RichardB

RichardB

63 years old
Male
Location
Banwen, Neath
United Kingdom
Current Status
Struggling with a scene in my WIP. Side-stepping it with flashback hasn't worked: it's saying to me 'I'm too crucial for that: you'll have to write me as live action.' But it isn't easy, writing about domestic violence.
Information
  • Are you a ...?
    Unpublished writer (so far)
    What genre do you primarily write in?
    General fiction
    Are your reading habits ...?
    Omnivorous
    Who is your favourite author(s)?
    too hard to choose
    And your all time favourite books? (You can change these at any time, by the way ...)
    The Lord of the Rings (Oh God, not again...) Pavane - Keith Roberts The Dispossessed - Ursula K Leguin Possession - A S Byatt Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks The Girl in a Swing - Richard Adams
    What are your working habits when you write?
    Procastinatory
    Are you the edit-every-sentence-ten-times type, or do you prefer to let rip?
    Some self-editing
    Your ultimate writing ambition?
    To get even one novel published would be a joy.
    Your worst habit?
    Not enough faith in myself; too much procrastination
    Your opinion on the books industry?
    It is a tough game, but everyone does their best
    Where do you write?
    In the room variously known as the passage / library / study (it's a rather strange house)
    What else do you want Word Clouders to know? eg: do you have 9 cats / like paragliding / eat nothing but tinned fish / work in the bath / live in Kettering?
    I'm a retired London bus driver unwinding in rural South Wales.

