It's all about me...Except it isn’t!
Writers tend to be solitary creatures, but I’m not like that. Ask my three wives… (Twice divorced, one success) More seriously, my earlier efforts at writing were inspired by my interest in amateur theatre. I was part of a team, and when my scripts were performed the end product was achieved by discussing the words with the actors who spoke the lines. |
|
|
On tackling my first novel, I quickly learned the best way of producing quality work was to consult other writers, and to share feedback on our output. I still do that today.
But I recognise that readers like to know about the authors of the books they buy. Do I put anything of myself into my creations? Answer: yes, of course I do! I also put in others I know, but this is not the time or the place for revealing secrets. I will say this - if Alan Veale was a factory, I’d be picking out the raw materials as well as overseeing the finished goods. I’m the boss. Everything that comes in one door and goes out the other is up to me. What I say goes, and working for a boss like me can be both challenging and rewarding. Having a theatrical background has certainly helped shape my creative imagination. I started as an amateur actor in 1973, and two years later won the leading role in a farce called Post Horn Gallop. A couple of years on I got my first professional job acting as a lecherous farm-hand in a summer season show called Meet Aunt Mildred. |
That’s me in the hat, caught doing something naughty in this publicity shot from 1977
|
My experience in the theatre led me to take a serious interest in character development and plot construction, which in turn influenced the scripts I began to write for the stage. Naturally, these were all dialogue-based – a craft which came in handy when I moved on to write similar scenes in my books.
For me, the challenges of each writing medium are totally different, and yet related. Theatre is all about the visual impact for a live audience, requiring a dynamic that can be easily absorbed for short term gain. Writing prose for a reader demands something deeper, intended to stimulate imagination and provoke thoughts that may affect for a longer period. Yet both demand the writer to paint a picture that holds attention. Both require strong characters, interesting dialogue, and the framework of a beginning, middle, and a satisfying end.
I leave it to my readers to decide if my stuff works for them. I’m fortunate in being old enough to write when I feel like it. This is not a career path that involves a literary agent or a traditional publisher – both taking their cut of whatever income my books create. I’m proud to be an “indie author” (independent), and it matters not to me if my creations only reach a small audience.
But to the person who is reading this I would like to say “thank you”. You’ve got this far, and it may be that you’ve picked up one of my books – or seen me perform on stage (see the page on this site describing JAPE Productions). Ever the actor, I do appreciate those who give a warm applause when I take a bow, or who offer a word of praise in the bar after the show. That makes the effort worthwhile, and the relationship between reader and writer is exactly the same as that between audience and performer.
Which brings me back to where I started: It’s NOT all about me!
For me, the challenges of each writing medium are totally different, and yet related. Theatre is all about the visual impact for a live audience, requiring a dynamic that can be easily absorbed for short term gain. Writing prose for a reader demands something deeper, intended to stimulate imagination and provoke thoughts that may affect for a longer period. Yet both demand the writer to paint a picture that holds attention. Both require strong characters, interesting dialogue, and the framework of a beginning, middle, and a satisfying end.
I leave it to my readers to decide if my stuff works for them. I’m fortunate in being old enough to write when I feel like it. This is not a career path that involves a literary agent or a traditional publisher – both taking their cut of whatever income my books create. I’m proud to be an “indie author” (independent), and it matters not to me if my creations only reach a small audience.
But to the person who is reading this I would like to say “thank you”. You’ve got this far, and it may be that you’ve picked up one of my books – or seen me perform on stage (see the page on this site describing JAPE Productions). Ever the actor, I do appreciate those who give a warm applause when I take a bow, or who offer a word of praise in the bar after the show. That makes the effort worthwhile, and the relationship between reader and writer is exactly the same as that between audience and performer.
Which brings me back to where I started: It’s NOT all about me!