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Let me put my cards on the table straight away and say that I am primarily interested here in giving you an insight into what is involved in writing a serious novel. What I mean by ’serious’ will become more obvious, I hope, as I explain my position. For me the initial urge to write can be anything as mundane as a snatch of conversation, a character, a memory, an absorbing situation - any one of which might, if I’m lucky, push me off on the long journey of writing a novel. Then once I’m away and as my story develops, I discover that I am writing what I feel bound to call a serious work of fiction. This has been true of all my writing endeavours in the past. Not that I set out with the intention of being especially serious; I would say it was more out of interest that I lent an ear to whatever it was made itself available to my imagination. I was intrigued. You might say I thought it would be fun to follow that lead. But let me give you a clearer idea of that process from the experience I had of writing my last novel THE PURSUIT OF INNOCENCE.

Imagine me then one morning sitting before my computer screen and letting my fingers range over the keyboard. For some reason I begin with a young man (name not yet decided) running away into the night. Perhaps this is not the first bit of doodling of the morning but I like this young man who suddenly appears on my screen, and I persevere with him. I like his innocence, his will to live. So I decide to nurture him. Go with him. This young man is elated and fearful: elated, because he is running away into the dark to freedom; fearful, because he has no idea what he will encounter. There is a metaphor here for me as a writer; only later do I realize this, for I too am elated to have set out on my journey of writing a novel, though fearful also of how much I have yet to do in order to achieve that goal. But now the young man is on his way at least and I am excited for the both of us. You see, I am that young man.

There are days, months and even years ahead of us. But I am not yet to know this. Either of us could run out of puff any day. Or worse. After all, I have forced this innocent youth to jump from a train into a dangerous country, to run away from the loving care of those who have made a terrible sacrifice for him to gain this freedom. They have willed him to succeed, as I do. He cannot let them down. They are his history and he carries that history with him. So I push him on. But this young man needs an ally. He cannot bear to be alone, not now that he has lost his ‘brothers’, his true family, as it were. Besides, he needs someone to help him find his way home to freedom. He needs to get a map. So, out of this bleak, nightmarish land a house appears then a woman: a strong woman who has known suffering a mother a loving and defiant creature with a history of lost ones too

And so I write, on and on. I write through dark and dismal days when nothing much is achieved and I seem to have lost hope. By way of distraction and excuse I polish and re-polish sentences until they seem to stretch and groan under the weight of my attention. I fiddle endlessly with punctuation marks that act for me like worry beads until I can find the inspiration to go forward. Then the sun shines and I’m off again. I do not think of readers, of money, of best sellers. Not while I’m writing I don’t. I think only of this need I have to make it all come out right - whatever all that is. This need - urge, itch, compulsion, call it what you must - is ever present within me. When things are going well it manifests itself as a powerful emotion, euphoric, almost palpable. And it seems to be working for me now. I think I will call this novel THE MAP. That title is solidly reassuring. It will do. As time goes by my characters develop, grow to maturity at my fingertips. I see their faces clearly, hear the sound of their voices, recognize their own individual peculiarities. And I love them all. I love their goodness; I love their humanity that shines through the darkness of the horrors they have to face. And I am convinced that if I love them enough and care for them enough, by bestowing on them all the skill I have as a writer then any reader of mine will care for them and believe in them as much as I do.

But I see trouble ahead for these characters. Theirs is not a kind world to find oneself in. I should know. Yet the sentimental side of me wants all these good people of mine to live and be happy right to the end of the last chapter. Their suffering should grant them that comfort at least. But I cannot save them from is bound to happen to them, though I would if I could. I have no recourse to flying broomsticks or wizards or romantic swashbuckling heroes. No one can come to their rescue here. They are too substantial for magic, for wish fulfilment, and the world they inhabit is their natural element. You see, everything here in this novel of mine is as real as my fiction can make it. And my characters know it too. We have colluded in this, made our pact. When all is said and done we know that we have to face up to what’s in store for us. That is the truth we acknowledge. Our bible. Any cop-out would be demeaning to the whole enterprise. Not worthy of us. There is no going back. This is serious stuff.

