They have probably created some of the most beloved characters in contemporary literature: bright-eyed new girl in town Mary Ann Singleton, landlady Mrs Madrigal, gay BFF Michael (and this was back before we had BFF’s), various supermodels and gynaecologists and cult leaders. I’m reading The Days Of Anna Madrigal, the most recent (and apparently final) novel in Armistead Maupin’s Tales Of The City series, which must rank among my favourite books. But mostly consider what you love about that book, and let that inspire you. Perhaps try to make it something based in craft or technique: something in your fave’s narrative form, or its use of point of view, or its evocation of setting. 49B: take one of your favourite novels, and create a writing experiment inspired by it.
If you get stuck or find yourself drying: introduce a new character, or location within your city/place.Īnd so on … after fifty or seventy or maybe a hundred short chapters, maybe you’ll have a novel?Īs a variation on this, Writing Experiment No. And then a fourth, and a fifth … See if each chapter can make some sort of move forward, and have some headlong energy. Dialogue will probably be important, but try to make it fresh and crisp (and don’t afraid to use reported speech for the boring bits – or even to miss them out).Īfter that, you could write a third chapter, where your two characters do something together. Also think about point of view – maybe maintain the point of view of your newcomer character, who beholds this local in some particular way, but too you could switch POV just be sure you are using POV in an interesting way.
Let some sparks fly …Īgain, in some way make sure something of the unique qualities of the city/place come to life, and again make sure this new character is also based in some aspect of yourself. Following on from the last time, inspired by Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City books, for this week’s writing experiment: write the next chapter, a couple of pages in which your character from elsewhere will meet a native of your chosen city or the place you love.
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