Writing Update

[pameladean]

It's been, I think, two weeks since I wrote anything using the computer. My office is in an advanced state of, well, practically decomposition, in truth, though I was going to say chaos. Though I did not do so in conscious reaction against this mess, I have in fact resurrected a practice that I first fell into with Pat Wrede, back when we both had day jobs in downtown Minneapolis; and later used successfully with Raphael. Pat and I (who were sometimes joined, I recall, by Will and Emma) called it a writing lunch; Raphael and I called it a writing hour, though it often went longer. I suggested it to Eric, calling it a writing date; and when I reminded Raphael of what we used to do, received the suggestion that since we both had work we were avoiding that could be done in company, the two of us might try having a working hour or date as well.

The idea is that, for the time determined on, one does nothing but work or attempt to work on whatever one has brought to deal with. I remember contemplating bringing my taxes to a writing lunch, but I knew I'd get a withering commentary from Pat. Mostly what I've done in all these sessions is writing.

The result of this for me, this time around, is a total of about 2500 words, which I have still not typed in. However, I've just succumbed to the forecast, which says 88 degrees as the high today, and turned on my office air conditioner. Climatic comfort obviates a certain degree of the effect of chaos, so this might work.

I am especially pleased that during the last session with Eric, which, I am smug to relate, occurred on a Sunday morning after coffee but before breakfast, I finally got the two main characters whom I have not used before onto the page. I wasn't planning to have them be viewpoint characters, but they are going to be. I quite like them. I'm a little worried about the structure of the book, with so many points of view. I know it's a solved problem for many another writer, but I haven't solved it yet.

Pamela

Comments

multiple points of view

[(Anonymous)]

I think that one gets solved for those characters, that one time, rather than in the general case.

But what do I know? I'm trying to write in tight third, and it's driving me crazy.

Re: multiple points of view

[pameladean]

I think you're right that the problem of multiple viewpoints gets solved on a book-by-book basis, but there are a few principles involved, I suspect.

I find tight third all too easy, I'm afraid.

Pamela

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Do you do these hours at home, or in some neutral ground (like a coffee house)? When I was particularly stuck with my book, I found that a coffee house was free of home distractions.

I expect this kind of thing is why I do some of my best work on airplanes.

B

[pameladean]

Pat (and sometimes Will and Emma) and I would do the sessions in restaurants, since Pat and I had only a lunch hour. Raphael and I did them in zir apartment, and now at home, but not in the places where we usually do our work. Eric and I have so far done them at his place. So I'm getting the benefit of being elsewhere most of the time. The only real distraction in my bedroom is the cats.

I usually find the preparation time for going to a coffee-house so distracting that working there is difficult. When I had a day job, I had to go have lunch anyway, and where I went was habitual, so the problem wasn't the same. I really, really like working from home. Leaving the house is a big deal. I'd leave it to go to Raphael's, when we didn't live in the same house, and now to go to Eric's, regardless of whether I planned to write, and that makes a difference.

Pamela