Kat 3. The Great Book Debate

I have a confession to make. Even though I’m working my way though this project, trying to figure out the future of the book, I didn’t get it until last week. The problem is that I can’t imagine a world without physical, paper books. I love the physicality of books. I love the way the paper sounds as I turn the page, and the feel of the paper under my fingertips. I love slipping mementos between pages, and stumbling across hand written messages on the inner covers of second-hand books. I love the way leafing through a certain book is a sea of memories. I love meeting my favourite writers, and the squealing excitement of reading their newly scrawled message. And, yes, I love the smell of old books.

Scent is a powerful memory trigger, and that vanilla-like smell reminds me of running my hands over my Nanna’s books, sniffing them to try and figure out why they smelled so good. I think back to snuggling up on a chair, or when I was much younger on Mum or Nanna’s lap to read. Like Hermione Granger, I was the sort of kid to walk around hugging a book. On a plane home from Melbourne this year, I woke up hugging my (signed- and yes I squealed) copy of Tim Ferguson’s The Cheeky Monkey. I’m a chronic book-hugger, always have been.

E-readers don’t hug, and they don’t smell like old book.

In fact, my E-reader is doing little besides turn me into a grumpy old lady. I don’t like the idea of leasing a book (or album, or movie…), especially when Australia pays more for a digital file than most other countries. I don’t like the feeling of sliding my fingers across glass instead of paper. I loathe paying for a book, and having chunks of text missing from the file. And I certainly don’t like that the same techno-magic that delivers my digital books can delete them without my consent. The idea that a hunk of irritating plastic and glass could replace my beloved books? Heresy.

Last week, I finally got a chance to read The Future of the Book is the Future of Society by Bob Stein. There’s something beautiful about the idea of the book “as the vehicle humans use to move ideas around time and space.” Suddenly the book is a TARDIS. I’m ok with that. And in the same way that the TARDIS evolves to suit whoever is using it, the book is changing to reflect the new ways we interact. It’s becoming collaborative.

Stephen Fry has said that “books are no more threatened by the Kindle than stairs by elevators”, and I agree. The book has always been, will always be, a vehicle of change. Reading was once an act reserved for the devout or the wealthy. It’s grown from a source of exclusion, to a solitary activity, to an all-embracing collaboration. The changing face of the book isn’t just about whether it’s printed or digital, or who is able to read it. That’s thinking small. As writers and creatives, there’s a chance to redefine every element of the book or online text. As Stein notes, even something as simple as moving the comments from the bottom of the text to the side creates a shift in dynamics. It takes the us and them and morphs it into us: a group of people sharing ideas, asking questions, and undertaking our own hero’s journey. Even a book-hugger like me has to admit that it’s a fascinating premise.

So what about you? Are you a book-hugger, or an e-reader aficionado? And, most importantly, what should a book be? Should it be tactile and sensory, lightweight and portable? What is your perfect book, and how should it be used?

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The Future of the Book article:     http://futureofthebook.org/blog/2013/03/18/the_future_of_the_book_is_the/ 
iTunes price disparity:                   http://www.macstories.net/stories/the-great-disparity-in-global-itunes-prices/ 
Book Dedications:                         http://bookdedications.wordpress.com/
Amazon scandal:                           http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/technology/companies/18amazon.html?_r=0
The Cheeky Monkey:                    www.cheekymonkeycomedy.com
Old book smell:                             http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smartnews/2013/06/that-old-book-smell-is-a-mix-of-grass-and-vanilla/ 
Smell and Memory:                       http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120312-why-can-smells-unlock-memories

Poetry - This Tree Is Not Like The Others

A poem by Emily.

This tree is not like the others.

 

The branches swing like arms towards me. 

The bark is warm and vibrates between my fingers. 

The leaves whistle a melodic tune as they blow in the wind. 

This tree is not like the others. 

The roots twist and turn in the soil, like veins criss-crossing on the palm of a hand. 

The posture is like a soldier going into battle. 

The trunk, like a long and slender thigh. 

This tree is not like the others.

The face, etched into the papery skin, looks to the landscape. 

And remembers a time, when it could walk, when it could talk. 

When it was human.

Getting Into Poetry

Our bloggers here at Willow Patterns Remixed have been experimenting with different methods and strategies to cut up, mix, glue, flip, scramble, sample, reference, jumble, and remix the stories told over a year ago in Willow Patterns. So far we've written a few letters from the perspective of different characters present in the 9 short stories, each connecting them together. But now we are going to be looking at poetry.

Some find the hardest thing about poetry is choosing something worth writing about that hasn't been done before. So our bloggers are not only looking at different styles of poetry, but also what can be created from the creations of others.

Here's a simple sonnet and haiku Maddy came up with.

