#Muse Media: The Past and #John Steinbeck

 Muse Media

Muse Media looks for our muse by mixing prose with other media, in this case by looking at the past with John Steinbeck.  The Woody Guthrie video 'Talking Dust Bowl Blues' is quintessential Guthrie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOpsGkC5-tE&list=AL94UKMTqg-9CJ1YQ5c7kHpvFbX-8QATJw&index=5

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“How can we live without our lives? How will we know it's us without our past?”

 John Steinbeck from "Grapes of Wrath"

Woody Guthrie's song gives us an idea of one family's hard times during the same era of Grapes of Wrath. I like the line at the end which speaks of how his wife had made some potato stew so thin you could read a magazine through it. "If it a been a little thinner some of those politicians could have seen through it." John Steinbeck's seminal work brings up a number of social issues.  This particular quotes asks the question of us as individuals.

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In what way does the past affect your present life? 

How do you include events from the past in your work, or do you deliberately avoid them?

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John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. (February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath (1939) and East of Eden (1952) and the novella Of Mice and Men (1937). As the author of twenty-seven books, including sixteen novels, six non-fiction books and five collections of short stories, Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962.

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http://akandrew.com/writing-like-steinbeck/ http://jeriwb.com/the-authors-craft-bonding-with-the-joads-literary-criticism-3595/

• 1940: The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck
• True Grit: Dust Bowl Survivors
• Music of Americana

#Muse Media: Change and #Junot Diaz

 Muse Media

#Muse Media is a series of  simple posts, looking for our muse by mixing prose with other media.  If this was in the form of a Haiku with an image, it might be called a Haiga. For the moment  let's enjoy the prose of some wonderful authors.

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“She would be a new person, she vowed. They said no matter how far a mule travels it can never come back a horse, but she would show them all.” Junot Díaz, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

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I love this gutsy quote. The "in your face " style epitomizes Diaz work.

Change is often hard. How is the woman in the quote going to succeed? 

In what ways do you manage change?

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Junot Díaz (born December 31, 1968) is a Dominican-American writer, creative writing professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and fiction editor at Boston Review. Central to Díaz's work is the immigrant experience. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, in 2008. He is a 2012 MacArthur Fellow.

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Muse Media: Books and David Mitchell

 #Muse Media:Books and David Mitchell

#Muse Media is a series of  short posts, looking for our muse by mixing prose with other media.  If this was in the form of a Haiku with an image, it might be called a Haiga. For the moment  let's enjoy the prose of some wonderful authors.

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“Books don't offer real escape, but they can stop a mind scratching itself raw.” David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas

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Lots of people read books to escape, and depending on the novel it can be more and less successful. But the authors prose is what will determine how engrossed or not you become.

Why do you read books?

What do you read?

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David Stephen Mitchell (born 12 January 1969) is an English novelist. He has written five novels, two of which, number9dream (2001) and Cloud Atlas (2004), were shortlisted for the Booker Prize. He has lived in Italy, Japan and Ireland. Cloud Atlas has been recently adapted as a film. See the video below.

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Muse Media: Time and Louise Erdrich

 #Muse Media

#Muse Media is a series of short posts, looking for our muse by mixing prose with other media.  If this was in the form of a Haiku with an image, it might be called a Haiga. For the moment  let's enjoy the prose of some wonderful authors.

 

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"Time is the water in which we live, and we breath it like fish"

                                                                   Louise Erdrich  from "Four  Souls"

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Karen Louise Erdrich, known as Louise Erdrich, (Little Falls, Minnesota June 7, 1954) is an American author of novels, poetry, and children's books featuring Native American heritage.Erdrich is widely acclaimed as one of the most significant writers of the second wave of what critic Kenneth Lincoln has called the Native American Renaissance. In April 2009, her novel The Plague of Doves was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. In November 2012, she received the National Book Award for Fiction for her novel The Round House

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The quote exemplifies the incredibly rich prose of Louise Erdrich. I have to wonder whether she labors for hours to come up with such a phrase, or if her muse guides her into a flow of  beautiful language. This quote is what prompted me to start this series.

Despite it's quantifiable nature, the notion of time often feels very subjective.

In what ways are you effected by time in your life?

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Receiving a Sunshine Award for Blogging

Quite out of the blue last week, I had an email from the writer and fellow blogger  Hemmie Martin,  to tell me she had awarded me the Sunshine Award . Thank you so much Hemmie - what a thrill and an honor! Hemmie is an author of Contemporary Women’s fiction, published by Winter Goose Publishing. The Divine Pumpkin is available, and Hemmie’s second novel is due out in February 2013.“The Sunshine Award is an award given by bloggers to other bloggers. The recipients of the Sunshine Award are: “Bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.” The way the award works is this: Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them. Answer questions about yourself. Select 10 of your favorite bloggers, link their blogs to your post and let them know they have been awarded the Sunshine Award!” 1. Favourite Time of the Year? Spring.After the long slog of winter, when bright green buds start inching their way forward, it’s as if the world is renewed and anything is possible.2.Favorite Festive movie? It’s A Wonderful Life. I love the schmaltzy moments along with films idea that your life actually does have meaning, even in it’s small details. It’s always on during the holidays, so it’s easy to pick up the plot anywhere. The quote where Clarence, the angel says:- “Every time you hear a bell ring, it means that some angel’s just got his wings”, was renewed for me after a ‘Roseanne’ episode where she said  “Everytime two lesbians kiss, an angel gets her wings.” It’s good to have modern twist on the classics!

3.What is your Passion? What else but writing and painting?4. Favorite Color?Yellow5. Favorite time of the Day? The morning. I have the most energy at that time of day and love the early morning light. Except of course for those grey, drizzly mornings that are an English specialty. Then I have a good excuse for staying home to write!6. Favorite flower?The tulip. Even when tulips droop they’re beautiful. 7. Favourite Non-Alcoholic Beverage Ginger beer. It’s fantastic there are great companies making ‘proper’ ginger beer with a nice bite these days, rather than the watery stuff in a can. (It goes very well with vodka BTW  – then it’s called a Moscow Mule…)8. Favorite Physical Activity? I used to love cycling, but unfortunately can’t do that now. At the moment, a back care Pilates class is my favorite physical activity. Even if I go feeling tired and stiff, I always come away feeling rejuvenated and more flexible.9.Favorite Vacation? My first trip to Venice. My partner and I went during Carnivale  a number of  years ago for our tenth anniversary, and it was magical. Stunning scenery, fabulous food, artwork everywhere, breathtaking costumes and the light indescribably beautiful. We walked for hours, got endlessly lost, listened to a quartet play Vivaldi in the church he’d frequented, drifted down tiny canals in a gondola past crumbling palazzi and went to see glass being blown in Murano. Sharing all this with my favorite person in the whole world was more than I could have ever hoped for.

 Here are my nominees for the Sunshine Award:

Bindurani Saju

Jeri Walker-Bickett

Laura Darling

Cheryl Therrien

Leora Wenger

Tasha Turner

Tope Olofin

Lubna Kably

Rebecca Thompson

K.S.Moore

Go check out their blogs and see what they are up to!

