Arvon Course #2

Little bit late adding this blog post, as I went on my second Arvon Foundation creative writing course between August 11th and August 16th. However, write it I shall. (I should really be starting a final rewrite of The World According to Boring John - again! - hence this blog update, first. Ah, procrastination...)

So, the course was tutored by Bill Broady and Jean McNeil, both of whom have had several novels published and both of whom demonstrated a good deal of knowledge (and love) for writing. The course was titled (I think) Where Do I Go From Here? but it was quite similar, alas, to the Starting to Write course I did in Oct 2006.

Still, I got enough ideas about where to go from here - enough inspiration - to determine that I needed to rewrite my first novel, at least one more time, and to decide what my second novel is going to be about (and when I shall start to write it: January, 2009).

What did I learn at Arvon?

Well I learnt that I should read more. And I should write what I want to read. (Hurrah, for that one!) And I should write more, too.

I also discovered that Stephen May, the soon-to-be-departing Centre Director at Arvon Lumb Bank, had not only taken a Masters in Creative Writing, recently, but by successfully finishing it he'd also managed to write and get published his very first novel, called Tag. This gave me food for thought, indeed. Maybe I should also do the Masters thing to get my novel published - I've certainly got the spare time to do so. (Stephen had also written a book about Creative Writing so I may well be comparing apples with pears with that assumption.)

What did I want to learn at Arvon, this time?

I didn't want this Arvon experience to be about writing, per se; I wanted it to be about 'being a writer'. So I didn't do any creative writing apart from the morning exercises, some of which I was reluctant to do as they didn't 'fit' with my 'current writing style' (and some of which inspired me to think of a good idea for a second novel - so it just goes to show you that writing prejudices aren't that useful).

I actually wanted to know the answers to questions, if truth be told, questions (to tutors) like these:

1. Where do you get your ideas from?
   (Actually, I'm not that bothered about this answer as everyone's creative process is different. I trust my own process. And ideas, not acted upon, are pretty worthless anyway.)
   
   
2. Do you think my ideas are valid?
   (This was an important question before I went on the course, but it isn't now. Ideas either work or they don't. My first idea for a novel may not work (I think it does) but I've learned a lot from having the balls to go with it until the last line.)
   
   
3. Do you use the writing exercises we do on an Arvon course to help you write a novel?
   (Answer, most likely, is no. Interestingly, Bill Broady said that he would never let anyone except a few trusted individuals look at his work in progress, as a writer. And I am exactly the same with that. Arvon encourages this, though, and many students seem to value this professional feedback. It horrifies me, though, for anyone but me (or Boring John, obviously) to get to murder my little darlings. Lol.)
   
   
4. Do you like being a writer or would you rather it never happened?
   (Alas I never did manage to ask this question. But it still feels a valid question.)
   
   
5. Can an author write about himself and it not be autobiography or memoir; can it be fiction?
   (I now think that authors do nothing but write about themselves; I think it disingenuous to think otherwise.)
   
   
6. Are there really no rules to writing?
   (Answer: yes, as long as you realise that the real answer is no!)
   
   
7. Do you write what's inside of you or do you write what will sell?
   (This was one of the few questions that the tutors answered, actually. Bill Broady encouraged us all to be true to our writing selves and to write what was inside of us, and then he went on to slag off some Scottish chappy writer (I shouldn't name him) who Bill thought had done the very opposite after a brilliant first novel.
   
   
8. How much time do you spend learning about writing? And isn't the best way to learn how to write, to write?
   (Both Bill and Jean are self-taught writers. Say no more.)
   
   
9. Do you ever quit reading novels? I do! (Sorry Bill*.)
   (This question was not answered satisfactorily. Or perhaps I didn't quite know what the real question was.)
   
   
10. How many novels do you read per year?
    (Answer: MUCH more than me. Lol.)
    
    
11. Do you think it's useful to write short stories?
    (Answer: of course. Trouble is: I don't.)
    

I didn't ask most of the questions above; I forgot. But some questions were answered anyway, and some answers I discovered for myself.

---

Yes, it was another great Arvon experience, and I managed to get an idea for a second novel (titled: You Only Die Twice), but I don't think I shall do Arvon again. (Unless I discover that Arvon Lumb Bank is the only place I can come up with ideas for novels. Lol.)

---

(*) I failed to read Bill Broady's Eternity is Temporary (reading only 30 pages or so). The reason: I wasn't interested in reading about punk rock or homes for the elderly.

