Weak Ends: The Challenge of Finishing a Novel

When I visited the library last week, I picked up a new novel (which shall go unnamed) to read, thinking I would make my way through at a leisurely pace on the subway or at home during an afternoon lull.  A good 300 pages would capture my attention for a while.  To my surprise, it became a page turner and before I knew it, I finished reading it within five days.  The writing style was simple without frills or belaboured metaphors, appropriate since the narrator was a small child.  The strength of the novel came from solid story that unfolded gradually, withholding long kept secrets until two thirds of the way in.  Even though the last several pages provided closure to all of the characters, the manner in which it was written seemed rushed and without the subtle details which peppered the majority of the narrative. 

The reason I'm discussing this example is to say that despite the story being memorable, the lasting impression was mediocre. Don't get me wrong, the author is a talented individual and I hope she continues writing more novels.  She composes work of literary fiction I would definitely seek out.  However, in the conclusion of this particular novel, one relationship, between the narrator and her significant other, a subplot that created a frame story was not fleshed out.  I think it needed to be further explored so the reader could see what was at stake. 

Graeme Shimmin, a spy thriller writer believes that the success of a book is dependent on a satisfying ending and a "weak ending will override anything good we have achieved earlier in the book."  This hones in on the point - the last thing the reader remembers will resonate the most.  Also, if the ending is exactly what the reader expects, the result is a dull conclusion.  So what is a writer to do?  There is no absolute right answer on how to create a perfect ending.  It's just not realistic, and those that do strive to find the perfect ending will be confined to the editing process until the end of time.  The writer should instead aim for a conclusion that is appropriate to the characters' journeys and the themes explored in the novel. 

First Thursdays at the AGO

On the first Thursday of every month, the Art Gallery of Ontario opens its doors after hours for a night of art, music, mingling and good food.  I attended November's first Thursday with a few friends and we were treated to an hour long performance by the Canadian born, South African, Zaki Ibrahim.  Combining the musical styles of soul and jazz, you can tell as an audience member that she puts a lot of heart in her art form.  The crowd was feelin' it too.  The accompaniment from her back band provided a solid sound and performance, although the acoustics in Walker Court were not the best.  Here's a view of the stage from the second floor:  

The AGO had some tasty food stands, although they were strategically placed in safe locations (munchies were not allowed in galleries, much like the Royal Ontario's Friday Night Live series).  Our choices were fish and chips, shepherd's pie, bbq or parmesan cheese popcorn, curry on chips, cronuts drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauce and gelato.  I tried the fish and chips, which needed more fish and the heavenly gelato (double scoop: banana chocolate and caramel)! My friend had tried the pistachio flavour that was so strong it was the equivalent of eating creamed cashews.   

We also had the pleasure of seeing the nominees and winner of the Aimia Photography Prize. Congrats to Erin Shirreff for her time-lapse photography work.  I would say my favourite series was by LaToya Ruby Frazier that depicted the post-industrial decline of the US, through images of her family and community.  Candid and unpolished, the photographs refrained from idealizing the subjects but framed them as real and vulnerable.  Overall, I had a fun night and I'd definitely check out First Thursdays again.  Kudos to Carol Tsang for providing the pictures!

Colourful Characters

In the early stages of writing my novel, I drafted thorough sketches of my major characters, describing personality traits, their jobs, families, the challenges they face and their motivations in life.  This preliminary outlining was also important for story development and gave me an easier time to identify any plot holes.  After all, characters that are complex and not contradictory drive any good story worth telling.   

But at various points in writing, I would pause to reflect on the development of my characters, both major and minor.  If I added a new subplot that was not included in the original outline, I had to think through whether it was a plausible development and how each of the characters would react.  These are all elements that need to be considered to keep the story tight and intact. 

I can't say I have a step by step process to creating 3-dimensional characters, but here are things I keep in mind when dreaming them up. 

Tips on how to create a dynamic character:

1. Create a backstory: Even if you don't plan on fleshing out the character's entire history in the novel, you as the author, need to know where this person is coming from.

2. What does this character struggle with in their life? Map out how their behaviour affects others and in turn, how those characters react to the initial action or actions of the major player(s). 

3. Endow your character with a quirk or eccentricity that makes them unique. It's even better if the quirk is tied into the larger themes you plan on exploring.

4. Consider the place and time your story is set in: how does the cultural landscape limit or liberate your character? People are often a product of their generation as much as other factors influencing them, such as gender, sexual orientation, family upbringing etc.

Unrequited Love in Literature

Dante and Beatrice by Henry Holiday

 

While perusing the Guardian's Ten of the Best Examples of Unrequited Love, I noticed the list was heavily one sided.  All of the authors consist of men and their object of desire, a woman.  The only exception being Ian McEwan's Enduring Love where one man is obsessed with another of the same sex.  This leads me to wonder, where are the female authors who write about a woman pining for a man, or alternatively a woman? I'm sure there are books that I'm not privy to where that may be the central conflict, however they most likely are buried in subgenres such as erotica. 

