Thoughts on creative writing – Page 5

To Flashback or Not to Flashback

Personally, as a reader, I dislike the use of flashbacks. If the past was so important, why isn’t the story set then? If the past was not so important, why do I have to read about it?

On the Writer Unboxed blog, Jenna Blum advises avoiding flashbacks.

If what happened to the character in the past is that important, why not extract it and expand it so it becomes a consistent, reliable part of the book’s structure, instead of a temporarily distracting time bubble? Conversely: if the scene isn’t that important, why not condense it to a memory?

Personally, as a reader, I dislike the use of flashbacks. I find them disorienting and confusing. If the past was so important, why isn’t the story set then? If the past was not so important, why do I have to read about it?

This is one reason I found On Chesil Beach (by Ian McEwan) frustrating to read.

I have just finished Waterworld, by Graham Swift. A great book – BUT, I struggled to follow the various time threads. Not only does he tell his own personal history using jumps in time, but he interweaves the history of his family and history of the fictional fen location in which the book is set. In the end, he brought all the interwoven threads to a satisfactory merger and it came all together nicely at the end. However, with each dislocation in time, I felt a dislocation from the story (if that makes sense!). For me, it would have been a more compelling read without the distraction of the jumps, at least within his own history.

Just my opinion. Maybe I am a lazy reader?

Yippee – I have been accepted

“Why don’t you just write? You don’t need to do a course. Just write.”
I can write on my own; and I do. But how can I know what is good and bad. I am too close to the process

Following my disappointment with Nottingham University, I reappraised my options.

Had I set my sights too high applying for an MA in creative writing? Yes, almost certainly.

My husband said, “Why don’t you just write? You don’t need to do a course. Just write.”

But I feel that I do need a course. And I tried to explain to him why.

I need guidance. I can write on my own; and I do. But how can I know what is good and bad. I am too close to the process.
I need structure. Too often this happens; I sit down to write and get distracted – check Twitter and follow-up a few tweets, check my emails, look at my blogs, look at other people’s blogs, get onto Facebook, play Zuma Blitz …. You get the picture?
I want someone else to read my work with a critical eye and offer advice and suggestions. I want an audience.

So, what did I do since my last rejection?

I applied to do a 12 week Creative Writing module (Start writing fiction) at the Open University
I registered for a couple of days ‘Writing Great Short Stories’ course at Knuston Hall
I applied to Birkbeck University, part of the University of London, for a place on their BA in creative writing

My interview at Birkbeck took place last Monday. I had 15 minutes to persuade two very young lecturers that I was a suitable candidate. They sent me an email on Wednesday, informing me I had been accepted. Yippee. Can’t wait!

Ray Bradbury writes about writing.

Farewell Summer ends with an Afterword, in which Ray Bradbury writes about his approach to writing. Fascinating stuff. I have just selected a few nuggets. If you want more, you will have to read the book yourself.

Ruth Livingstone blog post. — Photo of Ray Bradbury by Alan Light

I have just finished reading Farewell Summer, by the great master, Ray Bradbury.

(If you are interested in my thoughts about this novel, read my review on Ruthless Reading)

The book ends with an Afterword, in which Ray Bradbury writes about his approach to writing. For me, this was fascinating stuff. I have just selected a few nuggets from the Afterword. If you want more, you will have to Continue reading “Ray Bradbury writes about writing.”

Rejections….

“rejected”
No reason given.

Some months ago, I applied to do a MA in Creative Writing at a well known University.

I paid £25 for the privilege of applying online and found 2 referees and asked them (both very busy people) to write references and submitted a sample of my writing and found various ancient certificates and photographed them and sent them in by email. This took many days of careful thought, effort and work. And, of course, I rearranged my work commitments to make sure that I had the time to participate in the MA course, turning down offers of work for October 2011 onwards.

Three months later I receive a response, arriving late one evening in my inbox; a brief email asking me to look at a web page in the applicant portal. So, I find my user name and my password, logon and scroll down the page to find the single new word that tells me the decision status.

“rejected”

No reason given. No hints or suggestions for the future.

A few days later, I receive a letter through the post. The letter is a little gentler, but still gives no indication of why the rejection. Writing sample not good enough? Not enough previous experience? Had I set my sights too high? Poor personal statement? Too old? Fierce competition from better applicants? All these may be true, and probably are, but I am not told.

Working on the basis there is no failure, only feedback, I have applied to a few other places, offering creative writing courses.

Interestingly, I have not had to pay for these applications.

Been accepted by the Open University (I love the Open University!) for their Start Writing Fiction course. 12 weeks, starting in May.
Applied for a part-time BA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck, University of London. Birkbeck offers evening tuition and the course looks really good.
Enrolled in a 3 day “Writing Great Short Stories” course at Knuston Hall

So, plenty of things to look forward to.

In the meantime, I continue reading ruthlessly and writing daily.

Stephen King on reading

I know I have not been writing much recently. And still have my NaNoWriMo novel with the final chapters to do.

I am following Stephen King’s advice. He says they way to learn about writing is to read.
So, I have been reading.

And who have I been reading?
Stephen King of course!

This is the first Stephen King novel I have ever read. Shame on me.
I have posted some comments about this particular book, Bag of Bones, on my Ruthless Reading site.