

Dangers of vitamin D deficiency in children

In children, vitamin D deficiency affects bone development and increases the risk of fractures. This condition is known as rickets.

Dangers of vitamin D deficiency in adults

In adults, a lack of vitamin D increases risk of developing osteoporosis (brittle bones), impaired immune function and muscle weakness.

How much vitamin D do I need daily?

The Health Promotion Board (HPB) advises

• For expecting or breastfeeding mothers: 10mcg or 400 IU of vitamin D daily
• For non-expecting adults aged 18 and above: 2.5mcg or 100 IU a day

In terms of exposure to the sun, experts recommend 15 to 30 minutes of sun exposure, but people with darker or tanned skin may require more, as the melanin in the skin reduces the vitamin-producing effect of ultraviolet radiation.

Top foods with vitamin D

To meet your daily dose of vitamin D, foods to include in your diet include:

• Eggs (contains 1.02mcg or 41 IU per egg))
• Fatty fish such as
  • Salmon (contains 11.17mcg or ~447 IU per 85g),
  • Mackerel (contains 4.5mcg or ~182 IU per 85g),
  • Sardines (contains 4.1mcg or ~164 IU per 85g) and
  • Tuna (contains 5.8mcg or ~231 IU per 85g)
• Foods that have been fortified with vitamin D

“To ensure adequate vitamin D, I recommend eating foods rich in vitamin D and spending 10 to 15 minutes in the sun daily. To avoid excessive sun exposure, you can use sun protection such as sunscreen.

Since vitamin D deficiency is common, expecting mothers should also take a daily vitamin D supplement at doses of 800 to 1,000 IU as soon as they know they are pregnant.

Even women planning for a baby will benefit from vitamin D supplements. Proven to be safe, this dosage will ensure an adequate supply of vitamin D to the fetus,” said Prof Chan.

When asked if there is a danger of too much vitamin D, Prof Chan explained that vitamin D toxicity is a very rare condition, and only likely to occur when taken at 10 to 25 times the recommended upper limit for the supplements in repeated doses.

Did you know?

At KKH, all expectant mothers, including those who intend to conceive, are prescribed multivitamins that include vitamin D, as well as vitamin B. This is due to deficiencies in both vitamins, which are prevalent in the Singapore population.

All newborns in Singapore receive a vitamin K injection to prevent bleeding disorders, as they are naturally deficient and breast milk only provides limited amounts.

Ref: F26

 

Related articles:

Vitamin A: Why You Need It and Top Food Sources

Vitamin B: All You Need to Know

Vitamin C: Top Food Sources, Why You Need It and More

Vitamin D: Recommended Daily Allowances by Age

Supplements During Pregnancy: What You Need and Top Food Sources

5865. 75 - 300mm lens. Red frangipani at T4

 SINGAPORE - 14 MAR 2026:  Red frangipani varieties (Plumeria rubra) offer vibrant shades from deep blood-red to bright magenta, often with spicy or citrusy scents. Top varieties include 'Darwin Blood Red', 'BlackJack', 'Tahitian Red', 'Ruby Curl', and 'Hilo Beauty', which thrive in hot, sunny climates. They are popular for their intense color and fragrance.

 

 Canon R5, 300mm, 1/2000 sec, f/6.3, iso 400.
14 Mar 2026. 12.44pm.

5864. Homm Laguna Bintan

 I stayed in the Island Suite No. 141 which is beach fronting with less than a 2-minute walk to the sea. Very breezy and private as occupancy was low. Could watch sunrise.

16 - 19 Mar 2026.

 

Today, 19 Mar 2026. Last morning. Saw workers cleaning debri and picking up lots of 1.5 litre plastic bottles onto the wheel barrow.

An English man, slight paunch, blond snaky hair and glasses, in his 40s did exercise of leg squat, walked the beach and went into the waves for a swim. "Are you not afraid of the undercurrents dragging you into the sea?"
"There were none," he said confidently, voice pleasant. "I am an experienced swimmer."

If you experienced an undercurrent, relax and let the waves pulled you out to the sea. Then swim left or right  and swim towards the shore. In this way, you will not drown!

 

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16 Mar 2026. Ferry Terminal.

Englishman 79, ex-private school teacher from a city in middle England.
Emerald Lounge free drinks.

Stayed sharp, stayed active, stayed healthy. No dementia, mental decline.

