Ask the Author: Andrew Critchley
Answered Questions (9)
Andrew Critchley
'Normal People' by Sally Rooney and 'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak. Literature is a very personal experience, and for this reader, for all the nuance and delightful subtlety in Rooney's work, it doesn't resonate to the same emotional level as Zusak's masterpiece.
Andrew Critchley
Hi Karen,
Many thanks for the Friends Request and for this question... and also please accept my apologies for the delay in reverting.
Mm... what inspires me to write? I remember being asked a similar question some time ago and I still feel now what I felt back then - namely a burning desire to express myself in words is at the core; almost to the point of running right down to the bone marrow.
The journey has taken different places en route but two aspects very much dominate at the moment. Firstly, the sheer thrill of re-engaging with the beauty and majesty of the English Language. Before I started writing much of my previous 10-12 years were spent either in a country where English was not the first language or working in a global Corporate environment where the accepted Lexicon was probably little more than 2000 words. Indeed, my biggest criticism of my first Novel, Dublin in the Rain (and why I'm reworking it) is that the Vocabulary Dynamic does scant justice to the Plot and Premise.
Secondly, and linked to the above, I am increasingly fascinated by the articulation of deeply felt inner emotions. We can all relate to words like sad and heartbroken but finding a way to truly express what those sentiments mean to us physically and spiritually has proved a wonderfully rewarding Labour of Love.
Many thanks for the question again... hopefully my answer resonates on some level.
All my very best wishes,
Andrew
Many thanks for the Friends Request and for this question... and also please accept my apologies for the delay in reverting.
Mm... what inspires me to write? I remember being asked a similar question some time ago and I still feel now what I felt back then - namely a burning desire to express myself in words is at the core; almost to the point of running right down to the bone marrow.
The journey has taken different places en route but two aspects very much dominate at the moment. Firstly, the sheer thrill of re-engaging with the beauty and majesty of the English Language. Before I started writing much of my previous 10-12 years were spent either in a country where English was not the first language or working in a global Corporate environment where the accepted Lexicon was probably little more than 2000 words. Indeed, my biggest criticism of my first Novel, Dublin in the Rain (and why I'm reworking it) is that the Vocabulary Dynamic does scant justice to the Plot and Premise.
Secondly, and linked to the above, I am increasingly fascinated by the articulation of deeply felt inner emotions. We can all relate to words like sad and heartbroken but finding a way to truly express what those sentiments mean to us physically and spiritually has proved a wonderfully rewarding Labour of Love.
Many thanks for the question again... hopefully my answer resonates on some level.
All my very best wishes,
Andrew
Andrew Critchley
Sadly, no Mark, I didn't but I do now. My presence has been limited on Goodreads over the past 12 months or so because the reworking of my novel was proving so troublesome, I decided to limit my activity on all forms of Social Media. Thankfully I'm coming to the edge of the journey on the rework and expect to be far more active in 2019. Many thanks though for the heads-up. All my very best wishes, Andrew
Andrew Critchley
Horror isn't my genre... However, I have put together a couple of sentences that would the stuff of nightmares for many writers using this site.
"I sat smugly on the bus, my fifteen-month work on my manuscript at an end, only for two spotty youths to grab my laptop, jump off the bus and run into the distance. All was not lost I told myself, but on arriving home found my beloved pooch Buster devouring the remnants of my USB key."
Scary, eh?
"I sat smugly on the bus, my fifteen-month work on my manuscript at an end, only for two spotty youths to grab my laptop, jump off the bus and run into the distance. All was not lost I told myself, but on arriving home found my beloved pooch Buster devouring the remnants of my USB key."
Scary, eh?
Andrew Critchley
Many thanks for the question!
Not so much a mystery but I used a personal true life mysterious event in my book, 'Dublin in the Rain'. I was going to a football match in London only for my ticket to disappear despite searching for it frantically. Frustrated I went to the pub instead and met a woman who became my girlfriend. After kissing her, I put my hand in my pocket and there was the ticket to the football match!
Clearly destiny weaving its magic to make sure I went to the pub that night!
