Ian Gouge's Blog, page 30
June 22, 2023
Yesterday & Today: 22nd June
While working on ‘Z’ yesterday I found myself able to articulate a challenge I suspect many long-fiction writers face. I have worked out the major events in each of fourteen characters’ lifetimes from birth to the present day. The narrative is told in the present tense. The omnipotent narrator knows all of this history of … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 22nd June →
June 20, 2023
Yesterday & Today: 21st June
I was half expecting something of a storm yesterday when I confessed my preference for The Hobbit over The Lord of the Rings (film versions). But nothing. This was in relation to some recent binge-watching. So here’s another go. Last month I watched the three Godfather films to back-to-back; I far prefer number 2, and … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 21st June →
“Fictions”
Surreal. Weird. Undefinable. Mind-bending. You choose – because as I was working my way through Jorge Luis Borges’ Fictions I had no idea what I was reading! More often than not the individual pieces felt like non-fiction or reportage; but then the content was so surreal… It was one of those books where I really … Continue reading “Fictions” →
Yesterday & Today: 20th June
I have a confession to make. Having binge-watched Shakespeare recently, yesterday I finished viewing all six films in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings franchise. And what well-made, exciting, CGI-filled films they are. But… …the experience confirmed to me why I don’t read or write such escapism; there are more important things for me … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 20th June →
June 18, 2023
Yesterday & Today: 19th June
170 days of consecutive posting – it will be interesting to go back at the end of the year and remind myself what 2023 contained… As for yesterday? Very similar to the previous three days in that I’m chipping away at ‘Z’ to keep my writing muscles active – yet all the while waiting for … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 19th June →
Yesterday & Today: 18th June
It might be a shade controversial, but it’s possible to make writing ‘easy’. Certainly that’s how coming back to ‘Z’ felt as I rattled off another chunk yesterday. Okay, if not ‘easy’ then ‘easier’… It’s all about process, and for ‘Z’ I took an entirely different process to my normal one. 1 – Forgetting about … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 18th June →
June 17, 2023
Yesterday & Today: 17th June
‘Z’ featured front and centre yesterday, and I have concluded that – whether or not it’s something the story has a long-term future – it’s just nice to be writing. I am aware that sounds a little twee, but I think we can get so wrapped up in the process, the desire to hit deadlines, … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 17th June →
June 16, 2023
Yesterday & Today: 16th June
I was just checking out the year-to-date stats for this website and was astounded to find that thus far I have written 55.7k words! That’s almost a novel! Obviously these daily posts are the greatest contributors – but nearly sixty thousand words… So what did I do yesterday that I can turn into commentary here … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 16th June →
June 15, 2023
Yesterday & Today: 15th June
For a little while now I have been wondering whether or not I should start to compile a new collection of poetry – an ideal resurrected when I had a few embryonic ideas while out walking in Harlow Carr on Tuesday. So yesterday I started to pull together some of these idea just to see … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 15th June →
June 14, 2023
Yesterday & Today: 14th June
No writing yesterday but a large chunk of time going through the process of sending 17 Alma Road to twenty-eight agents. Now comes the waiting time… I sent them the whole novel in ebook format hoping a) it might prove easier for them to read, and b) that they might get drawn into reading it … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 14th June →
