Writing Processes

One of the many things that writers get asked is: “Where do you get your inspiration?” Another question that is often asked is: “How do you write?

A lot of inspiration comes from real life. For instance, my very first novel was partly inspired by my job. I was working as a reporter and I wanted a character who came from that sort of life. Another thing that inspired the story was my dissatisfaction with my own life. The wish that if I could somehow become someone else, things might be better. Of course, I would never really wish to be someone who is so different from who they really are that they become sort of the antithesis of themselves. Essentially, the character, Phoenix, was more interested in revenge than in actually being a nice person.

Sometimes I will be inspired by something I see on the news. There might be something happening in the world that will inspire a plot. Here’s another example: I’ve always been curious about cults and what makes someone begin to follow someone. Is it charisma? Is it a desire to believe that they can somehow ‘fix’ things. This type of thing has become quite a scandal in the last two or three years and I’m sure there is a psychological term for this type of brainwashing. Anyway, it has inspired a future crime fiction story where the main character goes looking for someone who has fallen victim to this cult.

Another event that inspired a story was a terrorist attack. I live in New Zealand, and there has always been a perception that the things that directly affect other countries, such as terrorism, is something that doesn’t really happen here. That couldn’t be further from the truth. So, yes, it did inspire another story – which I have only written the bare bones of.

Sometimes the hardest thing for a writer is to be able to focus. We often get asked about writer’s block and how to overcome it. Many of the problems with writer’s block, at least in my experience, stems from the fact that we are trying to focus on one particular story and we lose that focus, or we run out of ideas of where to go next in the plot. Every writer has some idea of the plot they want to follow in a story (in fiction, that is), or the structure, but there are times when that plot seems to go off in a different direction. It’s not wrong. In fact, sometimes these little segues can actually make a story that much richer. It’s when we are unsure of which path we want to follow that we get that block.

One of the things I do with writer’s block is try to focus on something else for a while. Even if it means working on another story idea. As I mentioned in a previous post, when I was working on my first novel, for years I had written scenes which would either eventually fit somewhere within the story, or they wouldn’t. I think many writers do it this way. It may look a bit odd to someone who isn’t a writer, but in many ways, our brains do not work in a linear way. We can hear something or witness something that might provide an inspiration, but it might not necessarily immediately follow what we have already written in a story. Sometimes it’s easier for me to write the scene down while it is still fresh in my head, rather than try to remember it later down the track when it should logically follow the plot.

As a journalist, I was accustomed to working on several stories at once. Now in my novel writing, I do pretty much the same thing. I already have several story ideas bubbling away, and if I get inspiration for one of them, I will write in that one until I have done what I needed to do before I go back to the story I am meant to be working on. While it might sound odd to someone who doesn’t do a lot of writing, it is the best way for me to work.

Of course, there is another way to deal with writer’s block and that’s essentially a change of scenery. If the weather’s good, go out, enjoy the scenery, surround yourself with the natural world, if that’s your thing, or spend time with friends. You may find something to inspire you while you’re at it.

I write under two names

This might be confusing for some readers. However, I make a distinct difference between the two. One name, my real name, is for non-fiction work only. Under the pen name of E M Richmond, I write fiction.

I trained as a journalist. I had hoped to make a career out of it. When I first decided to publish my first novel, Phoenix, I had not long been away from journalism and was still trying to get back into it. While that didn’t happen, a big part of me thought that if I published works of fiction under my real name, that might somehow lessen my chances of returning to the career that I had trained so hard for.

I don’t know how true it is, but I have heard there is a perception that novel writers are considered ‘lesser’ than journalists. It’s patently false because I have heard of some journalists who do go on to have very successful careers as novel writers and at least at my alma mater there is a course in such writing now.

I do question the perception and wonder if it perhaps comes from the more elite type of journalist who does consider their type of writing more ‘high brow’ and novelists as more ‘low brow’; rather the same as classical music can be considered high-brow and pop music as low brow. To me they both have their uses in terms of entertainment.

I think in many ways, novel writing is harder than journalism. Writing articles involves asking the right questions, doing a bit of research, interviewing people who can either back up a claim or refute it – providing the right balance. Essentially, once you have that, your article is practically written for you. With a novel, you have to do your research, ask your questions and then you have to create characters and write them in a way that they are not only believable but also relatable to your reader. That takes a bit of skill and a lot of understanding of human nature.

