The Magic Of Committing To Your Writing

A story of synchronicity and full circles

Lumb Bank, 2008 © Claire McNamee. With apologies to my fellow writers, whose names and contact details are lost to the mists of time.

The photo above was taken in August 2008 at Lumb Bank, once home of poet Ted Hughes, now a residential creative writing centre in Heptonstall, West Yorkshire, owned and run by Arvon. It was taken on the last day of my first Arvon retreat. That’s me, in the back row, the one (unsurprisingly) wearing black.

Looking at that photo today I see a version of me who’s very tired but very happy. Someone whose life had just shifted in a way that wouldn’t become clear until years later. I often say that my week with Arvon changed my life and I still think that’s true.

In August 2008 I considered myself an ‘aspiring’ novelist, but really, I was only dabbling. Dabbling and procrastinating. I had an idea for a novel that I’d been developing for five or six years. I had done some research and played around with story ideas, but hadn’t written a word. This procrastination came from a deep-seated fear. What if I tried to write this novel and found I couldn’t do it, that I wasn’t good enough? It was easier to dream big and tell myself I’d do it one day than to risk failure.

At that time, I’d already taken some creative writing classes and written a few short stories; I was teetering on the brink of taking it all seriously. In fact, taking it seriously was exactly what I had in mind when I booked the Arvon course. It was a big deal for me. It was expensive and – frankly – terrifying. An act of faith designed to test my commitment.

I remember driving to Yorkshire from Surrey, where I lived then, my clapped-out Ford Fiesta struggling up the steep hill to Heptonstall, and parking in what seemed like a wild, remote spot at the top of winding single-track lane that led down through the trees to Lumb Bank. I recall the nerves as I wheeled my suitcase over the cobbles, slipping in inappropriate shoes, because of course it was raining, and being shown to my little room at the top of the house. I sat on the bed looking at the wild sky above the skylight, gathering my courage and thinking, Christ, what have I done?

The week went by in a blur. I remember images, moments: cosying up in an armchair to write, browsing the library, visiting Sylvia Plath’s grave in the rain (she’s buried nearby). More vivid to me are memories of certain feelings – nerves certainly, but also camaraderie, warmth, encouragement, awe, lightbulb moments, laughter and genuine connection.  Most importantly, it was the first time I began to believe that I might be capable of writing a book. That writing was, in fact, what I was meant to do. Finally, I was in my right place. I felt, for the very first time, like a real writer.

They call it Arvon magic, and I can’t think of a better word. That week transformed me. I drove back down the M1 committed – down to my absolute bones – to writing that novel I’d been dreaming about for years. The experience filled me with determination, certainty and a drive that I’d never had before. It set me on my path.

That sense of commitment was the thing that kept me going during the following years – the thing that drove me to prioritise my writing, to find a writing habit that fitted my life, and to learn how to write a book by actually writing one. That deep commitment saw me though some challenging times.

Six years later, in 2014, that novel was published – my debut, The Crimson Ribbon.

Why am I telling you all this?

In two weeks’, time I’ll be returning to Arvon, but this time I’ll be at the head of the table. I’m teaming up with the spectacularly talented Andrew Michael Hurley to teach ‘Writing the North’, a week all about writing fiction set in the North of England. Here’s the blurb…

What does it mean to write about the North? Does the North have its own literary identity? How have writers captured Northern England on the page? And how might you use aspects of Northern culture to inspire and enhance your fiction?

Through a series of collaborative, craft-based writing workshops, acclaimed novelists and experienced tutors Andrew Michael Hurley and Katherine Clements will help you explore these questions. You’ll discover the techniques that writers have used to evoke places and landscapes, embody Northern voices, and bring regional history and folklore to life. Together, we’ll consider what the North means to us as authors and how we might write about its diverse and fluid identities.

This is a course for anyone writing – or thinking about writing – short or long-form fiction set in the North of England, or for anyone with an interest in writing about place. Suitable for writers at all stages of their journey, the course will provide you with one-to-one sessions with each tutor together with workshops and discussions in a supportive group.

I’m told there are a couple of places left, so if you’d like to experience Arvon magic for yourself, there’s still time to book.

Some of the books I’ve been dipping in to in preparation for Writing the North

In 2014, as a published writer, I moved back to Northern England, where I was born and where I lived for most of my formative years. I wrote The Coffin Path, set in a semi-fictional version of Brontë Country, and in doing so reconnected with the landscape that has always been so inspiring and familiar to me. Then, in 2020, I moved to an old cottage just outside Heptonstall, a mere 10-minute walk from – you’ve guessed it – the Arvon Centre at Lumb Bank.

Now, every day I look out from my writing desk over the same valley that I looked over in 2008. It’s my favourite place I’ve ever lived. It’s home. Talk about full circle.

If you had told that tired, happy writer that sixteen years later, I’d be the tutor on an Arvon course, getting paid to spend time exploring my passions and preoccupations with a bunch of fellow writers, I would not have believed you. I say that not to brag, but to show how it is totally possible to get where you want to go. It is totally possible for your writing dreams to come true, because it happened to me. And it’s totally possible for life to surpass those dreams with things even bigger and better than you can imagine.

I love the synchronicity and chance that has brought me to this place and this moment. And, more than anything, I’m excited to discover the Arvon magic that lies ahead.

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Ready to commit to your writing? Here are a bunch of other ways you can work with me…

1:1 Coaching & Mentoring My Writing Revolution package is my gold standard in writing support. If you’re ready to commit to your writing and work toward your writing ambitions, this is the one for you. Dedicated, personal support to get your book written.

The Inkwell Join my growing writing community on Substack for monthly workshops and interaction with me. This is a low-cost, minimal commitment way to work together and see if we vibe.

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