Update on Torril City

WED, OCT 07, 2020 - 9:01am


Not that it matters, but it was satisfying to see that I'd cracked 60,000 words in my first draft of Torril City, yesterday. For those of you who like page-counts, Pages also says that 100 pages. Huh.

Honestly, I've always been confused at why 'page-count' is a thing, though. I mean, it's the one aspect of a book that's completely meaningless, seeing as every single book has a different combination of typography, page-size and layout... One might as well ask, "what's the spine-width of your book?" But I suppose page-count sounds nice.

Anyway, that's where we're at. I am absolutely loving writing this draft and compared to Siltari, it's been a breath of crushed gelsi-root — but I have another post about the process coming, so I'll end this one here.

Peace!



All blocked up

SAT, OCT 03, 2020 - 8:22am


Maybe I'm just lucky, but I've never really had a problem with writer's block.

Whoa, whoa! Hold on, there, before you grab that pitchfork — that's not to say I don't get stuck while decision-making or finding resolutions. Sure I do. But that dastardly spectre people call "writer's block", where one sits in one's chair for hours, weeks, months, then pulls one's hair out because that perfect solution simply cannot be found? Thankfully, not yet.

At this point, I'm actually starting to think it's a myth designed to scare off novice writers, because what people describe as "writer's block" seems to me an exaggeration of a natural facet of the writing process: problem solving.

Every writer shoots around the core of a scene only to miss the mark, now and then. Every one of us has become stuck trying to resolve a scene or character arc in a satisfying way. The problem isn't that we can't find a solution, but perhaps that we're not handling that problem with the right mindset.

That said, there are occasions when frustration sets in, as I think a recent tweet of mine demonstrated nicely:


It happens!

But one way I tackle 'stuck' situations is pretty common, I think; I attack it with as many alternative ideas as possible. So, say we need a scene were the murderer needs to vanish from a crime scene quickly. Well, he could climb out the window. Shimmey up the chimney. Squeeze behind a bookshelf. Crawl under armchair. Find trapdoor under rug or crawl into ventilation system. Etcetera.

Most of these will be pure pfaddle and a bunch of freshly picked cliché. But now at least there's some turned soil to grow some fun ideas from.

So, what if it's a windy day, and the criminal cracks the window behind the curtains to make the fabric ripple. He hides behind the door until the protagonist enters, then slips out behind him, undetected? Some misdirection is always nice.

And even if I settle for an idea that isn't some-new-kind-of-genius, the way the scene is written can always make that mundane solution entertaining.

So, if you get stuck, have faith that you'll solve it and don't self-diagnose your problem with the fabled block too quickly. It only makes for unnecessary frustration.

Writing is problem solving, and you will figure it out. Best of luck!



So, What have we learned?

WED, SEP 30, 2020 - 7:32pm


Learning is odd. I feel it’s one of the only facets of the human experience which continuously gets more rewarding, for there is no law of diminishing returns, there. The more you learn, the more you wish to know. On it goes.

And after more than a decade of plotsing, screwing-up, re-writing, and learning, what a feeling it was to finally press ‘Save’ and leave my first manuscript behind for a new adventure.

The Binding of Siltari was a journey that was both long and frustrating for me, but absolutely thrilling and satisfying, as well. I can’t explain exactly what I learned along the path to 170,000 words. It’s one of those unquantifiable things. But what I can say with confidence, is that my writing is unrecognisable from what it was when I started in 2008. And not just my writing. I feel I’m a completely different person, too.

One of the most important things I learned, however, is the art of planning.

I no longer dive in to writing with just a vague idea in mind. I no longer throw characters in without knowing who they are. I no longer write scenes by following a feeling. (I’m also no longer able to read a book, or watch a film, without constantly trying to pick apart the mechanics of it. But that’s a post for another day...).

Another concept which taught me a lot was that of restriction. Siltari was an incredibly difficult story to write because I limited myself in so many ways with the setting and idea. It’s a very introspective story of a character in (what could have been) a very claustrophobic environment. But this forced me to really do a deep think about how to make it interesting and keep it moving; to explore every possible avenue and turn what is (for the protagonist) a horrible, unpleasant situation engaging and enjoyable for the reader.

I'll let my readers tell me if I had success, there. But now that I’ve embarked on my second novel, The Torril City Mysterion, all these things are paying off in a great big way. What I learned in Siltari has allowed me to plan a story which is so much smoother to write, and I can’t wait to share the progress with you all.



Welcome back, kid

TUES, SEP 22, 2020 - 12:38pm


Welcome to jimzip.com, my online home for almost fifteen years. It's undergone a lot of changes in that time, but I think now it will be easier than ever for people to get to know me and my work.

Here's where you'll find my musings about tunics, the world of fantasy books, movies and authors, and about my journey as an author, as well.

Enjoy.

@James_McLeod_


Wondering where the old site went? Ah! Here it is.

© 2020 JAMES McLEOD