Tuesday 1 May 2012

Time for a change

Well, I really enjoyed doing the A-Z because it made me look at aspects of writing (some of which will end up in my dissertation, I suspect). Now I have to get back to life and work.

I can't separate life from work, it creeps into my writing. My daughter left home (this is a good thing) but with two of the boys away as well, the house is neither busy enough to stop it echoing nor empty enough for the husband and I to have some privacy and peace and quiet. I'm grieving a bit for the busy days and also the fact that we, as a couple, have never had any time when it was just us. We didn't ease into parenthood, we threw ourselves into having six kids, at least of three of which weren't our own. They were all out of school at first (age 3-16). Step-parenting is one hell of a challenge. It's nice to breathe out now and then, and be alone with the person I chose. So we're off to the Lake District and then I'm onto a workshop organised by Mslexia and New Writing North on talking confidently about our writing ahead of a London 'meet the industry' do. Eight days, just the two of us.

I write differently when I'm away. The choice of music also hugely influences the mood of my writing - the last few days I've been doing edits and have needed to darken the mood of the middle part of the book. I'm the kind of person that makes jokes when under stress - and so does my main character. I have to go back and make the character be more in touch with the authentic feeling and react accordingly (just like therapy, then!). So I put on the soundtrack from the English Patient. I'm now slightly depressed but the writing is working.

Oh, and I forgot to mention! The anthology of Flash Fiction South West, Kissing Frankenstein & Other Stories, which includes two of my short stories, is available to buy for £5.25 plus p&p. A very big thank you to Rachel Carter, who organised it!

  

4 comments:

  1. Wow - you lead a busy life - mind you - it must be nice to have writing as your work and not be trying to squeeze it into every spare moment!

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    1. It is now! I can't believe how much I managed to write when I was working though. I'm very glad to have retired from my job though, too many sad stories.

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  2. You deserve it! A chance to reboot and reinvigorate. Thank you for following and commenting throughout the challenge.

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    1. My pleasure, I've enjoyed it. Looking forward to your revamped blog!

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