After writing a hundred pages of my third novel, I fear that I'd been going the wrong way. This story is about a boy with a rare blood disorder. Thus far, I'd been developing his world, plotting his life. This process has not been easy going. I'd been feeling like I'd been forcing, forcing, FORCING.
Lately, another boy has been haunting my thoughts. I began to hyperventilate discovering that this novel may not be about one boy, but two.
I feel the need to start over.
Lately, another boy has been haunting my thoughts. I began to hyperventilate discovering that this novel may not be about one boy, but two.
I feel the need to start over.
6 comments:
Just wanted to congratulate you on Talking to the Moon. It seems to be doing quite well. If it is anything like Letters... I am sure that I will enjoy it. You have a great voice and it appears that you suffer profoundly through the process (that is a good thing!) Looking forward to reading Talking to the Moon. Asphalt Tatoo
Noel, hang in there! Part of the fun of writing is letting the characters come out as they will, right? Letting it unfold...
I'm acquainted with Michael Chabon, who won the Pulitzer with The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and has a new novel coming out in May. He wrote a whole novel, Fountain City, but personally shelved it because he forced it so much that it never came together. He spent a long time writing that, and then ended up writing Wonder Boys rather quickly in its wake.
So... better to realize now and take a fresh start than to keep forcing something and ending up with a story that's not true.
Take a deep breath. We're with ya!
Cheers!
Peter
http://peedub.com
cephasatl at gmail
Yikes--but after you're done hyperventilating, you gotta listen to your gut.
This reminds me of one of my favorite movie lines, when young Matthew Broderick and Frank Whaley arrive on the doorstep of the voracious-looking Maximillian Schell in The Freshman (1990), and he says, with man-eating glee...
"Carmine said one boy. Here are _two_ boys!"
This could be a very good thing. I am working on the second draft of my current novel and a character who I thought was going to be minor and tried to shut up for a while is being _very_ helpful now that I'm letting her loose a little.
Follow that kid!
Hey Noel,
Would you happen to know of an email where I could get in touch with Susan Straight?
Best,
JeD
Noel, breathe! Instead of starting over, maybe you should see where Boy 2 takes you. He could have a very creative way of getting you back to Boy 1.
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