That’s how my work day has been going.
How has yours been?
Hopefully considerably speedier than mine.
My two hundred and fifty words on Book Two of “The Lion & the
Steed” series couldn’t have come much slower if I had chiseled each letter out
in stone.
I got them done and I’m actually fairly satisfied with them but… did I
mention it took FOREVER?
Oh, yeah. I guess I did.
Moving on, then.
*smiles tiredly*
Confession time. I have this ‘thing’ with poetic license. You know, the
idea that a writer can fib the facts to better tell a story?
Yeah, well, this ‘thing’ I have about it is, uh, guilt.
I feel stupidly guilty changing even the most mundane facts about a
location or a person to suit my silly old needs. And when I say mundane, I mean
mundane. Let’s go to an example.
I’ve spent the day researching a foreign city where the bulk of Book
Two is going to be taking place in. I wanted to get all the describers of the
city down, making sure they shine with authenticity and flavor. I always want my
readers to be able to visualize the locale in their heads. The sights, the sounds,
the smells, the feel of the air on your skin should all be there in a select
few of my words. So, yeah, I think it’s
real important to my story. I want to get it right.
So, today I found out that my city has a 16th century
watchtower. One source tells me it’s at the foot of a mountain. Another source
says it’s on the coast. While geographically both can’t be actually true, I
made them true.
PLOP!
Down I sat that stinking watchtower on a rocky outcropping at the base
of a sea cliff.
Totally conjecture on my part.
Complete poetic license.
A “fact” that plays no part
whatsoever in my story except to exude atmosphere.
And how long did I spend deciding if I could move the freaking
watchtower? A whole hour. Did you hear me? A WHOLE HOUR!
And now, with the deed done how do I feel?
Guilty.
????
I feel guilty for not being true to a place I’m pushing my
fictionalized characters onto.
????
Yeah, sometimes I think my whole life is a string of question marks.
Until tomorrow…
Chloe
No comments:
Post a Comment