Giving Up The Ghost
Something's dying. And I'm pretty sure it's my love of Wonderland.
Let's get one thing straight, my minions. Writing almost always seems to come very easily to me. (Notice I didn't say "good writing"--it's my belief that only a tenth of what I write is anywhere near good) I'm not one to struggle with the flow of words. And I'm a fast writer--1,000 words a day is standard for me. My top wordcount put-out so far has been 5,575 words in four hours. So, something isn't right with Wonderland...and I need to step back and figure out what that is before I can move forward with it.
I'm reminded of that quote from Raymond Chandler: "The faster I write, the better my output. If I'm going slow, I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them."
I've always viewed myself as the voice for my characters, their interviewer, their medium. They tell me their story and I write it down. I've run into situations with Vlad where he dug his heels in and refused to discuss a certain event until we first visited a different event and, let me tell ya, I learned to go with the flow and listen to whatever he had to say--no matter how unimportant I felt that might be. Vlad knew what he was talking about. And in the end, things turned out okay.
It's different with Dillon. It's as if he's a dull, spoiled kid that doesn't give a fig about telling me his story--his eyes glaze over if I ask him what he wants to talk about. He's not troubled by the horrible things he's experiencing...whereas Vlad is troubled simply by being Vlad. I can't help a kid who doesn't want to be helped. (And I have a sneaking suspicion that Dillon hates me...I mean, hey, why not just dive straight into schizophrenic paranoia while I'm at it?)
So I'm doing something difficult--something I've been spending hours in front of my keyboard trying to avoid. I'm putting my work-in-progress aside.
Not forever...but for a while. I need time to cool off and Dillon needs time to...you know, I'm not sure what Dillon needs. But I am sure about one thing.
I'm finishing Ninth Grade Sucks.
Let's get one thing straight, my minions. Writing almost always seems to come very easily to me. (Notice I didn't say "good writing"--it's my belief that only a tenth of what I write is anywhere near good) I'm not one to struggle with the flow of words. And I'm a fast writer--1,000 words a day is standard for me. My top wordcount put-out so far has been 5,575 words in four hours. So, something isn't right with Wonderland...and I need to step back and figure out what that is before I can move forward with it.
I'm reminded of that quote from Raymond Chandler: "The faster I write, the better my output. If I'm going slow, I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them."
I've always viewed myself as the voice for my characters, their interviewer, their medium. They tell me their story and I write it down. I've run into situations with Vlad where he dug his heels in and refused to discuss a certain event until we first visited a different event and, let me tell ya, I learned to go with the flow and listen to whatever he had to say--no matter how unimportant I felt that might be. Vlad knew what he was talking about. And in the end, things turned out okay.
It's different with Dillon. It's as if he's a dull, spoiled kid that doesn't give a fig about telling me his story--his eyes glaze over if I ask him what he wants to talk about. He's not troubled by the horrible things he's experiencing...whereas Vlad is troubled simply by being Vlad. I can't help a kid who doesn't want to be helped. (And I have a sneaking suspicion that Dillon hates me...I mean, hey, why not just dive straight into schizophrenic paranoia while I'm at it?)
So I'm doing something difficult--something I've been spending hours in front of my keyboard trying to avoid. I'm putting my work-in-progress aside.
Not forever...but for a while. I need time to cool off and Dillon needs time to...you know, I'm not sure what Dillon needs. But I am sure about one thing.
I'm finishing Ninth Grade Sucks.
posted by Heather Brewer at 8:02 AM
14 Comments:
First, huzzah for NGS! :-)=
Second, about Dillon: What was the reason you chose him, specifically, for the main character? Could it be that you have the wrong protagonist (or the wrong set of characteristics in your protagonist) for an otherwise amazing story?
I'm not sure why I chose Dillon--I needed a character who would have access to antiques. So there he was, rich parents who traveled abroad.
But the answer may lie with his best friend--this quiet, quirky, unpopular (to everyone but Dillon) kid named Triggs. Hmmm...
