When I started writing my story, it came in trickles. The outline became clearer and clearer and then I started to add layers and details to add colour and life. I suppose it is how most writers would start, though to be honest I wouldn’t even know! If there is a ‘proper’ way of doing this, then I was never taught it, not really.
I think there is something all writers have in common – drawing on life experience and things around them to colour their stories. I know I certainly have.
One thing that was always clear to me were the characters of Miss Wallace and her mother. They are real to me, I see them in my mind’s eye, as awfully sanctimonious and nasty people. I love how terrible they are, because we all know people like them. People who think they’re better, smarter, wiser. They’re the people who read Pride and Prejudice and think they are ‘Lizzie Bennet’s’ when everyone around them can see they are actually ‘Miss Bingley’s’.
The other character I wrote with an image in my head was Mr Moore. I hope everyone hates him as much as I do! I’m sure I’ll write a more foul creature than him one day, but for the moment he’s the worst I want to imagine.
I think there is another thing authors would all do – imagine who would play their characters on tv! I can’t decide who would play Moore – but I’d have to be one of many who wrote a character with Henry Cavill in mind! I would LOVE to see the incomparable nonesuch the Duke of Saliston embodied by Henry Cavill. Once you’ve read it, you’ll see what I mean…!
For now I continue to ponder my options as far as publishers go. But I’m sure that soon there will be a first edition of Exceptionally Unconventional available on shelves. One day soon. Stay tuned!
Victoria Clarke 