Novel Writing Via The Scientific Method

In the past, I've often considered that I would enjoy writing. However, I've been encouraged to write about what I know well and thought to myself that what I know well would probably not make it past an agent to a publisher. The Book Project, so far, has required me to get outside the metaphorical box I've become quite comfortable in over the last few years.

It was mentioned during our planning that we could have different official aspects to our writing group, particularly if we felt more comfortable or productive that way. As each group needed to plan, research, write, and edit -- we could segregate that draft work but finish with a collaborative writing. First, I thought about research as a considerable amount of my day is spent doing just that and I'm good at research. Interestingly, my group took a little different slant and we are all participating, collaborating, writing, and critiquing contributions to our final collaboration.

In performing this collaborative exercise in writing, I'm learning that my B.S. (um, that's Bachelor of Science -- not the other B.S.) provides a good background for this work. I'm actually utilizing what I learned in the labs and I take an idea, form the hypothesis, perform the research, analyze those results, put it into a written form, and post it on the The Book forum for peer review. So far, I think I'm doing okay writing in venues I only "know" through research; although, for me, this requires many more hours devoted to the research than to the writing.

At present, we are barely toddlers in this collaborative novel and my gypsy soul is rekindled. The plan, 10 years ago, was to retire in 2011 and let the travel begin. In 2005, that plan was altered by the universe and ambiguity became my control for life's experiment. After researching two fascinating places extensively, in order to write about them in a manner I intend will pass peer review and critique, as well as intrigue our first readers in 2010, I have learned my desire to visit other parts of the world is still alive and well. That gypsy desire has simply been out of sight and out of mind, banished to my own Pandora's box of things I refuse to think about and the lid tightly in place.

I think I will purchase a new science journal to record the hypothesis, research, trials, and results as I explore and blog through The Book journey in 2009. When our collaborative novel is complete, my written journal might then serve the purpose any good experiment journal does and allow the same method to be repeated. Usually the science journal allows others to replicate the experiment and return the same results. Feeling confident The Book will be extraordinary, self-replication through articles or blogging by actually traveling to these fascinating sites could be a great way to support the hypothesis an author is capable of fascinating writing on topics she does not know well.

Being Creative Under Code Orange Watch

As a member of The Book Project team, from my home in Anchorage, Alaska, I've been a busy novice trying to soak up all the information and tidbits available from around the world. I often find myself amazed at the creative abilities in this group.

When Mt. Redoubt was elevated to Code Orange status, I found myself ignoring the project as I went about gathering up supplies that might be needed when Mt. Redoubt erupted. Having lived in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley during the 1989 eruption of Mt. Redoubt and the 1992 eruption of Mt. Spurr, I added to my supply list this time and even purchased dog booties (similar to those the racers use for the Iditarod sled dog race). Ash is very abrasive and one of the suggestions from a newscast was to make a litterbox for your dogs rather than let them outside during or after the eruption. Sharing my small space with two large German Shepherds, I simply could not visualize where or how to make them a litterbox and booties to put on at the door seemed an extremely reasonable alternative.

Now that we have been at Code Orange status for a couple of weeks, I'm back to the business of working on my writing -- knowing the scientific commentary now is usually the same of increased seismicity with continued 24/7 watch. Checking the earthquake warning center page continues to show 40 +/- earthquakes a day in the area, all registering under 4 on the Richter scale.

Right now, we are getting ready for the Fur Rondy celebration and the World Championship Sled Dog Races. Snow will be hauled in to Anchorage streets, if there isn't enough, and we'll celebrate with the Running of the Reindeer, the Miner's and Trapper's Ball, the Frostbite Footrace and many other events during the 10-day celebration. It might be difficult to concentrate on our project and not slip away to take part in at least some of the celebration between February 27 and March 8.

The Book Takes Shape

It's funny how at the start of the project, on this small island close to France, I thought I could see most of the steps that would be needed to gather an international community and write our Novel.

I hadn't really considered the environments our writers would be living in whilst they participated, only their participation. Now, when I read of the storms across Tennessee, or the Volcano in Alaska, or the new job GC has taken in Kuala Lumpur that means she has to rise very early and travel for hours, or how hard it is for some of our writers without access to their own computers, I realise the true commitment going into our book.

Our writers have coped with family and personal illness, financial hardship, and the strains of being creative every day whilst holding down a full time job. Then we have retired and more secure writers who live in worlds a million miles away from those in hardship but who invest enormously to keep the pace for all of us.

We have a spectrum of beliefs systems bubbling under the surface from Atheist to Christian to Muslim to, who knows what, because it isn't something we need to wear on our sleeves. Strange but with this diversity, the moral cores are remarkably similar.

Oh yes, back to the steps! Just lately we have crossed a chasm from the purely conceptual to the delivery of a tangible work of literature. The ideas are now connected, the thoughts mostly aligned, our writers are producing chapters and our planners are ensuring they fit together. Our researchers inform and our editors quality control our output.

It is a great story being written by great people.

Irene continues to find these wonderful people (thank you Alpha!) to support us and it will not surprise me at all if she succeeds in persuading Oprah to invite all of us from the far corners of the planet to meet for the first time on her show!

