writing – the writer is a lonely hunter

September – a perfect time to reflect on a summer activity

by gailaldwin

The absolute highlight of my summer was joining an acting summer school at The City Lit. I’d been looking for a learning project that would be intensive (a full week from 10–4:30pm) and out of my comfort zone. I was delighted to find an acting improvers course and I enrolled alongside seven other students. Juliet Prague and James Jarrett were the tutors who put us through lots of drama exercises to sharpen our ability to respond in performance and develop skills as a company of actors. Theory input involved studying the art of movement as described by Rudolf Laban (1879–1958) who produced the following grid which refers to eight different forms of movement (or efforts) and the elements within them.

The eight efforts are punch, slash, dab, flick, press, wring, glide and float. The four elements are direction, speed, weight and flow.

EFFORT	DIRECTION	SPEED	WEIGHT	FLOW
PUNCH	direct	quick	heavy	bound
SLASH	indirect	quick	heavy	free
DAB	direct	quick	light	bound
FLICK	indirect	quick	light	free
PRESS	direct	sustained	heavy	bound
WRING	indirect	sustained	heavy	bound
GLIDE	direct	sustained	light	free
FLOAT	indirect	sustained	light	free

One exercise involved finding the image of a character and ascribing to that character the behaviours of an animal. I chose to act as an urban fox. All self-consciousness was abandoned as I trotted, loped and galloped around the performance space. We were then asked to incorporate Laban’s efforts and elements into the movement which extended my thoughts on the character considerably.

On Wednesday afternoon we were given scripts to study in pairs. With my partner, I worked on a scene from Road by Jim Cartwright. The play is set in a derelict area of Lancashire during Thatcher’s 1980s government, and it gives insight into the desperation of the residents. I played Brenda, an alcoholic mother who tries to extract money from her daughter in order to buy another drink and feed her addiction. It was a challenging script to attempt – completely different from the roles I play in everyday life – but I managed to learn the lines over the next 48 hours and delivered a performance which included use of a regional accent. Laban’s efforts influenced the way I delivered the lines and how I choreographed movements across the set. Others in the group worked on different scripts and we showcased our work in the John Lyon’s theatre at the end of our course.

I continue to think about Laban’s efforts and what I can take from these as a writer. Certainly, the efforts can be used to inform the description of body language in fiction. It’s also possible finesse lines of dialogue with reference to Laban’s efforts.

Is the table of Laban’s efforts any use in your creative endeavours?

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Identity and writing

by gailaldwin

I’m moving away from my identity as a published author. It took such a lot of time and energy to get my writing to a publishable standard that stepping away is proving to be a long process. In 2023, my third novel The Secret Life of Carolyn Russell, was published and simultaneous with the launch, my publisher rejected a novel which I believed was my best writing. The initial wobble didn’t stop me from making submissions to other publishers and continuing to work on a new manuscript. Three years later and I’m still on the look out for open submission windows and working on the new manuscript which has yet to reach a full first draft. Over time, I’ve lost the drive to continue a second career as a writer and I’m now embracing new opportunities.

These days, I think of myself as a retired person with creative pursuits. The novel rumbles on and I attend Writers Hour whenever it fits into my schedule. I still enjoy writing and there’s nothing quite as satisfying as completing a perfect sentence or paragraph. I’m still involved with the writing community through membership of Pens Around the World and volunteering on Bluesky with Women Writers Network. I’m also active in a number of writing groups and hope they don’t chuck me out for lack of writing output. However, new opportunities are available and this summer I returned to the Groves Community Choir and sang in their end of year concert. A video of the event appears here. I also joined First Act run by the Lantern Arts Centre and performed in the opening scenes from Our Town by Thornton Wilder as Julia Gibbs. I may not be doing much writing at the moment, but I want to stay creative. I think these endeavours will feed back into my writing when the time comes to pick up my pen again. Perhaps I’m not stepping away from writing at all, just giving myself the space to choose if and when I return.

