Posts
The Novel, the BSFA, Craig Hinton and the Great White Shark
I spent yesterday evening lying around in the lounge, convinced I was the worst writer that ever lived, while listening to The Magpies practicing ‘Helplessly Hoping’ in the kitchen. This is normal, this is no problem. This is just what my unconscious does when I’ve been ploughing along too fast with a book, and if I don’t stop and go back now, I’ll only be writing stuff that I’ll have to delete in the next rewrite. This is the only form of ‘writer’s block’ that I acknowledge. I could still write the novel, but I have to fix things first. I could write something else, no problem. This has only happened to me a couple of times in the (so far) 92,000 words. I’ve written a plot right to the end now, only I keep finding interesting side stuff and deviating from it.
So isn’t it nice to wake up this morning and find that, overnight, my unconscious has provided me with a neat list of how to fix everything? Sure, most of it is: chop right back to the plot, you moron. But there’s new stuff there too. I am not the worst writer that ever lived.
I’m still kind of afraid to talk about the plot. I think that’s a good sign. If I talk about it, I’ll let it all out in the talking, and I’ll never write it. I’m terrified of not finishing it for some reason. It’s a mainstream novel/fantasy novel, set in 1982-1983 and also today, at a school. That’s all I’m saying. I think this may be the most pretentious about the business of writing that I’ve ever got. I’m usually rather more like the old fisherman in Jaws about it. But then, look what happened to him.
As always, we’re off to the Gallifrey convention in L.A. in early February. The swimming pool, the hallway conversations, the dancing, the cricket, the breakfasts, the coffee… This year, the event is dedicated to fan, critic and author Craig Hinton, who I was fond of, who died last year. Craig, who unashamedly loved sheer continuity-reference excess in his work (which we in Who fandom call ‘fanwank’, in that it merely pleases us, and leaves any wider audience rather put out to have seen it), called himself the ‘Fanwank God’. And in memorium, I will be wearing one of these from time to time at the event:
http://www.cafepress.com/reefstation1a
I’m very excited to say that, next Wednesday, the 24th January, I'm the guest at the monthly meeting of the British Science Fiction Association, in London. It's upstairs at a pub called the Antelope on Eaton Terrace (nearest tube Sloane Square). (This isn’t the regular BSFA venue, which is out of action this month.) I’m being interviewed by critic and writer Graham Sleight, which is a pleasure in itself. The interview starts at 7pm, but fans will be milling about downstairs from 5pm, I'm told. Entry is free. I'm honoured to be a guest of this august organization, who tend to present one SF writer to an audience every month (it’s Robert Holdstock in February). I won’t be able to say anything about the Who two-parter, obviously, but it’ll be good to talk about the whole career in front of the audience I hope I’m writing for at the moment.
Do pop along if you can. Until next time, cheerio.
So isn’t it nice to wake up this morning and find that, overnight, my unconscious has provided me with a neat list of how to fix everything? Sure, most of it is: chop right back to the plot, you moron. But there’s new stuff there too. I am not the worst writer that ever lived.
I’m still kind of afraid to talk about the plot. I think that’s a good sign. If I talk about it, I’ll let it all out in the talking, and I’ll never write it. I’m terrified of not finishing it for some reason. It’s a mainstream novel/fantasy novel, set in 1982-1983 and also today, at a school. That’s all I’m saying. I think this may be the most pretentious about the business of writing that I’ve ever got. I’m usually rather more like the old fisherman in Jaws about it. But then, look what happened to him.
As always, we’re off to the Gallifrey convention in L.A. in early February. The swimming pool, the hallway conversations, the dancing, the cricket, the breakfasts, the coffee… This year, the event is dedicated to fan, critic and author Craig Hinton, who I was fond of, who died last year. Craig, who unashamedly loved sheer continuity-reference excess in his work (which we in Who fandom call ‘fanwank’, in that it merely pleases us, and leaves any wider audience rather put out to have seen it), called himself the ‘Fanwank God’. And in memorium, I will be wearing one of these from time to time at the event:
http://www.cafepress.com/reefstation1a
I’m very excited to say that, next Wednesday, the 24th January, I'm the guest at the monthly meeting of the British Science Fiction Association, in London. It's upstairs at a pub called the Antelope on Eaton Terrace (nearest tube Sloane Square). (This isn’t the regular BSFA venue, which is out of action this month.) I’m being interviewed by critic and writer Graham Sleight, which is a pleasure in itself. The interview starts at 7pm, but fans will be milling about downstairs from 5pm, I'm told. Entry is free. I'm honoured to be a guest of this august organization, who tend to present one SF writer to an audience every month (it’s Robert Holdstock in February). I won’t be able to say anything about the Who two-parter, obviously, but it’ll be good to talk about the whole career in front of the audience I hope I’m writing for at the moment.
