Bread and dates

Or, why writing is like baking.

I bloody love bread. It’s a superior foodstuff, in my humble opinion. You can’t beat a proper crusty loaf, freshly made, and I’ve started making a bit of it myself. It’s a bit hit and miss, because I don’t always have the time/energy/inclination, but when I have enough of all three you can guarantee there’ll be an amazing smell coming from my kitchen.

It struck me recently that writing a novel is a lot like baking a loaf, because of the different stages you must go through before you have the finished product. Bread needs to

be mixed, kneaded, proved, knocked back and proved again before it’s baked. Different breads require different levels of kneading; some prefer the lightest touch, where others need beating into submission. Proving times also vary depending on what you’re making, and how many times you need to knock the air out and let it rest again.

A novel doesn’t just spring into being, however wonderful that might sound to those of us battling to get stories out of our heads and down onto the page or screen. It needs to be shaped, edited, knocked back and reworked, just like a loaf. The amount of work that goes into them feels like an enormous effort for such a small end product, something that can be consumed in a matter of hours, but it’s always worth it.

I’m in the middle of a kneading stage at the moment, and I find it’s important to remind myself that time is an important ingredient in the writing process. At least writing doesn’t leave me covered in flour - just biscuit crumbs.

DATES:

Not the edible kind - here are the events I currently have planned, where you can come and meet me, and hear me talk about my books.

9-12 May: Crimefest, Bristol. Date and time TBC

6 June: Cleethorpes Library, 7pm

8 June: Boston Crime Book Festival, Fydell House, Boston (Lincolnshire), 1:30pm

18-21 July: Theakstons Crime Festival, Harrogate - I’m not appearing, but I’ll be there and I’m friendly!

Other dates will be added over the coming weeks

!