One way which I've been getting back into my story each time is to reread what I've already written. But there has been a drawback. Sometimes, I open my notebook and my mind goes blank. It may have been two, three days since I last did any work on it. I struggle to remember what the project is. A stage play?One act? Two characters, both women, one of whom wants to throw an egg at Camilla Parker-Bowles as she passes.
So I turn the notebook pages back, and read what I've written so far. And I fall into the trap of admiring my own dialogue. Not bad, for me anyway. I get to the final line, and I spend minutes glowing in pride. Instead of writing the next line, following on from the last. Lotus eating.
The thing is, an individual line of dialogue might be good in it's own right, but still might have to go. If it's wrong for the character who's speaking it. If it doesn't add anything to the plot. If it slows the action down. If it's telling the audience something they already know.
And this is a piece which is going to need a lot of work in the successive drafts. As I've mentioned last time, as soon as I've finished the first draft, I'm going to write biographies for the two characters, Sue and Jackie Platt. One thing I can't quite decide is why Sue - the character who wants to throw the egg - feels so incensed at C B-P. I've got inklings : that Sue feels angry at the country in general, and feels that the establishment is to blame. She feels deserted by her youngest daughter, Sarah (who doesn't appear in the play), who went to university, married into a middle class family, and now feels ashamed of Sue. And Sue's husband, whom she loves, lost his job. Does that add up to a 60-year-old woman breaking the law, risking arrest and possibly getting shot by a police sniper? If not, I don't have a play.
It bothers me that I'm not thinking about this project throughout the day. I used to get consumed by my projects. There were times I couldn't think of anything else. These days, when I open the notebook, my mind goes a blank. It takes ages for me to get back into the story I'm telling - usually when my writing time is up, and I have to get ready and go to work.
These days, my thinking time is taken up by mundane matters like my job, my home and my marriage. But you can take this growing up thing too far...
6 comments:
If you get her the reasons to be angry at the monarchy, it could work.
I think it's important to know why Sarah's ashamed of her mother and just how the fact that her husband's lost his job has had an impact on her (he's mopping around all day, always at home, doesn't try to get a job, feels useless and takes it out on her, more financial stress?)
You probably already have that, but from what you've told, those are the things I'd clear up first.
I would be intrigued to know what's going to happen with Sue after she eggs CBK. But you're right, she needs a hell of a good reason. Someone who's been "good" all their life won't try a stunt like that for nothing.
I don't know if it's any help...
(btw, I reread my stuff and am caught back in my story too, sometimes. so I limit myself to reading again the last 2 pages to know where I'm at and that's it!)
Don't give up :D
Dear Sarah,
Actualy, before Sue can lob her first egg, Jackie gets hold of the box and crushes it. Because I wanted both characters to go home at the end of the day, although changed in some way. The play was never about Camilla Parker-Bowles. Sue's mad scheme is just a ploy, really, for the two women to examine their relationship and their lives. Thank you for the advice and the support.
S
Hey!! I'm giving you an award for your blog (you'll see why on my blog) Come and get it!
How fun! I can think of all kinds of scenarios why she might want to throw an egg at CPB, but most of them are kind of "Seinfeld-esque". ; ) And it's your story so I sure wouldn't want to mess it up by putting in my two cents.
Be sure to thank Sarah for sending us your way.
Sarah has introduced me to your blog and I knew she would point me in a good direction! Excellent writing! I look forward to reading more posts!
Hi, I finished my first novel last year. I did it because I wrote 1,000 words a day, every day. It doesn't matter if it's rubbish, you can fix it later. Just mark inconsistencies and come back when you're finished. Your only job now is to get to the end. Making it better is second draft work.
Don't get it right, get it written! Best of luck from a fellow writer. You can check out my spooky short stories at
http://www.thecleanwhitepage.com
Post a Comment