Wednesday, March 12, 2008

botanical gardens in the freezing cold

I started writing this book a few months ago, it was after a school like fit of inspiration. characters came to life out of nowhere, while i was watching syndicated sitcoms at 7 pm, I couldn't avoid it. so i started writing these pages, and there were two main characters, i didn't know much about exposition, i didn't have a very interesting starting point..but I went ahead with it anyway, it was a very random experience that went to great places rather quickly. I wasn't in control of the characters, but the way things played out, I could feel fairly confident in the direction they were headed. being the author...i developed a respect for the characters, so i didn't want to control with them my literary whims or fears, it's not fun to control things, but it's so nerve wracking. When the characters take a an unexpected turn, and it's a turn which you can't dismiss because as the author, you deeply value the characters and their judgements. you respect what they do, what decisions they make. so, the strange push and pull is that while you feel you have complete control as the author, the characters that have come into the story deserve no manipulation. as a self respecting author, you should have a very lassaiz-faire approach. and you weep through the story you created....and that is so perverse, but at the same time, it's the only respectable thing to do. it's really unfortunate, it makes authors go crazy and eventually they sink into their dramatic depths, it turns into real depression. it's all very over stated and to a person that employs a grind like living (reality), it's pathetic...but it all comes from a respect for art, so silly. am i making sense? as fortunate as this is, it could end up being equally unfortunate, and that is generally common, and it applies to many things in life, so, what's the difference this time? The difference is that I care about it. the main character is a drag, but the protagonist is a valuable (beautiful and sensible, sober and realistic) one, just not a sucker. just come back in summer, it's warmer then.

3 Comments:

Blogger rachel said...

i want to read it! :)

10:53 PM

 
Blogger AJ said...

very exciting...looking forward to your first book signing, zach! :)

"I am convinced more and more day by day that fine writing is next to fine doing, the top thing in the world." (Keats, 1819)

12:59 PM

 
Blogger Melanie said...

I am anxious to see where the characters lead you. Hopefully it will be somewhere good. :) I'm anxious to see it sometime. You express yourself in writing quite well.

3:40 AM

 

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