My appreciation of First Person Narratives

"You've really made a lot of work for yourself," one test reader said when she began reading my book. She was referring to my use of a first-person narrative, and she wasn't kidding! Believing in taking on challenges I chose a particularly tricky one at that. A major influence in me writing directly from the character's point of view is because he's a detective, and though he's not particularly hardboiled, first person narration works best. But first-person narration has always appealed to me more easily than the usual third person works. Having spent much of last week compiling a 'recommended reading list' I realized that are several of my stand-out favourites that are first-person narratives. Digging deeper I into my reading past I managed to track down three books that I suspect influenced my current narrative subconsciously.

Recommendations

I have compiled, as a separate page on this blog, a list of favourite novels and movies, in no particular order. Originally just a quick list, I decided to expand it into a comprehensive page with quick comments and / or reviews on the books.

Division

Not all novels are published as one book. Most famous example would be Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, which is usually called a trilogy despite the fact that it was written as one book. You could argue that is a forced trilogy, as it was published in three books because, as I understand it, it was too expensive to publish it in one volume. More recent we got George RR Martin's A Dance with Dragons, which was also published in two parts. In the end the decision to divide a book is usually based in economics, and occasionally, a publisher's wish to cash in. Which is where my current rewrite comes in.

For about two years, between 2007 and 2009, I managed to write a 350 000 word book despite the fact that many of my up-and-coming author acquaintances saw it as a bad move. Most of them advised me to either shorten it to 150 000 words (which is usually some publishers' limits) or divide it into two books. On the surface this may not seem like a problem. There is a relatively comfortable place within my book where the story can be divided in two but I need not consult Solomon to know that this division would be a bad (if reasonable) decision.

I believe my novel would not be broken if divided into two like some might, but on the other hand I feel the reasons not to are more compelling. One reason is that the book's emotional climax would fall in its second half, thus the second book. Even though there is an emotional climax within the first half as well (a rather devastating one for the main character) it would just make more sense as a whole and thus be more satisfying. Second, the climax proper is in the second half where many of the loose ends are tied up and the mysteries explained. I can easily manufacture a climax for the first half without it seeming tacked on (in fact, I was going to ad it in any case) but again it would not be 100% satisfying to most readers. Most would no doubt shake their fists at me for not resolving much. I do believe that they will care enough for the characters and their problems to read further, and the plots and mysteries should intrigue them too, but on the whole I'd rather give them more than less.

In the end (unforeseeable and undetectable) unless I go for self-publishing, then the division will have to take place. I am rewriting the novel in such a way where it can be done, but I will submit it first to publishers who would be more likely to not ask for it to be divided. It is important to me that my first novel should come out as best as possible and a division would undermine that.

New Writing Blog

In 2009 I finished a manuscript of 350k words for a dark fantasy, then placed it in the figurative drawer after posting (on a personal blog) this picture celebrating my victory:

Despite this dour prophecy I ended up spending the next three years I struggling to finish another book that basically went nowhere, despite my plan for it to be a shorter work, quicker work. In December 2012, my patience at an end, I decided that the struggling work wasn't worth the time I've put into it, and with that disappointment firmly in the drawer I set out to re-write both my book while writing its sequel.

Although I've been on Blogger for a while I never really started my own blog and felt the need to work on my novel. This blog exists basically as a way to chart my progress and to offer (and hopefully receive) advice regarding this process, as my ultimate goal is to have it published. The title of this blog is derived from the novel.

So, as the indirectly whimsical picture suggested, let the rewrites begin...