Vox: Short audio from the RLF

The post Menna van Praag – The Writer And Technology appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'When the online customer support person told me – brightly – to ‘have a nice day' it took all the willpower I possessed not to scream expletives. 'When informed that this cloud hadn't magically saved all my lost books, I burst into tears and, when the online customer support person told me – brightly – to ‘have a nice day' it took all the willpower I possessed not to scream expletives in response.

The post James Attlee – The Perfect Place To Write appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'After commuting for twelve years, I told GWR I had written three books on their train, and that I should be made their writer in residence.'After commuting for twelve years, I went freelance. I told GWR I had written three books on their train, and that I should be made their writer in residence. To my surprise they agreed, giving me a staff pass that allowed free travel on their network.

The post Rebecca Colby – In My Bottom Drawer appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'My bottom drawer is more of a recycling bin than a bottom drawer. My intention is for nothing to stay in it forever. 'My bottom drawer is more of a recycling bin than a bottom drawer. With the knowledge that no writing is ever wasted, my intention is for nothing to stay in it forever. Instead, it serves as a temporary storage space for stories I plan to revise.

The post Garry MacKenzie – How I Write appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'I score out phrases, draw connecting arrows between ideas, and play around with words on the page. A mouse and keyboard would slow me down.'I score out phrases, draw connecting arrows between ideas, and play around with the position of words on the page. Using a mouse and keyboard would slow me down. I rewrite obsessively. Every few lines I'll start redrafting what I've written so far.

The post Kim Curran – Why I Write appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'Writing is dreams caught in butterfly nets. It's falling in love for the first time. It's adventures my knees are too old to have. 'Writing is dreams caught in butterfly nets. It's falling in love for the first time. It's adventures my knees are too old to have. And mysteries my brain is too dull to solve. Writing is my escape. My means of coming back to myself. I write because I love it.

The post Michaela Morgan – Getting Published: What No One Tells You appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'Gather a few authors together in a room and does the conversation veer towards culture, philosophy, art…literature? No, it does not. It focuses on complaints.'Gather a few authors together in a room and does the conversation veer towards culture, philosophy, art…literature? No, it does not. It focuses on complaints — publicists, publishers, party invitations (lack of), editors and of course…earnings.

The post Charlie Hill – My Most Treasured Moments As A Writer appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'Wandering around a music festival, a fella pointed a camera at me. ‘You wrote that book, didn't you?' he said. ‘I did!' I said, thrilled, ‘did you like it?' ‘I'm not sure,' he said.'Wandering around a music festival, a fella pointed a camera at me. ‘You wrote that book, didn't you?' he said. ‘I did!' I said, thrilled, ‘did you like it?' ‘I'm not sure,' he said and hid any fanboy excess behind a look that might be described as unnerving...

The post Alex Nye – The Writer And Nature appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'Nature is everywhere. It's ugly and visceral and full of decay. It's in the rust on the bicycle and the weeds appearing uninvited between the cracks. 'I note that the café has an atmosphere of carefully crafted urban decay, mostly accidental. Nature is everywhere. It's ugly and visceral and full of decay. It's in the rust on the bicycle and the weeds appearing uninvited between the cracks.

The post Sarah Jasmon – Letter To My Younger Self appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'The advice that the editor gave, that readers want to know more about the kestrel flying above the rainbow and less about what it's like to change a tyre in the rain? They're not wrong.'The advice that the editor gave, that the readers want to know more about the kestrel flying above the rainbow that you see from the mountain pass in Wales and less about what it's like to change a tyre in the rain? They're not wrong.

The post Richard Lambert – Rejection appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'I began to internalise the rejections, to believe in a way I hadn't when I was younger, that the editors, agents, publishers were right — my work wasn't good enough.'I began to internalise the rejections, to believe in a way I hadn't when I was younger, that the editors, agents, publishers were right — my work wasn't good enough; of course they didn't want it. The rejections began to affect me. They began to fray me.

