Writing the real stuff is what's really hard. When I started this project, I thought for sure it would be the other way around. I have hours and hours of audio taped conversations with Granny Bob, so all I have to do is put those stories into words and onto the page, right? Technically, yes. But I didn't anticipate how hard it would be do it right. Writing her isn't the problem - she's a character that I have known my entire life. I know her voice, I know her quirks and mannerisms and have loved her for 40 years. The challenge has been developing this fictional Charles as she knew and loved him and balancing that with how I've always imagined he would have been. Before I heard her stories about him, I don't think I ever romanced him enough. And now that I'm spending so much time with him I don't think I can romance him enough. I always bristle when I read books and characters are too perfect - but as I'm writing him and creating his character - I don't think perfect will do him justice.
Writing fiction is fun. Wriring memoir is important. Writing a perfect Charles is a whole lot of pressure.
0 comments:
Post a Comment