Saturday and... you never know (writing)
My recent run of brick wall after brick wall continued. I went back to my earlier attempt Tithebound, a fantasy novel set in an industrial revolution period world, and tried to get it going again. I managed about 3000 words and then it stalled again; for the same reason it stalled originally. I am not in the mood to write it.
I like the idea of the story. I like the main characters, especially the obligatory character you're designed to hate, and think the plot has quite a bit of originality in it as well as a decent enough story. And the setting appeals to me. I can't think of many fantasy stories set in an industrial revolution period. The closest I can get is some of the Shannara books but that are set in a post apocalypse world so having some tech is more a case of rediscover than invention. It strikes me writing this that maybe Gormenghast might be a better comparison (oh, if only I could compare my writing in terms of quality).
When I started that book I had the beginning few scenes and the characters all sorted. I know what the main plot would be and the subplots (there are two) and how it was all going to end. The problem I have is one of tying two bits of it up. You see being 13K in means I've done the beginning. I've hinted at what will be the plot, I've introduced the first of the two subplots and all of the main characters. Okay one of the main characters has only walked through a scene but I know he's there. He's going to enter the plot more and more as it progresses and have a pivotal influence on how things are going to go.
So all sounds good. Apart from the one problem I knew the book had before starting. How do I join the beginning to the main plot? I've started books like this before and as the first few scenes had unfolded the characters had told me how they would handle the junction. This time they didn't. Part of that is that the main character is, as yet, totally unaware of what she is and how important she is (yeah, I know it's a typical fantasy thing to do this but it does help me explain the world by having the girl discover everything for us). In not knowing what is going on she's going to be dragged along for the ride offering no direction at all as it happens. Which means she's not given me the means of doing it. I'm going to have to let it all sit in the back of my mind until the answer comes to me.
Then maybe I will finally have the bug for the story. I know it could be a good tale; I just need to feel it. When that happens I will NEED to write it. I won't be trying to. That's what it's been recently. For all my good words about writing what I like to write I've still filtered it into what, of the ideas that fill my notebooks that I might enjoy reading, would have the best chance to sell. It's a pointless endeavour because all that does it stop my actually writing. And in not writing I'm never going to sell anything.
So the solution is Ben Williamson. I have written three novellas featuring Ben Williamson so far. Two of the publication offers I have had were for one of these. I like the character even though he is entirely unremarkable. I just like doing odd things to this everyman of a character. And I had a wonderfully silly idea of how to torment him. So that's what I've started today.
So far, just over one hour since starting, I've written three scenes for a total of 1,834 words. That sounds like time for a short break. Then the first bit of weirdness will start.
I like the idea of the story. I like the main characters, especially the obligatory character you're designed to hate, and think the plot has quite a bit of originality in it as well as a decent enough story. And the setting appeals to me. I can't think of many fantasy stories set in an industrial revolution period. The closest I can get is some of the Shannara books but that are set in a post apocalypse world so having some tech is more a case of rediscover than invention. It strikes me writing this that maybe Gormenghast might be a better comparison (oh, if only I could compare my writing in terms of quality).
When I started that book I had the beginning few scenes and the characters all sorted. I know what the main plot would be and the subplots (there are two) and how it was all going to end. The problem I have is one of tying two bits of it up. You see being 13K in means I've done the beginning. I've hinted at what will be the plot, I've introduced the first of the two subplots and all of the main characters. Okay one of the main characters has only walked through a scene but I know he's there. He's going to enter the plot more and more as it progresses and have a pivotal influence on how things are going to go.
So all sounds good. Apart from the one problem I knew the book had before starting. How do I join the beginning to the main plot? I've started books like this before and as the first few scenes had unfolded the characters had told me how they would handle the junction. This time they didn't. Part of that is that the main character is, as yet, totally unaware of what she is and how important she is (yeah, I know it's a typical fantasy thing to do this but it does help me explain the world by having the girl discover everything for us). In not knowing what is going on she's going to be dragged along for the ride offering no direction at all as it happens. Which means she's not given me the means of doing it. I'm going to have to let it all sit in the back of my mind until the answer comes to me.
Then maybe I will finally have the bug for the story. I know it could be a good tale; I just need to feel it. When that happens I will NEED to write it. I won't be trying to. That's what it's been recently. For all my good words about writing what I like to write I've still filtered it into what, of the ideas that fill my notebooks that I might enjoy reading, would have the best chance to sell. It's a pointless endeavour because all that does it stop my actually writing. And in not writing I'm never going to sell anything.
So the solution is Ben Williamson. I have written three novellas featuring Ben Williamson so far. Two of the publication offers I have had were for one of these. I like the character even though he is entirely unremarkable. I just like doing odd things to this everyman of a character. And I had a wonderfully silly idea of how to torment him. So that's what I've started today.
So far, just over one hour since starting, I've written three scenes for a total of 1,834 words. That sounds like time for a short break. Then the first bit of weirdness will start.
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