Not so much a mystery but I used a personal true life mysterious event in my book, 'Dublin in the Rain'. I was going to a football match in London only for my ticket to disappear despite searching for it frantically. Frustrated I went to the pub instead and met a woman who became my girlfriend. After kissing her, I put my hand in my pocket and there was the ticket to the football match!
Clearly destiny weaving its magic to make sure I went to the pub that night!
Andrew Critchley
Hi Douglas,
Great to be connected. I do miss sunny Sheffield (lol) but am very happy in South Wales. Seeing your post reminds me of the fact that that I need to update my Author Profile on Goodreads!! I did a lot of work on the Aberfan Disaster and some of it was very enriching - an interview with the late great Cliff Michelmore probably being the highlight.
However, even 50 years on, there is still a great deal of sensitivity (not Lord Robens' finest hour) and I decided last year that 'an Englishman abroad' putting together a book on the matter was not in anyone's interests (least of all, mine!). Plus, certain key individuals, one in particular, were not willing to discuss the matter. I saw no point in presenting an account on the matter that was not complete.
And, on a different subject, I'll definitely be adding 'Hidden Lives' to my bookshelf!
All my very best wishes,
Kind regards,
Andrew
Great to be connected. I do miss sunny Sheffield (lol) but am very happy in South Wales. Seeing your post reminds me of the fact that that I need to update my Author Profile on Goodreads!! I did a lot of work on the Aberfan Disaster and some of it was very enriching - an interview with the late great Cliff Michelmore probably being the highlight.
However, even 50 years on, there is still a great deal of sensitivity (not Lord Robens' finest hour) and I decided last year that 'an Englishman abroad' putting together a book on the matter was not in anyone's interests (least of all, mine!). Plus, certain key individuals, one in particular, were not willing to discuss the matter. I saw no point in presenting an account on the matter that was not complete.
And, on a different subject, I'll definitely be adding 'Hidden Lives' to my bookshelf!
All my very best wishes,
Kind regards,
Andrew
Andrew Critchley
Hi Patricia,
Firstly my sincere apologies - another Author question came in today and it made me realise that I hadn't answered your kind message from nearly a year ago!
That was very remiss of me and, as I say, I apologise sincerely.
I am indeed enjoying my life as an Indie writer enormously - for various reasons, I have been nowhere near as prolific as yourself but enjoy it nonetheless. The challenge, which I find personally fascinating as an Indie writer, is that there is as much to engage me around understanding how my work functions within a Global environment of 3,000-4,000 English language books being released every day as there is in the considerable and fulfilling adventure in improving as a writer.
I hope that this note finds you in good health and enjoying your own writing dreams.
All my very best wishes and, once again, my apologies,
Andrew
Firstly my sincere apologies - another Author question came in today and it made me realise that I hadn't answered your kind message from nearly a year ago!
That was very remiss of me and, as I say, I apologise sincerely.
I am indeed enjoying my life as an Indie writer enormously - for various reasons, I have been nowhere near as prolific as yourself but enjoy it nonetheless. The challenge, which I find personally fascinating as an Indie writer, is that there is as much to engage me around understanding how my work functions within a Global environment of 3,000-4,000 English language books being released every day as there is in the considerable and fulfilling adventure in improving as a writer.
I hope that this note finds you in good health and enjoying your own writing dreams.
All my very best wishes and, once again, my apologies,
Andrew
Andrew Critchley
Hi Pearl,
Great question and many thanks for it...everyone is different and it's about finding what works for you.
Personally, I'm not a believer in courses. I'm a strong advocate that the best way to learn how to write is TO WRITE!
There has been no finished product from me since my first Novel, Dublin in the Rain, was released in November 2013. This has been for two reasons; firstly, I lost around 12 months linked to issues outside of my control following the death of my father in 2014 and; secondly, I have written a great deal in the past year or so, but not felt that anything was worthy of being published.
However, I do feel that I am making significant advances as a writer and firmly believe that this will be visible in the planned 2016 releases.
The advances have come from three sources. Firstly, a burning desire within me to improve as a writer. Secondly, being open around, and really listening to, multiple sources of criticism around my work. Thirdly, defining a clear action plan as to how such criticism can be addressed.
