The Sins of Literature: BBC Radio 4

This morning I caught an interesting programme on Radio 4 about the writing process.

It turns out it was the second segment of a three-part series. The last segment will be aired at 9am next Monday 19th August. Each slot is 30 minutes long and focuses on a particular 'sin' involved in the writing process. The segments are titled:

1) Thou Shalt Not Bore  - first and most important rule of writing. If you are writing, you obviously want readers.
2) Thou Shalt Not Hide - writing is a weird way of life as it requires stepping outside life and into solitude - how do writers get the balance right to ensure that they don't turn into distracted public figures, or go the other way and become disconnected hermits?
3) Thou Shalt Not Steal - yeah, if you're going to write, try not to steal from someone else - it may seem obvious, but it can be harder to not do this than you may think.

The programme includes interviews with well-known authors about how they write and how they tackle each of the thematic problems.

Worth a listen...

Click here to listen to the 'Thou Shalt Not Hide' segment aired this morning.

I find different people's writing processes fascinating. Creativity is bred and nurtured differently in all of us. It is totally individual. Some people have set die-hard daily schedules. Those that don't usually develop some sort of funny little traditions or rules to cement a looser routine. Some people love background music. Others would never be able to pen a word with noise and need silence in order for words to unravel on the page.

One thing is certain - writing requires endless discipline and is actually the antithesis to life in many ways. This factor always reminds me why it's so hard to consistently pick up the pen. Sometimes I scold myself and think 'well I clearly don't want this enough do I? There is no way I'm dedicated enough to ever be a proper writer!' And maybe that is true. I enjoy the outside world of distractions too much at the moment, and am too restless and irritable in my own company during prolonged periods of time.

But, I do love writing. I always come back to it. Whether it ever becomes a money-making career for me or not, listening in to the radio this morning reminded me that I have a little niggle inside somewhere again saying 'please sit down and write something'. There is a story brewing. I have no idea what it's going to be about, but I never do until I start writing it.