by Janis Patterson
There are few things more wonderful than starting a new
book. A whole new world full of promise and excitement beckons, along with a
new population of characters who are eagerly anticipating your bringing them to
life and giving them directions to a satisfying resolution.
There are few things more terrifying than starting a new
book. An unfamiliar and possible dangerous world lies in wait, along with a
possibly hostile population of characters who will block and frustrate you at
every turn and go their own way no matter what you have planned.
The truly frightening thing is that both statements are
absolutely true. Like the Red Queen, it really is possible to believe two
absolutely impossible things at the same time.
One of my favorite exercises in masochism is to compare the
book that actually got written with the book that was so carefully planned.
There are usually, however, a few points of congruency; most of the time,
though, they’re two totally different books.
I’ve written at length about how my characters simply will
not behave. They walk in, take over and pretty much run things the way they see
fit, and perhaps that is rightly so. This is their life I’ve created, and they
should have some say in how it works out. On the other hand, so should I, as I
am the one who has made all this up, but that doesn’t seem to count. It’s odd,
but I have come to believe that perhaps my characters are better writers than
I…
Now if I could only find out a way for them to create their
own stories, worry with foreshadowing and motivation and plausibility and get
the whole thing down in a readable form… Then perhaps while they’re doing that
I could go take care of housework and laundry and all else that needs to be
done!
I’m not holding my breath, though. In the meantime, I have a
new book to begin, a new land to create/explore and a new population to deal
with. Maybe this time I will actually get the upper hand. But – like I said,
I’m not holding my breath.
6 comments:
No question that getting started on a new novel is the hardest part. I always end up rewriting the beginnings numerous times regardless. They now say you have 8 seconds to capture readers because attention levels are so brief.
Ah, but do you really want to do housework? The only time I think of the dust rag or vacuum is when my characters aren't obeying and I don't know what to write next. Nevertheless, I do understand what you mean. These characters do have minds' of their own.
Starting a new book is both invigorating and daunting, and yet I manage, like you, to do it, and somehow I make it to the end. Magic, or something like that. I also think about the book I meant to write, and wonder how things turn out so differently.
I share your feeling about beginnings. Borrowing the words of another writer, they are "... the best of times, the worst of times." So, why do we put ourselves through this again and again? How can we not?
Enjoyed your observations and know what you mean -- a great character is a blessing and a curse at the same time. Perhaps the only way to handle them is to consider that you're the director of a movie in production with a great screenplay, an outstanding camera operator and a cast of brilliant actors. So it's a game of management, of taking charge but enticing the best from all. I try to stay in control of the main story line but very often give the characters a chance to run a scene ... the latitude fluffs up their ego and keeps them happy.
Plots are not easy for me to figure out. However, it's amazing that if I work on a different book somehow things come to me about the original book. Maybe I trick my mind that way.
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