Active.
1. Bicycle to girlfriend's house as they live separately.

2. Played tennis

4. 4km walk weekly

 

Girlfriend is a chef. 

 

5871. Charging Spotted Dove in Bintan

A Spotted Dove sprints on the sandy Bintan beach towards me, as if he is a lion charging a prey!  Is he exercising? I got one clear shot and many blurry ones. Homm Laguna Bintan. 18.3.26. 9.13am 

18 Mar 2026. 9.13am
Canon R5,300mm, 1/2000 sec, f/6.3, iso 160

 

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A predator marks his prey.

18 Mar 2026: 9.13am.  

A Spotted Dove on the fine beach of Homm Laguna Bintan. He was sprinting as if towards me, behind the grass patch. 

 

 Actually the Dove's eyes were focused on a "worm" or insect amid the grass patch (foreground). He sprinted like a predator marking the prey, put his head down and swung his head. His beak picked up something. He swallowed it after some head shaking. 

Hence, he was not exercising and going towards me.  

5870. Life values

 Can he impart life values that will enable his son to weather not only the small waves, but the tsunamis of life well?

 

 

 

 

 

 CanonR5 300mm, 1/2000 sec, f/5.6, iso 1250
17 Mar 2026. 6.44pm
Homm Laguna Bintan

 

 

 

5869. Filial love. Sunrise over the calm green sea off Malacca to Penang. Cruise ship.

 Story. This filial daughter  took her frail and thin mum for a cruise to Penang recently. Her 77-year-old mum connects with me as we spoke Cantonese and we will have lunch after her macular eye degeneration treatment at Mt Elizabeth to meet up. Her daughter will pay and chat with me in English. During the cruise, she took beautiful sunrise photos over the sea as requested by me… to oblige her mum too. “Did you watch the beautiful sunrise over the sea?” I asked the mum who had worked 20 years as a coffeeshop server in Kopitiam. “Sunrises don’t interest me. Shopping and food in Penang are what I wanted!”. The filial daughter took the time and was very kind to use her phone to wait for sunrise to take photos for me. She demonstrated her filial love ❤️ as her Mum must have had told her to keep in touch with me via phone photos. End of story. I had told her mum not to ask her to take travel photos to send to me. She listened to her mum.

5868. 75 - 300mm lens. Sunrise at Homm Laguna Bintan. Pacific Swallow.

 16 March 2026 - 19 March 2026

I had a very pleasant stay at Villa 141 Homm Laguna Bintan as the villa was beach fronting and facing sunrise. Surprisingly, the room door has no door bell.

The sea breezes were cool, blowing the coconut trees inwards away from the beach. Sand was very clean and well maintained with few dead branches or leaves.

Service staff including the Lotus Cafe staff and transport buggie to Treetops restaurant in Banyan Villa were happy and helpful. Breakfast at the Lotus Cafe had local dishes as well as the cornflakes.

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS:
I share a photo of the sunrise taken from my Villa 141 balcony with the sun having risen at 7.25am (THIS PHOTO). The sunrise was scheduled at around 6.07am. I used tripod, Canon R5, 85 mm, 1/160 sec, f/16, iso 100, with EV reduced to -2.

 

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5867. Character education of a 3-year-old boy

 

 

Character traits are consistent, stable qualities—emotional, mental, or moral—that define how a person behaves, thinks, and interacts with the world. These attributes, such as honesty, resilience, or empathy, differ from temporary emotions because they represent deeply rooted tendencies that influence behavior over time. 

Key Aspects of Character Traits:

• Positive Traits: Ambitious, compassionate, courageous, dependable, disciplined, flexible, humble, optimistic, and trustworthy.
• Negative Traits: Arrogant, selfish, dishonest, cowardly, lazy, reckless, and pessimistic.
• Examples in Action: A resilient person perseveres through setbacks, a loyal friend stays by your side, and an organized individual plans ahead.
• Role in Stories: In literature, these traits (or flaws, like hubris) drive the plot and determine how characters respond to conflict. 

These traits are not always permanent and can evolve, allowing individuals to cultivate positive qualities or manage negative ones. 

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5 Pillars of Character

Developed by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, the Character Counts! program is based on six core values, or "Pillars of Character" respect, responsibility, caring, trustworthiness, fairness and citizenship.