A "Ruthless" Update

This is the "telegram" I received earlier this week that promoted this blog post: The Great Compliment of Fan Fiction.

Along with this email, I also received the first seven chapters and the epilogue, which I read in fits and starts this week. (I still have chapter seven and the epilogue to go).

Writers: take note of the lowercase letters. The explanation is at the bottom, hilarious.

Dear Momi,

   

With so few word between us since I've started the rough draft of Ruthless, the back story of Ed Calkins, I feel the need to send some of what I'm working on. 

I don't want to damage the Bryony franchise, but I've taken liberties with the some of the characters and their author. I am completely willing to retreat on any storyline I've introduced if you find it prudent. 

This is a good point to send what I have, but new chapters are likely to emerge as the plots unfold. Just as sure, chapters will need to be cut as the subplots gain complications.

Table of content (outline)

Forward or Backward w

Chapter 1 Pigs don’t Plow w

Chapter 2 Mirror w

Chapter 3 Road trip bar w

Chapter 4 The Why chromosome w

Chapter 5 Suspect w

Chapter 6 Happy Hunting w

Chapter 7 A Government of, by, and for Ed Calkins w

Chapter 8 The divine refrigerator w

Chapter 9 Shoot out at the Not OK Coral c

Chapter 10 Somebody else’s dirty secret w

Chapter 11 So a girl, a guy, and a brownie walk into a bar… u

Chapter 12 The Council of scantily clothed merrows u

Chapter 13 The road trip continues. u

                             A The trial

                             B The execution

Chapter 14 Turning State’s evidence u

Chapter 15 Kiss, kill, or marry u

Chapter 16 Where’s your bathrobe u

Chapter 17 the folly of a gun at a limerick fight u

Chapter 18 Won the lottery, died the next day u

Chapter 19 A full confession u

Epilogue w

c- complete but needs revision

w- writing done be content needs adding and revision

u- created but not one word on paper

The Great Compliment of Fan Fiction

Almost every aspect of writing involves struggle.

Writers struggle with ideas, writer's block, making time for writing, discipline.

When we finally have a jumble of fairly cohesive words, we only to tear it apart through the revision process.

Then writers struggle to find beta readers, agents, and publishers.

Oh and writers struggle against rejection, LOTS of it.

If writers finally see their words in print, they struggle to find readers and reviews.

And then writers struggle against their emotions when reading negative reviews.

So when a reader starts writing fan fiction based on your words, it's a surreal experience like no other. And it's an experience I'm experiencing right now.

A few months ago, at the request of my lone BryonySeries super fan, Ed Calkins began writing his backstory.

If you don't know Ed's connection to my books, you can find it here.

Now, Ed's novel is not the first time he's "played" with my characters, including the fictionalized version of himself.

But as I'm reading through the chapters he sent me on Sunday night, enjoying those chapters as a reader (doubled-over laughing in spots) and mentally marking areas for tightening as an editor, I began to realize someone else was creating new works out of my old ones and encouraging my mind to go beyond the stories I've written.

I can't adequately describe how that feels.

First, Ed has read (at least), the "drop of blood" trilogy, since he is featured in those books. So he's already spent time in the fruits of my imagination. Keep the term "fruits" in mind, for comparison's sake.

Second, the sheer length of these chapters shows he's spent even greater amount of time there than, say, an average reader of my stories.

Now, I don't want to minimize the joy a writer feels when a reader revels in one's works (and even re-reads them) and takes the time to write lengthy reviews championing those works. It's exhilaration on the humbling scale, and I hope every writer gets to experience it.

Let's call that grapes: red grapes and green grapes. If you've read Before The Blood, you'll get it.

I'm also enjoying collaborating with Timothy on creating The Adventures of Cornell Dyer series, based on a character in Visage, which ranks high for me on the fun scale.

Let's call that an orange, even though no actual oranges were ever used in Cornell's favorite orange drink.

But Ed's fictionalized backstory is a new honor altogether. Let's call that an apple, since Ed's spending so much time with the character John-Peter.

When I was writing Bryony, Ed was the supervisor for one of my routes. I felt the story needed a new character.

Ed, who is very creative, had created a fictionalized version of himself. I approached him with teh request to take his idea  few steps beyond that.

So he allowed me to create a pretend version of himself and gave me complete freedom to develop the character in any way I wished. And he did it legally. As through an attorney. The amount of trust there is huge.

But now he is taking my pretend version of his pretend self, along with some of my characters and storylines already established, to create an entire new work.

Now I have always said the creation of BryonySeries is a team effort. But Ed has take that to, pardon the cliche, a whole new level.

It's an emotional whirlwind to read his words.

And it's beyond humbling.

More Progress on the Ed Calkins Backstory

 Dear MOMI,

        

The back story of Ed Calkins is getting of the ground and moving faster then I typically write. 

I'm currently planning 16 chapters, six of which have rough drafts, (which means they are readable and progress the plot but may need reworking and definitely will need more detail). I do expect that this will expand as the story unfolds. 

I expect the rough drafts will take about one week per chapter. I'll write all the rough drafts before starting any refinement.(not my habit).

Permissions might be an issue. I want to stay consistent with the Bryony story line while explaining some of the content that so intrigues me (e.g. the relationship between vampires and time).

Also there is a character that might remind you of someone. She is a minor character who is crucial to the plot. Please don't sue me.

Ruthlessly yours,

Ed Calkins,

Steward of Tara

Ed Calkins Updates His Progress on His First Novel

Dear MOMI: 

You've suggested that I should just write it.

Which I'm trying to do.

But it's taken me to a strange place where I'm writing about my own funeral. My self indulgence is almost criminal.

If I ever get over my own importance, I'll send you what I have thus far. You have created the vampire, but I'm creating a monster.

It is a back story I want to write, but I've already started a third and fourth chap, and I've yet to start that back story I so crave. I may need your censorship later, but for now, I'll continue.

Ruthlessly yours, 

Ed Calkins,
Steward of Tara

Dealing With Your Character's Past

Just like people, all characters have (in theory) past memories and experiences, some of which impacts their present and future.

Writers are often advised to keep the story moving forward, to add just enough back story sprinkles to give the reader only the most immediate and necessary information. 

But why is that? Don't "real" people reminisce? Can't characters do the same?

Well, yes, of course.

But think about it. When is the last time you recalled, in complete detail and word for word, entire long portions of your life?

Yet that's what writers sometimes do with back story. They dump large amounts of information at the reader in the guise of sharing, looking back, or monologing. Even Henry and Kellen, with their penchants for storytelling, only told one story at a time.

What if your character is sitting by the fire with a warm mug of tea and musing on the past?

Well, most of us recall precise details in snippets, some portions clear, some hazy. Furthermore there's probably enough action in the background to root the reader in the present: the crackling of the fire, the gong of the grandfather clock, the cat that jumps on the couch.

Back story, when skillfully woven together with current events "feels" natural and part of the world you're creating.

How often back story flashbacks ccur depends on the extent the past is affecting (needling, inspiring, etc.) your characters. Flashes of back thought can happen fairly often. They just don't, usually, happen in large exact thought. It's not realistic.

The same is true for two (or more) characters talking. The person providing the information may dominate the conversation, but not for whole pages. Again, it's not realistic.

Unless you have a reason inherent to the plot to do otherwise. In that case, disregard the above. :)