Anyway, in a nutshell, I chose to use a pen name for my fiction writing out of a false perception that I would be considered lesser in the eyes of my fellow journalists should they learn about it. And out of a need to protect myself should they decide to make fun of me for it. I also in some ways wanted to give myself a sense of privacy.

Now, I don’t really mind who knows. However, I am not going to change the names on the novels and I’ll still continue to write under the name E M Richmond. It’s a way for me to remember one of the few people who encouraged me in my writing, whatever direction it took.

The Greatest Love is coming soon

The book will soon be ready for publishing. It is currently being edited by a professional editor. This is the first novel I’ve had edited by a professional and it really feels like it was the right thing to do.

One of the scariest things about having it edited is trusting that you’ve done a good enough job in the writing. I tend to downplay my writing skills and that can be to my detriment sometimes, but I believe in this story, and that’s one of the reasons I felt I could trust the editor with my work.

I don’t know if I would call this a feminist novel. The main point of the story is: can the female protagonist put the past behind her and live her life according to her own needs. Most women generations before me were taught that the be-all and end-all was to get married, have children and that was that. I came from the generation which was taught that women could do anything. There is still a long way to go in gender equality but I’m not here to preach about that. What I really wanted to say in this novel is that sometimes a woman has to learn to please only herself, to live for herself, not for others. A healthy relationship, by my view, is one where both in the relationship have needs and interests which are independent from each other’s but can also share some others in common.

One of the problems in the relationship in the beginning of the story is that our female protagonist is living according to someone else’s expectations. When she tries to assert her independence, her individuality, that is when she encounters difficulties. A second problem later in the book is the decisions she makes regarding her own future. One of those decisions hinges on whether she can continue being with someone she loves, or whether her feelings are strong enough to withstand other problems in the relationship.

The main theme of the book is how someone can rise above an abusive relationship. It matters little whether that relationship is a parent-child one or a spousal one. It also explores different types of abuse. Domestic abuse isn’t just physical. I think that’s a mistake many people make. Nor is it confined only to men being the abusers. What I will say about one of the male characters in this is that he is a composite of those who feature in many of the experiences I have read about abusers. Including my own.

New Zealand is far from perfect in its record in relation to domestic abuse. If this story does anything, I hope it will highlight that the problem cannot simply be categorised by one thing.

The Greatest Love

I have started work on a new novel, called The Greatest Love. The title is based on the first Whitney Houston song I ever heard and the line: “Learning to love yourself, it is the greatest love of all”.

While it is a love story of sorts, it’s the main character learning to love herself. The basic plot is that Deanna discovers the man she married is not who she thought he was and escapes the marriage, only to fall for another man and embark on a passionate affair. Ultimately she realises that this relationship is another road to nowhere and she has to decide what is best for her.

I’m not totally enamoured with the names of the male characters in this story, so I may change them. I’m also not completely happy with the initial which includes flashbacks into the relationship and how she grew up.

There is an exploration of domestic abuse. I have a lot of red flags early on but it’s less about physical abuse than it is about emotional abuse. Two of the characters are manipulative and kind of narcissistic. I actually am not comfortable writing these characters because I hate them so much.

There are moments when Deanna’s husband seems like a decent guy, but for me, those moments just make him more of a monster because it is a Jekyll and Hyde type of situation. That to me is what makes domestic abuse so abhorrent. You hear stories about women who have been abused and you often ask: why did she stay? Sometimes for the women, it’s because of those moments, and also the shifting the blame. They think that perhaps it’s something they’re doing, that they’re not living up to expectations and that maybe they deserve the abuse.

Sometimes it takes an outsider to make someone understand the total ‘wrongness’ of what is happening and that’s the idea I wanted to explore in this.

It’s also exploring a character who learns that she doesn’t need anyone else to become strong.

Steele Factor

I admit I procrastinated on this one. But I finally got it finished.

This is the second book in the Amanda Steele series and I’m liking what I did with the character. Yes, there is the snarky banter between Jim and Amanda but I love that he is supporting her in a more personal way.

The general synopsis: Amanda is asked to go undercover again, this time at a soon-to-be -televised talent show, as a singer. She is there to investigate a series of accidents which threaten the show and could lead to its shut down. As she auditions, there is another accident. This time, it leads to murder. At the same time, Amanda is dealing with issues of a personal nature. She and Jim must now work together to solve the case.