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Developing a #Plot without Flat Lining

Developing the plot for a novel should be like replicating a heart monitor. You want to see ups and downs on the screen, but you don’t want to see it flat lining. There’s nothing more likely to bore the pants off your readers than creating a story without any variation. Think of it in terms of real life’s ups and downs, except in fiction things need to be larger than life, however small they might be.Huh?Your story doesn’t need to be an action packed thrill ride; even small events can be brought to life by great prose.I came across this news item, that frankly made me laugh, but I could see its potential in relation to the ups and downs of a plot. (FYI for US readers, crisp packet  = potato chip bag. In England they ‘re usually in a single serving size, not a US jumbo pack.)‘Hedgehog Trapped in Crisp Packet in Weston-Super-Mare’“A baby hedgehog which found itself stuck in a crisp packet has been released after a three-and-a-half hour rescue involving six people.The animal became trapped after it crawled into the empty wrapper in a railed off area near steps in Weston-super-Mare.A shopkeeper heard rustling and saw the hedgehog - now named Crispian - stick his nose out.Workers had to cut through the railings and help rescuers reach the hedgehog.”http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-20151566What struck me was that they cut through railings to rescue it, and six people had been involved! Clearly this tiny animal had created an event, which produced substantial effort on the rescuers part. It went from being a simple rustle in the wind to a conflict that needed resolution.If you were writing this scene how might you develop it?The conflict begins when the shopkeeper hears the rustling, which poses a question i.e. what to do? Imagine the thoughts of the shopkeeper (inner dialogue) or perhaps she discusses it with a passerby (spoken dialogue), and they both go and look at the hedgehog. (Action) As a reader, I’d want to have some description of the railings, the railed off area and the hedgehog poking his nose out. Where do the steps lead? Was this the scene of a kidnapping a couple of years earlier, or had there been a fire, and the house subsequently torn down?The middle of the scene then develops after the authorities are contacted. (Action) No doubt there are now two or three people waiting and watching until help arrives. Don’t forget there are six people involved in this incident! What was their interchange? (Dialogue or reported speech) Were there concerns about their ability to get through the railings? (Tension) Did they encounter any snags, like the saw blade breaking? (Building suspense) Would the hedgehog survive, even if they managed to cut through the railing? (More tension)The climax of the scene is the hedgehog being rescued. (More description, dialogue/ reported speech) Is the animal going to live or does it stop moving? Is this the complete end of the story, or do two of the people find a connection and become involved in each other’s lives? Perhaps this is where a murderer first meets his next victim?On its own, this is obviously a very simple scene. It could be made engaging in a myriad of ways from comedy to fable, the beginnings of a thriller to rich descriptive prose. Regardless of stylistic approach, there’s dramatic action, however small, which sends a character in a new direction. In this prickly tale (!), the shopkeeper was going about her business until she was on a mission to save a helpless little creature. To be successful, it needs to have ups and downs. The pitfalls encountered are dependent on the writer’s interpretation.Simple story does not mean boring plot. Complicated plot does not mean interesting story. Getting the right balance is something an author needs to look at for each scene. And not all scenes have the same cadence or intensity. Some might give you some respite after one with high tension. Or perhaps towards the end of the novel, you might ratchet things up by piling on one crisis after another.Balancing the tempo of each scene is a good start. Putting them together is like cooking a favorite dish: you combine the ingredients to suit your particular taste. But one shake too many of the saltcellar and the whole dish is ruined.How does the plot progress in the novel you are reading or writing? Is it a slow build, or does it pack a punch from the beginning. Which to you prefer? Run, Crispin, run!.......................

PEN - Do You Have the Freedom to Write?

English PEN is the founding centre of PEN International. This association of writers, campaigns for the promotion of free speech and literature around the world. It's slogan is "The freedom to write, the freedom to read." In the recent newsletter, the following caught my eye.Burmese poets perform in unique UK tourThis month English PEN supports the promotion of Bones Will Crow, the first anthology of contemporary Burmese poets published in the West. Edited and translated by ko ko thett and James Byrne. Published by Arc Publications.Bones Will Crow features the work of Burmese poets who have been in exile and in prison. The poems include global references from a culture in which foreign books and the Internet are regarded with suspicion and where censorship is an industry. The poets have been ingenious in their use of metaphor to escape surveillance and censorship, writing post-modern, avant-garde, performance and online poetries.I'm glad I don't have to rely on my brilliant use of metaphor to evade censorship! All joking aside, the fact is, many of us reading this blog take for granted the freedom we have in terms of what we write. Can you imagine what life would be like if you were afraid your writing posed a threat to your safety?  I don't always remember to value the freedom of being able to write whatever I want.Do You Have The Freedom To Write?That said, within the freedoms of western society, there are pitfalls. On a much lesser scale than fears of imprisonment or torture, individuals do not always feel free to express themselves. Homophobia, sexism, racial and religious intolerance all plays a part in people feeling threatened, unable to be who they are.Political oppression works on the same principles as bullying -  intimidation, fear, punishment and isolation. Bullying on on a grand scale you like.  But at a simpler level, bullying in the playground, while in a completely different league from national oppression,  is a horrible phenomenon, often with awful consequences. Most children don’t want to be seen as ‘other’. To avoid being associated with someone who is being picked on, some kids lower their tolerance levels and cave in to peer pressure. Which only increases the number of bullies, and makes the problem worse. This issue has been well highlighted in the TV musical comedy drama series  ‘Glee’.Being constantly pushed around  by a playground bully is a long way from being put in a Burmese prison. But it can have a devastating effect on the life of an individual. Victims of bullying often feel too scared to speak out, let alone put down their concerns in print.The Burmese poets whose work is in ‘Bones Will Crow', did what they could to avoid censorship.  I wonder if I'd have their courage to write, if I found myself living in a society actively preventing freedom of speech. Would I write about my oppression? Or would I want to write a simple story that might be an escape from the harshness of the situation.The issues in this post are separate, but related. What would you write if you found yourself living in an oppressive society? How important is it that people continue to write, no matter what? Do you know of any children who’ve been bullied and the effect it had on them? How well have they been able to write about what’s important to them? Connect with me on: -Twitter: @artyyahPinterest: http://pinterest.com/artyyah/Like my Facebook page : http://facebook.com/akandrewwriterFor regular updates of my blog: Subscribe Here  Related Information:http://www.englishpen.org/http://www.pen-international.org/http://www.englishpen.org/about-free-speech/PEN has published a free PEN Atlas e-book for PEN members and friends to enjoy! The e-book features ten literary dispatches from around the world, taken from their online series. Contributing authors include Yan Lianke, Diego Marani, Samar Yazbek & Dubravka Ugresic. You can download your free copy here.http://www.englishpen.org/poems-for-pussy-riot-ebook/ On October 10th one of the members of Pussy Riot had their sentence suspended. Leading up to the court case, PEN organized  Catechism: Poems for Pussy Riot, an ebook international anthology. Click the link to download. 

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The Next Big Thing week 15: Interview with an Author

