I met Frances Booth recently at an event where she gave a 20 minute taster workshop on how to approach a piece of writing. She gave the group a couple of quick tips which I have found an invaluable basis for any written work.
In
your professional life, what is the single best thing about what you do?
As
with many creative pursuits, one of the best things is that element of ‘getting
lost in it’. This is one of the things I most love about photography. Nothing
exists other than the camera and what I can see through it.
When
you are in that space your breathing slows and you become completely relaxed
and at one.
The
same happens when I’m absorbed in writing a piece. With writing, I also love
what words can do. I love shaping them, and I love creating images that trigger
thoughts and stick in minds. (Think about whether a phrase actually means
something or is just an automatic sentence that you’ve heard so many times it
loses meaning.)
Words
have got so many possibilities – they’re amazing to work with.
When
I’m editing (I analyse websites/blogs/articles for other people) I love
re-shuffling and re-crafting to include exactly the right word.
When
I’m teaching (writing) I love being able to motivate and inspire people to be
brave and confident with words. Often it doesn’t take much (just a couple of
hours) for a person to transform their attitude to their writing. It’s really
common to get stuck at some point. Often just talking through your words or
message can open up massive insights about messaging or the purpose of a blog,
for example.
Do
you have a creative hero / heroine and if so, why?
No.
I
do love it though, when I come across a really well written piece or book (I
love Ian McEwan’s work for example).
What
piece of advice do you wish you had been given at the beginning of your career?
That
your voice and your style of writing is enough – write it how you would write
it – that is why the editor (or the business) has commissioned you.
Finding
your ‘voice’ can take a long time for a writer. It’s your own personal style of
writing, the thing that makes you you. If you know a writer well and you read
their writing, you’ll often be able to ‘hear’ them speaking.
How
do you find your voice? Be confident. Don’t try and write for everyone. Write
as if you’re writing for one person (your ideal reader) who will get everything
you say. You don’t need to over-explain it.
One
aspect of my style is I like going in circles (rounding things off where I
started) in a feature-type piece. I also love clear language and finding
exactly the right word. I don’t like waste.
If
you hit a creative block, what is your top tip for getting through it?
If
you write every day, writing becomes something with less ceremony attached to
it. You also need to keep topping-up your inspiration, and switch off
distractions.
To
get inspiration I spend time outdoors, in nature (this is what I take photos of
too). I also often switch off entirely (from email and Twitter and To-Do lists)
so I can actually think.
These
are three tips I teach on my courses for defeating the blank page:
Start
Set
yourself 20 minutes and just write for that long (you’ll find you write for 30,
40, 50 …)
Don’t
edit at all, just write. Then you’ll have something to edit later
It’s
also important to listen to when you are trying to stop yourself being
creative. You’ll be able to hear yourself saying: “But there’s not enough time”
“I really need to get to x-a-place as soon as possible” “I’ll just do y first”.
Ignore it.
Deciding
to go and do something creative (for example take photographs of the autumn
leaves), is a great start. But it’s not enough. Enough is hearing the voices
that try and sabotage it, putting them to one side, and actually taking those
photos, writing that piece, or painting that picture.
That
said, there are some uses for procrastination (or – not to sugar-coat it –
faffing). The kitchen will be sparkling, the skirting boards, even, pristine.
I
often get to the point where I have faffed around so much that I am desperate
to start writing.
Then,
once I actually sit down, I focus entirely. In a way, it’s a fast way to do it.
The words usually fly.
And
finally, for fun, if you were a shoe, what type of shoe would you be and why?
I’d
be a pair of dance shoes. I love salsa dancing.
These
would be no ordinary dance shoes, however. They would go – magically – with
every outfit. They would also be the most comfortable pair of shoes you
owned.
There’s
not really a parallel, but I do also love the way rhythm applies to writing.
It’s often what makes the difference between a piece that is great to read, and
one that you lose track of and switch off mid-way through. The second one just
doesn’t ‘sound’ right.
If you work in the visual arts, how do you
regard going to private views? A good
chance for a chat with mates? A free
drink? A cheap night out?
