WHAM!

Lockdown was quite a shock to the system. Almost overnight, it took us away from our jobs, distanced us from our families and friends, and cancelled most of our hobbies.

It wasn’t easy, but human nature is resilient. So, after a while, we got used to these tiresome social restrictions and created different patterns of living for ourselves. Some of us even preferred our new, relaxed lifestyles, chilling at home in our PJs instead of struggling through the rush hour, and spending more time with the kids, with a cast-iron excuse not to visit our annoying in-laws. As for our creative writing… well, much as we loved it, we had to put that on the back burner until we got the other stuff sorted out.

Now, we’re crawling back towards normality… but wait. Isn’t there something we’ve overlooked? Has our writing been simmering on the back burner for so long, that it’s almost boiled away? It’s become something we used to do, instead of something we do?

It’s time for action: time to do something positive to get our creative urge back.

For writers of memoirs or family history, an afternoon spent looking through old photographs or a visit to a place that has links with the past could be a spur to get writing again. For playwrights (failing a theatre trip), watching a film we haven’t seen before could start us off again, or watching an old favourite, but with a critical eye for its construction.

For short story writers and poets, being an active member of a writers’ group gives accountability, a reason to actually do some writing instead of just feeling guilty that we haven’t. Island Writers meets at our house in Ryde twice a month to do short writing exercises, share our work and keep ourselves on track, and we set a new (optional) topic every two weeks. The current topic is Badges, and the next meeting is Tuesday 5th October, 7pm-9pm.

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is coming up in November – so for those of us who prefer to write novels, Nano Prep can help us get revved up and ready to write. It’s already started, but it’s not too late to catch up, or we can use it as guidance, but follow the steps at our own pace – the important thing is to get going.

Instead of tinkering around with an existing bit of writing, adding a word here and deleting a phrase there, let’s get started on a fresh piece. Any subject, any genre, any length. Try one of these:

• A journal entry – what you’ve done so far today.
• A story which starts, “The dragon was restless.”
• A list of reasons why your neighbour is a pain.
• A poem about cheese.
• A description of one item in the room you’re in.
• A memoir of something naughty you did as a child.
• A piece of dialogue between a posh person and someone who works for them.

Whatever we decide, it’s vital to remember that all new writing is good. If we’re not happy with it, we can edit it later, but first, let’s get some new writing down on paper.

Today.

As writers, no doubt we’re all familiar with the over-quoted saying, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” Whether this was really said by St Augustine or not (and there are those who have doubts), there is a lot of truth in the phrase. The world is filled with adventures completely outside the scope of the Six Wonders of the Isle of Wight.

We’ve all seen photos of Ayers Rock, the Great Pyramid, the Grand Canyon and the Parthenon, but it’s only by visiting them that we can really comprehend what they are like. It isn’t just their size and magnificence, but the whole experience.

Until we’ve heard the thunder of Niagara Falls for ourselves, stumbled through dusty Jerusalem alleyways to the Dome of the Rock or gazed down on the rooftops of Paris from the Eiffel Tower, we can’t hope to write about those places convincingly. But, more than that, inevitably, our creative writing will be enriched by those experiences, even when writing on topics closer to home.

The fourteenth-century Moroccan explorer, Ibn Battuta, had this to say of travelling: “It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”

A few weeks ago, Yvie waved goodbye to Island Writers and flew off to live in Dubai for the next two years. She’ll be sharing her exploits on her new blog, Delving Into Dubai.

Perhaps she could start at the vast Ibn Battuta shopping mall, containing nearly 300 shops, as well as stunning hand-painted ceilings. Now there’s an experience you probably won’t get in Union Street…

For the rest of us, back here on the Island, that doesn’t mean we won’t have any experiences to write about – far from it! Our new group project is a chance to explore the many beauties of our beloved little isle – including, let’s hope, some of the special places which grockles never find.

It looked attractive, and everyone enjoyed it. I received lots of praise, and no one criticised it in any way, but then, most people were impressed that I even attempted to do it.

It was, genuinely, a delicious cake, and, as a homemade effort, I was proud of it. After all, it was only for my friends and family.

And this way, we could have it exactly the way we wanted. It also saved us a lot of cash – it cost about one-third of the price of a professional cake.

What’s that got to do with creative writing, I hear you ask?

Take a closer look.

If I’d decided to go into business making wedding cakes – well, frankly, this standard just wouldn’t cut it.

