Some weeks seem empty of designated doings – I always fill my days, the usual domestic stuff (as little as possible) writing here, working on my current book, catching up with friends, going to town for something or nothing except a drift around, going on a trip, appointments, but some days seem to vanish – and later I think ‘what the heck did I do? Did I do anything? Did I do nothing? Was I tele-transported to another world, and my memory wiped on my return?‘
I think yesterday was like that, apart from some ordinary household chores which I presume I did, and apart from a couple of programmes I know I watched on TV and the blog I wrote here about a childhood friend, and further editing of my next novel, what did I do? What did I do?
I wonder if the reason I don’t always remember the ordinary is because when I’m doing something familiar and tedious, hoovering, washing-up, ironing while watching daytime TV – which is usually repeats, sporadic cleaning, etc. – in my head I am somewhere else. Somewhere else can be my current novel, going over scenes and conversations, thinking about characters and their emotions and motivations, thinking about scenery and location (I don’t think I’m very hot on that). However, usually somewhere else is another thread – about the lives of characters in finished stories, because after the final page, quite often those characters live on in my head and more things happen to them, and they go to other places and do other things.
I know I have mentioned this before, especially when the characters become different people and their new story becomes the new story I’m writing. Quite often my stories end with some action which I hope is exciting and gripping, and then there is the conclusion which I work at really hard to make satisfactory, and not necessarily happy ever after. I won’t reveal which book, but in one of my stories, after all the action, two characters began a new life together in my head – well, obviously in a story in my head, I’m not completely bonkers! They are renovating an old house when they are not working at their day jobs, and are delighted to learn that they will be parents to twins in six or seven months time. In the actual book I’ve written, there are family members mentioned, but in my imaginary book, my couple decided to visit these people – which they do with happy results. There’s another branch of the family in another part of the country, and here the relationship is not so positive. However, my couple decide they should try to build bridges, and try and mend the rift, so they set off on another road trip to face this more difficult situation. They have now arrived, are staying in a hotel (which has very happy associations for them) getting ready to meet the estranged family. That’s as far as I’ve got. I would try and write it, but I think there needs to be a bit more action, some confrontation, some unknown secrets coming to light, and definitely some tension and suspense. Will I write it? No, I don’t think so – but I may take the bones of it, create new characters based on the old, new history, new secrets to be revealed, new mysteries to solve, and obviously, an unexpected conclusion!!
PS today I have had a lovely and different day, including meeting a dear friend and having lunch together, and later, no doubt we will head to the Ship!
Lois Elsden 