Serious? Yes. For while I am preoccupied with shaping plot and character and story the serious business of what the novel is struggling to articulate has been brewing away all along. It is deep down there somewhere in the misty undercurrent of all these writerly preoccupations. Down there you will find an exploration of the characters need for one another, the nature of family and loyalty, the struggle of frail individuals against the tyranny of absolute power, the wish to leave ones mark in the world, to be remembered … Above all there’s the pity of being alive in a cruel and unforgiving world.

And I have been exploring these issues all along, developing these themes without actually been fully conscious of doing so; certainly without deliberately setting them out for display. But they are there sure enough and they are the lifeblood of my story. You might say they are the heart and soul of the novel, realized spontaneously, so to speak, through character and situation. All along they have been the force propelling me along the way towards that inevitable conclusion: the finished work. And this is the business, as I see it, of what the serious novel is all about. Indeed it is the business of all serious novels. For such novels invite us as readers to explore the issues that should concern us most if we are to count ourselves as being truly human.

So now when I consider what I have been doing and the complexity of issues that are being developed in this work I see that my original title THE MAP will not do. It is too basic and explanatory. Too perfunctory. For a start the innocence of my young character is pervasive throughout the novel in various guises. As an innocent he is being pursued by the authorities. True enough and literally quite obvious. But what about the farmhouse that is intended by the woman and her family as a refuge from the callousness of the world outside? Is not that the pursuit of an innocent, idyllic existence? Misguided as it turns out, I know. Then there is the political dimension, explored through the injustices and brutality inflicted by the most autocratic of regimes, such as the one in this novel. Yet do not these regimes often have their genesis in the pursuit of some worthy, perhaps innocent notion of how the world should conform to some utopian ideal? This may be to stretch the term ‘innocence’ a bit; but at least it allows for an extended discussion of the point at issue here. So for me THE MAP as a title will not do. THE PURSUIT OF INNOCENCE will suit me better. It invites a more searching appraisal of the work in question. That is what I must have meant all along. And that, for me, is what writing the serious novel is all about.

Clifford Forde has taught language and literature in a number of colleges in the UK. He has published poetry in many magazines and now devotes his time to writing fiction.

THE PURSUIT OF INNOCENCE by Clifford Forde is available from Mountain Mist Productions at http://1stmist.com

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Do you love someone very deeply? A spouse, son, daughter,
or maybe a group of people. February 14 is Valentine’s Day.
This unofficial holiday is a day card companies started to
increase their business and has evolved into more over the
years. It is a day of reflection, a day to show someone
else you care, a day to see the love we have for ourselves
as well.

A separate journal devoted strictly to people, places and
things, that you love, may seem like a waste of space at
first. Why not just toss it in our regular journal. You
might be thinking, “How can I fill up a whole book?” I
shared this sentiment for years. After making the choice,
one pre-Valentine day ten years ago in a bookstore, it
became easy. A richer life began emerging because of it
over time.

As all things, it begins by purchasing a journal for that
specific purpose. This is the perfect time of the year to
buy that such journal. Book and gift stores provide a stack
of choices this time of year. When I sat down and opened my
new love journal, the cover, with its typical red cover and
hearts, changed my voice but the pages were still stark
white. For days, I sat staring at those blank pages every
evening and occasionally a few mornings. This was a strange
sensation since it’s harder for me to end than to begin.

My original thought, why I purchased this teenage-like
journal, was to honor my mother’s memories. She passed, at
the time ten years earlier, and our memories were waning.
Many times it took pictures to see her face again. Here
are some ways that I learned over the years to fill my love
journals. What once started with a cautionary purchase
turned into a regular yearly purchase. Of course, this time
of year because of the wide selection in the stores.

Let Me Count the Ways

Lists are a great way to begin when the sentences or thought
seems vague. Lists suggest expansiveness and release the
pressure of saying it just right. Focus on one person and
make a list of a particular moment. It doesn’t matter
whether it is recent or somewhere in the past. Memory
triggering is a trained skill and takes practice.

