Skip to main content

Day 7: Writing a Novel—The Deep Blue Hold

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2016
Note: Unedited writings from my notebook for this novel. Square bracket items represent added comments.

At 14:51—Office
... one needs the discipline to get things done and hence the first things first motto...
T
ime to work on my novel. Feeling some dread and trepidation. Not what I want to be feeling. Ugh and double ugh. It’s doubt about the story. Doubts that I can do it. Doubts that people will read it. And so on. All the usual things. Doubts that I should be even doing this.
At 16:12
Sidetracked with a crossword and listening to a podcast. I think it’s my attempt at self sabotage. Certainly not a way to get this novel written. It doesn’t help that I can’t see Chp. 4. I don’t see the scene. I need to see the scene and I’m wondering where the hook is to start it. Lots of questions about this chapter… I could just start at some point and go to the end point, see what happens. That’s what I often do. But it doesn’t feel right. Something is missing.
[In the scene.] It’s morning. We’re on the ship. The focus is on the girl—nope I meant to write the Captain. Trying to think through the scene and I’m struggling. It’s pissing me off. Maybe I’m trying to force something that wasn’t there.
I had an image of the captain on a rampage. Storming through the ship to get something he wants. But it might be too soon. What if I write it from her POV. Hmmm. And where on the ship in this place where they keep the women. It has to be hidden. I know. They store diesel on board to power the engines. They have used one of the tanks. That’s possible. Or as I said, they use a series of containers that never leave the ship. It’s like a connection of different cottages. It might seem too obvious but…
[It turns out I allowed myself to get caught up in something tangentially related and didn’t get much done. This is where one needs the discipline to get things done and hence the first things first motto.]

James Piper
Kitchener, Ontario
Post comments on facebook page.
Follow me on twitter.
Posted 2017/03/31 at 18h11ET in The Deep Blue Hold | Writing A Novel

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CRA & E-Filing

Tuesday, March 6, 2007 ... Online Tax Services Suspended by CRA ... I received an email press release from the Canada Revenue Agency late on Tuesday stating they were shutting down the computer that processed e-filed personal tax returns. For many tax preparers the announcement means they will have to file paper returns or wait for the system to come back on, but it could be a long wait. Until we can announce a business recovery date, the Agency will provide daily updates to the media on the steps we are taking. On the surface, e-filing a return makes sense because it is more efficient, but at present it only makes sense for simple returns. If you file a return beyond a T4 and an RRSP deduction, you can expect follow-up letters requesting original receipts. For accountants, this hassle means additional time—time that usually can't be recovered. As result, many accountants file paper returns for their benefit. What is required is a system that allows the recei...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Crusades (1935)

Sunday, March 29, 2009 The Crusades. Feature film. (1935, 125 mins) IMDB ... a Hollywood romance with swords thrown in ... T he title is extremely misleading. The film is not about the crusades but a love story set in the midst of a crusade led by King Richard. Richard never spoke English and barely even lived on the British isles. He was a Norman who spoke French, but you wouldn't know that from this film. The filmmakers also want you to believe the King would have been caught up in something as trivial as love. Not a chance. Marriage wasn't about love. It was about matters of state, about power, and with that power, wealth. A true-to-history film about King Richard and the Crusades would lack romance and therefore wouldn't appeal to a broad audience. What we have in this film is nothing more than a love story. Richard is betrothed to Alice, the sister of King Philip of France. He doesn't want to marry her. He decides to go on the crusad...
Post a Comment
Read more

If Only We Could Agree

Monday, June 11, 2012 ... have you been accused of misspelling a word you know is correct ... S usanne O’Leary wrote an interesting article on her experience with the variations of the English language in different countries. You know the obvious ones like colour with or without a “u” but less obvious ones like travelled versus traveled. Growing up in Sweden she learnt English in school—the UK variation. In publishing her books, she read reviews where she was criticized for improper spelling. False accusations as it turns out. While I write tire and cozy, it’s not incorrect to write tyre or cosy. Same language. Both accepted. Just different. You can read her write-up here along with the numerous comments posted by readers. I found it interesting, but that’s me. As a Canadian I deal with this issue everyday. I feel her pain when she’s criticized for something based on ignorance. No fun. I was told by a boss that “data are” isn’t correct. It should be “data is.” Read...
2 comments
Read more