Writer's House Rules

-

A brief note about the BBC's adaptation of "Parade's End." I'm truly saddened that it has finished. Did many of you watch it? I loved it but then I would -it's just my sort of thing. The protagonist, Christopher Tietjens was a fantastic character. He plays a top civil servant from a wealthy family who subsequently enlists during World War One. Whilst at the Somme, he proves to be an admirable leader whilst suffering from the effects of war, both physically and mentally. Whilst sitting out one particular heavy bombardment in the trenches, he declares to a fellow officer, "give me fourteen end rhymes of a sonnet and I'll write the lines. In under two minutes and a half." He does exactly so. 

I'm not sure if I could write a sonnet in so short a time but then I've never really tried. I would have to describe myself as a slow writer. Enid Blyton or Barbara Cartland I am not. I doubt whether I'll be capable of churning out one novel per year either. Writing historical fiction means that you have to research and put the work in. If it's not factually correct then your fiction is flawed and the readers will not be amused. So, depending upon your subject you could be spending many months researching and planning. But this is all part of the joy. If you love history it really is brilliant.

And remember, NaNoWrimo is almost upon us. How many of you out there are signing up to it this year? Can you be disciplined enough to write 1600 ish words per day for the month? If so, give it a try. You might surprise yourselves. 50000 words later and you're almost there with a novel. The chats are great too and the support is endless.





 The Writers House Rules

When the words refuse to flow,

Take a deep breath; take a break,
You are there purely for your sake.
Return to your place with pen in hand,
Resolve to make this your stand.

Shout out ideas to all who hear.

As the ink flows across the page
It does not matter if there is no wage.
This is your voice, your vehement chance,
Like a Knight, your pen is your lance.

Use it well to do your joust.

Let others see the results.
Do not worry about insults.
Persevere and do not sway,
You have to do this your way.

Keep the dream alive.

Keep the fires burning.
Stoke it; words are churning
In your head- upon the page.
Perseverance has delivered your wage.

             Suzy Henderson 2012-10-02


Comments

  1. Sasha @ The Bookshelf3 October 2012 at 00:53

    I'm excited for NaNoWriMo this year. Hopefully I'll do better than last year! :P It's all about the conviction. And even if you don't finish, it's still a wonderful exercise.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Suzy Henderson3 October 2012 at 21:39

    Hi Sasha,
    Thanks for commenting. Good to hear you're also up for the challenge. At least you're an old hand and know how tough it can be. I'll look out for you in NaNo cyberspace. All the very best with your novel.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

75th Anniversary of The Guinea Pig Club & Sir Archibald McIndoe

-
Image
The Guinea Pig Club was formed on the grass, outside of Ward III at the Queen Victoria Hospital, in East Grinstead in 1941. A group of young men, all airmen who had received burns and were in the care of plastic surgeon Archibald McIndoe decided to form a drinking club to pass the time while they were stuck in the hospital. It was to become a way of maintaining contact with one another when they were finally discharged, and annual reunions have continued to this day. Initially, they called it the Maxillonians, after the Maxillo Facial Unit where they received treatment, but later it would change to the Guinea Pig Club when an airman announced how they were all just "bloody guinea pigs" to the Maestro. The Maestro, of course, was Archibald, who the men sometimes called Archie or the Boss. They looked up to him because when they first arrived, no matter how severely injured and disfigured they were, no matter how wretched, lost, and alone they felt, he looked into t
Read more

Why Do I Keep At It? Homage To Tazzie, Guest Post By Author Paulette Mahurin.

-
Image
Today my guest post is from Paulette Mahurin, author of "The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap." Here she talks about her reasons for writing and why her work is so vital. I sincerely hope you find this to be both interesting and inspirational. Paulette Mahurin is a Nurse Practitioner in Ojai, CA, where she lives with her husband and their two rescue dogs.  She is passionate not only about writing but also about rescuing dogs which they have been involved with for many years. All of the profits from her books go towards the first no-kill animal shelter (SPARK) in Ventura County, CA, a most worthy cause. _________________________________________________________________________________ I have had several loves in my life, but ranking at that top is Tazzie, my beloved rottweiler girl, who went on to the  rainbow bridge September, 2011, seems like yesterday. I still miss her, the wagging of her little stubby tail when I came  home, the drool at the side of
Read more

Remembering The Brave Few: Battle of Britain Pilots

-
Image
I recently watched the film 'First Light' again - I've lost count of how many times that makes now, but it's so beautiful and evocative, and I lose myself in the drama. Some of you will know it's an adaptation of the book, First Light , a personal and frank account of life during the Battle of Britain by author and former WW2 pilot, Geoffrey Wellum DFC. Geoff is now 95 years old, but he remembers his experiences as a Spitfire pilot most vividly. Geoff 'Boy' Wellum 92 Squadron Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Geoff was 18 years nine months when he completed his initial training and arrived fresh and eager at 92 Squadron at Biggin Hill. Nicknamed 'Boy' by his Squadron Leader Brian Kingcombe, he was to have the most harrowing induction into the life of a fighter pilot in RAF Fighter Command. Initially, while he might have felt keen to join in the fight and send the enemy packing, he soon realised just what hell he was embroiled in. Like
Read more