I like Amanda better in this story. She’s a little more serious. Yes, she enjoys the oneupmanship with Jim and the veiled insults, but she’s a little more mature. She also is getting along better with one of her bosses. It’s set not long after her first case but she is slowly learning how to be an investigator. Her friendship with Jim still has its ups and downs but more up than down. His genuine concern over her personal issues gives the reader hope for the future of this partnership, which began rather reluctantly.

For me, the whole idea began as an exploration of how someone would become an investigator when they’re pretty much dropped in at the deep end. I know most P.I.s tend to be ex-cops, but I liked the idea of creating a character who is still rather young, thinks they know everything, but quickly find out they don’t and has no idea what they’re doing when they first start this. It leads to mistakes, errors in judgement, and some thoughtless actions on their part, but as the character grows, they eventually learn what it takes to become a good investigator. To me, it’s a slightly different take on crime fiction, but I still one day hope to be as good as my favourite crime writer.

The softcover and Kindle will be available on Amazon in the next day or so.

Living With Depression

After two years of work, I am now about to publish Living With Depression (initial title Pathways Out of Depression). I will be having a launch next week.

I have to admit, I’m really nervous about this. It’s not just the launch. I had an interview with a local paper yesterday and they mentioned negative feedback. I know there are trolls out there who will do anything to tear me down. I just don’t want anything nasty said about me or the people I’ve interviewed in the book.

I’ve used a number of sources and I hope I’ve cited them sufficiently. I’ve tried not to directly quote from those I wasn’t able to contact, but the citations were necessary as a lot of research had to go into the whys and wherefores. It’s mostly about 20% of the book though. The rest is based on self-analysis.

Anyway, the launch is on the 28th of February. If you are in Palmerston North, please come along to the library at 6pm.

Just a note: This book is written under my real name, not my pen name, but I have no concerns about that. The people who know me and love me know I write novels under a pen name and why I do that.

I hope this book does help someone, but I also hope that it will lead to a job in a field where I know I can use my own experience to help people.

New Project – Pathways Out of Depression

I haven’t been working much on the fiction lately. I have a huge project I am working on which is very important to me. It will be a book written under my real name.

I’m not going to post a synopsis. What I will do is post the introduction to it. It is a fairly long-ish introduction, but will give you an idea of what the book is about.

INTRODUCTION

According to the New Zealand Health Survey 2016-2017, approximately 16 percent of New Zealand’s population, or around 640,000 people, have been diagnosed with depression in their lifetime. This is by no means an accurate picture of the real scope of mental illness, of which depression is just one part of. If 16 percent of the world’s population had this illness, that would make it around 960 million people. It’s fairly daunting when looked at that way.

Yet this is only the tip of the iceberg. The numbers are based on estimates and do not take into account that some people have either not been diagnosed or have not sought help from health services. There are several countries in the world where getting help is just not possible and getting an accurate picture of the true state of affairs is equally impossible. Even in the United States, with a huge chunk of the population below the poverty line, they may not be able to afford healthcare and their depression goes undiagnosed.

I consider myself extremely lucky to live in a country that has a slightly better healthcare system, although for many who also live below the poverty line, a visit to a GP becomes prohibitive. Subsidies may take care of some things, but not everything.

In other countries, particularly in the developing world, where things like war, famine and disease are an everyday problem, the scope of mental illness can never be measured, simply because there are not the facilities in order to do so. We must also take into account that in some cultures, mental illness is ignored or dismissed.

It was not so long ago even in countries like the United States, mental illness was considered to be something dangerous. Three or four hundred years ago, people who were ‘different’ were thought to be possessed. It is only in the last century or so that we have been able to understand it and treat it.

Depression cannot be seen. It does not show as a physical deformity. Author Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said: “Every man has secret sorrows the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.”

It has been called a number of things over the last two or three hundred years. Sadness, melancholy. It has been misdiagnosed, mis-represented, misunderstood and in many ways, feared.

A number of historical figures were known to have depression. Famed writer Agatha Christie, who wrote such volumes like Murder On The Orient Express, was known for it. Author Virginia Woolf had mental illness. Abraham Lincoln, the United States President credited with passing the amendment to abolish slavery in America, also had it. Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway, Vincent van Gogh, Hans Christian Andersen, Raymond Chandler, Calvin Coolidge, Charles Darwin, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Herman Melville, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Friedrich Nietzsche, Edgar Allan Poe, Jackson Pollock, Mark Twain, Tennessee Williams to name a few also shared this illness in common.