Definitely something I'll have to revisit. Thanks, Jax!
OK, so the fact that you quoted Raymond Chandler just out you in goddess stature with me. You write vampire stories, you do the Renaissance Faires in costume, and you quote one of my all time favorite authors... you now officially ROCK!
As far as Dillon goes... it may be that you have picked the wrong MC... or it may be that you just aren't communicating with him correctly. Your characters have to be interested as well as interesting. What is Dillon interested in? What would he do if he had the freedom to do it? What does he dream about?
And Jackie is brilliant for pointing out that you might have the wrong character for the MC. I'm just discovering that might be the case with my first book... and so the editing begins... again :) I keep wondering just how many versions of the same book I will end up with.
Not only do I attend faire, I'm a registered Wench. ;) (for those interested, please check out the International Wenches Guild at www.wench.org--and for das boys, there's always the Rogues at www.ibrsc.org)
Holey rusted metal, Brian, you don't go to faire too, do you??
My big problem with Dillon, I think, is that I relate heavily to the underdog in almost any given scenario. Dillon suffers greatly from poor-little-rich-kid syndrome, with no real quirks or obstacles. He's no underdog. And, other than curiosity, he has no real reason to enter Wonderland.
But Triggs might. He's kind of a punk. I like him.
We'll see.
I have been going to and/or working at the Faire's in SoCal since the late 80's. I met my wife at Faire. The vast majority of my friends are either from Faire or started going because of me. It is my other family now.
These are my people:
http://www.toadsandarrows.com
Now that I know that you are a 'real' wench, the kid gloves come off :) Just to keep it real... what is your "Faire Name"? I'm known as 'Bastard', lovingly of course.
Stop. Change. Start. Could you use Triggs to manipulate Dillon? Tension is what drives a story.
Sorry, not trying to write your book for you. I just love to be helpful, contrary to my Faire name.
And thanks again for the Carver quote. Made my day.
*squeal!* Oh happy happy joy joy! A fellow rennie! My faire name is Rose N. Crantz. My husband's? Why, Guild N. Stern, of course. ;)
Tension is ~precisely~ what I'm missing in Wonderland--not that the scenes aren't full of it, but none of it seems to touch Dillon. *sigh* But I'll figure it out...someday.
My wife has been known, in days past, as Gin Sister... you may be able to guess why she was give that name. I should pen something like 'The Tales of Gin Sister and Bastard'... as a comedy of course.
If you can figure out what is important to Dillon, then you can use it to bring some tension into the story. If he is your typical adolescent male, then he has angst that he hides by being noncomital and remote. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to break through that shell and get into his head :)
Every time I find myself stuck in a story I just have to sit back and ask the characters why... I'm just the guy who is trying desperately to keep up with the story they are telling me.
That would be FABULOUS. :)
See, that's me too--trying to keep up, asking them why, putting the puzzle pieces together. But Dillon...well, he needs a serious time out.
In another life, I'm a wench...
Heather, did you read Stephen King's DARK TOWER series? If so, what did you think of Jake Chambers -- both in Book No. 1 (THE GUNSLINGER) and Book No. 3 (THE WASTE LANDS)? He's another poor little rich boy...
If you liked him...why?
Jackie, one day I'm dragging you into your other life. ;) You'd LOVE faire!
Aren't I a horrible Stephen King fan? I've never read the DARK TOWER series. My sister raves about it. I should probably delve (even moreso after this bit of intrigue).
Yes, indeed. You must. (Both dragging me to a faire and reading TDT.)
Hey, I've got all (gasp) seven books in the series, just taking up space on my shelf. Want me to send them to you?
You totally, completely RAWK, doll! Send 'em on (if you lost my addy, just email). And thank you!
I have to recommend the Dark Tower Series as well. I am _not_ a King fan, but that series is brilliant. I like his style, I just don't ever read horror.
Nothing wrong with wenches... they make some of the best drinking buddies... from what I can remember :)
I'm a big King fan...well, until his more recent works. I'm still working up the courage to read CELL.
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