Phaedra Patrick's Blog
July 16, 2017
Why I write
I wrote this piece for http://booksbywomen.org/why-i-write-b... and thought I'd share it here too...
A lady came along to a library event I delivered recently (I don’t know her name so I’ll call her Mrs Miggs) where she proceeded (rather nicely) to list a few things she didn’t really like about my debut novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper.
Please believe me that this doesn’t happen often! Readers, booksellers, librarians, bloggers and journalists are terribly supportive to writers. But this lady’s reaction did set me thinking about why I write and what it means to me. So, for Mrs Miggs and anyone else who might be interested, here are fifteen reasons why I do it…
1. I write because it’s my dream. The urge to do so has burned in my chest, from when I was young and used to read cereal packets at the breakfast table and shampoo bottles in the bath and knew that I wanted to write too.
2. I write because I have characters in my head, who create a fuss until I share their stories. They want me to kick start their adventures and hold their hand, to take them to a better place in their lives.
3. I write because I come from a town recently named as the most deprived in the UK. I thought that kids like me didn’t become writers and I want to share that they can.
4. I write to show my eleven-year-old son that, although I might do his ironing and make his tea, Mum has a proper job which not only involves creating stories, but which allows her to travel to amazing places and meet wonderful people. When I write novels I’m also developing my website and social media, networking and creating relationships, writing articles and blogs, encouraging other people to write and (*sadface*) doing my accounts.
5. I write because if I don’t do it then I get terribly grouchy, and that’s not good for anyone.
6. I write because I love fairy stories. Remember when you were little and never questioned if a pumpkin could turn into a carriage of if a glass slipper might splinter? I still feel the same way now. Life sometimes sucks and I want to write feel-good fiction with a touch of make-believe, to offer a little escape – for myself as well as readers.
7. I write because it’s two fingers up (or one) to the boss who bullied me at work, to demonstrate, whether he knows it or not, that you can be successful through positivity and hard-work, rather than manipulation and putting others down.
8. I write to try and make people (and myself) laugh and cry and grab hold of life with both hands and not let go.
9. I write because I believe that words can change people’s lives. I saw The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper as an enjoyable story about a retired gentleman who discovers a charm bracelet in his late wife’s wardrobe and sets off on a journey to find out the story behind the charms. But I also wanted it to be a guidebook for bereavement, an opportunity for readers going through the same experience to share Arthur’s journey and find a little hope at the end of it. Likewise, my second novel, Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone, deals with issues such as infertility, marriage difficulties and family disputes.
10. I write to make a living, because I don’t want to go back to working in an office in the city centre. (Please don’t make me go back!)
11. I write to encourage anyone who doesn’t have the confidence to put pen to paper, that it’s okay to try. I share my A-Z of writing tips on my website www.phaedra-patrick.com/writing-tips
12. I write because a close friend died a few years ago and it taught me that life is short. Writing my books enabled me to put her name in print, in a dedication, so that her daughter and parents know what she meant to me.
13. I write for all the people in my life who ever told me that I couldn’t do something, to show that I can.
14. I write because I can spend time in my head in wonderful locations. While my body may be sitting at my computer desk, my mind may be at the seaside, or in London or Paris. I feel alive when I’m researching people, objects and places.
15. I write to make my friends and family proud.
Of course, I didn’t have time to say all this to Mrs Miggs. I told her that everyone is different and books are different, and how great it is that we each have that choice to make.
Readers are essential for writers, and writers are essential for readers. It’s a fantastic symbiotic relationship. But when I write, I do so for the reasons I list here, not personally for Mrs Miggs. So I’ll turn her comments into a big positive, that she influenced me to write this piece, which allows me to express my appreciation to anyone who does read and enjoy my books.
I am truly grateful. Thank you x
A lady came along to a library event I delivered recently (I don’t know her name so I’ll call her Mrs Miggs) where she proceeded (rather nicely) to list a few things she didn’t really like about my debut novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper.
Please believe me that this doesn’t happen often! Readers, booksellers, librarians, bloggers and journalists are terribly supportive to writers. But this lady’s reaction did set me thinking about why I write and what it means to me. So, for Mrs Miggs and anyone else who might be interested, here are fifteen reasons why I do it…
1. I write because it’s my dream. The urge to do so has burned in my chest, from when I was young and used to read cereal packets at the breakfast table and shampoo bottles in the bath and knew that I wanted to write too.
2. I write because I have characters in my head, who create a fuss until I share their stories. They want me to kick start their adventures and hold their hand, to take them to a better place in their lives.
3. I write because I come from a town recently named as the most deprived in the UK. I thought that kids like me didn’t become writers and I want to share that they can.
