Sunday 13 March 2011

Writing Novels Again

The first novel I wrote in 2008 was a revamp of one I’d part-written way back in the 70’s. The original setting had been in England but, having just had three weeks in the States, I decided to re-set it in Virginia and change the hero and heroine’s jobs. In fact a lot of the story changed too as I re-wrote it. However, this was eventually rejected by a Harlequin editor and also a year later, not unexpectedly, by Mills and Boon. I knew it had too much back story crammed into the first few chapters. I am still trying to rewrite this novel and have changed the setting back to England again. One day it might actually get finished.

In the meantime, I started another novel. Again one which I’d started back in the distant past. I’d only written about three chapters, but still remembered the basic ideas I’d for the development of the story. By this time, I had acquired two excellent critique partners (take a bow, Ana and Toni!) who helped me to tighten up my writing as well as pointing out some of the bad habits I’d developed. I submitted this to Whiskey Creek Press in April 2010 and received an acceptance five weeks later. At last I was back in the land of novel-writing again!

His Leading Lady is scheduled for publication in June 2011, and at the moment I’m waiting for the cover picture and the edits which are due anytime now. According to the publisher, they are sent out 2-3 months before the release date, so that means sometime in March, I assume. We shall see!


The story is set in London's West End theatre world. I’ve always been interested in the theatre and have worked backstage at many amateur shows (usually musicals), as well as directing several shows with the Junior Group of my local amateur theatre society. I’ve also been backstage at two professional theatres (admittedly not in London) but I would imagine they can’t be much different from those in the West End.

I was able to draw on some of my own experiences for the story’s background – which leads me on to one piece of advice which is often given to writers: Write about what you know. Probably the most misleading bit of advice ever given! Taken at face value, if I was limited to writing within the parameters my own life, what could I write about? Living on the outskirts of a large city, twenty-five years teaching in state schools?

However, I think the advice means more than just where we live or have visited, and more than the humdrum, day-to-day life we may live. It encompasses everything we know. Emotions, for one thing. We all know what it’s like to feel happy, sad, excited, angry, scared, worried – and our characters can feel these emotions too. We know about people too – their mannerisms, idiosyncrasies, interests, attitudes and values. We know about places – not just those we may have visited, but also the places we see on television or at the cinema. Again we can all use this knowledge. And, of course, the internet is an open gateway to whatever other knowledge we may need for our stories.

10 comments:

  1. I could definitely tell you knew about staging plays, Paula. That really made the story work, IMO.

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  2. Thanks, Ana - although, of course, the technical equipment at our small local theatre was nothing compared with amazing computerised systems and tech. effects available in the large professional theatres!
    But I imagine that rehearsals are very similar whether amateur or professional.

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  3. I am always more comfortable to write what I know. I often use places I've actually been to as my settings. That said, I stepped outside of the box so to speak on a novella I wrote which I set at a ski resort. Having never been skiing, I had fun doing some research for this particular setting.

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  4. I'm also happier writing about places I know, Debra. I've been fortunate in that I've done a lot of travelling so have been to a lot of places in Europe, Middle East, USA and Canada. I'd be reluctant to set a novel in an environment totally alien to me e.g. South America or China, because I simply wouldn't have a 'feel' for the place. I admire you for stepping outside of the box!

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  5. Hi,

    I think I could do Hong Kong or China even though I've never been there. I've read so many novels based in Hong Kong/China and written by people who lived there, plus I adore Chinese food and fab silk fabrics that come from both! Nothing like silk jim-jams with Mandarin collar. ;)

    But yeah, most of the time I write what I know: it's safer for contemporary romances, and having had two husbands in differing fields of expertise helps.

    Historical novels are a whole other world incorporating what I know re historical research for authenticity. Having travelled a lot and having lived in different places adds to the authentic mix for all genre. That said, I would not even attempt to do a novel based around pathology: not a chance in hell.

    best
    F

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  6. I'm curious, Francine - why not pathology in particular?
    I think it's probably easier to write about places than about unfamiliar work environments.

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  7. Congratulations on the upcoming publication. I agree that if we only wrote what we know from our experiences, our stories could be pretty confining. Maybe the saying has been misinterpreted over the years, since after all after doing research we would know something about which we were going to write. At least that's the way I've started to look at it.
    Keep going with the writing!

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  8. Hi,

    Why not pathology? It's a minefield for the uninitiated: all the technical jargon, all the various experiments per solutions etc., not to mention the gore of it all.

    best
    F

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  9. Thanks, Lee, I will start getting excited about upcoming publication when I've had the edits and proofs, and then it will start to feel real. And yes, research can give us more knowledge, which is one advantage of the internet - so much easier now to find out information than ever it was in pre-computer days.

    Francine - I think that applies to any specialised occupation (well, maybe apart from the gore!). I've watched TV dramas and series set in schools and (as an ex-teacher) growled 'Well,that wouldn't happen' and 'That's totally unrealistic' etc! Remember Grange Hill?

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  10. Congratulations on the upcoming release. I just finished edits for a book I'm hoping will be out before June (L&L Dreamspell, the publisher, gives authors a 'window' -- mine is Summer, encompassing Apr/May/June). Having finished the edits helps, but it simply won't feel "real" until I get the cover art...

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