I've had my head down in my novel for about five days now. I have made some progress but I woke this morning feeling overwhelmed. Where am I? What needs doing? What doesn't need doing?
After my week in KL I made a list of things that occurred to me after reading the whole book through. I brought it along with me on my dreaming/thinking outing because I hoped it would show me where I felt I was. I have four headings:
1. What's irritating
2. What's not working
3. What scenes I need to write
And then because I ran out of space:
4. What's not working 2.
This is what I wrote under the heading What's irritating:
• M fleeing into the garden
• M going off to reflect
• M being unable to go into the studio. HOW MANY TIMES?
• People doing minute actions with teaspoons and things.
It hasn't made me feel any more confident that I know where I'm going but it gave me a good laugh.
What are my characters doing with all those teaspoons?
So I've come out (to Starbucks) to think. I'm asking myself what did I want (originally) Polite Lies to be? What was the essence of this story? Have I lost all of that along the way?
I've written down what I wanted it to be when I began. I've written down some questions I need answers to in the hope that I can move closer to the original idea again And now that I've laughed at myself I feel less panicky and the next step is to give the dreaming a go. And the best way to expedite that is to go off and get a foot massage.
So that's what I plan to do...'perchance to dream.'
10 comments:
Teaspoons?! Happy writing :)
Enjoy your foot massage and do let us know what is happening with all those teaspoons. Is this because you seem to spend a lot of time in Starbucks? Good luck.
A foot massage? That should do the trick.
Incidentally, I stand in awe of you. I'd love to write a book. I know what it would be about. I know the story. But I have no idea where it starts or finishes - it might be too much for one book - and I don't have a voice for it. I suspect thatit will go untold forever, by me anyway.
Good luck with your book.
All the best, Boonie
Looks to me like you're on the right track. I know it can feel like you're trying to knit fog, but you just have to keep on keeping on and it will eventually morph into something more tangible. Honest. Promise.
I quite like stuff about teaspoons :-)
I have a problem with cups of tea. Good luck with your teaspoons, it sounds as if you know what you're doing with them.
I rather like the idea that your characters have a weird cutlery obsession. It could be worse; rubber gloves, say, or Weetabix.
Brill that you're getting into it - now hurry up, I want to read it!
Just testing. I seem to be able to post a comment today...
It's good to take a physical break from writing and let it all mull over in your head once in a while. If words aren't flowing, just stop and wait until they do - and they always do!
Funny thing, I have a teaspoon in my current book - what is it with teaspoons?!
I love the thought of a day of dreaming. I may pinch that idea.
XX
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