Panorama - a view from the Edge

Day 3 of the journey - our heroine finds herself on the edge before being rescued by the Wizard.

Today I walked up Alderley Edge near Macclesfield, a large sandstone escarpment from which one can view the Cheshire plains below. Climbing up to the height was simple enough. The sun shone, visibility was good, a perfect photo opportunity.

There are several legends and folklore associated with Alderley Edge (some of which provided inspiration for Alan Garner’s books ‘The Weirdstone of Brisingamen’ and ‘The Moon of Gomrath’). Standing in the bright sunshine such myths felt fanciful.

But when I tried to find my way down again the path didn't seem so obvious. I wandered through the wood, following trails which at first glimpse looked familiar, but then realised I had not seen before. The sun went behind a cloud. Inside the wood the paths were overgrown and the farther in I walked, the darker it became. 

Surrounded by trees it didn't take long before I lost all sense of direction. Was I walking in circles? Had I been bewitched and led astray by the spirits of the wood?

Happily I was rescued from my wanderings when I chanced upon The Wizard of Edge - not Gandalf or Merlin, but rather the pub which bears the title! 

And so, freshly provisioned, I continued on my journey.

Overground, Underground

Day 2 of the Journey and our heroine leaves the world above ground and descends into the abyss.

As creative literature students know, the descent into the abyss is a traditional plot structure. 

My descent however was more literal than literary. More particularly, I entered the Williamson Tunnels in Liverpool. This is a labyrinth of tunnels underneath the streets of Edge Hill in Liverpool, dug in the early 19th century at the whim of Joseph Williamson. Nobody is really sure whether this was an altruistic job creation scheme for soldiers returning from the Napoleonic Wars or simply the folly of an eccentric individual. 

The facts of how long these tunnels are, how many of them, or even where they are, remain a mystery waiting to be solved. Those that have been discovered have no obvious purpose, and head off in random directions without any clear order. If you visit Liverpool I can recommend a visit to the Heritage Centre 

The history of the tunnels and the man behind them have certainly provided me with inspiration, perhaps for an article, maybe also for a story or two. A successful second day.

Nomadic

Day 1 - our heroine sets out upon her journey.

I'm away from home on an extended road trip. Over the next 4 weeks I shall be travelling through England and Wales, staying with friends and family, but also guest houses, hotels and self-catering. I am particularly excited at the prospect of 3 nights at the Gladstone Library in Hawarden, 3 nights in the bookish town of Hay on Wye and 5 nights at the Writers’ Holiday in Fishguard.

Journeys are a traditional starting point for a story. Take for example Homer’s epic Odyssey, Biblical tales such as Jonah and the Whale, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, television series such as Star Trek. 

The hero’s journey is of course one of the original story plots - the ultimate narrative archetype, some would call it. In the classic structure the hero is called to adventure. Things happen, he faces challenges, overcomes obstacles and returns changed by the experience.

I'm hoping there won't be too many obstacles on my journey. Or monsters. But I am looking forward to reconnecting with some of the wonderful people who have been a part of my life and to meeting some new people. And along the way I hope to find time and inspiration to write.

Now if you'll excuse me, I really must go. Adventure calls.

Milestones

Anniversaries trigger memories. It's inevitable. Some are sad. Fortunately most of mine are happy recollections.

Last Friday was an anniversary I had hoped not to experience for many years. I have now been a widow for one year. Twelve months without the man who was indeed my soul mate, my rock, my lover, my friend. I could go on, but I won't. The memories of the short time we had together are precious, but they're mine and I don't need to write them down.

What I want to do now is reflect on the twelve months I have spent without Alan at my side. We had five months to prepare for his death. Amongst the important issues such as money, paperwork etc incongruously he thought it necessary to instruct me in trivialities such as how to secure the pin which ensured the hinge on the wheelie bin didn't come loose, how to use the petrol lawnmower. As for his funeral the only instructions he gave me were “I don't want a piss-up”.

He was pragmatic about life, ‘shit happens’ was his philosophy. There are things you can change and things you can't. For the first you need courage, for the latter you need resilience. Alan taught me to be both brave and resilient.

So I sorted out the money and tidied up the paperwork. I mowed the lawn and stopped the 
wheelie bin lid falling off. 

I've tried new things without him. Last year I went to the Swanwick Writers’ Conference. This year I've booked for the Fishguard Writers’ Holiday. I read at my first open mic and wished he'd been there to hear me - he'd have been proud.

