THE WRITER'S LIFE
Life is like a jigsaw puzzle: All the pieces fit together eventually. Don't do the edges first though, because then you'll finish the puzzle quicker. Think differently.
Move over, Forest Gump. I wrote the philosophy above, simply because it occurred to me; and I shared it with my children, over one of our Sunday lunches together. They think it's pretty cool to have a writer as a dad. I may yet use the jigsaw analogy within the context of a short story, or as character dialogue in Cyrus Song. Even if I don't though, I wrote it and it might come in handy some day. For now, it resides in one of my many notebooks.
I keep notebooks in strategic locations around the studio. The main one is my Filofax; The book of my life, stuffed with everything I need to keep my life organised, in a slightly disorganised retro way. Other than that, I have a notebook next to the sofa, one in the kitchen, and another in the bathroom: Ideas can spring forth at any time and when they do, it's important to write them down, lest they be lost.
Having notebooks dotted around is not peculiar to me: Many writers advocate similar practice, especially when writing a novel, which I am at the moment. All the important stuff is on my typewriter (my laptop computer): Synopsis, chapter plan, detailed plot, character studies; and of course, the actual work in progress which is the book. I'm on track to have Cyrus Song finished by the end of this year. I've written previously about the various advantages and drawbacks of having a publisher versus self-publishing, and I'm still weighing it all up. In any case, there will be a new book in about seven months and I'm impatient to get a reaction but it can't be rushed. I've published the basic plot outline on this blog, but I've confided more in a couple of trusted friends and they're as keen as I am to see this book make light of day. If I do decide to self-publish, then the actual writing is only the half of it. After that, there's proof-reading and editing, probably in several stages; Then there's the actual compiling of the book, page numbering and indexing; And eventually, the actual publishing process. It's a fun and rewarding thing but it's a lot of work. Handy then that I enjoy what I do so much and I'm not in it for the money.
Apart from the book, I've not written much else in the last few weeks. I have short stories and ideas drafted in the various notepads, and there'll be another anthology in a year or so, with some stories published here and in web zines in the interim. But Cyrus Song is the most fun thing to write. I'm at a stage in the book where all of my research proves its worth, in the way my characters speak and act, because I've got to know them so well. Among the many notes which no-one will see, are the background stories for the cast: I know Simon Fry and Hannah Jones as though they're real people. But only a very small percentage of that background will appear in the final book. But extensive character building – even though the majority of it doesn't end up on the page – is what makes the final prose read so well. In knowing my characters intimately, I'm able to portray them in the ways they speak or act: Show don't tell. Strong characters are believable ones, who carry a narrative. Even though readers of Cyrus Song will only see a certain amount of what my characters say or do, I have whole notebooks containing their individual life stories. Most of it isn't relevant to the plot, but it affects the way they act.
Among the few people I've confided the whole plot of the book to, are my children. Cyrus song is a book for all ages and although it's partly about talking animals, it's a mature book with deep messages. In any case, my kids asked if they could have bit parts in the book, as the animal hospital is a good set for extras to pass through and move the narrative around. So they're now in the book: My son, with a toyger and my daughter, with two Cockney moggies. I've known for a while now that my eldest was planning a blog and I got an email a few days ago, inviting me to take a look. I was quite touched by the introduction:
My dad inspired me to write a blog. He also inspired me to start writing short stories...
What have I done?
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