March 2016

March 22, 2016

Taking My Radio Play to the London Book Fair

, , , , 2 Comments

TAKING MY RADIO PLAY TO THE LONDON BOOK FAIR

Okay, I admit it. Most of what I do with my writing, I do on a hunch. I back a feeling, a whisper that suggests a path might be interesting to follow, might lead to something, though what that something might be, is open to question, and probably would not stand close, critical scrutiny. I act without concrete evidence of anything substantial, either to gain or to see; which, you may agree, is an odd way to do business, a strange way to procure results in this world of tangibles, projections and economic forecasts. Indeed, sometimes this method of doing things tests my faith almost to snapping point.

Nevertheless, though I would be hard pressed to explain why I doggedly continue to do so, I guard my hunches carefully and always try to honour them. I know that most of our best and most important decisions are not, in fact, the outcome of logic or common sense, but a response to a deeply felt desire or need. (When we buy a house, we care less about what is on our tick lists and more about how the hallway makes us feel.) That I may not yet see the outcome of a course of action does not mean I should not set my compass in that direction.

Henri_Lebasque_-_Lecture

So, in a spirit of hope and adventure, I sit here at night printing off my radio play. The printer is small and slow, but efficient and soothing, and, so long as I am careful, I can manage to multitask quite effectively, so I do not feel the paper, the ink or my time is wasted. I am going to have the completed work ring bound, and take it, with my book outlines, to the London Book Fair. Just because. The London Book Fair is an amazing opportunity, bringing together readers, authors, agents, publishers, promoters and industry specialists from across the world. Given that, why would I not take my radio play?

Please share:

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblrFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblr

March 17, 2016

A New Springtime

, , , , 4 Comments

A New Springtime

Writing goes through peaks and troughs; and it has to wait its turn amid the tasks of family life, and the unexpected – and predictable – shocks that flesh is heir to.

Vermeer,_Johannes_-_Woman_reading_a_letter_-_ca__1662-1663

My dad comes in for a bit of stick in my memoir. And yet, where he might have cause to be upset and to take me to task, he has responded with grace and kindness to everything I have written. He took issue with one outline of a situation, which was useful since he prompted me to re-think and re-write much more realistically. For the rest, I was writing what I remembered, and tried to do that as honestly as I could. Honesty, of course, if it is genuine, is a two edged sword, as cutting against the writer as against any of the other protagonists. That is my hope, that my honesty salvages what could be a maudlin reflection of what I should have done better, into something more worthwhile. And, these days, I like to take my gazillion mistakes and turn them into useful fodder for reflection and, of course, writing.

DSCI1170

Dad had given me so many gifts: a quirky sense of humour, an appreciation of classical music, a delight in bright colours, big skies, foreign places and hot climes, an awareness of different cultural approaches, a delight in travel and an awareness of my good fortune. All of these gifts have underpinned my days with the recognition of how beautiful life is, and can be, if we allow it to be.

I am travelling to Belgium next weekend, when I hope to see dad and tell him some of this. Even if I don’t have that opportunity, I hope he knows how much I love him.

Spring daffodils

Please share:

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblrFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblr

March 10, 2016

Going to the London Book Fair 2016

, , , 2 Comments

I’ve got my train ticket, I’ve downloaded my pass for the week and I’ve booked and paid for my accommodation, which is a stone’s throw away from the venue.  I am definitely going to the London Book Fair 2016 , at Olympia Exhibition Centre, Hammersmith Road, from Tuesday 12 April to Thursday 14th April inclusive.  It’s the first week of the Summer term for Seline, who will be fine with her dad here to look after her.  This time last year, I would have been more hesitant, but in the last twelve months, Seline has grown and matured, and become taller than her mum, not only in stature, but also in confidence and wisdom too.  She will relish the freedom to be without my mumsy ways for a while.

What shall I take to the Fair?  Apart from my tickets and my hopes, what materials will I be taking with me?  Top of the list is the first in my series of books featuring Lisa, a Scots lawyer, and an assortment of her friends and clients.  It is a source of constant delight to me to discover that the more I write about Lisa, the more I discover to write.  To know that a series feeds naturally on itself is to surrender a major pre-occupation and so begin to really enjoy writing for pure pleasure.  As well as the first book in the series, I hope to take the first fifty pages of book two + synopses and/ or proposals for the series.

