(The blog heading makes me think that I should be wearing a loin cloth, and surrounded by Anglo actresses wearing dark wigs.)
But the book is formally finished. The story has been written and completed.
Now, I am moving forward in the editing process. The current position is: I’m editing from page 495 – and the length of the book? 789 pages. Quite a monster – especially given that this is all just part one of a much larger story. I’m keen to be done with it, and to move on. There are stories to be told – and miles to go before we sleep. I’m sensing the political possibilities of book writing – the ability to directly address issues which otherwise are hidden from view.
I’m also interested in the emotional resonance that is possible with prose. The ability to inspire anger and horror, maybe even outrage…
For now though, the editing moves forward as fast as possible. Once that is complete, I’ll be able to see what sections need work, or need to be thrown out. Then its ’send to the agent’ time. Hopefully – despite the fact that its all just the opening shot of a larger operatic work, I wont have to revisit this world anytime soon. I have better worlds to focus on. And living in America, has shown me a multitude of things – some of which I want to dissect and examine, probably in ways that local citizens will not appreciate.
Writing on the Internet, is much like scribbling thoughts in a dark back alley. Some passersby may see the thoughts but ultimately its pale pasted sound and fury, signifying nothing. Pixels on a digital wind. Would ‘Story of the Eye’ have achieved its aim if written on a website? Would ‘Mein Kampf’? ‘Turner Diaries’? All of the inflammatory and pivotal works which have had a profound effect in the real world, would, I think, have dissipated on the winds of static chattering through servers, as a billion ‘consumers’ write to each other about the latest product they’re buying, or have bought, or want to buy.
He pauses, his mood thoughtful.
Prose is tough going. Editing even more so. Plays? Easy-peasy – a week and a half to two weeks of work, and that’s a full length piece created. Prose, on the other hand, is the proverbial horse of a different color. It actually takes *gasp* work…
I do seem to have found my voice, though. I started off with vague ideas of writing in a similar dense style as Mervyn Peake and other heroes of mine – and saw swiftly that actually, my prose style is derived more from the books I read as a kid, and which in various ways, luridly formed my younger writing self. None of them are high art in any way. Alastair Maclean, Stephen King, JT Edson… They are/were all damn fine writers. And more importantly, told a good story in a simple way. And it seems, that’s roughly the approach I’ve found for myself. Keep it simple. Avoid pretentiousness. Tell the story. Let the characters speak.
The book is sitting in the 800 page region, and it took roughly six months to write. Easily two to three of those months were taken up with me stumbling through the maze of learning the right tools to put words on the page, so as to communicate exactly what I want the reader to experience. So the book actually took less time than it seems. I have the urge for another story – but I’m trying to resist getting into it until this Saga is properly edited. When that’s done, I can move on and never look at it again.
See how I actually feel, after so much concerted creative effort.
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