Melanie's Mostly Writing

I have been busy with teaching lately. It’s a pleasant job for the most part, especially the kindergarten class. The children make me smile. My working day is from 9:30am until 6:35pm. I write before breakfast and in the evenings, if I am not too tired. I tried writing in my classroom at lunchtime but the students are too interested in what I am up to. I get more peace in the Starbucks downstairs.

I often read in my lunch hour. My son-in-law introduced me to Jun’ichiro Tanizaki recently and I started his book Some Prefer Nettles. I found his style elegant but deceptively simple. The vagueness of his characters feelings is interesting, as it mirrors real life when things are not always definite. Despite being written in 1929, it feels very modern in it’s exploration of relationships. I want to write with my own voice but there is a lot other authors can teach us. I think it is essential to read a lot as well as write.