Firstly: My Miraculous Escape.
I won't go into details - it involves batteries and a pincer maneuver involving Disco Kettle and my electric Shredder...
Mostly: Stupid, Stupid, Spin off.
Here is the problem.
I have taken a character from 9987, a minor character - so minor he only appears once - and I've moved him North. He is my new main character. He is mint. If a bit weird.
This in itself isn't a bit problem, I'm not writing a sequel. That would be really stupid.
Besides, everyone knows that Spin offs are always wildly successful. Always.
Anyway, my problem is this:
This is a different type of story, written in a different style, with brand new characters and in a brand new, if equally damp, setting.
And I can't stop myself from writing it as if I were still my nameless narrator.
This is a problem.
On the upside it's raining, quite heavily. Hopefully this will continue as I find I always write better when it's wet and miserable. And I have a new album to listen to which is suitably accoustically.
But I keep slipping into first person.
This is going to require some real discipline on my part. This is going to require some real coffee too.
So.
Disco Kettle, lets get to work.
Why I wrote Disraeli Avenue for charity
-
The houses on Disraeli Avenue all looked the same, the same shape, the same
size but behind each coloured front door there was a story, a secret, a
need....
10 years ago
10 comments:
I think I love your disco kettle.
Cx
ps - sorry, should I say something helpful?
No, it's ok. :)
I'm going to push on with it until I can convince myself that either it is definitley working or definitley not.
I love my Disco Kettle too. It is proper mint, how.
Quick - read lots and lots of other people's books!! As fast as you can. Then you can get back to writing again.
Or
write a scene/a short story from your character's childhood. It probably shouldn't have anything to do with the book you want to write. You can only use third person.
Or
have another coffee. But put some whisky in it.
Megan
Megan that is some thinking going on there. I am attempting all three - sort of, and obviously not simultaneously. Well two and three go wll together but difficult to combine with number one.
Anyway.
I am reading: Naked Lunch, Slaughter House 5, H.P.Lovecraft collection of short stories and a Short History of Myth. - Doing a chapter of each on rotation.
I am writing: The dreams of one of my characters - not quite what you told me but it seemed like a good idea at the time.
I am drinking: Me and Disco Kettle are getting drunk, slowly and elegantly.
I'll let you know how I get on.
Thanks again :)
best of luck. I am sure you will do splendidly!
megan x
If you've only just started writing this new story, it won't matter if you write in first person for a short while. Will it? Maybe it's just a way of getting into the character.
As my advice/comment isn't that helpful - I have an idea......ask disco kettle. I am sure he/she has learnt a lot from watching you at work.
Why damp and cold weather? And I want to know more about the miraculous escape. Please! (nearly forgot my manners)
Kat
Oh well...thanks for clearing up the 9987 mystery. Not. *going to work for a rest now*
P.S. are you on Facebook? Come find me if you are, the link is on the righthand side of my blog, scroll down, waaayyyy down and you'll find it.
Katw - Disco Kettle is, I admit, the obvious thing to turn to. But I fear it may be better than me. It's certainly a better dancer. And I don't know why damp and miserable weather, I think I just love the sound of the weather and good weather is frighteningly quiet.
DJ - No, I don't dare do facebook. We had all these horror stroies drummed into us whilst I was doing my teacher training. I'm safe with a blog I think - too many words for the kids to be interested.
And what does 'watching9987' mean? Well. You'll have to buy the book won't you :)
Hehe - Good plug eh :)
Disco...you silly, silly kettle! you don't go on FB as yourself...you go on in your
*shhhhhh Nik, don't interrupt! I am talking to Disco!*
So anyway...As I was saying Disco my lovely, you can go on FB in your writer's persona not just as your real life identity (DJ Kirkby is not my real name) so that you can network and promote your writing with all the lovely publishers, agents and writers who also are on FB.
I am sure your fabulous mentor will back me up on this, networking on FB is good for shamless self promotion! Which you'd better get used to as a soon to be published author...
Oh and Nik? Great plug, love it! I'm buying!
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