I met Vikki last year at Swanwick Writer’s Summer School and we’ve kept in touch ever since.

Her blog, The View Outside http://www.the-view-outside.com is packed full of writing and blogging challenges, handy hints and support to keep a writer writing and articles and posts to inspire and inform readers and writers alike.

 

How do you write? Is everything plotted, planned to perfection? Do you ever change tack as you go along or always stick to a pre-made plan?

He he he, this question did make me laugh. I decided in my infinite wisdom to write 65,000 words of a novel in 2010 without doing any planning or plotting. I’m now, suffering the consequences. So I guess in my heart, I would be termed a “panster”. Flying along on the seat of my pants is what I want to do, but, I can now see the benefits in planning and plotting. I will definitely be changing my tactics with the next novel lol

 

Do you have a writing ritual? Meditation, certain cup for your tea, writing trousers?

Hmmmmm, no, not really, although, as a smoker, I have to have an ashtray and my cigarettes next to me. I drink a lot of Diet Pepsi, so that is normally the 2^nd requirement. I do however “limber up” as it were, every morning with a writing prompt. I need to get my brain working every day, so prompts and journaling are a must for me ?

 

 

 

Aside from writing, what makes you tick?

Ooooo, interesting question…..probably, Art. I’m a huge fan of modern art. My favourites being Tracey Emin, David Shrigley and Rob Ryan. All very different artists, but the one thing that connects them all is that they use words within their pictures. It’s always something that I’ve loved, the combination of words with an image. I see words as art, and can quite happily stare at one large black word on a white background for the same amount of time that I could stare at a Picasso.

 

If you were stranded on a desert island with shelter, food and water, what 5 items would you want with you?

A selection of coloured pens (I write with different coloured pens in my notebooks as I find it more interesting when I look back through them for ideas).

A supply of notebooks, preferably Moleskines (depending on how long I was there of course).

A camera. (I take lots of photos, which I use as writing prompts).

My black Dior waterproof eyeliner (I never leave the house without it lol).

A pair of comfy slippers (I LOVE slippers!).

 

On said island, what 5 books would you take and why?

The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (in one HUGE tome). It’s a book I’ve never read, and have always promised myself I would. This would be the perfect opportunity!

Wuthering Heights as it’s the only book I’ve ever read more than once lol.

The Writers Book of Days by Judy Reeves. It’s the book I use for my daily writing prompts at the moment, I even take it on holiday lol.

The first draft of my manuscript (is that allowed? It is all printed off and sitting on my dining table as we speak lol) so that I could re-read and re-write.

A Year in the Life by Sheila Bender. A book on journaling that I often refer to.

 

Off the island now, which famous person would you like to have dinner with?

I’ve always said if I could ever have dinner with a famous person it would have to be Stephen Fry. I find him fascinating. It’s funny you should ask that question. He will be interviewing Tracey Emin at The Turner Contemporary next month. Two of my favourite people in the same room! And guess what? I’ll be on holiday. Gutted is an understatement! Bang goes that opportunity lol

 

Your current writing projects?

I’m currently editing and re-writing my novel called “But Not Forgotten” which I wrote for Nanowrimo in November 2010. It’s the story of 2 brothers and the woman caught up in the middle of them. One of the brothers gets sent to prison for murder in the 1980’s. On his release he sets about seeking revenge on his brother, who it seems, plotted against him to frame him for the murder. So which brother is guilty? Who actually did commit the murder? All will be revealed in the ending, if I can finally decide which way I want it to go lol.

I also have another novel that is finished (written for Nano 2011) which is about a woman whose husband is murdered. The overriding question that hangs in the air throughout the novel is did she do it? Once I get novel no1 completed, this will be next in line for editing.

So I guess you can tell that I’m a happy little soul lol. I do tend to write the kind of stuff that I like to read. I’m definitely not a rags to riches type writer, I prefer to write riches to rags, and see how my characters cope with that.

 

Thanks so much Vikki, for stopping by and sharing your writing with us.