More ruminations
Sep. 5th, 2002 09:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pegkerrTyped in my brainstorming file and thought for an hour, also picked up and browsed through Orson Scott Card's How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, just for a quick refresher on some useful insights. I like that book, and used it when I taught an SF/Fantasy writing course. I also found his Character and Viewpoint to be excellent technical help when I was hammering out the difference between limited third person viewpoint and omniscient viewpoint while writing The Wild Swans.
Have ruminated over a few ideas for plots and characters. Am content to continue ruminating for now; I am just fishing at this point, casting my nets over the side of my boat and seeing what swims in. I like the concept of trolling an idea-net for a week of brainstorming, of fishing for anything wild and strange--it feels different, after spending such a long period of time telling myself I was blocked, i.e., catching nothing. (Reminds me of that story in John 21, where Jesus told the disciples to cast their nets on the other side of the boat.) Write down anything that you might be curious about and would want to research further: Gaelic fiddle! 19th century suffragists! Atlantis! That list might be quite long and strange by the end of the week.
Some thoughts: I like to try something new with each book. I've thought, why not try first person this time? I tried to do so with my last two stabs at novel-writing: the prequel to Emerald House Rising was told in first person, but as I mentioned, that stalled out. The epistolary form I was working with in the collaboration with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kijjohnson, also first person, seemed more successful. The letter format, oddly enough, made it seem easier.
Or I could try alternating viewpoints from chapter to chapter (like Miles and Ekaterin in Komarr, perhaps.
I could try a retelling of another fairy tale. (Which one? What's your favorite fairy tale? Any suggestions?)
Peg, still cogitating . . .
Have ruminated over a few ideas for plots and characters. Am content to continue ruminating for now; I am just fishing at this point, casting my nets over the side of my boat and seeing what swims in. I like the concept of trolling an idea-net for a week of brainstorming, of fishing for anything wild and strange--it feels different, after spending such a long period of time telling myself I was blocked, i.e., catching nothing. (Reminds me of that story in John 21, where Jesus told the disciples to cast their nets on the other side of the boat.) Write down anything that you might be curious about and would want to research further: Gaelic fiddle! 19th century suffragists! Atlantis! That list might be quite long and strange by the end of the week.
Some thoughts: I like to try something new with each book. I've thought, why not try first person this time? I tried to do so with my last two stabs at novel-writing: the prequel to Emerald House Rising was told in first person, but as I mentioned, that stalled out. The epistolary form I was working with in the collaboration with
kijjohnson, also first person, seemed more successful. The letter format, oddly enough, made it seem easier.Or I could try alternating viewpoints from chapter to chapter (like Miles and Ekaterin in Komarr, perhaps.
I could try a retelling of another fairy tale. (Which one? What's your favorite fairy tale? Any suggestions?)
Peg, still cogitating . . .
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(no subject)
Date: 2002-09-05 08:55 pm (UTC)I love hearing how you cogitate ideas, and am fascinated to see how the ideas come together.
One of my favorite fairy tales is the Twelve Dancing Princesses, because it's like a mystery story, and I love the imagery of the "other" world -- the trees made entirely of jewels, the lake with the boats, etc.
- Darice