A small post concerning writing

[pameladean]

This is not a matter of grand theory. I have a cold, which makes me stupid. These are just some notes I wanted to make to myself at this point in the novel under construction.

The voices of the characters from The Dubious Hills are very easy to recapture. The narrative voice would not be, even were I writing about events that occurred before the ending of that book; the addition of the ramifications of that ending makes that narrative voice very tricky and elusive. On the other hand, the narrative voice of The Whim of the Dragon -- or, at least, that part of it told from Ruth's viewpoint -- is very easy to recapture, and a great delight to write. The dialogue, however, is giving me fits: that weird marriage of faux Elizabethan and modern 20th-century English -- yes, 20th-century, since the characters disappear under the hill, as it were, sometime in the late 1980's -- with its shifting qualities depending on who is speaking, whom they are facing, and who they are, internally and externally, at any given moment. I can't actually recall precisely how I did it, but I think there was a fair amount of immersion involved.

It's satisfying at least to have figured out why Chapter 5, which is one of those huge scenes of discussion over dinner, keeps grinding to a halt and stalling out its little engine.

Sitting there pressing the starter (no, I don't drive; why do you ask?) I began to think about larger issues, and most treacherously, the fact that a number of ardent fans of the original books, particularly the trilogy, are probably not going to like some of the things that happen. There's nothing to be done about this, really, so I'd like to stop worrying about it.

I've been reading LJ quite faithfully, but commenting with a wild lack of consistency, lavishing paragraphs on small matters and remaining dumb on large ones.

I don't suppose that's much of a change, really.

But I'm glad you all are out there.

P.

Comments

[raphaela.livejournal.com]

Don't worry. =)

[pameladean]

Who could, while looking at that face?

P.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

We're glad we're out here, too.

K.

[pameladean]

Well, after all, think of the alternative!

P.

[sdorn.livejournal.com]

We're Out Here. Soon, we shall be In There, and where will civilization be then?

Oh, never mind. We're just whistling Out Here.

[sdorn.livejournal.com]

And never mind about the voices and what happens to your characters. It's okay. We can see the autopsy pictures.

You're not nearly as meant to your characters as, say, Octavia Butler is to hers.

[sdorn.livejournal.com]

Mean, I meant to say.

[pameladean]

I knew what you meant, but I suspect the other is true as well. I don't think I am as meant to my characters as Octavia Butler is.

I'm not being mean to them, in any case, just providing events not strictly within the purview of the earlier books.

P.

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

"...a number of ardent fans of the original books, particularly the trilogy, are probably not going to like some of the things that happen." You mean the part where Fence turns out to be the Antichrist?

More seriously: I expect you not to do the kind of thing which annoys me about sequels. (I may not care for the sequel, but that's another matter.) Which amounts to "I've realized the story doesn't matter, so I'll do something more interesting than continuing it."

In Son of Rosemary (sequel to guess what), Ira Levin had Rosemary wake up and realize it had all been a dream. That wasn't the ending; he made a clever recovery. But it wasn't clever enough to keep the book from sinking.

In fantasy and sf, there's the "I once was lost, but now am found/ Was blind but now do see" problem. The writer realizes that the preceding book or books were insufficiently libertarian, feminist, etc. and sets out to remedy the problem by slathering in large doses of The One True Way.

[pameladean]

I expect to be accused of the last thing you mention, actually. I don't feel the earlier books were lacking, merely that they did not have time to get into certain areas. Some people are going to think those areas were not implied. It's a pity.

P.

[ritaxis.livejournal.com]

I trust you. I'm not expecting "reprise of my favorite bits." I'm looking forward to a new story dealing with some familiar characters and settings. Write the story that you're writing.

[thomasyan.livejournal.com]

What she said. Plus, as coffeeandink said, it being a new book from you is more important to me than it being a sequel.

[pameladean]

That is very reassuring.

P.

[pameladean]

Silly reply format. I was talking to ritaxis and thomasyan both. Thank you.

P.

[jinian.livejournal.com]

the fact that a number of ardent fans of the original books, particularly the trilogy, are probably not going to like some of the things that happen

But this is why we trust you. If these things happen we want to know about them! Some people would write a fake sequel, but I think you will tell us what really happens.

[pameladean]

It's good to be trusted, and it's also scary.

I really like the idea that what really happens is the important thing. That's what I'm trying to do, truly, but sometimes it's hard to remember.

P.

[sdn.livejournal.com]

it will be wonderful. i have spoken.

[pameladean]

*bows*

P.

