UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
Past Live Events
>
Ian Ayris live event. HERE.
Is it easy to turn a short into a novel, is it the same as writing a novel from an outline, or is it trickier due to the fact that there is already a story in the short story?
Aunty Janet wrote: "How's the OU coming along? I did my degree with them and did Psychology and criminology. I loved it, but had had enough by the end of 6 years when I graduated, many years ago! How far into it are y..."I'm currently in year four of an English Lit. degree, nearing the end of the Creative Writing module. It's been a bit of a busman's holiday, which is great, but I've really struggled with the part of every assignment where I have to critique the assignment. Because I write intuitively, it's a little like writing five hundred words on how you get out of bed relating it to every muscle, bone, and tendon. A bleeding nightmare, I'd have to say . . .
Yes Lorraine - very much a football family - even to the extent that our sister has named her four sons after Man United players. Sad but true! But then I did name our dog after Dagenham and Redbridge's leading goalscorer in the season that we bought him.Anyway, Ian. Do you think your publisher will stay with KDP Select after the ninety days and branch out into Smashwords etc?
Smidgen, Splinters, Wafflemaker... The names of your characters are obviously important. Where do they come from?
Lorraine - Huggybear wrote: "Is it easy to turn a short into a novel, is it the same as writing a novel from an outline, or is it trickier due to the fact that there is already a story in the short story?"I think the short sort of acts as a catalyst more than anything. All that eventually survived from the short story that became AWM, are the names of the main characters, and the relationships between them. The rest, just sort of drifted away to be replaced by what unfolded when I shut my eyes, and let it all happen.
Stuart wrote: "Yes Lorraine - very much a football family - even to the extent that our sister has named her four sons after Man United players. Sad but true! But then I did name our dog after Dagenham and Redbri..."Wow. Now I don't feel so bad about naming Ollie after a ballad from my favourite band (had he been a girl that is).
hello all... been lurking :)Ian, from some of the words you have been using in describing the way you write, it feels to me like writing for you is a very "spiritual" process... is it ?
Ian wrote: "Lorraine - Huggybear wrote: "Is it easy to turn a short into a novel, is it the same as writing a novel from an outline, or is it trickier due to the fact that there is already a story in the short..."So can you eventually end up with a short AND a novel with the same characters in it, or does the novel kind of eclipse the short story?
Stuart wrote: "Yes Lorraine - very much a football family - even to the extent that our sister has named her four sons after Man United players. Sad but true! But then I did name our dog after Dagenham and Redbri..."Tricky one, Stu. My feeling about KDP is that the exclusivity demanded by Amazon is a proper scam. That's why I would never use it myself. From what I know of Darren, and some of the problems we had with Amazon early on, I think he might think twice about KDP again.
Just wanted to say hi. Just logged on. Reallt enjoyed AWM.
Rosemary wrote: "Smidgen, Splinters, Wafflemaker... The names of your characters are obviously important. Where do they come from?"Hi Rosemary.
Honestly, that's what their names are. Who am I to change a character's name, just because it sounds funny.
Great news re sequel,will we see more of Harry Wilkins?I warmed to him at the end of the book.
Ian wrote: "Rosemary wrote: "Smidgen, Splinters, Wafflemaker... The names of your characters are obviously important. Where do they come from?"Hi Rosemary.
Honestly, that's what their names are. Who am I t..."
Bit of a Dickens thing going on there :)
Kath wrote: "hello all... been lurking :)Ian, from some of the words you have been using in describing the way you write, it feels to me like writing for you is a very "spiritual" process... is it ?"
Hi Kath.
Very much so. A sort of channelling sort of thing. Really hard to explain without coming across as completely loony, but it's just the way I write now.
Hi Darren !Just checking Ian, because the questions are coming thick and fast, you're doing a great job with keeping up with them, all ok ?
Ian wrote: "Very much so. A sort of channelling sort of thing. Really hard to explain without coming across as completely loony, but it's just the way I write now. i was actually going to say channelling myself... so i totally understand what you mean :)
Lorraine - Huggybear wrote: "Ian wrote: "Lorraine - Huggybear wrote: "Is it easy to turn a short into a novel, is it the same as writing a novel from an outline, or is it trickier due to the fact that there is already a story ..."I think, in the end, the novel eclipses the short story, purely because the endings are different. But I think also they can be read exclusively too. It's only words, after all :)
Darren wrote: "Just wanted to say hi. Just logged on. Reallt enjoyed AWM."Hi Darren,
Cheers, mate :)
If pushed to compare your style to any other writer's I'd take a pass. AWM is so unique in its mixture of suibtle elegance and graphic style, that's a hard thing to do. If pushed really hard I'd say Ellroy (the early Ellroy of the L.A. Quartet era.) Do you have any comparisons that you think would be valid. (C'mon now. Don't be modest.)
