Martine
I notice that you are a rather parsimonious poster. If it's in your nature to be a woman of few words, are you sure this is the challenge for you? I can talk forever so am thinking of dictating the novel then transcribing it, sort of a la Barbara Cartland without the exaggerated dress, hair or accent (though I fancy lazing on the couch while someone else is at the keyboard). Perhaps you have hidden your talents until now - there is a tide in the affairs of men etc. Anyway, if you need a buddy be sure to get in touch. It's exciting isn't it?
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
from Wild Geese
Mary Oliver
Parsimonious is good. Brokeback Mountain/Great Gatsby/Chesil Beach.
We must be in the same part of the world. My clocks changed last week.
All the more reason for us to buddy-up.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
from Wild Geese
Mary Oliver
They were supposed to change the clocks here, too... but then opted to wait 1 or 2 weeks to do it!?! I mean what is that all about? Bad enough that they change it at all... and you get up in the dark, go to work in the dark, and come home in the dark. I just saw a link for an article about how the body never DOES adjust... so, that would mean what[?] for not just changing it, but then changing it later than they usually do... so whatever my body memory was from last year is moot still another measure. It makes winter season that much longer, even though it's not all that long here; it's still too much darkness.
Any idea what you're going to write on, yet? How about a 50,000-word novel about the author who insisted on keeping things brief.
~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken." ~ Oscar Wilde
Hi Martine and damellon
It's 6 am here and I am raring to go. I worked my socks off yesterday to clear today’s schedule, stayed away from the alcohol and got an early night so I feel ready.
Like you D, I have very little to start with (going to making my way to that door in the dark) but a vague character and a back up idea for a structure until a plot comes along.
Thanks for the advice Ydc and Martine. damellon, if you're setting those 'classics' as your benchmark already, oh dear, I will be happy with intelligible sentences.
It’s nice to have company. I am looking at the time I plan to spend on this as a sort of holiday from my life. Better get to it.
BM 'the writer'
the art of longing’s over and it’s never coming back
1980 -- Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
1985 -- State Theatre, Melbourne
2008 -- Hamilton, Toronto, Cardiff
2009 -- Rochford Winery, Yarra Valley
2010 -- Melbourne
2013 -- Melbourne, The Hill Winery, Geelong, Auckland
Well done, Blonde Madonna - congratulations on being the first off the blocks.
Martine and I will be forever 11 hours behind you.
I'm not setting the bar with mention of those novels. They may comfort us when we feel overwhelmed at the prospect of 50,000 words. Like now.
I too have been making my small preparations. The phone by my desk is silenced.
The waste basket is empty and open mouthed. I anticipate a day of false starts.
Come in Martine - are you limbering up? How's the itch? Don't scratch it till midnight!
Looks like none of the menfolk are up to it!
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
from Wild Geese
Mary Oliver
HI Lizzy
The buddy up thing is just a support system. I hadn't thought of a joint writing venture. Maybe if all else fails, Martine and I could join forces. We could be like Somerville & Ross, two Anglo Irish writers, Edith Somerville and Violet Martin (who also wrote under the name Martin Ross) quite well known here for the TV series 'The Irish RM'.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
from Wild Geese
Mary Oliver
Martine
Just do it in Word - that'll suffice for the moment. Don't forget to do your word count.
By the end of the month we may be like the 3 women in Robert Altman's 1977 masterpiece of the same name.
It tells the story of three women whose identities blur, shift and merge until finally, in an enigmatic last scene, they have formed a family, or perhaps have become one person. What do you think?
Only the desperate defend themselves against a charge of desperation.
Are you ready?
Get Set!
GO
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
from Wild Geese
Mary Oliver
Far out! I've been away for a few days & look what's going down with you guys!
damellon wrote: I have no plot, no characters, no geographical setting, no dialogue, no idea when it's set......is this a realistic ambition?
I think it is if you don't get too hung up on those "minor technicallities" long enough to let them beat you. If nothing comes to you by day 1, & all else fails, just create someone out of thin air, & out of that same thin air have him or her do something (like walk across the street), & still out of that same thin air have something or someone happen to him or her (anything at all!), & then just let the cow chips fall as they fall. In thirty days I think it is unrealistic to expect something seriously good & polished, but not unreasonable that you can put together a combination of 50,000 words that has never been put together in the combination you will use....
Of course a minor disclaimer to everything I just typed, I should not be used as a barometer for anything.
!
