about figfield ~

[lookingland]

Last time I’s on a train with my father was the first time. I’s just-turned seven an’ sat like this next to my pa, him in the aisle seat readin’ the news an’ smokin’ his pipe, an’ me at the winder watchin’ the country go to autumn all the way from Birmin’ham to Balmer.

i actually started writing this morning. slow going, but at least it's started.

i think i've been so subconsciously intense about what i need to be working on that i've actually burned myself out on my own ideas. i sort of feel like i've done all the thinking i want to do ~ now i just want to sit back passively and have someone else come in and execute the plan.

so it's good to poke myself forward a little by putting some words down (1,552 for those who count). It's a little all over, but it's getting me back into the voice and making me realize a few things that I hadn't considered before (like just how long it takes to recover from rotted toes after frostbite).

i've started exploring the grim white witch world of margaret fletcher as well. i want her to be a positively glen close-ian character: cold, bitter, duplicitous, and capable of incredible horrors. so far so good.

my only concern is for the dickensian quality of lewis's childhood. when taken as a whole, you wonder how the kid survived long enough to get to the war (in fact the war seems the least of his traumas). but i think that's the point: how easily desensitized someone with a fractured sense of worth becomes in the face of conflict. how easy it is to become sociopathic if you never had a strong foundation for experiencing compassion to begin with (or a confusing one, at best).

"Figfield" will prove to be a pretty dark story. i'm thinking i need something to balance out the darkness, but i'm not sure what. my best bet is prolly to introduce the horse sooner (or as soon as possible) to alleviate some of the ickiness.

i think i need a new name for the horse. unless someone can think of a good reason why i should keep "Fiona". or unless i can somehow justify the choice.

~ * ~

quiet Sunday. i'm sure i have homework to do. i'll think about that tomorrow.

: D

Comments

[bachsoprano.livejournal.com]

Horses are my specialty, so I'll see what I can come up with.

Figfield is on my agenda for later today, between coats of green paint! :)

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

you dunna have to read the Figfield file i posted ~ i mostly put it there to be a sample for other people to see inso far as setting up their thread. it's just a loose treatment sans a lot of details.

Then again, maybe after several coats of green paint it will be the kind of mindlessness you require ~ hahahahahaha.

now that i know you know horses, watch out! i may have a million questions!

: D

[bachsoprano.livejournal.com]

You said it was dark, and I like dark, but I didn't get to it today. Green paint led to strange pewtery colour paint (it's called Cheyenna Rock - I love it) and then blisters....so, tomorrow!

And, yes, please ask questions about horses! Horse inaccuracies in writing is one of my pet peeves. I might know everything, but I have people that I can ask that will! :)

PS I'm shopping for a horse of my own this week....details to come!

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

a horse for reals???

when can i come visit? hahahahaha ~

i will definitely hit you up to eagle-eye my horsie stuff. i am a horse dunce. it's an area of research i've neglected horrendously and now i have to catch up because it's important to my novel.

i look forward to hearing about your horsie!

: D

[bachsoprano.livejournal.com]

Yep! A horse for real! I'm just in the looking stages, but with luck, I'll find one in a month or so (horse shopping is notoriously slow and difficult because horse people tend to be the *worst* liars ever! Well, the ones selling horses, that is...)

You're always welcome to come visit!

[sparowe]

My biggest problem lately is knowing where I'm going, but not wanting to go throught he bits and pieces to get there. But writing the scene by itself is the death of the story, so I don't dare. Meanwhile, ideas are piling up on the back burner, because I don't like to be involved in too many ventures at once.

So today, I'm vidding. Way to procrastinate! ;)

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

whoohoo ~ let's hear it for avoidance!

but i think it's interesting how you feel that scenework is "death" to a story ~ do i understand that right? like writing the scene will sort of kill the muse that would otherwise carry you through the process?

i've always worked in scenes as opposed to working on things as whole creatures (they're just too unwieldy!) ~ but i know other people who have also said that if they fiddle fart and write the fun stuff they aren't inclined to go back and finish it.

do you think that's why it's a problem with you as well?