Reviews are the lifeblood of a writer - not just because they increase our profile and at times incentivise others to buy and read our work - but because taken as a whole (I have had around 100 reviews to date), clear issues emerge from reviews where improvement can be made. If that input is then cross-referenced against feedback from experienced Literary Industry professionals, it is inevitable that a clear set of concrete areas for development will result.
The challenge then is to define a suitable action plan. Again, this is a very personal matter and where one's own judgment is critical. I decided to make three key changes. Firstly, to read far more from other authors who were actually delivering what I wanted from my own work. Secondly, to challenge myself far more aggressively - one seasoned Industry Professional described my work as lazy at times and they were right. And thirdly, understand what I could and couldn't improve as a writer. If I felt that it was an area that couldn't be improved sufficiently then, quite simply, I needed to stop exploring those areas in my books. Sometimes less truly is more...
It's a journey where one never reaches the final destination. Improvement is always possible - although it is sometimes a brutal and painful process. But, most definitely, the time to stop is if one loses the energy to improve. This probably applies to anything in life and not just writing.
Hopefully the above helps. Many thanks again for the question!
All my very best wishes,
Andrew
Great question and many thanks for it...everyone is different and it's about finding what works for you.
Personally, I'm not a believer in courses. I'm a strong advocate that the best way to learn how to write is TO WRITE!
There has been no finished product from me since my first Novel, Dublin in the Rain, was released in November 2013. This has been for two reasons; firstly, I lost around 12 months linked to issues outside of my control following the death of my father in 2014 and; secondly, I have written a great deal in the past year or so, but not felt that anything was worthy of being published.
However, I do feel that I am making significant advances as a writer and firmly believe that this will be visible in the planned 2016 releases.
The advances have come from three sources. Firstly, a burning desire within me to improve as a writer. Secondly, being open around, and really listening to, multiple sources of criticism around my work. Thirdly, defining a clear action plan as to how such criticism can be addressed.
Reviews are the lifeblood of a writer - not just because they increase our profile and at times incentivise others to buy and read our work - but because taken as a whole (I have had around 100 reviews to date), clear issues emerge from reviews where improvement can be made. If that input is then cross-referenced against feedback from experienced Literary Industry professionals, it is inevitable that a clear set of concrete areas for development will result.
The challenge then is to define a suitable action plan. Again, this is a very personal matter and where one's own judgment is critical. I decided to make three key changes. Firstly, to read far more from other authors who were actually delivering what I wanted from my own work. Secondly, to challenge myself far more aggressively - one seasoned Industry Professional described my work as lazy at times and they were right. And thirdly, understand what I could and couldn't improve as a writer. If I felt that it was an area that couldn't be improved sufficiently then, quite simply, I needed to stop exploring those areas in my books. Sometimes less truly is more...
It's a journey where one never reaches the final destination. Improvement is always possible - although it is sometimes a brutal and painful process. But, most definitely, the time to stop is if one loses the energy to improve. This probably applies to anything in life and not just writing.
Hopefully the above helps. Many thanks again for the question!
All my very best wishes,
Andrew
Andrew Critchley
Hi Sally,
Many thanks for the question. It's more a burning desire than inspiration. I've wanted to write for more than 30 years and sadly I let a mixture of all the usual things - paying the mortgage, feeling that I needed a 'proper job', etc, etc - get in the way.
However thankfully I was able to 'retire' early and focus in writing. Quite simply, it's the best decision that I've ever taken in my life (apart from marrying my late wife).
Probably a lot of writers say the same thing but the stories seem to find me rather it being me who creates the stories. Certainly that is very true of my forthcoming second novel!
Hopefully the above answers your question and many thanks again for the interest.
Very best wishes and thanks also for the 5 star review of the book!!
Many thanks for the question. It's more a burning desire than inspiration. I've wanted to write for more than 30 years and sadly I let a mixture of all the usual things - paying the mortgage, feeling that I needed a 'proper job', etc, etc - get in the way.
However thankfully I was able to 'retire' early and focus in writing. Quite simply, it's the best decision that I've ever taken in my life (apart from marrying my late wife).
Probably a lot of writers say the same thing but the stories seem to find me rather it being me who creates the stories. Certainly that is very true of my forthcoming second novel!
Hopefully the above answers your question and many thanks again for the interest.
Very best wishes and thanks also for the 5 star review of the book!!
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