Decisions
It is crazy how the new week rolls round and I am back at my desk with a hangover, trying to draw up my battle plan for the week ahead. Which to be fair is quite easy, back on the treadmill of research, letter writing and posting. This week if all goes to plan I will move onto the ‘c’ section of the agents list- gripping.
However, while all this is going on, I have still been working hard on my next project. I have written nearly 20, 000 words and the manuscript is getting to the stage where half of a rough outline has emerged. This is always the toughest part, setting it all up- now I have the rather joyous task of watching it all tumble down to its conclusion. Having learnt from last time the ending (or endings) are already in place, I just have to hope it all matches up….
But before that pleasant writing, I am going to revise what I have done so far, to try and make it more cohesive. That means settling on the first major decision- the tense. Currently I am torn between three different approaches:
1. First person present- writing as if it is just happening. It is quite exciting and if it could be sustained fairly innovative. Have always fancied doing a Blair Witch style work where everything from the cover, blurb to the introduction is all part of the fiction….but is very hard to do. More ‘I’’s in a sentence than on a hydria’s head!!!
2. First person past- Alleviates the problems above, but then you do need to sort of justify it. I.e. in Catcher in the Rye when you know he is speaking from his sanatorium. Not sure if that bookending approach is a bit twee- been done to many times….
3. First person past (omnipotent)- Similar to above but with more ‘comments of Gods’ so to speak, to inject some foreboding into proceedings. Fear it might be too artificial. Also might mean the flash backs are not really distinguishable from the rest of the text which would ruin everything
I hate first person, next time I am reverting to third!
