More Method

We started the novel a little differently to the chapter that’s on the blog now. Ruth’s story was written in the third person, rather than the first. Why we decided to change that, I can't recall. The terror of having to write in the first person - as another person - I do remember, never having tried it before. Almost worse was the knowledge that I’ve never much liked books written in the first person. It’s not something that's bothered me much until now. No need for analysis, just avoidance. But pondering it now, I realise I have a major problem with characters written in the first person - it’s all me, me, me. I did this, I said that, I went there, I saw that. It gets on my nerves.

I want Ruthie to be real to the reader. I want them to hear her words and understand her, to feel her feelings. This idea of Method Writing has had me thinking, therefore. Isn’t there a need to immerse myself into her? Should I take a long breath and dive deep, then open my eyes to see what’s there?

But what happens if I do that and I don’t like her? I get more picky (some would say grumpy, nay, curmudgeonly) as I get older and there are more and more people I just don’t much like. Who wants to spend an evening with someone they don’t like? Not me, that’s for sure. I avoid doing it in real life, so why would I seek it when I sit down with my laptop to write?

It would be a tad disappointing if Ruth turned out to be a pain. I mean, I’m responsible for her because she’s my creation. Well, mine and Gary’s, but mainly mine since I’ve written most of her story.

However, so far I've enjoyed writing her. Not least the weaving in of biographical details. She's not me, but there are bits of me, bits of my experiences and opinions in her. There are bits of Gary too. (Don't ask, we're not going to tell you what is whose.)

And, when it comes to Method, I can't help but live Ruth when we're writing dialogue scenes like the one in the bar. We bashed out that scene in about 40 minutes using facebook chat and I spent the entire time blushing and hoping Trip would make a move...