Write Through This

Sometimes it's hard to be a writer (sung to the tune of "Stand by Your Man" by Tammy Wynette)

OK, let's change that to all the time it's hard to be a writer (doesn't scan very well, but never mind)...

Firstly, there's the self-doubt that needs to be overcome (or at least contained) on a daily basis.

Secondly, there's the ever-present reality of rejection, misunderstandings, dashed or thwarted hopes.

Thirdly, there is the difficulty of getting a piece of work started and the hard slog of getting it finished, edited, polished, submitted...

Not easy. Not for the faint-hearted or the lazy or the insecure.

But there are times when being a writer is made even harder by circumstances well beyond the world of agents and publishers, far outside the processes of drafting, editing, submitting.

There's the day job, for one. For most writers, a paid job is essential. For some writers, work may be a hard physical slog or one that seems menial and soul-destroying.   For others, that day job can be a demanding one like teaching or social work, which are not stressful and time-consuming, but can also use up valuable of creative energy...

And then there are those pesky kids, who are generally more time-consuming (and stress-inducing) than any spell of 9-5!

And if all these things aren't enough of a hindrance to creative work, there are the other difficulties, often invisible to the outside world. There are personal problems--illnesses, relationship issues, financial hardship, worries about children, parents, friends.

Writers may seem to non-writers as people who thrive on conflict and high drama, but what most writers need in order to to flourish and to stay focussed is quiet and calm. What can we do, then, when the "real" world just isn't co-operating.

The answer is, of course, to paraphrase the title of Hole's 1994 album: "Write Through This."

I have never liked the idea of writing as "therapy" (except in certain clinical situations, obviously). I have never written about my own experiences--I was never a journal-keeper or a diary writer, even as a teen. But writing has, at times, been a sanctuary from a turbulent emotional situation or, at least, a place to hide out or lay low for awhile.

Writing can be a safe haven, where the writer can, temporarily, stay in control. It's an escape hatch to a world that can be molded into any shape. And even though it may be hard to write when the world is caving in or the bullets are flying, writing can be a bunker, a suit of armour, a shelter from the storm.
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On the "New Normal" and Not Giving Up

I'm just back from a wonderful two weeks in the USA, part of it spent at my family's
cabin on Yellow Lake. As some readers will know, the last time I was there was in the July of 2011, when the area was hit with 100 mph winds. This storm's effects were devastating to the region and to my own family: our beloved cabin was damaged and all the trees which surrounded it were downed.

I'm happy to report that there's a "new normal" at the lake, thanks to the hard work of my sister, brother-in-law and many other family members and friends. Trees have been planted and there is green grass growing once again. It may not look the same, but the things that really mattered are still there. The cabin looks as sturdy and as lovely as ever. The woods to the north of the cabin are full of saplings which will eventually grow to be mighty oaks and tall pines. Eagles still swoop through the skies, squirrels still chatter, foxes still leave paw prints on the beach...

The essence of this special place couldn't be changed, even if the landscape was altered

And the lake? Well, part of the "new normal" is the panoramic view!

I'm not sure if there are any wider lessons or morals to be learned from my experience.

In hindsight, the storm, which seemed so catastrophic while it was happening, was a minor event. No one died. Nothing was destroyed that could not be replaced, repaired or replanted.  My family was not ruined financially or made homeless.

But my experience of returning to the lake has told me that hard work, intense love and a bit of time can turn a bad experience into something that is not only positive, but worth celebrating.

And seeing how quickly and how deeply the "new normal" has taken root makes me understand something even more important:  it's better to wait and see before giving up on anyone or anything, whether it's a career, a book, a child, a relationship...

Or a  very special place.

Three Days in Edinburgh!

I 've returned from three days in the beautiful (and sunny!) city of Edinburgh, where I presented a writing workshop for the EIBF's Schools Programme.


The event itself was delight--about 70 14-year-olds and me in a tent, talking about creating fictional settings, characters and conflict. With such intelligent and engaging students, and such high calibre TAs, including the Guardian's own Julia Eccleshare, the hour flew by.

So, what of the rest of my Edinburgh experience?

It began two days earlier when I met up with my son and daughter, and other friends. Hannah was working at as production intern for the comedy organisation responsible for the prodigiously talented The Boy With Tape on His Face, and I was lucky enough to get a ticket for his sold-out show.

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...the next day I saw my son Sean (also prodigiously talented, of course) perform in his own free fringe comedy show with Adam (Prodigiously Talented) Hess. 














On Thursday, it was time for the main event (mine, anyway, if not the Edinburgh Festival's!)

The workshop went well (again, thanks to the superb EIBF staff!) and afterwards I signed copies of at Yellow Lake and chatted informally to the dedicated and enthusastic teachers who'd brought their students to my event. I can't thank the participating schools enough. I can't over-praise the behaviour, effort and talent of the students, either--they were fantastic!












After the signing, of course, there was time to relax....

And again, outside the writer's yurt, I struck gold--sparkling companions, perfect weather...

The Ab Fabs and me! 

 
 And, of course, the legendary (well, it soon will be if I have anything to do with it)  Authors' Toilet...

Teri Terry's grinning and bearing it...

...Dave Cousins is bearing it...just.

From an unforgettable day to a lovely evening.

