The Alchemy is about writing a book – a work of fiction of whatever kind – when you thought you could not. It is a book for everyone, but with a particular eye on those who are tired and lacking in confidence; those who are disabled, chronically ill or perhaps care for a loved one who would struggle without them. Essentially, this has been me for some time now, and that is how I know about productivity – and how I know about challenging what it is; how we think of and understand productivity in terms of a creative project.
I want to free you from the idea that you must write every day to be a writer, or even if you want to complete a full-length book. If that works for you, wonderful, but it won’t work for everyone, and won’t be possible for many. I offer you various essays full of ideas and first-hand experiences, and I suggest writing exercises as I go. I offer thoughts on sending out work and navigating the industry, looking after your mental health as you go.
This forum is for you, to supplement the pages of The Alchemy, and here you will find downloadable resources, and there is space for sharing your news, responses and progress, because the Alchemy is a community.
Let us begin.
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The Alchemy
by Anna Vaught
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The Alchemy is a robust, frank and loving guide to an often opaque industry. As well as offering tips on working in gentle increments and re-imagining what productivity and the work of writing look like, there is advice on sending out work and navigating the industry, looking after your mental health as you go.
Full of practical advice, strategies, comfort and the occasional entertaining essay, The Alchemy is about writing a book when you thought you could not. It is for all writers, but with a particular eye on those who are tired and lacking in confidence, and those who face significant challenges – perhaps you are chronically ill or care for a loved one. It is a book for beginners, but it is also for those of you who are stuck in your habits and practice – perhaps you just need a pal to guide you through the day to day with the book you wanted to write. That’s what The Alchemy is. Let’s do this together.
‘I was completely blown away by The Alchemy. Anna Vaught will liberate you from the trappings of perfection and teach you how to create incredible things from every single piece of you, including all those bits you believed were always holding you back. This is not just for writers: I think everyone should read this book.’ — Kat Ashton, Head of Courses, Jericho Writers
‘The Alchemy is the writing guide we all need: wise, funny, deeply compassionate, it meets us where we are and gently suggests that’s a place where wonderful things can happen. Do not despair – read this instead.’ — Shelley Harris, author, lecturer in English Literature and Director of MA Creative Writing Programme, University of Reading
‘This beautiful and empathetic book seeks to recover for writers the immense value of what Wordsworth calls ‘wise passiveness’ that ‘can feed this mind of ours’. It reminds us that not-writing is sometimes a kind of writing, and of the importance of downtime, productive failure and bubble baths. Anna Vaught’s unique writing guide is, above all, an act of kindness to authors everywhere.’ — Jonathan Taylor, author and Professor of Creative Writing, University of Leicester
‘LOVED The Alchemy: it’s what every writer and would-be writer needs; a friend who is at the same time knowledgeable, but also kind, funny, compassionate and wise; who knows what it’s like to feel insecure, but who has been through every kind of fire, and has come out indestructible.’ — Joanne Harris