The Next Big Thing is an author's Work In Progress project  from SheWrites. When I read Jeri Walker-Bickett’s  blog last week,  I immediately thought what fantastic questions for any author to ask themselves. So I was thrilled that afternoon, when Jeri emailed, and invited me to participate. A Big Thank You to Jeri.What is the working title of your book?‘Under The Bed’. It comes from the phrase ‘Red’s Under the Bed’, used in 1950’s America.Where did the idea come from for the book?I was set to write the sequel to my first book Radio Echo, catching up with the characters a few years after the end of WWII, but I decided to spread my wings as a writer, switched countries and found a completely different voice. The 50’s anti-Communist era in America struck a chord with me as part of the backdrop. In doing my research and seeing how widespread the effect of McCarthyism was, I didn’t want to focus on the more publicized Hollywood Blacklist, so decided to move cross country and settle my characters in New York.  What genre does your book fall under?Literary fiction. Specifically mid-Century historical literary fiction. Set in both the early 50's and late 60's, makes it a tricky time frame, as some camps argue historical fiction has to be 50 years in the past. Other’s say it can be considered historical fiction if the time period - and its depiction - is at the core of the story. I think if the work involves major political or social events of the time and the character’s role in those events are interlinked, it’s historical.Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?I'll let the two main characters in the novel comment on this.Midge: “I know Izzie said I was a pissy mess the other week, but I'm trying darling, I really am. Putting on a few pounds wasn't a crime the last time I looked, but pudgy is such an ugly word. And these Chanel suits don’t buy themselves. I was a very successful business woman before the shit hit the fan. Life Magazine was always doing some article on Boswell Designs. Seems a lifetime ago now... like someone else’s life.... Er,... where was I?  Oh yes... The actress would  have to play a younger me as well wouldn't she?  To do both roles justice,  I think Sharon Stone  would be marvelous. She’s got the same coloring too, don’t you think?”Izzie: “Do you think I give a shit who plays me in the film? How hard can it be to write some crap poetry, and take a few lousy photo’s in the East Village?  [Takes a hit on a joint]. OK, fine. So I do care. I bet that skinny-assed  Girl With a Dragon Tattoo actress would could make a stab at being me. Yeah, Rooney Mara. She’d be good.”What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?Two women, a generation apart, each burdened by guilt regarding the death of a sibling, find their own lives in danger during the Vietnam era, when the older woman’s brush with McCarthyism emerges during their collaboration on her autobiography.   Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?I will definitely look for an agent to represent me.How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? 11 months. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?I obviously wouldn't dream of comparing myself to these authors, but I have certainly been inspired by them. These came to mind, each for different aspects of their content.Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. This is one of my favorite novels and spans the narrators lifetime, who is in her 80's as she is writing.The novel pays particular attention to the pre & post WWII years, but goes far beyond that in  encapsulating a number of different story lines as well as time lines.Toby's Room by Pat Barker. Well know for her incredible "Regeneration Trilogy" ,  this is a sequence to Life Class,  though it's also a stand alone novel. Set during WWI, the novel is as much about the interpersonal relationships as it is about the era. However, the two are interchangeable and it is the societal times of the era on the life of the individual that, for me is the real correlation between this and Under the Bed.The Night Watch by Sarah Waters. This is mid 20th century fiction, set during WWII. But Waters deals with the time frame in a very interesting way as she goes from finish to start.  Who or What inspired you to write this book?After a friend told me about growing up with parents who were in the Communist Party in the UK, and what it was like as a teenager in the sixties to have your phone bugged, it made me think about the invasion of people’s privacy and what effect it has on them. Since 9/11 the invasion of privacy has became almost an accepted ‘right’ by Western governments in the quest to protect our freedom. CCTV tracks us constantly and emails are tagged continuously in the fight against terrorism. I questioned the end justifying the means. Eventually I decided to follow how anti-communist fervour has moulded certain key elements of American history, and chose to juxtapose the eras of the Vietnam War and McCarthyism, with 1969 being 'present day'.What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?The novel blends the struggle of the individual with that of the bigger picture of the political events of the time. Can we as both individuals or as nations, learn from our past? I believe we can, and yet, as we know, history repeats itself. ‘Under the Bed’ explores how an individual’s lack of control over their fate can be in the hands of the government, even a generation apart. But ultimately the fight for survival and coming to terms with past mistakes is up to the individual. Here are the authors I’ve tagged for the project. Check out their websites and you'll be able see their interviews posted there next week.Claire CappettaDoreen PendgracsHemmie MartinSusan CooperBridget WhelanSally O’Reilly I’d love  your feedback on the interview, so do leave a comment below. Or post this blog to your favourite social media.Connect with me on: -Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/artyyah/Twitter: @artyyahLike my Facebook page : http://facebook.com/akandrewwriterFor regular updates of my blog: Subscribe Here

5 Reasons to Focus on the Visual Content of Pinterest

If you think those who focus on the visual content of Pinterest are only fashionistas and cuddly kitten lovers, think again. The visual media platform has become so broad in its content and appeal there is literally something for all interests.But I don’t get it… I admit I was a doubter when I was first invited to Pinterest some months ago. In trying to build an author’s platform I focused my efforts entirely on words with a few images in my weekly blog. Then articles kept coming across my computer on the impact of Pinterest and when I took a second look, it  finally clicked. A few weeks ago I set up my Pinterest page http://pinterest.com/artyyah/. Now I’m hooked.

 

A.K.Andrew Pinterest page

 Is Pinterest Coming out of Left Field for you?Imagine you’re an avid baseball photo collector. Your baseball photo Pinterest “board” might include some photos  you have , and  “re-pins”  of other people’s photos from Pinterest. You now have your own virtual baseball photo collection to look at any time, to share with others and exchange or add images and comments. How cool is that? Can Pinterest work for pleasure and business ? Definitely.If you’re a baseball photo seller, with Pinterest, you now have a brand new audience who has access to your products. Sports fans love statistics. Make then visual, make then fun.  Infographics are the hottest thing in marketing at the moment, so add  those too.  Check out my infographics "Board" for some examples. https://pinterest.com/artyyah/infographics/ 

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OK. Lets’s get to the nitty gritty -

Five Reasons to Focus on Pinterest

 1. Visually VelocityHands up who loved picture books as a child?  Yep, everyone. Adults are no different. We’re naturally drawn to images. In today's media overload, short attention span society, a picture truly does say more than a 1,000 words.When we find an image of  something we’re interested in, it grabs our attention immediately. The Pinterest search feature is a snip.  "Pinning" is fun and interactive, and along the way we might just find something  that inspires us to do more in both the virtual and real world. Last week, through Pinterest, I discovered a site that showed me how to transfer photographic images onto wood. Not something I was looking for, but I was jazzed.Your soul might be enriched by a beautiful image, but for business, education and non-profits, who have used visual aids for eons, they know they can capitalize on people’s intake of information being more easily reached by an image than a few dry paragraphs. Think infographics.2. Fastest Growing New Kid on The BlockBy January 2012, Pinterest became one of the fastest growing websites around, hitting 11.7M unique visitors. Those kind of numbers can't be ignored by anyone who is trying to get a message, product, thought or vision out there.  A recent study from Shareaholic shows that Pinterest now drives more referral traffic than Google+, Linkedin, and YouTube  combined! Why has it been so successful so quickly? Because of it’s broad appeal in both subject matter and its delivery of information. Visual is key. 3. Flexible Imaging -  "Do do ...that Voodoo… that You Do So Well…"Pinterest lends itself to just about anything you want to say, sell, show or share. It’s as effective for an individual wanting to share  photo’s of their Patagonian trip, as it is for a health organization to convey the benefits of walking. Businesses have been using advertising since bartering went out of style, and as we all know first hand, image is key in selling products.B2B is a fast growing aspect of Pinterest with businesses varying from Manufacturing, to Healthcare, Technology and Software , many of whom use infographics as well as strong visual content.Want to show the actual product? – go ahead. Want to show how your web-design business will benefit a client? - how better than to show that client how creative you are with your boards. With Pinterest, you  have virtually unlimited space to show yourself off.

Individuals have a myriad of reasons for pinning. For those trying to build a name or brand, what better way for your clients or readers to learn a little more about you, and what you’re interested in personally. People like to know who they’re dealing with.

There are literally millions of new “pins” a week, and “pinners” are having fun. It’s the interactive nature combined with the visual appeal that makes it so successful for both personal and business use. It’s ability as a powerful social media is already established. 4. Being Sociable with Link Love. Each time an image is “re-pinned”, it always links back to the original post, so the interchange of information in terms of people’s website’s is phenomenal. People love link love. It makes one feel good to have an image “liked” or “re-pinned”, or even better being “followed”. People often reciprocate and/or go to your main site. Like bloggers, I’ve found “pinners” to be a friendly bunch. These are people that may never have come across you  any other way.5. Creative  CuriosityWhatever your interest, Pinterest helps you think of things in a different way, encouraging you to be creative. How shall I group my images? What shall I call my boards? They can be as simple or complex as you want them to be. Just  express yourself  with the wealth of images easily reached through their search feature for you to play with. I look at what other people do and sometimes think WOW, that's a great idea – in short Pinterest can be inspiring. Another writer, Priscilla Warner, http://pinterest.com/priscillawarner/my-dream-writing-studios/, has a board called ‘My Dream Writing Studio’s’, which vary from tree houses to a tropical paradise. She heads her board saying ”My Office is my Bed. But I would happily bring my laptop to any of these places…"   I can relate.Go ahead - explore. Allow yourself to dream.Pinterest is still by invite only. You can request one directly from Pinterest, but feel free to contact me if you'd like an invite.

