My Writing Life: Sunday Taylor

When the idea came to me for my novel, I remember racing to my computer and writing in a sort of frenzy. I wrote a few pages in this exhilarating state of mind, then closed my computer and went on with what I had been doing, probably cooking dinner. Reading what I had written the following day, I realized I was on to something, and that perhaps this could turn into a book. That was an amazing feeling!  

But what happened during the years it took me to finish was far from linear or formulaic. In fact, it was probably the messiest, most organic, albeit exciting, experience I have ever lived through. In the beginning, I had no outline, structure or direction. But there was a magic that would occur, with sparks of illumination so insanely thrilling, that I just couldn’t stop writing.  

Mostly though, as every writer will tell you, the process was more prosaic and consisted of staring at the computer screen for hours on end and coming up with very little. Putting in the time and not giving up was crucial. Some days were good, some days not so good. But miraculously, those two states of mind, the enchanted and the mundane, merged into a river of creativity, that resulted, to my utter delight, in a book.  

My story began to develop and grow in unexpected ways, much like a baby who resembles neither parent at first but occasionally, even eerily, flashes a crooked smile or gives you that soulful gaze that makes you know you are staring at your spiritual twin. If you think about the things that have preoccupied you in life – the people, passions, loves, heartbreaks, milestones, interests, hobbies, books, travels, dreams, regrets — tucked away in the deepest recesses of your memory bank, chances are you will find them in the pages of your book. They may be softly woven throughout your pages, quietly vibrating in the background or take center stage, emerging with crystalline magic.  

Humming in the background of my own consciousness was a love of literature, women writers, travel, and England. If I could combine my love of those things with a riveting story about a woman who takes a trip that changes her life, this just might work. 

During the writing process, I discovered some faithful companions – habits and tools I could rely on, that became lamposts to light my way during the chaotic, messy, enigmatic business of writing a book. Here are a few of them:

A NOTEBOOK 

A big fat notebook, bulging with material for my book, was a lifesaver for me. I discovered early on that visual prompts helped my writing process. I had been tearing out articles and photos about literature, travel, and other passions for most of my adult life, so I already had quite a large collection. I purchased a three-ring binder and put a picture of Charlotte Brontë on the cover. Because my novel is about a woman who travels from Los Angles to London to write a book about her favorite author Charlotte Brontë, and whose life is utterly transformed by the experience, Charlotte had to be at the heart of things. 

I studied British magazines to learn about English gardens and houses. What flowers would a renowned horticulturist grow in her Wiltshire garden; what would the Notting Hill house of a London-based interior designer look like? I researched British names, manner of dress, looks, food, and speech. An article by a British florist about the love letters her father wrote her mother is included with a photo of those old-fashioned letters tied up with a strand of claret-red satin ribbon. It was the visual prompt for the story of my protagonist Claire Easton finding the love letters written to her mother by a mysterious Englishman.  

My dividers had the most enticing labels:

The Brontës

Yorkshire 

London Bookshops

Christmas in London

English Gardens

English Houses

Characters

Settings 

Ambience

Ghosts

Superstitions

Words

Whenever I hit a writing block, I would pull out my notebook and flip through it. This would often inspire a new idea, character, or storyline. The notebook became a sort of commonplace book, filled with favorite writers, travel locales, literary heroes and heroines, tips on decorating and gardening, quotes to live by — everything I’ve loved over the years. 

MY BOOKS

Notice your books. What have you been reading all your life? Despite so much information readily available on the internet, I found there was no substitution for doing my research in an actual book. As I looked at the books on my bookshelves I realized that, just as with all my articles and photos, I had been collecting material for my novel for most of my life. I had every book on the Brontës, for example.

And there were books on other relevant topics as well — Virginia Woof, Charles Dickens, E.M. Forster, Thomas Carlyle, London pubs, old London booksellers and publishers, Bloomsbury, Sissinghurst, Vita Sackville-West. Apparently, my novel had been percolating in the recesses of my imagination all these years and I hadn’t realized it. These books were my old friends, the equivalent of a cup of tea by the fireplace on a rainy day. It had all come full circle. I could do my research from my bookshelves and be reminded of my reading life throughout the years. Be sure to study your literary interests. They just may lead you to a topic for a book. 

MY FRIENDS

Most writers desire feedback. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was to seek it from someone who speaks your language, who is a kindred spirit. That way, they are more likely to understand what you are trying to say, share your vision, and help you express it better. Several friends became my readers and early editors. They were my soulmates on this project. I will always be grateful for their generosity, close reading, insights and brilliant suggestions. My book is a better book because of them. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from your close friends. It can be so helpful.  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 
Sunday Taylor grew up in Pennsylvania and Connecticut and attended Bates College in Maine. A graduate of the Master of Arts program in English Literature at UCLA, she spent the last four decades in California and currently lives in Los Angeles. Taylor is married with two grown daughters and two granddaughters. She journeys to England every year, reads Jane Eyre every autumn and identifies as an Anglophile. This is her first book.

Find out more about Sunday on her website: sundaytaylor.com

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Category: How To and Tips