Tuesday, April 04, 2006

The Fun And Games Continue

The writing is going slow at the moment, probably because I'm not actually writing. Aside from the hours being sucked up by my new toy, I'm trying to get to know my main character better.

Reading Jeff Lindsay's DARKLY DREAMING DEXTER and watching WONDERFALLS (as well as processing feedback from Steven & Stephen), has made me get back to the basics of my main character. I'm trying to nail down who he really is in a few sentences, and also fleshing out about five pages of notes.

Dexter is all about a strong first-person voice, with plenty of internal monologue (perhaps a little too much). As Stephen told me, this is something that seems to be missing in my writing so far. I don't want to add the amount of reflection that Dexter has, but as it stands now, my novel makes Danny come across as somewhat distant. It's the other characters that shine instead.

And I'm going to have plenty of time to really nail the whole thing, once I leave my current job.

Yes, I gave notice a couple of weeks ago, so I'll be running away from the exciting world of poker maching programming come Easter. I have a few months' savings to keep me writing full time, as well as the support of a top-notch lass in the form of Mary.

I have a four-to-six tier plan, with numerous offside-contingencies, fail-safe backup systems, as well as other hyphenated-strategic-dollops-of-bullshit.

With one of these tiers, if all goes well, my entry to the Debut Dagger awards will get me a nomination, which will prompt my credit cards to battle it out over who's going to pay for my trip to London. At this point I plan to have a completed novel in my pocket (I'll make sure to wear very baggy pants), and a lucrative publishing deal will spring into my lap, even while I suffer from jet lag.

Next rung down the ladder of tiers will be the St. Martin's Best PI Novel competition, assuming they even go ahead with it this year.

And then?

If I can scrounge together enough moxy to get hold of a driver's license, I suppose I'll become a pizza delivery driver. More likely, I'll re-enter the world of Poker Machine Programming, hopefully with a megabuck-size increase in remuneration.

Failing all of this, I will become an Xbox.

9 comments:

John Rickards said...

A few months clear of work work might be just the ticket. It's always a bit of a leap, but, well, there's a limit to the worst that can happen.

Daniel Hatadi said...

It worked for you in the end, didn't it?

It's going to be great to have more time and energy to be a perfectionist for myself, instead of helping the pensioners of NSW give their money back to the government.

Be seeing you at the Daggers, then?

(fingers crossed)

John Rickards said...

Ah, sadly not.

Though I've only ever been a bad luck charm at the things, so that might work in your favour...

Margaret said...

Good luck Daniel. Though with your talent luck doesn't really need to come into it much :)

P.S. You can deliver pizza here anytime. We are on a train line so you don't even need your licence.

Anonymous said...

Good luck Daniel. I used my vacation last fall to write and it's amazing how much you can get done without that nagging day j-o-b to slow you down! (Xbox aside of course).


I've wanted to take the big leap, but the mortgage won't let me. I tried to convince my wife that living in a van would be very "Bukowski-ish".

She wasn't buying it.

Stephen Blackmoore said...

Friend of mine once told me that unemployment was the best thing that could happen to a writer.

It's a good story, and I think it's got a solid shot for the Debut Daggers. Giving yourself the time to polish it might be just the thing. I'm sure you'll kick ass and take names.

Daniel Hatadi said...

John: Whoops, forgot about that one. I missed the bulk of the comments too. I guess that means I'll be yelling out your name from the top of a double decker bus and, for your sake, I'll hopefully be too drunk to make it understandable.

M: Vegetarian pizza, then? It's on its way. If it's not delivered within thirty months, it's free.

Jamie: I have other guys at work giving me sage advice like, "don't get a mortgage". Through a long term dedication to lack of planning, I have already achieved this. I have no mortgage.

Stephen: Maybe I'll take ass and kick names, too.

Thanks, everybloody. This is gonna be a blast.

Sandra Ruttan said...

Daniel, you're brave. And I do believe this will pay off.

I wouldn't go over for the Daggers, though. Go for Harrogate. Seriously. Writing workshops, drinking and fun. The connections I made last year really helped me this year with everything going on.

Mary said...

Interesting times ahead in our household. Two creatives. One frustrated, one insanely focused and doing stuff and then there is the sporadic kitty behaviour. Mmm...