4. I write to show my eleven-year-old son that, although I might do his ironing and make his tea, Mum has a proper job which not only involves creating stories, but which allows her to travel to amazing places and meet wonderful people. When I write novels I’m also developing my website and social media, networking and creating relationships, writing articles and blogs, encouraging other people to write and (*sadface*) doing my accounts.
5. I write because if I don’t do it then I get terribly grouchy, and that’s not good for anyone.
6. I write because I love fairy stories. Remember when you were little and never questioned if a pumpkin could turn into a carriage of if a glass slipper might splinter? I still feel the same way now. Life sometimes sucks and I want to write feel-good fiction with a touch of make-believe, to offer a little escape – for myself as well as readers.
7. I write because it’s two fingers up (or one) to the boss who bullied me at work, to demonstrate, whether he knows it or not, that you can be successful through positivity and hard-work, rather than manipulation and putting others down.
8. I write to try and make people (and myself) laugh and cry and grab hold of life with both hands and not let go.
9. I write because I believe that words can change people’s lives. I saw The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper as an enjoyable story about a retired gentleman who discovers a charm bracelet in his late wife’s wardrobe and sets off on a journey to find out the story behind the charms. But I also wanted it to be a guidebook for bereavement, an opportunity for readers going through the same experience to share Arthur’s journey and find a little hope at the end of it. Likewise, my second novel, Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone, deals with issues such as infertility, marriage difficulties and family disputes.
10. I write to make a living, because I don’t want to go back to working in an office in the city centre. (Please don’t make me go back!)
11. I write to encourage anyone who doesn’t have the confidence to put pen to paper, that it’s okay to try. I share my A-Z of writing tips on my website www.phaedra-patrick.com/writing-tips
12. I write because a close friend died a few years ago and it taught me that life is short. Writing my books enabled me to put her name in print, in a dedication, so that her daughter and parents know what she meant to me.
13. I write for all the people in my life who ever told me that I couldn’t do something, to show that I can.
14. I write because I can spend time in my head in wonderful locations. While my body may be sitting at my computer desk, my mind may be at the seaside, or in London or Paris. I feel alive when I’m researching people, objects and places.
15. I write to make my friends and family proud.
Of course, I didn’t have time to say all this to Mrs Miggs. I told her that everyone is different and books are different, and how great it is that we each have that choice to make.
Readers are essential for writers, and writers are essential for readers. It’s a fantastic symbiotic relationship. But when I write, I do so for the reasons I list here, not personally for Mrs Miggs. So I’ll turn her comments into a big positive, that she influenced me to write this piece, which allows me to express my appreciation to anyone who does read and enjoy my books.
I am truly grateful. Thank you x
July 9, 2016
Want to write? Find your tiger!!
Each time I went to the supermarket for my weekly grocery shop, I caught sight of The Life of Pi DVD on display. A majestic, glossy tiger with wide yellow eyes stared at me, mockingly. “You’ll never write anything as glorious as this story,” he seemed to say. “You don’t have a tiger in your book.”
I returned to writing my novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper. It tells the story of a humble Yorkshireman, 69-year-old Arthur, who finds a mysterious charm bracelet in his late wife, Miriam’s, wardrobe. He sets off a journey to discover the story behind each of the charms and finds that Miriam led a secret life before they met.
Writing the book was kind of going okay, but it wasn’t grabbing me like it should. My agent at the time said that publishers were looking for sex, midwives or thrillers, but I didn’t want to write about those. Standing in front of shelves in bookstores, I was confronted by hundreds of diverse titles which didn’t seem to back up her claim. So, what did agents and publishers actually want? I drove myself a bit mad trying to fathom it out.
Until one day, I looked at The Life of Pi tiger again and thought that if I wanted a tiger in my book, then I should put one in. And so I did. Lonely, bewildered Arthur is attacked by a tiger in the gardens of an English manor house. Inserting the tiger suddenly allowed me to write from the heart and gave me the freedom to be myself. I re-wrote the book and had fun with the story, without thinking about the market, publishers and agents. Nothing was out of bounds for Arthur to endure or experience.
Previously, I’d written three books which remain locked in a drawer. I had a further two rejected by publishers. But this one, with the tiger in it, finally worked. A friend remarked that they thought the story was ‘truly me’ and The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper has been snapped up in twenty-two countries so far.
So, if you’re out there writing a novel, stuck or perhaps reining in your ideas and creativity, trying to guess what the market does and doesn’t want. Why not try something a little different, and be yourself?
Find your own equivalent of that tiger. It might be a fabulous object, a thinly-disguised favourite actor, a place you’ve always wanted to visit, a story you’ve always wanted to share, or even a facet of your own personality. Pop it into your novel, and see where it takes you. It might be somewhere wonderful.
