Topic: Writing Outings
Friday 11:02am 27Oct06
Okay catching up with the notes I kept from the International Festival of Author's.
Round Table Discussion with:
Mark Billingham, David Gibbins, Michael Collins, J.B. Mackinnon
Paul Quarrington was the moderator which is always good for a laugh.
James MacKinnon started on his book because of an interest in an Uncle assassinated in the Dominican Republic in 1965 before James was born.
Michael Collins talked about there being a certain agitation in sitting still for too long. His interest/ theme is about the contemplation of a lost people. Through running and coming across "lost people" through the disparity of what he lived in a University town compared to the people who lived there he got into writing.
Mark Billingham said that writing is to a degree showing off. You want people to read what you write and in a way it's like you are showing off. He said that the reveal used by stand up comics (of which he is one) is the same technique used by crime writers.
Michael Collins does some genre blending within his book, what starts off as a literary novel moves into crime fiction. Fascinating to me. Add his book to my wish list.
Why they write...
Writing as a reaction to what I see.
Writing the book as you want to write it.
Write the kind of book you'd like to read.
Who is your imagined reader?
Family, a person like oneself.
I realized that my imagined reader is my mother even though she is no longer alive. I'm writing that book that would gain her attention as much, if not more than my brother's brilliant art...
Round Table Discussion with:
Alberto Manguel, Rosemary Sullivan, and Bruce Whiteman.
Antanas Silieka was the moderator.
Rosemary Sullivan's book Villa Air-bel (another wish list item) is about the artists that stayed in occupied France in a Villa waiting to be rescued and the artists that came to try to rescue them.
Her comment when she'd asked one of the artists why she hadn't left earlier when it would be easy to leave, her response was, "we couldn't imagine a place other than Paris."
A lot of discussion about the traces we leave behind or no longer leave behind with the use of a computer. Every draft is a first draft because we keep working off the same page and saving it as such. There is not visible progression of how a work has changed.
The day that virtual sex equals sex I'll agree to a virtual library - Alberto Manguel.
A writer is someone on whom nothing is lost. Alberto quoting Henry James (I think)
Discussion about there being a need for an active public life to go with the reflective writing life.
Their favorite books that they re read over and over:
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - Joyce
The Sun also Rises - Hemingway
Moby Dick - Melville
Other comments
I'm looking for the expression of my experience in a book. Expecting to find a mirror of me when I pick up a book - Alberto Manguel
A writer needs a writers circle of friends that understand. - Rosemary Sullivan
The short sell cycle for the novel... "Books don't have sell by dates as if they are eggs. - Alberto Manguel
Each generation brings its news - Antanas
Rosemary quoting Irving Layton - You write for immortality!
We are being educated in stupidity, you need to learn how to be stupid - Alberto Manguel.
Thurs Round Table Discussion with:
Caroline Adderson, Tom McCarthy, Eden Robinson, Timothy Taylor.
moderated by Richard Crouse
How the book changes when it goes out into the world.
Eden's first novel was published in 1996. She discussed how people reacted to her when they first saw her after they'd read her book. Most people were disappointed expecting her to be dressed all in leather based on the content of her book.
Timothy, I think, said if you're lucky your life changes once your book goes out there.
Caroline mentioned a sense of elation and relief at completing the novel that turns into depression for about 6 months or until you start on your next work.
the best part of writing is writing.
People interpret your novel in ways that you've never considered.
A grieving period after I leave my characters - Eden.
Writing is self-taught if that is possible - Timothy
Even if it's bad writing it's worth doing. That is part of the process.
Reading the great works as a writer:
- studying how does he do that?
- highlighting the novel
- copying the novel as if you were writing it yourself (like an applied version of re-reading the work.)
The need to learn how to step away from yourself to see your work as a reader.
You're not meant to write it perfectly in the first draft.
Caroline writes 20 drafts per short story.
Regarding reviews - you have to be skeptical especially with praise in the public.
That's it!
EY
