Bonding
I had my ESL family over for dinner on Monday. The kids played. We all ate dinner. The adults drank tequila. My friend Julio had never seen an icemaker in a fridge before. This amazed him--how easy some things are in America. And yet how hard. And it amazed me to be reminded of all the things I take for granted most days.
They asked me a lot of questions. Like how long I went to school to become a writer, and what EXACTLY is it that I do on my computer all day. And can I really think as fast as I type?
And then, like all people, we looked for common ground. It wasn't going to be school. Or childhoods, really. And so, remember the scene on the boat in JAWS when they compared scars? We compared, not scars, but cockroach stories. They had lived in slums, and I had lived around the block from a housing project and crack den in Jersey City before it gentrified and the developers moved in. How we go onto this involved seeing a housefly, so go figure. I had a damn decent cockroach story, but I lost. Suffice it to say, my story was gross, and involved a cat decapitating roaches and leaving them on my bed. So the fact that I LOST?
And it reminded me . . . .
That books, manuscripts, writers . . . you only have me for but SO long without me bonding to your main character in some way. Populate the story with things that interest me? And likely I will stick around for a while. Had JAWS been told solely through Quinn, he would be interesting enough to me--but not likely for a whole movie, but told through Chief Brody's character, I'm more involved because I relate to poor Martin.
I think of techno-thrillers, of the Jason Bourne books . . . you name it, and there's got to be some vulnerability, some way for me to attach myself--and attach myself early--to the story. If you don't do that, you lose me.
It's why, of course, readers, editors, and agents make snap decisions on 10 pages.
Hopefully, you're not bonding to your readers over cockroaches. But what are you putting in your first chapter or two to bring us along for the ride?
12 comments:
Boric acid. It's cheap and keeps roaches at bay. It's also safe to use in the kitchen. I know from experience.
Carpet men came. They were from Mexico. I told them about living in Honduras. Dad comes over. They see him and say "we remember him!" What? Dad just got new carpet also and apparently he regalled them with stories of driving from Tennessee to Honduras in a station wagon.
Richmond:
LOL! That is hilarious!!! :-)
In my current WIP Derek's working on his boat, complaining that the salt air's tearing it to pieces. He's on his hands and knees in the sun sanding down the wood when he gets a FedEx that kicks things going. Sometimes Derek's just in the middle of normal every day things like that when all hell breaks loose and he has to go to work.
Mark:
My writers' group, just last night, talked about "real life" interrupting scenes and action interrupting real life.
I try to avoid bondage in the first chapter or two.
Jude:
I don't know. A certain type of reader might like that. LOL!
You never cease to amaze me with your ability to relate everyday life with a writing analogy.
Travis:
I process my whole life as a big, fat novel. LOL!
Trinidad avoids looking at his family's grave on the first page of the story. Then, while playing in the church labyrinth with some kids, he stumbles across his brother's memorial brick.
I hope it's enough.
And ditto Travis.
Starbucks:
I love that!!!!!
Melanie and I used to share cockroach stories :)
My first 10 pages involve my MC flying to Maui, worrying about the mess she has just gotten herself into.
Ah yes, the cockroaches... I bonded over some weird things in Mexico, especially since most of my family dropped out of school in junior high. You just have to find common ground. With my father-in-law he tried to get me to eat every gross thing imaginable and I'd make gagging noises. It worked. :)
My wip pulls on the protective nature of parents. At least I hope it does. Considering I don't have children I hope I accomplish it okay.
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