Do pop along if you can. Until next time, cheerio.
Labels:
BSFA,
Craig Hinton,
Gallifrey,
Magpies,
Writing
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Hi,
I found out about your website a month or so before Christmas and have enjoyed reading it and catching up with your old blogs. I read 'Revelation' when it first came out in the days when I was able to keep up to date with Doctor Who books. Since then I have slacked and have piles of unread books. Maybe oneday. I should be able to come along to your interview in London next week. I've not been to the Antelope but it seems to have some good reviews on Beer in the Evening.
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/63/631/Antelope/Belgravia
Tim
I found your site a month or so before Christmas and have enjoyed reading your blog. I read 'Revelation' when it was first released in the days when I kept up to date with Doctor Who books. Since then I have slacked and have piles of unread books. I should be able to come along to your interview next week. I have not been to the antelope before but it has some good reviews on beer in the evening.
http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/63/631/Antelope/Belgravia
Tim
Looks like I'm not the only "new arrival" to your blog which I now check on a semi-regular basis.
I can't make it to London seeing as I'm trapped in New Jersey but will be making it to Gallifrey in LA next month. I can't wait!
I'm learning all sorts of new things about DW fandom LOL I'm not exactly sure I want to... j/k ;-)
Swimming pool? I hope it's indoors!
It's good to see so many new people around here. I look forward to meeting you both. Do come over and introduce yourselves.
your book sounds proper cool, cant wait for it.
take it easy man,
jack.
They are, apparently, calling it 'The London Event'....Hmm...ok, so, are you a Yeti or claiming to be a Great Intelligence?
I feel we should be told :P
(Oh, but I'm such a small, sad little fan, rofl)
Thanks, you two.
Interesting comment about your technique for getting your writing moving along again. I don't believe in writer's block, but I do believe in writer's distraction. I-would-rather-do-anything-else-including-cleaning-the-toilet-than-write-this-bloody-book. I'm currently stuck 20,000 words into an uncommissioned novel (perhaps the key is that word uncommissioned). Haven't written a word of it for nearly two months. In the interim have I've written three short plays (two of them won competitions so that can't be bad) a longer play and a proposal for a children's book - oh and I have a clean toilet.
Do you have any ideas for getting "unstuck" with the novel? All suggestions gratefully received!
And good luck with the talk on Wednesday.
Penny
I think you should read it from the top and then just keep going. What may have happened is that you know that in the last few pages you've headed off in the wrong direction. That may become obvious as you read it. But even if it doesn't, as you start writing, bear in mind where you want to go, and not neccessarily where the novel has started going. Then you can go back and rewrite the place where you veered off.
Hey, thanks for the tip, Paul. That was my conclusion too. The other thing I was going to try to help get re-enthused (is that a word?) is to ask for part of it to be read aloud by a couple of the actors at one of the writers' groups I go to. Sometimes hearing the words, rather than just seeing them sitting on the page, can highlight problem areas.
I will definitely take up your suggestion, just as soon as I've finished clearing out my desk drawers...
So here's a random question. You've written for several different Doctors (as in Who)--so do you keep that particular Doctor in mind when writing? How did you write 9 when you (presumably) hadn't seen Eccleston yet? Did you write the character differently for 10 than you would have if Eccleston had still been playing the role? And when you write for 7 or 5 or Whoever else, do you keep those personas in mind when crafting dialogue? Okay, I guess that's more than one question...
And I like your advice there in that last comment. I know that kind of thing has helped me in the past--coming back to something after leaving it alone for a long time and then starting from the beginning. You can often sense where it's shifted off in the wrong direction.
I'm coming along to this. I enjoyed "Father's Day" especially. The "Fanwank" (nice!)will be going over my head, but it should be a good evening.
TTFN
STAUNTERS
Well, I'd hesitate to let anyone do that, Penny, but each to their own. Chris hadn't been cast when I started writing my first Who script, we just had the character in Russell's first script to go on, and that was fine. And sure, that's the whole art, really, listening to how the character talks and replicating that. Though it's more important in prose than TV. And I shall see you there, James.
Just dropping you aquick note to let you know how grateful I am for the energetic, lively talk you gave the other night at the sci-fi bash in Belgravia. I had a great time and particularly enjoyed hearing about your book, Revelations. I must also thank you for signing my Doctor Who DVD , by the way - that was very kind.
Incidentally, I have just watched Fathers' Day again. From a layman's point of view, I must say I think it is really first rate.
Thanks again for the talk.
All the Best
STAUNTERS
Thanks very much. I really enjoyed myself, and am about to blog about it.