The Journey and the Narrative

Original Publication 24/07/20

Photo courtesy of CanterCreative

I'm writing a book, in case you hadn't heard. If you know me, chances are high you've caught that nugget of information somewhere along the grapevine, proclaimed with pride and passion after a few too many or simply uttered in passing when a new acquaintance engages me in obligatory small talk. Whatever the occasion, I've been keen to build anticipation over the 18 or so months I've been working on my debut (one hopes) novel, a project that I plan to have completed by the time we end 2020, a year many are more than happy to see the end of.

Negatives and personal anecdotes aside, that wish will only be realised at the behest of my perfectionist and overly self-critical nature, for this project has grown and grown since its conception, and almost always for the better, I am proud to state.

I wanted to set a story (in the form of a screenplay at the time) in North America. That much was obvious and deep-seated within me. As I've mentioned in a previous piece about my experience travelling North America, I always felt an allure to the grandiose landscape out there. I wished to depict it in adoring and fitting terms and, as time progressed, a novel became the only appropriate form for the story I wished to tell.

The plot itself began as a desire to tell the story of a man, hardened by nature and his own tragic past, living way out there in the mountains and the valleys and amongst the tall trees, surviving off the land. So I worked and I saved and I travelled out to that distant land and got acclimatised, as it were. For the best part of two years, I immersed myself in the mountains. I engulfed my senses, and I walked in the shoes of my characters. I felt an influence take ahold of me, growing my narrative and the very tone of the story.

This gritty theme of survival and characters with fractured pasts and the search for contentment in a troubled world has always found its way into my work. Is it a touch melancholic? Arguably, but it's what I'm drawn to as a writer, it's what gives my process traction. I'm drawn to work that makes you contemplate. So, so be it. I'd rather find my niche and revel in it than write something false and contrived.

Our main character meanwhile, is forced to face his demons when his careful and methodical existence is threatened by the sudden introduction of a young indigenous girl into his life, a girl with a troubled past of her own. The nature of these characters creation speaks again to that aforementioned North American influence.

The town in which I resided for most of my time out there, displayed a passion for Canada's indigenous history and culture, particularly in the towns creative arts centre, The Banff Centre. I found myself one afternoon in their library, researching the works they had and entertaining the possibility of including aspects of their culture into my work. It, understandably, required research and sensitivity, but something about the concept seemed right, it added a certain quality to the tone of my story. It remains to be seen whether it was a wise choice, but I felt it had the potential to appeal to a larger demographic, outside the confines of my home country. What I am certain of, however, is that it inspired a turn of events, leading to plot changes and narrative tweaks that have helped my work develop into something I'm proud of.

This has been the largest and most difficult project I have ever taken on, practical or otherwise. It's a journey that has brought on a surfeit of emotions, ranging entirely across the spectrum. There have been times when I doubted with certainty, the quality of my work. I scoured through pages with pedantry, worrying too much about whether my story was believable or engaging enough, and considering for long spells whether my representations were appropriate. But, I pushed such musings aside, I persevered, and now I find myself here, 32000 words in and still cracking on. I can't wait for you all to read it once this particular journey ends.

I'm doing this so I can be proud of myself, and because I have the support and anticipation of friends, family and my partner. I have my blog and my screenplays to turn my attention to if the words just aren't coming. I have the memories of North America to draw inspiration from and I have physical, natural beauty just outside my door. And that's really what I would say to any writer who seeks advice about this journey before they start it. Find your strengths where you can. Find what makes you tick and don't be afraid to stray momentarily from the path you've set yourself if only to find inspiration elsewhere. Do it for yourself, just as much as your (soon to be) adoring fans and readers. Remember all that, and you'll be just fine.