The post Amber Lee Dodd – Being Genre Fluid appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'I'm constantly drawing on a bank of inspiration from a wide pool, taking what I need and leaving behind what I don't. 'I think I can put my voice down to the many disciplines I've studied, read, and written, the genres and practices I've worked in. I'm constantly drawing on a bank of inspiration from a wide pool, taking what I need and leaving behind what I don't.

The post Simon Robson – Life-changing Literature appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'I remember trying to look at ease. I remember thinking I should probably read something, just as in a bar you should probably drink something. 'I remember thinking I should probably read something, just as in a bar you should probably drink something. I wanted to be a scientist when I grew up, but that day I needed something stronger. I was so desperate I found myself in the poetry section.

The post Anthony Quinn – Inspiration appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'One part of me is sinking deeper into my roots, and the other is struggling to get away, to evoke a freer world in my writing. 'One part of me is sinking deeper into my roots, and the other is struggling to get away, to evoke a freer world in my writing. Writing about the Troubles and the landscape of home feels fraught with danger, but it is also a way of exerting myself.

The post Alison MacLeod – The Writer And Technology appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'How will we ever code for experiences of wonder, grief, joy and awe? How will a humanoid artist ever yearn? 'How will we ever code for experiences of wonder, grief, joy and awe? How will a humanoid artist ever yearn? Such experiences will never be reducible to simulated feelings, even if simulations might be transmitted across our neural networks.

The post Jeremy Treglown – The Perfect Place To Write appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'There aren't many places where I can't write. A beach in full sun is no good, nor is a fast-moving car, but trains are fine, parks, waiting rooms, anywhere with a seat.'There aren't many places where I can't write. A beach in full sun is no good, nor is a fast-moving car, but trains are fine, parks in fair weather, waiting rooms, anywhere with a seat, in fact. People don't distract me, nor does any but the loudest noise.

The post Sarah Hilary – In My Bottom Drawer appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'Only we know how deeply we felt those words, how hard we clung to the belief that they would one day find a shelf in a library or bookshop. And our characters! 'Only we know how deeply we felt those words, how hard we clung to the belief that they would one day find a shelf in a library or bookshop. And our characters! We cannot turn them out of the house. In any case, no word is ever wasted, we're told.

The post Anna Wilson – Inspiration appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'If I've put in enough hours, if I've proved to the Muse that I am dedicated and loyal, there comes a time when she does arrive, unexpectedly and unannounced.'If I've put in enough hours, if I've proved to the Muse that I am dedicated and loyal, there comes a time when she does arrive, unexpectedly and unannounced, in all her golden glory. And when this happens I don't have time for inspirational quotes.

The post Mark Blayney – The Festival Experience appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'How do you get your ideas?' If this seems a silly question to you: try not to say that. Think ahead and make up a reason. You're a creator! 'How do you get your ideas?' If this seems a silly question to you: try not to say that. Think ahead and make up a reason. You're a creator! Invent. And if your audience is bijou — shall we say — involve them.

The post Jasbinder Bilan – The Biggest Surprise Of My Writing Life appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'I come from a long line of home-grown storytellers. My mother would cook big pots of fragrant Indian food and stories would spring into the conversation.'I come from a long line of home-grown storytellers. At extended family gatherings my mother would cook big pots of fragrant Indian food and suddenly stories about our beloved farm close to the Himalaya would spring into the conversation.

The post Beth Miller – Rejection appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'Why is rejection inevitable?' My game-changing Rejection is Actually an Essential Part of the Process theory. I'm aware that the name needs some work.'Why is rejection inevitable?' I eventually came up with my game-changing theory. It's called the Rejection is Actually an Essential Part of the Process theory. I'm aware that the name needs some work.

