It’s our writing group on Thursday and I’ve been mulling over what I’m going to write. The topic is to think of the ending of a well known story and write what happened next. As ever I’m really looking forward to see what the others write because I know they will have interesting and unusual ideas – as well as choosing an unexpected subject. I am also puzzling over what to write myself – such clever writers in the group it’s always a challenge to write something original.
I remember when I first started writing properly – when I gave up the day job and could spend my time doing what I’d always wanted to do, I wrote a couple of novels which have never been published. The reason is, they weren’t very good, derivative and corny, and I was trying (without realising it) to find my own voice. There was one when the main characters went through a terrible ordeal and then realised they loved each other – yes I know, so corny, so trite, so embarrassing! Luckily I realised that, and they never went further than sitting in a file on my computer.
I began to wonder about two new characters… supposing the starting point of the story was in the aftermath of something traumatic which had happened to them. How would they cope, how would they move forward, how would they deal with life after horror? That would be the story, and I began to have some ideas for two stories – one was a woman whose husband had died but his death revealed a shocking secret he had hidden from her. ‘Farholm’ is the story of how Deke tried to find out why he had lied to her, and whether he had any other secrets which he had concealed (obviously he had!) In ‘Flipside’ a woman’s new love is trying to deal with a trauma in his past, but could her relationship with him be putting her in danger (obviously yes!)
This hasn’t helped me think of the next chapter after the end of a well-known story, novel, true-life drama, so I will have to think about this some more. However, I only have until Thursday morning!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/FLIPSIDE-LOIS-ELSDEN/dp/B08PX9N9N9/
https://www.amazon.co.uk/FARHOLM-Lois-Elsden/dp/B08M2FXYKP
Lois Elsden 