My daughter and I created a character – yet another character who has yet to have a story, called Mike Scott. It all arose from us trying to guess the name of someone in the pub.
From that I began to imagine who our character might be; I thought first of all he might be an investigative journalist, a little like Tintin or Tim Messenger in Hot Fuzz. However as I began to put my mind to writing his story I realised I didn’t know enough about being a journalist or what he might do working for a newspaper, magazine or on-line news site… I don’t know any journalists either, and you know the old saying ‘write what you know‘!
Could Mike Scott be a teacher? I don’t think he really has the character for that… you see I’ve already began to see what sort of person he is, what sort of character he has. I mention teacher because I was a teacher… Could he be a writer? Maybe he’s come into some money and has taken a year off to write a novel? Maybe he has ambition to be the next Raymond Chandler – I think he likes that old clichéed hard-bitten private eye, even though he is totally unsuited to be one himself..
I wonder if I should set his story at a different time? I can imagine him going everywhere on a bike, putting on and taking off his bicycle clips, checking the batteries in his lights, stowing stuff away in his saddle bag. I can imagine him wanting to smoke because he thinks it looks cool but because he has asthma he never lights the cigarette although he plays with his box of Swan Vesta matches…
Mike Scott seems to be sitting in a pub which closes at half-past ten, and ten on a Sunday… maybe he’s trying to write his best seller in the 1950’s or 60’s…
I’m beginning to have a plan!
One thing I must remember – not to overwrite! Any novel about Mike Scott should be about 80,00 words max!!
Literally, watch this space!
Lois Elsden 