tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948390260711607012024-03-13T11:48:58.944-07:00The Wandering WordsmithBlogger and author of middle grade, teen and young adult fiction.Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-1411714609477964802017-02-13T06:22:00.002-08:002017-02-13T06:22:50.696-08:00Ellen Phethean - ‘Creating Believable Characters’ Workshop and Interview<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fa-fqaoyvx8/WKG_5s_4TXI/AAAAAAAAEbU/bJhmDY2qwMEHw5rWEeIfWM3Ntwks5IevQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fa-fqaoyvx8/WKG_5s_4TXI/AAAAAAAAEbU/bJhmDY2qwMEHw5rWEeIfWM3Ntwks5IevQCLcB/s320/DSC_0037.JPG" width="320" height="213" /></a><br />
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<b>Workshop summary</b><br />
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On a cold January day at York Library, Ellen Phethean gave an insightful character workshop to a keen set of North East Scoobies (along with a few guests from North West region!). The workshop covered many of the main problems that writers face when trying to create rounded, believable characters. And without characters, as Ellen rightly pointed out, you have no story. <br />
The group was taken through a series of questions and exercises to identify what makes a compelling character, what the most common problems were when creating characters and how to tackle them. Ellen showed us a number of ways to avoid making our characters too flat, passive or predictable and, through the exercises, ensured we understood and reinforced each technique. At the end she asked us to interview each others’ characters so we could identify and discuss any issues we had with our own characters. <br />
All of the exercises were simple yet effective and gave us plenty to think about. Ellen illustrated all of her points with examples and extracts from children’s novels and broke down the character-making process in a clear, concise way. Personally, I found the workshop extremely helpful and I think it gave every attendee at least one useful technique to deepen their characters, both now and in the future.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tk7vEPOtqCs/WKHAFekJzWI/AAAAAAAAEbY/VeaKVTtUWa4vVeBA50VeyX229YhKI0I4wCLcB/s1600/DSC_0036.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tk7vEPOtqCs/WKHAFekJzWI/AAAAAAAAEbY/VeaKVTtUWa4vVeBA50VeyX229YhKI0I4wCLcB/s320/DSC_0036.JPG" width="320" height="213" /></a><br />
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<b>Interview with Ellen</b><br />
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<b>1. Did you always want to be a writer / poet? (and what made you want to become one – was it a particular book or poem you read?)</b><br />
I wrote when I was young but I’m not sure where I got it from. At school I enjoyed English and acting and later studied Drama and English at university where I wrote sketches and shows. I felt I was mainly a performer until Julia Darling asked me to join the Poetry Virgins and we published an anthology. Once I was published, I began to see myself as a writer and a poet and later became Writer in Residence for Seven Stories.<br />
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<b>2. How do you go about creating your protagonists? – do they just come to you or do they come out of a setting or a situation?</b><br />
I tend to see a character in a situation or in a place.<br />
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<b>3. Do you ever hear your characters’ voices in your head?</b><br />
Sometimes. I like dialogue and I have a theatrical background. And I like reading in the first person – it gives the reader a more limited viewpoint than the third person. Perhaps one day I shall write something in the first person. Patrick Ness does this very well.<br />
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<b>4. Do you ever find your characters take over, making the story take a different turn?</b><br />
As I write the characters can do something I haven’t anticipated – I write to find out what happens. I have the overall arc but the story has to be character-led.<br />
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<b>5. Do you ever ‘become’ your characters? - i.e. the method acting technique.</b><br />
No. Never. It’s a different way of creating a character. I visualise them like a film and describe what I see.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FPWP1yvk_VY/UoqDuc_AiBI/AAAAAAAAAIc/POajcOCk7fQFLseStJTf0qK0X7FXfFdrgCPcB/s1600/woman-typist-at-typewriter.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FPWP1yvk_VY/UoqDuc_AiBI/AAAAAAAAAIc/POajcOCk7fQFLseStJTf0qK0X7FXfFdrgCPcB/s320/woman-typist-at-typewriter.jpg" width="320" height="313" /></a><br />
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<b>6. Out of all the characters you’ve created, who is your favourite and why?</b><br />
They’re all different. ‘The Wall’ was my first attempt at creating a character and so I have a particular affection for Kylie the teenage girl who gets pregnant. Ren is a bit different – she’s more of her own person in her own world.<br />
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<b>7. Who is your favourite literary character (created by another writer)?</b><br />
Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea quartet has a wonderful, rounded female character called Tenar. I also love Todd Hewitt and Viola in the ‘Chaos Walking’ trilogy by Patrick Ness – those are fully rounded and interesting characters.<br />
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<b>8. Which author do you think paints characters most vividly?</b><br />
Michelle Paver creates vivid characters in Wolf Brother and so does Margaret Atwood. Surprisingly there’s also good characterisation in ‘Little House on the Prairie’ by Laura Ingalls Wilder.<br />
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<b>9. Which writers and poets have inspired you the most and why?</b><br />
Ursula Le Guin is a huge inspiration – I love how she creates other worlds which give you an alternative way of looking at the world and asking ‘what if?’. She’s a feminist with a political perspective. I also love the landscapes and people of Kathleen Jamie. Carol Ann Duffy is amazing and accessible but not simple. Sean O’Brien has a political perspective, is musical and pulls no punches.<br />
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<b>10. Where do you get your ideas and inspiration – are you a hunter or a gatherer?</b><br />
I’m a bit of both. I collect lots of interesting facts about all kinds of things, from the workings of the moon to ancient names for trees. An idea comes when I’m bothered about something – when I wrote The Wall I had teenage boys and was very concerned for them so the idea behind the story was relevant to me. Someone I know has adopted two Chinese babies and I wonder what they will do when they grow up.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0wfgqpc-IdQ/UooceHywhMI/AAAAAAAAAIM/zJte_QxJNuQt7mJQjZ0ZfryvPyZrSL2vQCPcB/s1600/notebook_and_pen.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0wfgqpc-IdQ/UooceHywhMI/AAAAAAAAAIM/zJte_QxJNuQt7mJQjZ0ZfryvPyZrSL2vQCPcB/s320/notebook_and_pen.jpg" width="320" height="192" /></a><br />
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<b>11. Which is harder – poetry or prose?</b><br />
They come from different places. Prose can be a slog and you’ve got to be determined. Lots of people start something but don’t finish it – you have to finish and work on to the end. But poetry is different – you accumulate poems until you have enough for a book.<br />
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<b>12. When writing prose are you a plotter or a pantser?</b><br />
I’m not really a plotter. I want to get on with it. I do research on a ‘need to’ basis. If I’m writing and don’t know something I’ll leave myself a note and come back later with the research. I know roughly where the story’s going and I have an idea of the ending but not the complete plot. My current story could go one of two ways – it could have either a romantic ending or a non-romantic ending!<br />
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<b>13. Do you have a strict writing routine – i.e. every morning for two hours? - or do you just write when the mood takes you?</b><br />
I try to write every day unless I’m teaching. I try not to look at social media when I’m at work. Mornings are best for me but I might continue into the afternoon if the writing’s going well. I schedule my writing time into my diary.<br />
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<b>14. Where do you prefer to write – at a desk / shed at home or your local cafe / library?</b><br />
I write mostly at home but not always in the same room. I start writing longhand but once I’m in the middle of something I switch to a PC. I often start off a scene during a class, while my students are writing. <br />
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<b>15. Do you set a target word count each time or just write as much as you feel?</b><br />
If I have a deadline then I’ll set a word count, otherwise I write as much as I can – maybe 1,000-2,000 words per day, but I don’t beat myself up if I don’t reach it. I use Scrivener – it lets you set an average word target for each chapter which can be useful.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XgFEpI5ZO6Q/UoqQ1vxlXII/AAAAAAAAAJU/6dxiAxNl8KcOoseSXA41zxYIiG-EkVzewCPcB/s1600/Saltaire%2Barts%2Btrail.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XgFEpI5ZO6Q/UoqQ1vxlXII/AAAAAAAAAJU/6dxiAxNl8KcOoseSXA41zxYIiG-EkVzewCPcB/s320/Saltaire%2Barts%2Btrail.jpg" width="320" height="213" /></a><br />
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<b>16. Do you prefer pen or keyboard?</b><br />
I start with a pen and then go onto the keyboard for the second draft, unless I’m in the flow and want to keep going by pen. When I get stuck on the keyboard I switch back to longhand.<br />
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<b>17. Do you work to music or prefer silence?</b><br />
Silence. I can’t think with music on, although being on the train or in a cafe with background noise is okay.<br />
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<b>18. Do you have any techniques or triggers to get you into ‘the Zone’?</b><br />
