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CG Karas's avatar

For someone who's decided to relax and enjoy the nice weather it seems you've been busier than ever 🎶

Lisa Fransson's avatar

Ah, ha ha, the weather turned stormy and rainy and autumnal, so what else is there to do? But also, I do love writing and all the things around it.

Graham Strong's avatar

"Here I go again, inventing an approach (philosophy, if you like) and a term that turns out to be a well-established concept already."

Welcome to my world! Like you, I try to take it as a validation rather than chastise myself for being derivative, unintentional as it is...

One of the things I learned in the early days of the Internet is how common "unique" ideas are. It's humbling: you are struck by a phrase or an idea, only to find that a million others have already thought of the same thing.

I have my fingers crossed for you for your short short story collection.

Lisa Fransson's avatar

Thank you Graham. Yes, it seems there are very few unique ideas out there, but at least I find immense satisfaction in having worked things out for myself, and if the method can be useful to us in creating something, a story, that is unique, or find a voice or a truth that touches people, then I count that as a good result.

And thank you for the well-wishes. 🙏🏼🤓

Graham Strong's avatar

Exactly! A "new to you/me" idea. Who cares, as long as it works?

BTW, I love your method writing idea! I do something similar when I'm trying to tap into my emotions (something that's difficult for me to do), though I've never called it that before. I will now. Love it!

Lisa Fransson's avatar

Thank you. Yes, it’s definitely a process. If I don’t know the character I'm going to write about how am I going empathise with her enought o make her authentic? There needs to be something real there to animate with my experiences and emotions.

Margaret Bennett's avatar

Very interesting Lisa. I love this insight into your work. And the comparison to method acting.

Lisa Fransson's avatar

Thank you. It felt important to work it out for myself, what this process is.

Margaret Bennett's avatar

Absolutely. 💯

Marie Waller's avatar

Lisa thank you so much - I’m so honoured to be featured ! I really appreciate that 🧡

Ah Stanislavski An Actor Prepares brings back happy memories of a A Level Theatre Studies.

I think you’re right , method writing is what is - you have to imbibe and become your subject really . Obsession seems to be part of the course . Your research sounds just my cup of tea ( love the Imperial War Museum). I always find the synchronicity between the rest of my life and research can get a little uncanny too .

By the way, I love your honesty in these posts - I can relate and they’re helpful - and I really wish you well with the picture book It will come right, I can feel it in my bones !

The absolute very best of the luck with the short stories ❤️

Thank you again xx

Lisa Fransson's avatar

Aw, thank you Marie. It's so hard to get noticed on Substack so I try to spread a little love with each post. And thank you for all the well-wishes. Sometimes I'm hopeful, sometimes I think it best to assume that I'll never have a story published ever again.

I loved my day in the archives of IWM, the fact that anyone can book in and read the original letters. It made me want to go back for more. But I have to stick with this story now, not get side-tracked. 🤗