I'm Not Cheating....

I began to write, very loosely what this story is now to become around ten years ago. For whatever reason I didn’t finish it. I always, in the past found it far easier to write stories in ‘screenplay’ style. It did help that I studied film studies at University. As I had to create scripts for Video Production lectures and workshops etc.  Therefore I was big into Syd Field and David Trottier’s The Screenwriter’s Bible. They were both highlighted like crazy, notes in the margin and folded pages. A real reference guide that I would visit constantly.

 

               I had plenty of time on my hands. If you know anything about Uni life in the UK or certainly true of my experience of the second and third years. There was very little actual education time…. Don’t worry. This isn’t going to be a criticism of  University life. Far from it. I enjoyed it at the time. It meant that I was away from home. No real reason why I would not want to be living at home and instead hundreds of miles away from my parents. It was a happy ‘normal’ home life. I wasn’t and I’m not necessarily rebellious. Wearing boiler suits and swearing in the streets. But, it’s nice or it was nice to explore that ‘freedom’ that came with education at Uni. Gave me the opportunity to be ‘me’ without real expectation. I could start all over again.  It was also far far cheaper when I attended. So, I don’t feel so bad about calling the experience ‘a bit shit’. 

The social side was great. Well, again to a point in my second and third years I had so much time to write because I effectively lived on my own. I had a Packard Bell PC, one of the old cathode monitor ones. Really massive thing, I would sit there and write. Just write. Write about everything I knew and most importantly things I'd make up. 

In the first year of Uni whilst living in halls of residence I even wrote a short story about tax evasion. When my flat mate asked me, 'What are you writing bud?' He was Welsh and actually used ‘Bud’ all the time to everyone. Hold the door open for him 'Cheers Bud!' Be cooking up a storm in the shared kitchen '’Ere Bud, can I have some of your pasta by there?” No idea what ‘by there’ meant. 
           But, 'Yeah. You can have some of my pasta!'
 Anyway, I would be writing in my room listening to music. I can vividly remember that it was the Soundtrack to 'Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back'. The track was 'Bad Medicine' by 'Bon Jovi' and he pops in, asks the question and I obviously stop writing to give him my full attention and I go into it, “Well, it’s about tax evasion…”. 
          My whole monologue was long winded, almost deliberately esoteric and I could see that he was not having any of it. His response was 'Sounds boring!' I have to be honest, that hurt! I had been writing, in I suppose secret without telling anyone what I was up to for a couple of weeks. I stopped writing at that point and probably went down 'The Litten Tree' to get drunk like everyone else. So original!
          I’ve revisited and read the unfinished short story since and it’s got some merit. It is a little boring in places, but the judgement killed me. I think that moment has played a real factor in my choice not to make my writing aspirations public. You can only imagine how daunting this whole process is. I might finish that story one day and put it on 'Wattpad' or distribute it somehow. We’ll see. Right I’m getting ahead of myself.

Anyway, back to this one!!

Forgive my reticence at this stage to reveal too much about the setting or any other finite information about the story. I’m happy to reveal though that the setting is the United States. Although, I myself am from the UK. No need for palpitations as this is not a cliché filled diatribe of ill informed imagination or speculation on living within the United States and how fabulous it is or was or anything of the sort.

This entire endeavor of writing this story is made slightly easier as I vividly explore situations as if I’m to film them. With that in mind and the fact that, as I said before this story is not autobiographical but loosely based on true locations, based on real people but the story is completely made up. It’s flowing.  

Dialogue has so far been a challenge. I’m trying to build conflict in the smallest of conversations. Not to be argumentative but more to shape ‘Dylan’. He’s 19, so thinks he knows the world. I played with the idea of making him 20 or 21 but I think with the back story I’ve laid out and a couple of situations he gets himself into, he should be younger. I don't want him to be evil. I want you. The reader to be empathetic to him. I wouldn't go as far as an anti-hero. Most of what he does and is involved in is understandable. I hope! 

Don’t worry I’ll change your name!

Having to really concentrate that I don't use really names. I'm basing characters on people I actually met but having to write the story out using their 'actual' names. I'll then change them when I re-write.

It’s a work of fiction and it will continue to evolve. Like I said, I know where it’s going. I don’t want to make it predictable. I think the location could encourage or have the reader lost in a genre. I’m still not sure of the genre myself but I can certainly say it’s not Horror, Sci-Fi or a Period Drama. Other than that I want to make it real. I hope that makes sense.

So far, that seems to be one of the biggest struggles. Upon my adventure I met and was around a large number of people. I think that will become self evident. I think as I alluded to it’s made easier as I’m writing from the first person. The setting could lead itself to become too vast if it was written any other way.

In fact, having obviously read back over this blog. I am developing or have developed what I hope is an identifiable way of writing. Maybe, I've been writing, reading and in my head for too long. Everything sounds like me!

That was a lengthy blog. Apologies.

Until Next Time....

Do Good Things!