writingdaemon

more translation help, please!

2009-10-26T23:43:52Z

Is the phrase "I don't give a monkey's" British English, American English, or both? If British English, what would be an AmE equivalent?

Also, what does one call that fiberglass insulation stuff you put in the roof, on this side of the Atlantic?

Another vocab question.

2009-06-02T19:55:01Z

What do you call those stand-alone back yard shade canopies? Gazebo? Canopy? E-Z UP tent?

In other news, I seem to have got over the writer's block that I've had for the last few weeks (I was unable to get past a certain stage in the plot, and it was exacerbated by lack of free time due to mum's visit, spending one of my free mornings in urgent care, helping at Cosima's school etc) but thanks to drcosmos doing the school run this morning I was able to get in a straight four hours, and I think I've nailed it. Hoorah!

writingdaemon @ 2009-04-28T14:13:00

2009-04-28T21:14:19Z

It appears I have already written 11k of shock. Goodness.

more transatlantic language help, please.

2009-04-28T17:49:40Z

Is the expression "to do one's nut" (she saw that the child had flushed her watch down the toilet, and did her nut") specific to UK English? If so, what would be a good US equivalent?

writingdaemon @ 2009-03-23T16:23:00

2009-03-23T23:26:45Z

Ok, in American English, in reference to flimsy garments that one might (according to gender and or preference) wear on one's legs, does one say "hose" or "pantyhose" or "tights"?

And: can I use the word "trebuchet" as a verb?

any ideas?

2009-03-10T17:29:40Z

I am stuck on a plot point in the latest project (not the David story, I've given up with that for the time being). The story centres around a relationship in which the wife commits adultery in a one night stand. It's going to be pretty sleazy, and not something she'd intended to happen, so it's not like she would have invited him to her place or anything. The way the plot is starting to pan out, I want the husband to find out about it later the same evening, but don't want him to walk in on them or anything like that. So: how does he find out about it? I can't come up with a scenario I'm happy with. I don't want the lover turning up again later or anything - the novel explores the relationship between husband and wife, so the lover is a very peripheral character, I want him in and out of the story as quickly as possible (much like his sexual technique, actually).

Sorry, that's a bit stream-of-consciousness...

synposis for wart

2009-02-02T23:05:39Z

"How to Charm a Wart" is an idiosyncratic history of Cornwall, seamlessly woven from a blend of historical fact, anecdote and myth. A focus on a single family lends structure and intimacy to the story: the Angoves have shared Cornwall's fortunes through the centuries and were witnesses to the major events of Cornish history, going right back to the days of the famous Michael Joseph an Gof - possibly himself an ancestor of the same family.

Events such as the Cornish uprisings between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries and the hardships of the tin miners during the economic upheavals of the nineteenth century are given freshness and immediacy by being told with excerpts in narrative form. Cornwall's legends and folklore are similarly treated, with re-tellings of myths in the style of a traditional Cornish droll-teller, and instruction on the subjects of dowsing, the curing of ringworm and - of course - how to charm a wart.

Does it work?

writingdaemon @ 2009-01-26T16:40:00

2009-01-27T00:49:17Z

Well, following help from pphinfinitarian and hatmandu, another TWO edits, and then some very positive reviews from the psychocommagrlz, it feels like "How to Charm a Wart" might actually be worth doing something with. It's certainly tighter, more coherent, and flows better than it did a few months ago.

I've started researching suitable publishers. I was quite surprised: a quick google has turned up no less than four suitable publishers (publishers who specialise in books about Cornwall, and who have similar kinds of things on their publications lists) on the first two pages. I guess an informal email approach might be the way to start, what do you think?

Now to try and think up a two sentence description of Wart that might perusade a potential publisher not to press the delete button straight away.

Plot synopsis

2008-11-11T04:21:18Z

The Waters at Meribah

Synopsis

There are many ways in which a vicar can upset a congregation, especially if she is young and inexperienced. Should, however, a group of slovenly, drug-abusing New Age Travellers set up camp on the edge of the village, and should she sleep with one of the ringleaders, that might be considered beyond the pale.

Jen Banfield is bound to the village by ties of duty and loyalty, but depressed and frustrated by the self-righteous apathy of village life. She finds herself deeply attracted by the colourful anarchism of the newcomers, and caught in the increasingly uncomfortable position of trying to bridge the divide between two profoundly different communities.