The one thing I haven't yet achieved is his wish that I continue with my writing. I've submitted no new stories or articles since he died, although I have sent off poetry and flash fiction which has been published. And two stories and two articles I had submitted before he died have since been published. Again that conflict of emotions - knowing he would have been delighted to see them in print, and  sorrow that he won't now see them.

There are times I've felt rudderless, drifting without a purpose. But I've survived a year and that feels like an important milestone. Time now to start again, to make new plans. And yes, Alan, I shall follow your advice and be brave.

Limerick

If this were a travel blog, I'd be describing the eponymous city in County Limerick, Ireland.

But as I'm a writer my subject is poetry, specifically the form of verse brought to popular attention by Edward Lear in his 1846 'Book of Nonsense'. With its fixed rhyming structure (AABBA) and distinctive metre, limericks are easily identifiable.

At a recent meeting my writing group tried sequential limerick writing as an ice-breaker, each member adding one line in turn. It was fun and we ended up with some truly funny verses (many involving a certain Mr Trump!). From a writing perspective it was an interesting exercise, first to establish a main character, describe the setting, the inciting incident and finally a resolution. Just like writing any story.

I do have another tenuous Irish link to report. One of my stories has recently been published in Ireland's Own magazine. It's my first non UK publication. It's perhaps a little early to start boasting of international fame and fortune, but it's a start.

A writer from Tyneside called Bea

Had delusions of fame, and so she

Began to compose

In elegant prose

Her memoirs, parts one two and three.

Knowledge

It helps if you know what you're doing. That statement can be applied to many things in life, whether it be using a petrol mower for the first time, changing a fuse, fitting a new wiper blade on the car. Nowadays it's easier than ever to find out how to perform a new task - search online, watch a YouTube video, read a DIY book. Perhaps even ask a friendly expert happy to pass on their knowledge.

What about writing? Surely you just apply pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, and let the words flow. Certainly that is how most of us start and indeed continue. Very few get it right first time and go on to sell their first oeuvre.

Here is just some of the helpful advice I've been given:

• There are many self-help books which can help with the basics. Fortunately a degree in Creative Writing isn't a prerequisite for writing the next best seller.
• Read extensively. Examine books written by successful authors writing in the same genre as you.
• Research - study the market where you wish to be published.
• Ask someone you know will be honest to read and comment on your writing. (Probably not your Gran. Grandmothers are wonderful, they always believe in you, but 'That's lovely, dear' isn't the most helpful critique you will receive.)
• Join a writing group - online or in real life.
• Critique the work of fellow writers - it's a good way of learning to look at your own work more objectively.
• Enter competitions. Even if you don't win, read those that have and where available the judges' comments which reveal why the winner was chosen.
• Ask for advice - I've been humbled by the generosity of fellow writers who share their expertise so willingly.

But the only way to know if you have got it right is to get your work out there, to submit it and risk rejection. Learn to let your work go. It's sad that many talented writers I've met have never submitted their work anywhere.

What advice would you give to writers seeking to improve their skills?

Junk

It's amazing how much clutter I have squirrelled away over the years, stored in the loft 'just in case'. Now I am determined to be rid. Broken scales, obsolete cables, old electrical appliances which are no longer safe to use, books I shall never read again, the list goes on.

But as one person's junk can be another person's treasure, some of my rejected goods have now been sold, others have been donated to charity shops and yet more have been given away through freecycle.org.

One of the magazines I follow has a regular feature in which readers can send photographs of various items to ask Bob the expert for a free valuation. Occasionally a rare and valuable artefact will be discovered. Most however are of little or no value, such as this old button tin - £5 at the most, said Bob. On the bright side £25 was the writer's reward for having her letter published - that's a good return on a £5 piece of junk!

Ideas can be reused too. My husband's uncle once commented that, short of money for an exotic honeymoon, he had romanced his new wife in a tent. I have since used the phrase as the inspiration for my poem - 'Think Again, Dear' - which is published in the current edition of Yours magazine.

My next task is to 'declutter' my folder of rejected stories. Some I now acknowledge were no good - the editors were right to turn them down. (If only, like Bob, they had paid me £25 to soften the blow!) But not all are so bad. There are several plots that I believe can be recycled into something worth resubmitting. Here's hoping the editors agree.