The thing is, after writing The World According to Boring John, I only seem interested in reading fiction that isn't just 'good fiction' - it has to be 'different' or it has to be definitive. For example, I can happily read The Old Man and The Sea or Of Mice and Men as these books are almost faultless (as well as short); I can read Happiness(TM) as it's a book about self-help (an interest of mine); or I can read Finding Myself because it's 'odd'.

But I can't read Eternity is Temporary nor can I read Laurie Lee's As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning or many, many other books (Do I have a problem? Lol.) No, it has to be 'odd' or faultless or spiritually provocative (e.g. The Alchemist) otherwise it's in the bin. Sorry, Bill. (You see, I really do need to read more, to become a better reader.)

Free Writing Exercise (Part 2)

Nick Daws' writing course shows you how to free write, or write without thinking. I've done a little bit of this in the past, and I quite like the results. It's the only way I'm going to be able to write quickly, that's for sure.

Anyway, what follows is the exact (unedited) results of my free writing exercise. It took five minutes exactly, plus the time taken to type it out (Nick recommends that you hand write for best 'right-brain' success).

Exercise: Write whatever comes into to your head for the following (more or less) random words:

Black hat
Cactus
Business card

(Here goes.)

The Black Hat Cactus. What a strange name for a pub. And the people that went into it were also strange, for sure. No business cards. Needed in this place. Absolutely not. No suits. No mini skirts. No power dressing of any kind. Just relaxed folk getting on with 'getting on'.

Yes, there were the odd fights - strange folk can rub up to other strange folk in most peculiar ways. But these fights always ended in the same way. The two men (or women), were forced to agree to disagree. They supped a pint of the other person's favourite tipple (not wine, obviously - that'd be a glass) and then they signed the Guest Book: a guest book of fights. There was no glory in being in the guest book, though. This was because all those that witnessed the fight got to write about it - and, a bit like drunks - no-one looks good when they're scrapping like a puppy.

That book didn't come out very often but it did come out. Tonight was a guest book night. And even though I'd remembered no business cards and got the name of the pub right, I was one of those involved in the punch up.

(Oooh.)

Arvon Postscript

This is a first draft of a message I was going to send to the Arvon director (she met us on the Thursday, and asked me (and others, I'm sure) the immortal question "why Arvon*?"), but she doesn't seem to have an email address.

So instead of sending it to her, I'll post it here, but I won't bother editing these first draft thoughts. (Would you notice if I did? ;-) )

[BEGIN]
Subject: Validation

[Dear Ms Director]

Stressful, especially on Friday

After I read my piece Jeremy said straightaway that what I had just read was known as postmodernist fiction (aka meta fiction). The fact that it was known as something made me feel 'validated'[He also said later, that it's about the writing not the type of writing. Of course. But writing something 'different' felt 'wrong' - now it doesn't.]

I've now bought London Fields by Martin Amis and will[...]

I've decided to develop my ideas, because of the course,

I even have a working title: Blocked

I had no idea what would happen going on an Arvon course, but I can now highly recommend it, simply for the hothousing effect it delivers.

I am very excited. Even though I am still a long way away from starting, let alone finishing my first novel. I now have a starting point, a first step, and it's thanks to Arvon, the tutors and the students. So, thanks.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share

And if you want to read my blogs

Steve

PS Believe it or not, this is a successful writer's website - http://www.taramoss.com.au/
[END]

(*) Interestingly, for an organisation so interested in why, they don't seem to answer this question on their website.

Arvon Objectives

I don't yet have a passion for writing, or reading, but I do like to order my thoughts and ideas and I do like to try and help others understand (helping myself in the process).

I write everyday, but not necessarily fiction. So here's a poem for you to read! (Yes, it's one I made earlier!) :-)

Me?

With or without
(Clap)
Do or not do
(Skip)
When or when not
(Jump)
You or not you
(Pause)

Me?

I will still be.

--

I have no manuscript for the tutors to proof, and I don't think I am that interested in learning more about how to write. I can write, that's not what I need to know (I feel).

Instead, I guess I am:

• seeking inspiration from fellow writers
  
• seeking motivation to write
  
• looking for a way to filter out the ideas; to decide which idea to go with now

Okay, maybe I am interested to learn a little bit more about writing dialogue. (Ironically, Kate Long gave a dialogue workshop on Friday afternoon but I couldn't attend it as I was busy panicking over my Friday night piece that I had to read out.)

