Preparation 2 - Characters
I'm thinking that the working owner is a guy called Steve. Don't know why, just seems to work.
Steve is not to be confused with Bruce from Scotland Street by the way. AVOID DERIVATIVE THINGS LIKE THE PLAGUE.
He is working, but perhaps not in the professions.
He's only been working for a while - perhaps a year? He was away from his place of study (Glasgow? or just nonspecific Scottish/British city?) for a bit, but has come back to 'base' (home is elsewhere, somewhere a bit more rural).
He's just bought the flat, on the agreement that his friend will stay with him, so he at least has one rent coming in.
Perhaps the friend is the student who is struggling, not studying. Then again, perhaps not.
Six is a good number: Two shared rooms and two singles in a four-bed property.
Sounds like a good collection of people. Names will be required shortly.
First person narration probably won't work as well if this is a six-handed ensemble piece - it's better for a 'one main character job'. Third person is probably better. But on the other hand, I don't want just to do a fast changing first person every short chapter as in Heinlein's 'Number of the Beast'; perhaps simply 'one turn each' would do better. So there are six sections to the book (autumn term, Christmas hols, spring term, Easter break, summer term, period up to graduation?) with each one being the main character for one section, and taking the bulk of the 'action'. This suggests one crisis resolution at the end of each section for the narrating character, with perhaps secondary resolutions at graduation time for all?
OK that's enough for now. Where's that flea spray?
Steve is not to be confused with Bruce from Scotland Street by the way. AVOID DERIVATIVE THINGS LIKE THE PLAGUE.
He is working, but perhaps not in the professions.
He's only been working for a while - perhaps a year? He was away from his place of study (Glasgow? or just nonspecific Scottish/British city?) for a bit, but has come back to 'base' (home is elsewhere, somewhere a bit more rural).
He's just bought the flat, on the agreement that his friend will stay with him, so he at least has one rent coming in.
Perhaps the friend is the student who is struggling, not studying. Then again, perhaps not.
Six is a good number: Two shared rooms and two singles in a four-bed property.
- Steve - owner, working
- Steve's friend - honours student, writing dissertation - cynical and tired. Either took year out or did extra year abroad, and was a year behind Steve anyway.
- A couple of friends (female) who are first year, a bit naive, didn't get organised for residences and responded to poster in Student Union.
- A student who keeps himself to himself, has struggled to keep up with work, virtually dropping out - struggles to pay rent and contribute on other fronts.
- A strong female personality, also doing dissertation but far more positive and organised - a 'super-motivated zoom person'.
Sounds like a good collection of people. Names will be required shortly.
First person narration probably won't work as well if this is a six-handed ensemble piece - it's better for a 'one main character job'. Third person is probably better. But on the other hand, I don't want just to do a fast changing first person every short chapter as in Heinlein's 'Number of the Beast'; perhaps simply 'one turn each' would do better. So there are six sections to the book (autumn term, Christmas hols, spring term, Easter break, summer term, period up to graduation?) with each one being the main character for one section, and taking the bulk of the 'action'. This suggests one crisis resolution at the end of each section for the narrating character, with perhaps secondary resolutions at graduation time for all?
OK that's enough for now. Where's that flea spray?
posted by Nodrog at 13:48
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