Monday 4 February 2019

Mixed POV probs

When a story is told from multiple points of view and the main characters are different ages - as in daughter, mother, grandmother - what age will the readers be?
I think it depends on:

  • main point of view
  • story content
  • readability

What matters most?

The story I'm writing is told from 3 points of view:
Dani (13 yrs) 1st person
Esme (her mother) (30) - 3rd person
Frances (grandmother) (60s) - 3rd person

Dani and Esme are the two most important characters. Esme has the most 'story' i.e. plot, but Dani's is the viewpoint that matters most.

What's the age range that I'm writing for? Is it YA or adult?

I've thought of making Esme's the most important point of view. That would solve the readership problem, but I prefer it to be Dani. That's what the story seems to demand.
And now I'm off to rehearse for our Blue Rumour gig.



Sunday 3 February 2019

Eyes by Chuma Nwokolo

[Metamorphosis 2 - Angie Phillip as Aja Gap]
Eyes
(Inspired by Metamorphosis 2, a painting by Angie Phillip)

you stare astounded at my own astonished eyes.
for once, at last, we see.
soon, to feuds and warring clans,
may come this antidote more radical than guns,
more mind-blowing than drugs,
more harrowing,
truly more harrowing - and
yet

nothing more drastic than truly to see the enemy
and his blood; simply to look unblinkingly -
not through our usual black-and-white filters -
but to stare astounded. to stare, and stare until
the truth of sight becomes a mirror to our soul.
until we feel the mettle of his blues,
read his face’s panoply of hues,
his draining pools of dreams, and the
running
streaks of tears and rust…

so that when his blood
comes spurting redly at our thrust
we cannot look
away. no. and we will own his pain as
well

©Chuma Nwokolo, Jr. (2008)

Wanted to share this poem that Chuma wrote more than 10 years ago. Hope you (whoever you are out there) like it, too. Also - wanted to try this feature on my blog that I've not tried before where I can share the post to Twitter. Let's see if it works.....


Age doesn't matter but....

[Shoreline - Aja Gap]

viewing angle does.

The story can have people of all ages in it - but

If you're writing for little ones - you have to be one.
If you're writing for kids - you have to be one.
If you're writing for teens - you have to be one.

And of course, you can be. I can be. All writers can be whoever they want to be - how amazing is that. And laugh out loud enjoyable. As well as a struggle sometimes - art mimics life.

Are you a writer for young adults? Or for kids? What do you think? 



Saturday 2 February 2019

Age?


Does the reader age have to match the age of the main characters?


Friday 1 February 2019

Marketability - Let it go!

[Falling Apples - Aja Gap]
Who was it said that letting go is the best way of holding on?

Novel marketability. It's like chasing a mirage. Not even that.

Good agents have to lean into the wind and listen. One step ahead of the Zeitgeist. Even then they can get it wrong.

The only thing to do is write what you want to write as honestly and as well as you can.

And enjoy it! 

That's what I did before. That's what I'll do again. Let it go and carry on.