I returned to writing my novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper. It tells the story of a humble Yorkshireman, 69-year-old Arthur, who finds a mysterious charm bracelet in his late wife, Miriam’s, wardrobe. He sets off a journey to discover the story behind each of the charms and finds that Miriam led a secret life before they met.
Writing the book was kind of going okay, but it wasn’t grabbing me like it should. My agent at the time said that publishers were looking for sex, midwives or thrillers, but I didn’t want to write about those. Standing in front of shelves in bookstores, I was confronted by hundreds of diverse titles which didn’t seem to back up her claim. So, what did agents and publishers actually want? I drove myself a bit mad trying to fathom it out.
Until one day, I looked at The Life of Pi tiger again and thought that if I wanted a tiger in my book, then I should put one in. And so I did. Lonely, bewildered Arthur is attacked by a tiger in the gardens of an English manor house. Inserting the tiger suddenly allowed me to write from the heart and gave me the freedom to be myself. I re-wrote the book and had fun with the story, without thinking about the market, publishers and agents. Nothing was out of bounds for Arthur to endure or experience.
Previously, I’d written three books which remain locked in a drawer. I had a further two rejected by publishers. But this one, with the tiger in it, finally worked. A friend remarked that they thought the story was ‘truly me’ and The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper has been snapped up in twenty-two countries so far.
So, if you’re out there writing a novel, stuck or perhaps reining in your ideas and creativity, trying to guess what the market does and doesn’t want. Why not try something a little different, and be yourself?
Find your own equivalent of that tiger. It might be a fabulous object, a thinly-disguised favourite actor, a place you’ve always wanted to visit, a story you’ve always wanted to share, or even a facet of your own personality. Pop it into your novel, and see where it takes you. It might be somewhere wonderful.
May 12, 2016
encouragement - 1, negativity - 0
Last year I left my job. I had worked as a communications officer for 12 years and was offered redundancy. It was at the same time that my debut novel, The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, had been snapped up in 8 countries (now 20!). Great timing, but so scary to make such a big change. I think I'm still adjusting.
One of the worst things (for me) about my previous job was how work appraisals always focused on work performance that you needed 'to improve on,' rather than recognising your strengths and building on these instead.
The problem is that not everyone is good at everything. Even though sometimes we feel we need to be!
It's something we do with our friends, family and kids, isn't it? We listen and encourage when they're good at something. We don't then list the things that they need to develop further! That would be silly.
Not everyone is great at maths, or sport, or art. And that's fine. It's absolutely fine to shine at some things and not at others.
When it comes to watching a film or reading a book, however, it seems to awaken an inner critic in most people. How easy is it to pen a few harsh lines about something that might be someone's dream, or even life's work? How much more helpful and encouraging it is to focus on what has been done well. Or to offer helpful thoughts. Just as you would do with friends.
Social media means that although people are miles apart, they're joined by just a few taps of the keyboard, or press of a mobile phone button. The people we may chat to, or follow, or admire, are reachable. I may be being idealistic, or it might be the way I've been brought up, but if you're going to pass on your thoughts or comments, it's just as easy to be encouraging as it is to be negative. It makes the person on the receiving end happier, and it will make you feel better too! Whether that's sitting with your manager, or employee, or friend. If you're penning a review about a film, book or play, or if you're assessing your own strengths. Be kind to yourself and others. Encouragement and positivity scores a 1, and negativity scores a big fat Zero.
One of the worst things (for me) about my previous job was how work appraisals always focused on work performance that you needed 'to improve on,' rather than recognising your strengths and building on these instead.
The problem is that not everyone is good at everything. Even though sometimes we feel we need to be!
It's something we do with our friends, family and kids, isn't it? We listen and encourage when they're good at something. We don't then list the things that they need to develop further! That would be silly.
Not everyone is great at maths, or sport, or art. And that's fine. It's absolutely fine to shine at some things and not at others.
When it comes to watching a film or reading a book, however, it seems to awaken an inner critic in most people. How easy is it to pen a few harsh lines about something that might be someone's dream, or even life's work? How much more helpful and encouraging it is to focus on what has been done well. Or to offer helpful thoughts. Just as you would do with friends.
Social media means that although people are miles apart, they're joined by just a few taps of the keyboard, or press of a mobile phone button. The people we may chat to, or follow, or admire, are reachable. I may be being idealistic, or it might be the way I've been brought up, but if you're going to pass on your thoughts or comments, it's just as easy to be encouraging as it is to be negative. It makes the person on the receiving end happier, and it will make you feel better too! Whether that's sitting with your manager, or employee, or friend. If you're penning a review about a film, book or play, or if you're assessing your own strengths. Be kind to yourself and others. Encouragement and positivity scores a 1, and negativity scores a big fat Zero.