I just sit down and write – or procrastinate! I might read the last chapter I wrote.<br />
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<b>19. In your poems you manage to create a moving, vivid, extraordinary image in so few words. How do you go about doing this, what are your thought processes, your word searching?</b><br />
A lot of editing goes into it. You explore an image in words with emotion in the back of your mind. For example I wrote a poem about my son leaving home and I had this idea of the house as a beach with all this stuff left behind on it which gave me the image for the poem. The poem itself doesn’t mention my son except in the title.<br />
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<b>20. If there’s one key piece of advice, one gem of wisdom about the craft of writing, be it character development, re-writing or plot vs story, what would that be?</b><br />
Just keep doing it and get to the end. Be ruthless and don’t worry about it being sh*t!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RxbxRW4Hb8U/U11r2DsxbMI/AAAAAAAABYQ/lPF1FYVSNhMrvBsbdElFsciIlh2kt48uQCPcB/s1600/thinking%2Bwoman%2Bat%2Btypewriter.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RxbxRW4Hb8U/U11r2DsxbMI/AAAAAAAABYQ/lPF1FYVSNhMrvBsbdElFsciIlh2kt48uQCPcB/s320/thinking%2Bwoman%2Bat%2Btypewriter.jpg" width="320" height="247" /></a><br />
Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-59054652795943927642017-02-07T22:58:00.000-08:002017-02-07T22:58:59.935-08:00Getting Away From It All: Why Writers Need Retreats<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8TX9fILkMSM/WJrAQYQfGUI/AAAAAAAAEaU/zyClbHXm9CEh6S8eGDY7TVwlIGiL13O3wCLcB/s1600/DSC_0073.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8TX9fILkMSM/WJrAQYQfGUI/AAAAAAAAEaU/zyClbHXm9CEh6S8eGDY7TVwlIGiL13O3wCLcB/s320/DSC_0073.JPG" width="320" height="213" /></a><br />
Five writer friends and I have just returned from a self-organised 'mini retreat' in North Yorkshire. The weekend was something that all of us needed, for different reasons. Mine was to finish the first draft of my teen novel, The Difference Engineer. Also, the frantic Christmas and New Year period had made me desperate to get away and write. I hadn't stopped writing over the Christmas period, but I wanted a chance to really get my head down and write and think, and write some more, away from all the daily distractions.<br />
I'm a member of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and I meet up every other month with the North East branch for critiques and workshops. We also have a Facebook page where we share information, pick each other's brains, give moral support etc. When I first suggested the idea of a 'mini retreat' on our group Facebook page I didn't expect much of a response, but lo! there were others like me, desperate to get away and write as soon as a booking could be made!<br />
Within a couple of days I had found somewhere suitable, booked and paid for it - a four-bed cottage in Hutton le Hole on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors.<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rOzJ-2BuaIE/WJrAqeedKdI/AAAAAAAAEac/ivMvgcgRIvsFr2-kziaSWZ8p7DTAR6sRwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rOzJ-2BuaIE/WJrAqeedKdI/AAAAAAAAEac/ivMvgcgRIvsFr2-kziaSWZ8p7DTAR6sRwCLcB/s320/DSC_0054.JPG" width="320" height="213" /></a> <br />
Before going, I had a few doubts about what I was doing - shouldn't I be at home taking care of my parental duties? Did I really need to go all the way to the North Yorkshire Moors to work on my story? Although I did miss my children, one of the toughest things proved to be driving to and finding the place in pitch darkness with a satnav that had stopped working. It seems that my night vision has deteriorated to nil, something which I was unaware of before the journey and which made for a scary trip! But I managed not to drive into a ditch on the winding country roads, found the place despite having no mobile reception and arrived to a cheery welcome from my fellow writers.<br />
Relaxing by a roaring log fire with a glass of red wine, everything seemed to fall into place.<br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8uv6bZSsaro/WJrBcFXxj9I/AAAAAAAAEaw/4Csni5zlRJcA_yw5WdKggyS3GNEksZvGwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0049.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8uv6bZSsaro/WJrBcFXxj9I/AAAAAAAAEaw/4Csni5zlRJcA_yw5WdKggyS3GNEksZvGwCLcB/s320/DSC_0049.JPG" width="320" height="213" /></a> <br />
The next morning we were all hard at work - spread out over the lounge, dining room and bedrooms. All of us had very different goals - some were just in the initial stages of a piece, others, like me, were trying to finish their WIP. Each of us were writing for different ages from picture book to YA. And when we wanted a break there was a lovely village to wander round surrounded by the beautiful windswept Moors (yes I'm a Yorkshirewoman and a Bronte-lover!)<br />
I found it quite a challenge to focus on my writing for such long periods of time, being accustomed to rising early and writing 45 minutes to an hour before anyone else is awake. But I achieved a lot in a very short space of time, finishing my novel, writing some key scenes I was going to add later (I had decided to make a few changes to the plot when it came to the second draft) and writing out the key character profiles and a list of fantastic gadgets belonging to my protagonist. <br />
My lovely writer friends and I went to town with our provisions, bringing all manner of goodies to eat and drink. Tasty chilli, lasagne, lots and lots of cake, and, for the evening, plenty of wine :) But one of the best things was being able to talk freely about our writing without anyone's eyes glazing over or getting "that look" you often get when you tell a non-writer what you're doing.<br />
All of us took something away from the weekend - ideas and research for stories, whopping word counts and a renewed enthusiasm for agent submissions. And, importantly, we were not alone for part of our writing journey.<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-knOoGxqMy4M/WJrA9MZYigI/AAAAAAAAEak/R28J-hvdOeULG0fg5pBdVJIrgwdV9MbvwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-knOoGxqMy4M/WJrA9MZYigI/AAAAAAAAEak/R28J-hvdOeULG0fg5pBdVJIrgwdV9MbvwCLcB/s320/DSC_0102.JPG" width="320" height="213" /></a><a <br />
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Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-87724550870464908472014-06-11T10:18:00.000-07:002014-06-11T10:19:36.511-07:00Getting to Grips with Creative Non-fiction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5_glpCA6VvE/U5iKj9kuYFI/AAAAAAAABag/vuuB1rJ7fnQ/s1600/Puzzled+woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5_glpCA6VvE/U5iKj9kuYFI/AAAAAAAABag/vuuB1rJ7fnQ/s320/Puzzled+woman.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<b><h2>What is it and how do you get started?</H2></b><br />
Put into its simplest terms, creative non-fiction conveys facts in a creative way. In other words “true stories well told”. Most of what we write day to day is non-fiction, but most is far from creative. It could be argued that it is more difficult to make a true story exciting (while sticking to the facts), than to make up an exciting story from scratch.<br />
<p>Non-fiction writing covers news stories, feature articles, reviews, biographies, autobiographies, diaries, memoirs, travel writing, essays, historical accounts, self-help books and a whole lot more. Traditionally, non-fiction writers such as journalists have stuck to the facts – who, what, where, why, how and when. But there is no reason why non-fiction (journalism included) cannot be as interesting and enjoyable as fiction.</P><p>In fact, some might argue that all creative writing starts with facts. After all, a writer's ideas have to come from somewhere, so why not 'real life'. As a writer of both fiction and non-fiction I find many of my fictional story ideas are inspired by key historical events, while my characters are based on real people (that said, they are usually 'blended' i.e. each has traits from more than one person).</P><p>In recent times non-fiction has become ever more creative by borrowing techniques from fiction writing, such as writing in 'scenes', including dialogue and focusing on an individual's experiences, turning the piece into an emotional experience for the reader. The best non-fiction writers make non-fiction stories read like fiction, so that their readers are as enthralled by fact as they are by fantasy.</P><p>In fact, creative non-fiction has now become the most popular genre in the literary and publishing communities. This means the biggest publishers are seeking creative non-fiction titles more vigorously than literary fiction and poetry. Even small and academic (university) presses that previously would have published only books of regional interest, along with criticism and poetry, are actively seeking creative non-fiction titles.</P><p>So, if you haven't already tried your hand at creative non-fiction, why not give it a go? There are plenty of good books on the subject, or you could attend a workshop / course to get you started.</P><p>15 years ago I trained and then worked as a newspaper journalist and have worked in editorial roles ever since. I've spent the last five years practising and studying fiction writing, which has improved my non-fiction writing no end and resulted in one completed novel and several works in progress.</P><b><p>On Friday, 4th July I'll be running a creative non-fiction writing workshop (for ages 16+) at <a href="http://mirfieldcommunitycentre.btck.co.uk/">Mirfield Community Centre</a> (West Yorkshire, UK) from 10.30am to 12.30pm. Cost £7 (concessions £5). All abilities are welcome and there is no need to book, just turn up on the day. If you have any questions, please email me at dnamesbury@gmail.com </P></b><br />
Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-90050917829563067012014-04-27T13:47:00.000-07:002014-04-27T13:51:00.689-07:00Beating Writers' Block<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RxbxRW4Hb8U/U11r2DsxbMI/AAAAAAAABYM/hWPToPXBEE0/s1600/thinking+woman+at+typewriter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RxbxRW4Hb8U/U11r2DsxbMI/AAAAAAAABYM/hWPToPXBEE0/s320/thinking+woman+at+typewriter.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Every writer, no matter how seasoned, will at some point find themselves at the mercy of the dreaded 'writers' block'. Sometimes there's a good reason for it, such as a stressful life event, and sometimes it's unclear what the problem is (other than a total inability to write anything). But one thing's for sure, the longer you spend not writing (and getting stressed about it), the harder it'll be to start again. But (hold onto that towel!) there are several ways and means to kick start your writing and regain that missing mojo. <br />
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One way is to enroll on a writing course - even a short one, provided it's well run, can get you writing again. Another is to join a local writers' group - ask at your library to see if there's one in your area. And a third way is to use writing prompts, such as the ones found at sites like Writing Prompts 101.<br />
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Below are ten prompts from this site:<br />
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1. He hadn’t seen her since the day they left high school.<br />
2. The city burned, lighting up the night sky.<br />
3. They came back every year to lay flowers at the spot.<br />
4. The streets were deserted. Where was everyone?<br />
5. This time her boss had gone too far. <br />
6. She woke, shivering, in the dark of the night.<br />
7. The garden was overgrown now.<br />
8. He’d never noticed a door there before.<br />
9. His feet were already numb. He should have listened.<br />
10. He’d always hated speaking in public.<br />
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There are other ways to get your writing re-started, such as walking in inspirational places, meeting interesting people and collecting weird news stories, to name but a few. The main thing is to keep trying different things until something clicks and the words start to flow again. The most important thing, I've found, is not to panic and to keep telling yourself you <b>will</b> write again. <br />
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So, when you hit that wall, keep going until you bash through it. I promise there's always a way through, if you want to find it badly enough.<br />
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Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-51941095103073016102014-02-02T11:49:00.000-08:002014-02-02T11:49:12.212-08:00JaNoWriMo - Crossing the Finish Line!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BCeS0oBzMfk/Uu6ecEPTDII/AAAAAAAABP0/SInhCQplQL8/s1600/finishline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BCeS0oBzMfk/Uu6ecEPTDII/AAAAAAAABP0/SInhCQplQL8/s320/finishline.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It felt good to cross the finish line on Friday with the last writing session of our JaNoWriMo challenge. It means I now have a rough first draft to work with over the coming months. And, although L was already there with her first draft, she continued to check/edit her work until the last day and has already emailed her opening chapters 'round our writers' group. Well done L! N had some bad news which threw him off course in the final week, but he said that JaNo fired him up and got him writing the start of a trilogy he had had in mind for over six months. So, we're all glad we did it and we're thinking about doing a similar writing challenge again soon - MarNoWriMo anyone? ;)Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-71320373093527377992014-01-29T13:15:00.000-08:002014-01-29T13:15:49.973-08:00JaNoWriMo - Day 28<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1IR1Y-y467I/UulvDsZEt0I/AAAAAAAABPk/jGyevguIfjU/s1600/keep-calm-it-s-almost-finished-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1IR1Y-y467I/UulvDsZEt0I/AAAAAAAABPk/jGyevguIfjU/s320/keep-calm-it-s-almost-finished-2.png" /></a></div><br />
We're so close to the finish line that I can almost touch/smell/feel it - only two days to go to the end of our JaNo challenge. And the time's gone so fast! L has faced a heavy workload in the past few days, but seeing as she's already completed her first draft I don't think she needs to worry! Meanwhile N has had a few days off but said he was getting back into the saddle as of yesterday. I'm still averaging an hour a day and guess what? I've almost finished my first draft! Just a couple more scenes to write and I reckon I'm there. I can hardly believe how fast I've managed to do it, especially considering how bloomin' long it took me to write my first novel. So, there you have it, the JaNoWriMo challenge does work - L and I are living proof :)Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-4747656053058850582014-01-25T04:18:00.000-08:002014-01-25T04:18:11.046-08:00JaNoWriMo - Day 24<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hVuxB9u4t7A/UuOoIUdKCGI/AAAAAAAABO0/dbsV7aan-Xo/s1600/Day53-AlmostThere-animation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hVuxB9u4t7A/UuOoIUdKCGI/AAAAAAAABO0/dbsV7aan-Xo/s320/Day53-AlmostThere-animation.jpg" /></a></div><br />
There are only six days left until the end of our JaNoWriMo challenge so not far to go. L is busy re-reading her first draft and making notes / changes. Meanwhile, N is still on short story two but is hoping to complete that and story three by the end of the month. As for me, I've been writing an hour plus every day and am now really getting to the heart of my story / characters. Because I'm a 'pantser' I didn't truly understand my character's needs and wants until now. But now their innermost selves and motivations have been revealed, it's given me an even stronger urge to complete the story.<br />
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So, the question is, will N complete his third story and will I get my first draft done by the end of January? You'll have to wait until the next exciting installment to find out ;)Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-26805743029886650132014-01-20T13:13:00.000-08:002014-01-20T13:21:28.813-08:00JaNoWriMo - Day 19<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-405ctGkx4ck/Ut2O0fJVLrI/AAAAAAAABOY/T6DN2mwk878/s1600/better-writer-graphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-405ctGkx4ck/Ut2O0fJVLrI/AAAAAAAABOY/T6DN2mwk878/s400/better-writer-graphic.png" /></a></div><br />
This image says it all. In fact I'm half tempted to have it framed and hung on my wall! <br />
So, you may (or may not) have been wondering how our merry trio has been getting on with our JaNo challenge? Well, the really good news is that L has finished her first draft! I'm soooo pleased for her as it's the very first time she's done this - what a brilliant achievement! :) As for me, I'm still chugging away, averaging an hour's writing a day (not including all the historical research!) and feel my main characters are starting to become real. It's quite weird when that happens, especially for my husband. I'll suddenly mention a character and what's just happened to him/her and he thinks I'm talking about a real person - you'd think he might have got used to it by now! Thankfully he's a very tolerant man :) As for our third JaNo member, due to family commitments N hasn't made any further progress on his second short story, but he has promised he will finish it AND a third story by the end of January, so watch this space! Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-31244878154330641852014-01-15T03:05:00.000-08:002014-01-15T03:06:47.261-08:00JaNoWriMo - Day 14<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0IFHolTQXlo/UtZpU4ItWNI/AAAAAAAABKE/5DanUbEWnOw/s1600/1950s+woman+at+typewriter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0IFHolTQXlo/UtZpU4ItWNI/AAAAAAAABKE/5DanUbEWnOw/s320/1950s+woman+at+typewriter.jpg" /></a></div><br />
And so we've reached the two-week mark! The good news is, despite a few setbacks, we're all still making progress on our respective projects. So far I've managed to write every day - even on the worst days I managed 30 minutes and on the best days I wrote for 1 hour 20 minutes straight. L has almost finished her first draft which stands at almost 69K (wow!) and N is tackling the second short story in his trilogy. In fact, we're feeling so positive that L and I have pledged to continue into February. <br />
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TIP: I've found that keeping each other updated on a daily basis has really helped to keep us motivated and I'd recommend this kind of challenge to anyone who might otherwise find it difficult to write every day.<br />
Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-56975405453827145112014-01-10T12:52:00.000-08:002014-01-15T03:05:49.104-08:00JaNoWriMo - Day 9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mqvAmnVT1e0/UtBdYe774MI/AAAAAAAABIc/f-HpSVYPGXI/s1600/writers-block21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mqvAmnVT1e0/UtBdYe774MI/AAAAAAAABIc/f-HpSVYPGXI/s320/writers-block21.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I'm feeling pretty shattered today but I still managed to write for half an hour on my story. B is ill and R kept us awake half the night and I spent a good part of the day in a meeting re. a different writing-related project which I plan to launch in about 5-6 weeks time. Yesterday I was minding R all day and visiting friends and family, so, although I enjoyed the day, I had no time to myself until the evening by which time I was sooo tired. Also B was back from three days in London and feeling poorly. By the time I knuckled down to write I could only do half an hour. But at least I've written every day for nine days - and working on the same thing too! N had a break yesterday and L had a break today, so I don't feel half as bad as if they had been scribbling/typing away furiously the whole time. And tomorrow's another day! :)Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-48684075856775165172014-01-08T14:15:00.001-08:002014-01-08T14:16:19.117-08:00JaNoWriMo - Day 7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C10H4_PWmac/Us3KmiyE1fI/AAAAAAAABII/5lNk0I18qnI/s1600/Cartoon+writer_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C10H4_PWmac/Us3KmiyE1fI/AAAAAAAABII/5lNk0I18qnI/s320/Cartoon+writer_1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
