What am I
working on ?
I
am working on my second short story collection and hopefully nearing the end. I’ve
been working on it for over a year and have nearly twenty stories. One has won
a competition, another was a short-listed finalist and is coming out in an
anthology in July, another was long-listed and another has been accepted by a
literary review. I still seem to have lots of ideas and am generating new work,
but I am also at the phase where I am beginning to think of story order and how
I would like the book to feel. My first collection came out in September 2013
with Indigo Dreams Publishing UK.
How does my work
differ from others of its genre ?
Perhaps
my stories have a broad range of locations as I come from Australia and have
lived in West Africa and in several different places in Europe. I also like
incorporating some colonial history when it seems relevant, as this is one of
my great passions, and social issues like integration and migration. Crossing
over into new cultures has been a big part of my life and that of many of those
around me, so I have a deep interest in exploring this theme.
Why do I write
what I do ?
I’ve
always been attracted to both the short story form and the way language can be
an important ingredient in its lingering effect. I love the power and verve of
the short story. I love its precision and turning points, its resolution or
open-endedness; the way it twitches on the page. With regard to subject matter,
the compression of the short story works well for me – I can slide from one
location to another, without the wearying depth of field that would be required
for a novel. Each story is so exciting to write – it becomes your universe for
the time you are creating it – and I also find that the fast and feisty rhythm
of producing short stories is suited to my temperament and crazy lifestyle!
How does my
writing process work ?
I
am always listening for ideas. I love to feel a story beginning in my head and just live with it for a while or write a few notes (I think I have forgotten
loads of ideas that way!). For me it’s really important to hop on the merry-go-round
at the right point. First words are critical and the entry moment where you
begin to unveil your idea to the reader must be subtle and resounding at the
same time. I try to write in freefall, not searching too hard but letting voice
come through and pitch establish itself. I think the story has to feel
effortless and a little training must be involved – also dud stories must be
abandoned! The most exciting part is having an uncertain idea about what will
happen, and perhaps turning off on an unexpected tangent, then try to align the
bones of the story and get to its beating heart. I also love a strong ending and like
to try to steer towards this, although when it happens it is usually a moment
of surprise for me too. I agree with what I think George Saunders said about
the short story: Get in and get out.
Thanks Alison Lock for this and I'll pass the baton to Rachel Fenton who will post next week..
