The Re-Write

[justin_pilon]

Had the night off tonight (students are in exams), which means I had plenty of time to write. Remember that old story I opened up a while back that was so encouraging because it sucked so bad and basically showed how far I'd come? Well, I've decided to give that story a complete overhaul. I want to see if, by using some stuff I've picked up in the

Comments

[mylefteye]

Rewrites can be great fun as you have plenty of raw material to hand. Good luck!

[justin_pilon]

Thanks, Mike! It's fun taking it in a different direction. I think that's the key with rewrites. not restricting yourself too much.

[bogwitch64]

Huzzah for the rewrite!

And...seriously, Justin. The part in the house with the people in the basement? The baby?? They didn't get to you?? Ugh! I still have visions of that. I know you got to them because you've gotten to the part in the shelter, so...you must be a hard man!

Speaking of the shelter, I was puzzled by that too. Sure, dad wants to get his son to the coast before he dies, but in a world where there is only bad and more bad, when you find something good, how do you give it up to go out and face more bad.

But maybe that's the point, after all. Humanity's insane ability to cling to hope even in the most dire circumstances.

Oh, and if you do get the chance--since mainstream is mostly what you have access to and Atwood is NOT a SF writer :-P --definitely read Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood (companion books.) I really think you'd like them.

[justin_pilon]

Thanks for the sparkles! The part in the basement got to me a bit, but I was expecting much worse from people's reactions. But I think it might be as the Ladywolf says below, the constant hopelessness of the book got to people. Though I think as you said there are glimpses of hope spread between the doom and gloom, which worked for me. Now, if you want to see a book that's totally dark and hopeless I think it would be "Perfume". I wasn't much of a fan.

Speaking of the shelter, I was puzzled by that too. Sure, dad wants to get his son to the coast before he dies, but in a world where there is only bad and more bad, when you find something good, how do you give it up to go out and face more bad. Yeah, totally. I haven't read to the end, but I couldn't imagine there being anything better at the coast. I think I would have tried to find a way to camouflage that shelter or maybe lock it up. Though life would be kind of sad down there, it sure beats the alternative, I think. Well, hopefully they will find something at the coast, don't

[bogwitch64]

Ack! My daughter read Perfume. She, the queen of loving that sort of thing, didn't like it at all.

[justin_pilon]

The character is totally unlikable, doesn't have a single redeeming moment. But it was an interesting thing to write from the persective of scent. I think that's what made it so popular.

[theladywolf]

I'd have stayed in the shelter. Until I died. :) I actually think it was the "always winter and never Christmas,*" aspect of it that gradually wore me down. Winter is naturally depressing. Only the promise of spring brings us through. It's nature's time of Death. And in The Road, there is no promise of spring.
Also the lack of sunlight. I can't stand the gloom. So although I found the basement scene nasty, it was the gloom and the cold that wore me down eventually in that book.

* I trust you have read about Narnia.

[justin_pilon]

That makes sense with the constant gloom. I thought there were a couple glimpses of hope, saving the old man, finding the shelter, but I couldn't for the life understand why he'd leave the shelter. It was like Heaven compared to what was waiting for them outside. I can't imagine there's anything at the coast. Well, I'll have to read to find out for sure.

PS: Narnia was a great book series. Terrible movies!

[jongibbs]

Good luck with that new/old story :)

[justin_pilon]

Thanks, Jon! Hope it turns out better.

[talea_st_amour]

I'd be up for a book club. That could be fun, especially as a jumping off point re: our writing.

[justin_pilon]

Great! Well, I'll see how many people are interested. Ideally I guess we should have at least around 5.