Street Photography in NYC

Since I will be in London, with its myriad opportunities, tucked under my arm, will be an abbreviate of my radio play. It seems a pity to be in London for the whole week and leave it behind. Who knows what might arise from a decision to remain open about that?

Who else is going to the London Book Fair 2016?

Please share:

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblrFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblr

March 8, 2016

Editing, the perspiration of writing

, , , 0 Comments

Editing, the perspiration of writing.

The first draft of our first book may only take a few weeks or months to complete. Typically, the first real, honest project in our writing career will have been gestating for years. You may find that once released, the torrent of words just cannot be stopped, and you fill pages easily and fluently. This is a sign that you are indeed meant to write everything out, and that the time has come to follow through with that impulse. But before you print off your first draft and send it out to the publishers, pause for a moment and reflect.

Doyen,_Gabriel_Francois_-_La_Lecture_-_18th_century

My first book felt like a very exciting experiment: I loved the feeling of finally writing down all the ideas which had been swimming around in my head for years. Finally giving form to them felt immensely liberating. With a new project to occupy me, I felt more alive and awake than I had for many years. However, with my enthusiasm there was not a great deal of experience and I was acutely aware of my naiveté, which fed into my first efforts at to put together consistent, worthwhile material. After rewrites and overhauls through several years, I finally set that first major project to one side, and then – and this is the point – only then, did I start my magnum opus.

Getting the first two hundred thousand words out – only half of which may be worth saving and putting into some kind of order – we have well and truly launched our writing careers, but the refinement of that first enthusiasm can take years. Our first work, our first completed book – while presenting a good opportunity to be pleased – is just the beginning and may never transform itself into our best writing, no matter how enthusiastic it makes us feel personally. Many writers have launched successful careers with their second book, aware that it represents more fluent, polished writing.

(To be continued)

 

Please share:

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblrFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblr

March 4, 2016

Today I got a reply

, , , 6 Comments

Today I got a reply from ‘Woman’s Weekly’ magazine, returning a short story contribution which they advise is not quite what the editor is looking for.

I am very heartened by this for three reasons.

First, I did not send a stamped self-addressed envelope with my letter. I know this because if and when I do, I use first class postage affixed to a standard business envelope, assuming that, if what I send is unsuitable for the current round of articles or features, which it almost always is, my contribution will be routinely binned and that I might, if I am very lucky, receive a single sheet form letter in reply. (I have long since left behind the desire to see my printouts returned, because they are rarely used twice, and the material will doubtless have been revised many times since it was submitted.) So, the fact that ‘Woman’s Weekly return anything in a large envelope with the proper second-class postage means that someone probably read it and decided it was good enough to merit a reply – result!

La-liseuse

Secondly, despite the fact that the form letter enclosed with my story says, ‘unfortunately we are unable to return manuscripts that are submitted without an sae’, someone clearly did return it, suggesting that they are reminding me of their submissions guidelines. Nudge, nudge!

Thirdly, that someone takes the trouble to remind me of their submission guidelines reinforces how important it is to follow these to the letter, and suggests that someone might want to hear from me again. I shall study the guidance carefully and write another short story which might be more suitable next time. I think I can do that. And, to make their lives easier, I shall enclose a second-class large letter postage stamp on a suitable envelope as routine.

I call that an excellent outcome. I am very grateful to Woman’s Weekly for taking the time to reply, and for returning my contribution with such useful feedback.

Please share:

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblrFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblr

March 3, 2016

Being Honest

, , , 0 Comments

Being Honest

Whether you are drawn to writing fiction, fantasy, chic lit, New Age or memoir, there is really nothing more fundamental than being honest. Not brutal, but honest and clear about your motives, your intentions, what you are trying to say and how you express your voice. It is only through honesty that we can build the conviction that leads to convincing writing. The talents on display for each genre are going to be different, and each of us will find our strengths as we continue to write. But without honesty, any surface appeal will soon wither.