The Travellers’ journey is not as purposeless as first appears, and they have not come to the village by chance. Like the Children of Israel in a sermon preached by Jen, they are on a journey that they hope will eventually lead them – literally – to a promised land, a place where they can realise their dream of self-sufficiency. Jen, falling under their influence, embarks on her own journey through a wilderness of uncertainty towards self-reliance and a re-awakened sense of joy.

The Waters at Meribah casts an affectionately subversive eye on the Established Church, explores what happens when cultures collide, and describes a young woman’s struggle towards maturity and self-confidence.

Waddya think? Does it work?

Stop Press!

2008-08-25T21:55:23Z

The novel formerly known as "Wayfaring Stranger" is henceforth to be known as "The Waters at Meribah".

Thank you for your attention.

Status Update

2008-08-13T21:10:29Z

How to Charm a Wart (that's the family history set in Cornwall) - now on about the third major edit, and has been sent to a couple of relatives for their feedback. Feedback dribbling in slowly.

Wayfaring Stranger (that's the priest and the traveller novel) - first major edit just completed, has been sent to infinitarian and hatmandu for their comments.

New project - novel about the Biblical King David - preliminary research under way.

writingdaemon @ 2008-07-01T15:43:00

2008-07-01T22:48:38Z

Six glorious, uninterrupted hours of bliss at the coffee shop. I swear I wasn't deliberately putting out "fuck off" vibes, but the place was reasonably busy and people kept sticking their heads into the room I was in, then backing off again and going to sit somewhere else. The only people I had to share the room with were delightfully quiet and unobtrusive.*

And Neil? Is nailed. Poor bugger still gets killed off, but at least he gets to have a personality first.

*I have no problem with people being loud and obtrusive - I do, after all, choose to go and work in a coffee shop rather than at home. But it is nice when it all stays quiet.

more editing

2008-07-01T04:28:40Z

Another frequently voiced reservation from the crit group was that the death of Terrence's son seemed a little deus ex machina. There are good reasons (in my mind, anyway) why his death is completely necessary to the plot, poor bugger - I can't just find a new plot device for that aspect of the story - but I concede that it does come a bit out of the blue. So it has been suggested to me that I get around this by introducing him earlier in the story and making him a real character.

Which is all very well, but what can I get the poor sod to do? Just mentioning him for the sake of mentioning him would obviously be a bit crap. I had the idea of introducing him as a possible love interest for Jen, which ought to have been rather fun - upping the ante a little by giving Mo a rival. I had the idea of having Jen turn down the offer of a date, but being a little blind about her reasons for doing so - the reader, therefore, being given the opportunity to realise Jen's feelings for Mo before she does herself.

Unfortunately it just doesn't work.

I made the guy unconventional, a bit shallow, and rather sophisticated and glamorous in a grunge-y kind of a way, because he has to be sympathetic to the Travellers, but also has to be a very different kind of person to Mo. But that seemed to make it all rather unconvincing that he might be interested in Jen. Also it seemed to throw the story off balance - to make it sound convincing I need to give the whole thing way more importance than I really want to, and write it in a lot more detail. But if I do that then it will give the romance aspect of the novel far more prominence than I ever envisaged it having.

So I am very stuck. Which is frustrating, as I can't seem to get past it in order to work on something else while I wait for inspiration to strike, and I have an unprecedented six hours in which to write tomorrow (thank you semioticwarrior!) and I don't want to spend the whole of it with writer's block.

Am hoping that getting the problem out in the open here on lj will get my subconscious working, and by tomorrow will have a brand shiny new idea to run with.

Edited to add: wonder if, instead of making him all hip I could make him a sort of tragi-comic figure instead? Sympathetic, actually quite a noble character underneath, but a bit lame, and with a long-term crush on Jen?
Something to ruminate on overnight.

Nailed!

2008-06-25T02:52:27Z

A number of the psychocommagrlz complained that Jen (my protagonist, not dctemo_13!) was not assertive enough. This piece is designed to address that, and give everyone a chance to see John and Sam again, as another complaint was that we didn't see enough of them. It was a lot of fun to write - almost wrote itself - and how wonderful to be able to make a Rural Dean do what you want!