So, it's day 7 of JaNoWriMo! At the end of the first week I'm pleased to report that L, N and I are all still very much on track with our respective projects. L is bowling along at 57160 words for her fantasy story and N has finished his first short story and started his second. At writers' group on Monday, N explained he's writing a series of short stories with a linked theme. His first story deals with a contemplated suicide, but that's as much as he has revealed. Meanwhile, I've been keeping up with my daily writing hour and I've done a bit of historical and medical research for my story. As some of the characters are from 12th/13th century I've realised I'll need to do quite a bit of research before it's finished, which I don't mind (yes, I'm a geek).<br />
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All in all, a good first week to JaNo. Here's to the next week!Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-70844144226607488412014-01-06T05:06:00.001-08:002014-01-06T05:43:27.713-08:00JaNoWriMo - Day 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m13hLDJL3wQ/UsqoJJQc0vI/AAAAAAAABH0/FT0HYEa1aLc/s1600/Writing+furiously_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m13hLDJL3wQ/UsqoJJQc0vI/AAAAAAAABH0/FT0HYEa1aLc/s200/Writing+furiously_2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Well it's day 5 of JaNo and N, L and I are still scribbling / typing away on our respective stories. I've done an hour's writing every day, L is going great guns with her word count at 50279 (she's been working on a half-completed draft), while N is working on a short story, the theme of which he's keeping under wraps for now! My story's been taking quite a few unexpected twists and turns and is getting quite complicated. I'm still not entirely sure how things will work out, but I'm sure I'll find a way to return everyone home eventually. <br />
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So, that's 5 down, 25 to go!<br />
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Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-4422128067469018162014-01-04T11:36:00.000-08:002014-01-04T12:59:28.152-08:00JaNoWriMo - Day 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEZAtgAirR8/UshidspnHPI/AAAAAAAABHk/rhXnbvINkCM/s1600/tv_exploding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEZAtgAirR8/UshidspnHPI/AAAAAAAABHk/rhXnbvINkCM/s320/tv_exploding.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It's day three and me and my fellow JaNoWriMo-ers have been busy. I've done an hour's writing each day (about 11-12 pages of handwritten A4) and L's been rocketing along with her daily word count. Meanwhile N's TV has blown up which he sees as a blessing in disguise as it's allowing him to concentrate on his writing! <br />
I only have a vague idea where my story is going (yes, I'm a pantser!) and so I suspect a huge amount of editing will be required later on, but for now I'm just going to keep on writing and hope it works eventually. L is a plotter and so she'll have far less editing to do and I'm not sure whether N is plotting or 'pantsing' but I know he has a specific story / word count in mind.<br />
The main thing is our JaNo challenge has got off to a good start - here's hoping it continues!Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-18731393626865995752014-01-02T13:52:00.001-08:002014-01-04T12:59:57.164-08:00JaNoWriMo - Day 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IFM8XKmyPio/UsXfQEpP0QI/AAAAAAAABGs/x6O77lMwjHQ/s1600/Writing-furiously%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IFM8XKmyPio/UsXfQEpP0QI/AAAAAAAABGs/x6O77lMwjHQ/s320/Writing-furiously%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Okay so it's 2nd January but NaNo is 30 days so... Anyway, the good news is not only have I started with an hour's writing blitz but also two members of Cleckheaton Writer's Group will be joining me on my JaNoWriMo journey! <br />
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N, L and I will be keeping each other updated and motivated with regular email updates on our progress. L is aiming to do 30-40K words by the end of January to complete the first draft of her YA fantasy and I've pledged to do a minimum of one hour's solid writing per day. As I'm doing this draft longhand I've decided it's easier to count pages and time the writing rather than count words. <br />
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So, my goal is to write for a minimum of 30 hours on my latest story during January, after which I'll type it up and do a word count. I also promise to post regular updates on our progress.<br />
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And if you fancy joining us, just let me know!<br />
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Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-28140519757933369872013-12-24T15:36:00.000-08:002013-12-24T15:37:48.422-08:00JaNoWriMo anyone?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5mchl9umTUQ/UroaHr_EQEI/AAAAAAAAAMc/MUsSKnAkLbc/s1600/Haba-Snow-Mountain-Climbing5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5mchl9umTUQ/UroaHr_EQEI/AAAAAAAAAMc/MUsSKnAkLbc/s320/Haba-Snow-Mountain-Climbing5.jpg" /></a></div><br />
November was not a great month for me – almost everything that could have happened, happened, and so my attempt at NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) was scuppered before it even began.<br />
Unsurprisingly, December has been super busy, not just with Christmassy goings on but with a LOT of family birthdays and several other things which I won't go into. And yet, while everything seems to have been working against me writing-wise, I've been making slow, steady progress on a new story. It's a MG fantasy adventure (just for a change!) and will hopefully be as much fun to read as I'm finding it to write. However, I'd dearly like to ramp my writing up a gear – and so, I'd like to invite anyone who's willing to join me in a January version of NaNoWriMo, which I have unimaginatively named JaNoWriMo! Basically it'll run throughout the month of January, in the same format as NaNo but without the official NaNo badge of honour.<br />
During January I'll put as many updates on my blog/twitter/FB page as I can and encourage anyone wanting to join in to add to my posts/tweets. So, with eight days to go, I hope you will join me, or if not, egg me on to complete a whopping 50,000 words by the end of January! But first, may I wish you all a Merry Christmas and happy new year :)Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-27492014485245256462013-11-22T03:13:00.003-08:002013-12-11T04:12:07.643-08:00Ten Ways to Boost your Writing Practise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fEySwthunzM/Uo88TQNdB0I/AAAAAAAAAK0/oDvjk40spGI/s1600/River+in+wood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fEySwthunzM/Uo88TQNdB0I/AAAAAAAAAK0/oDvjk40spGI/s200/River+in+wood.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Every sporting and musical activity has some kind of warm up, so why should creative writing be any different? It's important to get those creative muscles working every day, even if it's only for a few minutes. Even the most seasoned writers have days when they get stuck on a piece they're writing or feel completely uninspired to write anything at all. We've all been there - those days when you think "Why do I bother?" and "Will I ever be inspired again?" and "Shall I just pack it all in now?" But remember these feelings won't last and there are lots of fun ways to get going again - here are some of my favourites:<br />
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1. Pick a writing prompt to kick start a writing session, such as those found at <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/prompts">http://www.writersdigest.com/prompts</a><br />
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2. Attend a writing workshop / course / retreat<br />
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3. Join a writers' group - sharing your work and listening to others' work can be inspiring<br />
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4. Go for a long walk in the countryside or any green space you can find - ideally somewhere with trees or water<br />
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5. Use another art form for inspiration - visit an art gallery / museum, go to the theatre, watch a great film<br />
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6. Dance madly (indoors with the blinds shut - not in the street!) to your favourite music or go to a dance class (I love zumba!)<br />
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7. Sing your head off to your favourite songs (in the house or the car - I don't recommend serenading everyone in the high street unless you're already a licensed busker!)<br />
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8. Practise yoga, tai chi or some other kind of mindful exercise<br />
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9. Gardening - from planting to weeding - looking after plants and trees brings me back to nature and helps me focus<br />
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10. Last but not least, <b>keep reading!</b> (novels, poetry, comics - whatever you like!)<br />
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Of course, everyone has their own sources of inspiration, so if these don't work for you please don't despair - just keep trying new activities until you find what works for you!<br />
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Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-71872290973824062312013-11-18T22:23:00.000-08:002013-12-11T04:14:01.016-08:00From Missing Cherries to Better Writing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xGVJCcrHPxA/UosDguV-K7I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/F8hVuYwqoVk/s1600/7701735-bunch-of-fresh-cherries-on-white-background.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xGVJCcrHPxA/UosDguV-K7I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/F8hVuYwqoVk/s400/7701735-bunch-of-fresh-cherries-on-white-background.jpg" /></a></div><br />
My last blog post gave you ten things it takes to be a writer but it didn't cover everything. Also essential is:<br />
