Do you remember that old Flintstones episode where he changes places with that big look-alike tycoon and all he has to remember to say whenever he’s asked any question was: “Who’s baby is that? What’s your angle? I’ll buy that.”
I don’t know why that refrain stayed with me all these years. And when I started learning about business, and about writing, it all seemed to make sense.
Who’s baby is that refers to who’s in charge of the project.
As any author knows the editor who acquires your work has a vested interest in seeing it succeed. It’s their ‘baby’, so to speak.
What’s your angle refers to, what it sounds like, which way are you coming at the story?
I’ll buy that, refers (at least in my own head) to the editor acquiring the manuscript.
Well, today I got the angle.
Today was tough but not as bad as yesterday.
You know it’s bad when you potter around all day and just don’t want to write.
That usually means that the subconscious is working on something quite extraordinary. (note: ‘extraordinary’ implies I’m getting back to feeling cocky!)
And the breakthrough hit after a conversation with my hubby.
I asked him how he would react if he were in my protagonist’s situation.
I think I know why I got stuck now. My protagonist was doing something he didn’t want to do. If that sounds crazy, it means you haven’t been around enough writers.
Our characters have minds of their own and the surest way to get ‘writer’s block’ is to try to force them to do something that they wouldn’t.
Well, so I got an idea. The main problem is that the kind of kid who would do this stuff isn’t a kid who is likeable or even relatable (thank goodness!) so it’ll all have to be shown through the eyes of his friend.
And I’ve even got the friend’s/narrator’s name picked out: Dawood. Strong and kind of malleable, just like the character! And it’s Arabic for ‘David’. (He’s facing a real Goliath!!!)
But I’ll keep the name of the victim the same: Asif. It sounds soft, easily pushed around, and it means ‘sorry’.
Ooh, I’m so excited. Can’t wait to get up in the morning and write my two pages!
4 Responses
Ari
11|Feb|2010 1That’s great that you found your angle and got your inspiration! I really admire writers because more often than not, you guys are able to push through your writer’s block and really buckle down.
And thank you for your sharing your thoughts on whitewashing. I do think that if more books were published about POC than readers would read them more, regardless of race, if they so more and more books about POC being published. But it would definitely help if we saw images of ourselves on TV shows and in movies. And on the covero f magazines (ugh the new cover of Vanity Fair makes me sad that there are no POC actors considered a part of Young Hollywood).
Welcome to the blogsphere~ Looking forward to your insights 🙂
Rukhsana Khan
11|Feb|2010 2Hi Ari,
Aw, writer’s block. It’s complicated.
It ended up that I didn’t get as much writing done today as I’d hoped. But thing is I never give up on a story. It percolates in the back of my mind and one day…
I’ve got one idea I’ve been nursing for more than thirty-one years.
I read that article about the Vanity Fair cover too and was disgusted.
Basically I think that we writers of colour have to just write such fabulous books, they HAVE to take notice. It’s tough though.
Ari
12|Feb|2010 3I agree, that’s a tall order to write a fabulous book but I think we are getting there. Slowly but surely, but it frustrating.
Don’t give up on that story at the back of your mind, if it’s been there for so long it must be begging to come out 🙂
Rukhsana Khan
13|Feb|2010 4Oh I won’t give up on it. I think it will be my ‘masterpiece’. I first got the idea when I was sixteen. Even then I knew I wasn’t ready to write it.
I definitely think we’re getting to the point where POC are getting more representation in books.
But honestly, don’t you find some of the POC books kind of didactic and boring? I do. If I were a kid I wouldn’t feel compelled to read them.
There are a few exceptions though.
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