Honestly writing to make a living is a good enough motive, and will help to clarify for you what parts of your material feel commercially attractive. Writing in order to gain understanding or empathy is another worthwhile motive, and one which will come into play a great deal in fields such as memoir and New Age. Purely as an outlet for personal or artistic expression, writing is equally valid, though as a justification for spending regular, committed time on our craft, this reason, the purest of all, is often in danger of being downplayed, particularly by women writers who tend to be dismissive of what they bring to the writing table. It is not that women are less talented than their male counterparts; it is that we appear to take our ambitions less seriously.

 

Albert Anker, 'Junge Frau einen Brief schreibend'1903
Albert Anker, ‘Junge Frau einen Brief schreibend’1903

I hope you read a lot, look, listen and squirrel away details. I hope you go out and have an interesting life, because being active as well as reflective will bequeath you material to use in your writing, and, more importantly, it will give you oxygen to breathe, time to rest and appreciate, time to notice the outside world. Writing cannot grow in isolation. It needs a source, it needs time out, just as we all do. Getting away from the desk gives us pause to reflect, allowing time for new ideas and inspiration to spark up. Energy is what gives writing its focus, and without outside interests, either our energy will be misapplied, or it will sag and wilt from lack of refreshment.

Writers spend a lot of time thinking, dwelling inside their heads or with their thoughts and feelings. If you are anything like me, you will watch people with fascination, just to notice their facial expressions, to try and imagine their motives. You may linger at the beach or be drawn to gaze hypnotically at waves crashing on a beach, or at the sunset, long after other people have packed away their picnic bags and gone home, brushing sand from their feet and already caught up with what happens next. Observation, empathy, intimacy and patience, all these qualities inform our writing and make it authentic. So, take time to do other things, to notice how life moves. That kind of patience is time well spent. If it makes you feel better, you can always call it research!

Please share:

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblrFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblr

March 1, 2016

Creative use of language

, , , , 0 Comments

Creative use of Language

Creative writing is as much about playing games as anything else is. We play games with words and meanings. If we are into sci-fi, we may even invent our own languages and personal dictionaries. But we do need to ensure that our readers can understand our writing. For this, a good dictionary is indispensable, even if we excel at language. As I have said, writing is lonely and there are times when we need certainty. Getting help from a like-minded compiler is very, very reassuring. So invest in the biggest single-volume dictionary you can afford – and carry in one hand – or ask one of your friends to buy you one as a birthday present. Shelve it beside your desk. ‘Spell-check’ gets it wrong too, sometimes.

If we want to communicate effectively, it helps if other people know exactly what we mean, so hopefully we steer clear of heavy or obscure language.

Idiom – if you’re not sure what that means, look it up in your dictionary – is an interesting case in point. If I wrote, ‘The lady asked if I was pulling her leg, and that I had better leave her alone or she would sock it to me’, an editor unfamiliar with that idiom might query, ‘Pulling whose leg? Putting the sock on the leg?’ To take other examples: ‘Hang on a sec’ might raise the question, ‘What is a sec, and why is he hanging onto it?’ If you write, ‘Betty’s going to give Bert stick when she catches up with ‘im’ you are likely to find that, for an American translation, someone will have prefaced ‘stick’ with an indefinite article.

Our idioms, with which we feel so entirely comfortable, are so meshed with everyday language, that it can be hard to notice when readers with different social references find them incomprehensible. Idioms are not self-explanatory, so in the long run it might be easier to find some other way to express the same point.

I_Call_It_My_True_Companion,_by_Coles_Phillips

Similarly, humour can be a challenge, as what one nation finds amusing may well be insulting in a different cultural setting. For example, saying, ‘I have my best knickers on, just in case I get run over by a bus’ might be funny in Edinburgh, UK or deepest Dorset, but probably would not work in Bremen, Germany. Beware of putting a ‘family joke’ into a book, unless we can explain the background, seamlessly making that relevant and funny to any reader. We had best assume throughout the creative process, that we would like everyone to understand what we are writing about. An uncompromising message can be very important, but finding ways to stay committed to your creative style and voice in ways that do not alienate or confuse readers, is a large part of what makes writing saleable.

Please share:

FacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblrFacebooktwitterpinterestlinkedintumblr