Ask the Author: Phil Cain
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Phil Cain
This is one of the questions I've been asked most since Alcohol Companion was released. A fair question for which I've still to come up with a clear answer. The problem is there was no blinding flash of inspiration. Every time I remember wanting to know more about alcohol's effects, I remember an earlier one. My memory of having these questions fades at, perhaps, six or seven, as they do, but I am sure I was curious before that. And, why wouldn't I be? What could be more tantalising than a commonplace item nobody can tell you very much about? Writing a book on it was a fairly straightforward way to finally get some answers. Now I wonder why I left it so long?
Phil Cain
Having written for a living for quite a few years it is rarely a question of whether I write something today. It is more a question of what it is going to be? Now, for instance, I had a few choices and settled on answering this question. If it wasn’t this it would be something else, perhaps delving into a news story. Something I have seen on my walk to work might be the trigger too. It may not be obvious but it will usually be connected to my previous work or to my next one. This answer, for instance, is related to my answer to the earlier one about writers' block and a chance to take a breather from my next project. So inspiration for me is generally a matter of keeping an eye out for a chance to hop to a nearby stepping stone, rather than waiting for an imaginative thunderbolt. Of course sometimes extraordinary things happen in the real world and ideas do sometimes suddenly click into place. In these cases I tend to write a few notes in case I miss it. But really significant things will usually still be there to record and explore later.
Phil Cain
“Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with it is a toy and an amusement. Then it becomes a mistress, then it becomes a master, then it becomes a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster and fling him to the public,” said Winston Churchill, as much a writer as he was a leader. His prodigious literary output fills 43 books and secured the Nobel Prize for literature. To borrow his dramatic metaphor, then, despite far more modest ambitions, I am still in the process of despatching my last book while only flirting clumsily with the next one. I imagine it might turn out to be something much lighter and straight-forward. My last one, Alcohol Companion, ultimately had an upbeat conclusion, but it was a long and winding road to get there. Whatever I currently have in mind for my next one, I know adventures have a habit of taking their own course. That is part of the reason to take them.
Phil Cain
There are two quite different sides to writing non-fiction, both of which I enjoy. There's an inward side, the research, thinking and writing, activities which allows me to indulge my curiosity and imagination. This is a buzz by itself, but keeping my readers in mind guides and motivates me. And then there's the second, outward part, publishing and having others read your work. This too can be enjoyable. It is, of course, very nice to hear positive feedback, particularly if someone feels they benefited. But criticism is welcome too. There is always room to improve. The limitlessness of the challenge is, perhaps, the third and best thing about being a writer.
Phil Cain
I am not sure if writer's block is quite the same affliction for non-fiction as it is for fiction. But, still, I do occasionally find it hard to get going. I persist for a while, but try not to worry about it too much, and turn to something else. Things always take a certain amount of time to figure out and it doesn't necessarily happen on cue. Thankfully, most projects tend to develop in several areas at the same time, so there's always something else to do. There's research to be read or an old lead to chase. I also find that getting away from the desk is often the most productive thing I can do. Walking in the woods, swimming, something visual, music, anything non-verbal or non-analytical helps. And, of course, meeting people helps too. Writing is a solitary business and you can get stale. Your brain needs rest and it also works on problems in the background, so there's no need to worry about sitting in front of a keyboard. Sometimes it has helped to step away from a larger projects, like my book, for weeks or months at a time. To keep things fresh from day to day I generally try to make my days a mix of rest and concentrated work, and to keep them fairly short. It doesn't usually help to push beyond a certain point. If you push too hard you risk losing enthusiasm, which won't help at all. It is better to feel like you still have a bit left at the end of the day, perhaps even feeling a little unsatisfied. The key to success probably lies in trying again tomorrow.
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