In the UK at age 16, we take exams called GCSEs now, but back in my day (1976, this was) they were the O-Levels. It was a blisteringly hot sunmer (following a really bad one where it snowed in June) when sitting in some exam room was the last thing anyone wanted, but I came out of it with 5 As and 7 Bs. These days the A grade is subdivided into A and A* - I don't know where my As would have stood.
I stayed on at the same school (which was starting to become a sixth-form college)to take the A-Levels, which is what you need for University, and got A in Chemistry, A in Biology and B in Pure and Applied Maths. But, behind those results is a story.
It was a story of rivalry. In Biology, Vinod Patel (who I've mentioned before) and Greg Evans were the people in question - I was always behind the former and just ahead of the latter in every test going. In those days there was a thing called the special paper which top students could do; Vinod did it but Greg and I did not. And we were glad: Vinod passed the damn thing but only got a B in the main A-Level. Greg and I got As. The year's prizes, though, were to Vinod for the main Biology prize and to myself for the Owen Wilshere Natural History Prize for the best write up of the Biology field trip (okay it was virtually the only write up...).
In Chemistry I was always behind two guys called Joe Liebershuetz and Chris Le Bas, but in the A-level year (1978) I nabbed the Thirlby Chemistry Prize from them. Even better, Joe and I both passed the special paper without the extra pressure compromising our performance. We got A grades, as did Chris (Joe and Chris got the Maths and Physics prizes).
I applied to do Chemistry at University, where my choices were Birmingham (England, not Alabama), Nottingham (where I ended up), Leeds, Newcastle and Southampton. Oxford and Cambridge were not for me. It was a strange thing that 34 years later my son, Jamie, also went to Nottingham, though he is a physicist.
Jack Orchison, 18 January, 2014.
Saturday 18 January 2014
Being a writer, Part 3: When to start writing
I have found that writng ideas come slowly: a character, a scene, a coversation, somewhere to start, a setting, an ending etc., and you have to note all these down before you forget them. It takes months or even years for such things to coalesce into a coherent story idea, but the important thing is that your idea will tell you when to start writing. Plan all you like, it is your character(s)who give the kick up the backside. And it might not be gentle. One of my stories started not with a quiet knock on the mental door but practically hammered it down and announced its existence.
It's a matter of an idea achieving a critical mass, rather like a nuclear reactor - nothing happens on the action front until this is achieved, nothing useful is generated. But once achieved you can be hauled away into some fictional space and shown all sorts of things you never thought possible - and all by your characters. Mind you, it works only when characters are rounded three-dimensional types with real lives and aspirations and who you feel you know.
And are you swept along by your idea? Does it seem to flow? With that will come justification and vindication of your idea. Notice that what I suggest is not sitting down and planning everything in minute detail, as some recommend, and neither is it sitting down with a blank page (and no idea) waiting for the Muse to turn up. Neither of these works: either you get bored and don't finish or you never get beyond the first couple of chapters. Go for the compromise, wait for critical mass, and a fictional someone will tell you when to start writing.
Jack Orchison, 18 January, 2014.
It's a matter of an idea achieving a critical mass, rather like a nuclear reactor - nothing happens on the action front until this is achieved, nothing useful is generated. But once achieved you can be hauled away into some fictional space and shown all sorts of things you never thought possible - and all by your characters. Mind you, it works only when characters are rounded three-dimensional types with real lives and aspirations and who you feel you know.
And are you swept along by your idea? Does it seem to flow? With that will come justification and vindication of your idea. Notice that what I suggest is not sitting down and planning everything in minute detail, as some recommend, and neither is it sitting down with a blank page (and no idea) waiting for the Muse to turn up. Neither of these works: either you get bored and don't finish or you never get beyond the first couple of chapters. Go for the compromise, wait for critical mass, and a fictional someone will tell you when to start writing.
Jack Orchison, 18 January, 2014.
Saturday 11 January 2014
My Biographical bit: Part 4
One of the problems with going to a grammar school back when I did was the school sports: cricket and rugby. Although football and hockey were introduced later, it was too late for me - I was never going to be a sportsman.
In cricket, I couldn't throw to save my life and I was scared of the ball because it was hard. And I was vindicated. In one session, one of my friends, Vinod Patel (a great rival later in biology) went to catch a shot someone had skied and was vertically under it. The ball eluded his grasp and hit him on the head.