As an amateur creation, that didn’t matter. but the cumulative effect of many tiny imperfections in its presentation made it immediately obvious that this was not a professionally-created product.

When we decide to self-publish our writing, every small mistake is a jarring note which makes the reader aware of the text, rather than the story.

I’ve been examining self-published books and ebooks for a couple of years, and, leaving aside any consideration of the content and focusing entirely on the presentation, I’ve still spotted rookie errors in every single one. I’ve often wondered if their authors had ever considered looking at a printed book carefully to see what it should look like!

I’m not just referring to occasional spelling mistakes and minor grammatical issues, but these classics:

• Cover image doesn’t fit correctly, leaving a line of the wrong colour
• Cover image or title unintentionally blurry or pixellated
• Title and author name both in lower case with caps (one at least should be all in capitals)
• No title on the spine
• No flyleaves at beginning and end
• No title page
• Incredibly aggressive copyright notice
• Page numbers printed starting on the flyleaf, instead of on the first page of Chapter One.
• Starting the book with an obscure literary quotation for no valid reason.
• Random empty pages at the end of chapters
• Hyperlink underlining/colour not removed on website addresses, even though it’s a printed book
• Random changes of font, even halfway through a sentence!

Whether our readers notice every error or not, the overall effect is amateurish. If we expect people to pay for our work, we can’t just do our best – we have to get it perfect.

Will your next self-published book be a professional product that takes the cake – or be half-baked?

Our latest assignment title, The perfect writing space, was chosen as a useful point to ponder for those of us who haven’t been doing any (ahem) much writing lately.

Quite a few of us have been off on our travels or away on visits. In some cases, we returned empty-handed, saying we were too busy to write.

Geoff, on the other hand, returned from his cruise with a couple of new chapters. So, was this brilliant writing progress conclusive proof of just how incredibly boring his holiday was? I’d like to think so – but I’m only jealous! Could it be a token of how devoted he is to his writing, that he could manage to write, even while on holiday? Or perhaps it was due to the inspiring nature of the places he visited? I’m sure this must have helped, if only subconsciously.

Have you felt energised to write in a special place? Or about it, after you got home? How do you feel when you try to write in different places?

Some writers can feel creative anywhere – they just need their laptop or a notebook and pen and they can get started. For others, only their familiar desk will do, and writing will just have to wait until they get home.

What’s special about the place where you feel most comfortable doing your writing? Is it the equipment you have available and the way it’s laid out?

Maybe it’s the smell of cinnamon and the sound of a purring cat, or a particular snack or drink, or the view from the window? What elements constitute the perfect creative writing space for you? What do you find motivates or distracts you? Have you found your perfect writing place yet?

If you prefer, feel free to write poetry or fiction on the topic. Perhaps your main character is searching for the perfect writing space, or is that merely an excuse? Or maybe they have found a place which changes their style of writing?

Anyway, you’re all wrong. The perfect writing space is Ryde Library, on Tuesday 18th June, 7-9.30pm. Be there and I’ll prove it.

OK, I admit it. I’ve been a bit invisible lately.

What with family issues, prior commitments and car problems, I haven’t had time to write this blog.

Or have I?

The truth is, like most people, I’ve had several sessions of spare time, but I’ve chosen to prioritise other activities. I’ve watched TV, added comments to an online forum, researched ideas for the house extension I can’t afford, gone through a load of old paperwork. Most of that wasn’t urgent or even necessary – so why didn’t I spend that time writing?

I’ve been affected by a condition I can only describe as Summeritis. It’s that ‘aaaaahhhh’ feeling you get on sunny days, when everything worthwhile seems like too much trouble. All you want to do is lie on the beach with the sort of book you don’t mind getting sunscreen smeared on, or potter around the garden with a drink in one hand, snipping off bits that look like weeds.

The result of this is that I didn’t send you any updates last month, including any hints for our last assignment. So I wasn’t too surprised to see that, at our last meeting, some of you had become invisible too.

Although, frankly, after that nightmarish meeting when about twenty people turned up, it’s quite a relief that the group has returned to a practical size, as we had more time for leisurely discussion.

Anyway, I’m back, and determined to be a reformed character. Writing is still important to me, and I’m sure it’s still important to you, too. But on those sunny days when being stuck at your regular desk feels like torture and the garden is calling, how do you find the oomph to get started on your writing again?

With this in mind, I’ve chosen a really easy topic for our next assignment – The Perfect Writing Space. As always, feel free to respond in prose or poetry in any genre. You may like to read this article again first.

