“Focus on perspective – find that
vital thread that is going to help you tell your story.” That was one of the
pieces of advice from Purgatory
author Rosetta Allan in the first of the talks in AUT’s Visiting Writers
Programme.
While working on Purgatory, Allan wrote and re-wrote the narrative using several
different voices before settling on the voices of John and James, two of the
book’s central characters.
“Initially I tried to write it in the
mother’s voice and it didn’t work at all … [but] none of that time [writing in
the other voices] was wasted, it was all research and it was helping me find
the story that I wanted to tell. I immediately knew the right voice when I
found it.”
Allan’s insights into the lengthy
editing process were valuable for writers seeking publication.
In addition to ‘endless’ rewrites of
her own during the writing process, Allan also worked with literary agent and
editor Michael Gifkins, and once the novel had been accepted by Penguin she
worked with a series of the publisher’s editors for the next year. Gifkins, who
has since passed away, came up with the title Purgatory.
Throughout the editing process Allan
says she accepted most of the different editors’ suggestions. “There were a few
instances where I said ‘no that’s staying’ but not many. We’d committed to each
other and I trusted them [and their] process.”
Lecturer Siobhan Harvey, who
established AUT’s Visiting Writers Programme, says Allan’s insights into the
editing process help writers understand “that you are not handing the publisher
a perfectly complete manuscript”.
“If they accept your work, they are
accepting your skill as a writer and your idea but they will still be shaping
that final work.”
Allan is currently working on her
second novel and has a Creative New Zealand grant to travel to St Petersburg,
Russia for a three-week research trip.
Interested writers and readers are
invited to attend the next AUT Visiting Writers Programme
session on Tuesday 5 April 1-2pm at AUT’s City Campus
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