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Sonnet – The rhyming poem, first 12 lines, every other line rhymes. The last 2 lines rhyme with each other.

Reading Willow Patterns was like waking up every morning experiencing a new day.

Every chapter was completely different from the next, a new story to tell.

However, array of topics were to be spoken of within each chapter in a certain way.

Each author could do with them what they liked.

Showing us their flair and creative sway.

Some chapters I thoroughly enjoyed, while others’ not so much.

I thought some were quite dark, mysterious and quite frankly, gray.

It was a project put before 9 authors to finish within a 24 hour time frame.

Completing a task in that timeframe would have felt like they were writing an essay.

They were stuck in a library amongst that whole time,

Eating pizza, endless snacks, and drinking coffee while they felt they were fading away.

Oh what a brilliant job they did,

Their work must be applauded and admired for being shut away.

Writing a book within 24 hours, without turning away.

Haiku - Only 3 lines and is 17 syllables all up
Line 1: 5 syllables
Line 2: 7 syllables
Line 3: 5 syllables
And doesn’t have to rhyme


Haiku 1:

Willow Patterns was

A book with nine great stories

Written in post haste

Emily 3. Creativity In Numbers

Arguably the biggest hurdle for the group within this project has been figuring out how to merge the facts and figures of the Willow Patterns data with creative techniques such as poetry, music and sculpture. I know for me specifically, this has been difficult because it is hard to see numbers and stats as anything other than graphs and tables, which is how I have traditionally dealt with data.

To try and find a way to decipher the data, and express it in a clear and more creative way to the average individual, I turned, like always, to Google. I had always been under the opinion that creative pursuits and data belonged to two completely different spheres, where one revolved around endless possibilities and the other was confined to numbers. However, when conducting my Google search I discovered how wrong I was; it appears that creativity and data are inexplicably linked. A creative data strategist, Becky Wang claims that much of the creativity we see in the media or books is reliant on data and numerical research (2013). In her job, she is responsible for researching and collecting data for head media agencies which are then turned into advertisements, billboards and other marketing communications.
 These agencies require her to collect data on what their consumers are interested in or are attracted to. Once this data is collected it is up to her to interpret the data and determine what will work best in marketing communications. For example, if a company’s data indicates that their consumers have a real interest in innovation and technology, Becky decides whether using an ad with a green screen or animation and graphics will be effective. “The end product is always creative; revolutionary technology in adds, amazing images or photos on billboards... but these things could never be created without the data first” (Wang, 2013).

Similarly, authors and filmmakers have to research and interpret data when embarking on a new story. If the story has any non-fictional elements or is based on a particular period or event, authors and filmmakers need to research to ensure they are telling the story with a level of accuracy. This research often requires interpreting data. However data can also be used for inspiration. When an American writer of short stories was formulating his next piece, he stumbled across data revealing the 300 most used words in the English language. This data became stimulus for a poem he wrote within his next story (Webb, 2013).

With this in mind, I believe it is now time to revisit the Willow Patterns data and look closer at what the numbers and figures have to offer. By keeping an open mind and focusing on what the data is actually telling us, as opposed to just the physical numbers, we should be able to create some diverse and unique representations of the Willow Patterns journey.

An Interview With Rjurik Davidson

 Not only was it great to get some info on the surprising ease of wrapping up Willow Patterns, but we also ask Rjurik some questions about his writing style and what's next for him in the writing world. 

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1. As you were a close second in finishing your chapter, and indeed were almost done before dinner arrived, can we assume then that the writing process for you on the day was an easy one or were there some stressful moments the data doesn't identify?

You're right, it was surprisingly easy for me, and I think that had to do with the context. We all simply had to finish the piece. Usually, there are plenty of reasons to walk away from the writing: the phone rings, Facebook calls, emails arrive, you just feel like stopping. Instead, at every tiny moment I felt like stopping, at every moment when I didn't know what to write, I simply had to keep going. Once these decision were made - by the context - the only ones I had to face were story questions. What is the plot? What do the characters do now?

2. Your story is very unique, taking a new tangent with the future of the human race. Was this an idea you had held previously or did you come into the project looking to start something completely from scratch?

I had no idea what I would write. Partly this was because we agreed on a number of things in common at the beginning of the day. Bringing an idea to that would have been dangerous I think. The key moment, for me, was when someone suggested the stories take place in a library. When that was agreed upon, together with the suggestion that there be a flood involved, the image of an empty, ruined library sprung into my head. Then immediately afterwards, a notion of two warring characters, then the opening line: "At night I sharpen the axe..... " So it was all pretty much conceived in the moment.

3. Some of the other authors so far have had reservations about their work on Willow Pattern, what with it being a fast first draft and all. How did you feel about your own work, and and the outcome overall?

