Dresden - 20th Century Baroque

"Canaletto"-View of Dresden

I took my first night train to explore Dresden over the weekend. As my family and I strolled along the Elbe River, we admired the baroque skyline of Dresden in the first rays of daylight. 

The beautiful baroque-style buildings were cast into breath-taking relief as the glass dome of the Academy for Visual Arts and the impressive Frauenkirche reached into the sky. However, not all buildings are actually as old as their architecture suggests. A bombing by the Allied Forces in March 1945 destroyed great parts of Dresden, killing 35.000 people in a matter of hours. For days the city was on fire, firestorms of up to 1000°C razing through the streets. Rebuilding efforts after the war were slow as people were undecided on whether to restore the former baroque character of the city or to replace the ruins with modern buildings. Thankfully, the preservation committee won out and the baroque monuments were rebuilt or renovated.

Consequently, Dresden boasts such architectural jewels as the Augustus Bridge, the Frauenkirche, the Taschenbergpalais, the Semper Opera House and the Residenzschloss. Each of these buildings holds its own unique history reminding visitors of Dresden’s glory times under Friedrich August I (1694-1733), Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, instead of the horrors of World War II. Nevertheless, the fire of 1945 will never be forgotten. 

Baroque Skyline at Sunset

Being a bit of a history geek, old cities make my writer heart beat faster as I can catch a glimpse of times long past while walking the twisted streets. Dresden let me spy on former mistresses traversing the baroque bridge connecting the Residenzpalast and the Taschenberg Palais. I heard the distant echo of horse shoes upon the cobbled Theaterplatz. Mingling with tourists, the spectres of powdered, wig-adorned aristocrats in extravagant evening frocks alighted from transparent carriages to attend an evening at the Semper Opera House. Street rats and pickpockets rushed through the blended crowd of modern travellers and the upper crust of 18^th century society looking for the coins to pay their evening meal. 

Old cities are a blending of worlds, imagination, atmosphere and reality coalescing to conjure a fascinating illusion of now and then. Dresden blurs the lines, invoking the glory days of Friedrich August I. History glints off the baroque buildings rebuilt in the 20^th century.

Fresh Eyre

©Focus Features

Finally, the newest adaptation of Jane Eyre arrived in our cinemas. Compared to the English audience, we had to wait until Christmas time to see Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska’s take on the governess and the brooding master of Thornfield Hall. Full of anticipation I purchased a ticket at the box office, only to be somewhat disappointed in the next 120 minutes. 

While the movie was beautifully picturesque in terms of photography and location choice and Fassbender delivered a rather authentic Mr. Rochester, I felt that Mia Wasikowska’s Jane fell flat. I missed the moments when Jane’s essentially passionate nature breaks through her reserve which Ruth Wilson captured so much more vividly in her portrayal of Jane Eyre in the 2006 BBC miniseries. Nevertheless, for a movie adaptation of the material it was very well done, even though in the end the book will always win out for me. I just adore Charlotte Brontë’s beautifully descriptive way of writing. 

What else is new? I sent out my first query this week! I finally hit upon a version of my query letter that I could live with and didn’t waste any time in sending my first query out. I am really excited. This is a huge step for me. I am nearly thankful that it is probably going to take up to two months before I hear back. That gives me enough time to enjoy Christmas with my family. Of course, I will try to send out a few more e-mail packages before the end of the year. Slacking is not an option. However, first, I will board my first night train tonight to enjoy a weekend in Dresden with my family. I’ve never been there before…I can’t wait! I’m ready to catch some fresh air while doing some sightseeing.

P.S.: I will probably post my query letter next week for all of you who are interested in what they usually contain. We’ll see in the next months, if it is formulated in the right way to attract agents. Keep your fingers crossed for me and enjoy your weekend!

Ideas to Paper...do you copy?

Some weeks my mind resembles a theme park of ideas with rides just randomly popping out of the ether. New ideas are always thrilling, but they last no more than a moment, if I don’t capture them on paper. When I initially started writing original stories, I was always afraid of putting my ideas into words because I didn’t want them to lose their flavour or I was scared of not doing them justice on paper. However, like with all new things in life you can only get started, experience and learn if you take the first step. Over the years I learned, that in writing your first draft is bound to turn out wrong in certain places. That is what editing is for and I can assure you, a first draft is seldom the text you present to the world. Over the last decade, I learned that there isn’t ever going to come a time when I am going to go with my first draft, yet after realising that I have lost my fear of taking the first step. Getting it ‘wrong’ the first few times I learned what aspects are important to a story or text style and I developed my own, unique process when writing. It’s that familiar approach that gives me safety in bringing my ideas to paper. Are there any methods of going about writing? Sure! 

Now, if you prefer a structured approach, I would suggest writing an outline of your plot and sketching your characters first before starting with composing actual scenes. If you are a “seat of the pants”-writer you will get right into the thick of it and start writing. Things will start to make sense at some point along the way and your first edit will shape your story in terms of introducing a clear plot-line. There is no wrong or right in how you approach writing…as long as you approach it and put the ideas running around in your head into words. Writing is very personal, the process unique to the author and the kind of text you wish to produce.

As I told you, I usually have a lot of ideas hopping around in my head. Some come together in the end, some are just passersby, some add to story ideas I had months ago and others end up as mere notes in my idea folder. However, every idea I have I try to get on paper and safe. They are great for times when I’m stuck. My own writing style is a combination of “seat of the pants” and a structured approach. An idea for a book usually starts with the image of a character or a scene popping in to my head. Those sparks of inspiration are usually so vivid, that I simply need to write them down in order to capture the feeling. The result is a either a scene or chapter which expands upon the initial impression. Since I am most active at night, I have to get some shut eye at some point and that’s when my penchant for planning normally kicks in. From then on it’s outlining and writing back to back…well, depending how much time I can find in a week. Otherwise I will just blaster my trusty notebook with notes or scenes, no matter where I am…the train, grocery shopping, nearly asleep,…

Writing for me starts with putting my ideas, impressions and feelings on paper. You can’t go wrong with capturing your ideas in words. So, sit down and let your pen talk ;)

Ideas to Paper…do you copy? 

P.S.: I would love to hear about your way of approaching writing?