Colouring in!
The fun part of any book
WRITING:
I’m pleased to report that the past fortnight’s writing has gone well, and I’m finally able to announce that we have a complete first draft of the sixth Ray Adams book!
It’s a year and ten days since I began writing it, as my abortive attempt at NaNoWriMo 2023. Still, I don’t see it as a failure, as the project will now see life and has, in the end, turned out rather well. It’s been a struggle at times, but the end result is, I think, a worthy successor to From Within, A Darkness. It’s also my longest single-narrative project to date, clocking in, currently, at just over 65k.
It might also be the last time, for a while at least, that I write as a pantser. I think at least part of the issue I’ve had at times working up motivation for it is not being sure where it was going or how it was getting there. It may well turn out that in future I need to be a bit more rigorous with my planning for books of that length. Still, pantsing does afford one really fun part of the job, what I call the colouring-in.
Pantsing, for those who don’t know, is the term used for writing by the seat of your pants. Whereas plotters sit down and meticulously work out their plots, their arcs, their beats beforehand, pantsers start writing and see where it leads.
Most people, in all likelihood, fall somewhere in between. I’ve said before that while I don’t have much in the way of actual notes, I’ve usually got a bunch of ideas floating around in my head that I’m developing and arranging as I go along. It seems, I flatter myself to think, to have worked for me so far, but it does probably suit the novella more than the novel. A slimmer cast of characters, a more straightforward narrative, one or two core ideas.
The moment you start developing longer stories, with more characters, it can get a little messier. At least part of that, however, can be rectified with the colouring-in. When I start to go back through the book, refining and editing, as well as inconsistencies, typos, syntax problems and continuity errors, I’ll also be seeding some of the ideas that only occurred to me later on.
For example, I have one scene late on that requires one character to be in possession of a previously-unmentioned item. To avoid it all feeling a bit deus ex machina, part of the colouring-in will involve adding a bit of extra characterisation to them, to plant the seed for that later usage. Much like Bill and Ted, I’m in a possession of a powerful time machine that allows me to go back through my plot and ensure in advance that the crucial piece I need is where I want it to be.
I also get to add more colour, in some cases literally, to my world. Most of the book takes part in a jungle environment. While I’m writing the first draft, I’m mainly focused on what happens, who says what to who, and so on. Now, going back through, I can add detail, texture to the piece. Show some of the heat and humidity that the characters are experiencing, bring the world a bit more to life.
I’m also aware that one of my weaknesses is physical description. My friend Paul, after reading Eschatonus, commented on how I don’t seem to enjoy describing what my characters look like. That’s true, and to a degree intentional1, but it’s good feedback and something I want to address, so there will be some of that thrown in as well. I don’t want to go too far the other way - I’ve read one self-published author who describes the haircut of every single character he introduces, even if they only have one scene, or no dialogue - but it’s a skill I need to work on.
The other thing I’m still short of is a title. I’m reluctantly starting to think it will come out under the extremely Doctor Who-esque Terror on Carrado, but maybe the colouring-in will inspire something a little less on-the-nose. What do you think?
I have enjoyed:
Prey - I’m not a huge fan of the Predator franchise, probably due to coming to it quite late in life. I don’t have the adolescent emotional tie to it, but I’m not averse to the concept. I was unaware, however, of 10 Cloverfield Lane director Dan Trachtenberg’s 2022 instalment until it popped up on TV the other week. Set in 1719, it shows a young Comanche woman, played by Amber Midthunder, going up against the Predator alongside other members of her tribe. They also have to deal with a party of French fur traders, who are in the area massacring buffalo for skins. It’s a really fresh take on the genre, with a strong female lead, and plenty of great action sequences (and some great ick) married with some strong characterisation and beautiful camerawork. Really hit the mark for me.
“I’m sorry, it’s not you, it’s just not working for me…” Apples Never Fall - It’s was the cast that drew me to this miniseries. It’s not my usual cup of tea, and I’ve no familiarity with the source novel, but Annette Bening, Sam Neill, Jake Lacy and Alison Brie? Count me in. Joy and Stan are tennis coaches who’ve just sold their tennis academy to enjoy their retirement, when Joy goes missing. Suspicion soon falls on Stan and it’s not long before family secrets are being spilled left, right and centre. It’s not perfect - it’s no spoiler to say that the story we’re pointed towards isn’t, in the end, how we discover things played out, but if you’re paying attention to the opening scene, that much is evident anyway. And the ending has a certain “didn’t we all learn something” vibe to it that’s a bit cheap. But it’s a heck of a ride, nonetheless.
I don’t care how handsome he gets, he’ll always be Plop to me. Midsommar - I have a few reservations, as well, over Florence Pugh’s 2019 movie. I love a bit of folk horror and Midsommar delivers on so many levels. Visually it’s a treat and the atmosphere is so well crafted. The problem for me was that, although often shocking, it was never truly surprising. I think it’s fair to say that, detail aside, it pretty much ends up exactly where it was headed from the start. There are worse things than being predictable - the horror genre is rife with tropes and formulas, but it’s generally not to its detriment. However, with something that felt this startling and new, it’s disappointing that it ends up feeling a bit ‘Emperor’s new clothes’.
“This is going to play havoc with my hay fever…” The Cure - A band I’ve come to late in life, but I really enjoyed the BBC’s recent retrospective2. Have a delightful cover of In Between Days.
Greyskin (Deixis Press) and Playtime’s Over (Propolis) are both available direct from their respective publishers, as well as from all the usual places, online and off. You can also support my work by buying Ray Adams’ self-published books, or by simply buying me a coffee.
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We’ve all read authors, and I’m going to say male authors, who find it impossible to introduce a female character without telling you what size her breasts are. I think in my eagerness to not be that guy, I’ve leaned a bit too far the other way.
Although, have to say, when they have one of those “… at the BBC” shows where they show clips of the artist from various BBC appearances, it always feels a bit cheap when they include promo videos on the grounds they played it once on TOTP.
I hear you about the haircut guy; recently read a story that wasn't quite as bad as that but every description took me out of the narrative, so, ugh.
Congratulations on completing the first draft James 👏