January 19, 2005

Larger projects

In the space of two weeks - when I should have been hurriedly revising my thesis - I have been planning two rather large projects. Inspiration has struck at the wrong time. I have two pages full of notes for a novella, which may not be completed in time for my thesis although my advisor believes it could be the hinge story for my collection of short fiction.

Today, I was doing some research on travel-writing when a little seed took residence. In one hour, I completed two pages of notes...for a novel this time, something which I hadn't planned to attempt until I finished the program. But this may be a good thing, since I need to go to a part of Michigan for some exploration. And possibly Montreal. I might as well do that side of the research while I'm still in North America. I hope LK's up for a road trip or two.

A novel! I'm not sure I'm up to the task, but it's pretty exciting. I feel rather torn now. Should I go home to Singapore or should I hope for a job/fellowship that will let me stay here while I write and research?

Update: I now have four pages of notes. Now to get down to writing that shitty first draft!

Posted by Monoceros at January 19, 2005 12:45 PM
Comments

golly! this is exciting...
inspiration strikes when you least expect it to... so it's how you use them that make them worth more than their brief spell... :C)

Posted by: tiggie at January 19, 2005 2:27 PM

you're right. and I will make this idea work. =)

Hey Tigs, I'm not sure if this is relevant to your research but it might be of interest. There's a book called "The Midnight Disease" (by Alice Weaver Flaherty) which deals with the neurological basis of writing and its pathologies. The urge to write, writer's block, the methods and madness of certain famous and infamous writers etc. I just picked it up after my thesis advisor recommended it and I'll let you know how it goes.

Posted by: monoceros at January 19, 2005 5:51 PM

cool! i will try to find a copy... is it rather new?
let me know how you find it!!! am interested! :C)
in any case, i do find my typos interesting enough... sometimes it seems i have 2 ideas at the same time and my fingers are typing both out! eek!

Posted by: tiggie at January 19, 2005 6:30 PM

i so want to read your stuff!!! and talk about how you draw the ideas from drafts and sew them all into your quilt-work fabric of an engaging story... perhaps i might be fortunate to have the opportunity someday...

Posted by: tiggie at January 19, 2005 6:41 PM

Yeah! Looking forward to reading it! I'm sure it'll be a fab novel!

Posted by: dsd at January 19, 2005 9:23 PM

When friends ask about you, I always say that you're hoping to write a novel someday. Hope that dream will come true!

Posted by: iheng at January 22, 2005 12:25 AM

I hope so too, mom, although it's more of completeing a novel, and a good one, that I'm praying for. =)

dsd, tigs - if my book ever gets written, finished, and published, i'll have the comfort of knowing that at least two people will read it! =)

Posted by: monoceros at January 22, 2005 1:12 AM