- <b>An obsession for detail</b> – from spotting spelling and grammatical mistakes to working out what might be missing from your story. This is an obvious one which I won't go on about and some may argue that you can always get someone else to proof your work and offer suggestions on plot/character.<br />
- <b>Trusting your subconscious</b> – realising that no matter how hard you try to make things happen at the 'right' moment – i.e. while you're at your writing desk – that the really important stuff only comes into your head when you're not even thinking about it, usually when you're not even writing. Unfortunately this means that inspiration hits you at the most inopportune moments – in the car, in the shower, 5 in the morning etc.<br />
I was set off on this train of thought by some missing cherries (yes really!) As well as being a writer I'm also a busy mum and one of the (very) few luxuries I treat myself to is having the weekly food shop delivered. And sometimes things are missing. The last time but one the shopping delivery was missing some cat food, an obvious error which I spotted straight away. The supermarket in question kindly recompensed me with a voucher to cover the cat food and the delivery charge. So this time I decided to treat the family to some cherries – they were on offer but still expensive in my opinion! Anyway, the shopping was delivered on Saturday and as I've had a lot on my mind lately I didn't notice anything was missing at first. However at 5am this morning (Tuesday) I found myself wide awake. One of my first thoughts was “Where are the cherries?!” After trying and failing to get back to sleep I finally got up and went to check the shopping receipt and the cupboards. I was right – two packs of cherries were on the bill but there were none in the cupboards. Of course I know this will be put right and that will be the end of it. But the point I'm making is:<br />
-<b> <i>how important it is to check the details; and,<br />
- how the subconscious mind always finds a way of always telling you what you need to know.</i></b>Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-45819535265520560522013-11-18T13:17:00.000-08:002013-12-11T04:15:19.263-08:00What Makes a Good Creative Writer?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FPWP1yvk_VY/UoqDuc_AiBI/AAAAAAAAAIY/DL5nzxLb4E0/s1600/woman-typist-at-typewriter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FPWP1yvk_VY/UoqDuc_AiBI/AAAAAAAAAIY/DL5nzxLb4E0/s400/woman-typist-at-typewriter.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It takes a great many qualities to become a good creative writer; here are 10 of them:<br />
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1. A love of reading – this comes first and is as important as a love of writing<br />
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2. A love of writing – pretty obvious, unless you've never tried writing before<br />
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3. A love of words – meaning you are dedicated to finding / using the right words / phrases for whatever it is you are writing<br />
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4. A good imagination – crucial!<br />
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5. Good powers of observation – being a people watcher and an eavesdropper!<br />
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6. A love of telling stories – always telling stories to anyone who will listen<br />
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7. Being disciplined – establishing and sticking to some kind of writing routine<br />
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8. Being thick skinned – being able to take criticism / rejection<br />
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9. Being patient – and I MEAN patient – especially when waiting for agents or the publishing process<br />
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10. A lifelong dedication to improving your writing skills – attending workshops and courses, reading books about writing, attending author talks, joining a writers' group, joining an online critique group and anything else that improves your writing skills.<br />
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I think I've covered the main qualities, but feel free to add any others you think are missing!<br />
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Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-1264759370171167172013-10-22T12:35:00.001-07:002013-12-11T04:16:40.046-08:00Festival Beginnings<b>How ILF all began: a Q&A with First Festival Director Michael Dawson<br />
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There are many stories surrounding the early years of the Ilkley Literature Festival. The only ones who know the truth are those who were there. During a frank Q&A session, the first Festival Director Michael Dawson revealed some memorable moments and dispelled at least one myth.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QzkWIR7K3bw/UooWiV0xCTI/AAAAAAAAAHE/ofqLT9wRiY0/s1600/1971+postal+strike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QzkWIR7K3bw/UooWiV0xCTI/AAAAAAAAAHE/ofqLT9wRiY0/s320/1971+postal+strike.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It's long been thought the festival was devised during the 1971 postal strike. In fact, Michael (then Director of the Yorkshire Arts Association) and Peter Harland (then editor of the Telegraph & Argus and Chair of the Yorkshire Arts Literature Panel) had dreamt up the festival some time before the strike, although Michael admitted it had given them “a little more time to plan”. He said the myth started because of a press release he and Peter issued which used the postal strike as their hook.<br />
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During his Q&A, Michael recalled many (actual) events – here's a selection:<br />
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In 1977, French writer Marguerite Duras, upon seeing the Kings Hall before her performance, disliked the venue so much that she used some choice words and almost left before her show. One hour and a few malt whiskies later she was persuaded to stay and gave her talk (in French). Michael recalled how, a week after her Ilkley appearance, she performed at the Carnegie Hall, although this time her performance was in English.<br />
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Germaine Greer refused her invitation when she was invited to join the festival’s first ‘Women and Literature Symposium’. The reason? Jilly Cooper was also due to attend. Michael recalled: “I got an extraordinary letter from Germaine Greer saying she'd never appear on stage alongside Jilly Cooper.”<br />
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The performance of Ted Hughes' Cave Birds in 1975 was both dramatic and eventful. Michael described the event as 'excellent' and said the drama was heightened by a blood-curdling scream from an audience member. At the time it was assumed the scream was part of the show, which continued uninterrupted. It was only later people realised the woman had been distressed by the slide show and had vomited in the foyer.<br />
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Yorkshire Arts insisted Michael had to organise everything in his spare time. This meant he could only dedicate half a day a week to the festival. He relied heavily on volunteers, including his whole family. His wife Megan organised parades, street theatre and shop displays, while his children got involved in the technical side of things, helping Michael to record some memorable performances.<br />
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There were many last-minute challenges, including a blown bulb on a projector hours before a performance. Michael found himself waiting at a petrol station halfway between Ilkley and York waiting for a replacement bulb to arrive so the show could go ahead (the supplier wouldn't come any further!). He got back to Ilkley to discover the replacement bulb damaged the slides. Michael laughingly recalled fetching a screen from home which was “far too small for anyone to see the pictures properly.”<br />
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When asked if he had had a grand vision of the festival's future, Michael replied: “No, I just hoped it wouldn't fold.” As he said at the time: “I think we can do it better than Cheltenham”, but he wasn't expecting anyone as famous as W.H. Auden to appear until Eric Walter White said they should 'aim for the top' and get Auden involved. When asked what Auden's performance was like, Michael said: “He wasn't bad at reading his own poetry – it wasn't dramatic but it was good.”<br />
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Towards the end, audience members recalled their favourite festival moments, including the controversy over the Minotaur sculpture (it became a national story) and Conor Cruise O'Brien's visit (he was number one on the IRA's hit list prompting his host to answer the phone as bogus characters just in case).<br />
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To close, Michael recalled and thanked the many committee members and volunteers from the early days, without whom he said “it would have been impossible.” He said he had “many happy and chaotic memories of the festival”.Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-42734189070498133742013-10-13T14:54:00.000-07:002013-12-11T04:19:36.188-08:00 The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gsn6rKGzIKk/UooQ9oX9wHI/AAAAAAAAAGc/lYh22gBFYcs/s1600/jane-austen1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gsn6rKGzIKk/UooQ9oX9wHI/AAAAAAAAAGc/lYh22gBFYcs/s320/jane-austen1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
If you were asked to describe Jane Austen (the woman) what would you say? An ambitious, independent, cosmopolitan, satirical, politically-aware woman? Perhaps not the description you would associate with 'dear aunt Jane' (as she was known to her ever-growing family).<br />
As I observed the full house and waited for the event to begin, the buzz of excitement was so great, it was as if Austen herself was about to appear. This year marks the bicentenary of the first publication of Pride & Prejudice, so what is it about this ordinary clergyman's daughter that continues to inspire so many readers today? Who is the real Jane Austen?<br />