[oursin.livejournal.com]

There's a nice line in Mary Renault's The Mask of Apollo in which Nikeratos comments on a play that's been specifically written for another actor, that it deployed all the tricks that he'd had such success with, 'as if he were a juggler who needed a stool and some balls, rather than an artist needing inspiration' (quoting from memory).

[pameladean]

Oh yes, I remember that bit. Very sobering.

P.

[porcinea.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're there, too.

[pameladean]

That is very good to hear.

I must mail your box, or you may be less glad.

P.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I don't know why it's nice to know why something is hard to do. But it always is, for me.

I'm glad to be out here, too, but one of these days you should be out here. Not out here in my office, probably, but the kitchen and living room are out here-ish.

[pameladean]

I think I know what you mean. It is sometimes the wrong news to learn that something or the other is effortless. You feel it's like fairy gold and somewhere, somebody will pay or be cheated. So learning that something is hard seems better.

P.

[thinkum]

There's nothing to be done about this, really, so I'd like to stop worrying about it.

Go right ahead and stop worrying. If it's not gratuitous (and we trust you that it's not), then it's Fair Game. Books are reflections of Life -- there are unpredictable challenges, difficult twists, and sometimes bad stuff happens to good people. We're defined, in part, by how we roll with the punches, and that's our responsibility, as readers -- not the author's.

[pameladean]

You've put your finger on part of it, I think. That responsibility has a big blurry area in the middle, where whose it is is a real question and the answer shifts. The people I worry about won't take that responsibility where you will. Why worry about them? Because it feels bad to betray love, even if the love is unconsidered.

P.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

I began to think about larger issues, and most treacherously, the fact that a number of ardent fans of the original books, particularly the trilogy, are probably not going to like some of the things that happen.

But if you wrote exactly what those ardent fans wanted (and for all I know I may be one of them), then other ardent fans would be equally disappointed; which is why audiences are both wonderful and dreadful. I want a Sequel less than I want another Book by Pamela Dean; I am not the thirteen year old who first read The Secret Country or the seventeen year old who first read Tam Lin, and I do not love them all the same; I love them all the different, because they grew up, too.

I'm glad you're still in there.

[pameladean]

I don't think you're one of them; in any case your disappointment would be instructive, so I'd be sorry, but it's not the kind I worry about, if that makes any sense.

You've made me think that there was actually an advantage in waiting so long, which is very nice.

P.

[coffeeem.livejournal.com]

Chapter Five! Pat Wrede always said it was Chapter Five, and she was right! The Council Scene, the Dinner Table Discussion, whatever you call it--there it is, sullen and congealing like cream soup, in which either all the characters stare silently at you, or they all clamor for the next line and no rational progression of ideas can be established. Hurrah for Chapter Five being its own dear predictable self!

As for the rest, what everybody said. I'll add that not only can you not expect to have a seamless flow of style from the previous books, I'm not sure you should expect it. Give yourself room to use the growth you've been doing since you wrote those books. I know what you mean, but give yourself some room.

[coffeeem.livejournal.com]

One also assumes that Heathwill Library, given its nature, will have lots of people in it who aren't from Fence's Country. That ought to give you some rest from the dialogue style.

[pameladean]

I mostly want to avoid producing the kind of acute disappointment I experienced in reading Heinlein's The Cat Who Walks Through Walls, which is in part a sequel to The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. The characters from that book had lost all definition and were no longer themselves. It wasn't a matter of viewpoint, it seemed to me, but rather of a loss of focus.

Luckily, there needn't be a seamless flow of style, because the viewpoint characters have changed. But background stuff should remain solid, if only to point up the changes.

P.

[lcohen]

i promise to love you still, even if i don't like what happens.

*hug*

[pameladean]

Aw. I didn't doubt it, but it's nice to hear.

P.

[pyrzqxgl.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday! May you have a wonderful year for writing and everything else!

[chamisa.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday! Hope this new year is happy wonderful for you! :-)

(I was directed here by sdn)& (Also, I love your books.)

[coffeeem.livejournal.com]

Hey, criminy, how are we supposed to wish you a happy birthday in a timely manner if you're not putting up fresh posts where we can hijack the comments section with birthday wishes? That is how it's done, still, right? Well, then.

Um, happy birthday. I'm so very glad you're around.

[coffeeem.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I thought of you when I saw some very striking dragonfly icons here.

[pameladean]

Your wish is my command. (With that icon, it had better be!)

Those are glorious icons. At the moment I like the simpler and more realistic ones, but in another mood the fanciful ones would be just the thing.

P.

[pameladean]

Thanks for the birthday wishes, all, and for all the comments, even if I rushed and missed one.

I contemplated starting a serious discussion of this issue, but I don't think I want to provide so many spoilers. I guess we can revisit it when the book is out. That'll be interesting.

P.