Thursday, February 26, 2009

Emotional Topography - Part 3

So, finally, lets have a look at version 12 (I kid you not - and this is just for 2009) of my opening chapter to my final project. In the light of Wolf Brother and Invisible City, I imagine that my chapter is going to rush sloth like from branch to branch, stopping to admire fruit here and there.

Curse of the Library - Page 1
  • Confusion, overridden by...
  • Horror of expectation
  • Uneasiness but inner defiance
Curse of the Library - Page 2
  • Irony and nerves
  • Anxious and rationalised will
  • Irritation
  • Fear
Curse of the Library - Page 3
  • Labelling himself an idiot
  • Replay what he should have done
  • Too much noise to think
  • Trapped and doomed
  • False composure, will to run away
  • Fear of knife and wariness of antagonist
Curse of the Library - Page 4
  • Overcome fear
  • Sickness and ache of longing
  • Determination
  • Tense, dread
  • Realisation and self blame
  • Action - to escape
  • Strain
Curse of the Library - Page 5
  • Physical pain
  • Tears
  • Horror and fear
  • Sickness
Curse of the Library - Page 6
  • Realisation of worse to come
  • No escape
  • Ridicule but keeping spirits up
  • Fight the flight and think
  • Nausea and tiredness
  • Cold
Curse of the Library - Page 7
  • Pain and lethargy
  • Give up
  • Defiance and avoidance
  • The truth hurts
  • Be angry
Curse of the Library - Page 8
  • Fear of death
  • Tired defiance
  • Indifference to own plight
  • Nausea and resignation

Hmm, I didn't imagine that I'd have so much myself!

Can I make one thing clear - good use of emotionality doesn't make a good story (certainly, I might not even be evoking the emotions properly). MG Harris and Michelle Paver both weave very different narratives, but they're going places and dealing with issues - I fear mine is a very static piece by comparison and my wife said of the iteration before this one that she could clearly see the antagonist character but not the protagonist.

That's it darling! Identify with the badguy, why don't you.

How do I like them apples?

1 comment:

esruel said...

Hey, Rich! I would guard against comparing your work to others too closely. What makes you different is what makes you stand out, not necessarily inferior. I tend to look at other works to bolster my own thoughts, rather than allow them to detract.
However, you may be totally right in what you say, as I haven't seen what you are looking at right now. I do get the feeling, though, from the words that you use to describe your own beginning, and what your wife said, that there may be an element of negativity in your hero's portrait.
Will he survive or win through by the nature of his own bravery/ingenuity/resourcefulness, or because his enemy merely fails or makes a mistake? The former would be infinitely more desirable than the latter.
More than that, I can't say at this point. Hope that helps a bit!