Some famous people in more recent times have also been diagnosed with this illness. In the past five years or more, we have been shocked to learn of deaths of various celebrities, most by their own hand. Yet why should they be any different to the average person also struggling with this illness?

Usually when we hear of the death of someone famous, the main question on people’s minds is: why? These people have had great success in their lives and everything to live for. While it’s a fair question, it shows just how little people understand what this illness is.

Depression can be a barrier to success, but success is not necessarily a barrier to depression. The fact that people can get this illness in spite of any successes in their personal lives shows that depression can strike anyone. Sir John Kirwan, a well-known sportsman and former All Black, was diagnosed with depression at the peak of his career. He has taken what he has learnt from his illness to raise awareness.

Yet, it is still an illness which is very much misunderstood. By our employers, our friends, even our families.

There is a reason depression is called the ‘invisible illness’. Imagine walking down the street and meeting about twenty people. They all smile at you as they pass by. Now look closer at those smiles. Does one of them seem to falter? Which one? Can you really tell?

This is the problem with depression. The symptoms do not usually show up as something obvious. It can cause physical symptoms, which will be explored in a later chapter. I read something on social media which is highly relevant. ‘If we could show our depression like others show physical illnesses, people would not be so quick to judge us’. The quote is probably not accurate but fairly close.

I was diagnosed with depression at the age of 17 and still struggle with it after 30 years. I am not the only one who continues to have these difficulties.

In my struggles, I have done a great deal of self-analysis. My research has taken me down many paths, some of them successful, some not so. My thirst for knowledge and my desire to understand my own illness has helped me deal with some of the worst of it. For me, my depression has been a very lonely experience. Hence the desire to share some of what I have learnt and perhaps help someone else who, like me, has become a little lost in the fog of their own struggle.

This book is not just about my own journey. It’s about every person going through these same struggles. It will include facts and figures, talks with experts in health and explore alternatives to medication.

I don’t have all the answers. What works for me may not work for someone else. However, I hope that by sharing my story and knowledge from professionals, it may help someone else find their own way.

Currently there is no cure for depression. Whether that will happen some day is hard to say. Mental illness is a costly one for all health services and research into its causes and treatments, leading to a cure, may not happen in my lifetime.

I can only hope that the pathways I have taken will continue to help me manage my depression.

 

****

I intend to talk to experts in the field’s of psychology, fitness, nutrition and alternative medicine to help others, as well as gather other people’s stories so readers can see that it is possible to manage depression. However, this all costs money that I do not have. I am currently unemployed and dependent on the government. I don’t like it and wish I had independent income, but that would be a miracle.

If you would like to support this project and help me on my journey to helping others with this illness, please donate to my crowdfunding page.

Steele Factor – About The Book

No cover to show as yet on this new book as that’s a work-in-progres, but as you’ve probably guessed, this is a sequel to Sharp Steele. The title is not just a pun but is around a tv show (no prizes for guessing which one).

When I first started writing this series, the one thing I wanted to do was explore the role of a private investigator from the beginning. Now, I know that Amanda, at nineteen, is rather young to be a private investigator but how it comes about is due to circumstance more than anything. Sort of a right place, right time situation.

I’ve read a bit of crime fiction, as I think I’ve mentioned before, and the one thing that does bug me about one particular series is, how did they get to where they are? Like when we first meet Spenser (Robert B Parker’s novel series), he’s 37 years old and has been a p.i. for a while. We do find out he used to be a state trooper but was fired – something to do with a problem with authority. But where is the rest of that? I haven’t read the entire series but I’ve yet to see a story which actually explores what happened and why he became a p.i.

Anyway, back to my story.

One of the things I want to do through this series is explore my character’s personal growth as much as her growth within her career. So in the first book, Amanda is a little arrogant and very naive. The tone of the book reflects that as well.

I have to admit, even I got annoyed at her at times, and I created her. Being a much more mature age, I have little patience for young people who think they know everything and in many ways she gets her comeuppance.

There is a lot of character-driven plot – like her relationship with various characters. This is not a hard-boiled private investigator type of series. This is a young woman learning to be an investigator and balancing out her work with her personal life. Let’s face it. As much as we all want to be able to go home at the end of the day and forget about work, sometimes things overlap. That’s part of what I wanted to explore.