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Latest Activity

  • ×
    RichardB
    "RichardB" commented on CJ's Blog "And the dream lives on!".
    Ooh, I like ol' Willie Yeats...
    20 hours ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    "RichardB" commented on CJ's Blog "And the dream lives on!".
    I know how you feel. It only takes a little thing to bring me down. I know it's wrong, and silly, but I can't help it. And you know it's wrong. And this *is* a little thing, compared to all the good stuff that's going for you. Take a deep breath. ...
    23 hours ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    "RichardB" commented on CJ's Blog "And the dream lives on!".
    Don't they say that fantasy is the hardest genre to get published in? So what does that say? TALENT, that's what. Not so sure about fate now: I think you did it all by yourself. Congratulations is not a strong enough word. So happy for you.
    1 day ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    RichardB Struggling with a scene in my WIP. Side-stepping it with flashback hasn't worked: it's saying to me 'I'm too crucial for that: you'll have to write me as live action.' But it isn't easy, writing about domestic violence.
    1 day ago
    • View all 10 Comments
    • Lou
      ×
      Lou It's not easy to write the nasty stuff. I don't have any advice other than just write it with the same degree of distance or attachment that you apply to any other writing. The psychic distance guidance is helpful I think and whatever you do, don't feel guilt. I can't write when guilt hovers! I have two less than nice scenes in my novel and I had to force myself to feel dispassionate while writing them. In a "real life" situation I care very much about such things but you almost have to switch that off in order to write it. I hope this non-advice makes sense!
      1 day ago
    • Jillybean
      ×
      Jillybean No it isn't. Domestic violence has to be rightup there with rape, child abuse and grief / aftermath of trauma in terms of difficulty to write about. The only thing I can suggest is write it as honestly as you can, don't spare yourself (or your characters) but don't be tempted to embelish it either. This is my opinion only so feel free to disregard but the depth and richness you give to a novel by using emotional honesty as a writer is worth the discomfort (even pain?) of writing through thouse sticky obstacles. I am no expert but I can tell you what I respond to in a book. The ones that tackle subjects like domestic violence, even if it's not a main theme, and pull it off are the ones where you can tell the author is suffering along with the character. I obviouly don't know what your WIP is about but I wish you the best of luck getting that scene down and nailing it. :)
      1 day ago
    • CJ
      ×
      CJ No... I imagine it isn't! I do know that feeling, though - I have a couple of scenes in Dragonsoul that are absolutely vital to the plot, but I'm buggered if I can figure out how to get them into the story without them looking like they've been shoe-horned in... :-/
      1 day ago
    • RichardB
      ×
      RichardB Shoehorning ain't my problem. My problem is forcing myself to imagine something nasty closely enough to write about it convincingly, without it coming over as if I'm gloating over it. Perceptive comments there, Jillybean.
      1 day ago
    • Skylark
      ×
      Skylark Go for a long walk/have a long bath and spend the time in the shoes of your MC. Just imagine, imagine, imagine and write down anything and everything that pops into your mind. Then let it mull for a bit and try writing the scene in one. Less is more in a scene like that?
      1 day ago
    • Jillybean
      ×
      Jillybean Couple of suggestions; 1) do you know anyone with experiences of domestic violence who would be willing to talk to you about it? Obviously strictly in confidence. This is a delicate one though as it's emotive stuff and you really don't want to put yourself in the position of 'therapist' (unless you are?) as that wouldn't be good for either of you. 2) take a break from writing the scene. Mentally step away from it. Decide who your two or three key players in the scene are. On a blank word doc (or clean sheet of paper) sit down with them and ask them questions as if you are interviewing them. You can start off with something as mundane as "what's your favorite colour?" and lead into having the characters tell you (one at a time, on different docs!) what happened in the scene from their perspective. I have found this really helpful and have been quite shaken by what my characters have told me more than once. As long as you go in without any preconcieved notions of what they are going to say this is a brilliant exercise. When you've heard enough from your key players you can then construct your scene from the POV you want using the information you've gathered. The ultimate emotional honesty as all of it will have come from you ultimately. Anyway just some thoughts.
      1 day ago
    • Seagreen
      ×
      Seagreen I don't know if this helps or if it's relevant to your scene, but this is the kind of thing an abuser might say...'Do you know how lucky you are to have me to look after you? You contribute nothing to the household. It's my money that pays the bills. It's me that keeps a roof over your head and clothes on your back. You're always well turned out. You want for nothing. Is it too much to ask that I come home to a hot meal and a tidy house? It's your fault, you shouldn't have made me so mad. You can leave any time, but the kids stay here with me.'
      1 day ago
    • Bernie
      ×
      Bernie Richard, becasue you are a reasonable person, you find it hard to unleash the nastiness necessary to convey the scene. Can I suggest you follow Debi's psychic distance advice, and write the scene in the first person from both parties PoV? Don't hold back- it's your imagination at work, not you. Then you will see what is really happening- that should help you to write it convincingly. Helped me in a similar situation. x
      1 day ago
    • Debi
      ×
      Debi Words from my mouth, Bernie, words from my mouth. Richard - harden your heart and think yourself into the POV character's skin. I know you can nail this.
      1 day ago
    • RichardB
      ×
      RichardB Oh, I'm there, I'm there. I just don't like what I'm seeing. And it's that fine line between how much to put in and how much to leave out. This must be about the sixth time I've tried to get this scene right, but I ain't giving up. Thanks for all the thoughts and advice, nice people.
      1 day ago
    • Lou
      ×
      Lou It's not easy to write the nasty stuff. I don't have any advice other than just write it with the same degree of distance or attachment that you apply to any other writing. The psychic distance guidance is helpful I think and whatever you do, don't feel guilt. I can't write when guilt hovers! I have two less than nice scenes in my novel and I had to force myself to feel dispassionate while writing them. In a "real life" situation I care very much about such things but you almost have to switch that off in order to write it. I hope this non-advice makes sense!
      1 day ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    "RichardB" commented on AlanP's Blog "Mystified".
    Yes, it's really fashionable to slag Dan Brown off. The critics do it; we seem to do it quite a lot right here. I've read 'The Da Vinci Code', mainly because I found a copy lying about and I was curious. It hooked me, but after I'd finished I knew ...
    1 day ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    "RichardB" commented on CJ's Blog "Black Smokers is being published! ".
    So heartwarming to hear that. Welcome to the rest of your life.
    2 days ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    RichardB A pair of house martins are building a nest under our eaves. I shall watch developments with interest.
    2 days ago
    • View all 3 Comments
    • bazbaron
      ×
      bazbaron Them's scout ants Noods! dah da! dah da! dah da! they'll have gone back to the nest to tell the other 150,000
      2 days ago
    • Noodledoodle
      ×
      Noodledoodle I spotted a couple of ants on my dining room floor - I shall watch with a blow-torch :D
      2 days ago
    • Squidge
      ×
      Squidge Richard - how fab! Just up the road from us, a neighbour has two nests, one either side of the bedroom bay window. Every year the birds come back - I saw them again for the first time this year TODAY!
      2 days ago
    • bazbaron
      ×
      bazbaron Them's scout ants Noods! dah da! dah da! dah da! they'll have gone back to the nest to tell the other 150,000
      2 days ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    "RichardB" commented on CJ's Blog "Black Smokers is being published! ".
    What everyone else has said. Just wait until that black cloud really lifts, and you'll wonder how you ever lived under it. As OFP says, go easy, go well.
    2 days ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    "RichardB" commented on CJ's Blog "Black Smokers is being published! ".
    Congratulations! I'm so pleased for you, and it must make all the s**t you're getting at work at least a bit more bearable. And maybe you're right about the fate thing. I've never gone much on it myself, but I'm beginning to wonder. When I lost my ...
    6 days ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    RichardB has accepted Conker's friend request.
    8 days ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    "RichardB" commented on Athelstone's Blog "Guilty Pleasures".
    In no particular order... Reading in the toilet. Almost anything will do. Ssh: don't tell MrsB. There's a passage in one of Bill Bryson's books where he reports a conversation with his wife ('You're not reading in there again, are you?!?'). Seldom ...
    8 days ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    "RichardB" commented on Jill's Blog "Trains of Thought".
    Don't the Russians use a different gauge too? Just over five feet, I believe, like the Irish. Fairly relevant to all this (it's a writers' website, after all), there is a marvellous book for those who love steam and railways. Even its history is ...
    11 days ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    "RichardB" commented on Jill's Blog "Trains of Thought".
    Ffestiniog is right, Hil. Was your dad a Deviationist? That was what the Ffestiniog people nicknamed those who worked on building the new track around the reservoir that was built over the old line. We get two generations playing trains together, ...
    11 days ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    "RichardB" commented on Jill's Blog "Trains of Thought".
    As one who fell in love with steam trains in infancy, and who returned to model trains in middle-age, I loved this. Not to mention the reminders of a time when sons traditionally followed in their fathers' footsteps, and men took pride in working on ...
    12 days ago
  • ×
    RichardB
    "RichardB" commented on Caf's Blog "Sour, Sour, Sour".
    An illustrious political journalist (I forget exactly who) once described 'Yes Minister' as 'A documentary disguised as a situation comedy.'
    13 days ago