Our next meeting is Tuesday 18th June, 7pm-9.30pm at Ryde Library. See you there.

In the leisurely days of Victorian novels, long-winded, rambling stories and essays weren’t a problem – they were an advantage, as the evenings weren’t exactly crammed with exciting entertainment.

These days, with the fast-forward button readily at hand to deal with boring TV programmes, readers are more impatient. Come on! We’ve got things to do, places to go, people to see. Cut to the chase! We want the body on page 1, not half-way through the book.

This change in consumer preferences is perhaps the reason that Twitter is so popular.You’ve probably seen the letters TL;DR used on social media, to stand for ‘Too long; didn’t read.’ In the digital age, even a lengthy answer to a question can lose many readers’ interest. Even short stories are getting shorter – we’re not prepared to flounder through pages of waffle just to reach the thrilling part.

But maybe that’s a good thing.

As well as gripping readers’ attention, shorter forms of writing can be more effective. To reach the word count, less important information (a.k.a. ‘the boring bits’) must be omitted, wordy descriptions are truncated and weak phrases such as very frightened or really old are shortened to stronger versions such as terrified and ancient.

Anmarie Bowler is a local writer who says she appreciates the power of short form prose and believes everyone’s a writer at some point in life. She’s launching a new bi-monthly “literary handbill” called Brevity, which will publish short stories & essays (500 words or under) and brief poems by Isle of Wight residents – and she’s looking for contributions from you!

‘Brevity is the soul of wit,’ according to Shakespeare. Let’s see if Brevity can prove that bite-size writing has more teeth.

Our next meeting is Tuesday, 16th April – the assignment topic is True Friendship… but your writing must also include something blue!

When it comes to creative writing, much like dancing, there’s a lot to be said for spontaneity.

We can get started right away, while our minds are filled with entrancing images we’re ready to share.

Like a child dancing in a meadow, just expressing the delight of the moment, sometimes our impulsive, unplanned writing can be the best we’ve ever produced.

And, of course, sometimes it’s a load of old rubbish. But does that negate the value of writing on impulse?

As writers, we hone our craft over the years, learning and practising new skills to improve our stories and poetry. We add all these wonderful, imaginative techniques to the finished product. We change words for more effective ones and rearrange the structure.

Eventually, the parts of each piece all work together like trained dancers in a ballet, creating a thing of stunning power and beauty which could never have arisen spontaneously.

But some of the pieces we’ve laboured over for hours and polished out of all recognition can ultimately prove disappointing, compared with that first free-wheeling leap of joy.

So how do we add the polish, but keep the authenticity?

I couldn’t sleep last night.

I’d just read a horrific item on Quora about a girl of 16 who was abducted, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The article gave sickeningly graphic details of exactly how this poor child was tortured for a month, before she finally died in agony.

Please understand, I’m not criticising the writer of the article. He was making a point about the justice system: what legal punishment could possibly be adequate for the perpetrators of these atrocities? His account simply gave the facts, in reasoned and unemotive language. I won’t add a link, because I know you couldn’t resist reading the whole grisly tale, any more than I could. And, trust me, you don’t want those images in your head.

But what if that story had been fiction?

Are we, as writers, justified in creating evil images in our readers’ minds for the sake of entertainment? Is it all okay, as long as the victim escapes and the bad guys get arrested or killed in the last chapter? And, of course, in the horror genre, that often isn’t the case.

Conflict is the basis of every plot. If we don’t create wicked, cruel characters, our heroes have nothing to fight against except natural disasters. And we can’t put tidal waves, forest fires and earthquakes in every novel.

Society these days is difficult to shock, so writers try harder.

At what point – if any – does a graphic description of gratuitous violence go beyond ‘only writing a story’ and become socially irresponsible behaviour?

These scenes may not be always necessary to the plot, but the emotions they inspire in readers are part of the experience of reading that novel. If a character suffers, we need to suffer with them, or we cannot truly understand.

This is why I was particularly pleased to get an email from John today. He hasn’t joined us yet, and he can’t make it to our meeting tonight – but he’s already sent in his first assignment!

In Through the Window, the main character suffers from combat stress, but instead of including nauseatingly graphic descriptions of his physical sufferings, the start focuses on his memory of emotions : Hands clawing, mouths snarling, teeth bared, people shouting, a mass of confusion and terror, the stench of sweat, desert and fear in his nostrils.

