Progress Report. Tuesday March 24 2020.

Tuesday March 24 2020

Today’s progress report will be brief. I have sent you the first chapter of Robert Chicory, so you are now familiar with the characters and the nascent narrative. 

As I lay in bed this morning, luxuriating in a soft mattress and even softer pillows, waiting for the lazy sun to light the top of the mountains, I had to face the old bugaboo that has kept me from writing so many other novels in the past -- namely, after the initial excitement wears off the whole novel-writing process becomes too much like work, like an unpleasant chore that may or may result in pleasant consequences. Today I’m already bored with Robert Chicory. He’s still an unformed creature -- an enigma -- he could be good; he could be bad; smart or stupid, a great lover or mean pinchpenny -- I just don’t know what to do with him outside of freeing him from the claptrap so he can use his magic again. Along the way I have in mind to make fun of a few things like higher education, religion, and even novel writing itself -- but I can do that just as well with a poem as with a novel.

No, I’m afraid that the only salvation for the novel Robert Chicory is the one character that I mentioned earlier -- the one I thought best to kill off before he takes over the whole novel. Grandpa Snork. Grandpa Snork is me; there is no need to shilly shally or beat about the bush. And I LOVE writing about me -- it’s the only subject that never gets tiresome.

So I’ve decided that the book will be all about Grandpa Snork’s adventures, with his grandson Robert Chicory tagging along and hopefully developing into an engaging personality along the way.

Oh, and another volte face -- I AM going to include a character named Marilyn. She is going to be an evil enchantress, sort of a Circe. A fit antagonist for Snork and his grandson.

Under those conditions I believe I can carry on with writing my novel and enjoying it, and hopefully giving others some fun in reading it as well.

Now it’s time to make the fresh salad for lunch today. We’re having potato cabbage soup, along with a pot of curried beans, cornbread, a green salad, and jello. If more people don’t show up today, i’m going to have a heck of a lot of leftovers. I’ve made enough to feed at least a dozen people. 

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An email response from a friend who is a film producer in the Congo DR:

What a relief that Marilyn gets her due role! Be careful about making her evil, though. Your descriptions of her from real life are so vivid and entertaining that she becomes pitiable and fascinating all at once.

I love the idea of magic and Robert. I was entertained by the first chapter. So, how do you plan on confronting writer's block? What do you do to coax the muse? Marilyn doesn't need to be coaxed. She simply shows up. So, including her will summon your best gifts. And Granda Snork will be delightful.