Questions on writing

I had a message at the weekend from an aspiring writer. She asked about my approach to writing, seeking advice and putting me on the spot with a few challenging questions. Sharing my experiences, frustrations, and approach is something I enjoy. I think it’s important we learn from each other, and I’m humbled when people ask and value what I have to give. In this spirit of sharing I thought it would be worth putting some of the answers into a blog post.

Q1. Do you find it difficult to plan your novels?

The truth is I don’t plan my writing very much at all. I have four children so a lack of planning should come as no surprise. Rather than plan or storyboard, I start with a scenario and the main characters and let the story unfold. This makes the writing process more exciting for me as each day I come to it with fresh ideas. There are also no expectations about what I must write which I would find intimidating. I try to capture the excitement I felt when I was young and at school and the teacher wrote a situation or a sentence on the board and asked us to write a story about it. This became the essence of the joy of writing for me, the endless possibilities of worlds I could create. The only barrier were the limits of my own imagination. Writing is difficult, and it should be a challenge, but it should never be a chore. You have to love what you do, or why bother, and remind yourself that it is a true privilege to be able to create.

Adopting this approach can be exciting, but you also need to be honest with yourself and at times ruthless. While I’m writing I become obsessed with the story and spend all my time thinking about what might happen next. Sometimes this leads me down dead ends, hence the need to be self critical and brutal. If something isn’t working I have to let it go, and I cull a lot of sections in my first drafts. The scenario approach I took from Stephen King in his excellent work ‘On Writing.’ It unlocked the method that works best for me, and I’ve tried lots of others over the years which haven’t. There is no right or wrong way to write though, only your way. The hard part is finding it.

Q2. What is your most important strength as a writer?

Whilst I may not plan, there is another weapon you must have in your armoury if you are to succeed. Discipline is the most important quality I believe anyone can bring to the writing process. I try to write as much as I can and when I’m working on a novel I set daily word targets. I record everything on a spreadsheet and give myself rewards when I hit key milestones. I approach each piece of writing as I would a project. The momentum this discipline brings means I can get a first draft completed relatively quickly. These drafts are raw and need a lot of subsequent work, but the energy and drive comes through in the writing. For me this momentum is vital. Some might argue this disciplined approach is planning, and I wouldn’t disagree. It is important to have structure and routine in your work. Give something time and it will reward you. There is no substitute for dedication and hard work. It is a talent more valuable than any other.

Q3. How much research do you do for your novels?

I do some, but for someone with a research background, surprisingly little. For ‘The Storm’ I researched the story of the attempted rescue ‘Embla’ from local history sources. I also knew a bit about Phillip Jefferson having been involved in the ‘Haalin’ the Lines’ project, of which he was a key character. I also visited the Laing Gallery in Newcastle where there are paintings of local fishing communities from the nineteenth century. These were invaluable in helping me paint pictures in my head so I could create authentic scenes and transport the reader there. Other than that I just make it up. I’m a writer of fiction and my imagination is my book of spells. The magic of the art is we are allowed to make things up.

Q4. What is the your biggest obstacle to writing? Self doubt is the most crippling part of the creative process. This and the fear that someday you may have to share your work with readers. We all have these anxieties and every writer I have met talks about this. My most useful tip on this would be this. At the beginning of every session I write on a post it note ‘No-one needs to read this.’ I place it on the desk next to me. Once I remind myself I am writing for me then I feel liberated from the fear and doubt. If other people enjoy what I write it’s a bonus, the main thing is that I enjoy the process and all the challenges it brings. Don’t think of the tyranny of the blank page, see only the joy of the endless possibilities. It is your story, your world, your creation, believe in yourself and enjoy it.