Hi everyone!
Welcome to my newsletter, and for those new subscribers who’ve joined us following the ‘secret santa’ giveaway, it’s great to have you on board! I try to be as responsive as possible on here, time permitting of course, so do drop me a line if you feel so inclined.
I thought today I’d share some snippets from the notebooks I was keeping as I was working on my latest book, Final Cut. I always find it interesting to go back and look at how a book evolved and to examine which random scribbles proved invaluable and which were… less useful, shall we say. I firmly believe that nothing is wasted, though, and it’s far better to jot down a random thought or overheard snippet of gossip or dialogue, only to find you never use it, than the reverse. There’ve been so many times I’ve thought, “Now that’s such a great idea I’ll never forget it. No need to write it down...’ only to have it disappear within the hour. I think now, finally, I’ve learnt my lesson.
As you can see from the photo above, some of what I jot down are notes to self about my process (‘Live my life organically for the next 6 weeks’ being a case in point!), or editorial notes (‘Beef it up!’). The general notes about creativity I find helpful too, they serve as a reminder of how these works come about. It feels like a bolt from the blue sometimes, as if an idea has arrived fully formed, but in fact that’s usually deceptive. Most ideas are magnetic, I think. They start small, but the best ones then begin to attract other ideas and thoughts to them, and in doing so grow bigger and bigger, gradually acquiring more weight. And they can only do this when we go out into the world, absorbing things, in life and in culture, being stimulated. We can then hold these new experiences up and examine them from other angles, and in my experience we often do this subconsciously. It’s from this process that something new and interesting can grow.
For me the most interesting thing here, though, is “Don’t be afraid of failure”. I think that’s a hard lesson to learn, and it can be even harder to keep hold of that thought as we push ourselves to do the best we can. But it’s important to remember — in all areas of life I think, but certainly in writing and other creative pursuits — that the only person who never makes a mistake is the person who doesn’t make anything at all.
But it is scary, there’s no point in denying it. Maybe an additional note for these pages ought to be, “Feel the fear and do it anyway…”.
Is there any area in your life in which you feel you could do with being a bit more brave? And what might help, if so?
Anyway, as we head towards the Christmas holidays I’d like to wish you all a fabulous time. We’re still living in strange times, but I hope you find some time to relax and recharge those batteries. Why not let me know what you’re reading at the moment, or what books you hope to find under the tree this year or are looking forward to reading in 2022? And if you’re also a writer, what are your ambitions for your work next year?
Happy reading, and happy holidays!
.
Merry Christmas when it comes!! 🌸💖☺️