5 inspiring things to learn about writing from Kate Grenville (a podcast)
I’m running an occasional series with creative people I admire who have a spark of unique “dive-into-life”-ness that I think we could all learn from.
pic via sandstone flies
This week Kate Grenville is my guest. Kate is one of Australia’s best-known authors, having written eight books of fiction and four books about the writing process. Her best-known works are the international best-seller The Secret River (my Mum’s favourite book) The Idea of Perfection, The Lieutenant and Lilian’s Story, which I reckon every kid of my generation read at school. Her latest book is Sarah Thornhill…you might’ve read it? Her novels have won many awards both in Australia and the UK, several have been made into major feature films, and all have been translated into European and Asian languages.
She shares some lovely thoughts on how she does what she does….
Some points I loved:
* She doesn’t wait for inspiration. She just sits and writes and trusts that this process alone will produce.
* She writes to a routine. She sets the alarm for 5:30 and writes for an hour. She doesn’t care what comes out, but again trusts that some of it will be useable. She then goes back and collates all the bits and pieces and jig-saw
s them together.
* She writes longhand first. As she says, in the first draft you must be able to “make a fool of yourself” and the intimacy and privacy of writing with pen and paper allows for this. When we type straight into a computer, we’re in the mindset of writing for the audience.
* She believes that creativity is about risk taking. Creativity is right on the edge – which also means sometimes you might fail, but you need to learn to live with a bit of failure. She says it might always ‘feel’ like failure, but in the end, hopefully it won’t be.
* Make sure you listen to the end and hear her thoughts on perfume and fragranced products. This is how she got in touch with me – she learned I was on the same anti-fragrance wagon.
Here’s the link to her thoughts from her website and the scentsense site she mentions….
Do these tips help you with your creativity? Do any of you still write longhand?!
Loving this series Sarah…
Great the “secrets” of creativity are being de-mystified. So important to “turn up” each day, sit in front of the Mac, (or notepad) and start writing…
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Just listened to this. What a great woman Kate is! I really enjoyed her tips on creativity and feel inspired to get writing. I am a new mum and find it hard to have a routine around “me time”, but hearing that Kate was able to continue writing with kids gives me hope that I can too. Even if it means 5.30am starts!
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Ooh, thanks for the ScentScene link – I’m allergic to artificial fragrances so was very excited to read about places where the wearing of perfume is banned!
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I love Kate Grenville’s writing and it’s inspiring to hear about how she does it – thanks!
It’s also really interesting to hear the ideas against perfumes – I hate when I’m forced to smell strong artificial fragrances, whether it’s strong perfumes, washing powder, air fresheners- it’s always felt like air pollution to me. If I use anything non-frangrance-free on my skin I get itchy very quickly, and I actually prefer not smelling of anything. I even use baking soda as underarm deodorant – it’s very effective and it doesn’t smell of anything, and that to me is one of the big advantages compared to other deodorants.
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November 3rd, 2011 at 2:54 pm
HK, how do you put the baking soda on? Do you use it as a powder? Very interesting!
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November 3rd, 2011 at 4:05 pm
I just dab the powder on my underarms with my fingers – it helps to have slightly damp fingers so I’ll usually do this after getting out of the shower. I keep it in a little pot, mixed with cornflour (about 50/50) which makes it nice and soft on my skin.
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What a great podcast. I write long hand too. I find that if I plonk myself in front of the computer and try to work on my novel / blog / an article – nothing happens. It’s all about how organic writing longhand feels to me. Of course I end up typing it all up as back up but I always start longhand. It’s a relief to hear that a published author of Kate’s calibre does this too! Loving this series Sarah. Thanks!
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I ALWAYS write longhand when writing drafts/planning essays, lists, jotting down ideas etc. It fascinates me how I am clearly in the minority at university lectures – I feel so archaic with my pad and pen amongst a sea of students typing away on their laptops. I just can’t fully get ideas into my head without physically scrawling them out. Its like the process of writing, the intimate experience of feeling the letters form as controlled by me, is simultaneously allowing a picture to form in my mind of what I am trying to understand/remember/organise. I will continue to write longhand as long as I live! I was reading an article recently saying that some schools, particularly in America, are phasing out longhand writing and are teaching children to type instead. Gee this makes me mad!! What a lod of codswallop! Coming from a psychology background, I know that the process of spelling out words physically using a pencil and paper is the best way for children to learn all that encompasses the English language, let alone all the concepts they will learn throughout school using that language. When I have children one day I will very much be teaching them the beauty and value of the written word, using their own handwriting.
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Love Kate & her books. Great to hear her talking too.
You’re in Sydney today? According to FB, your last trip to Syd for the year was in early Oct!
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November 3rd, 2011 at 9:47 pm
You’re observant. Yes, I weakened! Partly as I had to see a doctor, too. Two birds…
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I write everything out longhand because I love the physical feeling of writing. However, my poetry lecturer did suggest to me recently that I should try drafting on the computer, just because trying new methods can pull different things or styles out of you. So I suppose it’s good to have a routine and also to know when to break it.
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@HK & Courtney check out Lana Purcell http://lanapurcell.com/ she has a piece on how to make deodorant…. Not tried but I intend to!!
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Longhand for life. Experimental verse fragments featured in blog linked above are wholly drafted via pen & paper prior to weblogarithmic dissemination.
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Really enjoying the podcasts, Sarah. I listen to them out walking and love the company. Keep them up. I’m a devout long-hander. I love pouring my heart onto a page, in a way I can’t with the rhythmic tapping on a keyboard.That said, there are times that I love the comfort of my finger tips on the keys, the easy rhythm, my thoughts flowing onto the screen.
I love to write, whatever the means.
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Kate actually mentored Dr Carole Hungerford writing her brilliant book “Good Health in the 21st Century”?
Kate says on the cover: “Explains what we all want to know” why we get sick, how we stay well. No snake oil, just good science and good sense.”
I heard Dr Hungerford speak recently and she also mentioned the fragrance no no.
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Ohh, you’re in Marie Claire this month! Please explain what a “repair-ista” actually is.
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As usual, thanks Sarah
It truly comforts me, the way in which you share your thoughts, opinions and your own creativity through writing. I love longhand and will always create this way first as I too feel the organic rhythm and freedom of scrawling a cathartic process. Love your work!
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I love this, from the writing to the fragrance.
On that note, does anybody know of a less heavily fragranced clothes detergent?
I used to wear perfume every day. About two or so years ago, I had to stop. The heavy scents made me feel sick. :-/ I hope I still smell nice without it!
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September 30th, 2012 at 10:56 pm
Herbon make a fragrance free washing powder (and a dishwashing liquid). Also, there is Aware washing powders too!
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Sarah, can you PLEASE post todays blog on your website. My local shop ran out of papers this morning and I love reading your column on a Sunday.
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