The Map of the Land

Salutations,

I am in the zone. No, no, make that Zone. Capital 'Z'. Typing like a stock car racer behind the wheel of the Grand Prix. I am afraid I might blow out the engine with the amount that I'm laying down and render my work unpublishable due to sheer size. But because I'm afraid I think I'm training myself while I'm writing to be more efficient in coming to the point. It is really easier when writing more frequently. After all, the story flows better in my head and I actually remember what has gone before so I can time the action better with the dialogue, or skip descriptions and get to the point of the plot.

I also use my tools better to help me get to the core of what I am writing. Kind of like having a full-Internet friendly GPS with tour guide tips while keeping your eyes to the road. The actual Internet with Wikipedia and Etymology Online  helps me get a better understanding about the broad scale of mythology I am tapping into. Online translators and Google Maps/Images help me visualize places and scale travel routes realistically, while staying linguistically correct. Picasa and 123RF allow me to search through databases of my own and commercially available stock images so I always can get the right mood for a scene or place, or even just to look up my own drawn images. Paint Shop Pro allows me quick access to drawing tools, so I can create maps that allow overviews of cities and countries the characters move through. There are several programs I use to keep track of plot, characters, objects, motivations and concepts, but the final word is on my 'Wall of Scofield' where everything is linked together. And while I write I listen to my collection of soundtracks in iTunes.

It's primarily all digital, these tools that help me do my work, and I do like my physical hands on approach (the Wall, printing out research, drawings and books). It's like mistrusting fully electronic cars, because if the battery gives out you are locked inside. I like to navigate my way through the land of mythology and adventure (that's what the series is about) with that GPS and just stopping every once in a while to spread a paper map across the hot hood. The Muses can do some suntanning, while I ponder where the road will take me. I just grab a notepad and pencil, sit outside in our shady porch and write a scene that doesn't need on the job researching, translating or inspiration. Just me and the elements, with maybe a few singing birds in the background. But that is not for now. Even though the Internet is up and fast again - I am revelling in the sheer force that is propelling me through the remaining chapters. I may have feared yesterday that I'll produce an overblown glorified paperweight (ironically made out of paper), but days like these I feel like...gasp..Stephen King?

(Did I mention already I have no IT work going on right now? Better yet: do I miss it?)

Looking at the Map

Hello Everybody,

It is weekend again and I fear I won't get many words written today or tomorrow. I don't feel too bad about it. In the last 2 weeks I've made more progress than in the 6 months before that. My proverbial car is zooming down the highway with little resistance or obstacles. It has been a smooth ride with wide open landscapes until the horizon and the sun shining down on my head as the wind blows through my hair. Even the Muses have relaxed in their incessant singing, taken to the backseat to give the occasional comments on 'are we there yet?' and 'I need to pee'.

So with passing the 100 grand milestone, I celebrated by taking a step back from the steering wheel, pulling over for refreshments at a run-down gas station and checking the map to see if we're still heading in the right direction. It is with a small wink to my personal associated awareness that having to go to the British, Dutch and American embassies to renew our passports, made me realize that in real life I am also at a rest area. You see, a passport indicates where you have been and renewing it means a silent commitment to continue exploring and traveling in the future. In this case I took it as a sign to take a break from writing yesterday and check the 'Wall of Scofield' to see where I am and where I should be heading.

I've been reading Joseph Cambells 'Hero with a Thousand Faces' and am amazed at how much I've already plotted matches the 'monomyth' or 'Hero's Journey' he describes in his book. I'll get into this tomorrow, so don't worry if this concept is alien to you. The funny thing is that you've most likely been exposed to the monomyth many times over already simply by reading classic works of fiction or going to see movies in the cinema. For now it is only relevant that I spent whatever was left of my day after all the embassy visits to match various moments in the plot of the book to the monomyth, while keeping an eye out for character development, story structure, plot motivations and sequential timing of events.

I found myself towards the end still reading up on my notes and researching new work while preparing dinner for Alex (Nancy giving him a bath) up to the very point where Alex was munching his spaghetti, applesauce and carrots. That's when I finally laid down my notebook and had my moment of satisfaction. I am still heading in the right direction. My car is in no risk of breaking down any time soon. The weather forecast is sunny and clear skies. My Muses are enjoying a much needed Mocca Frappuccino and browsing the magazine stand. Before I take off again, I take one last glance at the drawn route on the map, beautifully laid out in balanced forms and colors, and enjoy the silence of the open plains...if even just for a minute or two.

The Story so Far

Good Morning.

It's 8:07am. Alex is playing a little before heading out to school, just down the road where his British, Thai, Japanese, French and Swedish friends will be joining him on this 24C/76F Thai winter morning. Nancy has already left for hot yoga at one of the many workout centers here in The Big Chilli and will then continue on to her office at the Red Cross, 2km/1,5mi away from our home. She walks or cycles to and back. With Enya playing on my iTunes and looking out over the rooftops of our neighbours from our town house, tropical birds singing in the background, I am preparing to write the 16th chapter of Book 1 of our young adult book series. It's a fresh start as I have just passed the 'half a book' milestone, but also because the air is cool, I had my breakfast and everything radiates that 'brand new day' feeling.

Of course I haven't just started driving down this literary road today or a few days ago when I started this blog. It's been a long process to even get this far. It started in Ireland, traveled alongside with us through Sri Lanka all the way up till our 2nd year here in Thailand. I spent a good portion of that time tinkering on a plot for the first book as well as a rougher outline for the whole series. I wrote several documents on the workings of the world in which the characters move, the characters themselves and the obstacles/resources they have to deal with. It has slowly become a world upon itself.

And then of course Nancy and I had to start writing the thing, dividing responsibilites (eventually resting with an agreement that I would write Book 1 and 3 and she would write 2 and 4. Book 5 we would write together - I'll explain in a later blog why). I set out a deadline of drafting, editting and releasing Book 1 (see countdown to the right) and even put up a Wall of Scofield. Named after the character Scofield from Prison Break who in the first season of the show had a massive wall on which he had laid out all the elements of his plan to break his brother out of jail. Luckily my brother is not in jail (nor am I going to get 'ink done' in order to free him) and so my wall rather represents the whole of our work on what moves when and how within our fictional world.

The trick now of course is to actually write the story keeping in mind the most important aspects that are relevant to scene I am writing, without having to cross-reference it too much with what I wrote down on the wall and/or the 12 documents of 'world-lore'. The only way to do this and stay sane (and on time with trying to type 2000 words a day) is to forge ahead with what I think is right and leave a little digital post-it note in the text to verify the content later. That way momentum is kept and I can get lost in the writing (which is really fun - I get really caught up in it at times).

So even though the road was long to get here, the road ahead needs to be carefully navigated -Back off Muse! I'm driving already! Pedal to the metal, I know!- all the way into the sunset of every day.