At present, staying fit has become a new priority. I’ve been a runner for over 10 years and now complete three 5km runs each week. When I don’t run, I enjoy pilates practice developed from online providers. On Sundays, I like to go for a walk. Several good friends and my sister all died in their sixties, so I want to make sure I remain fit and active for a good long time.

In other news, my grandson turned two in May and we continue to look after him on alternate Fridays. It’s fascinating to watch his development and enjoy the new language he acquires. His latest phrase is Jude don’t like it. We continue to holiday let our Dorchester home and will do this for one more year. In the autumn of 2027 we anticipate a big new project… building a home for ourselves in the garden. Watch this space for other creative endeavours.

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It’s May!

by gailaldwin

I love this time of year, especially when the sun shines yet there’s a nip in the air. It builds my sense of anticipation for the warmer summer days that are yet to arrive.

On my twice weekly run around the suburban streets of New Malden, I look out for laburnum trees and wisteria coming into bloom. Richmond Park’s Isabella Plantation is a 40-minute walk from the flat where I enjoy seeing the lipstick pinks and reds of rhododendrons and azaleas. This colourful spring combined with the early morning light, makes it easier to get out of bed and do some exercise before spending time writing

Laburnum photo from Bryan White, Unsplash

I’m still working my way through a redraft of a novel with the working title Conversation Classes. It’s set at a remote hotel in northern Italy where professionals are sent for a week’s immersion in language learning to improve their use of business English. It’s based upon my experience of volunteering at Vaughan Town, which you can read about here. It’s interesting when drawing on life experiences in novel writing, to notice where reality and fiction intersect. In this example, the characters and incidents that drive the narrative are imagined but the daily structure of activities is similar to the timetable I followed.

Let’s see if I can now work some colour into the novel from my regular dose of spring blooms.

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Unexpected accolade

by gailaldwin

I received an email from SME News in June this year saying The Writer is a Lonely Hunter had been nominated in the Southern Enterprise Awards 2025 . The nomination was based on my ‘impactful storytelling and dedication to community engagement through writing’. I looked into the organisation and decided to proceed. A couple of months later, I was told that following merit-led research and evaluation my blog had been recognised as the deserving recipient of the Best Literary Writing Blog Award 2025.

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Writing routines

by gailaldwin

My sixteen-month-old grandson has impetigo (an infectious bacterial skin infection) which he caught at nursery but he isn’t allowed to return there until 7–10 days after starting a course of antibiotics. As a result, we’ve covered some of the emergency childcare needs. It’s great to be helpful and looking after our grandson is always a lot of fun. He’s started talking much more and points his index finger when out in his buggy and calls out words like car, truck, bus and dog. We’ve spent a lot of time building towers with plastic cups (which are immediately knocked down) and stirring pretend porridge which is always too hot or too cold.

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The Blue of You by Amanda Huggins

by gailaldwin

I was delighted to receive a review copy of The Blue of You, the latest work by talented author Amanda Huggins, published by Northodox Press. The novella is a joy to read, and I thoroughly recommend it to you. Here’s my five-star review:

The setting of a village on the NE coast of England in The Blue of You is integral to the story where some members of the close-knit community hold secrets and others break them. The novella works as a mystery where I found myself wondering which characters were trustworthy. Layers of narrative reveal Janey Shaw’s personal history as she becomes empowered to address issues of unresolved grief. The writing is immersive and rich with symbolism. This is another triumph for the author who has a strong track record of producing high quality writing.

The novella is available to pre-order (publication date is 23 October) from the publisher or through a range of bookshops including T G Jones, The Portobello Bookshop and Waterstones Bookshop.

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Guess where I’ve been…

by gailaldwin

Oh yes, any trip to IKEA should be rewarded with a bite of lunch. Fortunately, the Croydon store wasn’t too busy when I visited last week and I came away with all the purchases on my list… and not much more. (The marketplace is fatal for picking up just another bargain.) I was interested to note there’s a scene set in IKEA in You by Caroline Kepnes, where the protagonist helps his muse to buy a bed. I am late to this novel (it’s now available on Netflix) but I did find it a compelling story and it made me realise how few books I’ve read recently where the main viewpoint character is male.

