I'll be taking this show on the virtual road for a series of mini- interviews this June. These guys are all brilliant multi genre writers as well as bloggers, so it should be a very interesting trip - 6 th June
The Sean O Faolain Prize is open for submission till the 31st July. The judge is Joyce Russell.You can find out more here - The Sean O Faolain Prize
For Poems -
The Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award for a first unpublished collection is open till the 26th July. You can send 20 poems (but they have to be less than 40 lines each) ... the judge is Brian Lynch and you can find out more Here.
Maggie Breen's first collection, Other Things I Didn't Tell has recently been published by Scallta Media. I relished the poems in this book, Maggie has an almost uncanny ability to evoke the details of childhood - from the slap of wellies against bare legs, to the 'wrinkly witch fingers' of a child in the bath - the vividness of imagery throughout the book, is quite startling and original. Paula Meehan has this to say about Breens work -
“Maggie
Breen digs deep into personal memory to unearth a vivid picture of a
rural childhood, to reclaim that childhood in language, and to
reinhabit with power and grace the landscape of those early years. She
shines light into the darkest reaches of community and family life and
celebrates the tenacity and endurance of the child self. She gives us
poems rich in promise: even as she unpacks the complex baggage of a
young Irishwoman determined to take the world on her own terms, she
succeeds in celebrating the very blessings of that difficult path.
These poems bring to mind Kavanagh’s beautiful phrase —To look on is enough / In the business of love.” Paula Meehan
Most of the poems are from the 'I' point of view Maggie, but as we know the poetic 'I' is not always the poet. Is this collection autobiographical, is it inspired mainly by specific memories? For the most
part, the poems are indeed specific memories, mainly from my childhood.
In some cases, for example, 'Hypnotist' this is a combination of
memories and feelings rolled into one event. I know that the incense
would have only been used for funerals and in the poem I am portraying
the pattern day in the local graveyard. My association as a child with
the graveyard, seems to collect all these memories and ideas together
into one merged sensation. I guess this is anyway how a child's mind
and possibly even an adults mind might work, i.e. mixing some feelings
and events together to form one idea or picture. 'An Ghlaise Bheag' is
also a collection of memories and thoughts rolled into one moment in
time. In this case it's my adult voice talking. Throughout the book,
the 'I' is the poet and represents the ideas, emotions, experiences of
the poet, both grounded in reality and dream. The later sections become darker, especially section three... I certainly agree that Section three is darker, heavier. In
this section, the poems draw inspiration from dreams. They tend to be a
merging of real events on the one hand and ideas from dreams and
meditations on the other hand, while the heart of the poems remains
true to the basic emotions of reality. For example in 'Haven', I want
to convey the feeling of complete and utter devastation at losing
something precious. There also is the theme of femininity and having
children, which I would feel is something that I lack. In my mind, it
brings into question my femininity and mourns my lack of children.
Can you tell me more about drawing inspiration from dreams? I've
been fascinated by dreams for a long time too. About 15 years ago, I
had a lot of nightmares. I'd wake up in a cold sweat, the fear from the
dream, keeping me awake for hours after. I'd write then, while I was
awake, sometimes light fantasies to forget and sometimes, when I
remembered snippets of the dreams, I'd write them down, writing the
fear out of me, I guess. I didn't really analyse my dreams/nightmares
at the time, I just knew the emotions that I felt when I woke up and
how remembering even fragments and writing them down, helped. Then
about 3 years ago, I did a writers's workshop in Anam Cara Writers'
Retreat down in West Cork called 'The Poet and the Dream' with poet,
Paula Meehan and dream-worker, Juliet Clancy. During the workshop, we
read out our dreams and worked the dreams, basing the work we did on
the Jeremy Taylor’s ten basic assumptions about dreams. It was real
revelation for me. From then on, I have kept a pen and paper beside my
bed.
So you catch your dreams on waking by writing them down?Yes
I always have a pen and paper beside the bed. When I wake up, I usually
gather a few key words from the different scenes I remember and then
sit up and write as much detail as I can. The key for me is not to get
too hung up if and when I don’t remember much. Sometimes some tiny
detail remembered, even the emotion I have when I wake, is enough. I
then can channel even the residual feeling from the dream, to write in
that moment, just write whatever comes into my head. Mostly I remember
a few scenes at least. Either way, I write whatever I remember of the
scenes and the feelings and this can then turn into a poem or story,
sometimes almost as I wrote it and sometimes after several drafts.
Do you attempt to interpret them or just lay them down as they are?
Initially
I just write them down. Later, sometimes hours, sometimes days, I read
over them, work them to strip back/unveil what the dream wants to tell
me. I try not to force it too much. Often, there are multiple meanings
in dreams and the dreamer can best follow what rings true for them.
