Of Bird-Brained Burblings June 23, 2009
Posted by Jen in : Bits and Pieces, Novel , trackbackI woke up at 5am this morning. Through the outside sounds of crowing cockerels and bickering chickens, a thought came to me. I must confess my sins. Well, actually, there’s only one. I have not *gulps and looks around shiftily* written any words since I moved. Not one. But there is a reason for this. A reason that has pervaded my very being. I… um.. fell in love. Only a little bit. But it distracted me. The recipient of this had been around for a while, waiting, it would seem, for the right time to sneak into my life and change me. *Sigh*… It wasn’t even a bloke. It was Rose Tremain’s The Road Home. It was such so stylish, so irresistible. As I read, I turned down the bottom of pages I wanted to come back to, seeking out delicious phrases and caressing them as you would a lover’s cheek. And then I realised.
I want to move people, make them cry. And I’m not going to do that by prattling on about hippies, bongos and Paul McKenna. Sorry Paul. You can hunt me down and get me with your googly eyes and velvet voice if you like. But I can take the concept of my idea. It just needs a different vibe, voice, whatever. I have fallen out of love with Novel 2. And, to be honest, I’ve fallen out of love with the idea of writing another novel.
My writerly bits are ready for change. I need to fill my creative well. To let my pens potter and find a new direction. Create snippets and scribblings. Let these technicolour seeds germinate and see where the rainbows form. The novel-writing will be back. It’ll just be wearing a grubby mac and dark shades rather than a Jordan-esque bikini under a transparent top.
I didn’t think my teeny tiny cottage would change me. Not really. But I am changing. And as we change, our axis changes and the world whizzes about at a different angle. Oh dear, I’m talking tosh. I blame the chickens. But there’s something bubbling away, something thrilling and undefined. Festering, perhaps. Who can say?
Crumbs. Don’t I sound grown-up?
Comments»
Reading ‘googly eyes and velvet voice’ made me laugh my tea all over my key board. Nice. I am so mature.
I think letting your pens potter for a while is an excellent idea.
So often we hope that a change in our surrounding will be an impetus in a change of ourselves, and yet soon feel disappointed. However experience tells me that we are too quick to judge it’s failure, as over time it will indeed encourage and nurture change.
WIll make a mental note to pick up that book, although knowing my memories it will be gone when I hit ’send’
What is it they say? (Whoever they are!!) A change is as good as a rest!! Pottering pens and napping novels sounds like just what you need
Oh, and like DJ ‘ googly eyes and velvet voice’ made me laugh too (but I had swallowed my mouthful of tea first
)
C x
Post a363 madness strikes again
Cx
I think diversification is a great idea. I should probably do more of that myself.
Somehow I don’t quite believe you’ll drop novel writing all together. Just take a break from it and concentrate on your new ideas. Then see what happens.
But you DO move us, SpirallySkies – you move us to laughter, sometimes with tears. If Joyce Grenfell had a blog, enjoyed lashings of red wine, and was a bit less jolly hockey sticks and a bit more hippy dippy, oh, and maybe not quite so sadly dead, then even she could not be more bittersweet funny … haha and peculiar.
Oooh, changes are afoot, huh? How very exciting.
I think that when it grows, whatever it is, it’ll be worth waiting for – funny sad or sensible – you’ve been gifted by the word fairy. Do something though – your audience is waiting …
All that talk of chickens has reminded me it’s time to put the dinner on.
I’m sure you’ll end up writing something particularly wonderful, when you’re good and ready. Maybe it just needs to mull around in your brain for a bit until it’s ready to be transferred to the page.
Your writing is fab honey. There’s nothing wrong with letting your pen potter for a while and seeing what happens. “Write more short stories!” Who said that?!!!!
but i’ve always been jealous of how you write! it’s so effortless.
oh well. take a break. refill your creative well. but don’t give it up as a bad job forever. or i will cry!
Sounds good. Changing in the wake of a huge upheaval – perhaps would’ve been more surprising if you hadn’t. And, after you’ve practised moving people etc for a while, the clever, funny stuff we’re used to will still be there, lurking under your new grown upness. You’ll just be very talented in even more literary directions than at present.
Places can indeed bring about change, you are obviously very happy and that in itself will bring about change. And I am a firm believer in fate, that book at another time or place may not have had the same effect. So enjoy your new found you but your writing up to now has been very funny and entertaining so don’t forget that.
You’re an astutely observational writerly type. Don’t you forget that. Let your pen potter, absorb your lovely new surroundings and your well will overfloweth. You’ll be making us cry in no time. In a good way of course.
And yes, that’s a cracking book, that is.
I think I have another book to add to the list for my book club! Good luck with the writing break and I hope you come back in love with your own work!
Paul McKenna has your number and he’s gonna come round to the teeny tiny cottage and googly hypnotise you for your brazenness. Have you learnt nothing from Chegwingate lol?
Have a break by all means but you are formally instructed to come back to us writer nuts?!
It’s all becasue of THAT birthday…..Makes all our axis(es?) go off kilter at first but then I promise – your forties will be the BEST decade. Okay I’m only halfway through but so far, so good. x
Quite grownup indeed. I like the idea of moving people through words. It’s quite profound–plus, in my case, I’m not blessed with your lovely sense of humor; if I can’t make ‘em laugh, I gotta make ‘em cry! Fill that creative well and see where it takes you.
Oh, and that book looks good, another to add to the TBR list.
I’m always getting thoughts like that mid-novel: I’ll read someone else’s work and suddenly think, but I want to write something like THIS! And that happens particularly when I read something moving. Just be careful, cos you could start writing the moving book and then read something really sparky and energetic and funny and think, but I want to write something like THIS!
