Writing a Novel

Three years ago I set out to write a novel and, last autumn, I succeeded in producing the first draft of 70,000 words. 

I wanted to write a magical reality novel based around the farm in Worcestershire where I spent the first eight or so years of my life. It’s place to which I have been drawn back to explore, lockdowns permitting, and write about the landscape and wildlife there within a quirky tale of magic and rural life. 

There was much wrong with it, but there was also some good - not least the sense of completion of a long journey of development. My wife and daughter, who are both avid readers, were more than happy to rip it to shreds and give praise in equal measure.

The main problem, or one of them, was the abundance of ideas - too many. My aim was to write what excited and interested me which was too much and the plot needed more work.

The novel might be better reworked into a series of short stories, then I could develop the themes different ways and not get lost in the deep depths of 70,000 words. It also might be better for me to write it in the first person. This would force me to confront the challenge of writing with more emotional attachment which wasn’t part of my writing style.

I will go back to the drawing board and completely restructure my plot lines and clarify the magical world in which it is set. I enjoyed creating a long text, but I found myself easily getting lost in the bulk of it, particularly as I have other things in life that need my attention or which stimulate me creatively. 

My aim is to write about what interests me and I have no publishing goal to work towards - it is the experience that counts. Formal publishing can take years with little, if any, financial reward and self-publishing would need me do do all the promotion. I’ll think about it and see what feels right to do.

Gardening

Now the weather has warmed up a little it is time to begin planning what to do in the garden this year.

 

Sunlit Oaks

 

Quick sketch made whilst out for a walk today of sunlight in an oak wood near Lilley, Hertfordshire. The bright green mosses covering the trees beautifully backlit by warm sunshine. Procreate on iPad, 29 minutes.

Liquitex Acrylic Gouache Paints

 

I asked for some Liquitex Acrylic Gouache paints for my birthday and have been pleased with the results. The colours are bright and suit my way of working well. I have never got on with normal acrylic paints, these are far easier to use - good consistency, good opaqueness and remind me of working with the acrylic inks I used to use back in the good old days.

I've been exploring using Affinity Photo as a painting app. The afternoon tea picture was drawn very quickly as an initial ‘getting the know’ the app. The catkins and bramble leaves were seen in a hedgerow yesterday and created a good challenge in putting the app to a more detailed test. If I didn’t have Procreate I am sure I would use it more but Procreate has the edge. 

 

Hop Picking

 

This took a bit of working on and I could have tweaked it here and there. This is a hop picking machine I visited in September in Worcestershire. The two workers are attaching the hop bines brought in from the hop yards to the trackway. The hops are then lifted into the picking machine which strips the hop cones from the bines, removes all the stalks and leaves, and carries the cones off to to be dried. Just outside the shed himalayan balsam and woody nightshade were growing. I added them in, along with a few hops at the top, to frame the image.

I started by drawing a outline A3 sketch in pencil which I then scanned. From then on I worked entirely on the iPad, using the split screen function to view reference photos and my working image side by side. The final image was A3, 300 dpi and 190MB. With such a large file size I was limited to 30 layers so had to keep flattening parts as I progressed. 

Classic Pizza Company

 The Classic Pizza Company at Orleton Court Farm in Worcestershire serving up delicious pizzas paired with craft beers brewed onsite with home-grown hops. This illustration took probably the longest time I have ever spent on an artwork in terms of production, not actual drawing time. I have been dipping in and out of it over several months, eager to work on it but somehow finding it hard to concentrate on the detail and apprehensive of what direction it was going to take. I am fairly happy with the result, though  I had considered redoing it to make a few improvements.