If you're already on Pinterest,  what do you enjoy about it & how do you feel it's benefited you ? (Do include your Pinterest URL if you'd like people to check out your page.) If you're not on Pinterest, what is stopping you ? I've heard people mention time, but your page can be grown as slowly as you want. What else is stopping you?

I'd love to hear your comments, so come join the discussion. Follow me on: -Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/artyyah/Twitter: @artyyahFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/akandrewwriterFor regular updates of my blog: Subscribe Here 

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For those who like hard facts, the following links may be of interest:http://www.problogger.net/archives/2012/08/20/learnings-from-my-pinterest-experiment/

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• How Unexpected Industries Are Using Pinterest

10 Rules for Writing: Margaret Atwood

Every author has their favorite rules or ways of writing. Our work can benefit  from learning their process. In the same way it's accepted painters  learn from the masters , writers too can learn from other writers. ( I wrote in more detail about this in the post An Infinite Authors Resource .) The writer doesn't  have to be your favorite, but their work must be relevant. When you're having trouble with a piece of work - your blog, fiction or non-fiction  - don't reinvent the wheel or plagiarize, but  look at how someone else tackled the problem. For issues on social media, the internet or  websites, I'd go to  Sherryl Perry or Leora Wenger . If you want a slow build up of fear try Helen Dunmore's 'The Betrayal'. For a more 'in your face' scary scene maybe go to Stephen King. Margaret Atwood's 10 Rules for Writing Fiction1 Take a pencil to write with on aeroplanes. Pens leak. But if the pencil breaks, you can't sharpen it on the plane, because you can't take knives with you. Therefore: take two pencils.2 If both pencils break, you can do a rough sharpening job with a nail file of the metal or glass type.3 Take something to write on. Paper is good. In a pinch, pieces of wood or your arm will do.4 If you're using a computer, always safeguard new text with a memory stick.5 Do back exercises. Pain is distracting.6 Hold the reader's attention. (This is likely to work better if you can hold your own.) But you don't know who the reader is, so it's like shooting fish with a slingshot in the dark. What fascinates A will bore the pants off B.7 You most likely need a thesaurus, a rudimentary grammar book, and a grip on reality. This latter means: there's no free lunch. Writing is work. It's also gambling. You don't get a pension plan. Other people can help you a bit, but ¬essentially you're on your own. Nobody is making you do this: you chose it, so don't whine.8 You can never read your own book with the innocent anticipation that comes with that first delicious page of a new book, because you wrote the thing. You've been backstage. You've seen how the rabbits were smuggled into the hat. Therefore ask a reading friend or two to look at it before you give it to anyone in the publishing business. This friend should not be someone with whom you have a romantic relationship, unless you want to break up.9 Don't sit down in the middle of the woods. If you're lost in the plot or blocked, retrace your steps to where you went wrong. Then take the other road. And/or change the person. Change the tense. Change the opening page.10 Prayer might work. Or reading something else. Or a constant visualization of the holy grail that is the finished, published version of your resplendent book.NB: Margaret Atwood's rules for writing fiction, originally appeared as part of a feature in  The Guardian . I'd like to give a special thanks to Robert Bruce of  http://101books.net/ ( a fantastic site for book-lovers), who reminded me of her list in a recent post he did on Steinbeck.

------------------------------------------------I really love her dry sense of humor and sticking with the basics, like using a pencil, or your arm!  The rules could also apply to virtually any kind of writing.

OK, my turn...though I have made it easy on myself by only doing three.

A.K. Andrew's Top 3 Writing Rules :1. Write little and often. (Whatever  interpretation works for you)2.  Always carry a notebook (paper or electronic). Odd words or thoughts come  at any time day or night and trying to rely on your memory to recall them is hopeless. I've learned how to write small groups of words in the dark, then decipher them in the morning.3. Write what you enjoy. If you're not enjoying the process, your reader will never be engaged.What are your top 3 writing Rules?  (See I've made it easy for you too!) I'd love to hear your thoughts - and perhaps between us, we can come up with a really great new list of  10 Writing Rules.Note: This will be my last post for a month, so enjoy the end of summer and I'll see you back here near the end of September. Follow me on: -Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/artyyah/Twitter: @artyyahFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/akandrewwriterFor  regular updates of my blog: Subscribe Here  

Want to Change The Use of Space in Your Home?

 How do you use your home?Is it somewhere you dash in and out of between work, or a place you like to spend as much time as possible?  I was attracted to this film of the Eames house after watching the London Olympics opening ceremony where the house in the center of the  stadium was used for a montage of British music. It made sense, as the home is where so much happens when we're growing up. But how we use our homes has changed in recent decades. For myself, I no longer go out to work and spend a lot of time at home. I write at home, though I also write in a notebook in odd places outside, whether catching snippets of an idea or small sections of a scene.httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv7ipQdUrYkLive and WorkMany people now use at least part of where they live as a home office. They might even run a business from their home. For most of us that means being creative. Can you use a cupboard or an alcove for your computer? Are grown up children willing to share a painting studio when they come and visit? Rooms in houses do not need to be static. Most of us don't have the freedom of space the Eames had, but when did you last try and think how to rearrange your living space to satisfy your current needs?I loved the fact that the Eames used the house to work as well as live. Their passion was clearly integral in their lives. What struck me about this film is the exploration of beauty in small things - a leaf, a chair spindle, a flower -  as well as the modern design of the Eames. We see the change of the seasons, a symbol of the changes of life itself. Sometimes change can mean small touches that make all the difference.The Eames House, built in 1949, is a landmark of mid 20th century architecture. It was designed by the husband and wife design pioneers Charles and Ray Eames.  It's construction was part of a project launched by Arts & Architecture Magazine in response to the need for housing following WWII.If you don't watch the whole film, dip in and out at the amazingly beautiful images. I particularly loved the way they invite the outside nature inside with the shadows of the trees. The beautiful play of shadows is prevalent throughout the film.How has the use in your home changed?  What "use of  space" changes would you like to make in the future? http://eamesfoundation.org/Details of the house and it's design:http://www.artsandarchitecture.com/case.houses/pdf01/08.pdfFilm by:  http://pyramidmedia.com    

