Yesterday I mentioned that I loved writing the new Mrs. Plansky novel (coming July 15 and preorderable, and publishers love preorders and writers need publishers). Commenter Linda Price had this to say:
“What factors constitute your loving writing a book? I would imagine you love writing all the C&B books, because I know you’ve said you like writing in Chet’s voice. Just a curious fan.”
Excellent question! And hard to answer! Yes, I love writing in Chet’s voice. When you’re – well, me – making up a story it sometimes takes the wheel and starts making up itself. Like I’m watching it happen as a spectator. I guess that’s what I love. And when writing in Chet’s voice it seems to happen a lot.
Different with Mrs. P. Her stories aren’t written in the first person, but in what I call third person close. Real close! I’ve done a lot of work on that. So sometimes you, the reader, know more about the character than the character does. And a bunch of other unusual effects like that. But Mrs. P is full of surprises and surprises me over and over. So thing is alive!
I hope this helps.
3 Comments on “Reader Question”
Interesting.
Good day to all.
You describe the art of writing and what makes you a true writer very well. I call it a compulsion. You don’t write because you can or you want to. You write because you have to. The same describes composers, musicians, actors, artists, dancers, chefs. Writing is not something you do to make a living, like being a cashier or a plumber. While there are some that really love their jobs, like maybe insurance salespeople or car mechanics, it is not a compulsion and they can stop and go home and enjoy their evenings and weekends free from work.
That is not what happens with artists. I’m sure you have awakened up at night with a great idea and had to jot it down before you could sleep. Beethoven carried a small notebook to jot down melodies that came to him when he was on walks. All Artists carry small journals for sketching.
I am not an Artist. I no longer carry art supplies with me. I rarely used them. I do not have that compulsion to sketch (although I have been known to stop at the side of the road to take reference photos with my phone.)
Today is National Men Make Dinner day and National Bittersweet chocolate with Almonds day. So men, you know what to do. And don’t stop with cooking, make dessert too. It is National Stout day so there’s your beverage.
It is also National Canine Lymphoma Awareness day and Hug a Bear day. A stuffed one, not a real one.
I love that you love to write because I love to read what you have written. Talent plus hard work equals wonderful literature.