On this occasion it’s David and our friend Martin at the helm of a GoBoat. This electric-powered boat took us on a jaunt along the River Thames from Kingston and the table provided an excellent way to share a picnic. I’ve been madly searching Google to find the name of the romantic novel which I think was set in Copenhagen and features GoBoats. Instead, I’ve come up with an AI overview of how I can write a novel based on my search:

The protagonist, a travel writer, is tasked with documenting the “hidden gems” of Copenhagen. She meets a local guide while exploring the city’s canals, and they decide to take a GoBoat tour…

Although I find plot the hardest thing to nail as a writer, but I won’t be resorting to AI any time soon.

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A busy couple of weeks

by gailaldwin

As a former teacher, I’ve discovered I’m entitled to join Boundless an experiences club that helps those who work or have worked in the public sector to make the most of their free time. It does this by offering savings on events and a variety of free benefits. The club was established in 1923 by Frank Edwards who set about bringing people together to share adventures. Nowadays, the £40 membership offers free entry into Kew Gardens and (for an additional fee) several royal palaces including the Tower of London and Hampton Court. To make the most of our membership, David and I visited Kew Gardens last week which is a train ride away from our flat in South West London. We explored a section of the grounds and enjoyed the temperate house. We also took a stroll along the treetop walkway which offered fantastic views over the London skyline.

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A move to the city

by gailaldwin

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks deep cleaning our house. It’s not that I like cleaning (although I do find a spotless oven weirdly satisfying) but we’ve been getting ready for our annual migration. We generally spend the spring and summer at our tiny flat in New Malden (South West London) while the Dorset house is let as a holiday home. If you want a peek, Glyde House is listed on Sykes Holiday Cottages. For anyone who’s interested in visiting Dorchester, please drop me a note through the contact page as mates rates are available.

Wikipedia copyright free image from Sunil Prasannan

I have loads of things planned over the next few months including theatre trips, museum visits, London walks and days out around Sussex and Kent (I want to go to an exhibition at Tracey Emin’s studio in Margate). I also plan to catch up with old friends I worked and studied with years ago. We’ll still make regular trips back to Dorchester as we like to keep an eye on the house and garden. I’m also planning to attend The Script’s the Thing 2 in Dorchester in May as I’m working collaboratively on a short play to submit. Long distance working is possible thanks to the joys of online platforms such as WriterDuet. In terms of other writing, I’ve finished the latest edit of The Upgrade, a bookclub titled based on a remote tropical island where tensions exist between rich holidaymakers and the local population. The next stage is to begin submitting again.

In the meantime, my daughter and grandson are visiting for a couple days so I’m looking forward to singing lots of nursery rhymes. Fortunately, my online singing classes with the CityLit have paid off, and I’m now able to sing on tune. I plan to join a community choir during the summer term which will be an ambition realised as I was refused entry to my primary school choir!

Would anyone else like to share their one of their ambitions? I’d love to hear – just drop a note in the comments.

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A new experience for 2025

by gailaldwin

David and I spent a superb week in the French Alps where I learnt to ski. He’d been skiing in his twenties, but I’d never thought it would be something I might enjoy. How wrong could I be? There was so much to like about the experience starting with the joy of being surrounded by snow-covered mountains when the sun shone and the sky was blue. The setting was very uplifting and the weather remained consistently good throughout the week. We stayed half board in a hotel with a view of Mont Blanc and enjoyed excellent buffet meals in the restaurant.

In preparation for skiing, I had completed training to strengthen my legs and was quite confident when I approached the nursery slopes. The taster session provided guidance which I put into practice for stopping and turning. A conveyor belt called a magic carpet took me back to the top of the slope and after several goes I felt prepared for ski lessons. David and I shared an instructor who took us onto a green slope (for beginners) where we learnt to take wide curves and control the movement of the skis. A big priority was to return home injury free, so we weren’t terribly adventurous but I certainly found it exhilarating to get from the top of the slope to the bottom with a little speed.