Writing #Location as #Character

 In many works of fiction, location is so vital to the heart of the book, it's essentially another ‘character’. This doesn't apply to all novels, but in others the author  creates a location, just like a character, that's incredibly memorable whether real or imaginary. To me this is part of the beauty of reading – I’m transported to Leningrad  in Helen Dunmore’s The Siege, Newfoundland in Annie Proulx's Shipping News, or to a mythical place  "off the edge of the map" in the sizzling debut novel Snake Ropes, by Jess Richards.As a writer, I think about the location almost before anything else. To me, that sets the scene, and from there the theme and characters can grow and live and become as three-dimensional as characters in a novel can be.I currently live in Brighton UK. It’s on the south coast of England and is surrounded by the chalky cliffs of the South Downs. Think ‘White Cliffs of Dover’, and that’s what they look like. There have been a number of novels and films set here, the most famous being Graham Greene’s ‘Brighton Rock’.The book was written in 1938, and the original film made in 1947 with a very young Richard Attenborough as ‘Pinkie.’The underworld of violence and crime is juxtaposed against the perception of Brighton as a fashionable resort only fifty miles away from London.  In the film,   location is key  – Brighton railway station with the beautiful arched ironwork, characteristic Brighton architecture of tall, sweeping  terraces  painted cream, and of course the pier, where many scenes, including the finale are filmed. My most vivid memory from first reading the book as a teenager, was Pinkie pouring vitriol onto the wooden railing of the pier to frighten his girlfriend - what would happen if it was thrown in her face! Scary stuff back then.There used to be two piers in Brighton – the West Pier, and the Palace Pier. The West Pier was closed in 1975, and burnt down in 2003.The remaining Pier is now simply called Brighton Pier. But the West Pier, now the town’s very own metal sculpture, stranded about 50 yards from the shore, has become an icon as well as something of a bird sanctuary. In the winter a murmeration of starlings appears and swirls between the two piers finally coming to land on the West Pier.In thinking of location as a key part of a novel, as vital as the main protagonist, I thought about the West Pier as that character. Starting as the darling of the Victorian era, coming into her heyday when the British seaside tourist trade gets under way in the 1920's and 30's. Eventually, like an aging dowager she starts to get a little tarnished and shunned by everyone. She falls into disrepair, and is closed off. Finally, in mirroring the fate of Miss Faversham in Great Expectations, the West Pier is set alight, and any thought of restoration vanishes . Once she's stripped to a skeletal structure, she takes her place in today's history as a modern sculpture, a new landmark icon for the city of Brighton.What a story you could weave around the life and death of the West Pier. Mmmm… maybe for my next novel.Now it's your turn. Is location important to you when you read a novel? If you wrote a book set in the place you live, what kind of novel would it be? I’d love to hear your ideas.

Changing #Procrastination Creatively

Procrastination is the master of endless lists, even for things we supposedly want to do – I don’t have time, my artwork sucks, not enough room, too busy to focus, too tired, too________. You name it. They’re all valid reasons. Work, children, ill-health and a myriad of other things stop us from doing what we love. But if we love it so much why do we self-sabotage? Fear of failure? Fear of success? Anticipation creates as many reasons to stop as to start.  If you want to change procrastination, sometimes changing the way we do things creatively can provide a  solution to why we find it hard to pick up the tools of the trade. Shake things up and see what falls out. If you can't do one thing do another.I didn't come to this conclusion by choice, but through developing Lupus, an auto-immune condition. I’ve been a visual artist for over twenty years, but  health problems started overnight almost thirteen years ago. My mobility was severely affected by joint and muscle pain, as well as fatigue. Creatively, it became a learning process of changing how to do things in order to continue doing what I loved.Painting large canvases standing at an easel, now out of the question, became small works sitting down. Stretching my own canvases was impossible and pre-stretched canvases were initially traded in for flat canvas or paper. Oils became acrylics or watercolors, and long sessions switched to short ones.Pacing myself is everything. At first I hated it. All of it. But I was determined not to give up. Then I found the challenge of being forced into new ways of working affected the creative process. The change became a source of creativity itself and I produced work I'd never otherwise have done. Procrastination was booted out.More importantly, I also started writing. At first it was just a journal, but I read so much, I thought why not write? Illness jumpstarted my creative writing, but writing helped me through the process of dealing with my illness.  Synchronicity at it's best. Writing can be a problem because of joint pain, but it’s something I can do in short bursts, more easily than getting out painting materials. I also use voice activated software when I need to.I’ve recently been re-introduced to computer art   by Susan Cooper* This has been SO fantastic and I’ve been painting on my iPhone. Now that’s a pretty small canvas! And the non-existent cleanup, leaves more energy for painting. Remember how much fun drawing and painting were when you were  child? Well it can be now. Right now. Whatever age you are. It doesn’t matter what it looks like - no-one's  going to see it unless you want them to. It’s just fun to doodle. Instead of being bored on your train commute home, or waiting for a dental appointment, why not doodle on your phone or ipad?For a  ‘painterly’ app, I’d recommend either ‘Brushes’, which is the app David Hockney uses, or ‘ArtRage’ which is a live simulation of the properties of real paint. Both are good for drawing too. At £1.59 for the app, you can’t beat it.  There are also lots of free apps to choose from. (SketchbookX & iDraw are two I've used) We all have things holding us back from what we want to do, but I say if you can’t be a full time artist,  find ten minutes at lunch to write a few lines about a character, or make a sketch for your next painting. After the kids are in bed and you’re tired, jot down a few ideas, knit a few rows , think about what glaze to use in your next ceramic project. If you can't do one thing do another - keep it small, think 'different' and you'll be able to toss procrastination out with the garbage.Illness has been a great teacher - I've learned to embrace change instead of fighting it, which leaves me open to try new things creatively, or use new tools. When procrastination comes knocking I look for different options. Are you ready to join me?What draws you away from your creativity? Are there ways you can think of to break things down so that you can take smaller, more manageable steps?Let me know. I’m always looking for new ways to do things. Don't forget to subscribe for blog updates: SubscribeFollow me on Twitter: artyyah 

Related articles

• Download David Hockney's Playful Drawings for the iPhone and iPad(openculture.com)http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11666162*http://findingourwaynow.com/2012/03/draw-on-an-ipad-part-3.html

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Nora Ephron - Pioneer Film Writer and Director

Nora Ephron, pioneer film writer and director has died. She was nominated for three screenwriting Oscars, Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally & Sleepless in Seattle. When a writer dies, the loss is magnified not only by all the work they've done  but  all the work that might have been written, and the world has lost.I have particular respect for screenwriters as they have to work in the dark - no lovely descriptive passages to help the story along, suggestions for the readers imagination. In film of course it's fleshed out by both the actors and the director. Here's where my second part of respect comes in - the screenwriter is part of a team - no flying solo, but having to rely on their interpretation of your work. So essentially the outcome is out of your control. Nora often both wrote and directed her movies.Check out this link for a complete filmography : http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001188/)When I first saw Silkwood, I was stunned by the revelation of such a heinous crime the company Karen Silkwood, (played by a young Meryl Streep) worked for and tried to cover up. Making plutonium fuel rods for nuclear reactors., they skimped on safety standards and forced employees to work long, unsafe hours. But it was also a story of an ordinary woman and the struggles of her own life  - trying to raise three children and struggle with her ex-common-law husband. Most of her support comes from her lesbian friend Dolly (played by Cher). It was one of the first films where an ordinary woman takes on the establishment.Nora was not only a writer, but also a director and a producer. Some would argue she created the rom-com genre.

Most men don't want to direct movies that aren't about them.

"If you can't get it done, then do it yourself" - has often been the approach for women in film. Nora Ephron's work is a legacy to all women who ever doubt themselves and their ability to break into a world previously closed to them.

Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.  - Nora Ephron

 Click on the link below for a really interesting interview on  a Seattle Public TV station in 2011. Nora talks about her life, how she became a journalist ( She was told "We don't have any women writer's at Newsweek" !) and how she moved on to screenplays.httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=SXiNEgO-wxo&NR=1 Here is a film clip of excerpts from her filmshttpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpUyn8oVBAY Related articles

• Director, screenwriter Nora Ephron dies at 71(cbc.ca)

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• Filmmaker and author Nora Ephron dies at 71(insidemovies.ew.com)

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• Prolific writer Nora Ephron dead at 71(cnn.com)

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/jun/27/nora-ephron-tribute

Don't forget to subscribe for blog updates: SubscribeFollow me on Twitter: artyyah

Receiving a Versatile Blogger Award!

