Wednesday, April 09, 2008

An author's lot...

.... is actually quite a happy one. I'm certainly not professing to be an author in the real sense of the word, but the fact I am writing a novel at least gives me the opportunity to have a dalliance with the title.

I've wanted to write a semi-autobiographical novel (is there even such a thing?!) for around five years now. It has, so far, been a real joy to do, but it's time consuming and time isn't something I have a great deal of at the moment.

I'm around 8,000 words into about 100,000 words and the third chapter. I love getting lost in the writing and find it therapeutic to see words form into a sentence, and eventually a complete chapter.

I'm learning lessons endlessly. I've created a dramatis personae (list of characters) that grows endlessly. I'm really going to have to keep a file, or, better still lists pinned to a wall of character traits and plots.

The comments I've had are all positive but range widely from "too much detail and too little dialogue" to "a great balance" to "More detail and commentary please, I love the insight you bring"

I'm really pleased with chapter 2, so pleased in fact, I feel like entirely re-writing chapter 1. You can find the novel at both http://podcastpaul.com and Http://lawnovel.blogspot.com Please feel free to subscribe.

A chapter will be published every fortnight and I would welcome your feedback, either on the blog or at podcastpaul (dot) gmail (dot) com

Thanks for listening!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Paul, this is starting out great! What's a hundred thousand words, more or less?? lol... keep it up and when it's in hardcover, I want to be one of the first in live for a signed first edition!!!
Tiggr

Brennig said...

Best bit of advice that came my way re writing was to write three synopses: (1) 200 words, (2) 600 words and (3) 1,000 words. Include in (1) the plot, characters and ending. In (2) plot, characters, ending and 2 plot developments. In (3) plot, characterisations, ending, plot developments and paint the locations.

It's a brilliant exercise that concentrates the mind and makes the author appreciate the value of every word.

Cheers,
B.

podcastpaul said...

thanks Brennig, cracking piece of advice!