You may be fed up with me wittering on about my lack of impetus to write. Well, I am fed up too, and I have resolved to witter no more – I guess I was doing it so I could at least console myself that words were being written by me, even though there was not much that was new or intersting, or with any potential.
So, I have been trying a different strategy, and early days though it is, progress is being made. I’ve mentioned many times that when I finish a book, the characters continue their lives, hidden from public view, in my head. It is a way of me unwinding from them, detaching myself from their problems and dilemmas, and leaving them to make their own fictional futures, unknown even to me. I’ve also mentioned, that despite this resolve, one character has remained stubborn, and refuses to have his story consigned to a back burner.
Because I’ve been struggling to write, I have let this character have his way, and I’ve followed him in a half-hearted fashion, just to keep my writing hand in. Over the last few days, something has emerged and it seems as if these scribblings might really be the start of something new. If this actually becomes something, then I will have the dilemma of whether to fashion him into a completely new person with a different backstory, or whether to have it as a sequel to the book where he originally appeared.
Here is a small episode:
The sun had gone in and there was more than a hint of autumn in the air when Rudi had stopped for petrol. His anxiety ebbed and flowed but it was only about the immediate future, supposing she wasn’t there, or supposing she was and as he got out of the car she suddenly realised that…
He had bought a bottle of water and wrestling to open it managed to spill half of it down his jeans.
He wasn’t used to being like this, feeling like this. He turned off the main road, following signs for the village and unexpectedly there was the pub, four square, white, the large red sign above the wide front door The Golden Lion.
There was a bench on one side and she was there, sitting there, waiting for him, and as he pulled on the break she stood up and smiled.
Steph was collecting glasses and happened to glance out of the window as the small black car pulled up. It had been empty when he left, now it was crammed with stuff, but Steph was more interested in the big man. He got out unsmiling and Mrs Kane went to him – Steph could tell she had wanted to run, fling herself at him, but she walked, and they embraced and she clung to him. He seemed expressionless but as he wrapped his arms around her he closed his eyes and she could see he was almost overcome with joy… and relief.
Hmm, intriguing, Steph thought. She grabbed a handful of glasses and went back to the bar to be ready when the couple came in.
“I could murder a pint,” Mr Kane said.
If this is to continue, there needs to be some action, it can’t just be the interminable details of a new and unexpected relationship. Something needs to happen outside of the two main characters – something gripping,, something unexpected, something… something… And maybe they will change their names and only the essence of their history will be noted, the main story to be about… I’d better start thinking about what!!
Lois Elsden 