I'd managed to publish three collections of poems alongside my academic career but had been too busy working and caring… I'd managed to publish three collections of poems alongside my academic career but had been too busy working and caring to build on my achievements. The time I should have devoted to producing academic papers had been spent writing poetry. I managed to publish three collections alongside my academic career but had been too busy working and caring to build on my writing achievements. The post Elizabeth Holloway – The Writing / Life Balance appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'I'd managed to publish three collections of poems alongside my academic career but had been too busy working and caring to build on my achievements.'The time I should have devoted to producing academic papers had been spent writing poetry. I managed to publish three collections alongside my academic career but had been too busy working and caring to build on my writing achievements.

It simply never occurred to me that I could or ever would become a writer. My working-class roots put it… It simply never occurred to me that I could or ever would become a writer. My working-class roots put it well beyond any horizon of mine. I came to writing late in life, having never for a moment thought I would become a published novelist. It simply never occurred to me that I could or ever would become a writer. My working-class roots put it well beyond any horizon of mine. The post Guinevere Glasfurd – The Writing Life appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'It simply never occurred to me that I could or ever would become a writer. My working-class roots put it well beyond any horizon of mine.'I came to writing late in life, having never for a moment thought I would become a published novelist. It simply never occurred to me that I could or ever would become a writer. My working-class roots put it well beyond any horizon of mine.

It was impossible for me to go into a stately home (a treat for a seven year old) and not… It was impossible for me to go into a stately home (a treat for a seven year old) and not enquire whether there had been any blood shed, or bones found. It was impossible for me to go into a stately home (a treat for a seven year old) and not enquire whether there had been any blood shed, or bones found in the priest hole. Becoming a crime journalist and then a crime novelist was always on the cards. The post David Mark – The Writer And The City appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'It was impossible for me to go into a stately home (a treat for a seven year old) and not enquire whether there had been any blood shed, or bones found.'It was impossible for me to go into a stately home (a treat for a seven year old) and not enquire whether there had been any blood shed, or bones found in the priest hole. Becoming a crime journalist and then a crime novelist was always on the cards.

As pilgrims we were captivated by the landscape as it changed around us, concerned with basic facts of where we… As pilgrims we were captivated by the landscape as it changed around us, concerned with basic facts of where we would eat and sleep. I had no desire for a fictional world. As pilgrims we were captivated by the landscape as it changed around us, concerned with basic facts of where we would eat and sleep, and charged with the encounters and conversations that shaped each day. I had no desire for a fictional world. The post Phoebe Power – Life-changing Literature appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'As pilgrims we were captivated by the landscape as it changed around us, concerned with basic facts of where we would eat and sleep. I had no desire for a fictional world.'As pilgrims we were captivated by the landscape as it changed around us, concerned with basic facts of where we would eat and sleep, and charged with the encounters and conversations that shaped each day. I had no desire for a fictional world.

There was no one in the once-a-monastery-now-a-restaurant but us. A young couple came in with their baby, only to leave… There was no one in the once-a-monastery-now-a-restaurant but us. A young couple came in with their baby, only to leave after a hushed conversation with the waiters. There was no one in the once-a-monastery-now-a-restaurant but us — maybe the festival had booked the whole restaurant, which didn't strike me as out of keeping with the general oddness of this globetrotting cohort of writers and translators. The post Thomas Bunstead – The Festival Experience appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.

'There was no one in the once-a-monastery-now-a-restaurant but us. A young couple came in with their baby, only to leave after a hushed conversation with the waiters.'There was no one in the once-a-monastery-now-a-restaurant but us — maybe the festival had booked the whole restaurant, which didn't strike me as out of keeping with the general oddness of this globetrotting cohort of writers and translators.

Words are a re-ordering of dream, an attempt to drag down the superconscious into the good old conscious, where theatres… Words are a re-ordering of dream, an attempt to drag down the superconscious into the good old conscious, where theatres are and publishing happens. Words are a re-ordering of dream, an attempt to drag down the superconscious into the good old conscious, where theatres are and publishing happens. But too much world-order and the dream-power is lost. I have to stop, dip back down into sleep. The post Peter Oswald – Dreams And The Writer appeared first on Royal Literary Fund.