Why writing is a bit like a dog with a hedgehog by Jane Walters

At Easter, my son and daughter-in-law’s dog, Lily, came to live with me. I’d been idly thinking of getting a dog for some time, imagining a furry companion lying contentedly at my feet while I tapped away at my keyboard; interspersed with long, leisurely walks that fired the creative process. I didn’t imagine Hedgehog Wars!

The hedgehog, to be fair, lived here first and it was a while before Lily sniffed out her daytime sleep-cave in a corner of the garden. I soon worked out I had to keep Lily on a lead when she went outside for her night-time wee. Boy, do hedgehogs give off a scent, apparently! But, one morning last week, things got ugly. I spotted Lily doing a crazy circular dance in a flower bed and found the hedgehog up and about and being tormented. I shooed the dog inside and at lunchtime donned gardening gloves, popped the hedgehog in a crate and took it next door, which is currently empty. An hour or so later, the dog was being loopy again and, lo and behold, the hedgehog was back. Lily had thoughtfully and energetically scraped a hole under the fence and the creature had simply walked home. To move the story along, this happened THREE TIMES that day, each time, the hedgehog tipping its hat to the dog and saying, ‘Thank you very much. It’s great to be back.’

What’s all this got to do with writing, you ask? Well, for a start, it feels like I’ve often been metaphorically sniffing the air regarding writing. Its tantalising aroma draws me in and I search hard to find where inspiration is hiding and make the most of opportunities when it reveals itself. Sometimes the reality is painful. Like Lily with the hedgehog, me and my writing are not always the cosiest of bed-fellows when we meet. I am attacked by razor-sharp prickles of confusion, rejection, and disappointment when I anticipated the soft, velvety underbelly of literary flow and satisfaction.

Oh, and there’s another lesson, too. One of persistence. Did I mention that, last night, the wretched cheeky little creature was back?

Jane Walters is vice chair of ACW. She leads writing workshops and retreats and is currently working on her fourth novel.

www.janewyattwalters.com

Insta: @readywritersretreats

Twitter: @realjanewalters