Subtlety of violence – implied over obvious
Having written Footprints On The Other Side I understood that my action and violence was reflected in a way that kept with the story but was never “too” violent as it were. I have suffered before, on previous projects as I was developing my writing style and presence, where violence was gratuitous and ever present. I don’t want that to be the case with the stories of Jack James and all the while I wanted my children, obviously when they’re older, to be able to enjoy the stories I’m writing.
As a result I have cut the language, it never seemed necessary to get the characters to swear lots again ruled by the idea that my dad always frowned upon swearing within the stories and to a degree he’s right. The characters gained nothing by swearing and so in a way, inadvertently I have sanitised the stories but I believe not at the expense of the story or my characters.
I thought of this as I wrote a pivotal scene this afternoon in Whispering Shadows. The scene is what sets in motion the main crux of the story arc that pulls old and new characters together eventually.
As I wrote it I had a choice. Balancing the story against how I wished to put it across was challenging. I wanted the scene to be something that the reader’s would grow to fear but in the same vein I wanted it to be something that didn’t fall into the realms of gratuitous violence that would ultimately feel violent just for the sake of it. And so I developed two versions in my head – the first being the explicitly described occurrence. As is my style describing everything in detail to plant the image in the reader’s head but that would alienate an audience. Second being the more subtle emotions and feelings behind the “madness” that I felt drew the reader in and allowed glimpses to be mentioned therefore setting an idea so their own mental version could be built.
The scene will be revisited throughout the story, seen from various perspectives and each time it will add a little to the horror at the scene but without saying look at this and picture this in its full gore. I’m hoping my skills at writing will be enough to sow a seed and play to your imagination therefore nurturing an idea but leaving the levels of violence to your preference. Obviously I still need to get the gravity of the situation across but I feel by focussing on an emotional side as opposed the aesthetic or descriptive account it gives something more the characters at the same time.
Being “visual” in my style of imagination it is easy for me describe how I would see the devastation of this scene but I really am fuelled by the fact I want my children to read this in the future. This is no YA book but in the same respect it is not an adult only book. I pitch Jack James as an all rounder, someone that can be both an inspiration and a article of curiosity. I pitch it this way probably based on my reading preferences as a teenager, my reading was always along the lines of Jack Higgins or such like during my teenage years so offering those types of stories seems most appropriate.
Which brings me onto sex! Not literally, that is best saved for an entirely different type f blog but sex is an issue nonetheless. I have no intention at this point to introduce a sexual element to the story but obviously as characters develop and grow there is a possibility of this occurring but I do not have any intention to feed it or play it in an overt sense. I am no prude, you want a sexual story I’m sure I can write one but this isn’t what I want from Jack James.
My story telling is a matter of subtlety where I try to play enough on the page but I also like to justify everything in a way that it all makes sense.
Of course this is first draft edit and I could end up changing everything but for the moment, as I progress the next instalment for now this is where my mind is sitting and where I am trying to take the story.
On an unrelated note my GoodReads Giveaway ended the day before yesterday and I was extremely pleased to see 833 people had entered. Obviously this may (and probably will not) translate into sales but surely there is interest out there enough for people to take the time to look and enter. My sales continue steadily and my reader base grows slowly. There is still the hope that somewhere along the line someone will see the potential and help me run with it! Plus of course seeing as I see Jason Statham (being both a film idol and a fitness idol to me) as my main character he could by all means drop me a line and take the story to the studios as his next action entry! One can hope, one can dream!
Jack James of the future? I can but dream! (Image sourced from open media Google via Popocorn Heart)