Ultimately, writing is a great example of learning by doing.

Yes I want to learn more about how to write a novel but I think I am more interested in hearing about other writers' motivations, other writers' strengths and weaknesses.

My Arvon Diary

(Journal, if you must.)

MONDAY

"Welcome to Arvon". Agenda. "You will be nearer to your writing goals at the end of the week." First meal. Then introductions in the evening session, followed by beer and wine. Beer and wine important!

TUESDAY

Enjoyed free-writing exercise (hello Gary Lineker), but didn't enjoy describing a character as I couldn't imagine one that wasn't real. My 'scene' was better. Went for run in afternoon, and listened to readings by Jeremy and Kate.

WEDNESDAY

I still can't imagine characters. (Is there something wrong with me? Lol) Decide to brainstorm several sections of my Friday piece in 5 minute 11 second bursts. Listened to drum n bass CD in the process. Claire Sambrook's guest reading was inspiring more because of her journey as a writer than her writing (which was good). Very honest about her work.

THURSDAY

All I wrote in today's entry is... "Early up - 7am - and the hack hack continues. The shape is improving. And now its POV-time - point of view. (I'd rather be writing.)

FRIDAY

Early morning walk inspires the final ideas. Shame I wasn't writing about fog in the valley. Writing goes well until I get stuck with a few expressions that just aren't coming. At 6pm I still haven't written the full first draft. Panic. I'll be the only one not reading tonight. Work out a punch line, and print it off, double-spaced. Will just have to correct it in pen as I read it, beforehand.

Reading goes well (for everyone) and then it's time for more beer and wine. Sucked of energy, I crash at 1.30am and only properly wake up on the following Monday.

NOTES:

1. I felt I failed with the characterisation exercise as I wasn't making it up. I quote. "I've failed in this writing exercise. I can only write about myself and the key characters in my life."
   
   Perhaps I should stop thinking that this isn't normal for a writer.
   
2. I want to write about fantastical characters and fantastical stories, but only slightly fantastical.
   
3. A fictional character I admire (that I forgot to mention at the time) is Eva Luna. I can't remember why, but it's a wonderful book and she's a wonderful character.
   
4. An expression I heard that I have never heard of before...
   "commercial sex"
   
5. It was a fantastic, transforming week. And I met an Everton fan.
   
   

Arvon Creative Writing Exercises

STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS
(Limbering up exercise)

Start with the words "I remember" and don't stop writing until the tutor says so.

--

I remember not liking a certain flavour of crisps. Banana flavour! Hah, just joking. No it was Smokey Bacon. But I really liked Seabrook Salt 'n' Vinegar crisps, but they don't seem to sell Seabrook anymore, so I guess it has to be Walkers, with good ol' big ears Gary Lineker. (70% less rubbish in them than before, apparently - which is nice to know.)

I think Gary should be on TV more, actually. Why can't he read the news in the morning, tell me what the weather's going to be like at lunchtime, introduce Blue Peter and finish off with Match of the Day. Yes, Match of the Day (MOTD as we like to call it) should be on every day. Sod the professional footballers' sensibilities, they get paid enough they can play every day.

They should even make a special character for him, with big ears or distinguished grey head or inane grin, in The Simpsons. He would have to have bad teeth, natch, so verifying the US stereotype of us brits, but at least that's better than being thought of as cheese-eating surrender monkey a la the French.

--

DESCRIPTIONS

Describe the characters and events that come to mind when you see this picture. See if people can guess which photograph you're writing about.



--

It was a long, lazy-lounge kind of day. The mices would just have to wait to be ripped into pieces. It's my dreamtime. Plump the pillows and, slowly, tuck my head down, slowly, pull my tail in. Sleep.

I want to hide from the grey and predictable. I want to ride on the back of a beast. A beast that feasts on brilliant blues and shocking orange. Dog-devouring demons that I can control with my mind. Where dolphins do their dolphin thing. I'm on the back off their fins.

Now go away. I want to play some more, on my own. Don't worry,I'll let you know when you're required once more.

--

METAPHORS & SIMILIES

Write up 2 pages of fifteen nouns. Do it quickly. Then give your neighbour (to the left of you) one of the pages. Now try to makeup interesting similies and metaphors.

