I have previously written about
the importance of food in children’s fiction in this blog. It can add such
depth and bring life to a narrative, giving the reader more clues about the
characters and how they live.
When writing about food I have rather an unusual problem. I
haven’t eaten properly since 2000 when my body reacted badly to surgery I had for
a stomach issue. This meant it’s really difficult for me to swallow food. Those
that know me are aware that I syringe special nutrition-based feed through a
tube straight into my stomach. It is not an issue because it allows me to lead
a relatively normal life and I’ve got very used to it now. However, this means
I rarely cook food now and don’t really know the joy of enjoying a meal anymore.
Unbelievably, can prove quite a stumbling block when trying to write about
food.
My solution? I read recipe books
and watch food programmes on TV. The presenters whether chefs or cooks are
always passionate consequently their language is often rich and evocative.
Watching the likes of James Martin (my daughter used to work for him) or Mary
Berry, as she wanders around Paris waxing lyrical about food, or Nadiyah
Hussain describing her joy in food, to name just a few, is really
inspirational. It means I am not using the same food over and over again and
can challenge my characters to eat diverse things. I loved food and was a real
foodie before the op, so this is also escapism for me too, but I do like to
introduce at least two rich food scenes in a manuscript.
I confess I do this for settings
too! Great to watch house programmes. I also though tend to follow accounts on
Instagram that are doing up houses as the ‘before’ pictures can be particularly inspirational.
The other thing is to look at estate agents websites. I did this recently for a
manuscript that was set in a certain place and it gave me a good sense of what
sort of houses were in the area and what they might look like inside. The
pictures can stimulate your imagination as you create the houses where your
characters might live or visit.
I know people will say that
Pinterest is great for this, which it is, but I find I just end up down a
rabbit hole trying to find what I want. It is not something I use so much these
days.
I apologise this post is short and sweet, but life is a bit
full-on as I prepare to start lecturing again. I hope you enjoy finding
inspiration for your food and settings in the meantime.
Dr Vanessa Harbour
@VanessaHarbour
http://chaosmos-outofchaoscomesorder.blogspot.com
6 comments:
Thanks for this, Vanessa - so many roads writers travel to find what their books need!
Thank you.
I know, but it is what I love about writing. I love doing research. There is nothing better than finding that little nugget of information that will just lift the narrative to the next level.
I find research REALLY hard; I just can never concentrate. That said, looking at pictures as you suggest DOES help and it's good to be reminded of this. I should use pictures more often.
Pictures make it so much easier Nick. I am very visual when I write, the story plays like a film in my head, so I find images are great for drawing on. You might see something tucked right in the corner of the picture that might trigger an idea.
So interesting, and a good way of keeping the pleasures (and otherwise) of food there in your vocabulary and writing.
SO true Penny, it is the realisation that there are fads and fashions in food meaning there is the potential to sound outdated
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