Method in our Madness

Years ago at a party in Brighton, it turned out the guy I was talking to was a Booker nominated writer. He was generous enough to ask 'So what's your method?' Method? Writers have a method? I didn't know what to say - 'well, I balance my keyboard on my boyfriend's sock drawer and write like a woman possessed at every given opportunity ..?' didn't seem like much of an answer. He had studied under Malcolm Bradbury at UEA, and was modest and brilliant. Because of him, I wanted to study there - he described the course as simply giving him the tools to do his job - writing.

You hear all the time about Method Acting - Stanislavski's system for seeking theatrical truth, the replication of real life emotion rather than imitation (think Day-Lewis, De Niro, Pacino). When Dustin Hoffman famously didn't bathe for days to get into a character, Olivier asked 'why can't you just act?' Method involves deep analysis of the emotional motivation of character, and the recollection of your own experiences to bring psychological realism and emotional authenticity to a role. It struck me the other day, why do you never hear of Method Writers - isn't this what we do all the time?

The painting above is by Gerhard Richter of his daughter Betty. I love discovering new work, and saw an illustration of it a couple of days ago. I don't know about you, but not only is it extremely beautiful, it draws you in - who is she? what is she thinking? what is she looking at? I want to get inside her mind, there's an element of mystery. One of the Method techniques is analysing 'tasks, wants, needs'. It's a good starting point for writers too - what does a character do, want, need? I've mentioned before Dorothea Brand's suggestion that writer's need to allow themselves to fall into an 'artistic coma' - a kind of glorified daydream or reverie. This really is not too difficult for sleep deprived exhausted working parents. We have no need for the drink or drugs so often associated with writers and artists seeking this inner release and inspiration. It's Sunday, why not kick back with your notebook and if anybody asks why you're staring into space, tell them you're in an artistic coma - it's your Method.

TODAY'S PROMPT: If you are stuck with a particular character in your work, try drawing on your own emotional experience. Allow yourself to inhabit their world - walk through a day in their shoes. What do their shoes, clothes feel like? How do they brush their teeth? What do they have for breakfast? What do they notice on the way to work? Sense what they sense, draw on your own memories and let them mesh with theirs, replicate real emotion and your work will have an authenticity, a rawness that goes beyond mere imitation.