Creating

A simple fact occurred to me last night. I have written around one hundred and twenty thousand words. That is enough. For a first book anyway. A whole sweep of story has been created and set down, albeit roughly and in need of polish. I had thought that was two-thirds of the tale. No! It's the first part of a trilogy. Well, that realisation has brought a bit of clarity.

I did a little sketching of the remainder. Just the rough ideas and a beginning of a shape for the thing. Enough to be able to include my former haunts in Transylvania. Indeed the very trail that led due north from my home, crossing a medieval trade route and a Habsburg military road both now grassy tracks. Only there will be something at the end darker than I encountered in real life. Darker, but in keeping with tradition.

How wonderful to be able to make use of my old life in this way. Well, I would say that. But, seriously, I used to ride that land feeling as if we were upon the tableau a huge film set or within the pages of a historical novel. The place had a fictional quality, hard to describe and yet easy to perceive - a function of its strangeness, of long history and of the raw simplicity of life. Contrasts were strong, the light bright and the dark vile. There were conspiracies too deep to fathom, and suspicion lurked the valleys. Beauty and joy stood hand in hand to welcome the traveller somewhere between setback and reverse. And up above on the mountains most often I found freedom.

Yes, my exile was like the meeting point between Leo Tolstoy, Franz Kafka and Dylan Thomas. All rolled into one. No wonder it has inspired an urge to create. Now let's see what.

Comments

[jess]

I am really very envious of you writing that much Julian... for I always get to about 10,000 words before the story falls apart. That in itself is an achievement. I cant wait to read the book!

[White Horse Pilgrim]

Now I'm in that place where I look at it and start to pick holes. Well there are holes, of course, it will need considerable polishing. But I'm self-critical and a bit nervous about it. Were you told to stand up in school and read a story which exposed your imagination to unhelpful criticism? After that I kept my creative skills under wraps for a quarter century. Now all that pent-up energy is being released. That makes it easier to produce volume with feeling. Besides, perhaps you are putting your creative energy into loving your life and living it very fully?

[Laura Crum]

What a beautiful photo. It really conveys the magic and mystery you describe.

Trust me on this one--all authors go through this anxiety after writing something (particularly the first something) and then thinking about exposing it to potentially critical eyes. You develop a thick skin after awhile. I certainly have that now (!) But when I showed my first novel to friends and family and they damned it with faint praise (I particularly remember the comment--"Well, there's worse things than this on the shelves at the bookstore")...it was hard. Have faith in yourself, and try to find helpful, experienced readers who will guide you to see what you need to see. Easier said than done, I know. Doesn't have to be a professional. Just someone you trust who reads a lot of the type of fiction you are writing.

[White Horse Pilgrim]

At its best Transylvania was a magical, mysterious place. Once long ago the Mongol Horde crossed that hill.

I am grateful for your advice. I'll work on that thick skin. There are worse books at the store! I've one experienced person to read the text and will seek others. (I should show it to my wife who used to work in publishing, however she looked after romances!) I know that I need to clean up the text, which can be a little cumbersome in places. But this is exciting. I might add a bit more wisdom about horses too. We'll see. I'd better gather that feedback.