In the short time I've been blogging I've found other bloggers to be an extremely friendly, helpful bunch of people. Always going the extra mile to help out with problem or suggest an easier way to do things or an effective plug-in or  widget.  Sherryl Perry of http://keepupwiththeweb.com/ gave me enormous support recently when my account was hacked.I belong to Bloggers Helping Bloggers on LinkedIn and the group is fantastic – we read each other’s blogs, exchange comments as well as practical advice.But this week I’ve been totally blown away by receiving  the Versatile Blogger Award from Susan Cooper. Yeah!!! Thank you so much Susan. What an honor and so completely unexpected!You can find Susan Cooper on her award winning blog at http://findingourwaynow.comSusan herself has a great blog and is the recipient of a number of awards  - the Sunshine Blog, and Versatile Blogger Awards from “searchingforthehappiness“ and recently the Readers Appreciation Award from “Little Box Of Books“.As she says on her blog, she has a passion for life, but I’d say her generosity of spirit is the key to her success.In the twenty years while I was in business, I  believed competition and sharing information was a positive – in business this only hold's  true up to a point. So now I’m a novelist and a blogger, I’m delighted to find it’s a world of exchanging ideas, information and camaraderie.Part of receiving the award requires telling Susan 7 things about myself. Some feel more secret than others.

1. I love all things Italian – the country the culture, the food, the language. It’s been a dream of mine to live there someday – well for 6 months at least - but the older I get, the less likely it becomes. Visits are lovely though and Umbria is my favorite region.
2. I enjoy playing chess on-line. I’ve always thought of chess as being the most boring, nerdy thing in the world, until I discovered playing online and having 3 days to make a move. I enjoy playing live too. Wanna play? Let me know.
3. My cat likes to wake me up by purring loudly in my ear or tickling my nose with her whiskers. Since I left home at eighteen, I've never lived without a cat.
4. I have an auto-immune condition which saps my energy and limits my mobility. But without it, I probably wouldn’t have had the time to explore becoming a writer. It started with a journal and  went from there. Writing is something I can do in small chunks. Having been a type ‘A’ personality all my life, pacing myself is hard, but after 13 yrs I’m improving (ya think?!)
5. I’m a breast cancer survivor. I was very lucky and although I had a mastectomy, I didn't have  to have chemo or radiotherapy. Now I can join the Amazonian archery club!   I wrote my first published story during one nerve-wracking weekend while I was waiting for test results. It was a fantastic therapeutic way of dealing with the stress. I’ve been cancer free for 7 years.
6. I believe everyone is creative. We all have to find what creativity we can tap into, whether it’s gardening, metal work, sewing, sculpting or whatever. So many things stand in our way – time, inclination & the nagging self critic that sits on our shoulders saying ‘I’m no good at…' or 'I can’t…’ . We all have it at one time or another. It’s a question of taking a leap of faith in ourselves, and not worrying what others think. It’s the process that’s important not the result. Kind of like the journey not the destination.
7.  I’m a painter. I started going to a drawing class, 20 yrs ago as a form of relaxation away from a stressful job. Then I moved on to painting. As I said above,  for me it’s the process that’s important. I find painting (like writing) very meditative. When I started to have problems with my joints and mobility, I had to change the way I worked. Recently Susan Cooper introduced me to the program iDraw that she uses for the great drawings in some of her blogs. From there, I’ve gone on to start using ‘Brushes’ which is the app. David Hockney uses. I'd been looking at the full moon one night, so this ended up being  my first painting on an iphone. Thanks again Susan!

Now I need to pass the torch and nominate 15 bloggers to receive the Versatile Blogger Award.  I hope you check them out. There's some great blogs in there, but it was a difficult choice. I also knew people such as Claire Capetta and Doreen Pendracs for example, that I couldn't nominate as they already had the award.1. Keepupwiththeweb2. nhwn.wordpress.com3. leftcoastvoices.wordpress.com4. 101books.net/5. rowenadunn.wordpress.com/6. catarinasworld.com/7. biz.leoraw.com/8. ohegarty.blogspot.co.uk/9. susiebright.blogs.com/10. 3chicspolitico.com/11. brainpickings.org/12. thoughtlessbeauty.tumblr.com/13. zenashapter.com/blog/14.francescacarboni.blogspot.co.uk/15. angelaejkoh.com/ If you would like to check out more information about the award go to http://versatilebloggeraward.wordpress.com It's fantastic to see all the other nominees - and have the rules explained etc.Thanks again Susan for the award,  and thanks also to everyone who has come to my blog and left comments. The discussions are the part that  makes it really worth while.I'd love to hear your comments on blogging or the award. Come and join the discussion. Yeah!!! Subscribe at the top of bottom of the page.Twitter: @ artyyah    

#Dorothy Parker On Fiction

  In researching the 1950’s for my novel ‘Under the Bed’ , Dorothy Parker's name came up as one of the Hollywood writers black-listed. It is also 45 years ago this week since her death.Dorothy Parker was renowned for her wit, being a keen critic, her poetry, short stories, plays and her left wing politics. When she died of a heart attack in 1967, her estate was left to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. foundation. Following King's death, her estate was passed on to the NAACP. In 1988 the NAACP dedicated a memorial garden to her in Baltimore and erected a plaque. She’d suggested her tombstone should read ‘Excuse my dust’. They didn't argue. But first, let’s have some fun and see if you can complete three of Parker’s famous quotes. No.1 is my favorite and was the name of the lunchtime theatre play in London where the wit of Dorothy Parker finally came into my life, a decade after her death. Answers are at the bottom of this post!

1. Men seldom make passes,

At girls…………………..2.     Guns aren’t lawful;Nooses give;Gas smell awful;You…………………….3.     You can lead a whore to culture,But ……………………… The following is taken from a Paris Review interview she gave in 1956, on the Art of Fiction.* If you're not already familiar with them, the archives of Paris Review have some incredible interviews of literary figures  - thoroughly enjoyable and a fantastic writer's resource.On how she started writing:

“I fell into writing, I suppose, being one of those awful children who wrote verses. I went to a convent in New York—the Blessed Sacrament. Convents do the same things progressive schools do, only they don’t know it. They don’t teach you how to read; you have to find out for yourself. At my convent we did have a textbook, one that devoted a page and a half to Adelaide Ann Proctor; but we couldn’t read Dickens; he was vulgar, you know. … But as for helping me in the outside world, the convent taught me only that if you spit on a pencil eraser it will erase ink. And I remember the smell of oilcloth, the smell of nuns’ garb. I was fired from there, finally, for a lot of things, among them my insistence that the Immaculate Conception was spontaneous combustion.”

On whether her reputation as a wit interfered with her acceptance as a fiction writer:

“I don’t want to be classed as a humorist. It makes me feel guilty. I’ve never read a good tough quotable female humorist, and I never was one myself. I couldn’t do it. A “smartcracker” they called me, and that makes me sick and unhappy. There’s a hell of a distance between wisecracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wisecracking is simply calisthenics with words. I didn’t mind so much when they were good, but for a long time anything that was called a crack was attributed to me—and then they got the shaggy dogs.

On contemporary writers:

“…as for living novelists, I suppose E. M. Forster is the best, … at least he’s a semifinalist, wouldn’t you think? … He once wrote something I’ve always remembered: “It has never happened to me that I’ve had to choose between betraying a friend and betraying my country, but if it ever does so happen I hope I have the guts to betray my country.” Now doesn’t that make the Fifth Amendment look like a bum?

On her own writing practice:

“It takes me six months to do a story. I think it out and then write it sentence by sentence—no first draft. I can’t write five words but that I change seven.

On whether her political views made any difference to her professionally?

“Oh, certainly. Though I don’t think this “blacklist” business extends to the theater or certain of the magazines, in Hollywood it exists because several gentlemen felt it best to drop names like marbles which bounced back like rubber balls about people they’d seen in the company of what they charmingly called “commies.” You can’t go back thirty years to Sacco and Vanzetti. I won’t do it. Well, well, well, that’s the way it is. If all this means something to the good of the movies, I don’t know what it is. Sam Goldwyn said, “How’m I gonna do decent pictures when all my good writers are in jail?” Then he added, the infallible Goldwyn, “Don’t misunderstand me, they all ought to be hung.” Mr. Goldwyn didn’t know about “hanged.” That’s all there is to say. It’s not the tragedies that kill us, it’s the messes. I can’t stand messes. I’m not being a smartcracker. You know I’m not when you meet me—don’t you, honey?