I don't really have any reservations. No. I mean, it's a first draft, but my story has a vitality to it, a lack of frills which I like. I recently re-read it and there are a few errors - including an erroneous name - but I think it works well. I think you're bound to have uneven contributions during a process like that. But it worked for me. I wish I had a 24-hour book project every day. It would certainly increase my productivity!

4. Being the last writer on the book allowed for certain freedoms as well as more constraints to tie the book together, which you did tremendously well. How did being last effect your writing? And did you put your hand up for the job?

I did put my hand up for the job, because I wanted to write speculative fiction. I wanted the ruined future library that I pictured during the initial discussions. As soon as I got that, I tried to incorporate as much of the common ideas and characters as I could. This meant periodically checking out the wall where people placed little notes, ad well as listening to the others when we had our mid-day meeting. During the actual writing, though, I could only afford a piece of my mind to what the others were doing. Mostly it was: "How do I make this story work?"

5. The title of your collection The Library of Forgotten Books brings to my mind Borges and I have read that he is an influence of yours also. Were there any specific influences in your Dark Tides story for Willow Pattern that you can recall?

Looking back on it, I'd say my story is quite Ballardian. It reminds me of his early stories, the ruined world, humanity which is transcending in some way. The environmental concerns are my own, as is the way I handle the conflict between human and post-human. In Ballard, humanity is doomed. In my story, well, it's uncertain what the future holds. There might be a bit of Peter Carey in there too. I love Carey's stories, and maybe 'Crabs' might be an influence here?

6. Certainly 12 hours to complete a short story is out of the ordinary, how long do you generally spend on one of your pieces of short fiction?

The stories of mine which work the best tend to be written quickly. Sometimes even in around two sittings, though they're never finished in one day. I'll tinker with them a couple of times after that, to add the little bits the story often really needs to be complete. Others I work and work on, and they often become huge and unwieldy - sometimes these end up working, but there are others that are half-finished and I don't know if I'll ever complete them. Nowadays I want to simplify. I find beauty in that simplicity. In music they call it knowing "when not to play." The word for it is grace - doing something with the simplest possible motion. That's what I'm starting to appreciate more. I've been reading Ursula Le Guin, and she has that grace.

7. You were, for the most part, writing short fiction before working on Unwrapped Sky, your first novel, at the time of the 24 hour book. How do you find the differences between novel writing, short stories and this rapid approach? And which do you prefer?

I love short stories, but I haven't worked on any for some time. Sadly, unless you're Alice Munro, you're not going to be able to survive as a short story writer. So it's novels for me at the moment and I spend a lot of time in the midst of these very complicated books thinking "I just want to write short stories!". I love them both though. Still, a novel is a big investment, and when they don't work you can't just walk away. I will however get back to stories in between novels. I can't leave them alone for too long.

8. With your first novel almost ready for release what is next for you?

Well, I'm working on the second novel, a sequel to Unwrapped Sky. It's called The Stars Askew and I'm about to send it to my editor. Then I'll be working on a 1890s Australian steampunk novel. It's set in an Australia which still has the inland sea, and the lead character is a suffragette. It involves a massively changed Melbourne, automatons, and Australian megafauna. Most of all, it should be fun. It will be nice to leave the world of Unwrapped Sky and write something simpler and snappier.

9. And would you ever consider being involved with something similar to the 24 hour book again? Perhaps now you're a novelist, a 24 day novel?

Yes. Yes. Yes. But a 24 hour novel might be a bit complicated, unless you had time to plan. a 3-day novel, perhaps? But then you've got finance problems. Anyway, I loved the experience and would do it again in a heartbeat.

An Interview With Angela Slatter

The lovely Angela Slatter is yet another of the 9 writers to give us some insight into the mish-mash that was the 24-hour book. 

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1. What made you decide to be involved with the Willow Pattern project?

(a) I was asked!
(b) It was something totally new and intriguing.
(c) It was a great challenge to see if I could pull together a story in such a short time - and there wasn’t really any room to fail.
(d) We were going to see the finished product at the end of 24hrs - which was a treat when normally your book is a year or so in production!

2. Did you have any prior relationship with any of the authors? And was this an additional factor in taking on the challenge?

I’ve known Rjurik Davidson and Chris Currie for a while, but the other authors only by reputation. It was great to know we weren’t suffering alone, and we came together at regular intervals to touch base and make sure we were all on track, so that was a pretty good support system.

3. I've always found that beginning a story with a mystery was very effective, ever since seeing Citizen Kane, and a supernatural detective is even more enticing. Had you decided upon the mystery theme, detective character or any other elements before beginning the 24 hours?

