Writerly things
Mar. 28th, 2006 04:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
changelingI have just read this essay and have had a breakthrough in my YA novel. There is going to be a new character, Sergeant (which may possibly just be her title, I haven't decided yet), who will be Sebastien's 2nd-in-command. Hopefully this will also spark some exploration of the Shadow Boys' rather Victorian Problems with Females, or at the very least an early 20th C Problems with Females in Command.
It'll be great.
I also, through the same LJer, though possibly not the same post (can't remember), came across Father Knox's Decalogue: The Ten Rules of (Golden Age) Detective Fiction. I shall reproduce below, without permission, in case of a wandering in the internet stream, because I'll probably want to reference this later:
This, of course, made me want to write a story, breaking as many as possible. Perhaps for NaNo this year. The page goes on to note that someone called Josef Svoresky has already done this, in a book entitled The Sins of Father Knox, which of course I want to read, but not yet. I know I will do it BETTER.
So far I have the protagonist attempting to off someone, though this is against his moral code, with a hither-to-yet undisclosed poison. However! As he's preparing for the handcuffs to be put on, it is discovered that the man was (gasp!) already dead! The victim will be a magician, and one theory (possibly the final one, I'm not sure yet) is that a la that great, thick, black-and-cream tome, you know, wossname, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (which I must confess I haven't finished), fairies will come into it somewhere. Anyway, the detective shall detect. Thus I have at least 2, 4 and 6 down. Having just read Five Red Herrings by Dorothy Sayers, I feel I am perfectly able to conceal A Clue from the reader (well, I didn't spot the missing white paint, for goodness sake).
So that's really exciting. I haven't had an idea for a new story for awhile, and have in fact been barely writing at all. So woo!
In a related note, have you seen Neil Gaiman's new cover for Coraline? I positively must acquire a copy (nevermind the fact that I have both the British and American editions — one was a present). I am also fantastically jealous, as I want a cover for the Shadow Boys that is so Victorian-influenced. Want, want, want. Guess I'd better finish the damn thing.
On the non-writing front, it's a bit of a relief to see that someone else has male-gendered and female-gendered parts of their brains*, and that they spend most of their time quarrelling over clothing. For many years my male-gendered side was winning, but Steph has largerly smothered him in a bag, so that my wardrobe consists almost entirely of skirts. It's an interesting foray. I would still like to add some more trousers to my wardrobe, particularly in colours that actually suit me — but think I'll wait until I lose a bit of weight and have a fighting chance of finding some that fit.
* Granted, my male-gendered brain swings a bit between being some sort of British alternative soft-rocker and being an utter fop, and my female side tends towards the Victorian and gothic, but still.
It'll be great.
I also, through the same LJer, though possibly not the same post (can't remember), came across Father Knox's Decalogue: The Ten Rules of (Golden Age) Detective Fiction. I shall reproduce below, without permission, in case of a wandering in the internet stream, because I'll probably want to reference this later:
Monsignor Ronald A. Knox (1888-1957) was a British clergyman, editor, a literary critic, a humourist and a detective story writer himself who nicely laid out, with a gentle wit, the "ten rules" that guided detective fiction in its so-called Golden Age. They appeared in the preface to Best Detective Stories of 1928-29, which Knox edited. I think he was mostly joking...
1. The criminal must be someone mentioned in the early part of the story, but must not be anyone whose thoughts the reader has been allowed to follow.
2. All supernaural or preternatural agencies are ruled out as a matter of course.
3. Not more than one secret room or passage is allowable.
4. No hitherto undiscovered poisons may be used, nor any appliance which will need a long scientific explanation at the end.
5. No Chinaman must figure in the story.
6. No accident must ever help the detective, nor must he ever have an unaccountable intuition which proves to be right.
7. The detective must not himself commit the crime.
8. The detective must not light on any clues which are not instantly produced for the inspection of the reader.
9. The stupid friend of the detective, the Watson, must not conceal any thoughts which pass through his mind; his intelligence must be slightly, but very slightly, below that of the average reader.
10. Twin brothers, and doubles generally, must not appear unless we have been duly prepared for them.
This, of course, made me want to write a story, breaking as many as possible. Perhaps for NaNo this year. The page goes on to note that someone called Josef Svoresky has already done this, in a book entitled The Sins of Father Knox, which of course I want to read, but not yet. I know I will do it BETTER.
So far I have the protagonist attempting to off someone, though this is against his moral code, with a hither-to-yet undisclosed poison. However! As he's preparing for the handcuffs to be put on, it is discovered that the man was (gasp!) already dead! The victim will be a magician, and one theory (possibly the final one, I'm not sure yet) is that a la that great, thick, black-and-cream tome, you know, wossname, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (which I must confess I haven't finished), fairies will come into it somewhere. Anyway, the detective shall detect. Thus I have at least 2, 4 and 6 down. Having just read Five Red Herrings by Dorothy Sayers, I feel I am perfectly able to conceal A Clue from the reader (well, I didn't spot the missing white paint, for goodness sake).
So that's really exciting. I haven't had an idea for a new story for awhile, and have in fact been barely writing at all. So woo!
In a related note, have you seen Neil Gaiman's new cover for Coraline? I positively must acquire a copy (nevermind the fact that I have both the British and American editions — one was a present). I am also fantastically jealous, as I want a cover for the Shadow Boys that is so Victorian-influenced. Want, want, want. Guess I'd better finish the damn thing.
On the non-writing front, it's a bit of a relief to see that someone else has male-gendered and female-gendered parts of their brains*, and that they spend most of their time quarrelling over clothing. For many years my male-gendered side was winning, but Steph has largerly smothered him in a bag, so that my wardrobe consists almost entirely of skirts. It's an interesting foray. I would still like to add some more trousers to my wardrobe, particularly in colours that actually suit me — but think I'll wait until I lose a bit of weight and have a fighting chance of finding some that fit.
* Granted, my male-gendered brain swings a bit between being some sort of British alternative soft-rocker and being an utter fop, and my female side tends towards the Victorian and gothic, but still.
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no subject
Date: 2006-03-28 08:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-28 10:18 am (UTC)I always like reading your language because it's precise and particular and unique.. idiosyncratic and sensical. and usually I come across something that I've thoroughly never heard of before and get excited and look it up and learn.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 02:45 am (UTC)What was it that prompted the learning? The public wishes to know.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-31 10:20 am (UTC)Then there's Weltschmerz, the polenta recipe, how to write a resignation letter, that Amadeus is a dance...
and yeah, reading the posts over I am even more struck by your niftyness. *seems to be in a fan girl phase about everyone, especially her lit teacher... well not really that, just struck by this sudden need to express that I appreciate people*
*grins* you have cool words and ways of writing.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-28 09:08 pm (UTC)*downcast*
no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 02:43 am (UTC)*Hundreds of kisses.*
no subject
Date: 2006-03-28 09:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-29 02:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-30 11:57 am (UTC)You did say he was mostly joking... I've read a lot of Sherlock Holmes, and watched that Granada TV series with Jeremy Brett and everything... I'm amused about the whole "Watson" thing... there might have been a time when I wouldn't have been amused by it, because the thing is that Watson really isn't that daft. He is a doctor, after all... :)
I miss the icons that were pics of you in Victorian gentlemen's garb. You cute. *runs off screaming*
no subject
Date: 2006-04-10 06:03 am (UTC)I miss them, too. But both Steph and I are out of work (her contract finished, and I got laid off), so I can't justify the expense of renewing my paid account, alas. I wish my parents had renewed it for my birthday, dammit.