Can you see yourself writing a novel from a third person perspective as opposed to first person?
Philip (sarah) wrote: "Great news re sequel,will we see more of Harry Wilkins?I warmed to him at the end of the book."
I don't know if Harry will play a part yet, as I have no idea what will be happening. In AWM, I had no idea where each chapter would lead. I just listened and watched inside my head, and wrote. It's like AWM2 is already written, and it's just a case of me tuning in and writing it down. I like Harry. I hope to see him again.
Rosemary wrote: "Ian wrote: "Rosemary wrote: "Smidgen, Splinters, Wafflemaker... The names of your characters are obviously important. Where do they come from?"Hi Rosemary.
Honestly, that's what their names are...."
I love Dickens, so probably deep in me psyche somewhere, he's sitting about, having a right laugh.
Aj wrote: "If pushed to compare your style to any other writer's I'd take a pass. AWM is so unique in its mixture of suibtle elegance and graphic style, that's a hard thing to do. If pushed really hard I'd sa..."Blimey, AJ. That's a hard one. I know there's elements of Virginia Woolf in there - all the visceral stuff, you know. And the Ellroy clipped sentences, yeah, I can see that. LA Confidential was hugely influential when I read it. I had no idea you were allowed to write like that.
And I think Hemingway is in there somewhere too.
Perhaps you could run a competition to name incidental characters in the sequal?
Stuart wrote: "Can you see yourself writing a novel from a third person perspective as opposed to first person?"I'm not sure I could, Stu. It's the voice thing, you know. I do a few short stories in that sort of distant omniscient wotsit, but I don't know if I could stand writing a novel like that. I suppose I need to be on the inside, feeling what the characters feel, and third person is something I findd really hard to write and achieve that same level of intimacy.
I'd also say that Ray Bradbury should be included. For the poetic images and mythic references of the characters. Arthurian legend comes right to mind.
I was surprised when I was reminded by Katie(kitten-killer) that Kenny never actually spoke in AWM. Was this a concious decision.
Stuart wrote: "Perhaps you could run a competition to name incidental characters in the sequal?"I've seen a few people do that, and it's a great idea. Thing is, these characters have already got names. Would be a bit rude foisting another on on them. I like that word. Foisting.
Ian wrote: "Stuart wrote: "Perhaps you could run a competition to name incidental characters in the sequal?"I've seen a few people do that, and it's a great idea. Thing is, these characters have already got..."
Silus Mange? Able Cocknocker?
Aj wrote: "I'd also say that Ray Bradbury should be included. For the poetic images and mythic references of the characters. Arthurian legend comes right to mind."Never read any Bradbury, AJ, much to my shame. He's on me list, though. And I did pick up a sort of mythic quality to the whole thing, with Kenny at the heart.
Going through the reviews, it seems that one of the "things" that made your book a success with so many readers is the use of the East end local lingo. Was it easy to write? I mean if you're used to typing standard English stuff, was it hard to change, or did the words just come naturally?
I know you write organically with very little planning. Any plans to write something that is more plotted beforehand?
Philip (sarah) wrote: "I was surprised when I was reminded by Katie(kitten-killer) that Kenny never actually spoke in AWM. Was this a concious decision."Funny, Sarah, but I didn't realise either till I read the first draft. Then it sort of made sense. So a couple of places where he did speak, I made a conscious decision to alter them. So sort of conscious and sort of not, really.
Lorraine - Huggybear wrote: "Going through the reviews, it seems that one of the "things" that made your book a success with so many readers is the use of the East end local lingo. Was it easy to write? I mean if you're used t..."It really was just a matter of listening to the voice speaking in my head, and making sure I wrote it down accurately. Because I speak pretty much like John in the book, although not quite so sweary, it wasn't too difficult as, say, if he were a Geordie or something.
And the standard English thing, I've never really done that to any great degree.
Darren wrote: "I know you write organically with very little planning. Any plans to write something that is more plotted beforehand?"Hi Darren.
