Dithering…

Posted on Oct 16, 2015 by TanGental

For a few days now, while I’ve been away with friends, one writing topic has been bugging me.

Nano 2015.

You know, National Novel Writing Month where you spend November in a  frizz of anxiety and anticipation, trying to churn out 1667 words a day to write a 50,000 word novel in a month.

I’ve done it twice now and boy do you get a lump of prose out of the machine. I’m not a strict Nanoist so I’m happy to bend the rules but even so the basic premise stands: 50k words in November.

My dilemma? Two fold:

  1. do I do it at all?
  2. if so, what story do I write?

1 sort of follows 2. If I’m inspired I’ll do it. That’s where you may be able to help dear readers. I’m considering 4 possibilities and wonder what you think.

  1. imageIn 2013 I wrote the Miracle on Sydenham Hill, mostly for my kids for Christmas. I used Lulu.com to create six POD versions. This is the synopsis. James Spirit has felt odd since his 14th birthday in October. Now, in the run up to Christmas, with the rain teeming down and South London miserable, he has a feeling something is about to happen. Why is his grandma fixated with her new telescope? What is it about the Romanian women selling the Big Issue near his local railway station that troubles him? Why is his mother acting erratically? And what is going on in the disused railway tunnel under Sydenham Hill that is drawing him there and are there really bats guiding him? With the help of his cousins Liam and Beth and his loyal dog Nightmare he needs to find out.  Nano Option one is a sequel. In it we follow James as he hunts out the mysterious past of his grandma. What is in the box left by the strange uncle who appears for her funeral and disappears soon after. How does this tie into the Crystal Palace that was built on Sydenham Hill in 1851 and its destruction in 1931 in an unexplained fire? Tracing links to the mountains of Romania and the sphinx in Egypt, the deep buried past is now rising to the surface.
  2. In 2014 I followed up my first published novel Dead Flies and Sherry Trifle with a sequel. The time is now 1981 and Harry Spittle is about to qualify as a solicitor. His life is the usual mix of the hopeful and the hapless but at the outset his love life is crumbling yet again. Then he receives an unexpected visit from an old friend with a request.  As Harry sets out to try and help his friend while he recaptures Penny’s love and deals with his sexually voracious sister, he finds himself in a web of intrigue that sets him once again on a  collision course with his nemesis Claude McNoble. Can Harry save the day and emerge in one piece with his career intact.   I never quite finished this first draft but there isn’t enough left to justify a Nano. However only today I read this great post from Jo Robinson on series and the benefits of writing not only the next book but the next but one book at the same time. So should I go on to book three? In this we are now in 1990 and Harry is up for partnership. He has a new rival both for the post of partner and the love of Penny. The trouble is he really likes Jolyon and owes his a rather large debt. Honour and ego look set to clash as the recession bites both nationally and individually. And re emerging into his life is Natalie who appears to have eyes only for Harry. Perhaps it is time to move on?
  3. imageIn 2006 I wrote my first book, a buddy story with a nasty twist. Three old friends, Chris, Martin and Peter get together in the aftermath of the death of Chris’ wife, Diane. To try and get him away from his misery his two friends persuade him to undertake a walk which they had talked about many years before. As the walk progresses we learn about the secrets that have lain buried and which Diane’s death now disturbs with unexpected and disturbing ramifications. I know the essential story is sound but the writing itself, now some 6 years old, is woeful. Perhaps I should start again and rewrite An Allergy to Friendship from memory?
  4. None of the above. Maybe I should do something completely new. I’ve always wanted to fictionalise some of my relatives stories into something of a twentieth century epic. It’s 1916 and former cavalry officer, now Major Gerald Le Page of the Northampton Light Infantry Regiment is trapped in a  shell hole with one of his men, Private Leon Silverson. A Royal Flying Corps plane takes a hit and crashes close by. The two infantry soldiers manage to rescue the badly injured pilot who is barely alive. In so doing Le Page is injured by a  sniper so he stays behind, keeping the pilot going while Silverson goes for help. When helps comes it is not because of Silverson who is to be courtmartialled for apparent desertion. He is pardoned but rather than being grateful resents the (in his eyes) patronising attitude of Le Page. After the war the three men return to their separate lives but their paths continue to cross during the twenties and thirties: Le Page’s business fails in the recession and he is helped by the pilot which he in turns resents. Le Page suspects Silverson’s family to be behind his fall from grace. Each man has a child who’s fortunes and futures are inextricably linked by their fathers’ experiences and which come to a conclusion in the dust and dirt of the confusion of the British Protectorate in Palestine in the lead up to Partition and the creation of Israel in 1948.

Go on, which is it to be? I can’t promise to do what you suggest but I can promise to do something.