I had decided to use the character of Verity Fassbinder, who I’d used in a previous story, “Brisneyland by Night”, because she was fully formed in my mind, as was her Brisbane - with the super tight deadline I didn’t feel that I would be able to convincingly get my head around a new character. Generally I spend a lot of time with characters in my head before they make it onto the page, so it was useful to use Verity. I also had maybe three plot points in the back of my mind as standbys if my subconscious didn’t play nice when we started.

4. How did your role having the first chapter effect your writing?

You know, I don’t think I thought about it too much - we’d agreed on recurring elements in the story (SLQ, the vase, the librarian), and I just knew I was writing something early in the piece, well before the flood hit. But I wanted to give hints of what was to come, to give a sense of foreboding, a sense that the city wasn’t quite right. That’s the main angle I was thinking about.

5. You have a background in fantasy and there were some fantastical elements in Willow Pattern, your chapter especially with a supernatural theme and establishing the roaming sands. Would you have liked to have seen this fantasy side developed more in your chapter and the book as a whole?

Not really - I think the true value of Willow Pattern is its diversity, each of us telling different stories that are connected at particular points, but have their own life, their own narrative arcs. It’s quite a unique sort of a mosaic, with each story-tile reflecting its author.

6. What were some of the more fantastical ideas that didn't quite make it into the book?

I don’t know! I think all of mine went into the story I told.

7. Last year you also published your novel with Lisa L Hannett, Midnight and Moonshine. How did the collaborations differ between the two projects?

Lisa is my best friend as well as my writing partner and when we write together we’re aiming for a seamless third voice - one that doesn’t sound like Angela or Lisa when we’re writing alone, but that sounds like a voice that could be either of us. That sort of work means a lot of drafts and a lot of editing to smooth things over. Willow Patterns was always a project that allowed the individual voices to remain in place and obviously; the collaboration pretty much amounted to selecting those few recurring elements I’ve mentioned earlier.

8. You reference a few of the other authors' works in your chapter. Was this planned or discussed beforehand? And did I miss some, or are the other women left out?

I actually referenced everyone’s work, either in title or a line from their best known words. I didn’t discuss it, I just liked the idea of putting a little nod to my fellow authors in there, just to make it even more unique.

9. From the data there was quite a gap between 7 and 9pm where it seems like not much took place. Obviously this wasn't the case, can you take us through what happened?

Good God, that’s a year ago! I suspect that was when a dinner break was called and we were all wailing “My God, what have we done?” I think I was probably a slower starter than say either Krissy or Rjurik. It took me a while to hit my stride - and I was also editing as I went, so that when I came to the end I was able to give the editors something that was as clean and solid as it could be.

10. Did you learn anything about your writing or process during the 24 hour book or from looking at the data afterwards?

I learned that I can write a lot really fast and it’s not necessarily all brown and hideous! If anything, I think I’m now a faster writer and don’t worry too much about the first draft being “brain vomit”, because the editing process is the place where you tidy things up. I’d say what I took away from the project was a mantra of “Write fast, edit slow”. It won’t work for everyone, but it does for me.
 

11. Simon Groth has said that for another project to arise the challenge would have to be something new and different, would you be interested in being involved again? And do you have any ideas that may fit the unique criteria?

Mmmm, no. Alas. Unless it’s something like a street reads kind of an event. Or maybe a story scavenger hunt, where you need to follow where the end of one story tells you to go in order to get the next instalment of life fiction writing!

Collabor-bake Remixed

Here we are at attempt number two to bake a cake in 24 minutes. I got linked to a recipe by our very own Kylie Thompson for a cute little cake in a mug (cup-cake, get it?). 
 
Glancing over this recipe made me feel confident that this time I just might ‘do the impossible’ and bake the entire cake, from putting in the ingredients to baking time, in less than 24 minutes. Like my first attempt, I allowed myself to set up all the ingredients like the writers would have set up their writing implements. Once they was all out it was ready, set, go!

First things first I was instructed to crack one egg into a mug. I picked my favourite mug for good luck, and cracked away. When it came to the flour I was only two minutes in and decided this time I would allow the time for sifting to prevent the clumpy mess of my first rushed attempt. Since the mug was so small, however, half of the flour went all over the bench and I realised I should have sifted into a bowl first. Never mind, I don’t mind a bit of mess I just estimated how much more flour would be needed and sifted away into the mug (and onto the bench).

 I couldn’t believe my eyes when at 4 minutes 23 when all of the ingredients were in and mixed. With only 1 ½ - 2 minutes microwave cooking time, I had pretty much already given myself the trophy and started practising my victory speech.  After less than a minute in the microwave the mixture started rising above the tip of the mug. I opened the microwave and made the decision to keep going, risking the avalanche that could occur. I was pleasantly surprised however, that after two minutes the mixture was still all in the mug and after prodding it with a fork I discovered that it had hardened nicely into a successful cake. So with the clock reading 7:15 I had not only done the impossible, but shaved 16 minutes and 45 seconds off of it. 

