Spain is calling. Andalucia in particular. It’s a part of the world I hadn’t visited until five years ago but I’ve been back every year since to run a Dark Angels www.dark-angels.org.uk course near Aracena. And in between courses I’ve returned to visit the great cities of Andalucia – Granada, Cordoba, Seville. Places of history, atmosphere, stories.
These were recent discoveries for me. I always discover new things through Dark Angels, and in this part of Spain the effect seems to be multiplied. For writers I believe it’s vital that we constantly seek new discoveries. For me, it’s the most exciting thing about getting older, you know that there’s still so much more to discover if you keep pushing yourself to do so. Age is something you gain simply by being alive; experience you gain by living. But even as you get older you need to keep seeking experience. Otherwise….
So I carry on looking for discoveries. I like to share them too, so I’ll continue through books and blogs and training to pass on what I’ve discovered and open out new things found along the way.
Here are ten things I suggest to you, to make new discoveries as a writer:
1 Write in a style and genre you’ve never previously tried.
2 Go to a part of the world you’ve never visited before – even if it’s just to discover why.
3 Read a book you’ve resisted as ‘too difficult’ – persevere with it.
4 Go to see an art form you always told yourself you hated.
5 Take a solo day-long train journey to and from a British city you’ve not visited before – take only a notebook and write as you go.
6 Have a meal in a restaurant whose style of cooking you’ve not tasted before
7 Find out about an area of science that baffles you.
8 Start learning a new foreign language.
9 Who lives in the next street at No. 26? Imagine.
10 Choose a word randomly from the dictionary. Write everything that you can find out about it.
I could add No. 11. But tell me what you would add to the list. I might like to try it.
From Peter Monro
remembering Aracena and thinking of Spanish cities,
Dale limosna, mujer
que no hay en la vida nada
como la pena de ser
ciego en Granada francisco de icaza
Which means
Give him alms good lady,
Because life holds no greater sadness
Than to be blind in Granada.
I hear you loudly with idea number 3.
My number 11 which may prove too difficult for one prolific author I admire and respect. Write with abject enthusiasm about a Football manager whose tactics you have previously dismissed out of hand.
Now that would be a journey of discovery. Perhaps we can share the ride.
Ah, I think you have a Blackburn manager in mind. OK, I will write about Roy Hodgson, I think he’s rather good.
I find walking around unfamiliar parts of London can sometimes be good for the writerly soul. It’s no Aracena though. Blood red tree trunks and the smell of fermenting figs. Not at all.
One of my favourites is to pick a random passer-by and concoct a life story for them – as fantastic and far-fetched as I want, or not.
I’m intrigued by number five, rather fancy trying that on a slow, solitary Sunday.
I have a couple of suggestions:
- Walk a familiar route that you’ve walked many times before. Take a camera. Take photographs of both the main familiar landmarks that you use to identify the route, and small, incidental details that you might not normally notice.
- Think of someone you dislike. Imagine a scenario whereby you’re forced to spend time with them. Then write an account of that occasion – from their perspective.
This short article which appeared in The Age (Melbourne) newspaper shares some interesting ideas – http://bit.ly/dng96e
Perhaps in a similar vein to the idea suggested by Rowena, I intentionally dispensed with my camera on a recent trip to http://www.montsalvat.com.au/ and simply took a small note pad. I wandered around the grounds selecting potential photographs with a few concepts in mind – tiny details, an ankle level perspective, reflections and simplicity.
I suspect this is a variation of your number five?
I found that without the camera, for once, I was invited to write – “why would I take this photo?” Yes, just catkins, but on this occasion, glistening in bright sunshine after a rainfall.
The bowed stain glass windows, the worn lions head on the door handle and so on.