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#WordlessWednesday
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Wednesday 25 September 2013
Wednesday 18 September 2013
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Monday 16 September 2013
Short stories and reading while writing your novel.
You become a different writer when you approach a short story. When things are not always having to represent other things, you find real human beings begin to cautiously appear on your pages.
Zadie Smith
Novel editing has been put on the back burner slightly this week, as I prepare various short story submissions. I used to worry that the two animals (novels and short stories) shouldn't be tackled simultaneously, but I now believe the occasional short story deviation helps - rather than hinders - my novel writing.
For me, it's like undertaking a quick revision course in craft. Too often, when working on the novel, I find myself getting so immersed; too immersed *starts to lose the meaning of all language...*, and all boundaries/techniques/structure/pace simply blurs into a pile of literary dung.
In desperation, I abandon everything I've learned and ask myself:
I missed a few writers group sessions in a row, and it had an alarmingly negative effect on my writing confidence. Neither myself or my poor group banked on my codependency issues, I'm sure.
One of the lovely ladies in my group, Clare Hipkiss, has just published one of seven stories that will comprise her novel: Tales from the Ice Cream Van. This particular story is called Hello Kitty, about an adorable man and wife trying to get their teenage daughter off drugs. So heartbreaking, but very optimistic at the end. Clare could teach us all a lesson in characterisation (I've yet to dislike one of her characters... even the meanies!). Put the kettle on, slow down for a minute, and have a read here.
I deliberately haven't read any novels in over a week, in an experiment to reduce any outside influence in my writing. I'll no doubt give in by the end of the week, but it's been an interesting experiment, despite the reading withdrawals.
Do you steer clear of reading while writing? Or do you crank up your reading efforts? I've heard so many different opinions on this. What's yours?
Take care
Catherine x ◦
Zadie Smith
Novel editing has been put on the back burner slightly this week, as I prepare various short story submissions. I used to worry that the two animals (novels and short stories) shouldn't be tackled simultaneously, but I now believe the occasional short story deviation helps - rather than hinders - my novel writing.
For me, it's like undertaking a quick revision course in craft. Too often, when working on the novel, I find myself getting so immersed; too immersed *starts to lose the meaning of all language...*, and all boundaries/techniques/structure/pace simply blurs into a pile of literary dung.
In desperation, I abandon everything I've learned and ask myself:
- Does it sound OK when I read it out loud?
- Would I boak at this if I read it in a published novel?
- What do the writers group folk have to say about it?
I missed a few writers group sessions in a row, and it had an alarmingly negative effect on my writing confidence. Neither myself or my poor group banked on my codependency issues, I'm sure.
One of the lovely ladies in my group, Clare Hipkiss, has just published one of seven stories that will comprise her novel: Tales from the Ice Cream Van. This particular story is called Hello Kitty, about an adorable man and wife trying to get their teenage daughter off drugs. So heartbreaking, but very optimistic at the end. Clare could teach us all a lesson in characterisation (I've yet to dislike one of her characters... even the meanies!). Put the kettle on, slow down for a minute, and have a read here.
I deliberately haven't read any novels in over a week, in an experiment to reduce any outside influence in my writing. I'll no doubt give in by the end of the week, but it's been an interesting experiment, despite the reading withdrawals.
Do you steer clear of reading while writing? Or do you crank up your reading efforts? I've heard so many different opinions on this. What's yours?
Take care
Catherine x ◦
Wednesday 11 September 2013
Monday 9 September 2013
Every writer should have their own caravan
At the risk of sounding like your local hairdresser, are you going anywhere nice on your holidays? Have you already been? I'm not long back from a week in the sun. We couldn't choose between the Maldives or Monaco, so opted for my sister's caravan, in Millport.
And it was amazing.
I told myself I wasn't going to write while I was away. Even as I packed my laptop and edits, I went along with my little lie. Nearly got through the whole week, too. On our last afternoon the wind and rain was battering off the caravan (is there a better sound? No. There is not.), Colin was snoozing and I decided to get nice and settled with the laptop, a hot chocolate and cake. Four hours later, I was forced to shut down so we could go for dinner. Don't you love it when you get utterly absorbed like that? The ultimate writing sesh.
I know some people have writing sheds, but can I have a writing caravan, please? One with views like this?
(This was taken on our TWELVE MILE walk around the island *gasp* *wheeze*)
One of the things I was looking most forward to about being away, was all that uninterrupted, unashamed reading time. I took the first two books from this chunky detective series by Caro Ramsay (who chairs my writers group): Absolution and Singing to the Dead. I devoured them in record time. Highly recommended if, like me, you enjoy sinister and disturbing fiction.
Have you all heard about Richard & Judy's "Search for a Bestseller?" I'm a big fan of their book club podcast; I like their taste in books. They're offering a £50k publishing deal (and an invaluable amount of promotion, I can only assume), so if you're writing a debut novel, why don't you enter it (deadline is 1st January 2014, so you've got a wee while yet)? I'm fairly sure I'll be entering it.
Speaking of entering things, there are only 11 days left to submit to the Scottish Book Trust's New Writers Award 2013. I was shortlisted last year, which was a massive confidence boost. I still need to decide what piece to submit this year; I can't decide between sending an extract of my novel or one of my short stories. Can someone make this decision for me? Please?
Anyway, what's your news? Give me all your writing/holiday/general gossip!
Take care
Catherine x ◦
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