Just for fun I turned the timer back on and downed the cake by 12 minutes and 20 seconds. I didn’t add the suggested dollop of ice cream on the top before consuming the cake though, because cake is healthy without ice cream… right?

My only problem was that in 7 minutes and 15 seconds I think I might have actually over cooked the cake, as it was a bit stiff. All in all I was proud of my efforts, and very thankful to Kylie for the recipe and thus the assistance in accomplishing my quest. Now the question is, what challenge should I try next?

 

Dear Lyn

A number of our bloggers have been working on responses to The Willow Patterns stories, and some have been posted up already here on the blog. India has written a response to the letter Kat wrote previously from the perspective of Lyn, one of the characters. If you yourself feel like you could write something from the perspective of one of the characters, feel free to engage. That's what Willow Pattern: Remixed is all about.

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Dear Lyn,

My darlin girl – I’m sorry I haven’t been in contact. Your letter found me last Thursday; it arrived crumpled and slightly damp. I wasn’t able to read it for a few days; people are always watching me here. If I could describe what happened to me that day at the library, I would. I wish I could advise you on what to do out there in terms of survival. Something I never thought I would see myself write on a dirty piece of paper. I managed to snatch it off the concrete yesterday in the blowing wind.

I can’t tell you where I am Lyn, as I have no idea myself. A group of us were taken, blind-folded to a location, which smells like tyres, rust, seaweed and coffee. There aren’t any spiders here, but I have this feeling that we are the last ones left. I spend most of my time in a small concrete room with a roller door – a single door carport I suppose. I am with three other people. I was originally in here with four, and one day they asked this bloke named Andrew, a banker, to go with them and he never returned.

The other two blokes are from talk back radio. Brightman and the Ferrett are their names. They argue about the squalor, their constant bickering is driving me insane. One of them (I can’t tell who) constantly wishes for a cup of coffee. It’s unbelievable isn’t it Lyn? 
One wish and he asks for coffee? I wish I could see you darlin, and explain that my eyes never meant to wander from you that day at the library. One minute I was watching you squiggle down notes with a crayon and the next, you were gone. I met a nice lady, with blonde hair and a ponytail who tried to keep me calm. She worked at the library, she seemed to know her way around well enough, but seemed so full of fear. I think there was something she wasn’t telling me. It became black; we had to evacuate the building. I was screaming out your name. Even though Dave is a dropkick, I was grateful that someone was with you. I knew you would be calm if you had people around, someone to talk to. I never anticipated the spiders. Come to think of that, in the evenings when we’re sent to our concrete room, a burning smell wafts from under the roller door. It’s gotten stronger every night. Thicker. Blacker.

I can’t seem to process any of this, not even the grief for Ryn, It all feels too unnatural, too much like a bad dream. I’ll wake up at any moment in a soft leather chair at the library with drool down my face and everyone will be just as they were, reading. I knew that taking you to Bunning’s was a good thing. You complained so much, but I knew that some of the things that I explained to you when walking around the place would some day make sense. And as for Dave, well I suppose I never had a good feeling for the guy. There was something always off.
He always had a shifty look in his eye, like he was never really telling you a whole story.

The way you talk about the screaming trees makes me wonder where I am and how far away I am from you. On paper you seem to be right here, in my heart and in my head. But I have no idea where I am or how long it’s been since the flood. I guess we were counting and then we got bored of tallying our survival. It seemed like a point system. I can’t say that I’ve ever had to tally the days of my life before. I always thought I would at least have you around.

If you get this letter, know that you are safe for the moment. If I hear a reply from you, it means I have more freedom than I thought and I will immediately start plotting an escape and get to you, somehow.

Stay strong Lyn,

Dad 

Ryan 3. Why Write?

Why do we write? Is it for the same reasons we read? To escape, to conquer, to create? It’s a big question that I’ve been struggling to answer in just 500 words. Unlike the authors of Willow Pattern fighting for 5000, 500 words in response to existential inquiries is a feat I would rather leave to Borges.

What makes someone want to express themselves and their sense of life; especially in view of such constraints as only 12 hours, with prescribed setting and topoi, in the face of an attentive audience, on just a first draft? An overwhelming proposition for some that recalls nightmares of showing up to class for a presentation in your underwear. Yet there are many others who couldn’t be more eager. Because why not write?

The prospect of having your first draft, a fast one at that, not only published but publicised is not recommended for those with a weak stomach. I have found some old first drafts waiting to be dusted in the bottom of drawers before and I couldn’t stand them, let alone having others read them. From the interviews below we can see that both Nick Earls and Krissy Kneen can relate.

