Moving the premise to the beginning
May. 6th, 2007 01:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
khiemtranThe basic premise of The Silver Bowl was one of finding strength in adversity. In a time of great chaos etc., a young outsider finds out what is worth giving his life for, and finds the strength to do it. And, over the course, of the novel, that is pretty much what happens.
The trick is, with that premise in mind, all the really important developments happen right at the very end, at least in the original draft. In later versions, there's something of a split so that the "finding out what is important" happens a few chapters before "finding the strength to do something about it". Seen from this angle, the bulk of the novel is just an 80 000 word life support system for the last three chapters.
Looking at the story from the other end though, there's a very different premise that drives the whole story. It's what happens when a particular act of kindness occurs, which intertwines the fates of three different characters. Seen from this angle, the idea I'm in love with (to borrow from Tolstoy) permeates and guides the rest of the story.
It also gives me a new insight into where the story should begin, and which of the alternative openings is most appropriate.
The trick is, with that premise in mind, all the really important developments happen right at the very end, at least in the original draft. In later versions, there's something of a split so that the "finding out what is important" happens a few chapters before "finding the strength to do something about it". Seen from this angle, the bulk of the novel is just an 80 000 word life support system for the last three chapters.
Looking at the story from the other end though, there's a very different premise that drives the whole story. It's what happens when a particular act of kindness occurs, which intertwines the fates of three different characters. Seen from this angle, the idea I'm in love with (to borrow from Tolstoy) permeates and guides the rest of the story.
It also gives me a new insight into where the story should begin, and which of the alternative openings is most appropriate.