Love Letters

“Love letters fulfill a need to confide, to testify and to
articulate what is ordinarily left unspoken,” says Cathy
Davidson in, “The Book of Love: Writers and Their Love
Letters.” Expressing your love, whether shared or not,
fulfills an internal need, a desire of a deep connection.
Whether the love is only one way, a fantasy, or just a
dream. Memorable writing, whether it is a list, letter,
poem, story or essay, comes deeply from the soul of the
writer. It is their way of having their say.

Writing a love letter doesn’t always need to be to or about
someone else. When we are working on our self-esteem and
self-worth, it is important to write love letters to us.
This may seem selfish or uncomfortable at the start but the
experience blossoms into a deeper learning about who we are,
what we want, what we need, and what we can give. For those
of us who have difficulty knowing our own needs or putting
our health first, writing love letters can be a valuable
bridge that expands into a deeper understanding and
knowledge about us or about our path.

Possible Memorable Items to Include

Here are a few items that can help expand your love
writing.. Of course, these items will transition with your
intention, style, and voice.

1. Start by acknowledging the event. The place, day and
time.

2. What was your emotional state at the time? Did you feel
sad, say so. Angry, shocked, or confused, say so. Even
love letters and journals have more than one emotion. Were
you grieving at the time?

3. Describe any qualities — physical, emotional,
professional or social. Tell what you admired about them
(or yourself). Is there something you miss? Are they or
were they a great teacher, storyteller, devoted father,
mother, aunt, uncle?

4. Remember the little things. The small stuff does count.
Was there a particular smell you remember? What were they
wearing, or not.

5. Have you had this experience before. If so, when? How
are they different? How are they the same?

6. Did a book, quote, musical piece, photograph, or song
lyrics provide comfort or expand the experience?

7. Who else was involved? Did they build with the
experience or take from it?

8. What makes this love different? Or the same? And if
the same, the same to what?

9. Was this an everyday event that turned extraordinary?
Why?

Whether a love letter is your intention or to begin with a
list, don’t forget to love yourself and to add yourself to
the menu of a love-writing experience. Most of the time we
look for love in other places when it truly needs to be
recognized from within first. Take the time, find the magic
you hold inside you, find the love that you hold for
relationships, for what you have accomplished, or desire to
accomplish, or what type of love affair you want to have
with the world while you are still in it.

Love is a gift, whether presented only in a journal or
expanded into something wrapped and bowed. The expense is
only that of pen and paper but its cost is time and thought.
Place love on your calendar this week. It is as much a gift
to you as it is for everyone else in your life, past or
present.

Tags: article, holiday, how, journaling, love journal, love letters, love lists, Valentine’s Day, writingarticle, holiday, how, journaling, love journal, love letters, love lists, Valentine’s Day, writing

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Are you stuck on a writing project? Or is there something you’d love to write, but you can’t get up the nerve to start? In over 25 years of writing, I’ve found that writing happens on the page. Just start writing. You can’t do anything until you begin.

Other writers make the same point. In his book *Immediate Fiction, A Complete Writing Course*, author Jerry Cleaver recommends that when you’re writing, “you leap first and look later”. Cleaver believes that when you’re creating, you should let your imagination do the heavy lifting. Daydream. Pretend. Let your imagination lead you where it wants to go. You will write more, and reach places you can’t get to in any other way.

Writing, like any creative endeavor, requires that we use both sides of our brain, the left and the right. Our left brain is the dominant partner, and while we’re awake, our left brain is active. This means that when we think: “No way, I could never write a book” or “I could never write a screenplay” we’re taking the word of our left brain.

The creative impulse came from our creative right brain, but our left brain, which deals in realities, immediately said: “Whoa! No, you’ve no evidence for that. Couldn’t do that — you’ve never done it before. Wouldn’t work. Silly idea.”

Here’s a process to use to become familiar with writing before you look. Try it. It will feel unfamiliar at first, and you’ll worry about whether you’re doing it “right”. Be assured that as long as your body is relaxed, your left brain is (more or less) out of the way, and you’re freeing your creative right brain.

The Write Before You Look Process

=> One: Clear your mind

From the moment you wake up in the morning, your left brain is in charge. This side of your brain does a great job of getting you where you need to be, and helps you to fit into society, but it’s not creative.