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<b>From Womb to Tomb – and Beyond!</b><br />
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From the moment she started speaking, Paula Byrne's enthusiasm captivated the audience. She explained 'The Real Jane Austen' was her third biography and that her first biography, 'Perdita: the Life of Mary Robinson', was very conventional (from 'womb to tomb' as she put it). She said while writing it she became so fed up she just wanted to get it finished, which she thankfully did. It got short listed by the Richard and Judy Book Club and became a top ten best seller. After that, she was given free reign to try something new. Instead of an ordinary 'womb to tomb' biography, she did a year in the life of Evelyn Waugh as seen through the eyes of an upper class family (the same family that inspired him to write 'Brideshead Revisited').<br />
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Paula's unique approach was a success, however, when she told her publisher she wanted to do Jane Austen they were sceptical, saying there was nothing new to say. But Paula was determined and set about 'gathering' all the objects that Jane Austen owned to write 'The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things'. When she couldn't find enough of Jane's possessions to do this, she decided to use objects not only owned by Jane, but by members of her family and other objects associated with that period.<br />
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<b>Objets D'Art</b><br />
Paula showed us a series of slides featuring objects which had inspired her. The exception was the first slide which featured an extract from Mansfield Park where Fanny Price, escaping from her bullying uncle, is staring at a set of objects including a set of family profiles and a sketch of a ship. The ship sketch reminded Paula of Jane's two brothers in the navy and the naval characters and references in Mansfield Park and Persuasion.<br />
The next slide featured a family profile, which was a 'cheap' version of a miniature. The profile on the slide depicted the Knights and Edward, the Austen's eldest son. The Knights were a wealthy childless couple who adopted Edward (this was not unusual) and, after his first wife died (giving birth to their eleventh child), Edward provided his mother and sisters with a much-needed home.<br />
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<b>Cosmopolitan Connections</b><br />
Next we were shown a cashmere shawl. Jane owned more than one thanks to her aunt Philadelphia who, escaping her awful milliner's job in Covent Garden, sailed to Madras with a group of women nicknamed the 'fishing fleet' (they were fishing for husbands). Jane's aunt not only survived the six month boat trip, but she met and married Dr Hancock. The couple remained childless for eight years until they moved to Calcutta and met Warren Hastings. Shortly after, Philadelphia had a daughter (Eliza) who looked very like Hastings, causing much speculation.<br />
The next object was one of Jane's vellum notebooks. Only three of these survive and it was from them that her earliest writings (aka 'Juvenilia') were discovered. In these stories she talks about things like curry, an Indian muslin, mangoes and pipes of Madeira. Paula told us the 'Juvenilia' are rude, funny and outrageous – Jane satirises the great writers of her day and does it well. As for the notebooks themselves, they are full of chapter headings and dedications and Jane refers to herself as the 'humble author', all clues that she intended to be a professional writer. They also contain fun portraits of her family as 'royals' and possibly a portrait of the young Jane herself.<br />
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<b>Lifelong Friends</b><br />
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Next up was a lovely miniature of Jane's cousin Eliza as a child. Paula said that, besides her sister Cassandra, Eliza was a big influence on Jane. It's even possible that she was the inspiration for Mary Crawford. The flamboyant Eliza was different from anyone else Jane knew: born in Calcutta, married to a French aristocrat who was later guillotined, then married to Jane's brother Henry. Paula said knowing Eliza meant Jane would also have known a lot about the French Revolution.<br />
Another, perhaps even greater, friendship was formed between Jane and Anne Lefroy, a keen reader and poet who became Jane's literary mentor. Like Eliza, Anne was much older than Jane. An inspirational figure, Anne opened a school for the poor children of the surrounding area and vaccinated them against smallpox.<br />
Both Jane's friends died prematurely: Anne on Jane's 29th birthday following a freak riding accident and Eliza of breast cancer when Jane was 37 (Jane nursed her during her final days).<br />
The next slide was a regency-period painting of two sisters with one holding a letter. To Paula, this painting, although not of Jane and Cassandra, was symbolic of the lifelong friendship and correspondence between the two sisters. It's thought the sisters exchanged up to 6,000 letters and that Cassandra kept all of them until two months before her own death, when she burned all but 160. Cassandra even edited some of those that remained, making Paula wonder how naughty they must have been, considering the wicked humour in the surviving letters. <br />
Paula is convinced Jane never married for two reasons: firstly because she was determined to become a published author and secondly because Cassandra, distraught at losing her fiancé, decided she would never marry.<br />
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<b>Ticket to Ride</b><br />
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For Paula, the image of a yellow barouche represents many things, including how much Jane travelled – attending three different boarding schools, visiting Southampton, Bath, Kent, London etc. It also conjures up memorable scenes such as Mr Elton propositioning Emma in the carriage, Willoughby showing off in his curricle or Catherine being forced to travel 70 miles alone, on public transport (not something done by respectable young ladies!). In 1813, Jane also writes a wonderful description of herself driving around London in a barouche while visiting her London publisher.<br />
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<b>Soldiering On</b><br />
Another slide showed a military hat. The militia feature very heavily in Pride and Prejudice and Jane's brother Henry was part of the militia during the bread riots of 1795 when two of the Oxford militia were shot and several flogged. In Pride and Prejudice the militia decamp to Brighton – war was a constant threat and Jane was definitely aware of it.<br />
Paula disputes the claim that Jane didn't write for 10 years – she thinks that getting published was a struggle, but Jane persisted even though it took years. And when it finally did happen it was by Edgerton's Military Library (most definitely Henry's influence).<br />
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<b>Close Calls</b><br />
Paula showed us a card of lace and explained one of Jane's aunts was a kleptomaniac and had once been caught stealing a card of lace. She was put on trial but got off, although Jane's family would have been affected by the scandal.<br />
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We were shown a portrait of Harris Bigg-Wither who once proposed to Jane. Although Paula thinks it likely Jane would have had more than one marriage proposal, this was the only one she accepted. However, she soon changed her mind.<br />
Next was a picture of Jane's writing box, or 'laptop' as Paula called it, showing us how it was possible for Jane to write on the hoof. In fact, once she even left it on a stagecoach, meaning Pride and Prejudice almost ended up in the West Indies!<br />
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<b>Question Time</b><br />
Paula had to cut the slide show short to fit in questions from the audience:<br />
Q: How did Jane get published in the first place?<br />
A: It was difficult to get published at that time but one of the ways was to pay the outlay for the printing, advertising, etc. (a form of vanity publishing) which is what Jane did. She had to borrow £50 which Paula thinks she got from Mrs. Knight.<br />
Q: What's Paula's favourite Austen novel?<br />
A: Mansfield Park as it's dark, edgy, troubled and deals with a newly-built estate funded by the slave trade. At one point Sir Thomas has to go to Antigua because the slaves were revolting. She also loves the characters Henry and Mary Crawford. And Fanny Price is an unlikely heroine – the total opposite of Elizabeth Bennett.<br />
Q: What does Paula think of modern sequels to Jane's novels?<br />
A: Paula thinks anyone who writes them is very brave but she almost doesn't want to read them. She's been asked to review Joanna Trollope's reworking of Sense and Sensibility but isn't looking forward to it. She said she didn't like 'Death at Pemberley' (a thought echoed by the lady sitting next to me!)<br />
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My only real criticism of this event was that it seemed too short – Paula was an excellent speaker, clearly passionate about her subject and I would have loved for it to go on much longer. I suppose the only way to find out more is to buy her book!<br />
Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-64467769133874795962013-10-05T14:48:00.002-07:002013-12-11T04:21:03.779-08:00Two Poets: Jo Shapcott and Stevie Ronnie (A Steward's View)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LElAV_1RriU/UooOlzo65OI/AAAAAAAAAGE/4waATJKSyJ8/s1600/Jo+Shapcott.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LElAV_1RriU/UooOlzo65OI/AAAAAAAAAGE/4waATJKSyJ8/s320/Jo+Shapcott.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Today was my first day as a festival steward at Ilkley Literature Festival. In fact it was my first day as a festival steward full stop and so I was thankful to have company. Although working at different events, my friend L was also a first-time steward and, as we drove over to Ilkley, we shared our excitement and apprehension. Once parked and lunched, we wandered about to get our bearings. L's shift started much earlier than mine so, once she'd gone, I killed some time in the library and a café before making my way to St. Margaret's Hall.<br />
