Staying With the Sentence

I’m away in Manchester, battling my way through a draft of my novel. It’s something I do regularly thanks to an idea I stole from the great Nancy Stohlman a few years ago – the “mini-retreat” where you lock yourself away in a basic hotel in a boring location, make maximum use of time and all you do is write. I have not taken the advice totally on board. The hotel is basic, but it is far from boring as my room is directly across the street from the beautiful Midland Hotel in Manchester. However, the view really inspires me rather than hinders me, although frequently just to daydream and THINK of beautiful words and grand ideas rather than to actually put them down anywhere.

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While here, I went along to Word Central, a great reading event at the Central Library, and met up with writing buddy Joyce from |Tim. My name had been put on the reserve list to read, but I didn’t really think they would get around to me – but they did! I had to follow some great poets and writers, including the headline act, Zena Barrie, who was hilarious. She read from the book “Two Similar Looking Men with Umbilical Hernias”, a surreal collection of stories and mind meanderings. She delivered her set with easy humour, and it was thoroughly enjoyable. You can buy the book by clicking on its name to take you to the Amazon page. It is only £2.99 on Kindle at the moment.

Today, back in my hotel room writing and reflecting, I ploughed forwards with my novel in progress. I wrote for an hour or so, but then got stuck at a difficult part of the story I am writing, and it is hard to pick up momentum and get through the scene. I started wondering why I was so concerned about this. Is it necessary to rush it? Why can’t I just sit with the words one by one and see what happens when I take my time? Do we always need to be SO productive?

I don’t have the answers to any of that, by the way, and I am wondering, what you do if you find yourself in that position – at a tricky part of your novel/story/whatever? Do you make a placeholder and move on with the intention of picking it up later, or do you stay with the sentences as they slowly draw themselves out? No method is right or wrong, but I am always curious about other people’s practices. Please drop a comment in the chat – about this or any other aspect of your writing.