Example

(my list)

glasses, paper, pen, map, car, lights, road, sign, shop, blanket,tie, top, tap, grass, zoo

(neighbour's list)

bucket, ring, flower, goat*, socks, broach, hunger(?), snake,book, nose, bed, photograph, pen, purse, lamp

And what I came up with (not easy exercise)

- glasses like lamps
- The snake mapped its way across the floor

Arvon Inspirations

Inspirations

In no particular order, these would (now) be:

Mill Millington

Someone writing about the stuff I want to write about, using this new thing they've invented called t'Internet. You never know, it might take off!

Martin Amis

This fellah can write, apparently, but I'm only interested in him (for now) because he wrote some (I keep on forgetting the expression, which is annoying) postmodernism fiction. You know the type of thing where the author is one of the characters in the novel, and he's writing about writing the novel (or something).

I need to see how he breaks the rules. (Funny. I've *never* thought of myself as a rule-breaker.)

Richard Ford

A man who likes writing monologues. Like me.

Stephen King

He is also called Stephen. Oh, and he wrote a book called On Writing. His writing philosophy: when he's not writing, he's reading (as much as he can, anyway!)

Listening to published writers talking about their craft

Being able to talk to Jeremy Sheldon, Kate Long and the guest author Claire Sambrook was also inspirational. Claire's struggle in particular - she also attended Arvon a few years ago - to revise and revise and revise her manuscript year after year was illuminating, as was her honesty and openness.

Arvon: What I Learnt

What I Learnt At Arvon

The most important thing I learnt was that writing is a craft and like any craft you get better at it by studying, by writing, by crafting.

There are no rules to writing is now my cliché about writing.This rule empowers me, though, as I now think of words simply as vehicles of expression to be shaped as I see fit.

In short: I believe I can write a novel, now, maybe even a damned good one.

Here are a few other things I learnt in particular (Should it be learnt or learned? I did not learn this!):

• Notebooks encourage attention to detail. (Paying attention has benefits in many other aspects of life, too.)
  
• It's useful for writers to answer such questions like: "what kind of a man would write about a writer writing about himself in his first novel, whilst trying to write his first novel?"
  
• Plot or character - which comes first? Or are they two sides of the same coin? (What happens if the coin has three sides?)
  
• A professional critique can save you a lot of time, so says Claire Sambrook
  
• Outlines, timelines, family trees, character profiles (what's in the bag?) - all are structures used by writers. (Gabriel Garcia Marquez even included his family tree in his novel 100 Years of Solitude.)
  
• Adjectives and adverbs. An adjective qualifies a noun and an adverb qualifies a verb. (I put this here, because I always forget.)
  
• The understanding that writers (and other artistes for that matter) get consumed with their creation. I felt that consumption during the week, where I only wanted to write and sod the classes.

But, above all, I learnt that:

• I can be a writer, a published author

So in conclusion dear reader, I didn't marry him (or her) but I haven't given up believing I can be a published writer of fiction. I've taken one step nearer...

Writing is a journey, not a destination. (A bit like life.)

Life is about doing, not reading about. (A bit like writing.)

Or, as Chris another student put it, "fiction is another way of discovering truth". However, I do feel there is a place for the odd meta character to contemplate his navel, as well as hers, along the way.

It's goodnight from me, and it's goodnight from him (Ronnie Corbett)

Arvon Creative Writing Course

I started (and finished) my first ever Arvon residential writing course last week. And it had quite a profound effect on me, as a writer. I shall be including the journal I kept for the week, as well as some of the pieces of writing I wrote. More importantly, I shall be explaining why I think such residential courses -- tutored by published authors, and attended by writers at various stages of development (some published) -- are invaluable.

Come back soon...

Writing Course Starts Today...

My writing course starts today.

More details will follow, but the main question I have right now is this: will attending this course take me nearer to or further away from reaching my goal of successfully writing a novel.

"Useful Sites For Writers"

I just read the snippet below from E-Zee Writer - see I'm still ploughing through un-read writing-related material, both electronic and hard-copy - and thought it would make a quick blog entry!

"You may find this site incredibly useful for re-directing you out of a writer's dead-end. Or you may just find it an entertaining way to pass an hour when you really should be getting some serious writing done! Either way, it's a good site to bookmark. www.rhymezone.com
On a similar note, Phrase Thesaurus is an, 'online phrase thesaurus. Enter a word and it will generate a list of phrases and sayings related to that word – often including interesting selections that you may not have anticipated.' This is a paid-for service but there is an online demo to give you an idea of what you can expect from the service."

- Taken from November 2005 edition of E-Zee Writer (I am an inactive student of The Writers Bureau)