Research, Litfests and How to Make your Book Happen

Several months have gone by, and what have I been doing? I’m not sure, time goes so fast, but I have been researching my next novel – by doing a course in art crime and the illegal trade in antiquities – and it’s fascinating, if rather sad. I haven’t got to the art crime yet, but what I have learnt is that antiquities are stolen from historic sites in places like South America and Cambodia, to feed the appetites of rich collectors, which is a tragedy and travesty in many ways.

First, the items are now ‘out of context’, so even if they are subsequently recovered and returned to their country of origin, vital knowledge of their heritage has now been lost. Secondly, much of the money made in this illicit industry is made by the people at the top of the chain, when they sell the items to wealthy collectors, whereas the people on the ground (literally!) are often subsistence diggers who work for pitifully small amounts to feed their families.

It’s a fascinating, but difficult story, and I’m looking forward to learning more. Fortunately, nowadays, more museums and galleries are becoming aware of the need to be vigilent when receiving artefacts and art treasures. This is SO important, because while there is legislation in some countries, which goes some way towards limiting such trade, there is no international legislation or policing to protect such treasures.

The course I am doing is on FutureLearn – which is an amazing resource for a whole variety of online learning opportunities – from the power of colour to England in the time of Richard III. And the courses are free. Check it out.

Changing the subject, I’m running some writing workshops over the next few months. The next one is in York, on 13 March and is called Motivation & Moving Forward: how to make your book happen. It’s for writers with a work in progress, who want to complete, and are in need of help with motivation or practical issues. The last one was great fun, and what better place to have a writing workshop, than in lovely York.

Do come along if you’re in the area and the workshop interests you. Full details can be found here, and there are discounts available.

Speaking of great places to go, the next workshop is in equally lovely Stratford-upon-Avon, on 25 March, and is on writing for magazines – both non-fiction & short stories. You can find out more here.

Going back to York, for a minute, the writing workshop is three days before the York Literature Festival – also worth checking out if you’re in the area. In fact, with so many litfests (one in Stratford-upon-Avon in April, and one in Hawkesbury Upton, near Bath also in April – I’m reading at that one), it’s a wonder I’ll have any time to do any writing at all…