My style of writing is to gallop to the finishing post. Then like a sniffer dog I start to follow me with the editor head and the weaver's head. Weaving, changing, looping, detailing, and this style I think I got from the canvas at my art teacher's knee:
"From ze general to ze particular! She'd say in her Hungarian accent waving her arms like Zsa Zsa Gabor - easy for her since her name was Olga and she was 110% Hungarian.
Well, how does it feel to be on this side of the fence, where the ending of my story was reached in the Bare Bone Stakes? Wonderfully comfortable. No panic. No block. Luxurious. Its like the hot bath to which now I add the bubble bath.
Since dabbling in the historical I am finding my interest in dabbling in it very nice. Or as Estienne would say: "I like it very well indeed!" I've always been a history buff, and have loads of books on just about every subject - meaning lots of reference points. As with the Securement of Greggie Donald from our upcoming anthology set in the Highlands of Scotland, I am finding happy 'accidents' in my research which can steer the plot quite significantly once I find them. There is joy in discovery, a quickening of the heart and oh... spooky but this gives me an idea... kind of joy.
Regency. It has loads of taradiddles and 'diamond of the first water' and nabobs. Very flavorable language.
And we are so Austenised these days with a rich tapestry of things from the BBC on DVD, one can almost imagine ourselves there, in amongst our cast of characters.
Expect to meet Estienne Devereaux, Duke of Blamain. Blamain is a real place you know. As a matter of fact I'm sitting in it right now. Living there. I'm the housekeeper, the cook and the footman and the Duchesse of it. The supermarket is there. And isn't life grand when you have the luxury of authorship to use it as freely as have I.
Of course as per usual, I am currently in love with my darling Estienne, despite his obvious arrogance - and taunted as he is by the frustrating boy poaching on his parklands. But sshhhh. I don't want to say too much.
Except to protest "This is such hard work!"
and to whisper "Ah but it is so much fun."
3 comments:
"I am finding happy 'accidents' in my research which can steer the plot quite significantly once I find them. There is joy in discovery, a quickening of the heart and oh... spooky but this gives me an idea... kind of joy."
I completely agree. I discovered there were a couple of very unfortunate Earls of Wessex during the Elizabethan era - even though this is not the time I am writing about. But it does feel spooky to know we are accidentally skating pretty close to the truth.
History is so damn fascinating and bizarre.
I'm a fan of skeletal writing, because I get the bones and structure up - then I have something solid to work with on future drafts. And lets face it, nobody else will see the first draft, so it doesn't matter!
I think that there were a few Earls who were "unfortunate" during the Elizabethan era LOL
She may have been called the Virgin Queen, but I think that's because she was a frequent flier!
LOL
OMG Zara!
Naughty girl!
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