I started my latest novel knowing
the details of the opening scene and the closing chapter, and without a lot of
meat for the middle. This is not an unusual situation for me to be in, being a
died-in-the-wool pantser. I often write by the seat of my well-worn trousers. I
began with the idea of two characters and a slender thread of a plot to get me
through to the end. I thought I knew who was the main character. The one who
the action would center around.
I started writing this epic.
Wouldn’t you know it, the beast
began to change and I was helpless to stop it.
Number two character is now number
one, and the other is in danger of fading away into the background. I must take
immediate action to prevent his disappearance!
Not only that, but other more
interesting minor characters are demanding additional stage presence. They may
be right. People who could only expect a walk-on part are now anticipating
acting in whole chapters.
I hope the project will be better
for the interest the thespians are displaying.
As the author, I sometimes feel
more like the conductor of an unruly orchestra, with everyone demanding a solo.
It gets noisy around here sometimes, at least inside my head.
I suppose I could avoid a situation
like this by calmly plotting out the story in great detail and fixing the
structure in cement before I start. But where would the fun be in that?
I often say I write to discover how
the story ends. In this case, I’m writing to uncover the path they took to get
there, and who is acting as the guide in all this organized confusion.
The director is in serious danger
of losing control of the script!
R.J.Hore
www.ronaldhore.com
www.facebook.com/RonaldJHore
The Dark Lady Trilogy (Volume 1,2,3)
The Queen’s Pawn (Volume 1,2,3)
The Housetrap Chronicles (Volumes 1 to 7 with #8 due out April 4th)
Alex in Wanderland,
Knight’s Bridge
We’re Not in Kansas
Toltec Dawn (Book 1, 2, of 3)
