Simon Whaley’s Business of Writing: May 2023
Welcome to my May 2023 newsletter. Yes, I know it’s June already! I’ve been quite busy recently, and June turned up on my doorstep before I was ready for it!
Part of the reason that I’m a bit behind is that I had to go on a press trip. (When I say ‘had’ want I mean is it would have been rude to have turned down the offer 😁.)
A PR company had approached a magazine I regularly write travel pieces for, offering one of their writers a two-night stay, and the editor offered the trip to me. They were keen to do a travel piece on the area.
One of the great things about doing these press trips is that your food and accommodation is covered, and you get to visit places you may not have visited before. But it’s not a free holiday. The PR company have specific aspects of the area that they wish to promote and show you, so there’s often an itinerary.
I was fortunate with this trip because although there was an itinerary, there was still some free time for me to explore. Whenever I go travelling, I do like to have some freedom to wander off the beaten track, or get sidelined down a more interesting side-path.
Itineraries typically involve meeting people and chatting to them, and Milford Haven was no exception. I met some fascinating characters, and collated lots of information from them.
Process Promptly
One thing I have learned is to process my notes as soon as possible. If I’m just chatting generally with someone, I will scribble notes down in a notebook. Whereas, if there’s a chance I’ll need plenty of accurate quotes, I often get out my dictaphone and check my interviewee is happy for me to record them.
Either way, once I’m finished, it’s important to type things up as quickly as possible.
It doesn’t matter what we write, as writers it’s important we process our notes as quickly as possible, while the event is still fresh in our minds. Thankfully, technology makes this a little easier these days.
If I’ve been scribbling away in my notebook, I find somewhere quiet, and I sit down and dictate my notes. Milford haven was lovely for this because there were plenty of waterfront benches to sit down on.
I use an app called Drafts on my iPhone. (It’s free, although there is a pro version which unlocks extra features, but I’ve never found the need for those features.) What makes Drafts so great, is that it has a built-in transcription feature. So, when I dictate into it, it converts my spoken words into text, there and then.
It’s pretty accurate, too, although it can get confused by some Welsh place names. Mind you, part of that confusion may be down to my mispronunciation of Welsh place names!
This is also great for capturing thoughts and ideas whenever I’m out and about (and not just on press trips). Each new note gets stored in an Inbox, which I then process a bit later.
Whenever I use my voice recorder to capture a conversation, I upload the voice file to an app called Whisper Transcription. (It’s Mac-only, but there are similar online services available, such as Otter.ai.) This will go through the file and transcribe it into text format, ready for editing.
At the end of the day, I then go through and edit those text files (both the transcribed notes in Drafts and the Whisper Transcription file). It’s important to do this at the end of the day because everything is still fresh in your mind. (And if you’re away on a press trip, and you come across a bit of dictation/conversation that doesn’t make sense, there’s still time to seek clarification before you go home.)
Simple Systems
I share this, not to tell you which apps to get, but to clarify that what’s most important for us as writers is to have a system. My system is to process any information as soon as is practical. That way, I can rely on its accuracy, not only when I get back home to start working on the article or feature, but also many years in the future should I wish to write about this topic again.
It doesn’t matter what you write, take a moment to think about your systems. How do you process your research information? Where do you file quotes? What’s your system for capturing ideas and being able to find them again?
Incidentally, if you’re interested to know more about getting into travel writing, have a look at my latest Business of Writing article in the June issue of Writing Magazine. You can also read a copy online here (https://medium.com/business-of-writing/passport-to-publication-9489211c74ea?sk=368de0b289f0ab121a305f3ce009478c - it’s on Medium, but as you’re a subscriber to my newsletter, this link gives you free access to the article.)
Upcoming Workshops
Just a reminder that this August, I’m tutoring again at The Writers Summer School in Swanwick, and I’m running a short course (that’s two one-hour workshops) on travel writing one morning, followed by a one-hour workshop on Photography for Writers.
There’s a varied programme of events taking place this year, so if you fancy checking out what’s on offer, have a look at their website here.
Before that, though, I’m appearing at the Evesham Festival of Words on Sunday 2nd July 2023 (10.30 am to 12.30 pm at the Hampton Community Hall) where we’ll be exploring Creative Non-Fiction. (That’s about being creative with how you convey the truth. It’s not about making facts up!)
Perhaps I might see you at one of those events.
Until next time, keeeeeeeeep writing!
Best wishes,
Simon