As I arrived at the venue I bumped into a friendly steward who was on her way out. She told me this was the first time she had stewarded, but had really enjoyed the experience. Feeling encouraged, I climbed the stairs to find the organisers in the process of constructing the stage, deciding upon the seating arrangements etc. As instructed, I helped myself to a drink and met the crew. Everyone was friendly, helpful and keen to get things done to a high standard. I hope they'll forgive me for not remembering their names!<br />
From the moment she arrived, Rosy, the Front of House, was helpful, informative and put me at my ease. Once I had my sash I was asked to help lay out chairs, making sure we met health and safety regulations. Then I familiarised myself with the fire exits, fire assembly point and how the lift worked, should anyone need it. I also checked where the first aid kit was and which of us was a first aider (because I wasn't!)<br />
As the audience arrived I tore off ticket stubs, pointed out the tea bar and tried to encourage people to sit at the far side of the venue, so any latecomers could sit down quickly without disturbing the audience. I also chatted to my fellow steward who had come all the way from Enfield, North London. Like me, it was her first time as a festival steward and, like me, she had taken 'time out' from the day job and being a mum. And, like me, she was a writer, although unlike me her specialism was writing poetry and plays. I hope she'll forgive me for not remembering her name, although I never forget a face and hope to bump into her again.<br />
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The event began and I sat down to enjoy 'Two Poets: Jo Shapcott and Stevie Ronnie'. First up was this year's Poet in Residence Stevie Ronnie. He told us what a warm welcome he'd had since arriving in Ilkley two days ago and how, when he'd caught the bus into town from Ben Rhydding, the driver hadn't even charged him! Stevie, who's being mentored by Jo Shapcott, went on to share poems from his collection entitled <i>Manifestations</i>. I enjoyed his reading style and his accent, especially as my mum is from Newcastle and I have a lot of family from there. Much of his inspiration appeared to be drawn from nature, memories from his childhood and his young family. I found the poems highly evocative with some beautifully vivid descriptions of trees. An open door (accidentally?) enhanced the experience, allowing us to hear the sound of trees blowing in the wind.<br />
We were then treated to readings from the multi-award winning poet Jo Shapcott, who shared extracts from her latest collection (being a steward I had no pen and paper to note down the title but I remember it was inspired by bee keeping) and from her collection <i>Of Mutability</i>. The bee-inspired poems began with a woman whose partner had deserted her, leaving her with a hive of bees. Full of emotional resonance, the poems really captured the essence of the woman's situation whilst allowing for some clever word play. The poems from <i>Of Mutability</i> explored the human condition, including pain and mortality, giving a sense of wonder to the smallest things.<br />
At the end the poets signed copies of their books (both poets' collections were on sale at the venue) and I returned to the door to hand out feedback questionnaires and lists of events with tickets still available. The event over, I checked with the organisers that it was fine to leave, returned my sash and dashed out to join L who was waiting outside, ready to zoom us to the next event.<br />
Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-28037389941812874992013-09-29T14:11:00.000-07:002013-12-11T04:23:01.280-08:00The People's Festival: from Last Chance Saloon to Soar-away SuccessThis year I was determined not to miss out (again) on the mighty Ilkley Literature Festival (ILF) and so I decided to do two things: a) volunteer as a steward; and b) contribute posts to the official festival blog <a href="http://www.pickledegg.info">www.pickledegg.info</a><br />
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This is the first of several posts about ILF which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. On this occasion I was attending as a guest/blogger...<br />
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Speaking to a full house, Festival Director Rachel Feldberg entertained us with stories from past festivals and thanked festival contributors for their efforts at the 'Making Waves' exhibition launch on Saturday 28th September. And yet, amongst the celebrations, I was surprised to learn the festival had suffered from several financial crises.<br />
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Finding it hard to believe such a successful festival could have experienced such hardship, I decided to investigate. Gazing wistfully at the wine on offer (why do I always drive?), I climbed the stairs of the 14th century Manor House Museum to the exhibition itself.<br />
At the top I was greeted by the sound of the Sex Pistols' Anarchy in the UK (another surprise!). Humming along to the 70s soundtrack (including Abba's Dancing Queen, Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and Bob Marley's No Woman No Cry) I was fascinated by displays featuring everything from the very first festival programme to the tools used to carve the Stanza Stones. Other treats included letters from authors, photos, scrapbooks and specially commissioned artwork.<br />
As I read the story boards for each decade there it was: the North's largest literature festival had teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. And not just once. Although not the theme of the exhibition, it made me wonder not only how the festival had survived but also how it had achieved its current success.<br />
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According to the story boards, the problems started in 1979 when 'money was tight and the rain was like curtain rods'. By 1981 the country was in recession and the 1981 festival lost £4,000, equivalent to £13,000 today.<br />
Trying to recover its losses, the 1982 festival was reduced to six days, while the Telegraph & Argus (T&A) cried: “Can Festival Survive the Looming Crisis?” Again the festival lost money and in 1984 the T&A ran a story entitled “Last Chance Saloon”. That same year Michael Dawson, the original Festival Director, returned as Chair and some big names appeared on the bill, including Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Alan Bennett. The festival was not only a success, but it made a £5,000 surplus.<br />
All was well until the 1990s. In 1992, to spread the risk and improve cash flow, the festival was split into three smaller events, run in March, June and October/November. By 1996 the festival was solvent again and in 1998 the festival was awarded its first National Lottery grant. The rest, as they say, is history.<br />
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<b>The People's Festival </b><br />
I found both Rachel's presentation and the exhibition expressed the passion and dedication of the organisers and the people of Ilkley. As Rachel explained, the festival was “started and nurtured in Ilkley” and it is still “something very much owned by this town....the people embody what the festival is about.” She believes that “its roots, ideas, principles are the same as those in 1973.” And so it would seem that a combination of innovation, community spirit and sheer Yorkshire grit have made the festival the top international literary event that it is today.<br />
Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-68506961357349180472013-09-24T13:46:00.001-07:002013-12-11T04:24:41.181-08:00Tracy Chevalier at Wakefield Lit Fest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kGAMPra55NY/UooLM86AhoI/AAAAAAAAAFk/XFoxIun4G3M/s1600/Tracy+Chevalier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kGAMPra55NY/UooLM86AhoI/AAAAAAAAAFk/XFoxIun4G3M/s320/Tracy+Chevalier.jpg" /></a></div>On Saturday night I drove over to Wakefield to see one of my favourite historical fiction writers: Tracy Chevalier. The evening was so warm that it felt like the middle of summer, making it a shame to be inside, but it was worth it. <br />
There was a definite buzz about the Unitarian Chapel as we waited for the lady herself to appear. And we were not disappointed – after a short intro by the Festival Director Tracy took the stage and gave an entertaining talk including three readings from her new book The Last Runaway. Before, during and after the readings she gave us plenty of background to her book and explained what had inspired her to write it. <br />
Set in Ohio in the 1850s, the story centres around Honor Bright, a single Quaker woman from Dorset who has travelled to North America to join her sister and start a new life. Dealing with themes of loss and slavery, The Last Runaway is Tracy's seventh published novel. Interestingly, it's the first historical novel she has written that's not set in Europe. <br />
Tracy told us she's lived in the UK for 30 years now and to write this book she recalled her own experiences of being an 'immigrant' (her words) - for example, the way things smell and taste differently in another country. She said that tea tastes awful in the US as the water tastes so different to the UK. She explained that being in another country makes you notice the little things rather than the big things (such as politics etc). She finds that everyday foods like butter and milk taste different, trees look different etc. Since settling in the UK she finds she misses little things as well, like fireflies. <br />
Tracy treated us to three passages from her book – the first was when the heroine has just arrived and is noticing all the strange things about her new home. The passage included observations such as the birds being very different to those at home. As always Tracy's writing is simple yet highly evocative and I could imagine arriving in this strange new place and noticing all these little details for the first time.<br />