But the idea of concentrating on small snipppets until you find your inspiration and mojo is a great idea, cos it gives you small nuggets to get your teeth into and also gives great writing practice. If I do any writing at all in the coming months / years, that’s what I’ll be doing too.
Let the pressure build up inside, aye.
And write exactly whatever you feel like. Because that’s the stuff that shines, when it’s no-obligation, for-the-sheer-hell-of-it creativity. That’s the stuff that drops a bucket deep into your soul and hauls something amazing up.
How about a blogging project – something online? I’ve got a foodie blogject (I just invented that word) bubbling away in a corner of my computer, and it’s a fun change to work on, compared with everything else I’m doing…
Soooo interesting, I’m making a similar journey but in the opposite direction. I think. I loved that book too, it’s a tremendous piece of writing.
How exciting!
DJ – I do believe that spurting your tea on your keyboard is the perfect way to start one’s day. I said that poshly, see, to make it ok?
Thursday – Pottering pens are really rather fun. In fact, anything alliterative gets me going these days. Oh dear, you see what I mean?
Ian – Mmm, yes, you’re right. I suppose if we decide too soon that something’s not going to happen, it doesn’t. A little bit of sitting back ad waiting is quite a good thing, we’re just all out of practice of doing that.
Carol – Swallowing your tea is always a good idea. DJ’s spurting technique is terribly messy.
Cathy – I think you’re right, A363 has a lot to answer for!
Cap’n Black – I think things often grow when we’re not necessarily looking. Easy to out of the habit too though. Balance. That’s what we need. Mind you, I’m not god at that. I’m always falling over
McBobo – Aw. I’m glad I’m not dead. I think it might have at least some effect on my my words and blogging. But you said kind words and for that, my dear fellow, I would share my ice cream with you.
JJ – No. There’ll be no more changes. “Change at Leicester.” “Change at Chesterfield.” No. No more changes…
Karen – Yes, I will do something. I have a plan for action. Almost. But you’ve made me crave chicken now. I may be some time.
Debs – Oddly, I don’t think it’s bubbling in my brain. I think there’s something more basic going on. Do words ferment in our soul, d’you think? Hmmmmmmm.
Helen – Yes, short stories. They’re hard but they don’t take up a whole lifetime. I shall lure you here and pick your brains. It won’t hurt a bit. I promise.
b – It’s funny, I’ve exchanged more writing with you than anyone else ever and I always value your feedback. But when you say it’s good, I never believe you. Daft eh? We will both be published aces one day and how we’ll laugh about this as we swig our champagne!
Honeysuckle – ‘All change is good’ and all that. It’s weird to actually sit back and let it take its course. We’re all so busy and therefore so in control of our lives, we don’t allow for change unless something whopping smacks us in the chops. I’m thinking the gradual approach may be better?
Sheepish – Yes, you’re right of course. I hadn’t thought about the time aspect affecting things. The Universe is quite clever really, isn’t it?
Lane – I’m a little bit worried that the overflowing well might be seen by the less knowledgeable as incontinence? Or incompetence? One of the two. Both, quite possibly.
Kate – The Road Home would be cracking for a book club I think. When the ECA results come back I’ll decide whether to love or loathe my words! Eek…
Hullaballoooooo – I learnt nowt from Cheggersgate. It just made me naughtier. Good eh?
Fionnuala – Ooh, yes, I think THAT birthday has made a difference too. It’s quite good to have a wonky axis for a while. I think. Might explain the falling over and nitwittery at least.
Angie – You MUST read that book. And it’s very London-centric so you’ll love it even more. It has your name on it!
Squidgy – Shall we pen-potter together? It’s funny, I dip in and out of snippets and freewriting and whatnot. They always seem a bit nothing-y but then, when you go back to them a while later, they have something about them that I couldn’t see at the time. And actually, that writing practice is essential I think. And I’m glad I’m not the only one to be swaying from one thing to another. I can see why people don’t read anything at all while they’re writing!
Mike – “That’s the stuff that drops a bucket deep into your soul and hauls something amazing up.” Crumbs, I love the way you put that, I really do. A foodie blogject (good word!) sounds groovy. I’m fanatical about so many things at the mo though, it would be impossible to choose just one. Let me know when your foodie doodah is ready for consumption, won’t you?
Queenie – Opposite directions but sort of the same… isn’t life intriguing? Oh dear… journeys and opposite directions have just made me remember my useless train-catching skills. You might have had a premonition there…
Lucy – Isn’t it just?
Hello… nice blog… I look forward to seeing your take on El Tico
Swigging champers? I’m up for that!
I don’t lie in my feedback. If I say it’s good, I really mean it
And really – you’ve exchanged more with me than anyone? I’m all flustered now! I hope some of it was useful
Crappy – No, I just can’t call you that. I shall revert to ‘Crapaud’ if that’s ok with you? And thank you. I can’t wait to test out El Tico – I’m staying at St Ouen and suspect I will adopt is as my local eaterie. And snapperie. Or something. Loved your ‘Little White House at Sunset’ photos very much too. Ooh, my camera’s itching, I tell you, itching to be set free in Jersey. Oh yes it is. I shall be plundering your blog for more ideas of places to go for fab pics!
b – I really have exchanged more writing with you than anyone. It was very useful and, apart from that, I just like reading your words. Ah, there’s some champers with our name on it, don’t you think?
champers? i misspelled it campers. let’s go camp with some champagne and write a load of nonsense! hurrah!
)
(also, i missed the compliment there. thank you! i’m getting all embarrassed now)
b – Campers, yay! The thought of campers always makes me come over all ‘Carry On…’? No need to be embarrassed. Here, have another drink. (Which reminds me, I must post up my NR Meet photos!!) X