Happily Ever After
The last line of my first book is: 'The end is never the end, it's always the beginning of something'. Out of everything that changed in the numerous drafts of 'All the Lovely Ruined Things', the first and last lines stayed the same - they were like bookends containing the shifting stories. Interestingly, the editor cut the whole 'happily ever after' wedding chapter - it felt better to leave the story - Maya's future, open but full of hope. Why aren't books with happy endings taken seriously? Are they too neat? Too unlike real life? I was interested to see a new group on Facebook, the New Romantics. Just as I was getting ready to dust off my pirate shirt and pedalpushers I realised it was a group of our best loved writers of commercial fiction who have joined together to promote feel good books exploring the ups and downs of life and love. It's a brilliant idea. People need a sense of hope, now more than ever.
I was quite relieved when my work was described as 'not Booker, but not chick-lit either' a while ago. I've always hoped my books will give people escape, catharsis, pleasure. Flicking through a new reference book 'How Not to Write a Novel' the other day, I read: 'as a writer you have one job: to make the reader turn the page'. They also said: 'Know what the chase is - and cut to it'. These are good, basic thoughts to keep in mind as you are writing and editing. I read a lot of literature, but I don't write it. Hopefully each book will get better and better - who knows where the work will be in twenty, thirty years' time. Right now, I'm aiming to write the best page-turning commercial fiction I can.
A lot of you have said recently it feels like a lot is ending in your lives. Everyone is reassessing things. I've taken a big decision based largely on gut feeling - the art company is closing, and I'm going to concentrate on writing full time. (Deep breath). It's a new beginning. We talked about Gertrude Stein the other day, and the sense that at a certain point in your life all your experience and abilities focus on a single goal. That time is now. The goal is straightforward - to be a professional writer, hold up my end of the family income and put the kids through school. I'd love to write a book a year, and admire someone like Maeve Binchy who combines great success with a professional reputation, (a pleasure to work with, and a generous spirit who is kind to everyone from publishers to book store shelf stackers). I've spent my whole professional life promoting and selling other artists' work, and hopefully that experience will be useful now with my own. Happily ever after? Let's hope so. In the meantime if you know anyone who needs any jingles or editorial for 'Tractors Weekly', you know where I am ...
TODAY'S PROMPT: Do you write with a reader in mind? Can you imagine someone reading your book, or story? Where do you read for that matter? After living in London for so many years, I've always imagined my reader crammed on a tube, or snatching a quick sandwich at lunch in the park with his/her nose buried in the book. I've always wanted to write the kind of books you can't wait to get alone with, the kind you have to read 'just a few more pages' at night, then eke out the last few because you don't want your time in that world to end just yet. Which books have affected you like that? Are there particular authors where you have read everything they've ever written? Today, why don't you have a think about where you want your writing to take you - and your readers. How can you cut to the chase? Get those pages turning? How do you want your readers to feel? I'm declaring WKDN a re/depression free zone. Life's full of ups and downs, but maybe - like me - you want to give your readers escape, beauty, pleasure and leave them (like Nina Simone), Feeling Good.
