Helen Baggott is the latest author in the series How I Write, which gives readers, and other writers, an insight into the minds of writers. Not only how they think, but how they work.
I grew up in Swanage and although I no longer live in the seaside town, home is still in Dorset. For as long as I can remember, I have always loved history and writing. Before I reached my teens, I recall creating my own magazine – and making my family read it. I even tried charging them to advertise!
I’ve always enjoyed writing both fiction and non-fiction. Despite having some success with short stories, I’m now focussing on non-fiction. I have written articles for local magazines and papers, and now my own book.
Posted in the Past was published in June and it’s the culmination of a project that was as much about research as writing. Through genealogy, I’ve researched the people who sent and received postcards more than a hundred years ago. The cards open the door to our pasts, but what was so surprising were the links I found to events of national and international importance. A housemaid who worked for Edward VII’s doctor was particularly exciting, not to mention discovering Arnold Schwarzenegger was linked to a postcard sent before the First World War.
What is your process of writing.
Unless I’m in the right frame of mind – something that even I can’t describe fully – a blank page will remain blank. I possibly work best when a deadline looms.
Do you plan or just write?
When I was writing fiction I found that I would sift a story through my mind for days, if not longer, and then type it out. That first draft seemed to always work fairly well – although if you include those sifting stages, it was possibly version 20 that found its way onto paper.
What about word count?
With Posted in the Past I made a conscious decision to simply write each postcard’s story. The length was irrelevant – it was the story that mattered. I didn’t want to pad any of them – sometimes the shorter stories are just as interesting as the longer ones.
How do you do your structure?
I ask myself the questions that a reader might and I answer them on the page. A loose end is a distraction and tying everything together forms that structure.
What do you find hard about writing?
When the mood’s right, the planets are aligned, and I have the perfect cup of coffee, nothing is hard. Without the ideas, writing isn’t hard, it’s impossible.
What do you love about writing?
Irrespective of whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, I love the escapism, living in another world and time.
Advice for other writers.
Have faith and confidence – to not write when you feel you should is the only time you will fail.
Posted in the Past is available on Amazon