Friday, September 12, 2008

Instant Fiction

My 4 year old grandson has started a new way of playing. He finds something in the toybox - a transporter lorry for example - and then says "Make a story about a car transporter," so he can act it out.

This is easy for me, and great fun, one of the reasons being that there is chance for a lot of dialogue e.g. "I'm sorry," says the the garage owner's wife, "My husband is in the loo with the crossword. You'll have to wait till he comes out."

There is also no wrestling with how to tell the story - first person or third person, and if the latter, having to decide on the pestilential point of view. Being an omniscient narrator is very restful.

The trouble comes when you send the transporter driver to Bridlington (in the bay window) and then the next time to London (in the hall) and the driver argues and says "No, London is in the bay window, too."

I am back to writing my new novel this morning, and there will be no barracking from any of the characters. They will do as they are told.

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