Often the relevance of a dream or alternative meanings, will become
clear after a period of time.
I think dreams can help us, that they know more than we do. What do you think, would you agree?Yes,
absolutely. To quote Taylor, I believe that analysing dreams is “using
dreams to tap the wisdom of the unconscious”. In working with my
dreams, I have had many situations, where dreams have brought me this
“wisdom” and advice. A few nights ago, I had a dream, it related to the
nervousness I was feeling in my life at having recently left my day job
to pursue my writing and painting. The dream confirmed to me the need
to continue to trust my instincts which I followed when making these
choices.
Do you meditate to find a poem or is it a happy by product?
When
I meditate I work in a similar way to how I work with dreams. I often
meditate before writing or painting, to ground myself, to clear my
mind. If any images or feelings come, I try to put these into words and
if words don’t come, I draw or paint to express my responses. I follow
the track leading from these meditations which then sometimes lead to a
poem, a story or a painting. So, yes, in fact, a poem is more a happy
coincidence of a meditation than a primary goal.
You paint as well! I'd love if you came back at later stage to talk about your art. As we end I'd like to ask about the last poem in your collection. 'Secrets' ends with - 'I knew it was
better/not to tell'...is this telling us that absolutely all is not revealed here, and nor should it be? I
would agree that all has not been revealed in my poems. It feels more
like a layer of truth has been uncovered and is being spoken about,
which in turn is a kind of preparation for the next layer to be
uncovered/unveiled. It feels like a ritual. For me personally, there is
a very strong need to speak out.It's like a mission that I need to
fulfill. I believe that in speaking out, in bringing into the light,
topics such as suicide, depression, abuse, etc., it can help people who
are weighed down with these and can give a voice to and empower people
who may not have had a voice before. Whether I believe that all should
ultimately be revealed or whether some things should go unsaid, I think
it depends on the context/situation. In speaking, I tend to see myself
on the side of revealing all rather than holding back. Though in
writing, I believe the truth can be expressed without all the details.
That said, it is not my aim to hold back details as a kind of trick to create a dramatic effect, it's more that I want to pare back to the centre of things, to present the essence.
What poets do you admire? Paula Meehan, Mary O'Donnell, Leanne O'Sullivan, Brendan Kennelly, Seamus Heaney. Seamus
Heaney's 'Mid-Term Break', which I read in 5th or 6th class, had a
massive effect on me. I remember sitting in the classroom listening to
the teacher reading it, having to clench my teeth to stop myself from
crying. I realised the power of words and of sharing a story, in all
it's rawness.
Do you have a favourite quote or saying that helps keep your writing self on track? 'Be brave, write the truth'.
Thanks Maggie! Click Here to buy Other Things I Didn't Tell
Return to Me
Maggie Breen
I don’t want to hear your words anymore,
that force their way in and down my throat,
like tar funneled into me,
by a raving mob of men, frothing at the mouth.
I don’t want to answer you anymore,
with words that turn me insides out,
blood dripping from my sockets,
like tears.
I want to be five,
to dance in the dew-damp grass at the back of our house,
Published
in The Stinging Fly and The Scaldy Detail, Maggie Breen has been
writing since as far back as she can remember. Compelled to write as a
form of speaking out, she draws inspiration from the familiar at home,
childhood memories, her extensive travels and vivid dreams. Originally
from Monageer, Co. Wexford, she divides her time between Sallins, Co.
Kildare, and Dingle, Co. Kerry.
Shauna Gilligan's first novel is called Happiness Comes from Nowhere. I'm delighted to chat to her about her writing time, it might spur me on a little as I've written nothing for days....oh the shame :)
Welcome to the blog Shauna, you're working on a phd
as well as your own writing - so how many hours (or minutes!) do you get to dedicate to fiction in an average week, or is there an average week?!
Thanks for having me on your
blog, Niamh.
Yes, I’m doing a
PhD in Writing (University of South Wales) and I’ve got my Viva Voce on June
12th (that’s the oral exam where you defend your PhD thesis) so I’m nearly there with that one, thankfully!
I write every day,
without exception. I try and dedicate late evening/early night to writing –
that is, after my children are in bed, so usually from 9pm until whatever time
I can manage. So on average it’s two to three hours a day, usually four days a
week, sometimes seven. There are times when I lose track of time and it’s after
midnight but other times, I’ll just do some editing and head to bed early. Bottom
line is, though, if I don’t do some writing every day, I really miss it.
What is your favorite form at
the moment? How do you prioritise one form over another time wise, do you have
a set system allocating sections of that time for say research/poetry/stories/
your novel or does it vary?
