Trevor Byrne and Evie Wyld

We went to a reading last week with Evie Wyld and Trevor Byrne. I hadn't read their books but the extracts they read out sounded good so I will seek them out later. The following day we had a workshop with them. They were very generous in describing their experiences as writers, very open and honest. It was nice to hear that everyone has bad days, and everyone can feel daunted by the enormity of it all sometimes.

To plan or not to plan

I was feeling a bit swamped by my dreary scenery and thought about taking my characters on holiday but realised that is just another kind of story all together. I put them on the bus instead. So poor them, they are stuck in rainy Manchester still. They didn't enjoy the ride.

Not sure if I should have more of a plan to the story. It keeps going off a bit in different directions but will any of these directions arrive at a destination all just keep circling around and around? Then again I don't want to be tied to something that seems immovable. It's an interesting process.

Oh and my nine year olds story was compared to Jane Austen at parents evening the other night. Don't really know what to say about that really, as I struggle to make anything sound vaguely believable.

Is this cheating?

I have gone on the internet and used the faces of strangers for some of my characters. This might be cheating but at least I can picture them a bit more clearly. It is working as a starting point anyway. I though this was a cunning plan instead of basing them on people I know.

My villian was too obvious, he wasn't twisting his waxed moustache but it was close to that. I don't want more of a rounded character. So I've modelled him on Steven Merchant. Now I like him too much, I'm not sure he's scary at all. Oh dear. Steven Merchant why do you have to be so likeable?

Spooky

Walking through graveyards. Manchester rain. Decaying leaves. Halloween. What could be better inspiration? Children of Manchester you are beautiful.

Just started my Madame Bovary essay. Found lots of layers. I would be happy with just one good layer in my novel. Flaubert makes a good fluffy jam and cream sponge of a novel. I've got a flat sponge so far, but things are progressing.

Is it wrong?

Is it wrong to take the children for a walk by the river? No? What about when you're writing a story about a nutter dumping bodies in the river? Alright, probably. They liked the horse, and anyway, got some good pictures of sludge and slime. We even came across our very own nutter so it was an all round success! Lovely research. The nutter was averted by the way.

Last night we went to a reading with Seamus Heaney. He likes bogs and sludge too doesn't he? Should have asked him to come on my next trip out.

Week 1

We had the introductory week of the course. Met lots of nice people and felt better. It was all a bit like the scene in Good Fellas when they have the wedding and it is all a bit of a blur. One because first days are scary. Two because theres lots to take in and people to meet and three because I had a bit of a cold and was a bit spaced out.

After we found out about the course, we went to listen to Howard Jacobson talking about Kalooki Nights for the Guardian Bookclub. He was really entertaining and interesting. If you fancy listening to it apparantly there's a pod cast.

I have read Madame Bovary and I have done some writing. I didn't volunteer my work for the first critique but the other brave souls that did will be getting their work critisised on Monday by the group. Looking forward to this course now.