Writer's Mind: Crafting Fiction

I have a wealth of knowledge on my bookshelves so a few weeks ago I selected Writer's Mind: Crafting Fiction by Richard Cohen, purchased in April 2003 in New York. What is it about a second time read that somehow makes the book seem new and unread? It's a bit like seeing a good movie the second time around many years after the first time and it being clearer or more meaningful this time. I think it has to be about where I was in my mind the first time and how now, I really felt like I was absorbing and understanding the author's knowledge, but I think it also has to do with the shift in my writing development, which includes writing fiction.

The book's preface sets the scene and paragraph one states:

"A writer is someone who is always learning to write.....everything that happens is a writing lesson. When the love of your life betrays you, it is a course in characterisation and dialogue. Surreally adaptable, writers spend their lives camouflaged as doctors, patients, etc..."

This is so true and it's why I am writing a memoir called 'Under the Caribbean Sun' about my experiences in Jamaica between Sept-Dec 2007. It is a great way to come to terms with the good, the bad and the ugly issues of a challenging experience and is a powerful way of getting to know your inner most feelings about love, relationships, travelling, culture etc.

Part One: CRAFT (Pg 6, para 5):

"...writers are people who become themselves by writing. We are here, and we have to sing about it. Our writing is separate from ourselves and does not reliably explain anything about our lives, yet our writing is ourselves, more truly than the selves that go to the bank and have lunch with friends. It is our calling and our call."

Yes, yes, I like the 'calling' and this I felt strongly when I had a vision of my first book Brown Eyes - it felt so right even though when I had the initial thoughts, there were lots of unknowns and I so enjoyed allowing the creative process to unfold.

Every chapter in the book includes further reading references and a Do It Exercise so I started off with the following one:

1. Think about why you write or want to write. Refine your thoughts until you can state the reasons in a paragraph. Compose the paragraph in your head; you may or may not actually write it on paper.

Here is my response:

I want to write because I have a love of words, language, craft. It is about self-expression and creative-expression. I have found the writing process insightful and inspirational and pleasantly surprising as you never know which way your story will go. 'Re-living', especially through writing autobiography or memoir is revealing and sometimes therapeutic. I find that writing also enhances other performing arts that use/adapt words, e.g. film, theatre etc.

Artists taking the lead

And after the Easter break, something far more serious:

What's your big idea for Artists taking the lead?

The Arts Council England are challenging artists of any kind to use the nation as a blank canvas for 12 spectacular projects - one in each of the nine English regions, and in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales - to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The shortlisted artists will be given a small development grant of up to £5,000 to work their idea into a full proposal. Artists will present their full proposal to the panels in late Autumn 2009. This will consist of a 15-minute presentation and up to 30 minutes of questions on the vision and viability of the idea, and how it meets the four core aims of the project.

Closing date for applications: 29 May 2009

To find out more and submit your idea in 400 words, visit: http://www.artiststakingthelead.org.uk/

Easter Dance

On 9th April, I went to an Easter Dance in Vauxhall, South East London, held at a venue called Hidden Club – yes, I wondered about that name, but it was literally tucked away and very difficult to find – so after asking a couple of cabbies, we were given the landmark we needed – Texaco petrol station – and the club was in a small street almost next to the station.

We arrived at 2am and when we drove down the street, my friends and I were shocked to see a very lengthy queue. Thankfully, we had our tickets but as we made an attempt to go in, we were kept waiting, due to a build up of people inside and a lack of security (well, that’s what we were told). Eventually, a security guy’s brain clicked into sensible mode and we were allowed to go in. The lengthy queue was still growing and I guess there were people there without tickets that would not be getting in.

Once inside, it was a fairly large club with two separate dance floors on the ground floor and a kind of mezzanine chill out/bar area upstairs, where we drank our first drinks and soaked up the crowd and atmosphere. I liked the crowd, sophisticated looking women/men. It was too crowded in one of the dance floors so we danced in the other one, near the entrance for more space/air.