Though I’m working on some
stories right now, I have to say I tend to let the mood dictate what I do and
tend not to prioritise unless there is a deadline involved.
I write long and
short fiction and most of the time switch between the two, without a set
system. However, when I am researching for my novels, I tend to write short fiction
and often find that elements of the research creep into these pieces. I find
that having a form other than that
which you are trying to work on (especially when it’s tough going), frees you
from that worry of stopping. Likewise, when I’m deep into a short story and
find myself flailing, or needing a break, I’ll head back to the novel. When I’m
engaged in academic research or writing, it’s the same process. That way I’m
still engaged in the creative process. One of my writer friends who writes
poetry and fiction says he can’t switch between the two like this, so I’m
guessing that it is somewhat easier with mixing short and long fiction, despite
the different forms. I also bake, which works wonders for finding solutions to
tricky narratives or characters. I make a mean lemon cake.
Do you find different forms
almost have their season? (as I mentioned previously I like Sept for starting
into a novel as the month has a ‘knuckle down’ kind of energy for me and summer
can be difficult for sustained writing sessions as my children are at home so
in an ideal world it would be my short story season.
That’s an interesting
question, Niamh. I have to say, so far I haven’t found a season for a form. I
tend to reserve a week for pure writing (away from work, family, friends) twice
a year – usually late summer/early autumn or early spring – so maybe there is
something to do with a sense of finishing or starting, as you have pointed out.
Carver wrote short stories sitting in his car while waiting to collect his
children from school. But I think you can do those short bursts with novels as
well, work on episodes or sections of the narrative but of course you also need
that ‘knuckle down’ period.
What would you say to your younger self
about writing time and the different forms, what do you wish you had known
years ago?
I think I’d tell my
younger self to stop worrying what it all means, and not to stop because life
seems busy or somehow incompatible with the intense creativity that comes with
writing. (I stopped writing regularly in my early twenties and didn’t return to
it until my mid thirties).
With regards forms
of writing, I’d say just write, worry about the form or what type of writer you
are later. That all comes with time, but the craft takes a lot of working and
reworking.
I wish I had known
years ago that just because you stop writing the urge to write doesn’t go away,
even if you ignore it! So you might as well just keep at it!
Thanks Shauna, that was inspiring. And best of luck with your Viva Voce!
Shauna blogs at A Girl's Writing Is Never Done . Born in Dublin, Ireland, she has worked and lived in Mexico,
Spain, India and the UK. She lives in County Kildare, Ireland with her
family. Her work has been published widely and she has given public readings
of her fiction in Ireland and USA and has presented on writing at
academic conferences in Ireland, UK, Germany and USA. Happiness Comes from Nowhere (London: Ward Wood, 2012) is her first novel.
I'm fascinated as to how other writers write, especially those who write across forms, Nuala Nà Chonchúir who blogs at WomenRuleWriter has has published one novel, four collections of short fiction, three poetry collections AND she teaches creative writing part time- so I'm delighted to be able to ask her some nosey questions about how she juggles it all!
Welcome to the blog Nuala, can you tell me how many writing hours you have on an average week, or is there an average week?
I
have 3 and a half to four hours a day (mornings, while the kids are at
college, school and creche). So that's 18 to 20 hours a week. I can
also get to my desk in the afternoons sometimes but I usually just do
admin stuff then (emails, subs, a little research etc.) I do the bulk
of my research reading at night in bed and take notes then. That
reading is for the next day's writing. I am not reading much for
pleasure at the mo as I am writing a historical novel and it requires a
lot of research.
You write novels, short stories and poems, how do you prioritise one
form over another time wise, do you have a set system allocating
sections of that time for poetry, your novel, stories or does it vary?
I
try to be good and use my mornings for 'real' work (at the moment my
novel). I go to the novel first and write as much as I can, hoping to
reach 500 words minimum but, more often than not, I don't reach that.
If I am working on a story, I get to that next (mostly short-shorts
these days because the novel doesn't allow the head space for anything
longer). I usually have an essay, article or review to work on too, and
that is third in line after the creative work. Poems only come
occasionally and I don't worry too much about them.
Do you find different forms almost have their season? I like Sept for
starting into a novel as the month has a ‘knuckle down’ kind of energy
for me and summer can be difficult for sustained writing sessions as my
children are at home so in an ideal world it would be my short story
season.
I'm
the same - I like to start something big in September. I think it's
because I always loved school and college and I love that feeling of
starting something fresh. The novel in hand has proved so
up-and-downish that I swear I am going back to stories in September (or
when I have finished this current novel).
