Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Links Again

If you don't read Nathan Bransford on a regular basis then you must drop by and read this post on character motivation. Today it was one of those hit on the head type of things. I am well back into the rewrite of August Rock and thus far pleased with the new shape and feel. By removing Tristan's point of view - he had become more interesting by being less transparent and much easier to see why Judith struggles with him and his motivations. However so far this has led to a major loss of words, but I feel confident went I tackle the editing I will make them up with filling out the new dimensions of Judith's story.

I am also at that point when I wonder if I am totally deluded and I have wandered off into the far land of writing meaningless tripe. I have taken a fairly straight forward romantic story and twisted it. Nothing is quite clear in it any more. I don't know who if any one Judith will choose - this maybe a good thing - maybe the reader won't either. Toby, my ghost, has remained a constant - what he wants is clear, but in the next edit I may have to shake up his 'current' day activities a bit but not yet. Judith has to reach her goals and I have hit the last third of the story - nail biting time. I wonder if what I had for breakfast will effect which path she takes today or will the film I saw last night (Watchman - which I loved but I have to confess seeing it here in Dubai probably left me with a limited view as I understand the 'full' version is 162 minutes and we were in the cinema a whole lot less than that - more like 120/130!) will reflect in today's production?

The Dubai Literary Festival authors that I listened to gave me much food for thought - especially about my writing.
-Kate Mosse's comment about not having to be the same writer as you are a reader really hit home.
-Rachel Billington's comment about the tension your own values bring to your writing and your characters.
- The vastly different takes on how to work with research.

All of this has bashed around in my skull and I know know what I want to write about and A Cornish House is in the right spot so August Rock is now on the road to becoming more me and I am very clear where the WIP is going once I can put my hand back onto it. I can't tell you the sense of relief to finally know what kind of writer I am. Now my problem is to find a writer in a similar vein - and here lies the problem - I am not the same as a reader and a writer. I know I haven't read him or her yet! So I can't say to agent or editor in the style of .....

Do you know what type of writer you are? Is it the same as your reading voice?

PS- just found this-



You Should Be a Film Writer



You don't just create compelling stories, you see them as clearly as a movie in your mind.

You have a knack for details and dialogue. You can really make a character come to life.

Chances are, you enjoy creating all types of stories. The joy is in the storytelling.

And nothing would please you more than millions of people seeing your story on the big screen!

8 comments:

Jenny Beattie said...

You're definitely getting there. You might still have some unanswered issues, but you sound as though you know what the questions are now!

Your reporting of the Kate Mosse comment was important to me too.

Lane Mathias said...

According to that quiz, I'm a film writer too:-)

The writing voice/reading voice thing has been going around in my head since your post. I'd like to say that my writing voice is very different but I'm not so sure:-(

Karen said...

Blimey, I've spent ages reading that post and a lot of the comments - really interesting :o)

I think my reading and writing voice are quite similar, and apparently I should be a 'romance' writer. Which is fine, but there's comedy in there too dammit!

Chris Stovell said...

Thank you so much for your reports from the Dubai Litfest which were really illuminating. I really admire the way you have crafted your revisions. One thing this OU course has taught me is that it's worth revising a piece until you get it right and that seems to be exactly what you're doing (another film writer here too!).

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

You will get there. I'm in a similar place to you right now, so I know how you feel.

Apparently, I should be a Romance Novelist!

HelenMWalters said...

It sounds like you're still on a very interesting journey with it. I'm not sure about my writing voice - I need to be further along the journey I think.

Unknown said...

JJ - I'm pleased that Kate's comment helped you too :-)

Lane - shall start our own screen writing company?

Karen - I found that post really helpful even though I had heard most of it before - maybe it was the Super Mario take :-)

Chrish - I have accpeted that I may never get AR right but I have learned so much from it - poor things has been to to death!

Debs - I think that a good place to be with your writing!

Helen three months ago I couldn't answer the question so it is all so new!

Anonymous said...

Good post. I think there's some food for discussion on the NR blog here.