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Tuesday 17 November 2015

The blank page of NaBloPoMo!

Sculpture - Gardens of Dulwich Picture Gallery
Writing a post every day for a month is hard. There comes a day when you feel there is nothing to say. It's a bit like the blank page when you struggle to find any words at all. Today feels like one of those days.

In the life of the average person things tend to be routine. You get up, go to work, if you have a job, or do those things you usually do - the washing, the cleaning, the shopping etc. So then I guess one then looks to the outside world for inspiration.

Today on my agenda is a trip to the library to take back a couple of books. This time I have to leave without any new books because I am currently reading a book from my backlog and the new book club read is due in very soon.

The book I am reading is Capital by John Lanchester. This book has been adapted for TV and the series begins next week. When I heard this was happening I rushed to start it. I don't normally watch something I've read or if I've seen it I don't normally then read the book. Having been given this book I knew that if I watched the series on TV (which I might well do) I won't read the book. This time I want to do both! So I am around 160 pages into this 570 odd page book and I'm loving it.

With so much still to read here I cannot afford to be sidetracked with  library books (and I know I will which is why I have to be strong!). I must finish, or at least read the majority of this book, before the series starts - which I think is on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, back at my novel - the humorous one - I'm fearful that the humour is getting a little bogged down in something darker. Comparing the first chapters with the recent ones there is definitely more deeper stuff. I guess it had to come to bring out the character. I'm also grappling with an ending - not the ending, but something towards the end. It's an idea I had and I'm not sure whether it will work. Maybe I should go with it and see how it runs, even if it means re-writing certain sections of the last few chapters.

I am now well on the way to the finish. Keeping the humour is hard. Sometimes it just comes and I have sat here laughing out loud as I type. It's brilliant when it goes that way. Other times I struggle. There will be time to re-assess it when I edit. I began this not really knowing where the story would go or who my character was beyond his basic personality. Now things are unravelling and I've got to know him. Maybe I will visit him today and add to his story. Sometimes I leave him places while I have a break from him and do other things (I recently left him to write a short story!). Coming back afresh helps.

Well, this is my day today - library, a few chores, a little writing, reading, an hour of belly dancing and finally watching the football tonight knowing my son is somewhere in the crowd.

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