Friday 18 July 2014

In Conversation

One more event to share with you today - Ann Cleeves in conversation with Peter May.
Peter admitted to having no idea why he writes. "I don't think any of us have any idea. I think it's in your DNA." Ann described hearing "a narrative in my head telling me what I was doing... a voice in my head" when she was very young. "Did you tell your parents about those voices in your head?" Peter asked. They greed that concentration is an undervalued skill in writing. They shared their experiences of discovering books, Peter sleeping in a room with bookshelves, Ann visiting her local library, and how they came to start writing. They discussed their research methods - "asking is the most important thing," Peter said, and the significance of location. "People grow out of the place they were born," Ann said. The discussion was full of insights into their writing, and very entertaining as they shared their experiences with us in a conversation that felt very relaxed, just two old friends reminiscing - in front of an enthralled audience.

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