This week I’ve put pen to paper on the new book. The research is coming together slowly and I’ve started to build details on characters, settings, the building at the heart of the story and so on. Each step is little but they’re building into a good background so that’s important.
I like a good resolution to my mysteries but I am playing with the idea that this book will remain unsolved – that is, the outcome could be one thing or another depending on how the audience deciphers it. The story is sufficiently tied into two different interpretations to make that a realistic proposition.
I have been told that this inconclusive approach is the core of Henry James’s book The Turn of The Screw so I’m putting that on my reading list for next week. If I think I can make it work after that, I will go for it!
I considered this approach with the last novel so it’s clearly something that appeals to me; my failure to make it work before is a little off-putting but if it can work this time, I’ll know what to do with the last book so it might be a double benefit!
In other news – We’re up to book 28 of the 100 novels, New Grub Street by George Gissing. It’s one I have no idea about at all, but the subject sounds pretty interesting for us writers so I’ll look for a copy to read.
Also, on a related subject – I’ve long known that my 100 wouldn’t match this list. However, trying new books and reading so many writers I’ve never tried before has been really enjoyable and I think I’ll do a 52 book challenge every year now!
And finally – I saw this video of Hugh Jackman and I love him so I had to put it on. I know it’s not about writing but it’s a reminder that we shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously!
Happy writing
EJ
🙂
Becoming a writer 
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