Furthermore, the Guardian's list mostly includes classics by Victor Hugo, Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.  Again, Ian McEwan seems to be the exception since I consider him to be a contemporary author.  Similar to the "great paintings" in art history where women were only seen as objects, literary works from the past, frame the woman as the object of desire.  I think it begs the question, would there be any difference in the way a man with unrequited emotions handles the situation compared to a woman or is it a universal experience?  I read Cyrano de Bergerac in school (our teacher also screened the movie, a modern adaptation called Roxanne), and I can honestly say I felt pity for the main character, but I do not remember feeling empathy.  Perhaps, the story was lost on me as a teenager, but I think that's truly the challenge of an author.  To write a character that is so emotionally involved that the reader cannot help but live in their skin. 

This topic relates to the novel I've written which is from a woman's point of view and her want to attain the affection of a man that cannot realistically reciprocate those same feelings.  I'm sure there's an untapped audience out there.  It would be of interest to hear other's thoughts - does this subject provoke interest to you? Why do you believe there have been no popular or highly acclaimed books where the woman is left in longing?

    

Vietnamese Coffee

My friend and I stopped by a café called Noir Coffee and Tea on St. Clair West after lunch on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Located in the trendy Hillcrest Village area of Toronto, the café also provided a wide assortment of light fare, snacks and even afternoon tea. While my friend ordered a hot chocolate (which looked delicious), I opted to try a beverage I've never had before.  I asked how it was prepared prior to ordering - that being Vietnamese coffee.  

The waitress brought over a tall mug with a metal contraption.

Condensed milk was settled on the bottom of the cup and the hot water percolated down through the coffee in the centre of the metal filter. The whole process took about 15 - 20 minutes to complete.  I would lift the cover periodically, anxiously awaiting the minute I could try it. 

Once the water had disappeared from within, the metal filter was removed.  The coffee and condensed milk is then stirred together.  No additional sugar was needed since the milk provided enough sweetness on its own.  The flavour of the coffee reminded me of the strength of good ol' fashioned Italian espresso.  Although, I enjoyed how the Vietnamese process required me to wait - the anticipation made it all the more pleasurable.    

Pitching to Win

I just stumbled upon a news article written long ago titled, "Literary agent's top 10 ways not to blow a sale", which I found still relevant to anyone who desires to have their manuscript published.  The one I found hilarious and mildly surprising was that agents sometimes receive nude photos sent by writers.  Anything from full body shots to "artistic" photographs. 

If writers are depending on their physical appearance to make their big break into the publishing industry, I'd love to see the quality of their work. I really would.  Being a literary agent must be a fascinating job, just to be able to see the range in story ideas or varied use of language in submissions.  When I hear of the tricks and gimmicks people try to use to get their writing noticed, it's kind of sad how they're pandering to the lowest common denominator.  I think agents just want to see a well written story sent in a polished manner with nothing extraneous included.  Many underestimate the power of simplicity. 

Tip of the day: Follow literary agents and industry professionals on twitter.  They give some interesting insights into their daily lives and interests. 

Goodbye, New York City Opera

The New York City Opera (NYCO) recently announced it had filed for bankruptcy.  The mayor of New York, Fiorello LaGuardia at the time of its opening in 1944 had seen the institution as being "the people's opera."

According to the NYCO website, it boasted an ambitious mandate, but one that appeared achievable and practical:

"Many innovations that define New York City Opera’s identity and mission—promoting accessibility through the use of supertitles, prioritizing affordable ticket prices, nurturing young American artists, championing 20th-century opera and American works, and presenting groundbreaking productions."

So where did it all go wrong, if they tried to appeal to the average person or more specifically, to the middle class? Staging productions of Bluebeard's Castle and Anna Nicole (based on the late Anna Nicole Smith's life), made opera contemporary and relevant again.  What can't be ignored and this was addressed by the World Socialist Website, is that the funding of operatic institutions heavily depends on the philanthropy of the wealthy and upper class.

If the wealthy had to choose, which they did, they would rather support productions promoting the heavyweights of opera - Verdi, Puccini, Mozart among others.  Even the behaviour of tourists should be examined.  If you had 3 days in New York, you would likely hit the more popular sites - The Empire State Building, the MOMA, Statue of Liberty, a Broadway Show...and if you had a three hour window, the Metropolitan Opera.  Don't get me wrong, I don't think the big players should monopolize the time of every tourist.  There is something to be said about going off the beaten path and discovering something new or different.  It's too bad the NYCO is no longer one of them.

