Short? Definitely. Sweet? Possibly.

Hello again

Just a quick one today. Thought you might enjoy this little piece, but either way please drop me a line. Nice to know I'm not alone in my garret...

See you soon

Ian

(Please follow this link to take a look at my new novel 'Slybacon')  

WRITER’S BLOCK (or THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES)

Big blank page

My blank looks

Unwritten words

Unwritten books

Poem required

Short of time

Random phrases

Simple rhymes

Inspiration

Short supply

Perspiration?

No, still dry

This a new art form?

Who can tell?

Test the market

See if it sells. 

Oedipus Wrecked

The cause of my swollen and quite painful foot has been confirmed as gout. Yes, I can hear you chuckling now, trotting out the cliches about me drinking too much port and indulging in too much venison. You're right of course, but then if Aldi* are going to offer such competitive prices then who am I to quibble? (*other European budget priced supermarkets are available.)

So how does my trotter fit into my current thinking about writing? Firstly, in a very fundamental  way - when you're ill or in pain you don't really feel like doing anything creative. Or anything full stop. So my output this last week has been pitifully little. On  another level, my swollen and tender foot could be a metaphor for one's ego. Let me explain: I was scouring the internet today for details of agents to whom I could send the MS of 'Slybacon'. Some sites seemed quite formidable, listing the names of the renowned authors they  represented and books they had had published - almost as if to say "Ha! Beat that if you can!" Other sites presented themselves as warmer and friendlier and because of that they seemed to me to be more approachable. I became quickly aware that I was more likely to send my work to this second group. Why?

If I'm honest I want people to like my work, to see value in it, to believe in it. I accept that I'm going to need lots of help and - craven creature that I am - I want encouragement, not  a quick  and frosty dismissal. I associate very much with the quote from Noel Coward: "I love criticism just so long as it's unqualified praise". I accept I'm probably being totally irrational and unfair (and I'd welcome your thoughts on your experiences); nevertheless I will almost certainly let this instinctive feel guide me in my choice of agents, and my first ports of call will be those who appear most welcoming.

After all, when I do get to tentatively proffer my work to an agent it will be with the same apprehension that I squeeze my foot into my shoe, and I shall be thinking, "Tread softly because you tread on my dreams".  

See you soon
Ian
    
Please follow this link to take a look at my new novel 'Slybacon'

The dotted storyline

Storyline? Storyline? Hmm...you may wish to examine that word and how it could be holding you back in your creative efforts. How so? Well, to me the word 'line' suggests a continuous and unbroken link between a beginning and an end. For those of us who are relatively inexperienced in the art and craft of writing, that belief could lead us unquestioningly into attempting to write our tale in linear form, that is to start at the beginning and keep going until we reach the end.

Of course that approach is fraught with difficulties; who says you have to start at the beginning? If you've got a great middle where the action really starts to hot up or where your ideas are already quite well defined, why  not start there? And what about for instance when you've got a great idea for that scene in chapter five when he finally realises that she wasn't playing hard to get after all, but in fact that she was labouring under the misapprehension that he preferred her sister (or whatever - you can see that romantic fiction isn't my forte. Or even my thirte.) Anyway, you can see this great scene just around the corner but you're stuck, wrestling with chapter three. And there's no way you'll get to five before you've done three AND then sweated through chapter four...after all you're following that line aren't you? Well, there might be a better way.

Last night in our writers' group, Ali brought her assorted notes and thoughts that together form the skeleton of her novel 'At Last.' With the help of a few flipcharts and contributions from her fellow writers, Ali was able to sketch out key stages of her story on paper. Very soon, the gaps in the story became apparent, opportunities for plot twists or embellishments presented themselves and - importantly - Ali could start to form a more objective, almost bird's eye view of her novel. From that vantage point, having identified key 'milestiones' in the telling of her tale, Ali could spot where she next needed to focus her attention.  

So if you're toiling away trying to follow your storyline you might want to rethink your definition of the word. You may want to draft your story first as a dotted line. Then go back and join the dots.

See you soon

Ian     

Please follow this link to take a look at my new novel 'Slybacon'