- I can’t sing, paint or do anything else creative. Unless you count baking. Does that count as creative? I suppose my brain must need *some* creative outlet. I’m often told gardening is a wonderfully creative pursuit. I’m afraid it leaves me cold. I literally couldn’t give a monkey’s about gardening. As long as there’s dappled shade and a chair for me to read, I’m happy with a garden.
- I enjoy it – I absolutely love the feeling when I have a new idea and start writing the story, as I can’t wait to get to know the new characters and their motivations.
- I’m always observing life, slightly from the sidelines, always thinking, ‘That’s an interesting turn of phrase,’ or ‘I wonder what could happen now,’ or ‘I must remember how awful/great this feels and use it in my writing.’ These thoughts were always buzzing around my head, only now I can use them in my writing. I have a pile of notebooks from 11 years old upwards, containing writing about this. These were my early writing note books, only I didn’t know at the time. Most people might keep a journal when travelling during their GAP year. I did, but I also wrote little stories, accounts of people I’d met on the travels. Things we talked about, amusing stories they told me, things we’d done together. I also used to write about break ups I’d been through.
- I find writing can be a cathartic process to help with difficult periods of my life. A few years ago I had a very difficult period – the usual SAD combined with stress and hearing some upsetting news about a close friend. I wasn’t writing at the time – I was 'between projects'. I realise this was a mistake. Even if I’m having a dark period, writing helps, even if it’s a few hand written lines in my notebook. When I’m experiencing SAD, stress, and it all feels like too much, and I have no time for writing, that’s when I know I must make time to write.
- I’ve kept a journal since 1998 and have always enjoyed the taking stock, reflection element of that. Now I get to adapt those parts, and make up some fun bits in my fiction. It’s great!
- I have read books and thought, that would be easy to write. It’s not. Easily read books are very hard to write.
- I want to touch people with my imagination and characters in the same way as I have been with my favourite writers.
Until next time,
Liam Livings xx