 

Elephant for a Pet

For the past couple of weeks I've been editing my manuscript, which to say the least is exciting, but it's something I definitely need to improve on.  I'm not saying I'm terrible at it, I just need to learn to love it.  Putting the story down on paper was the most fun I'd had in a long while, just writing whatever came to mind without censorship or apprehension.  I find the real work is about taking that raw story and shaping it into a meaningful narrative and finding the courage to cut out sections that are weak or don't fit. 

When I try to describe this challenge to others, I compare it to having an elephant for a pet.  He's wonderful to have around but caring for him can be effortful because of the sheer size of the animal.  Managing a 200 page document by ironing out all plot details not to mention grammar and style can be daunting.  Chuck Wendig, a writer, game designer and screenwriter always has some candidly helpful tips on his blog Terrible Minds. His post, 25 Steps to Edit the Unmerciful Suck out of your Story was worth a read, or should I say worth several good reads to keep me on track.

The Happy Writer

I recently read an editorial piece by Mark Slouka, called "Don't Ask What I'm Writing."  The author explains his displeasure over friends and acquaintances asking him about the progress of his novel during the preliminary stages.  It's this "ask" that can supposedly kill a promising novel.  Forcing a writer to explain the premise ruins the magic of creation.  He also touches on the conflict between the insecurities the writer's inner critic voices versus the encouragement of friends/acquaintances. 

Anyone who has attempted to write a novel can (to an extent) identify with these sentiments.   Personally, I've never seen it as a negative thing.  I'm glad when I'm put in the position to articulate my thoughts, to hear what they sound like out loud.  This enables me to see the faults, finesse the story and not have it just reside in my head.  It's wonderful to have your friends cheering you on in the sidelines as you try to stick it out and make it to that finish line, no matter how far it is in the distance.  The inner critic is there for a reason as well, to make the author strive higher, to scold when you'd rather sit on your laurels.  The key is to not let the inner critic take full control, because then you'll be second guessing yourself and wasting the precious time that would be better spent writing. 

David Bowie Is....

The exhibition, David Bowie Is... opened to members of the Art Gallery of Ontario today.  Suffice to say, it did not disappoint me and sure as heck will not disappoint any David Bowie fan.  Straight from its sold out run at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, this show brings together 300 objects from the artist's own personal archive.  A complimentary audio device was provided, feeding music and narrative to augment the visual displays. 

Starting on the 4th floor of the Gehry designed building, the first room established context, going into detail about the time period of the late 1940s when Bowie was born and his early influences.  Interestingly, he was concerned with the depression and suicides that plagued his family and he felt his vocation as an artist, something he loved to do, helped him to avoid those pitfalls.  There were a series of dioramas embedded in the wall that didn't provide much information or entertainment.  Although, they succeeded in holding up the line of visitors.  The second room focused on his breakthrough song, "Space Oddity", the title being a pun on the Stanley Kubrick film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The real treat for me lay on the 5th floor which had been transformed into a grand spectacle of costumes, projections, music, posters and sketches by Bowie.  A flurry of books suspended from the ceiling was a nice touch, a nod to the fact that he was heavily influenced by literature as well.  Most striking were the costumes on display, designed by Alexander McQueen and Kansai Yamamoto.  The Union Jack suit was surprisingly worn and torn in places.  Another highlight had to be paintings created by Bowie of his friend Iggy Pop.  These images came about while both lived in Germany while they recovered from drug addiction.  A room devoted to music videos entranced audiences as they played many of Bowie's hits.  Extensive use of video projection throughout the entire show made this British artist seem bigger than life itself.  I highly recommend a visit.      

The Word on the Street

The Word on the Street National Book and Magazine Festival ended yesterday with a great turnout.  I attended the lecture, An Insider's Guide to Getting Published lead by Cynthia Good, Director of the Creative Book Publishing Program at Humber College. 

Some helpful tips she gave to writers:

Create a platform to promote yourself even before you publish a book.  Editors and literary agents want to see that you're capable of marketing and branding yourself.

Research the market: know the current trends in publishing, what are the most popular genres? Go to book launches and conferences and get to know people in the business.

Take a creative writing course, gather a group of friends/peers to give you feedback on your writing or find a mentor to help you through the process.

The second lecture I attended included Patrick Crean and Craig Pyette, two seasoned editors that have worked in publishing for years, imparted advice on what they hate to see in newly submitted manuscripts.  For the most part, they gave stranger than fiction anecdotes on how people corner them, badger them to read their writing and the odd condition many manuscripts are in when they are submitted.  Best take away: they hate bad writing such as riddled with clichés, using the same turn of phrase, tired plotlines etc.  

Welcome!

Thanks for dropping in and saying hello, I hope you'll stay a while and visit often. I'm excited to start this blog where I'll be writing about arts and culture in Toronto, and my own experience of composing my first novel.

Ciao for now!