My novel is going through the process... still some time before it's to be published. I'm in the queue waiting for an editor to be assigned. Once I have an editor to work with, it should go quickly. I'm still thrilled to be moving from "writer to author" as an article by Joni Cole states in 'The Writer' magazine . It is exciting, yet a bit overwhelming. Since this is my debut novel, I can't wait for it to be published. And time seems to have slowed down, which normally I would appreciate, but now... not so much. :-)
Speaking of 'The Writer' magazine, there was another interesting article in the July 2017 issue (yes, I'm a bit behind in my reading) titled "This Week on Extreme Hoarders: Dr. Victor Frankenstein" by Susan Perabo. She talks about how, when she was in college, she was writing and writing until her professor finally said, "I think you are about done with this material." She didn't understand until he said, "I think you should write another story." What he meant was that she was telling her story over and over again. She states that she felt free, it was her "Get out of Jail" free card until it dawned on her, where was this new material going to come from? She said she had gotten very good at imagining herself in different situations, but someone new? Haven't we all been there? You know yourself, your feelings, your life, situations you've been in, places you've visited, people you've met... good and bad, that have made you happy or sad. But it was always you as the character. Now he wants you to build someone else. How??
Susan recommends that you build an extreme hoarder house filled with stored experiences, people you've seen, etc. and begin to build your character, "your character who is not anyone, until you make him someone." She recommends you sit quietly, close your eyes and go into your "extreme hoarder" house and see what's there... she made me remember an older man I saw at the airport who was seeing his daughter and her family off. They were going back to CA and he was on the east coast. He was so brave until they boarded their flight. He stood watching for their flight to take off and then, there it was... rumbling down the runway, lifting up , up. His hand traced that plane along the window like he was trying to touch them as they left... it happened years ago, but that scene stayed with me and still hurts my heart. What was their story? His story? That's what she was talking about... a woman sitting on a bench, crying... why? You build her story, what she feels, what she had been through, look around your life and your hoarder house and find other things you have seen... different from you. Look for baggage she says, just not your baggage. It's hard, I know, since we are always told to write about what you know, but that can be the location, etc, but the character has to be anyone but you. He or she has to be complete, she says, when the character emerges from the house. And then, she drives the story... let her go. You follow her as she starts doing her thing. Follow her and let her tell the story in the first draft. Susan says, at this point you, the writer, never ask what she calls "workshoppy" questions... like, "what am I trying to say." You are not telling the story, your character is.
I thought that Susan's article was intriguing. Follow her advice and see where your character takes you!
Will be back when I have more news about my novel or something new to discuss. In the meantime, I'm working on three other manuscripts - and doing many other things. Never a dull moment for me.
Keep writing,
Till,
Judi
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