One thing I do want to make very clear is that this is set in New Zealand and here, being a private investigator isn’t all that exciting. It’s mostly divorce cases. I prefer my stories to have some kind of basis in reality. There are times when I read novels or watch a television show and I have to stop for a second because the character has done something which is so far out of the scope of what I know to be real that I have to suspend my disbelief. Yes, we all do that in most respects but I guess I’m a stickler for making something believable.

I also need to reiterate that our police force isn’t the same as in America. Our cops don’t carry guns on the job. They are trained to use them, but there is a specialist team (or squad) which handles those sorts of crimes. So it would be far too unrealistic to have a p.i. carry one on the job. They may be licensed to use one, but that’s about it.

So, on to the synopsis: (bear in mind this is not the full synopsis as it’s a work-in-progress.

It’s business as usual for the firm of private investigators Moody and Knight.

​Amanda soon gets a chance to prove her worth once again when she is asked to investigate accidents on a national talent show. She again goes undercover, this time as a contestant.

Meanwhile, in her personal life, her friendship with Jim Andersen is taking a turn for the better. She is finding that he is perhaps the one man she can really count on, both personally and professionally.

Letting Go – Reprise

I read a bad review for Letting Go. The reviewer hated the flashbacks and hated the romance angle.

I admit with the romance angle, I caved to what I perceived as the market desire. I thought no one would want to read a story that was just about one woman’s journey into understanding about depression.

I will defend the flashbacks though. I think they were important in the story as it makes it a little more realistic. How many times have we seen something or read something and it triggers a memory? That’s the angle I was going for with the flashbacks and I felt it helped the character understand a little more of what was going on with her friend.

I’m revising the chapters as I go and I am posting them on Patreon. One of the things I am taking out is the sweet romance angle, insofar as the couple won’t get involved in the main part of the story, although there are thoughts of attraction, but the epilogue will show a glimpse of the future and yes (spoiler alert), they will be together in the epilogue. I’m sorry, but I do feel there needs to be some kind of hope.

The story is about the main character letting go, but I think the fact that she eventually finds love with the other character in the story illustrates that she can also move on. Also that something good can come out of tragedy. Well, that’s my angle and I’m sticking to it.

I know I should not pay attention to bad reviews. Goodness knows, there are a lot of books out there that have received rave reviews which are bad, and classic novels which have received terrible reviews yet are the best novels I’ve ever read. Even my favourite crime writer has had some bad reviews on his books.

In other news, I’m working on the sequel to Sharp Steele now that the sequel to Phoenix is finished. There will be a third book in the Phoenix series. I just have to work out the plot.

From The Ashes – About the Book

As I mentioned in the previous post, this is a sequel to the first book. The basic synopsis is this:

For Abby, life couldn’t get any better. She has a new job, a new life, a new relationship with a man she loves. She is finally able to start putting Phoenix behind her.

However, just as she’s beginning to enjoy this new life, a new threat arises as the organisation she helped bring down begins to clean house by bringing in a professional. Someone from her past. Someone with an obsession bordering on psychotic.

 Abby’s own nemesis returns when the life of someone she loves hangs in the balance and it could end up destroying everything she has worked for.

Bear in mind this synopsis may change as the book writing continues. I’m about 53,000 words in and just getting to the plot. The excerpt in the previous post is just a hint of what’s to come.

I like the idea of exploring the central theme to both books. What if you were playing a role for four years, without a break? How would that affect you psychologically? For Abby, it leaves psychological scars.

Yes, Michael worked undercover for the same amount of time but he didn’t change his personality and therein lies the difference between the two.

What I also wanted to explore from the first book was their relationship. Can it survive Abby’s psychological issues? Just because you love someone, it doesn’t make the problems that threatened the relationship before disappear.

Of course, the case continues. As you know from any legal system, a case does not end with an arrest. In many ways, it’s just the beginning. My other idea was, how would an organisation like the mafia deal with this? Would they choose to silence the witnesses and how would they do so? So, there’s a little bit of suspense there.

I’m trying not to focus too much on the relationship but, especially in these early chapters, the characters do have to deal with it. They’re now working together and getting used to a whole new dynamic. They’re considering their level of commitment to each other and that’s scary enough. Add the above issues into the equation and it’s ten times scarier.

I’m hoping to have this finished by the end of September, ready to start editing. We shall see.