 If Dorothy Parker was alive today, what issues do you think she'd be writing about?   *From Dorothy Parker, The Art of fiction No 13,Interviewed by Marion CampionTo read this interview in full, go to:http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/4933/the-art-of-fiction-no-13-dorothy-parker Endings of Dorothy Parker quotes above:1.At girls who wear glasses. 2. You might as well live. 3. But you can’t make her think.  

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  Related articles Time and Place: 1950?s USA (akandrew.com)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_Parkerhttp://onetrackmuse.com/2012/06/11/a-year-in-booksday-154-the-portable-dorothy-parker/#more-3123http://www.npr.org/2012/06/07/154148811/how-dorothy-parker-came-to-rest-in-baltimorehttp://www.dorothyparker.com/wordpress/        

Time and Place: 1950's USA

I’ve recently finished the first draft of my second novel, “Under the Bed”. It's set in New York in both 1969 and 1952. Time and place are integral to the story; the commonality between the two eras is anti-communism in the USA. I’ll only deal with the 1950’s in this blog.“McCarthyism”, which was at the heart of the anti-communist movement, started in the late forties. You may be aware of the havoc and horror the Hollywood blacklist had on the lives of actors and screenwriters, many of whom were banned from writing or acting. Their careers, and often their entire lives were left in shambles. A number also went to jail. Dashiell Hammett is one of the more famous names of people who served time. He died a year after his release. Lillian Hellman, was also brought before by the House Un-American Activities Committee  - HUAC. She took a landmark stand, later known as the 'Diminished Fifth', in which she was willing to talk about her own activities but refused to talk of others .Paul Robeson and Charlie Chaplin were also victims of the HUAC. Chaplin, who was born in England, was refused re-entry into the USA in 1952, and ultimately never returned to America. Paul Robeson’s passport was confiscated, leaving him unable to work abroad – he was already blacklisted from working in America. His career as a singer and his International Human Rights advocacy work were severely curtailed.       Influence of the House Un-American Activities Committee, reached far beyond Hollywood into many professions, including those in public service. University professors and elementary schoolteachers  were asked to sign an oath swearing that they were not, nor ever had been a member of the Communist Party. Those who refused, which many did on principle, lost their jobs.All serious stuff - but in researching the period, I came across some hilarious footage from the public service announcement of the ‘Duck and Cover Campaign’ that told people, and especially schoolchildren, what to do in the case of a nuclear attack – “Why, duck and cover of course!”.httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89od_W8lMtAIts simplicity might seem ludicrous to us now -  perhaps it did to many people at the time  -  but it gives us a certain insight into an era of fear, tinged with naïveté , in the USA of the 1950's.I love the whole idea of exploring different time and place in writing. They're usually the two challenges I first  set myself when I start a new project. It’s so important in a novel in setting the tone.Where do you set your work? Is it is always in the present, or in the town or country where you live? How does time and place affect your choice in the novels you read?Let me know - I’d love to hear from you.  

Related articles

• Sunday Open Thread (3chicspolitico.com) (A great blog site!)
• Tayo Aluko pays homage to a musical pioneer (charlestoncitypaper.com)
• Defrosting The Cold War (envisioningtheamericandream.wordpress.com)
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillian_Hellman

What is Your #Point of View?

I went onto the Sussex Downs at the weekend and was in awe of the beautiful rolling hills punctuated by the brilliant yellow of the rape fields in bloom. I mentioned to a friend how beautiful they were and his response was tempered by the fact he was allergic to them. We had a different point of view on how great they were. Different opinions.In writing, Point of View or POV, refers to who is ‘speaking’, or from who’s ‘vantage point’ the narrative is written. Before I became a writer, I hadn’t paid much attention to this. Waiting for me was the mine field of 'Point of View', with all it pratfalls.Prior to the 20^th century, the ‘omniscient ‘ POV was the norm. The omniscient author, who knew everything about the plot, the characters, and was often free with their opinion, told the story. Think of this wonderful opening line:  

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”

‘Tale of Two Cities'  by Charles Dickens

-Yeah it was, but says who? The author of course.

Because omniscient authors are god-like, they know what’s in everyones mind at all times, which they may or may not share with the reader. The author can choose to have a ‘limited omniscient’ POV, and in that situation the author focuses on only certain characters, and their inner thoughts.The other end of the spectrum is first person - the story is told, not by the author, but by a character in the novel. While they can act as a narrator, more often than not they are the main protagonist.In first person, the reader is in the mind of the person telling the story at all times. It's sometimes considered an ‘easy’ way to go for a debut novel, as you only have one POV to put forward. But the main drawback to first person POV, is that the reader is limited to the  experience of the character telling the story. We can only know what they know.There are ways around this e.g. someone else recalling an experience to the character. Murakami usually writes in first person, and uses this technique of a separate individual telling a tale in the ‘Wind-up Bird Chronicles’. We’re taken from the world of Murakami’s quirky narrator who enjoys cooking and music, to a Japanese soldier’s recollection of wartime Manchuria. For me, the latter was in some ways the most memorable part of the novel, in part because of an exceptional, albeit graphic, portrayal of a brutal scene. First person POV is often used when the protagonist has a very strongly defined character. Catcher in the Rye is a perfect example of first person, prominent protagonist. We immediately catch a glimpse of the kind of strong character Holden Caulfield will be. Not all first person novels have protagonists with such a striking personality, but the POV certainly lends itself to doing so.

 ‘If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.”

'Catcher in the Rye' by J.D.Salinger

  In second person POV, the author tells the story. It’s a very underused POV, but it too can have an intimacy to it – as if we’re being told secrets by the author that only we the individual reader will know. It’s more often used in an instructional way, like in a ‘How To Book’.                                                                                 

 “Rub a little on the back of your neck, your forehead and your wrists before you start fishing, and the blacks and skeeters will shun you. The odor of citronella is not offensive to people. It smells like gun oil. But the bugs do hate it.”

 Camping Out.’ by Ernest Hemingway

 The most commonly used POV is third person. The narrative is told by the author, but from a particular person(s) point of view. Third person has the most variety of possibilities of all POVs and though the term suggests objectivity and distance, it doesn’t necessarily mean the reader is remote. We create distance or closeness in the way we write. Closeness can come in third person by the description of concrete things and letting us hear a character’s thoughts.

“His chest was heaving. He could smell Jack –the intensely familiar odour of cigarettes, musky sweat and a faint sweetness like grass, and with it the rushing cold of the mountain.”

 'Broke Back Mountain'  by Annie Proulx,

 Using more than one POV, once considered radical, has become more commonplace. Innovative novels such as 'Cloud Atlas' by David Mitchell and Margaret Atwood’s 'Oryx & Crake' used this technique. It lends itself to interesting work, if it's well written.Generally speaking, switching POV’s is most successful if the entire chapter is in one POV, or at the most, only changed paragraph by paragraph. A classic novice mistake is to change the POV in the same sentence without even noticing e.g. ‘I was two hours late, and ran upstairs to avoid my mother, who was more relieved than angry.’ – In this first person excerpt, how could the narrator know what the mother was thinking?Though it's more usual to have a novel written in one or two POVs, modern fiction constantly challenges the so-called rules. However, if there are too many POVs for the content to support, then it becomes an unconvincing piece of writing. In 'The Sacred Art of Stealing', a satirical thriller  by Christopher Brookmyre, there are five POVs. It was a humorous read until the author turned to lazy writing, adding in POVs merely as a convenient way to move the plot along, without any of the initial punch of the novel.Literary agents typically want to know ‘whose story is it’? So then it’s a tough call for an inexperienced author to give multiple POVs without making sure there is one clearly rising above the rest. I sometimes question if visual entertainment can successfully have an ensemble cast, then why can’t novels do the same?Trying to convey a theme, or premise can be done using any Point of View. But deciding which POV is best to use to present your premise, is one of the biggest challenges a writer faces, and will most likely determine the success of the novel.What POV do you prefer either as a reader or writer? What problems or frustrations have you had with this issue?   Footnote: This post is dedicated to the writer Ged Duncan. He and I have  spent countless hours over the past few years discussing POV. He's also allergic to rapeseed flowers. To follow this blog, click on "FOLLOW" at the bottom  of the page, or SUBSCRIBE at the top of the page!  

