Earthly Paradise

Sospira.

The Twirl and Swirl of Letters

I haven’t a good reason for why I haven’t updated. Yes, I’ve been writing, but my story “Earthly Paradise” (the one that takes place somewhere in Italy and I so happily wrote about) is faltering. I dislike the main character. John is too…bland. Too sheepish. He just accepts things with a wide, dumb grin. At first, I thought that this would be interesting, a character who doesn’t question the strange things happening around him. It would be a refreshing change from some of my other characters who are too inquisitive for their own sakes.

“Earthly Paradise” is stalling. It feels too big to be a short story (well, it probably will be a short story, should I finish it). I usually write stories that fall below 2,500 words (gee, that’s short). But every time I set pen to paper, I find myself writing repetitive scenes. I don’t know how it’s going to end. In the past, I would laugh and say, “getting there is half the fun!” But in this case, it’s only frustrating.

I haven’t written enough varied material in this story to pick out a theme. There are different threads of a plot, featuring rivalries, experiments and the potential for double-crossing. I have an end that I would like to reach, but John isn’t gutsy enough to get to that ending.

I guess through it all, I must do one of the following:

  • Switch the main character
  • Struggle through with the gutless John (if his name was Jack, I’m sure the story would be different)
  • Ditch “Earthly Paradise” in favor of a story that hasn’t been thought of yet

I’m sure I’ll figure something out.

Pick me up and take me away…

The Twirl and Swirl of Letters

I started work on a new short story. It’s…different from what I usually write. For one, I don’t know how its going to end (usually when I write, I have an idea of where its going to end up). I started with an image that popped into my mind, and from there let the twists and turns develop. But now, about twelve pages in, I finally have a view of what the main character’s goal might be. But it could change.

As always, I’m concerned about my influences being a mite too obvious. This piece is feeling a bit Prisoner-esque, hopefully minus the epic mental trip of the finale (and I don’t mean imply that this little story is even close to the same level as The Prisoner). Oh well.

I enjoy writing this story. The main character strikes me as a bit of an idiot, but his antagonists(?) are wonderfully enigmatic. I like peeling away the layers of the characters and discovering the world. I doubt it will be a very polished piece, but I feel like there’s potential in it.

And it takes place in Italy. Finally. I’ve been here two months–you would think that by now I would have set all of my short stories here!