Sunday 14 July 2013

It's all gone quiet

After the posting frenzy that the Sunlounger extravaganza instigated, you may have noticed that things have slowed down somewhat. I suspect it is a welcome break from my witterings. Given school is about to kick out here, you're probably good for another six weeks too.
I'm spending the summer thinking about something new. I'm plotting, researching, writing character sketches and generally taking the time to write around it, getting to know it. This is new for me. I usually have a premise and then write hundreds of snippets of dialogue, until the story emerges. That hasn't really been working for me recently, so a new approach was required. I posted here about how ideas need to have time to simmer and develop, how they cannot be expected to be perfect from the word pop. Because they cannot be. It is too much to ask of something so newborn and fragile.

 So I'm plotting and nurturing this summer, in the hope to have something to throw myself into. What are you up to?
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3 comments:

  1. Anonymous15 July 2013 at 10:04

    Hi Pernille

    It's been a while! I do read you. :)
    It was the 'plotting & nurturing' that struck a chord. Me too. With Dora almost ready to send out (play nicely Submission Goddesses!) my next project (TreeBook) is peeking from the shadows, trying to get my attention.

    My original vision for TreeBook was a dark, complicated thing which morphed into a ghost story & has now emerged as something very different. I like that I've allowed the story to decide for itself.

    The two central characters haven't changed - they have been there from the beginning - it's the plot that's changed.

    I'm looking forward to September; gathering the threads I've been untangling & new beginnings. I do hope yours are exciting & rewarding too.

    Love Carol
    xXx

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  2. Pernille Hughes15 July 2013 at 11:28

    Hello Carol! So nice to hear from you.
    I think this last year I've been caught up in a desperation to start the next thing and expecting some lightning bolt to strike that would just take me away on a wave of words. Firstly I think I'd lost sight of all the prep that, for me, is necessary, but also the fact that rushing it is unfair to what could have been perfectly good ideas.
    But like you said, some stories have their own ideas what they are about.They balk when you try to make them something they are not. The key I guess, is to spot the resistance and work with it, not walk away because it feels like the whole thing isn't working.
    I also think stories know when their timing. Some stories sit on the back-burner over years, building as you add nuances, but you know that you aren't ready to sit down with them yet. Equally some keep on knocking until you cannot fob them off them any longer.
    I'm just coming to terms with the idea that the back burner is an OK place to put them for a while, rather than getting stressed by having lots of ideas, and no individual focus for them.
    HUGE bags of good luck for Dora. I really hope it goes smoothly for you. Currently it feels like many agents genuinely want to find the gems in their inbox. Do ask any questions you have via #askagent, as they seem lovely and keen to share.

    Have a fabulous summer (was in North Wales in May and it was already green and lush with blue skies.)And happy writing on TreeBook
    love
    Pernille

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  3. Unknown4 August 2013 at 21:44

    I identify with the stress symptom Nille! The feeling that we should be churning the books out turns me into a stunned rabbit, dingo, pukeka...pick animal. Wondering how your holidays are going... lolling around on the.... sunlounger...

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