Saturday, December 18, 2010

Like shooting a movie is the writing for me

I am not writing in chronological order but rather the scenes as they come to me because these are the strongest ones.

I wish I could draw the technique I use as my way of writing. I've said it before that I see the novel as being like a large canvas - maybe sort of like even the Bayeux Tapestry. I've sketched the overall outline (where the horizon is, what's in the foreground, background, the shape of the terrain aka the synopsis) and drawn in the rough of the details for the entire piece (people, trees, large objects and notes on action aka chapter synopsis). Some parts are already in coloured detail - perhaps needing a touch or two when the whole is finished. Some parts have more detail or some colour but need more layers.

I come to the canvas, look at it, and begin to work on the section which is upper most in my mind - like painting the details of the leaves of a particular tree.

And, always, I'm mindful of why I am writing this (apart from the fact that I have a contract with a deadline *grin*:

I am writing Fleance into life-changing events which will grow him into the man his father and even Magness saw he could be.

And, a happy ending of course.

Once the entire story is told, I will go through the manuscript in the same way at the continuity editor of a film does.

And, who knows, sometimes the ending surprises and if it does then I will have to go back and look very carefully at the start.

I gave myself four days off writing. Worked in the garden (blerk!) with eldest daughter and her boyfriend, took the dogs to the dog park every morning, baked cakes, cooked (yeah, really!) because my husband was away in Sydney for the week, helped youngest with her sewing (I hate sewing but I am reasonably competent having learnt at school and then worked Uni holidays in a sewing factory).

But, have been in email discussions with the talented Helen Lowe who is being very disciplined to finish a chapter and agreed that writing 100,000 in three months is do-able but tough going.

If she’s going to be beavering away, then I have no excuse. And, I did it once with Banquo’s Son.

A lot of people are hanging out for Birthright and I better not disappoint.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

i reed your story, and i loved it. before i reed this story i knew nothing of macbeth let alone banquo.. but i felt very connected with this book and your style of writing that it has inspired me too learn more about the history of macbeth. i am in my last year of high school, and i very much think that this book will inspire me too complete this year and give me a sense of achievment.