Writing | Not Designed to Juggle

Seven months later …

October 20, 2014 by Diane Becker

Spent spring and summer on the hill and many hot afternoons in the ‘van catching up with friends and family. Also caught Lorrie Moore and Joshua Ferris reading at the Hay Festival which was brilliant! This time here (our third summer) I’ve read a LOT: Denis Johnson’s Train Dreams; Richard Ford, Canada; Annie Proulx’s Bird Cloud; Paul Theroux on The Old Patagonian Express; Bruce Chatwin On The Black Hill; Robert MacFarlane’s The Old Ways; Kjell Askildsen, Selected Stories; Kyle Minor, In The Devil’s […]

Categories: Journal, Short Fiction, What I'm reading • Tags: Short Fiction, short story, Writing

William Eggleston

July 15, 2009 by Diane Becker

Excellent documentary about US photographer William Eggleston on BBC1’s Imagine, last night (14 July). When he first started taking photographs he was discouraged by his surroundings which he described to a friend as ‘shit’. ‘Then take photographs of the shit,’ his friend responded … I like that – location isn’t important, beauty isn’t important – it’s what you observe, what you hear, it’s in the details you include – and in what you leave out, it’s there in the banal […]

Categories: Journal • Tags: Imagine, Journal, Photographer, William Eggleston, Writing, Writing Practice

Writers Rooms

February 1, 2009 by Diane Becker

I like reading about and looking at other writers rooms – here’s mine. Everything’s within arm’s reach: laptop, notebook, pens, pad of plain paper, reference books – last year’s wall planner and chairs with cushions. The one by the wall is for the cat BTW. Ideal? Well it would be if it wasn’t in the kitchen (ah but it is warm and close to the kettle!). Where do you write?

Categories: Journal • Tags: writers rooms, Writing

Minus 4

November 30, 2008 by Diane Becker

NANO Excerpt II Outside the hoar frost ran the length of the washing line. Birds flitted from branch to branch and from fat ball to seeds to peanuts before flying across the garden and into the conifer tree. The weather forecast said it would be clear today and sunny but the freezing fog which had appeared last night hung about the garden mingling with the chimney smoke which drifted across the lawn. Orla unplugged the landline. She didn’t want to […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: Fiction, nanowrimo, Photography, Writing

Nanowrimo Winner

November 25, 2008 by Diane Becker

Lots of coffee this morning to celebrate 61,035 words written over the last twenty four days. Now to begin the slower process of shaping it into something resembling a novel. The story only deigned to emerge in the last 5,000 words but at least now I know what I was writing about!

Categories: Journal • Tags: nanowrimo winner, Writing

Masochist lured by nanowrimo

October 6, 2008 by Diane Becker

Up early … again (masochists never have a lie-in). So early that the hens haven’t got round to laying. Bring one egg home – instead of six. Fingers recovered from Writathon (Saturday) but mentally knackered. Managed 13 stories over 10 hours, but only 2000 words, the equivalent of walking a marathon. Broken three resolutions to myself (so far) today. The first – never even think about trying to write a novel; the second – never commit myself to something I […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: mighty boosh, nanowrimo, national novel writing month, noel fielding, Writing