Two weeks ago, on the post Alone Together, Des spoke of her admiration for sharing your work with others even if they aren’t so well written, and the importance of the relationship between the writer and reader. It is this interconnectedness she speaks of that I believe is why we write. Not only to express ourselves and create something eternal and separate from us, but to have it lead a full life of its own by touching others’ lives.

Jean-Paul Sartre (2001, 28) says we produce a work of art in order to reveal something to the readers, but that you cannot be the producer and the receiver. When you write you transmit your history, your philosophy, your love; you cannot receive these back from yourself. In writing you are less conscious of the object than the action. It is for this reason that most writers have such trouble regarding their own work. In reading, one predicts, one waits; without this waiting, without ignorance of the future, there can be no objectivity.

This is why the writer-reader relationship is so important, the writer entrusts the work to another, appealing to their freedom to collaborate and to “lead into objective existence the revelation” undertaken (Sartre 2001, 33). There is, at the heart of the work, a demand for freedom; freedom on the part of the writer in creating a vision of the world as perceived through a window, in which not all is seen but sensed; and an appeal for the freedom of the reader to recover this world, interpret and understand the world.

For the work is never limited by what is written, this is just a guide in the readers’ directed creation. You can’t have one without the other. The act is a generous gift, and the reception of the work is the ultimate gratitude.

500 exactly right there and it’s all thanks to Sartre. Before him I hadn’t realised how much freedom had been a part of my writing but it has always been not only a resolution of mine but an imperative, as well as my worst fear in losing it.

After deliberating on it for so long I would love to hear why it is you write. Is it for the same reasons that you read? Is it for freedom, to connect, to feel essential in your relationship to the world?

Sartre, Jean-Paul. 2001. What is Literature? London: Routledge.

India 3. Stet

Stet is a word used for correcting proofs in editing that translates to leave as printed or let it stand. It basically instructs a writer to disregard a change the editor or proofreader had previously marked. This is what I’m currently studying in a unit this semester called Corporate Writing and Editing. It isn’t news that perfect grammar and punctuation elude most of us, even writers, and I’ve been mulling over this ever since we received the stats behind the Willow Pattern project from Simon Groth. Each writer’s process within that 24-hour span is somewhat transparent, which allows us to examine peak periods of performance down to the amount of times they hit delete.

Editing is new to me. In fact, I think it’s new to a lot of students that are taking the unit this semester and it was evident in our latest examination. Although the lecturer and unit coordinator insists that the exam wasn’t difficult, a fellow student decided to do the math: The average mark was 49.21% and 48% (68/142 people) failed. Stephen King mentions in On Writing (2000) that when you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest. However, the nine writers who contributed their work to Willow Pattern didn’t have the luxury of time. Editing differs from each writer; there is not one approach to suit everyone’s work. I wonder how much time the writers allocated for proofreading in this 24-hour period? And if they held firm to that allocated time? Is it more important to have a good story, which isn’t perfectly edited or is it more important to have a less intriguing story proofread and ready for print?

When our results were released from our exam, I wondered how many writers like the art of proofreading and editing. And I don’t just mean the act of killing your darlings, I mean proofreading every line for grammatical errors. Does it take the beauty out of the craft? Does it bruise the creative concept? When you write, are you always aware of your sentence structure, punctuations and grammar? Does it affect the readability? Authorial voices sound fantastic when they are in our imaginations, but become something else when read in print. I wonder if these writers have some similar insecurity about proofing their work. How often they get it right? Or wrong? Do they accept the challenge of proofreading with confidence or do they ask for professional help? I have so many questions about editing and I’m sure every writer I ask will give me a different answer.

It’s a fascinating thought to deliberate as a writer, that we can produce roughly 5000 words within 24 hours, which is seamless of errors. How do you rate yourself when it comes to grammar and punctuation? And have you thought about how much time you spend editing a work vs. how long it took you to write it?

Maddy 3. The Looming Deadline

So for the last 8 weeks or so our heads have been wrapped around this topic of data which has come from the Willow Pattern book. The data I speak of has come from if:book Australia and shows a quantified result of the authors’ hard work. Kirsty Norris has been able to do separate graphs for us to see, which showcases each of the authors workflow over the 24 hour period, the time actually spent writing and editing and the number of revisions both writing and editing that each author experienced. The fact that the data has been put in graphs does make it that little bit easier to understand this process of working within a 24 hour time frame and is more visual now as to what the authors went through, what occurred in the 24 hours, and so on. We have looked at data which shows the 30 most used words within the book as well.

It is really nice to know that the data is now in graphs or documents because it is something we have found very hard to wrap our heads around when it comes to discussing our end of semester project. We basically have 3 weeks now to decide how we will represent the data in a physical form that will also prove entertaining and worthwhile for our audience. It is something that is causing us great thought and, I’ll admit, a lot of confusion. There was a lot of work to be done over that 24 hour time frame for both the authors and editors to get this book written, edited and published. It probably caused a huge lack of sleep for all involved and continuous pressure to meet the deadline.

