The following is a guest post written by Andrew Smith (author of Edith’s War)

This is as much a “note to self” as a blog post. Now that my first novel, ‘Edith’s War,’ has been launched on its unpredictable journey toward  (fingers crossed) a host of appreciative readers, I’m about to continue work on my next piece of fiction. So, the “note-to-self” would be to remember the importance of story.

An obvious thing that any writer ought to remember you might say. But, for me anyway, there’s always a distinct tussle between the desire to make some kind of statement in my writing versus the creation of a narrative that will be satisfying to a reader. It’s a real mistake to let the former overpower the latter. Before I started ‘Edith’s War’ for example I knew I wanted to write about the injustice of what is now known as “collateral damage” during war. I wasn’t as much interested in physical injury (as harmful and traumatic as that can be), but I was more concerned with showing the emotional devastation of those not directly involved in fighting, but whose lives are completely disrupted nevertheless. But to “show” my readers I knew I needed to come up with a damn good story.

I was fortunate (as a writer, but perhaps not as a human being!) to have grown up in England just after World War II. As a child I knew many people whose lives had been horribly compromised by their wartime experiences. Psychological damage was obvious and memorable. And, as part of the generation that immediately followed, I was aware of the ripple effect the war had on me and my contemporaries. We were affected physically as children by food shortages and rationing. And, as a result of being raised by parents traumatized by war, we now have as adults our own peculiar set of emotional challenges.

I was quick to realize that, as an author, I could draw on this experience but that none of it would ring true without credible characters — imaginary people who appeared real and totally believable. Edith stepped into my imagination easily; I’d known women like her all my life. Women who’d endured great hardship but who, ironically, had also glimpsed an array of opportunities at home while their men were away fighting, only to have those possibilities snatched away on the return of husbands, fathers and fiancées. Somehow these women managed to preserve their equanimity, but lost all trace of joyfulness during the punishing process of self-preservation. It was no real chore for me to create Edith as a living, complex person. Others quickly followed: Edith’s long-suffering mother-in-law, her brother-in-law, Liam, (too young to fight but old enough to be an irritating jingoist). I was shocked when I read of the internment of Italians during WWII and learnt about the appalling treatment they and their families received. But as a writer I couldn’t resist the opportunity to use those deplorable events as another example of “collateral damage.” It was simple to dream up an Italian family as Edith’s next-door-neighbors. Finally, to come up with Edith’s adult sons, Shamus and Will, I needed to look no further than my own generation.

It’s at this point where some people might claim that authors who write “literary fiction” usually stop. A criticism often levelled is that it’s enough for these “literary” writers to craft beautifully drawn portraits of the human condition without feeling any necessity for a distinct storyline. On the other hand critics of “genre” fiction say that there’s too much emphasis on plot in crime fiction, adventure and romantic fiction, etc. They claim that over-anxiety to fulfil the demand for a distinct narrative means that subtle character development, vivid physical descriptions, and other elements of “good” writing become shoddy or are simply overlooked. The final result is a graceless potboiler with no literary merit.

I would claim that the two — finely drawn characters and an engrossing storyline — are not mutually exclusive. In fact it’s obvious that books are most enjoyable and satisfying when they have both characteristics — terrific writing and a credible and involving story. In other words a book that provides readers with that wonderful state of mind: suspension of disbelief. A book that makes the reader forget that they’re holding an imaginary account of the make-believe lives of fictitious people. And if at the end of the book the reader has discovered a real-life aspect of our world of which they may not have been aware, so much the better.

I certainly tried my best to achieve all of the above in ‘Edith’s War.’ Only the book’s readers can decide if I was successful.

In my next novel I want explore celebrity in our society and the value attached to fame, especially undeserved fame. Having experienced this particular creative itch, a guy called Frank popped into my head. He’s a washed-up paparazzi photographer and a recovering alcoholic. At the start of the book Frank meets, seemingly by chance, his son-in-law, Donovan. Frank’s behavior as a drunk has caused a separation from his daughter, his drunkenness was also the reason for his divorce and his loss of credibility as a photographer of the rich and famous. But when we meet Frank, he’s cleaned up his act, stopped drinking, and secured menial but gainful employment in a photo agency. Although Frank does little to disguise his dislike of his son-in-law it appears that during their chance encounter Donovan is giving Frank an opportunity to photograph one of the up-and-coming stars in Donovan’s successful recording company. Anxious to return to his profession as a high-earning celebrity photographer, Frank doesn’t consider why his devious son-in-law, not known for his generosity, would give Frank such an opportunity.

Now I need to come up with the rest of the story. Invent some more pertinent characters, figure out where to place them, and why. Did I mention invent an engaging story? Story, story and more story — but good writing too! Nobody said it would be easy being an author. It’s just as well I love every word, sentence, and page of the job

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