In rugby I was too small and light, and such events as a ghastly head clash with a lad called Neil Alexander where he was knocked out and I got a horrible black eye, or where I got squashed by Charlie Cronin who was twice my size, were no fun at all. And there was a funny story, too. In one game, I stole the ball from Jonathan Whitaker, the school captain, and ran the full length of the pitch with only the full-back between me and scoring a try. He was Martin Hides, regarded by some as a wimp who was more at home playing music. Well, get out the violins...he tackled me, and what should have been a spectacular event, well, wasn't. And there was an intersting corollary to this. Tim Chapman, who excelled at singing (Barbers Shop Quartet) was a slightly built lad, not unlike me, but when he was padded up he was the fearless goalkeeper for the school hockey team.
Next time: Getting to University.
Jack Orchison, 11 January, 2014.
In cricket, I couldn't throw to save my life and I was scared of the ball because it was hard. And I was vindicated. In one session, one of my friends, Vinod Patel (a great rival later in biology) went to catch a shot someone had skied and was vertically under it. The ball eluded his grasp and hit him on the head.
In rugby I was too small and light, and such events as a ghastly head clash with a lad called Neil Alexander where he was knocked out and I got a horrible black eye, or where I got squashed by Charlie Cronin who was twice my size, were no fun at all. And there was a funny story, too. In one game, I stole the ball from Jonathan Whitaker, the school captain, and ran the full length of the pitch with only the full-back between me and scoring a try. He was Martin Hides, regarded by some as a wimp who was more at home playing music. Well, get out the violins...he tackled me, and what should have been a spectacular event, well, wasn't. And there was an intersting corollary to this. Tim Chapman, who excelled at singing (Barbers Shop Quartet) was a slightly built lad, not unlike me, but when he was padded up he was the fearless goalkeeper for the school hockey team.
Next time: Getting to University.
Jack Orchison, 11 January, 2014.
Being a writer, part 2: Writers as readers
When we are engrossed in writng our stories it is easy to forget to read those of others. Why should this matter? I hear you say. Well, the answer is simple.
There is a strong link between what we write and what we like to read. Indeed, what you have read in the past has shaped your ideas as a writer whether you realise it or not. Carry on reading in your favourite genre(s) - these stories are your friends, so why would you abandon them? Read them for the latest trends, techniques, popular areas, upcoming writers, how the established ones adapt etc., and which publishers are doing what.
The subject areas that interest me the most are horror (which is why I carry on reading Stephen King, Graham Masterton, James Herbert etc)and history, so I also devour CJ Sansom, Bernard Cornwell, Stewart Binns etc. I would love to write a historical novel, and still might, but the research is huge and detailed, so be warned on this. It is better to stick to what we can make up!
But, with all this writing, and reading other people's stories, we are forgetting something. We need to read non-fiction, too - something that informs our writing. It is important to occasionally live with your head in an encyclopaedia, a learned text (as I did once with a book called Death in England), or in the ether by surfing Wikipedia (find an interesting article and follow the links).
So don't forget to be a reader. We should all be readers. Only some of us are writers.
Jack Orchison, 11 January, 2014.
There is a strong link between what we write and what we like to read. Indeed, what you have read in the past has shaped your ideas as a writer whether you realise it or not. Carry on reading in your favourite genre(s) - these stories are your friends, so why would you abandon them? Read them for the latest trends, techniques, popular areas, upcoming writers, how the established ones adapt etc., and which publishers are doing what.
The subject areas that interest me the most are horror (which is why I carry on reading Stephen King, Graham Masterton, James Herbert etc)and history, so I also devour CJ Sansom, Bernard Cornwell, Stewart Binns etc. I would love to write a historical novel, and still might, but the research is huge and detailed, so be warned on this. It is better to stick to what we can make up!
But, with all this writing, and reading other people's stories, we are forgetting something. We need to read non-fiction, too - something that informs our writing. It is important to occasionally live with your head in an encyclopaedia, a learned text (as I did once with a book called Death in England), or in the ether by surfing Wikipedia (find an interesting article and follow the links).
So don't forget to be a reader. We should all be readers. Only some of us are writers.
