Talking to myself

18 September 2012

I’m often asked what are you writing? what genre is it?

Genres come and go, I say, fashionable one minute, and dismissed as out-dated the next. I choose a genre that suits what I want to say.  Currently mine is telling funny and sad stories through the Corrugated Roads series (Smashwords) about how a young country girl with dismal prospects, and the world pitted against her, turned herself into a writer. The storytelling style suits what I have to say, and I can say what I like in it.

I’ve put in all kinds of factual information into the fictional stories to fatten them up. The politics, the social mores, and the history informs us about why the little girl did what she did, and thought what she thought then, and when she grew up. Readers have to know about the stuff that writers know about. I am writing about worlds that’ve changed dramatically while essentially remaining unchanged.  It’ll entertain and inform those who don’t know about it.

The first book in the series was made up of interconnected short stories that covered the 1950s – 1960s. In the second book, I covered the 1960s – 1970s. My style is of a very short novella, mostly sitting around 10,000 words per story, or chapter. Although, having said that, some stories are less than a hundred words.  Why use ten words when I can achieve the same effect with two?

In each story or chapter, I have the overlay of a single idea – a young country girl and her desire to write – and a single emotional arc – her intense emotional reaction to the events around her.  It covers a 40-year period – stripped back, highly selective, tight, no baggage or verbage, no  diversions, no flab, and no fibs. I’ve tried to cut straight to the heart of what I want to say.

In each chapter I have a limited amount of characters, i.e. I have one continuing main character in each book, the girl. Other characters revolve around her, adding to her story, and her sense of self, as she puts one foot in front of the other on her rickety pathway through life. There are recurring characters. There is only one major storyline, and several smaller ones that thread through the main to add, enrich, and deepen the girl’s story in each chapter. For each story or chapter I stick to the one location.

Location always influences character. If you grew up in the desert, and suddenly found yourself in a room in the big city where you don’t know anyone, your actions and reactions are going to be totally different than those you would’ve had in a place you knew. They’re called  ‘fish out of water’ stories.  Locations always include the political and social landscape of the time.  I have to know it well to write about it.

And no matter what happens to the little girl, she is never, ever going to settle. She will always remain just out of reach, and uncontrollable.

And true to my film and television roots, I will add to the glossary I began in the second book to each new one. It explains the Australian language, and keeps track of people and events for you.

So, I’m lyin’ here, thinkin’ … fat’s good for you, you know.

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