Amidst taking a break (i.e. playing Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, watching marathon sessions of Trailer Park Boys, and generally being a lazy sloth), I’ve been conflicted over what idea I should use for another novel. Yep, it’s time for the next big project; I’ve written plenty of short stories the last year and a half and it’s time to move on.
Like pimpin’, writin’ ain’t easy. Well, for me it isn’t. I have plenty of concepts kicking around inside of my brain, bouncing to and fro between the nicotine receptors, the scar tissue, and the foot radar. Yes, for those who read this blog and follow me on Facebook, I’ve resorted to recycling jokes.
But just because I have a plethora of ideas doesn’t mean that many of them ever see the light of Microsoft Word. A concept has to be something that makes me eager to write; it has to motivate my lazy, disgruntled, and partially disillusioned ass, if you prefer me to be blunt. The one I have right now was actually a seed planted in my head by a good friend by the name of Peter Harrison. Peter, after reading a 1,200-word short story of mine, suggested that I take the concept of the story and turn it into a full-length novel. You ever have one of those moments that make you think or say, “Damn! Why didn’t I think of that before?” That’s what Peter did for me.
In recent days, Peter’s advice has borne fruit in the form of a novel idea that has me pretty hot to dive in, even though the concept has changed significantly from the original short story. I’ve been researching like a madman, sketching out characters (and abominable horrors) in my trusty composition book, and making more notes than an obsessive-compulsive college student. Right now, there’s only a rough outline and sequence of events, but that’s usually how it’s done; “connecting the dots” as I go along is the best way for me to flesh out a plot.
But the story itself isn’t the only aspect that has me excited, even though it’s partially inspired by three of my favorite horror movies: Jacob’s Ladder, Eraserhead, and Seven. No, what has me pumped in how the book will be executed. I’ll be trying some bold writing techniques that – to my knowledge – haven’t been attempted yet, at least not to the extent that I plan on implementing. It’s a move that – if the book is ever put out by a top-notch publisher one day – will either revolutionize and expand the concepts of books, helping them survive in a modern society that craves visual input and immediate satisfaction…or the book purists will all band together, decry the novel as a gimmick, and the big publishers can continue to play it safe by flooding the market with more vampire romance novels and political memoirs.
No matter what happens after the novel is finished, it looks like Peter Harrison just earned himself a credit on the acknowledgments page.
Daryl Brownell's Domain of the Disturbing 