I’ve decided there are two types of people in the
world; those that know and those that don’t know.
I am, unfortunately, a don’t know person.
My brother, from a very young age, wanted to be an
engineer. He never wavered; he walked straight down that path and formed a successful
career as an engineer. When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up I said I don’t know. I still don’t. And I’ve grown up. Physically at least.
As school was finishing, my parents asked what I
would do. I don’t know, I replied. Go
to University they said. Okay. What
do you want to study? I don’t know.
Writers fall into the same categories; those that
know and those that don’t know. Some
writers know exactly what genre they wish to write in, others dabble at several
until they publish in one. Again, I am a don’t know person. Sigh.
Write what you like to read is a phrase I hear. I
read anything about Lithuania, I read fantasy, crime, romance, paranormal
romance and chick lit. I have story ideas for them all. Which one do I choose? I
don’t know.
I’m studying writing at the Adelaide College of the
Arts. I thought that may help. During one
subject we had to write a synopsis about our novel. I had to choose. Mass panic,
which one do I choose?
I chose to start on the fantasy. My ideas for that would last at least three
books. Do you know how hard it is for a don’t know person to create a whole
world? How does the magic work? How far
is it to the next town? What do they use for money? What religious beliefs and
Gods? What political system? What are the houses made of? Do they live in
houses? Arrrgh.
I bumbled through that subject and at the end,
decided I would start something a little easier. I’d start on my mother’s
story, about her experiences during World War 2. Nothing to make up. Except I’m
not a war buff, and many people are. I needed to get my facts straight. Was season was it when she ran? What path did
she take? What sort of guns/ planes/ tanks were used? I don’t
know. She doesn’t either. I think she’s a don’t know person too.
So my crossroads are slowly becoming a fork in the
road. Writing about the paranormal has too many fingers in the fantasy pie. Too
many don’t knows. So that leaves romance,
crime and chick lit. Chick lit can have romance and crime elements. I’m
covering my options. I’m taking the chick lit path, with some Lithuanian elements
of course.