“Jen! What a surprise!” John looked uncertain, as well he might, about whether the surprise was a
good or a bad one.

“Can I come in?”

“Sure. Sam’s here, is that ok?”

“Of course.”

John led me into the kitchen. Sam had a striped apron on, and was slicing up a bulb of fennel at the counter. The aniseed scent wafted around the room. John shoved at a sleeping cat - which did that extraordinary manoeuvre in which the animal wakes up half way to the floor, lands daintily on its feet and stalks off with an indignant tail in the air - and bade me sit on the now vacant chair.

“What can I do for you Jen?” There was an odd ring of false heartiness behind John’s words.

“Last time I saw you, you said you were going to talk to the Bishop. I’ve heard nothing since.” The words came out more aggressively than I’d intended, but then, I was nervous.

“Oh. I - ” He stopped, collected himself, and began again. “I thought I’d wait and see if there were any more – you know -”

“I don’t know.”

“Um. Developments.”

“So you were just going to leave it hanging in the air, with me waiting?”

Sam broke in. “John! You didn’t even ring the poor girl?”

John looked properly sheepish now. “I didn’t know what to do. It just felt – ah – an over-reaction, taking it to the Bishop.”

Sam looked up again. “The truth is Jen, that - Muppet head here – realised what a bloody hypocrite he was being, but clearly couldn’t get his arse in gear to sort out the mess he’d made of it. If I’d known he hadn’t squared things up with you I’d be slicing up his bollocks here along with the fennel.”

“Goodness. Fricassee of fennel and bollocks. How novel.” I was beginning to feel better already. “John, do you realise what you put me through?”

“I’m sorry. You were right - ”

“Damn right I was. I appreciate that my behaviour might have left a certain amount to be desired, and I could have been more discreet - ”

“I’m sorry - ”

“- But there was nothing that I did that you haven’t done – at least, in a manner of speaking - ”

“I’m sorry!”

“Even that party that got complained about was not much different to some I’ve been to here - ”

“I’m sorry!”

“And I am entitled to some privacy in my life you know, and you might have had the decency to point that out to my parishioners!”

“Ok, ok, I’m sorry, how many times do you want me to say it?”

“A couple of dozen more times might do it!”

Sam made a show of looking at his watch. “By my reckoning, he might be just finished in time for dinner. Want to stay?”

“Um – can you leave out the sweetmeats?”

writingdaemon @ 2008-01-16T17:08:00

2008-01-17T01:16:05Z

It doesn't feel as if I've done much writing at all since I last posted here. Ideas were not flowing well for a long time.

But I've just looked at my last post, and at that point I was at 33k. Today the word count stands at 48k, thanks to the inclusion of a sub-plot. And it feels like it works and did indeed add texture and help with character development and all sorts of things. A few scenes need writing yet, but I'm getting there.

I'd go so far as to say I'm back on the ball again, and will, by March, have something I'm prepared to show psychocommagrlz.

Well, I asked to be flogged...

2007-09-04T19:47:20Z

...so I guess I can't complain if the lashes smart a bit.

writingdaemon @ 2007-08-13T14:38:00

2007-08-13T21:49:58Z

The first 3,000 words of the novel wrote themselves so easily that I got lulled into a false sense of security. It has been going less well since. All my characters sound like white, middle-class, southern English university graduates. Huh, wonder why that could be.

I think part of the problem is that I'm not a person who habitually notices other people's speech patterns.

After a weekend-long crisis of self-confidence where I wondered if trying to write about a sub-culture of which I have, frankly, little direct experience, was being just a little bit over-ambitious, I decided to try a new track. So, thanks to semioticwarrior and her exemplary child-minding abilities, I have spent the morning writing a short character study of each of my main characters, in their own words. Which is definitely helping me to get to know them better, and will hopefully help them to develop distinctive characters and speech patterns. It would be nice if they became a little more multi-dimensional, too. We'll see.

So I'm going to keep at it a bit longer. If I have been too ambitious then I can always try again with something else later. But this is the story I want to write right now, so I'm damn well going to have a go at writing it.

writingdaemon @ 2007-07-22T18:23:00

2007-07-23T01:24:14Z

how to get published