#Authors - An Infinite Writer's Resource

Writers are always looking for resources, whether it’s for technique, style, how to get published, or ideas for a story. The single best resource is using other authors as a reference for better ways of working.During my Creative Writing Certificate course at Sussex University, we spent one semester on  ‘Special Author’.  We each chose an author, and a particular novel, whose work we thought would most benefit our own. I chose The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. We looked at all aspects from first encounter, tracing sub-plots and the climax of the story to name a few.At the end of the semester we each gave a verbal presentation to the class, which forced us to study the work, and think about it in a critical way we’d never have done otherwise. We were lucky to have Susannah Waters as our tutor - a stickler for precision in technique and critique skills,  with an incredible passion for the process. (FYI Susannah does independent mentoring and manuscript assessment, as well as  teaching at Arvon. See *below for contact details)The purpose of the course was not to necessarily emulate the author, but to look at how they might deal with different aspects of writing from dialogue to creating suspense, character and setting and thereby learn from them. A simple example is in my novel Radio Echo- the first scene in Bologna is set in a graveyard. I’d had no thought of using that location until our tutor asked us to create a scene in a setting used by our Special Author.As an example of how to learn from another writer’s work, I’ve chosen two pieces of text from The Blind Assassin to look at dialogue and description, and see what Atwood does with them. The sparingly used dialogue in Atwood’s novel, functions as an insight into character relationships, rather than moving the plot forward.  The immediacy is emphasized by the use of present tense. The dialogue is tight, short phrases back and forth, rarely interrupted by gesture. This accentuates the intimacy and envelopes two individuals in their own world during the scene. It’s the lover’s first sexual encounter; this is never stated, but just enough information is given to spark the reader’s own imagination. Don’t worry so much, he says. Lie Down.Don’t you’ll tear it. Wait a minute.She hears her own voice. It isn’t her voice, its too breathless. ....Smoke  taste on his mouth, salt in her own; all around, the smell of crushed weeds and cat, of disregarded corners. Dampness and growth, dirt on the knees, grimy and lush; leggy dandelion stretching towards the light.Below where they’re lying the ripple of a stream. Above, leafy branches ...the blue sky in splinters. Hard dirt under her back.¹ The text shows Atwood’s excellent use of metaphor and simile. Her descriptions are not elaborate: they simply use evocative words to show what’s in the scene. Once that is established, she then places the character, in a physical sense, into the scene, which highlights the physical nature of the encounter, but also grounds the reader.The second text shows description of setting that also conveys the mood of the scene. It’s the last time the lovers meet and the scene depicts resignation, a bleak encounter in a rundown motel.A carpet once dark blue and red. A pathway strewn with flowers, worn down now to the roots.I’m sorry, he says. It could be better. ² Painters are renowned for learning from other painters – “learn from the masters”. So why should it be any different for writers? We’re not talking plagiarism, but simple learning by example.At the end of the course I realized as a writer I'd always have an infinite resource if I was stuck and wanted to know how to deal with a scene. Looking for a spare style?  - go Raymond Carver, or Cormac McCarthy. Want to portray a character who’s fraught to the point of despair? - go to the scene in 'Anna Karenina' leading up to the suicide. Write text that will push emotional buttons? – Jodi Picoult.Etc. ad infinitum.We first learn to love books by reading them. Learn to love writing from the same source.Who or where do you go to when you’re stuck? What authors would you recommend for particular styles?Let me know. For me, learning is an ongoing process.  Excerpts from The Blind Assassin by Margaret AtwoodPaperback 2001 Virago press¹Pg 32 -33 Chapter - The Lipstick Heart²Pg 563 Chapter – The B Rage Room *Susannah Waters:-susannahwaters@yahoo.co.ukLiterary Mentoring and Manuscript Assessment. To follow this blog click on “FOLLOW” in the bottom right hand side of the page. 

#Editing Forward

How many times have you groaned about having to go ‘back’ and edit a piece of work? And yet all writing is rewriting. I’m fortunate that for the most part I enjoy editing. In fact I often view it as a way of ‘keeping in touch’ with my work when there’s not a lot of time. Edit a short passage – even a sentence – rather than wait for the 2 hr stretch that won’t come along so easily - and it keeps your mind from losing the plot so to speak. Makes it easier to get started the next time you come back to the work. In short I’m a big advocate of little and often. But hey, no one’s perfect, and I can get ground down and see editing as something that’s dragging me back, stopping me moving forward. But no more. This afternoon I had an epiphany!Today is the start of British Summertime. The clocks went forward – which is what prompted my train of thought. It’s been a lovely weekend in Brighton, on the south coast of England, and yesterday I went down to the seafront. It could have been the start of summer. The stripy deckchairs were out, seaside kitsch was back on sale – bags of shells, flip-flops, small containers of shrimps and half shells of freshly caught crab. Men had taken off their shirts, women wore bikinis – generally a lot of pale skin that hadn’t seen a stroke of sun for many months.  There were even some people with a couple of toes in the water. And not the hardy 365 days a year swimmers.The Wurlitzer carousel, built in 1888 has been reassembled into its circle, though when I was there at 10.30 the horses were still wrapped in a giant tent of tarpaulin. There was a sense of emergence in the air, a new season, a new beginning.It was only today when I sat down to do a bit of editing, secretly wanting to press on with where I’d left off, that I realised the problem was that I was looking at editing from the wrong perspective. Editing is not going back but going forward. As you may have seen in my last post I’ve changed the title of my first novel to ‘Radio Echo’. I’ve also recently re-edited the first three chapters (rewrite 28?). Both things have been very positive in my approach to the work. When you edit a section, it’s done to make it better. You might be approaching it with some feedback from other people, or with merely a keener eye from yourself. But the chances are very good that you’re going to make the work better. So in what way is that ‘going back’? The answer is it’s not. It’s moving forward.I’m not being Pollyannaish about this, it’s simply a fact. You are moving your work forward every time you edit. There is no going back about it. So if we keep this in mind, then maybe it will help to take the groan out of having to edit. When you’re sitting down to edit a 60-100,000w bit of work, it’s going to be more than a quick ten-minute task. Inevitably there’ll come a point – or several points, where you feel jaded, bored – whatever you want to call it. But more often than not, we’re editing smaller chunks - a line, a paragraph, or a couple of chapters. All of this is moving the work forward, which is a good thing. To be a writer you have to enjoy rewriting. That’s the fact of the matter. If you don’t, then you’ll rarely get past one edit without it being an unpleasant gut-wrenching task. It’s impossible to edit everything as you go along. The work needs distance. Then you move forward. You edit.I hope that looking at it as editing forward, rather than going back to edit is of some help to those of you who dislike the task. We all have different writing habits, methods, rituals that work for each one of us. How do you approach your editing? Are there ways you make it go faster or are more economical with your time?Let me know what you’re approach is, bad habits you’d like to get out of or any good habits you want to share.I’d love to hear from you!