I've tried, mate. On a couple of short stories. But it just doesn't work for me. Feels to contrained, as if I'm in control. For me, it's all about letting the characters tell their story. If I try and force them in a certain direction, they just sort of clam up. Can't blame them, really.
Stuart wrote: "Ian wrote: "Stuart wrote: "Perhaps you could run a competition to name incidental characters in the sequal?"I've seen a few people do that, and it's a great idea. Thing is, these characters have..."
More Tollesbury residents, Stu? Remember the trouble you got into last time . . . ;)
It's the dialogue (and in this case, the internal dialogue as well) that can make or break a novel. In AWM it rings completely true.
Ian wrote: "It really was just a matter of listening to the voice speaking in my head, and making sure I wrote it down accurately. Because I speak pretty much like John in the book, although not quite so sweary, it wasn't too difficult as, say, if he were a Geordie or something."
Do you feel that the local language adds to the identity of a person/of a community? Do you feel that it helps a person integrate/feel part of that community to a certain extent?
Ian wrote: "More Tollesbury residents, Stu? Remember the trouble you got into last time . . . ;) "Do tell more....
Rosemary wrote: "It's the dialogue (and in this case, the internal dialogue) that can make or break a novel. In AWM it rings completely true."A lot of the dialogue, Rosemary, I re-enacted wandering around the front room, just so I made sure I'd got it right. Tesocs queues were another one. Got some right looks there.
And as I said to AJ earlier, it's a real rhythm thing. A sort of feeling. I would get a little twinge if something wasn't quiet right, a sort of jarring feeling. Then I'd just listen a little closer till I got it right.
You are doing a great job of keeping up with all the questions Ian! I have to dip out now, but will look forward to reading the rest of the posts tomorrow. Thanks and keep up the good work Lorraine and Ian!
Lorraine - Huggybear wrote: "Ian wrote: "It really was just a matter of listening to the voice speaking in my head, and making sure I wrote it down accurately. Because I speak pretty much like John in the book, although not qu..."I think a local dialect can be both inclusive and exclusive. During my counselling training, I was once in a class full of middle class Essex women in the power suits and their delicate sensibilities. When I turned up with my Dagenham top and my dropped aitches, yet still got top marks, I'd never felt more discriminated against.
Aunty Janet wrote: "You are doing a great job of keeping up with all the questions Ian! I have to dip out now, but will look forward to reading the rest of the posts tomorrow. Thanks and keep up the good work Lorrain..."
Thank you, Janet. And thanks so much for supporting the book :)
Lorraine - Huggybear wrote: "Ian wrote: "More Tollesbury residents, Stu? Remember the trouble you got into last time . . . ;) "Do tell more...."
I'll leave that to Stu . . .
I feel that Kenny kind of reminds me of Lennie from Of Mice and Men...
Terry Pratchett said at a signing that "Your subconcious knows the complete story, soup to nuts, but it doesn't want you to have it until you earn it by doing things like endlessly mowing the lawn or washing the windows or feeding the dog or doing other deadly dull chores until it gets bored and finally throws the thing at you with an All Right! Here it is! For God's sake,write it! remark." Does that kind of inspiration strike you when you need it most?
Ian wrote: "Lorraine - Huggybear wrote: "Ian wrote: "More Tollesbury residents, Stu? Remember the trouble you got into last time . . . ;) "Do tell more...."
I'll leave that to Stu . . ."
A story for another time I think!
Rosemary wrote: "I feel that Kenny kind of reminds me of Lennie from Of Mice and Men..."Funny, my publisher pointed that out as well, Rosemary. He referred to AWM as 'Of Mice and Me' for the East End. And I suppose the similarities are pretty clear. I think there are definite differences, but it's a valid comparison.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
UK Amazon Kindle Forum
Books mentioned in this topic
Abide With Me (other topics)Abide With Me (other topics)
Jason, I haven't witnessed anything to say the contrary, but yeah, you never know !
Thanks Stu for the flashback into yours and Ian's childhood, so Ian's been a fan of football ever since b..."
Hi Lorraine.
I think I'll still by writing short stories, just to keep my hand in. They're a great discipline and having a back catalogue of short stories to potentially turn into novels sort of seems the sensible thing to do as well.
But for the immediate future, the sequel to AWM is the only thing on the cards. And I enjoyed writing the novella so much, I think I might try my hand at another one of those after that.