Thursday 27 December 2012

Tips for Writers: How to Cope with Rewriting

Hi everyone,

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I've spent a lot of it on my own, as there are no buses, and I didn't want to stay away. I've been studying writing style (no, you're never too old to learn!) I have Tom Bailey's book, 'On Writing Short Stories'. It is published by OUP, and it is most definitely NOT one of your write-to-formula books.

I have learnt useful things from it. Perhaps the most useful thing of all was a chapter by Robert Boswell, about how he got over a block on rewriting. He describes how he used to do anything to avoid it, and I could clearly recognise myself in his avoidance tactics. It's just too daunting, especially if you are a perfectionist and see the faults clearly. I also find it quite painful to realise that I can be so clumsy and inept. (Moi?) Much of my work that hasn't come out right first time is still sitting on the computer.

Robert Boswell writes the chapter on transitional drafts, and explains how he finds it best to tackle one issue at a time. He starts by correcting any minor grammatical, or punctuation changes, then moves on to another particular issue. If he feels that one character has come out with dialogue that's a bit flat, for instance, he will move on to that next. When he's done his best with that he will work at something else - perhaps making another character stronger. Each issue will be tackled in a new draft (with the first drafts - of course - carefully saved on the computer.)

I found this very useful. I do do it in practise, but I had never broken it up in my head, if you see what I mean. It makes it far less terrifying. I used to always feel I was writing one new draft instead of several (or many). This is why I have never understood how some writers claimed to have written 50 or more drafts. In fact, I now know, I've been doing it myself, and not giving myself enough credit for it.I wrote 522 drafts of my last play. (Only joking. :D)

The way you think about things is everything! I'll never be terrified of rewrites again, which is just as well because I have a load of them waiting for me at present.

See you all again soon,

Pippa x

Monday 3 December 2012

Poetry Readings Pippa Roberts, Cheltenham


MY POETRY READINGS Pippa Roberts, Cheltenham


Hi everyone,

My last post was so sad I thought I'd better follow it up with something more upbeat, now I'm feeling slightly better. I still wake up crying in the mornings, but I do firmly believe that, if your love is not wanted in one place you should give it in another.

I have had a wonderful idea for another children's play - but more of that another day. Suffice it to say that it concerns some wicked witches and a cat called Humphrey. :)

I thought I'd tell you about the poetry readings I do in residential homes, and for senior groups, today. These give so much pleasure to me, and (I'm told) to the people I read to. Sometimes I'm asked to read my own poems, but I usually do a selection from a variety of poets, with poems from different periods, linked by a common theme.

Today I read poems that were about winter and Christmas. We went from Thomas Hardy to Robert Frost, to Louis MacNeice, to Ted Hughes, to Maya Angelou, and, (of course!), to my dear Effie M R. This is one of her poems about Christmas:


Do you realise Christmas is near?
I'm afraid there'll be but little of cheer;
It just seems a farce when hearts are sore
And war's destruction lies right at our door;
Still I suppose we must see it through
And say yet again, "A merry Christmas to you."

I guess you are hoping that I will make
A nice rich spicy and iced Christmas cake,
Well, there will be a cake of some sort, it's true
Of currants and raisins, I have just a few;
But icing! - dear me, you may look aghast, -
But icing sugar's a thing of the past!

A Christmas pudding, with brandy sauce! -
Really good people, - I'd love to, of course, -
But that's disappeared, along with the whisky,
There's nothing this year to make you feel frisky;
But we'll be thankful for what we can get,
Even though the fare's plain, we haven't starved yet.


Thank goodness we don't have to worry about a lack of brandy sauce or whisky. :D

I came out and met a man who offered to give me my own baby. Hadeha. I suspect he'd have enjoyed the making more than the childcare.

I just want to play with my sweet Isaac again. All blessings on his dear dear head.

Pippa :)x