When it comes to producing our own creative writing, I feel graphic violence is like swearing – a single occasion generally produces a more powerful effect than a constant repetitive flow of such scenes.

These episodes may not be to our taste, but we cannot censor and castrate every strong piece of writing without expecting the overall standard of fiction produced to fall. Do we really want to read a Disney version of The Silence of the Lambs?

Of course, I’ve given my opinion on other people’s writing before. Expressing my thoughts on others’ work is easy and enjoyable. What’s harder is to critique in a helpful and inspiring way, rather than leaving a trail of sobbing victims, all vowing they’ll never write again!

Often, when writers ask for other people’s opinions on their first draft, they don’t really want to hear what you think. They’re expecting to be told that it’s all wonderful. But a first draft is rarely the last draft – or it shouldn’t be.

It’s easy to get unconditional praise when you’ve written an entire book – most people are incredibly impressed and assume it must be a piece of utter brilliance, simply because it’s finished. Wow! Look at all those thousands of words! Well done!

It’s also easy to get the sort of feedback that consists of pointing out every typo, and actually that’s not terribly helpful during the first stage of the revision process. There will be a time to fix spelling mistakes, misused words, double-size gaps and grammatical errors later.

Initially, the writer needs to be sure they’re happy with the overall structure of the book and the quality of their writing – the way the plot develops, the balance of the relationships between the characters, and the believability of situations and dialogue. That’s where a critique can help.

What if someone asks for a critique of their book, and I think it’s utter rubbish? Fortunately, I haven’t had that problem on this occasion. Perhaps it can’t exist: some books may not be quite ready to publish yet, or possibly need major changes, but I don’t feel any lack of respect for them or their writers. It’s down to the writer to decide whether it would be easier to start again from scratch, or to rewrite – I can’t see myself telling anyone it would be kinder to take their novel out and shoot it to put it out of its misery.

We all need to develop thick skins and accept that we can’t please everyone with our writing, otherwise our first few negative reviews on Amazon would be devastating. As I said at our first Island Writers meeting, a writer needs the humility to listen to advice, and then the confidence to choose not to follow it. I’ve tried to make it clear to the writers I’m critiquing that they will need to select what works for them out of the advice I’ve given, and reject the rest.

The critique process has been interesting and thought-provoking, Sometimes, it’s only seeing how other people are doing things wrong that teaches you how to do your own writing better. I hoped I could help other writers by giving them critical feedback, but in fact, I’ve probably learned more from the experience than my ‘victims’ have!

I was pleased to hear (and make a note of) your Writing Resolutions for 2019. These targets should help us focus on our top priorities. Sometimes the range of possibilities is so wide that we end up achieving nothing. Many of us are aiming to get our books finished this year, but others wanted to explore new genres or set themselves weekly word targets.

Chantal’s first resolution made us all smile. She’s going to have a more organised writing area, but NOT go over the top and waste time organising her pencils into rainbow order!

For Nicky, it’s decision time: should she revise and complete her old writing, or move on to something new? Heather plans to develop her writing further by incorporating more personal experiences and improving the way she writes dialogue, while Peter even managed to present his resolutions in a poem – now that’s creative!

I was particularly impressed by Bev’s well-thought-out and achievable list of resolutions: she included some goals for blogging, some for her work writing and some for her creative writing. One we all liked was, “Enjoy the journey of writing, and not just the end results.”

One topic which came up during discussion was the Snowflake Method of plotting a novel. There are two well-known methods of deciding your plot: planning, where you make a list of events and break it into chapters before you write, and pantsing, where you just start writing with a basic idea, fly by the seat of your pants and see how your novel turns out once it’s finished. The Snowflake Method starts with a single-sentence basic idea and expands it gradually, building and spreading until you have developed a coherent outline.

A few dates for your diary:

We’re going Yelfing again on Tuesday 29th Jan – meeting up for a few drinks at 7pm at Yelf’s in Union Street. Jonathan will try to get us the Writers’ Room again.

Yvie’s monthly book club, Words, Wine, Wit and Wisdom is meeting on Wednesday 30th Jan. The book under discussion is The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. If you haven’t read it, you can still come – just sip your wine and look intelligent! Contact Yvie through the Island Writers Facebook page for more info.

And the next Island Writers meeting is Tuesday 5th February, 7pm – 9pm at Ryde Library. Our (optional) assignment for next time is The view from a window.

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