Something weird happened to me.
Back in 2018 I thought up an idea for a short story. That wasn't weird. It happens, though not as often as I would like.
So
I wrote the story. But I was editing it a year later (I take a long
time to edit a story, usually going through at least ten drafts) and I
saw a fatal flaw. I was basing it on technology that was out of date.
Setting the story in the past would not work as a solution. I could not think of a way
around the problem so, with a sigh, I left the story on the virtual
pile of never-to-be-published tales. Too bad, because I really liked
parts of it.
 |
| Dimitsana |
Jump ahead to 2021, and I am visiting Greece. Somewhere around Dimitsana I found myself thinking about my poor dead story. And suddenly I saw a solution to the problem. It meant ripping out half the story and writing some more, but I could keep the best parts.
So back in the good ol' USA I pulled up the last version of the story and started reading it. And I got a shock, because that's when I found something weird.
On page two there were a
couple of paragraphs I didn't remember. I had no idea why they were
there or what they had to do with the rest of the story. I kept reading
and on the next-to-last page I found another addition, completely
unfamiliar to me. It tied into the first and together they solved my
technology problem! In fact, it was a better solution than the one I
had thought of in Greece.
Not a big believer in the fae I assume that I must have solved that problem in a bolt of inspiration and then forgotten about it. The additions appeared only in the last (twelfth) draft of the story. (Lucky for me that I didn't pull up version 11 by mistake.)
So now I have to
start editing and polishing my newly recovered tale. Only the future
will reveal whether the elves provided me with a pair of Manolo Blahnik
Gold Grosgrain Crystal Buckle Mules or a couple of cheap knock-off
tennis shoes. Either way, I would be happy if they show up again.
Well, I've never had the written out solution magically appear, but I have had many moments where I've sat up straight and went, "Oh, so THAT'S how the fire / fight / assault / argument started!" Meanwhile, if you can find those elves, ask them if they do housecalls.
ReplyDeleteEve is right. Ask the elves if they make house calls. I once had a story that I realized had a fatal flaw as I was writing it. I couldn't figure out how I hadn't seen it when I first wrote out all the planning notes for the story. So, I pulled out those notes. And right in there were details I hadn't remembered, which solved the problem. That's what can happen when you think you remember everything you planned and don't bother to actually review your notes. I don't make that mistake anymore.
ReplyDeleteNotes are your friend. Very wise.
DeleteSouth Korea's Studio Dragon uses a neat story telling technique that incorporates obsolete technology as a solution. In " Bulgasari", currently playing on the Netfllix Channel, the main character uses early model mobile phones to prevent being located by GPS. Additionally, some type of WWII comms equipment is incorporated in lieu of microwave towers to relay his calls before he disappears in another part of tow. Would such an approach help?
ReplyDeleteNo, but it is very clever. Thanks for pointing it out.
DeleteI know you leave out milk and cookies for Santa, but what do you leave out for the elves when you want them to come back? Or even show up the first time?
ReplyDeleteMaybe schnapps?
ReplyDeleteI was going to say Glenlivet.
DeleteGreat story, Rob. I'm with Eve and Barb, too, about the house calls. Maybe Jim Beam Black Label?
ReplyDeleteWhen I was working on the first Woody Guthrie book, I was struggling with Megan Traine's backstory. I knew what she did, but I didn't understand WHY. Then, in the middle of the night, I heard an unfamiliar woman's voice as clearly as if she were next to me: "Well, you know I couldn't have children..." That was all. I scurried down the hall to my office and wrote "Barren? Miscarry?" on the pad and went back to bed. The next morning, everything worked out. That was about sixteen years ago, so I wish it would happen again.
Twice I have had characters argue with me and tell me I was writing them wrong. Both were women.
DeleteBack in the 1970s, I was working on my dissertation (economics; the dissertation dealt with vocational education subsidies, and was completely blocked. I don't remember the details, but it was horrid. As it happened, I got a non-academic job, and put the thing aside...for almost 3 years. Woke up in the middle of the might from a dream in which I was meeting with my dissertation committee (weirdest dream I ever had), explaining that part of the dissertation. Got up, had a completed draft in about 2 weeks...my committee had a few nits to pick. But from the dream to my final orals was about 3 months. And got myself an academic job...32 years later I retired.
ReplyDeleteAugust Kekulé claimed to have figured out the structure of benzene in a dream.
DeleteWow, Rob. I'm truly impressed. What glorious underground connections you have!
ReplyDelete