Thursday 28 July 2011

I love dialogue

Well found out two things. First, I can indeed email from my phone to update this Blog, so will be taking full advantage of this.

And secondly, I love writing dialogue.

Sounds like a very general thing to say but its true. Looking at the characters I've created so far and the interactions between them, Dialogue has become the thing I most enjoy writing. Plus depending on how I write the dialogue can do wonders for figuring out just what this character is like without having to go into a detailed description.

For example, one of my characters is something of an upper class snob. Thus, instead of going into too much detail about his manners or even what he's wearing, I'm attempting to communicate this in his dialogue.

Without giving too much away I've taken inspiration from the character of Neil's in the series Frasier. Think of that what you will.

Despite these 'good' revelations I've only got doing a little on the Novel this week due to an event I'm running this weekend.

We're now up to 114 pages now plus more background pages. First 2 chapters are looking a bit better and I'm starting to refine the character interactions more (due of course to said discovery of 'the fun of dialogue'). Plus think I'm starting to write better and more interesting descriptions. Time will tell once I start to post some of them up here. We'll see.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Monday 18 July 2011

Testing times

Very brief kind of update as this is a 'test' of bloggers email capability. Can I email blog updates in other words.

Hopefully, I can as it would be a good excuse for procrastination via yet another electronic meduim.

Meantime, just a little word on progress. I'm starting to tighten up 2 particular aspects of the Novel. Vocabulary and grammar. The two main 'tools' in my writing tool box that need the most refinement.

Its all very well producing good story / characters etc but it means nothing if the descriptions make no sense or are just plain boring.

Thus I'm working my way through what I've got and 'correcting' were I see correcting is needed. Technically I should be doing this in the 2nd draft but. Well, damn it I can't help it! Must. Correct. Spelling!

Still, means once I do start posting up aspects of the work at least it'll make sense and I'll be slightly less embarassed by it.

We'll see.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Sunday 17 July 2011

Time

Time.  Plenty of it around, yet i never seem to have any.

Thats the problem with writing a Novel.  You need time to do the writing.  Time to check over paragraphs, construct character backgrounds, figure out were character A is going to go and how they'll meet up with Character B for Situation A in location Z.  All this takes time!

Unfortunately (or Fortunately, depending on your point of view) i'm a very socialable person.  Time, is thus, not something i have a great deal of.  I spend time meeting with my friends, with my family.  Going to events (birthdays, Weddings, Team deathmatchs).  Organising events (birthdays, weddings, Airsoft Skirmishing events).  And generally, being human.  Heck, a lot of the ideas that are slowly making their way into the Novel come directly from these activates.  Without them, a lot of the characters would have nothing to do.

But the way i'm reading Stephen Kings: On Writing, it looks like a writer leads a far more solitary life.  He, or she, needs time to themselves to figure out all of the above 'writing' requirements.  I had figured this already even before starting writing.  But to see it in plain text, written by one of the worlds most successful authors, forces you to think on it a bit more.

This has given me pause for consern.  i want to write this novel.  But not at the expence of my friends and family?  not something i'm prepared to sacrifice on what is, for me, just a hobbie.

The solution as manifested itself, rather simply.

Make the Novel the number one priority in ones own life above all other 'hobbies'.

Thus time is freed up but not at the expense of my social life.  I can still head out to the pub with mates, and simply write up on the Novel another night.  I just won't paint that particular wargaming model, or play that particular computer game, or even purchase that particular Airsoft Gun.  I see this arrangement as no bad thing.  The wargaming Models will always be there, the Video game is always going to run on the Xbox.  And their certainly not going to stop producing Airsoft Guns any time soon.

And once the First Draft is done (hopefully within the next few months.  Decembers the deadline of sorts.  I say 'of sorts' case you think i'm being optimistic) I can celebrate by doing one of my other hobbies and not feel as if its cutting into my Novel Writing Time.

Suddenly, time is available again.

Speaking of which, better get back to it.  I have this evening to myself (after not feeling at all well earlier on) and intend to take advantage by doing that 'writing' business I keep talking about.  Hopefully some more ideas will come to me tonight.  And I might even post them up here!  if their any good.

If

Wednesday 13 July 2011

And so it begins

Hello internet.

This Blog is an opportunity for me to bounce ideas off you in regards to the book I'm writing.   In addition, this will be a place to vent frustrations or indicate progress. To complain of writers block or to brag about a particularly good idea I've had. To be somewere to indicate that, yes, I'm actually making progress. However good or bad.

For those who don't know me, or what this is all about, allow me to enlighten you.

I'm writing a Fantasy Novel.

Don't get too excited, as despite that rather grand statement I lack a great many writing skills to put the idea to paper. But I am learning.

I have the plot and I have a whole lot of characters already crafted. The vast background to the World of this Fantasy story is likewise built, providing the bare bones to the tale. Ready to accept the flesh.
But putting flesh to those bones, to make the story a living, breathing thing for people to behold, is the difficulty. I lack the critical abilities of writing dialogue and description to make this work.

I must learn these skills as well as others, if I am to succeed. This Blog will hopefully chronicle my successes, or failures, in this regard.

The first step to correcting the above deficiences is reading two particular books.

The first is Stephen Kings: On Writing. I've just finished the 'biography' part of this book and I'm now getting into the part of actually 'writing'. Direct and to the point, Stephen King's writing on writing has already given me a lot of food for thought.

Quotes such as "let the characters dialogue tell the truth" and "don't overburden the reader with overly detailed descriptions" have struck a cord already and made me take a good look at what I've already put down on paper and, shall we say, correct it.

The second book, is oddly, the second book in the 'Song of Ice and Fire' series by George R R Martin.  Yes, 'Clash of Kings' is the other book being read in my spare time.  I had previously finished reading Mr Martins first Masterpiece, 'Game of Thrones' (finished just before the TV Series aired) so I now have Clash of Kings and the rest of the series to complete reading.  Afterall, if your going to learn, learn from the best.

Exceptional and unique characters, a vast rich world and fantastic detail.  All qualities i hope to introduce to my own attempt.

This is not to say that these are the only books i've taken inspiration or schooling from.  I've likewise read a great deal of Terry Pratchett's novels ('Night Watch' and 'Feet of Clay' being particular favourites), as well as the wonderfully titled 'How to be a writer' (makes sense) and 'How to get Published'.  I think i can safely leave it up to you to figure why i read them.

Anyway, thats the introductions out of the way.  Over the next few months, stay tuned for updates as I craft this thing.  Characters, places, items and plot.  All will appear on here one by one.

Lets hope they make sense.