Comments on: Today I thought I was Ella http://web.overland.org.au/2010/02/19/today-i-thought-i-was-ella/ Overland journal — radical Australian literature and culture since 1954. Publishing literature, politics, history, memoir, fiction, poetry and reviews. Edited by Jeff Sparrow. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:44:23 +1000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Koraly http://web.overland.org.au/2010/02/19/today-i-thought-i-was-ella/comment-page-1/#comment-3440 Koraly Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:18:20 +0000 http://web.overland.org.au/?p=3798#comment-3440 Hi zz, thanks for responding. I think when I started writing I didn't realise how much of yourself you have to invest in it emotionally. Also, it isn't as simple as this happens, then that happens. You need to really know your characters, and by know I mean you need to know what their past experiences have been, what has shaped them into the people they are, and what journey they are going to take in the novel. Every character must have a purpose or they are just furniture. I think I've come to accept now that in order to write novel you do have to surrender a part of your mind to it, but it is scary sometimes, keeping that firm grip on your identity. I think that will comes with experience also. Hi zz,
thanks for responding. I think when I started writing I didn’t realise how much of yourself you have to invest in it emotionally. Also, it isn’t as simple as this happens, then that happens. You need to really know your characters, and by know I mean you need to know what their past experiences have been, what has shaped them into the people they are, and what journey they are going to take in the novel. Every character must have a purpose or they are just furniture. I think I’ve come to accept now that in order to write novel you do have to surrender a part of your mind to it, but it is scary sometimes, keeping that firm grip on your identity. I think that will comes with experience also.

]]> By: zz http://web.overland.org.au/2010/02/19/today-i-thought-i-was-ella/comment-page-1/#comment-3437 zz Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:02:47 +0000 http://web.overland.org.au/?p=3798#comment-3437 Koraly, I think about this a lot! How do I write what I know without writing a weakly veiled biography? How do I write things outside of my experience without sounding contrived and, well, retarded? I think for me it’ll just take time and loads of writing to find the balance. You mentioned previously that you're working on your eighth draft of this novel? That’s a lot of sweat and years, I’m guessing. Maybe writers need to be prepared to surrender a little piece of our brain for every novel we complete, as a sacrifice of thanks for having been able to partake in the joy of creation. I’m going to use this as my excuse for being a batty, multi-personalitied (yeah it’s a word now) old lady one day. Koraly, I think about this a lot! How do I write what I know without writing a weakly veiled biography? How do I write things outside of my experience without sounding contrived and, well, retarded? I think for me it’ll just take time and loads of writing to find the balance.

You mentioned previously that you’re working on your eighth draft of this novel? That’s a lot of sweat and years, I’m guessing. Maybe writers need to be prepared to surrender a little piece of our brain for every novel we complete, as a sacrifice of thanks for having been able to partake in the joy of creation. I’m going to use this as my excuse for being a batty, multi-personalitied (yeah it’s a word now) old lady one day.

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