Later we made a successful attempt to get into the other, more popular and crowded dance floor, which was playing ‘better’ music but not consistently and it was still too crowded and after one dance with a rather bulky guy who was already sweaty, I thought, intimate dancing was not a good idea!

We chilled out at the chill out area, discussing the night and came to the conclusion that this was not the best organised event considering it was supposed to be a grand Easter Dance. It was too crowded and the music was outdated, something I’ve noticed a lot when I go to dances these days. We agreed that they are old fashioned, still playing oldies 80’s & 90’s even though they are advertising all these supposedly up and coming DJs, all they do is play the same old tracks – DJ’s are not playing modern tracks. What’s that all about?

Having said all that, I was glad I went and we made the best of it. This was my first night out at a big dance for over a year...

…On 11th April, I wrote a poem:

Love to Dance

Moving in rhythm, in time
with my spirit, body and mind
allows those senses
those important vibes freedom of expression

Music beats, all around
above my head and on the ground
soothing my soul
releasing pure energy

Not just any old music though
it has to be conscious, roots
reggae or mindful R ‘n’ B
for me to get into the groove, to tune in

Space is needed, the right physical connection is crucial
preferably on an open Caribbean landscape
ideally near an ocean so the acoustics and the breeze
merge and dance with the moonlight

and the African drums’ messages are free
to travel above and underground.

Writing Competitions

Poetry London Poetry Competition is for poems up of to 80 lines on any subject and is celebrating its tenth competition. Judge: Don Paterson.
Prizes £1,000, £500, £200, 4 at £75.
Entry fee: £5 per poem for non-subscribers, £3 per poem for subscribers.
Poetry London Competition,
81 Lambeth Walk,
London SE11 6DX.
http://www.poetrylondon.co.uk/
Closing date: 1 June

The Bridport Prize is for stories of up to 5,000 words and poems of up to 42 lines. Judges: Ali Smith and Jackie Kay.
Prizes in each section: £5,000, £1,000, £500, 10 at £50.
Entry fee: £6 per poem, £7 per story.
The Bridport Prize
PO Box 6910,
Dorset DT6 9BQ
T: 01308 428333.
http://www.bridportprize.org.uk/
Closing date: 30 June

Literary Events

Poetry Machines is an exhibition produced in response to a collection of poetry produced by writing machines, instigated by artist in residence Lemn Sissay. Poetry Library, Southbank Centre. 14 April - 5 July.
http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/

Events at the Women's Library include:
Sex, shopping and sisterhood: politics in women's magazines [30 Apr, 7pm, £8/£6];
Evelyn Sharp: rebel woman [7 May, 7pm, £6/£4];
Bringing life-writing to life [9 May, 11am-4pm, £20/£15]
Black in fashion [13 May, 7pm, £7/£6]
Women and the Anti-Apartheid Movement [13 June, 10.30am-1pm, Free];
Body Image: the impact of magazines [18 June, 7pm £8/£6];
London Metropolitan Writers [25 June, 7pm, Free].

The Women's Library,
London Metropolitan University.
T: 020 7320 2222.
http://www.thewomenslibrary.ac.uk/

Writing Goals: Jan-March 09

On 4/1/09, I set myself some quarterly writing goals and although there have been a few slight amendments; here is my list of goals met over the last 3 months:

Continued Blogging (here)
Journal Writing (ongoing)
Wrote/Submitted The House that Rose Built to Mslexia Magazine’s Short Story Competition.
Continued Writing Buddy Meetings – thanks to Christine Collymore
Wrote Shangwe News Issue 12, February 09 (quarterly on-line newsletter)
www.shangwe.com/news.htm
Started writing Under the Caribbean Sun, completed almost 3,000 words, which is a memoir about my experiences before, during and after a trip to Jamaica between Sept-Dec 2007.
Became a student of the Academy of Children’s Writers’ (ACW) Correspondence Course (Feb 09).
Submitted ACW’s 1st Assignment, which included Lily’s Journey, a 1500 word short story or the opening chapters of a novel (March 09).