What inspires me as a writer.

A subject which is often at the forefront of my mind when I write is nature. As a toddler I was a huge fan of the film, The Lion King, and I don't remember a time when there weren't animal tracker books on my shelf. At the age of seven I was given my first Wildlife Encyclopaedia and I took on the challenge of reading the whole thing over Christmas. Even now when I see an animal, images and facts from the book return to me. I find that the subject of nature and other subjects such as history, literature, music, art and pop culture which interested me at a young age have given me a particular eye to seek them out and a drive to explore them further.
I find the books I enjoy provide a sense of involvement, thrillers, action, and Gothic romance/mystery. I feel that I am on the same journey as the protagonist and I am learning and gaining a sense of fulfilment by the end. Also if there is a hook or a cliff hanger/missing piece in any form of art I have to pursue the subject further. I love an unsolved mystery.
People in society inspire me, when I see that the selfless act of one person can make a huge change for the better; Artists, peace protesters, charity workers and everyday people who make a difference.
And finally dreams, I keep a dream diary which inspires the yearnings and the insecurities in the characters I write.

Music:

Books:



Wildlife:

Art: Richard Long, Rolf harris, Banksy, Jenny Saville and Judy Chicago.

Manic Street Preachers - Motorcycle Emptiness

Socio-political relevance? or Natural Craftsmanship?

The literature which has kept me milling over its meaning and effects over several years is that which has shed light upon previously suppressed social and political issues.
I have come to realise that for writers affected by political and social ignorance, writing for them can often become a peaceful and effective form of protest.

For example, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird portrays the injustice of racial segregation and discrimination in Post-World War II America, and became a significant milestone in the progression towards the civil rights movement. Angela Carter contributed in the rise of gender politics in the late twentieth century through several of her books including The Sadeian Woman and The Bloody Chamber, educating readers of how gender should not affect status or power in society.

However I feel that there was something extra which these two author's brought to their work which made them particularly successful and I think it was not only their passion for change but also their understanding and empathy towards different members of society. It can be difficult writing with the intention to educate and please everyone, and a piece of literature can easily become too overwhelming and confusing for the reader to take in or so personal that the reader is put off by the arrogance of the narrator.

Writing about a new, diverse or past culture can equally educate and inspire a reader; there are always elements of character and socio-political elements which the reader can relate to. People can easily develop nostalgia for a time in which they haven't lived in, fans of period dramas or sci-fi for example.

"Uniquely American?" or "Typically British?"

After reading a selection of John Cheever's stories I must admit that it was only due to different literary components such as the language and setting in each piece that I came to realise Cheever's American nationality.
American spelling and local dialect instantly rang bells, and after studying the stories more in depth I realised how the continually evolving new world/industrial America in turn effected the character's emotions and attitude.
Ann Enright states that the honest reflection was for her "A breath of fresh air [...] he was alcoholic and bisexual which gave his work a bit of an edge [...] the dreamlike metaphorical nature calls to me."
This made me realise just how important our life experiences are when creating characters, and also how a writer must experience a setting in order to create a character to place in it. I'm not sure Cheever would still be considered uniquely American if he placed his typical thirty-something New Yorker in a different country or had an immigrant as the story's protagonist in New York?
So what might make a piece uniquely British? I feel that the work would be slower paced and more reflective on the character's emotions and decisions. Cheever's work tends to be more motivated by prosperity and survival in a still hostile and evolving new world. For example, when Cheever completed the piece The Enormous Radio in 1947, he dealt with a sense of paranoia towards society's obsession with people's private lives. A year later, J. R. R Tolkein completed The Lord of the Rings, a powerful and creative yet relatively conventional story of good versus evil.

J. R. R. Tolkein                                                                                                John Cheever


























Creative Piece: A Typically British story.

There was no traffic on the London Streets, yet the vibrant lights and the crowds made the event seem more like the Christmas eve rush or another fashion product launch. She couldn't feel her legs anymore her calf muscles had tensed up an hour ago. All that was driving her now was the glucose in her bloodstream and the caffeine pinning her eyes open. Her moving legs seemed alien to her brain now asthough sprinting of their own accord. With her free hand she pulled out the remaining jelly squares from her tracksuit pocket and bit into them, chewing took some real effort now, the raspberry taste was intense despite the dryness of her mouth.
She turned the corner to the final street and was hit with the roar of the sidelining crowd. The final mile flag flickered violently in a sudden gust of wind. She checked her watch, timing was good. She gripped the torch firmly in her hand, and continued alternating when her palm became too sweaty.