Rachel Medhurst's Blog - Posts Tagged "reading"
Escaping The World
The dark nights were setting in. I'd been in hibernation for most of the summer, writing scenes of love, death, new beginnings and happily ever afters. The leaves were falling off the trees and I dreamed of a life where I could escape the wind and rain and live happily on a beach.
Why do you write?
The question glared at me from the interview email and I flashed back twenty years.
I'd been sitting on my mums bed when she was unwell. Her body was fine, but something made her stay in bed all day. I crept out of the room after another failed attempt at getting her up.
The book sat on my bed and I picked it up as I crawled under my own cover. I'd grasped words at a very young age and often got lost in the world of Fanny, Beth and Joe. The Far Away tree took us to lands that were not only fun and exciting, but very far away from my council house in England.
I started to write my answer to the question but then decided to cross it out. My fictitious worlds might seem like they're just popular genre stories, but there's more to them than meets the eye. So I wrote the simple truth:
Because Enid Blyton gave me hope as a child when life got tough. I want to bring hope and happily ever afters to as many people as I can with my words.
Why do you write?
The question glared at me from the interview email and I flashed back twenty years.
I'd been sitting on my mums bed when she was unwell. Her body was fine, but something made her stay in bed all day. I crept out of the room after another failed attempt at getting her up.
The book sat on my bed and I picked it up as I crawled under my own cover. I'd grasped words at a very young age and often got lost in the world of Fanny, Beth and Joe. The Far Away tree took us to lands that were not only fun and exciting, but very far away from my council house in England.
I started to write my answer to the question but then decided to cross it out. My fictitious worlds might seem like they're just popular genre stories, but there's more to them than meets the eye. So I wrote the simple truth:
Because Enid Blyton gave me hope as a child when life got tough. I want to bring hope and happily ever afters to as many people as I can with my words.
Finding Your Voice
'What is it you're trying to say?'
The question was a good one. One that I had never taken time to consider. For so long I had written words to find my voice. I had tried to hone my craft to get my message perfect, but underneath it all, did I know what my message was? And did I believe that I could be perfect?
'That's a good question. I need to take some time to think about the answer,' I replied, as I stared out of the kitchen window. The sun shone down on the trees that lined the back garden. The leaves moved in the gentle breeze.
'When you know what you're trying to say, it will be easier.'
She was right of course, my confident friend.
'No ones perfect,' I said, wringing my hands together.
'Exactly. In fact, readers relate to stories when the character isn't perfect.'
'Yes. I suppose finding your voice, is telling the world a story that you have inside you. No matter how you tell it.'
The philosophy of questioning myself was something I always practiced. Why had I forgotten to do the same with my books? They were my voice.
'Everyone has a voice. It's just whether or not they choose to use it. You want to write, so just write.'
I laughed at her blunt words. Five minutes before I had asked her if I was doing the right thing. Creative projects are personal, so when they're shared, the person questions if it was the right thing to do. Self doubt creeps up and tries to take you back down with it.
'Yes, I love to write. I'll stop putting so much pressure on myself.'
It was her turn to laugh. She knew me too well. If I didn't pressure myself at least a little bit, I would never publish a book. Balance was key to achieving the dream.
We all have a voice, but we need to open our mouths for it to be heard.
How do you express your voice?
The question was a good one. One that I had never taken time to consider. For so long I had written words to find my voice. I had tried to hone my craft to get my message perfect, but underneath it all, did I know what my message was? And did I believe that I could be perfect?
'That's a good question. I need to take some time to think about the answer,' I replied, as I stared out of the kitchen window. The sun shone down on the trees that lined the back garden. The leaves moved in the gentle breeze.
'When you know what you're trying to say, it will be easier.'
She was right of course, my confident friend.
'No ones perfect,' I said, wringing my hands together.
'Exactly. In fact, readers relate to stories when the character isn't perfect.'
'Yes. I suppose finding your voice, is telling the world a story that you have inside you. No matter how you tell it.'
The philosophy of questioning myself was something I always practiced. Why had I forgotten to do the same with my books? They were my voice.
'Everyone has a voice. It's just whether or not they choose to use it. You want to write, so just write.'
I laughed at her blunt words. Five minutes before I had asked her if I was doing the right thing. Creative projects are personal, so when they're shared, the person questions if it was the right thing to do. Self doubt creeps up and tries to take you back down with it.
'Yes, I love to write. I'll stop putting so much pressure on myself.'
It was her turn to laugh. She knew me too well. If I didn't pressure myself at least a little bit, I would never publish a book. Balance was key to achieving the dream.
We all have a voice, but we need to open our mouths for it to be heard.
How do you express your voice?