I’ve wondered what working straight for 24 hours will do to your body. I certainly have never set myself a challenge to finish work within a 24 hour time period; although I know of many students who have. I myself cannot physically do it; no amount of coffee, chocolate, or lollies will keep me awake for that large time period, especially when it involves continuous brainwork abilities. I almost admire students who have been able to do that, as I think after 8 hours of continuous work I would have a mental breakdown. I know working throughout a 24 period is not something the authors would do every day, perhaps maybe only on a weekly or monthly basis however I am interested to know what was going on in their bodies during the period of writing their chapters for Willow Pattern, and if they had any problems with tiredness, stress, or concentration etc. It was interesting to find out that one of the authors, Christopher Currie, has set himself a project similar to this before. His individual project a couple of years ago required him to write a new short story everyday for a year from March 08 to March 09. This was published on his blog ‘Furious Horses’. He explained that there were limitations just like Willow Pattern he had to deal with and he was also set challenges. So it seems deadlines like these are definitely no new story to authors?

Korkki, P (2013) says Mr. Ariely, a professor of psychology and behavioural economics at Duke University states that ‘Workers who fail to meet deadlines risk the disapproval — and sometimes the wrath — of their managers and colleagues’. It is thought that people respond well to deadlines because meeting them provides a distinct feeling of having achieved something within a time frame. Mr. Ariely said it is possible to motivate yourself, by announcing a deadline to others — perhaps on Facebook or on Twitter. Not meeting the deadline would then feel like breaking a promise.

Willow Pattern provided just that, with if:book Australia posting the authors’ work online and presenting it as data throughout the period. People, followers, fans, whoever they may be, commented on some authors posts with ideas and words of advice and encouragement. Therefore, Willow Pattern became a publicised project and was open for the public to see. The authors had people to answer to and to work for so the looming deadline was something to take very seriously. Perhaps though, authors like the rush and are not fazed by the deadlines. As Professor Ariely said, it is a feeling of achievement to get something done by a proposed deadline, and announcing projects to the outer public gives even more reason to finish a deadline.

Can anyone share with me their individual experience in dealing with deadlines? And how did your body cope?

On another note, check out Kirty’s blog this week explaining her experience making a cake in 24 minutes. We are brainstorming for our final project for the semester and how to represent the data. The experiment of making a cake within 24 minutes was an attempt to creatively use the prospect of having to finish something within a looming deadline, something that would seem almost impossible!

Kirsty 3. Collabor-bake

In my last blog entry I posed a challenge to readers to ‘help me do the impossible’ by suggesting recipes for baking a cake in 24 minutes. A recipe was given and I rose to the challenge with enthusiasm and optimism, and the results were, well, you can see for yourself.

I decided I would be allowed to start with all of the ingredients on the bench, because the writers were able to start with their laptops/writing implements out for the 24-hour book. I sat all my ingredients on the bench but didn’t measure them, that bit was left to crunch time. I had a quick skim over the recipe but didn’t familiar myself with it too much, as the writers came in with vague ideas but had no solid idea of what they’d be creating until they were writing it.

Go time. I started the timer and began racing around trying to measure ingredients as quickly as possible. Being rushed meant making silly mistakes and spilling things, but in terms of putting the ingredients in the bowl, so far so good. I decided in order to save time I would just throw the flour straight in the mixing bowl rather than sifting, but cutting that particular corner didn’t garner the best results. My house mate was in the lounge room yelling out to me “You should always sift, Kirsty, always sift!” and she was right. The mixture was lumpy and I didn’t have the time to get the lumps out. Here’s a picture of how it looked after I poured the ingredients into the pan.

"You always sift, Kirsty, always sift!"

At this point there was only 12 minutes left on the clock, and I was only just putting the mixture in the oven. I knew at this point there was no way the cake would bake in time. Although the recipe was called a ’30 minute cake’ that meant allowing for 30 minutes total baking time, not factoring in the time to measure and mix all of the ingredients. Just like the Willow Pattern team had to fit not only the writing and editing in the 24-hour period, but the planning, idea creation and collaboration as well (not to mention time to down a few wines!)

The 12 minutes elapsed and the beeping of my stopwatch called time. I took the pan out of the oven and voila! Bon appetite? Anyone?

Safe to say my first attempt at a 24-minute cake was not a bakers dream. Even my 8-year old little brother didn’t want a piece of it, proving just how hard it was to do something that requires more time, in a limited time frame. This got me thinking about how the Willow Pattern team managed to pull off something so quickly, that didn’t appear rushed or of lesser quality. Then it hit me, team.