So it is fitting to end this update with another kind person Irene has convinced from her home in the Philippines to include our Press Release - she puts the rest of us to shame!

http://blog.joelchua.com/

Pete
Guernsey in the British Channel Islands

High Winds!!!

Today, bad weather hit Tennessee, the home of three of our authors.  A storm cell which spawned tornadoes across Oklahoma and Kentucky, stretched it's fingers over into the Volunteer State for a few hours.  But those few hours was all it needed.  High winds uprooted many trees, leaving residences and businesses without power.  Further east, high winds took roofs off of houses, and cause more annoyance than anything.  Luckily, no casualties have yet been reported in Tennessee.  We can come out from under our desks!

The Book Project - working around the world, 24/7

Another random thought from Maya, down under. This collaborative project and our communications via the forum discussions or emails can create frustrations as we hit questions, answers, requests for clarification and subsequent clarifications back and forth and back and forth, until perhaps two or three or more emails, we have our questions answered. Not to mention that in this back and forth, the involvement of even two or three people can change the course of the original question. While this time delay and long distance communication challenges our project, it is an oddly satisfying feeling once the question has been answered. It's that feeling you get when you play Monopoly and you make it around the board without going back three spaces or getting sent to jail. Also, the fact that we writers are located around the world makes for an almost 24 hour working project. I drift off to sleep each night wondering what will become of the seeds that I have sown in the discussion forum, and wake up to find that something has sprouted - be it a comment or another question. The night elves working on our collaborative project, our beanstalk project, tended by our international group, all hours of the day, someone working on it everyday.

In a world where there is a paradox of physical distance but internet proximity, it is a wonderful thing to have a project that brings people together - be it a project of the arts or the humanities - to work for a common goal. And with that, I sign off and await to see what sprouts this seeds will bloom.

From the Philippines to Guernsey

Back to say a big thank you to 'Alpha' who kindly included a write up about our project on her Blog in the Philippines. You can see this on the link below.

dailyartwalk.blogspot.com/2009/02/filipina-author-joins-international.html

Meanwhile, here in Guernsey it's not so sunny today. I've taken a couple of days off work to catch up on loose ends, the main one being a complete 'Chapter Plan' for our story. We have, of course, got a synopsis and our writers are already working the main story threads in their writing 'cells' but we need a chapter plan to make sure it all fits together properly. I keep starting, getting distracted and stalling, starting again, doing something else, and now - well I'm writing for the Blog, I'm still not doing it!!

Never fear I have some hours left and I know it must be done so I will get on with it.

But there is just one more job I need to do first....arghh!

If you read here on the blog that Pete has been beaten up by the other authors, you will know that I failed to get this job done.

It could be worse, if the sun was shining I would be even more tempted to go out on my boat!

Chow for now
Pete

A word from Down Under

G'day! This is Maya writing from Canberra, Australia. Canberra has been spared the ravages of bush fires, which have claimed over 60 lives in other parts of Australia, and in equal drought. The rivers are still, bubbling in stagnating, shallow, muddy puddles; all fire alerts on extreme and water restrictions transforming gardens into deserts. Today, however, the weather has changed dramatically, dropping from 38 degrees centigrade to 28 degrees centigrade, grey skies and humidity. Hopefully, this will bring some relief to those in the harder hit parts of Australia. As always, when we read the news and look with despair at the tragedies that consume our neighbours in our area and around the world, we can become cynics and shake our heads disapprovingly at the injustices and disasters or we can participate in life, by appreciating all the graces we are given, and reach out to share our privileges, gifts and strengths with those who will, hopefully, also be in the position to one day do the same for someone else - perhaps even ourselves.

And on that note, I sign off on what was supposed to be a short greeting and update from Australia, but turned out to be a random note of appreciation.

From another side of the world

Hi, I'm Mick Parker, one of the BOOK writers. I live in Spain on the Costa Blanca, near Torrevieja. Perhaps some of you may know the area. There are a lot of writers living here, and from time to time you get to know them one way or another. I usually write as Michael Parker, but for the purposes of 'hiding my light under a bushel', I prefer to be known as Mick by all the other writers who are contributing to this unique project; it makes it less formal, I think. We all have great hopes for our project, and although we know it will be tough, perhaps a little fraught at times, we all intend to see it through. At the moment I have just completed the first draft of the first chapter. This will be studied by the members of my 'cell', known as the 'Shipmates' and they can edit my narrative, pick holes in it or butter me up; whatever! But in the end we are all in it together and I am sure we will produce a novel that could be a world beater. Let us know what you think about this project and whether you would be tempted to buy the novel when it is published, as I'm sure it will be. As time goes by, and this blog gets added to, followers of the blog will learn more about the BOOK and the writers who live all over the world.

Now to the other side of the world!

Thanks to Irene for the following Press Release in the Bicol Mail, her local paper in the Philippines.

http://www.bicolmail.com/issue/2009/jan29/xlocal.html

A few days ago Mick featured in his local media in Spain with the story about our project.

It's great to know we are already getting media coverage around the world!

Pete