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One of the reasons that Tracy made her heroine a Quaker is partly related to some hearing problems she has (she can't hear the full sound spectrum when there's a lot of noise going on) which has drawn her towards seeking more silence in her life. She's drawn to Quakers as she used to go on a Quaker camp when she was a child and they would spend 15 minutes sitting together in silence every day. These days Tracy spends an hour each Sunday doing the same thing – she finds silence helps her to focus and she wanted to make her protagonist a Quaker for that reason.<br />
Tracy said that novels are about lies, or at least about withholding the truth. This presented her with a problem as Quakers aren't supposed to lie. However, she says that her protagonist ends up lying quite a lot in the end! One of the main themes of the book is slavery – it's set prior to the Civil War, when slavery was legal in the southern states but illegal in the northern ones. However, the northern ones still bought produce (e.g. cotton) from the southern states. <br />
At this time there were always runaway slaves - a lot of them tried to reach Canada, where they would be free. The only way to get there was to get help from the 'underground rail road', made up of people willing to help the slaves escape. Runaway slaves often went to Ohio where they would be safe as long as their owner didn't come to claim them. Honour is opposed to slavery but has never been forced to put her principles to the test. <br />
Tracy likes her protagonists to do things with their hands – she decided that Honor would be a quilter, which meant that she, Tracy, had to learn quilting. Tracy held up a quilt she had made which had been entirely hand stitched – it must have taken her an age to do and I was very impressed! She said she likes making quilts because they are both practical and creative.<br />
After Tracy had finished her third reading, which left us in suspense as to what happened next, she opened up to questions from the audience. I was brave and managed to get a question in at the start (often I never ask anything, but this was Tracy Chevalier of all people!) I asked her if she had any tips for aspiring authors and she gave a really in depth answer about what it's like to be a writer. She explained that not every day is easy - there are days when it's hard to get started and she just stares at a blank page and really has to make the effort to 'pull the story out of herself'. She also explained it's important to have a regular writing routine and make sure you stick to it, whether that be writing at the same time every day or at the same time each Sunday. She also said it was important to get others to read your work and to accept criticism, and to edit A LOT. She explained the first draft is almost the 'easy bit' - the real work is the rewriting/editing.<br />
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In response to other questions, Tracy revealed that she doesn't have a detailed plan when she writes, just an idea of how she'd like it to start and finish. As she's writing she tries different ideas as she goes along. She thinks that the best part of writing is not knowing what will happen on the way.<br />
It was noted that all her novels are historical, which she acknowledged but couldn't really say why as she had never studied history. However, in her thirties she started to take an interest in her own family history. She had started to feel settled and wondered where she had come from, which she thinks might link in with historical fiction. She confessed she just can't 'do' contemporary stories and that the only way to get away from herself was to delve into a story in another time and place. She thinks that to be a 'three dimensional' person you need to be aware of the past and where you have come from. <br />
Tracy said she spends a lot of time doing research – she researches until she feels comfortable writing about the time and place in which her story is going to be set. At the moment she is looking into how trees can be transported from A to B and so she needs to find out about tree grafting, something which she will be (physically) doing in the Spring.<br />
She said that very often she thinks she's finished her research but it never really stops – she still has books on Vermeer that she's not yet read! Fortunately she loves learning about new subjects.<br />
When asked if her books contained any kind of message, Tracy said no but she would like her books to inspire people to look back on the past and be aware of where they came from. <br />
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As for what she uses to write, Tracy said she uses a particular type of fountain pen to write longhand (!) on plain (NOT lined) paper and in a notebook (again, not lined) which 'feels' like her subject. For example when when writing the Last Runaway she used a notebook with a design and colours that she could imagine her heroine wearing.<br />
And when asked whether she prefers 'real books' or e-readers, she said that although she can see the benefits of e-readers, she preferred real books every time!<br />
With the questions over it was time for the book signing. Yours truly had stupidly left her purse at home, after changing bags earlier. Fortunately I had a copy of Tracy's first book, The Virgin Blue, in my bag and I joined the queue, noting I was the only one without a copy of the new book. When I finally got to the front and handed over my book with an apology, Tracy was very gracious about it, referring to the book as 'an old friend' and kindly signing it for me (phew!)<br />
All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable evening with a highly talented and charismatic lady.<br />
Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-7307830916759803872013-08-23T14:22:00.000-07:002013-12-11T04:25:52.331-08:00Festival Mania and the Return of the Wandering MuseIt's coming up to that time of year again - literary festival season! Like buses you wait and wait and...you get the idea. I'm just not sure why all the West Yorkshire literary festivals are in September and October, most of them overlapping with each other, the bigger ones often eclipsing the smaller ones. And, unless you have an infinite budget, you have to be a lot more selective than you'd like when it comes to choosing which events/workshops to attend. I try to attend at least one event/workshop at each festival - this year I'll be attending four festivals (maybe even five) - thank goodness some events are free. And for those on a limited budget there's often the option to volunteer, meaning you get to attend some pricey events and workshops for free and hopefully get to chat to authors a bit more than you would otherwise. In fact the Ikley Literature Festival encourages its workshop volunteers to participate. So, I've decided to put myself forward as a volunteer for this year's festival. I've supported plenty of events in the past so am hoping they'll take me on. If they do I'll let you know how it goes and whether I recommend it.<br />
The good news is I've finally located Peskalia (the new name for my Muse). In fact, I've not only found her but she's been popping up day and night with some pretty good ideas. In fact, I like one of them so much I might just go for it! The idea will involve a fair amount of research, but I think it will be worth it if I can pull it off. All I'll say is that it will be an MG story involving time travel with more than one POV, plenty of adventure and lots of drama! I'm quite excited about it at the moment - I just hope I can do it justice. <br />
Anyway, thanks to everyone who came up with suggestions on how to find inspiration - they were much appreciated! I hope you continue to find inspiration and will do my best to help if you ever get stuck - all you have to do is ask!Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-494839026071160701.post-87303890248859548062013-08-07T23:21:00.001-07:002013-12-11T04:27:06.418-08:00 Finding your Elusive Muse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vdZvoo8X7tQ/UoqULZIeouI/AAAAAAAAAJw/EiQ5FFTve_E/s1600/lostandfoundmusessig1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vdZvoo8X7tQ/UoqULZIeouI/AAAAAAAAAJw/EiQ5FFTve_E/s320/lostandfoundmusessig1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Finishing a book. <br />
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On the one hand it gives you a great feeling of satisfaction but on the other it can make you feel quite lost. After the rewritten MS has been submitted and you're facing a long, agonising wait for feedback from an agent, what should you do? Start the next book is the cry from those 'in the know'. But it's not that simple. You have vague ideas forming in your mind about the sequel, but what if an editor demands big changes to the first book? So, a new story perhaps? Not easy when you've spent years steeped in a particular world with the same set of characters. Ideas keep popping into your head so you scribble them down one after another. You even start writing a few pieces but these get abandoned soon after and filed in under 'work in progress' or 'story ideas'.<br />
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Perhaps it's time to take a break? So you read lots and try to occupy yourself with other activities, although in your heart of hearts you know you should be writing. And you beat yourself up about it. So, what should feel like a good place to be is actually quite unsettling. However, this is might be just me – I'm sure there are plenty of writers out there at this stage who don't feel like this at all. They're probably battling on with the next project and/or basking in their achievements so far. But for those with a restless nature the 'in between' bit can be a frustrating time. <br />
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Since finishing my book I've had some great ideas but as yet I've not been compelled to go very far with any of them. Perhaps the answer is to take a complete break from writing? Or should I try writing somewhere else for a change? What do you do when your focus is gone? Where is that pesky Muse when you need her? If you have any suggestions please share them, I'd love to know!<br />
Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12645203950206910915noreply@blogger.com6