Katherine May's Blog, page 5

How to rest

The creative people I know all have one thing in common: we all suffer, periodically, from utter exhaustion.

We have to fit so much in. Not one of us makes enough money from our work to give up the day job, but there's all the other stuff to: housework, children (not a vice of mine), friends, not to mention all the social & networking obligations that seem to come with the creative career package.

By the time we turn to our creative work - if, indeed, we ever do, because it's the route of lea...

Thinking of applying for an Arts Council Grant? Some tips.

It seems to me that writers are often a bit shy of applying for grants to support their work. In all honesty, we're just too used to getting on with it unpaid. If we charged for the sheer number of hours we put in, no-one could afford us. Many of us hope, one day, that our work will become commercially viable, and until then we're content to plod on, squeezing our art into the cracks between work, friends, family, the cleaning, what's on at the cinema...It's just not part of our culture. I've...

Finding that special someone

Don't worry, I haven't gone soppy. It's just that, when I was rattling on about how important it is to have a critical friend on #bookchat on Twitter last week, I got loads of messages back asking how on earth you might find such a thing.

Wee-ll, it's an inexact science, frankly. There's no dating site for critical friends, and nor should there be. Finding a good critical friend takes time, and it's a matter of trial and error. It's about the alchemy of personalities, writing styles, tastes, ...

Performances!

I'm delighted to announce that I have received an Arts Council 'Grants for the Arts' award to
develop a performance based on my novel, Burning Out.

This month, I will we working with cultural producers Nimble Fish to create an innovative literary performance which draws on the text in a new and engaging way. This will be supported by young people from Shepway Find Your Talent.

I hope you'll be able to make it along to one of my early performances:

Part of East Kent Live Lit's 'Shapeshifting' fo...

Blog Splash!

Fiona Robyn is going to blog her next novel, Thaw, starting on the 1st of March next year. The novel follows 32 year old Ruth's diary over three months as she decides whether or not to carry on living.

To help spread the word she's organising a Blogsplash, where blogs will publish the first page of Ruth's diary simultaneously (and a link to the blog).

She's aiming to get 1000 blogs involved – if you'd be interested in joining the splash, email her at fiona@fionarobyn.com or find out more inform...

On Literary Performance

When I was eighteen, I started running poetry events in my local pub. They were, in truth, the first lit events I'd ever attended, and this gave my programming a certain, erm, random quality that I hope was endearing. My utter ignorance of how things worked also led to me having to gumption to invite Fleur Adcock down - and her accepting. I was studying her work for my A Level at the time.

Back then, I treated it all fairly uncritically, simply grateful to be in the same room as a real live au...

Dangerous Words

Yesterday, as I arrived at one of the schools I work with, I found the staff poised somewhere between hilarity, disgust and fury. A parent had brought in an article from the Sun, they said, which meant that they had now realised that several of their pupils were wearing 'shag bands'.

This was a new one on me, and in case the same in true for you: a shag band is a rubbery bracelet, the colour of which signifies a sexual favour you're willing to give. Apparently, they're mainly worn by girls, a...

On the receiving end: how to use a critique effectively

The flip side of being a good critter is to learn to make the best use of any crits you receive. Below, I share my tips.

1. Manage your critiquer
Let them know what things you want them to focus on, and what things you don't need comments on. For example, you might say, 'I know the description's sketchy at the moment, but what I'd really like are your comments on how convincing my character is.'

2. Ask questions of the process
You may want to manage your critique by providing them with a set of s...

Giving Good Critique - 12 tips

1. Check Expectations
Find out what your subject is looking for BEFORE you look at their work. If possible, agree a structure in advance. Do they expect a careful, balanced critique, or are they really just looking for praise?

2. Analyse your position
Are you being asked as someone with superior knowledge, or as a peer? It's even possible that you've been identified as a potential adoring fan! Be sensitive to your social position here - and don't agree to anything that you don't feel comfortable...

Critical Matters

I got a bit over-excited in a meeting yesterday.

I know, over-excitement is my standard mode of being, but we were talking about setting up a structure for critical relationships. Dull? Not a bit of it. My colleague and I were soon enthusiastically comparing our favourite models for giving effective criticism, and we had to be told off so that the meeting could get back on track.

It's funny, really, because I remember meeting a fellow writer a few years ago who told me, 'I love criticism, it ...