FOUR FUN WAYS OF BUILDING WRITING RESILIENCE

Those who follow me on social media will know I’m delighted to be one of ten authors to receive a Scottish Book Trust New Writers’ Award for 2022, which includes mentoring, a fabulous writing retreat, the opportunity to read before agents and publishers, and more. When I received the all-important phone call, I burst into tears– that is how much this award means to me! 

But as my writing friends also know, this kind of writing recognition hasn’t happened overnight. I have been novel writing for years but lacked the confidence to send manuscripts to agents and publishers. That pesky voice in my head kept sneering that my writing was no good. 

Then the pandemic hit and writing courses I was previously unable to attend, suddenly appeared online. Fed up with berating myself about long form fiction, I gave flash fiction writing a go — with the aim of getting used to writerly rejection! And yes, I’ve received rejections aplenty, but I was amazed to enjoy successes too – longlisted, shortlisted, publication, wins. However, none of this would have happened if I’d given in to those whispers of doubt. And, as sure as rain falls in springtime, those whispers will return. So... 

HOW TO BUILD WRITING RESILIENCE?

 

DEVELOP A NETWORK 

Writing, for the most part, is a solitary activity, but writing friends are IMPORTANT, especially when it comes to helping us bounce back. They don’t have to write in the same genre, or even the same form, but, hackneyed as it sounds, writers’ benefit from belonging to a tribe. Only other creatives truly understand this mad compulsion to keep writing, even when the odds against publication are mountainously high. 

Author friends are also brilliant cheerleaders helping celebrate when things go well – finishing a draft, having a manuscript accepted, signing a film option! (We’ve got to keep dreaming!) Being a part of the Novel Points of View community is fun, checking in with writing friends each week, keeping up with travels (Kath) and hedgehogs (John). I also rely heavily on friendships forged via the Romantic Novelists’ Association, Lifelong Learning Dundee, Retreat West, Aberdeen Writers’ Studio and more (please give your writing friend networks a shout out in the comments). If this all sounds hard work, remember to take things slowly, all you need is ONE loyal friend! 

'A day without a friend is like a pot without
a single drop of honey left inside'
Winnie the Pooh

WRITING WORKSHOPS 

Writing workshops teach us how to strengthen our craft – often by reading and analysing other writers. But how do workshops help build resilience? Well, as well as receiving friendly feedback, tightening prose, which should translate into less rejection, I learn from others’ mistakes, reminding me that no writing is perfect, and that we are all just doing our best. Workshops are also a great way of making friends (see tip 1!) 

Writing Workshops, a great way to make friends
 - both in person and online...

BOOK GROUPS 

Choose the right book group and they are not only interesting as a reader, but are useful for writers too. My group often selects authors that are new to me, discussion is lively and although I mostly enjoy the books chosen, even when I come across a challenging read, I still learn from having spent time with the characters. In short, it’s a fantastic reminder that not all readers enjoy the same style of writing, or put another way, we can’t please all the people, all the time. All I can do is to keep writing and hope that, eventually, my work will find the right home. 

SHAKE THINGS UP – 

TRY A NEW GENRE/ FORM/ PROMPT/COMPETITION 

Remember that pesky internal voice I mentioned? Well, it's still here but I’ve found a way to trick it! I take a break from my work-in-progress and try something new – a new genre/ new form/ new prompt/ new competition. I’m just experimenting, right? There is no reason for the voice to get upset, because I already know that what I am producing is rough, fresh off the press. It doesn’t need to harp on! That way, I write, and my pesky little internal voice gets a rest! 

 I am reminded of the words of Maya Angelou — 

 So, thank you to ALL my beautiful butterfly friends. 

 Happy writing!

Rae x

FLASH FICTION TUTORING

Something that constantly surprises me about writing are the unexpected turns that take your work in a whole new direction. As those who have read my last few blog posts will know, this year, for me, has been about shorter pieces. Mostly focusing on both learning about and writing flash fiction. I have even been lucky enough to have pieces published by the likes of the Bath Flash Fiction Award, Retreat West, Cranked Anvil Press, the Romantic Novelists’ Association magazine and Ellipsis Zine (to name a few). 

M:ADE 

So, I was delighted when M:ADE (Moray, Arts, Development, Engagement) asked if I would consider offering a series of flash fiction workshops, working with visual artist, Lynne Strachan of Curious Cranberry, as well as filmmaker, Jason Sinclair of Poppycock Films. The initial hope was that our workshops would be delivered now (in the autumn), but due to the pesky virus, we are now looking towards spring. 

DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD SCHEME 

However, that initial enquiry was quickly followed by a second, when a young student, interested in developing flash fiction writing as a skill for her Duke of Edinburgh award, asked if I could help. For those outside the United Kingdom, not familiar with the Duke of Edinburgh Award, it is a voluntary scheme for young adults, which helps them develop new interests and talents. 

COULD I TUTOR? 

As an enthusiastic believer in lifelong learning, of course I said ‘yes’ to both... Then the doubt set in. Did I know enough? Who did I think I was offering flash fiction workshops? What if what I offered wasn’t good enough? Or worse, boring! Could I make flash fiction writing fun? 

There was only one way to find out. I set about creating timetables, researching what should be included, remembering the focus of the M:ADE project, as well as the interests of my young Duke of Edinburgh student. The good news is that once I’d pulled material together, I had far more lesson plans than I needed.

A month on, and I love discovering new writers, sharing stories, focusing on writing craft with my Duke of Edinburgh student. Preparing the weekly sessions, hearing a young person’s creative ideas is inspiring. I’m learning loads too! 

WHAT'S NEXT?

So far, these sessions have all been in-person, but over the past couple of years, I’ve attended numerous online workshops and masterclasses. Who knows, maybe one day I will develop an online class too! 

There is still so much I need to explore about flash fiction – writing in different genre, attempting humorous pieces, how to create an anthology and, perhaps in time, write a novella-in-flash etc. It’s a form that encourages experimentation and pushes literary boundaries, meaning it is an exciting community to be a part of. 

That’s the beauty of a creative life, there are always new ways to stretch and grow. So, has your creativity taken you along an unexpected path? And if so, what did you learn? 

Happy creating!

Rae x