The Teen Titles party, sponsored by Edinburgh City Council's Teen Titles Magazine, brought together writers, readers, teachers and librarians.

Here's lone Englishwoman, Kate Harrison, being totally outnumbered by Americans Teresa Flavin, Jane McLoughlin and Elizabeth Wein. Thanks to Linda Strachan for the lovely pic!

Again, thank you to everyone who made this such an exceptional experience for me!  

 

Twas the Night Before Edinburgh

Last night, I had a wonderful prelude to my Schools Programme event at the Edinburgh Festival on Thursday: a long, animated conversation about "At Yellow Lake" with my own niece and nephew, who are aged 14 and 12.

Seamus (far left) and Molly (irght)at the launch of  At Yellow Lake

Molly and Seamus, by their own admission, aren't avid readers. Seamus, in fact, rarely reads, and like may 12-year-old boys, gets most of his "story" action from computer games. They also admitted that if their auntie hadn't written it, it was unlikely they ever have picked up a copy of "At Yellow Lake."

But what made the night such an unexpected pleasure for me, was the way these young (and somewhat reluctant) readers became so involved in At Yellow Lake--the characters, the setting, the plot. They both "got" what I had tried to do, and to hear Molly's insightful ideas and Seamus' amazing recollection of details made me feel proud, not of my book, but of two brilliant kids who are related to me!

However, the highlight of the night wasn't just the perceptive character analyses, or even the generously poured glasses o "Dino." It was the Seamus and Molly's coining of a new, and inspired euphemism for, well...let's just call it "wigwamming."

So, well done and thank you, Molly and Seamus.  No only did you make me laugh, but you inspired me as a writer and made me more aware than ever of what young readers relate to and are excited by.

I couldn't have asked for a better Edinburgh eve!

Holiday Sounds

The best thing about a holiday to me is not the sun, or the sea, or even the sights...

It's the sound.

Sometimes it's the lack of sound...a quiet place away from other people, away from traffic, away from music, even...

Sometimes it's the sound of strangers' voices, the babel of foreign tongues, whether in a market in Dhaka or a Croatian beach, relying on inflection, inferring meaning, imagining an abstract painting of words.

Another sound that I relish on holiday is the silencing of my own writer's voice. No planning, no drafting, no thinking about character or plot or market...

Without access to social media the sound of virtual voices goes quiet, too. No mention of reviews or word counts, no iamediting hashtags.

The world makes its own noise for a change, without any input from me.

Lovely!

School's Out Forever

My final teaching day was earlier this week and I said goodbye to some of the classes I've worked with for almost a year. It's always (OK, usually) sad, saying goodbye to children, and I was genuinely touched by my students' good wishes and their reasonably convincing refrains of  "We'll miss you, Miss."

Although I'm happy to be leaving teaching, I wish my students every success and hope they continue to enjoy their learning. (10YA: there's your promised plug!)

I'd intended to write a longer post, sharing some final thoughts on teaching and education....the need for more creative time and space, my hopes for a  "slow-learning movement" in English, which could create a real appreciation of literature and writing for all students, not just the most able or motivated.

I'd hoped to thank (again) the brilliant support and SEN staff at my school, who make inclusion work and remind us that education is for everyone, regardless of what trolls like Toby Young may think.

But...the sun is shining and the year is over and I've already forgotten that I ever was a teacher!

"Igor" Young and his evil master Govenstein have been reduced to shadowy figures in a year 7 story that ends with the phrase "and it was all a dream."

This nightmare will recur, of course, but in the meantime...

what Alice says!

What Teaching Has Taught Me About Kids

Last week I wrote about the hard work and dedication of the many teachers I've known and worked with over the past ten years.

As I approach my final week as a class-room teaching, I'm thinking back on what I've learned about students. I've only worked as a qualified teacher in one school--a comprehensive in a rural and suburban community--so my observations may not ring true for every teacher. In fact, I trained in a school where there were many more "challenging" students. If I'd spent ten years there, I'm sure my attitudes would have been more Trunchbullian by now.

Anyway, here are a just few of my observations:

1) Children are not the enemy.

It's often easy and tempting (not to mention satisfying) to see teenagers as a potential massed army of droogs, but it's simply not a fair picture. Most of the moral panics involving youth crime are either a repeat of an earlier panic (teddy boys=hoodies) or involve heinous acts that are extremely rare.

2) Children are not all bad.

OK, maybe kids are irritating, noisy, confused, troubled, troubling, selfish, irresponsible, rude, highly-strung, aggressive, challenging, defiant, nasty, disobedient, arrogant, lazy, or annoying....

...but they're not all bad. Really.

3) Young people need adult support and approval as much, if not more, than they ever did.

In a school situation this is hard at times, especally as kids often act out their frustrations and insecurities in ways that are challenging (that word again) and disruptive. Frankly, I'm operating in "do as I say, not as I do" mode now. I've always found it hard to see beyond bad behaviour and find somethig positive in every kid.

But something good is always there.




 4) In short, what teaching has taught me about kids is that young people are kind, co-operative, hard-working, funny, caring, intelligent, energetic, hopeful, entertaining compassionate, inquisitive, easy-going, supportive, talented, charming and above all, good.

 

Most of them, anyway...