About TanGental

My name is Geoff Le Pard. Once I was a lawyer; now I am a writer. I've published several books: a four book series following Harry Spittle as he grows from hapless student to hapless partner in a London law firm; four others in different genres; a book of poetry; four anthologies of short fiction; and a memoir of my mother. I have several more in the pipeline. I have been blogging regularly since 2014, on topic as diverse as: poetry based on famous poems; memories from my life; my garden; my dog; a whole variety of short fiction; my attempts at baking and food; travel and the consequent disasters; theatre, film and book reviews; and the occasional thought piece. Mostly it is whatever takes my fancy. I avoid politics, mostly, and religion, always. I don't mean to upset anyone but if I do, well, sorry and I suggest you go elsewhere. These are my thoughts and no one else is to blame. If you want to nab anything I post, please acknowledge where it came from.
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27 Responses to Dithering…

  1. willowdot21 says:
    Oct 16, 2015 at 1:59 pm

    OMG, Geoff what a question they all sound interesting and my interest was pique by all of them ….. I rather like the last one though! There’s an awful lot of resentment and suspected patronizing going on and I love a story that descends generations. I wish you good luck!!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Ali Isaac says:
    Oct 16, 2015 at 3:09 pm

    Personally, I would love to see the sequel to Miracle on Sydenham St. Certainly from my own experience I would say dont publish a series till you have them all written, and Nano might help bring you closer to that. But, its also a good opportunity to write something completely new, which might languish otherwise whilst you have so many other projects on the go.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. jan says:
    Oct 16, 2015 at 6:21 pm

    You have to go with your gut! They all sound like intriguing ideas but sometimes it’s better to start something new with no expectations – know what I mean? Best of luck no matter what you decide!

    Like

  4. Charli Mills says:
    Oct 17, 2015 at 12:00 am

    Argh! You’ve been reading my mind — to NaNo or not to NaNo. I love the sheer drafting pleasure of November. But with three wins and no published manuscripts, I need to be revising Rock Creek into a readable draft for betas. Do I use NaNoWriMo to do that (is it “cheating” to revise)? Or…I thought about writing a novella, something “quick & easy” that could be a “freebie” to get people to sign up for that e-newsletter I’ve been wanting to start. Or, do I use it in collaboration with Rough Writers to finish our first anthology? Or something new for me to agonize over developing later? Oh, but wait…you wanted answers not more questions!

    Okay. So strategically, I think you should follow up on any series that you have cooking. Or you can develop a novella idea for that email newsletter you and I need to start (I mean you your own, and me my own). E-newsletters are the best way to wrangle your readers and find more target readers…yeah, that other stuff we have to do in between writing. 🙂 Anyhow, I’ll continue to agonize on my own until I come up with a plan…dithering…great word! Thanks for letting me dither all over your post. I feel like I drooled on your kitchen table.

    Liked by 2 people

  5. Graeme Cumming says:
    Oct 17, 2015 at 8:19 am

    Having really enjoyed Dead Flies, for purely selfish reasons I’d like to see how that story line all pans out.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. derrickjknight says:
    Oct 17, 2015 at 8:46 am

    Torn between Sydenham Hill and Major Le Page; I opt for the former. It offers a touch of magic

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Yvonne says:
    Oct 17, 2015 at 12:37 pm

    Well, whatever you decide to do Geoff, I feel sure you will complete Nano, and enjoy yourself while you do. I’ve done it three times, and the first 2 times found it helpful with focusing but the last time trying to reach the word count became a hindrance rather than help, so I stopped. I’ve recently adopted a way of aiming to write for a set time rather than a number of words, and for a slow-coach like me that works better.
    As for what story you should work on – only you really know the answer to that so go with your gut intuition.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Sacha Black says:
    Oct 17, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    Try something new….. Although. Bashing out sequels is also kind of useful….! Helpful aren’t I!?

    Liked by 1 person

    • TanGental says:
      Oct 17, 2015 at 10:29 pm

      Yes, if course you are, plus wise and funny. It all helps.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Sacha Black says:
        Oct 18, 2015 at 7:24 am

        Oh stop! I am actually torn, I think my gut says write the 20th century piece, you have done the other genres and you write so fast I am not sure it matters about the series. I think…. I would go for the 20th century one, followed by one of the series!

        Like

  9. Autism Mom says:
    Oct 17, 2015 at 5:43 pm

    My vote is for Sydenham Hill – regardless, if you choose to do this I will be sending you good thoughts for creativity, energy and living in “the zone.” 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  10. rogershipp says:
    Oct 21, 2015 at 12:11 am

    Follow your heart….. Don’t you love it when people give you seemingly useless advice and then smile? (By the way… I’m smiling.)

    Liked by 1 person

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