Writing Retreats

I've recently signed up for a weekend writing retreat later this year and I have to confess that I'm really looking forward to it. Partly because I'll get to meet one of my writing pals, partly because it's a lovely weekend away to relax. But of course the main reason is to do some quality (?) writing and get some support and advice.

I have been on a writing retreat once before, many years ago, and it was wonderful.  The chance to spend time chatting about writing without having to keep an eye on the clock; the opportunity to read the work of other writers; the chance to share my writing in a supportive space; the chance to sit and muse, to write, to daydream with no guilt. These are the things that I am looking forward to.

I think being a writer can be a lonely pursuit. You sit at a desk with a cooling cup of tea and write. No-one can get inside your head and help you. You are alone with your thoughts and imagination. No matter how much you chat to fellow writers or attend writing groups and readings, at some stage it is just you and the page/screen. So the opportunity to spend some time with other writers is a welcome one in my book.

I've always been drawn to the Arvon courses and have heard good things about them. The only downside is that they are rather on the expensive side but I guess for a week away and professional guidance they're not outlandish. However I have yet to be able to justify the expense - maybe when Hollywood takes up an option on my first best seller, eh? So I have high hopes for my weekend away stretching my writing muscles and I'm hoping to come away with some new ideas and directions and some new writing to keep my busy. Who knows, I may even get the first draft of the novel finished/polished!

Book Review - The Mirror by Deborah A Stansil

I was sent a copy of this book by the author for review on my blog. It is the first thing by Deborah I have read so I have no idea if this is her usual genre.

This is the story of Amy, Scott and their daughter Lilly. An antique mirror brings terror and heartbreak to the family and there is a chilling supernatural element which I especially enjoyed. I found the story slow to get going and was rather frustrated by what I felt was too much build up to the action of the story. However, once the action began it was a stunning story. The tragic backstory to Amy's possessiveness around Lilly was truly heart-breaking and really well written. There was real tension in the scene with Amy's ex and a shocking conclusion to that encounter that had me gasping. The character of Martin, Amy's ex, is a classic sociopath/psychopath and although he appears only briefly his influence ripples through the whole novel.

I really enjoyed the supernatural element to the story. The contrasting reactions of Scott and Amy to what is happening to their daughter really rang true; Scott's scepticism was understandable; Amy's worry about her child felt true and the way her thoughts swirled around her head was extremely well written. I felt that the growing tension between Scott and Amy was well observed and felt accurate. Their relationship is tested in a way that I thought rang true.

I felt that the ending tied everything together. I wasn't totally convinced by it but it did pull all the threads together and conclude the story in a satisfactory fashion. There is scope for a sequel if Deborah wanted to write it and I for one would be interested in reading it. I will certainly look out for other books by this author. She writes interesting and believable characters and it was a pleasure to spend some time with them.

How do I rescue my novel?

In November I enjoyed a month of NaNoWriMo and reached my 50,000 word target. I was sailing away towards completing a first draft of a novel for the first time and could hardly contain my excitement. So what went wrong?

Sitting quietly on my hard drive is the novel. It's hardly progressed since December 1st and I'm worried that I'm falling out of love with it. Part of the problem is that I'm a pantser at heart and I just went with the flow. While this gave me a win at NaNo it hasn't helped at all with the subsequent writing. As I had no plan I don't know where the story is going. I have lots of threads meandering along but I don't know how I'm going to pull them all together.

Is it possible to do retrospective planning? Can I rescue this story from the fog?

I don't want to give up on this story. There is so much about it that I love, the characters are among the best I've written and I genuinely believe that there is a good story here. But... it's a bit lost at the moment and I'm feeling, well I'm not sure how I'm feeling about it actually.

Perhaps all I need is to pull up my Big Girl Pants and write the darn thing. After all isn't a first draft just a chance to tell the story? The fashioning and polishing happens in the edit so I'm told.

So what to do. Yet another dilemma for me on my journey as a writer.

Book Review - Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh

Published in 1930 this novel satirises the world of the Bright Young Things, a group of 1920s socialites known for their outrageous parties and behaviour. They epitomised the Jazz Age in London and the Roaring Twenties vibe that followed World War 1.

This is the first novel by Evelyn Waugh I have read. I enjoyed watching Brideshead Revisited but to my shame I never got round to reading the book. So I wasn't sure what to expect from Vile Bodies. It was like a waspish Jeeves and Wooster at times and I loved it.

This is the story of Adam Fenwick-Symes love of and pursuit of Nina Blount. They are part of the bohemian set that parties around London, lurching from one financial crisis to another. They seem resigned to the fact that they will marry but lack of funds always stops them. There is a sometimes bewildering cast of characters. The older generation are Edwardians who lived through World War 1 and adhere to the old standards. They watch with despair the younger generation who live for parties and pleasure, rushing around the country, living beyond their means and filling the gossip columns.

There were echoes of recent times in Vile Bodies. At one point Adam becomes a gossip columnist and to pep things up when he runs out of things to write he invents people and events to fill his column. Readers believe in these people and they take on lives of their own so he has to send his creations abroad. This reminded me of the fake news/alternative facts that have been swilling around the media recently. An opportune time to read this novel I think.

 Not all the characters are sympathetic and some of them seem to flit in and out and leave little impression. I enjoyed reading about the exploits of Agatha Runcible who is struggling with her sexuality and who embraces the lifestyle of the bohemian set to its ultimate and tragic end. Lottie Crump is divine, running a hotel for misfits who have nowhere else to go. She is both clueless and savvy at the same time - she understands her clientele and allows them to be who they are, no questions asked.

The novel turns from a romantic romp through fashionable society into a bleak view of the future. Waugh predicts that there will be another war and this will bring about the end of the Bright Young Things and their like. The novel ends with Adam, the Major and a prostitute sitting in a car in the heart of a battle - two worlds colliding in the most brutal way imaginable. I enjoyed this first encounter with Evelyn Waugh very much and will certainly read some more in the future.