To allow your right brain’s creative impulses to get your attention, you need to quiet your left brain. Any repetitive task will do this. Knitting and needlework are good. So are walking and driving, and taking a shower. Listening to classical music also works.

You can’t always be moving around, so it’s best to learn a sit-down process. The easiest way to clear your mind is to progressively relax every part of your body. If you’ve ever done any stress-reduction courses, you’ll know that in progressive relaxation you focus on your body from your toes to the top of your head, and gently relax all your muscles. Just take each part of your body in turn, and tell each set of muscles to relax.

When you first learn this process, it can take around ten minutes to become completely calm and relaxed. After a few weeks, you’ll be able to do it in less than a minute. You can speed up the process by mentally saying “relax” to each part of your body. In time, you’ll become as limp as cooked spaghetti whenever you say the magic word to yourself.

If you’re not familiar with progressive relaxation, here’s a complete course:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/har/les1.htm

=> Two: Write down your creative impulses

When you’re completely relaxed, gently focus on your breathing. You’ll find that your breaths gradually deepen more and more, and that they slow right down. This is the effect you want.

When your breathing has slowed, keep focusing on your breathing, but also think about what creative work you’d like to do. What would you like to write, if you could?

Just daydream for five minutes. If a creative idea comes to you, write it down, then drift back into your daydream.

You may not get any creative ideas while you’re daydreaming. They may come later as you’re doing something else. This is fine. Your right brain doesn’t “think” in language. It uses feelings and emotions to communicate. Your left brain translates these right-brain impulses into words. When you first start to actively try to get creative ideas, the communication between the two sides of your brain is slow. It will become more rapid the more you practice.

=> Three: Follow through on an impulse immediately if you can

Got a creative idea? Great.

If you can, follow through on it immediately. If you can’t, write down enough of the idea so that you can recall it easily later in the day. Vital: also write down any images which are floating through your mind. What mental pictures do you see? These are additional parts of the creative impulse that your left brain hasn’t yet translated into words. Capture them now by writing them down.

You can work with intensively with your right brain images by using Win Wenger’s Image Streaming process. Here’s how —

http://www.debateit.net/improvethought/imagestreaming.htm

Some writers find that they can immediately write an entire 2000 word article, or a chapter of a book after they clear their mind. This process is very powerful.

=> Four: Drop judgments — enjoy making a mess

You’ve followed through, and you’re writing. However, it’s messy. It doesn’t completely make sense.

Excellent!! This is exactly what you want. It’s your guarantee that the idea you’re developing is original. All creation starts with a mess.

Work on the project again tomorrow. Keep working. Chances are that you’re making a creative breakthrough. Remember it’s your left brain that’s making these early judgments. You can safely ignore them.

=> Five: Never assume that you “know” anything

You’ve cleared your mind, and when you read through your creative ideas later you get scared to death. You can’t do this. You can’t write a complete book, or submit your article proposal to Redbook. And you surely can’t dig that manuscript out of your bottom drawer and whip it in shape to send to a publisher.

Of course you can. Remember, your left brain is NOT creative. Clearing your mind so that you can let your creative right brain work will convince you that you DO have lots of creative ideas.

Unfortunately, your left brain doesn’t trust them. That’s OK. Remember that the part of your brain that’s belittling all your ideas is your left brain.

Ignore it. Trust your creative impulses and follow through. Clear your mind first, to muffle your left brain. Then let your right brain do the creative work.

Write before you look. That’s the entire process. Try it. You’ll amaze yourself.

Remember: the creative impulse that gave you the idea, also knows how to carry out the idea. So if you’ve got an impulse to write a book, write it. You already have everything you need to do it.

Author of many books, including Making the Internet Work for Your Business,
copywriter and journalist Angela Booth also writes copy for businesses large and
small, and consults on search engine marketing. Angela has written copy for
companies in many industries, ranging from technology and real estate to the
jewellery trade. Her clients include major corporations like hp (Hewlett Packard),
WestPac Bank, and Acer Computer. For copywriting services and marketing
advice contact Angela at angelabooth.com

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