I spent all of my free time today editing seven chapters of a children's novel that I wrote two years ago. Now all thirteen chapters have been edited and I'm ready to write the final three.
In editing all of this material very quickly, I learned that I must have been channeling P.G. Wodehouse throughout, because I had to change all the things that sounded like "a bit of breakfast" to things that sounded like "some breakfast." Another problem with the draft: I had a very weak grasp on what similes might be appropriate for my intended audience. You can't write "like whores descending on a harbor" and expect a ten year old reader not to raise an eyebrow. I took out many repetitions of the word "urgent" and also rewrote many places where I had said "It was clear that..." I found myself still struggling with the point of view issue, should I stay strictly within my male main character's head, or is it all right and even necessary to stray into the female main character's head a little. Then there were the sections where I wrote notes to myself. "Describe the interior here, I dare you, you coward."
If I can get through the last three chapters without falling headlong back into British slang, I will have a respectable draft of this novel that's been hanging unfinished, with the two young main characters literally stuck in a stone hole 20 feet down in the ground, for two years.
I watched the movie version of "Bridge to Terabithia" yesterday with my kids. The movie was better than the book.
5 comments:
I've watched so much British TV that it sounds wrong if I don't use "bloody" several times a day. Well, good for you to edit your own work. It ain't easy!
Oh, and I'd like to know more about the Bridge to Teribithia. Do you mean the book is bad and the movie isn't much better? Or the book was great and the movie was awesome? Or the book was okay and the movie was marginally better? My nephews said the movie was boring, but any story without explosions and toilet gags is boring to them, so I'd like another opinion.
Yes, let's blame the BBC. I'll support that wholeheartedly. CURSE YOU, FAWLTY TOWERS! ;D
Mmm... Bridge to Terabithia. The book was good, but it dragged, for me. Bit light on the magical imaginary realm and a bit heavy on the woes of the preteens. I would expect that the reason the movie didn't do better was that people thought from the trailer that there would be a heavier dose of giant trolls, flying warriors, and squirrels with armor. The book really isn't about that, so... neither was the movie. But I thought the movie did an excellent job of developing that angle, how the children slowly, slowly morph from thinking about it to really seeing it. And what made the movie great for me was the child actors, especially the male main character. That kid is destined for greatness. The girl was good too, but she erased all my memory of her movie performance by making a music video in the "bonus features" that was insufferably sweet and twinkly and eye-winky.
Anyway... I'd say the book is good, the movie is great, but the Narnia movie (by the same team) was (obviously) way a thousand times better. :)
Yeah, curse Fawlty, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Dawn French, Lenny Henry, Rowan Atkinson, Judi Dench...who am I forgetting?
Anyway, thanks for the notes on Teribithia. I would expect more imaginary realm, but such is marketing...
YEA YEA YEA LYDIA!!!!! I am beyond thrilled for you and proud of you. The story really demanded to be finished and so - YOU ROCK you beautiful mama, you!!
and interesting about Bridge. I can still remember sobbing as i was reading it and having my gramma come in and ask what on EARTH she was going to tell my dad and stepmom when they came home b/c i had been crying so hard. funny...i don't remember the book as well as that particular time of my life.
but back to the first part HOORAY YOU ROCKIN' WRITER!!!!!!!
Yay you! I want to read it too... I happily volunteer my children to read it too and make comments, if you like. I think N will love it.
My earthquake is still sitting there, oh well... but the vikings are getting more interesting and my kids are too. Yay! When you get home I fully expect a finished draft in my inbox at your earliest convenience ;-)
How's the screenplay?
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