Monday, August 20, 2007

I dream about being a published author some day. If I have an ounce of art in my blood, let it be around written words. The problem is, I'm nowhere near where I want to be. I got a novel start :P My friends tell me I have a good narrative, which is better in Spanish, of course. However I feel I'm a bit like Larry Niven. Excuse me for this blasphemy I know I'm not really there, but keep with me.
I'm reading Interworld from Gaiman. I enjoy it, you don't know how much. However, I can summarize chapter 1 in one paragraph! How's that possible? I mean, had I had that idea, I would had a short story... I tend to be a conceptual writer. That's the similitude between myself and great Niven. You probably don't know, but SciFi got it's bad reputation from being a clever idea with plane characters. You probably don't know, because people don't really care about critical reading. They only know that they don't feel anything when reading Foundation. Maybe frustration. Integral Trees or Ringworld are beautiful master pieces of possible universes, but most people can't care for them. If I don't work hard and I'm lucky I would end up like that. What I carve is to be more Dune-like! And even that is boring for so many. Frankly, if I become Dune-like I won't care if some find my dull.
Anyhow, I'm also striving for a special balance. And here I may sound out of character. The Bible has some terrific literary constructs. I can worship the subtle biblical description. I mean, can anyone recall the samaritan story? The time when Jesus chatted by the well with a stranger? Wow. Unbelievable beauty. It conveys so much meaning. and at the same time it leaves open so many details. Today it seems strange to not briefly tell us how she looked, how her voice sounded of where did she came from. No. She is a stranger. What time of the day? Even what's her name... Doesn't matter. Paul--or whoever-- was a genius! You can enjoy it like that or you can know a bit more. For instance that she was a Samaritan. Samaritans used to be disliked by Jews, though by almost all accounts they were Jews. So knowing that bit enriches the image, but not knowing isn't punished. Wow. I won't go to further detail, for I don't want to be confused as a Super :P but let me tell you that I recognize beauty even in the things I don't like of the world.
On another topic, you know what else I want? Good dialogs. My "Aquellos Entonces" (my novel attempt) sucks in this aspect. My characters talk kind of forced. Incidentally that's why I started my Strip. Maybe that's why friends tell me they don't understand it. BTW, it's NOT a comic strip...
What I'm aiming for my first novel is real character development. I have always had some difficulty in that aspect. Let's describe it. I will use my friends as example :P If I had to describe allan my first attempt is: "former programmer, IT reporter". If I had to describe the last year or so... I would point to the travels and how different from his previous life it is now. Is this C.D? NO it is not! Maybe allan hasn't changed. Maybe my definition of C.D. is wrong. Or I'm being lazy. C.D. requires growing up?? Maybe he learns something new about life. Maybe he gets a new vice. C.D. doesn't need the change to be morally good. If I include his new "I want to have a master in linguistic", does that change it a bit? No, I don't think so. By themselves, they are scenes. I need a thread to wrap them.
His struggle to find his place in the gods-blessed world. Ok, maybe that formula may work. My high school teacher told me there are only 3 kinds of conflict: Man vs man. Man vs Nature/God and Man vs Himself. It's important to realize that Man vs woman is notably absent. Or Man vs dog isn't even in the table. But I digress, though I must write about it... someday. In this case, it seems it's allan vs allan. Now, what's the CD? Or maybe real life has no CD! Frodo was always the good guy. Maybe the Simpsons are right, Homer needs to be stupider every day to be real at all. Or maybe one year isn't enough in this plane of existence.
Let's jump to yorch's continuum. For all I know, his description would be "a workaholic". I know he got a new house and may have dangerous adventures in his town. However, what CD does he have? I'm thinking he has been the same for about 5 years. If anything, the current new thing is his new found love for Mexican wrestling. Maybe Crowley was right. A star can only shine. How this became about life? I think that's one of the values of good literature :P Anyway I have digressed much... Thanks for reading me!

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