Back to basics: Character Construction.

I have spent a lot of time working on illustrations, and testing formats for rewriting my research dissertation and intend to keep chipping away at the project, however I feel that I'm ignoring working on new pieces of writing. It will be great to get the dissertation rewritten, but if it's at the cost of any new works then it's not beneficial at all.

To rectify this I have spent the last week looking at my old works, and deciding on the element I miss most in my writing. I have come to the conclusion that I need to work on characterisation.

My previous work has always stemmed from and revolved around a particular or singular theory. Most commonly psychological literary theory. The characters I have created have always been designed to service and further the exploration of these ideas. In and of itself this isn't necessarily a bad focus, however if it leaves me incapable of creating dynamic realistic characters outside of a narrative focus, then it leaves me lacking.

I have dug up the old character construction check lists that I used to use, and will be spending a few weeks exploring the ways of creating characters, and the important aspects to be included. I'm hoping this will organically lead to some small character driven pieces of fiction or poetry.

While I'm working on the various forms of research I have tabled to complete, I see no reason why not, in fact it seems healthier to, re-familiarise myself with the core base of any narrative; that is the people within.

Time to put my head back into my university readers, and the Creative Writing Coursebook.

Day to day work.

It has been a productive day or so far. I am working on compiling reading lists for ecocritical studies. If I want to do my Phd, and take it down that route, I need to start my research now. I have compiled a cursory list to start. It should grow as I find differing routes to search. The texts are not all strictly critical theory, with some standard non-fiction fare to push my general interest in the area further.

I am also working on the format tests for the illustrated portions of my reworked dissertation. I will post up an example once I'm done.

New illustration added.

I have finally finished the last of the new Oxford images I wanted to create. I shall play around with formatting for the pages that are completed using the new illustrations. If I'm pleased with the results I shall post something of them up here.

I'm getting into a better routine now that my part-time job is stable. I'm spending a lot of time working on The Big Body Edit, but I shall be putting more of my time into getting creative projects furthered. I have been sourcing some new research materials for the next project (not Phd based) that I want to tackle after my dissertation is reworked. I have also found some very interesting bases for altering the format of the prose for portions of the dissertation. The City and the City by China Mieville has given me a lot of ideas. My aim is to spend some time over the next few weeks seeing how this can apply to my work.

I'm feeling excited about the next few weeks. I must remember to take the time to read my next book for review too. It's amazing how time flies.

The Big Body Edit.

Sorry it has been a couple days since my last post. I have created a new side blog called The Big Body Edit. Its purpose is to chart my progress on my own 'Fit for 30' campaign. Many thanks to David at Oppose/Edit for giving me the idea. I intend to well and truly entangle my creative endeavours with my health and fitness activities, as I feel that a healthy body leads to a healthy more creative mind. I hope that if you choose to check it out that you find it interesting.

A fortuitous month

It has been a while since my last post. Its been a busy and successful month, with me seeming to have attained semi-permanent employment, and making some productive head way financially. Without wanting to jinx my seeming good luck, my life seems to be falling into some kind of pattern.

Jobs and money aside, the best thing that has come out of this month is the beginning of a routine. A routine that affords me at least three days a week to work on my own creative projects. Something that I haven't had since university. I am attempting to draw up a realistic yet rigorous schedule that will make the most of my new found time. Something that draws all of the activities that I want to pursue into the standard week.

On the creative side, I have a new book review up at The Ultimate Book Guide for Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London; and I am looking into a small writing submission to get myself restarted properly. I still have some more illustrations to complete, alongside a week or so of research.

I have also begone to think about which field I want to research next. I'm leaning towards mathematics, alongside the ecocritical backlog I have to sort through. This seems to be letting the first few thoughts begin to drift towards the option of my Phd research possibilities. An exciting and daunting possibility.

I am planning on fitting more regular posting into my weekly routine, so with luck, and if I don't get distracted by the many differing projects, there will be more interesting things to read on here.

New book review.

New review for Catherine Copper's The Golden Acorn up on The Ultimate Book Guide blog. Winner of the Brit Writers’ Awards 2010 for unpublished writers. A lovely little book that made me smile. Well worth the read.

Creative Process

I made a very spur of the moment decision last week to buy Imogen Heap's Everything In-Between The Story of Ellipse. It's a documentary that follows Imogen during the three years of creating and releasing Ellipse. I've just finished watching it and it may be one of the best purchases I've made in years.

I've been in love with her and her music for more years than I can remember. To get a glimpse into the creative process of arguably the most inventive musician working today was incredible. It's fair to say that I'm more in love with her now than ever, but more importantly she has given me a view of pure creativity and clues on how to get there myself.

It's been a few years since I left university, and my creativity has never been a prolific as it was during my studies. In the place of flow and imagination I've been possessed of inertia and claustrophobia. I used to sit and play at the computer. Write two thousand words of an idea just for fun. The last few years I have had to agonize over every word written. Sitting at my desk had become painful and melancholic.

After watching Imogen create her album I finally understand what is different between university and now; what it is that I've lost. Such a simple precious thing as to have been overlooked on previous self meditations. The answer is fun. I stopped having fun. At university I played and did pretty much anything that I felt like. In the years after leaving I stopped messing around and tried to be serious. Trying to figure out what my writing was and what it would do only allowed me to lose sight of why I did it in the first place. It was fun. I write because I like it.

Forget the big ideas. No social or philosophical agendas. Just create for the pure enjoyment of it. And not only words. Sing, draw, paint, carve, juggle, do anything that comes to mind. I was successful at university because I had an idea and followed it until nothing was left. I would spend ten hours playing with words just to get a sense of what I wanted. I would go further than most to get the exact piece that I wanted.

I need to let myself have fun again. Not this sanitised professional form of writing. It doesn't work. And more to the point, I need to let that sense of fun spread into the rest of my life again. Throw away the professional persona I've been using these last years. Let go. Forget everything and come back to myself. My new Job with Waterstones is allowing me to do some of this. I go to work and it's like playing in a big sandbox. I can be the over the top joking self and it works. Now I need to let that sense of fun and play get into my work.

In short, I plan to sing too much, jump around like an idiot, unpack my hats and juggling balls, and be a better more creative version of myself. Many thanks to Imogen Heap for reminding me to be silly. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.