Also, the kids being around during school holidays is
distracting. No matter how much I warn them that I don't want
interruptions, invariably one of them comes in needing a lift or saying
they are 'starving'. It's no wonder Edna O'Brien sent her boys off to
boarding school!
I know, mine are always 'starving' - you wouldn't know it to look at them though! What would you say to your younger self about writing time Nuala, is there anything you wish you had known say ten years ago?
I
have always been very organised with my writing time. I had my first
kid at 23, so as long as I have been serious about writing, I have been
a mother and in demand, so I just had to be organised. What I'd say to
others is: Get organised! Books are written one word at a time and if
you do not gift yourself the time to write, you won't write a book.
Turn off the TV. Get up early. Do whatever it is you have to do to
carve out writing time. Anyone I know who is seriously compelled to
write, does not use the time excuse. They make the time regardless of
what other people want/say/do. Prioritise!
Thanks to Nuala for coming over, and if there are any other writers out there who'd like to be interviews on how they juggle time let me know :) And have a good weekend!
Ballymaloe International Poetry Prize is organised by The Moth Magazine and will be accepting entries from June 1st. The cash prizes are 10,000 euro, 2,000 euro and 1,000 euro. yes, that's right. 10,000 euro. Can you imagine? The details are here The summer issue of The Moth will be out soon. I'm delighted to have a poem called 'Petronella' included in this edition. As you can see from the image, its always a stunning production. And if you are ever stuck for inspiration, I can recommend Magpie Tales for interesting weekly writing prompts. I'm always interested in how other writers organise their writing time, so if anyone would like to feature in guest post or blog interview on that subject let me know in the comment section. I'm especially interested in 'multi form' writers, it can be challenging enough to prioritise writing in every day life, but how within that do you prioritise your novel, short stories and poetry? Which comes first?
At the moment, my novel comes first but when I hit a certain amount of words I treat myself to some time working on my current short story. I write poetry in a more random and sporadic way (ie when I should be doing other things!) Blogging (as you might have noticed!) comes last, at maybe one post a week. I would love to talk to other writers about how they portion out their brains, and how long they go before they start to feel dizzy :)
The scariest moment is always just before you start.
Stephen King- On Writing
How do you go about writing a first draft? Everyone has a slightly different approach, every book requires its own pace and techniques, this is my way... (for the moment !)
The Words
Writing a novel can seem like a huge undertaking, but like anything else if its broken down, made bite sized; its much more doable, and not so scary. That's why I count words. It doesn't sound like the most romantic/inspired way to write, but inspiration has little to do with a book getting finished. I count the daily word count and set short term goals and deadlines for myself. And post these on the fridge in bossy handwriting :)
Everyone has a different approach to a first draft, some write an outline, you can do this by writing a couple of pages summarising your novel, or making a list of scenes you need to write, or drawing a graph. It's like having a map. I prefer to work blindly and feel my way through the first draft. I'm not sure if this is the best way, it doesn't suit everyone, I'm not even sure it suits me :)
Whether you use an outline or not, you need to count words, you need
to decide how many words a day you want to achieve and how many hours a
week you can get to the laptop/notebook. Even if you only write 500
words a day, 5 days a week, you'll have a novel written by this time
next year. A log book is helpful, a small notebook where you write the
date and your word count, its also encouraging to see the numbers rise.
The Talismans
Though I don't outline, I do collect images and pin them onto my notice board. For my last novel I had a box filled with old newspapers from the period I was writing about, for this new novel I keep paint brushes in a small jug by my keyboard, and photos of an artist's studio on my noticeboard. These objects become totemic, they represent the world of my novel and help me make the shift from the real world to that world when I sit down to write. A poem or quote can help you along the way, I like this one by William Stafford.
The Way It Is
There’s a thread you follow.
It goes among things that change. But it doesn’t change. People
wonder about what you are pursuing. You have to explain about the
thread. But it is hard for others to see. While you hold it you can’t get
lost. Tragedies happen; people get hurt or die; and you suffer and get
old. Nothing you do can stop time’s unfolding. You don’t ever let go of
the thread.
The Heebie Jeebies
There might come a time, maybe half way through, maybe before that, where you'll have a crisis of confidence, just keep counting those words, keep moving. Don't judge your novel at this stage, leave that till later, just get the words done. And when they are done, celebrate and take a well deserved, but not too long, break.
“Once I start work on a project, I don’t stop
and I don’t slow down unless I absolutely have to. If I don’t write
every day, the characters begin to stale off in my mind – they begin to
seem like characters instead of real people. The tale’s narrative
cutting edge starts to rust and I begin to lose my hold on the story’s
plot and pace. Worst of all, the excitement of spinning something new
begins to fade. The work starts to feel like work, and for most writers
that is the smooch of death.”
'
