Resolution
I wanted to start 2007 with relentless blogging. A resolution to be here every night, sharing my thoughts, analysing the process, pondering the mystery.
And here I am, for the first time, on January 9th.
I will try to be better, truly. I have some interesting things to share, honest! For a start, I’d like to keep track of the new novel, from its very early stages through to… well, it seems premature to say the end when I’ve barely begun. Some weird fear of jinxing it. I mean, this is the strange time. New notebooks, endless white aching for ink; electronic folders waiting to be created to hold… what?
I have begun… again. Because I came up with a treatment, even a chapter, back in March. I have that to work with. But treatments and sample chapters can be misleading. The ultimate goal of them is to entice a publisher to give you a contract. They are not the book. I almost don’t think of them now. I need to go back to the first flare of the spark that made me want to write the story. I need to learn who my characters are. They are waiting to be discovered. They lie in… in their coffins perhaps? The Undead. Not alive yet. Waiting for me to breathe life back into them.
Hmm, a little creepy that. Not what I sat down to write here tonight. But quite apropos, considering that the character I seek most is Vlad Tepes – the real Dracula.
I am trying to track down the definitive biography. Meantime I am reading background. The 15th century world. The Balkans, as troubled as ever. The advance of Islam through the cultured, vicious Ottomans. Their less cultured, equally vicious Christian opponents.
I am also reading about Evil. Trying to get to grips with what horrors man is capable. Trying to find a reason for them. Or not.
I need to get on with it. I have booked tickets to go to Romania to walk the ground in April and I have to have an idea what I am looking at. I have to deliver the novel, appropriately enough, by October 31st. And it is already appearing on websites. Not a word written and the book is out there to be ordered.
‘The Last Confession’ its called. For now. For July 2008. No pressure or anything.
I’ll try to let you know how it goes more regularly. Honest!
And here I am, for the first time, on January 9th.
I will try to be better, truly. I have some interesting things to share, honest! For a start, I’d like to keep track of the new novel, from its very early stages through to… well, it seems premature to say the end when I’ve barely begun. Some weird fear of jinxing it. I mean, this is the strange time. New notebooks, endless white aching for ink; electronic folders waiting to be created to hold… what?
I have begun… again. Because I came up with a treatment, even a chapter, back in March. I have that to work with. But treatments and sample chapters can be misleading. The ultimate goal of them is to entice a publisher to give you a contract. They are not the book. I almost don’t think of them now. I need to go back to the first flare of the spark that made me want to write the story. I need to learn who my characters are. They are waiting to be discovered. They lie in… in their coffins perhaps? The Undead. Not alive yet. Waiting for me to breathe life back into them.
Hmm, a little creepy that. Not what I sat down to write here tonight. But quite apropos, considering that the character I seek most is Vlad Tepes – the real Dracula.
I am trying to track down the definitive biography. Meantime I am reading background. The 15th century world. The Balkans, as troubled as ever. The advance of Islam through the cultured, vicious Ottomans. Their less cultured, equally vicious Christian opponents.
I am also reading about Evil. Trying to get to grips with what horrors man is capable. Trying to find a reason for them. Or not.
I need to get on with it. I have booked tickets to go to Romania to walk the ground in April and I have to have an idea what I am looking at. I have to deliver the novel, appropriately enough, by October 31st. And it is already appearing on websites. Not a word written and the book is out there to be ordered.
‘The Last Confession’ its called. For now. For July 2008. No pressure or anything.
I’ll try to let you know how it goes more regularly. Honest!
posted by CCH at 10:51 PM
1 Comments:
Okay. so where is Ate in all of this Romanian-traipsing/vampire hunting/ evil stuff? Is he waylaid until 2009 ( heaven forbid ! )
Regarding your blog resolution: 15 years from now ( or so on ) when a doctoral candidate is writing their thesis on the wonder that is you, this very recorded developmental process will be crucial to their dissertation.
Think of that !
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