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Great article in today's Guardian from Mark Ravenhill. Did you know we also have to go missing for a year at some point (!!!)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2121767,00.html
Haven't read it yet - but I've got a handwritten letter from Mark Ravenhill (I'd asked if Paines Plough were interested in taking a look at a short play, but he said they'd need to see a full-length one).
People assume sex is autobiographical. No one seems to assume crime writers are serial killers!
Actually I don't think people query whether it's autobiographical if you write in some genres, but whenever sex, drugs or any other less salubrious pastime is the subject, people seem to automatically think you've had experience of it.
Just something about the absurdity of human reasoning do you think? No don't answer that- who'd ever know.
Carol, being made redundant and unemployed for the first time in my life made me 'disappear' for a year and write - an extremely sketchy - first draft. How people do that on full-time jobs beats me.
Yes, I tend to write about what I know. Blow it, if people think I don't use my imagination! I use real life but add imagination, too. Like the stories I used to have published. Take a situation from real life and turn it round, upside-down, stir it up a lot, add colourful characters, add conflict and love. Plenty to go on, there... and that's just from real life.
Yes TT, that's what we have to do. And I agree with you, how do full-timers do it.
Even if you write something from an earlier time period our human experiences, emotions and thoughts can be applied to our characters then- minus the annoying technology of course!
"You sound as if you have some background knowledge of the subject or perhaps have done some research and this came across in the writing." This is from a review of my novel on YWO about the very real, contemporary problem of sex slavey in Spain. Of course I've done my research! Hours and hours of driving up and down the country to talk to victims, prison visits, inteviews with the police and other immigrants, endless internet research, monitoring the news, photograping locations.... and "I seem to have some background knowledge"!! I'm beyond worrying what people might think is autobiographcal. That's their problem. As the writer, I know what has really gone into the pages.
Do enough research, have a compassionate understanding, take the subject seriously and enjoy it, and you can make anyone believe you have some background knowledge.(I mean this in a complimentary way I should add)
Another joy of being a writer- competent at research with a lust for knowledge.
Yes, Howard, and it is the hard work of research. My first novel (only ever got half-completed) was about a pimp in S. London who aspired to greater things. Like running a much 'classier' place in Belgravia or Mayfair. I met lots of working girls, both British and otherwise, learned their stories - many heartbreaking - and got the best character I ever found for a story.
I've brought him into the second novel because there aren't many like that about.
Yes, of course our research is autobiographical. It's what we DO for our work, if we're serious.
Comments
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2121767,00.html
People assume sex is autobiographical. No one seems to assume crime writers are serial killers!
Just something about the absurdity of human reasoning do you think? No don't answer that- who'd ever know.
Yes, I tend to write about what I know. Blow it, if people think I don't use my imagination! I use real life but add imagination, too. Like the stories I used to have published. Take a situation from real life and turn it round, upside-down, stir it up a lot, add colourful characters, add conflict and love. Plenty to go on, there... and that's just from real life.
Even if you write something from an earlier time period our human experiences, emotions and thoughts can be applied to our characters then- minus the annoying technology of course!
Another joy of being a writer- competent at research with a lust for knowledge.
I've brought him into the second novel because there aren't many like that about.
Yes, of course our research is autobiographical. It's what we DO for our work, if we're serious.