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  • Caf
    by Caf 1 month ago
    I actually quite liked the series, I just thought, I'd missed the point as usual. Thanks mate. Yay!!! hugs and kisses Caf : - )
  • Caf
    by Caf 1 month ago
    Hello mate, thank you for clearing up that stuff about the 'Chinese' theme they used in the BBC series. I quite liked the series, but I always remember that bit in the book where Mr Flay is walking down a corridor, Peake describes Flay's shadow, and it's so dark, the series was never very dark, I didn't like that bit. Cafxx
  • mike
    by mike 2 months ago
    Dear Richard,
    You are an emigrant too! I hope Wales welcomes you, and you are learning the local way of life. I know you will, but this is so important.
    You are not missing anything. What the papers say is so untruthful. Most members of staff don't like working at this library because the public are so rude and unpleasant. I know this is not true of everybody. I was told to fuck off my member of the public and this is so common now.
    There is not much interest in books or in England. One member of staff did not know who Adolf Hitler was. I think I am the only member of staff who reads as the word is known to word clouders. Some one else only watches Bollywood on cable TV. This is nothing against the staff and they are all pleasant people to work with but I don't really become friends with anybody as ethnic groups tend to stick together. Even the Italians only eat in Italian restaurants. English culture, as we think of it, has gone completely.
  • LinsP
    by LinsP 3 months ago
    I found the poem, have blogged it :)
  • LinsP
    by LinsP 3 months ago
    I'm coming to your house for tea then!:D
  • LinsP
    by LinsP 4 months ago
    Ha I found it under new groups and requested to join. I'm over excited, ignore me :)
  • Old Fat Prop
    by Old Fat Prop 5 months ago
    Congrats on your book draft completion. Hopefully we will see you sling a few more Bus Stop Shorts from you when you need a break from editing.

    Most pleased for you.
  • Amarantha
    by Amarantha 1 year ago
    I thought that was a familiar face, Hermit! I don't need to ask if you're still enjoying the little bit of heaven you found.
  • Caducean Whisks
    by Caducean Whisks 1 year ago
    Oops. Your birthday's disappeared off the list again. Perhaps it's your birthday in India but not here?
  • Caducean Whisks
    by Caducean Whisks 1 year ago
    Happy Birthday, Richard! TIf the Cloud Gremlins are to be believed, it's today. But looking at your previous wall posts, seems your last birthday was 11 months ago. Which is novel. Have a nice day anyway, whether it is or it isn't.
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