Jack Orchison, 11 January, 2014.
Tuesday 7 January 2014
My Biographical bit: Part 3
Last time I had just got into grammar school. It was one of those places where teachers and pupils (called students now!) all called you by your surname (last name), Grace (inclding the Latin benedictus) was said at lunchtime, there was a cane in the Head's office and discipline was kept by the Deputy Head, Roy McKenzie. Or rather he and his clones. It seemed that whenever trouble was about to occur anywhere, he would pop up out of the ground to put a stop to it. This uncanny knack (or were there really copies of him?) earned him the nickname 'Kenzoid.' There was also Norman 'Butch' Hadley who taught chemistry and is responsible for my path in life, and Dennis 'Griswold' Cooper who taught biology. I'm not sure how the latter came about, but it could be after the police dog in Top Cat or after Clark Griswold in National Lampoon.
I never showed much inclination for writing back then, although my first year English teacher did comment on my report that I was 'talented but lazy.' The place did have its share of ghastly things, like cross-country running, bullies, and Jeremy Smith - and arrogant braggart and Chelsea supporter - who lived next door to me, but it was also where I found my feet in the chess team and with some new friends. One of these was a black lad called Mark Gittens who not only was a better chess player than me, he was the most determined person I have ever met. He was driven to achieve something due to a poor background, and got into Dentistry which was a fantastic feat for him.
Next time: more about grammar school.
Jack Orchison, 7 January, 2014.
I never showed much inclination for writing back then, although my first year English teacher did comment on my report that I was 'talented but lazy.' The place did have its share of ghastly things, like cross-country running, bullies, and Jeremy Smith - and arrogant braggart and Chelsea supporter - who lived next door to me, but it was also where I found my feet in the chess team and with some new friends. One of these was a black lad called Mark Gittens who not only was a better chess player than me, he was the most determined person I have ever met. He was driven to achieve something due to a poor background, and got into Dentistry which was a fantastic feat for him.
Next time: more about grammar school.
Jack Orchison, 7 January, 2014.
Being a writer, part 1: Who are you?
Welcome to my first writing blog of the new year.
The question in the title seems absurd, but who are you when it comes to writing? I'd bet you have little idea at all. Are you great with people and raring to push your novel onto an unsuspecting public (chances are you would prefer a traditional publishing contract), or do you hide behind your words and prefer to go for an e-book? And how do you want to brand yourself? Clever titles? Irresistable blurb? Great covers?
And what do you want to call yourself? This is no idle question - it matters a lot. Some people are blessed with an alliterative name like my friend Mike Martin, others use initials (like JK Rowling) to hide gender, like another friend who writes as CJ Harter.
Then there are pseudonyms. When I was thinking about what name to write under all sorts of anagrams suggested themselves, such as Jackson Rioch, John C Corakis and even Aron J Hiscock, but in the end I decided that my own name would do just fine. True, my family and work colleagues might be surprised by my stuff, but that's their problem, not mine. Besides, I'm the only Jack Orchison in the UK and that must have something going for it!
So, give a great deal of thought first of all about what you want to achieve, how you present yourself, and march forward confidently once you know.
Jack Orchison, 7 January, 2014.
The question in the title seems absurd, but who are you when it comes to writing? I'd bet you have little idea at all. Are you great with people and raring to push your novel onto an unsuspecting public (chances are you would prefer a traditional publishing contract), or do you hide behind your words and prefer to go for an e-book? And how do you want to brand yourself? Clever titles? Irresistable blurb? Great covers?
And what do you want to call yourself? This is no idle question - it matters a lot. Some people are blessed with an alliterative name like my friend Mike Martin, others use initials (like JK Rowling) to hide gender, like another friend who writes as CJ Harter.
Then there are pseudonyms. When I was thinking about what name to write under all sorts of anagrams suggested themselves, such as Jackson Rioch, John C Corakis and even Aron J Hiscock, but in the end I decided that my own name would do just fine. True, my family and work colleagues might be surprised by my stuff, but that's their problem, not mine. Besides, I'm the only Jack Orchison in the UK and that must have something going for it!
So, give a great deal of thought first of all about what you want to achieve, how you present yourself, and march forward confidently once you know.
Jack Orchison, 7 January, 2014.
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