Nine Questions
In
the third episode of our new series, Ink Sweat & Tears talks to
practicing writers about their process and craft – and asks them nine
questions…
1. Where do you write? (do you have an office, room, bus or train journey that you find yourself and your writing? etc)
I tend to start writing outside my backdoor (I don’t smoke in the house) with a cup of tea and a notebook, but once I’ve got some ideas down I’ll take the work to the spare room where I have a very untidy desk.
2. How do you write? (into a notebook or straight onto a computer? etc)
Pencil and paper to start with. I don’t like writing straight onto the computer. For me, it feels too solid too soon. It doesn’t seem right to see a poem emerging in Times New Roman or Arial. I like scribbling.
3. Roughly how much time do you spend each week on creative writing related activities? (writing, editing, correspondence & submissions – give a daily average if possible)
I think I spend between four and five hours a day, but much of that time is spent reading, sending emails or doing other creative writing admin stuff.
I find I write in short bursts with lots of thinking time between them.
4. What time of day do you usually write?
In the mornings, as early as possible. When I worked full-time I’d get up at six to do an hour of work before I’d get ready for work. That’s a good time for me to write, free of distractions, but it can be a real challenge to get up that early.
5. Do you set yourself a daily target for writing?
I don’t have a daily target, but I do always feel that I could be doing more. I suspect a lot of poets feel like that.
6. What does it feel like to write?
It feels like the one thing I have to do. Sometimes a poem will just come out and I’ll be fairly happy with it, but mostly it’s a struggle. I can’t ever give up writing, I know that.
7. Are there any stimuli that will usually trigger you into writing?
I wish I’d found one! It’s different with each poem. It might be music or something I’ve read or a news item or a memory or a photograph or a biscuit…
8. Do you work in silence or have background noise? If you do have sounds, what are you listening to now?
I tend to work in silence. Right now I’m listening to my girlfriend getting ready to go out and the kettle whistling. Tea is a vital part of my creative process.
9. What are you working on now?
I’m currently on a grant from Arts Council England to buy me time to work towards a first full collection.
It’s been great to have time to write and I’ve written quite a few new poems that I’m happy with. I don’t know how close I am to a full manuscript, but I’m not in too much of a hurry. I’m just enjoying writing poems.
*Tom Warner has previously received an Eric Gregory Award and a Faber New Poets Award. In 2009 he was Poet-in-residence to Newark, Nottinghamshire. A pamphlet of his work was published by Faber in 2010. Tom also won the 2009 Cafe Writers Norfolk Prize sponsored by Ink Sweat & Tears with his poem Sunlight and Rain.
