How I write: Sion Hughes
I heard a joke many years ago. Two acquaintances are passing each other in the street and one asks the other if he has any news. “Yes, I’m writing a book” the friend replies. “Ah! Neither am I” says the friend in response.
Everyone who has written a novel (regardless of whether it’s been published or not) are part of an exclusive club. Like running a marathon, there are those who have done it and those who have not. I was delighted when a close friend announced his intention to write a novel. He was inspired after attending the launch of my first novel [Llythyrau yn y Llwch – Letters in the Dust]. I looked forward to seeing the fruits of his labour but a few months later he had given up saying that life got in the way!
When it comes to that first novel – I’m sure I speak for everyone in the Crime Writer’s group when I say that (in order to succeed) you must take to the task as if your life depended on it! Back in 2013 I went at it like a man possessed and was delighted when Gwasg y Lolfa decided to publish my first book. The creative journey did wonders for my mental health – it also provided me with an opportunity to do something completely different as I am a media lawyer by profession.
I write in two stages. The first is the creative (pen and paper) stage and the second is the laptop stage. The pen and paper stage involves pouring everything into a thick A4 pad which becomes my bible. It contains ideas, thoughts and bits of research followed by notes on structure and will also have the first rough draft of each chapter. The advantage of such a bible is that it is very portable, it doesn’t need charging, and (unlike a laptop) no one wants to nick it! The laptop stage is a case of typing and tidying up the copy ready for the editor.
Using pen and paper may make me sound a bit old fashioned but each to his own – I also prefer to listen to music on vinyl rather than a device – I find it more authentic. I like music in the background when I write, it helps get me in the right frame of mind. One of my go to albums is For Emma Forever ago by Bon Iver. The back story is fascinating; Justin Vernon (an unknown musician at the time) was devastated after his girlfriend Emma broke up with him. He retreated to a remote hunting cabin in Wisconsin where he created this soulful album. This crude and unpolished record is full of angst but it also about a man healing through his creativity.
I write at an old mahogany table which looks out over the back garden in my Cardiff home. The table belongs to another time and has been in the family for five generations. It belonged originally to my great, great grandfather. When I researched my family history I found him in the census of 1871 where he was described as a pauper. However, by the 1881 census he was a farmer. I was intrigued by this turnaround in fortune and further family research revealed that he had become a landowner by fencing off common land and claiming it as his own – genius! Sometimes crime does pay! The locals raised an eyebrow or two but he got away with it . . . I love it when history reveals something unexpected like that.
My three crime novels to date are all in Welsh and set in 1930’s Anglesey. The main character is D.I. John – the reason he is so good at catching criminals is because he was one himself and is the ultimate poacher turned gamekeeper. Born into poverty he picked the pockets of wealthy visitors passing through Holyhead harbour. Soon after the First World War he noticed the Met advertising for recruits and applied. After a period in the Met he joins the Anglesey Constabulary.
I love doing the background research for every book and my favourite source materials are eye witness accounts and old diaries. It is fair to say that writing historic crime novels can be a challenge compared to contemporary crime writing because now there’s CCTV, DNA and Mobile phone data.
My next D.I. John novel is due out in late 2025. More about me and my books here: Amazon.co.uk: Sion Hughes: books, biography, latest update
Crime Cymru 