Although this particular cake was never going to work within the time frame, given the 30-minute cooking time, I started to think that if I were to attempt this challenge again, I’d need a team. Having collaboration on this would have meant having someone to carefully sift the flour while I was preparing the additional ingredients, to avoid the bad quality induced by my rushing. In his book Group Genius, Keith Sawyer states, “collaboration is the key to forming and implementing creative ideas”. Sawyer discusses the importance of collaboration to creative endeavors such as theatre and music and also its importance in the business sector. Ultimately, his research proves countless instances where collaboration has been the direct root for success in many forums.

So, if anyone else wants to shoot me a recipe for a 24-minute cake, I’ll try again with a team to see if my results will be any better (and tastier!).

An Interview With Nick Earls

Here's what author Nick Earls had to say in response to our questions on his time with Willow Patterns.

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1. What made you decide to be involved in the Willow Patterns project? 

Honestly? Simon’s a nice guy, I’m interested in the future and his take on it, and I say No a lot. I thought it was time to say Yes to something I’d usually say No to.

2. Did you have any prior relationship with any of the authors? Was this an additional factor to doing to the project? 

I knew a few of them and knew of most of them. It wasn’t part of my decision, but it was happy prospect. They’re people I respect.

3. Do you find working towards a deadline stifled your creativity or enhanced it? 

I found that kind of deadline did my creativity no good at all. A deadline of, say, a couple of weeks (for 5000 words of fiction) puts pressure on you to deliver but gives you time to breathe and think – a 24-hour book, with max 12 hours of thinking and writing time, doesn’t.

4. Did you have any ideas/plans on what to do coming into the project? Were there meetings beforehand? 

I tried to limit how much I thought about it, since I thought that was in the spirit of it – I wanted to live up to the 24-hour thing. We exchanged a few emails to identify the world of the story, but not much more than that.

5. Was there a point during the 24 hour time frame, were you felt you didn't have enough motivation to finish the project by the deadline? If so, what did you do to re-motivate yourself? 

I never doubted I’d finish it, though I had real doubts about the quality. In a room where everyone else is writing away, you make yourself keep working at it. It doesn’t make it great writing though.

6. How did you all communicate with each other during the project and ensure synergy with each entry? 

We stuck notes on a wall. The problem was, people’s own stories then developed from there, but the notes stayed as they were. On top of that sometimes a bunch of us would pick up the idea in the note and run with it, without realising others were too. There was a real risk of the one character being killed off three times.

7. The use of meta-fiction in your story was a very interesting technique, what made you decide to use it? 

 In my piece, or in the whole thing? If it’s just mine, I honestly can’t remember. Maybe I was desperate? Whatever I did made sense at the time, or seemed to. Strange time though.
If you mean the whole thing, we talked for a while before writing and made decisions collectively before going off to write our own pieces.

 8. Would you say this technique was an accurate account of the realities of the project? 

 I honestly don’t know. I’m not sure what would be an accurate account of the realities of the project. There was to some extent a different project buzzing in every head, with the bold hope that the pieces would fit like a weird mosaic rather than like rubbish.

9. In the process of writing your chapter you only had 96 revisions, which was significantly less than the other authors, what was the reason for this? (eg. did you work off a thorough plan and thus, didn't need to change your story much...or were you just very satisfied with the first draft?) 

Low expectations. Early on, I realised I wasn’t writing something great, but knew I had to push through. I focused on delivering the story and on delivering enough words rather than on quality. I wasn’t satisfied, but I realised early on I didn’t have the time or headspace to turn out 5000 words of quality. Part of saying Yes was agreeing to a project that had to be framed differently and done differently, and I tried to operate that way on the day.

10. Were there any memorable moments from the project you would like to share? 

For me, it was an 11-hour blur almost 16 months ago. I can remember pizza arriving, then editors arriving and falling on the pizza like gulls. Mostly I remember the resolve to push on and bash out my piece, and not be the only one not to deliver something.

11. You have collaborated with authors before on a joint book, what is it about this collaboration process that interests you as an author and do you think you would you ever do something like this again? 

I honestly think I’m not a natural collaborator, or team player when it comes to something creative. Film and TV require it, but mostly I prefer fiction to be a solitary thing. Working on Word Hunters with Terry Whidborne was different – we collaborated on ideas, but had different roles in the execution. With Joel & Cat Set the Story Straight, Bec Sparrow and I wrote alternating chapters, each from the POV of our own character. That story needed to be written that way – it’s not something I’m naturally inclined to do. It might be good for me to stretch myself and my way of operating occasionally, and collaborating drags me from my comfort zone. Maybe it’s a chance to learn something. But I’m not aiming to make a habit of it.