The Project: As one novel comes to an end, Bill, my editor at Transworld, always takes me out and we discuss ideas for the next project. I’d just finished Nymphomation, the writing of which had caused me no end of problems, and I was looking for an easier option. “Why don’t you give yourself a break,” Bill said, “Collect your short stories together, maybe add a few more.” Fine, okay, we can do that. Trouble is, when I got home and pulled down the old files, I found myself shaking my head in despair. Okay, there were a few good ideas here and there, but the short story craft was just not part of my repertoire. The novel allows me to go mad, to overindulge, and I’ve always thought my work comes out best when it’s travelling along strange tangents. Also, in all honesty I was unhappy with the idea of just collecting old stuff together, it didn’t seem to give value. I decided instead to write a whole load of new stories, just to see what would come out. Just to see if I could crack this short story thing. Of course, this was the exact opposite of the stated “easy option”, but the truth is, I love to work.First Draft: I took the few stories I could still believe in, arranged them in some kind of order, and then started to think about new stories that could fit between them. I’d come up with the idea of writing a book of stories that worked as a whole, with lots of links, mirror images, strange connections. Maybe a hidden narrative behind all the different tales. Also, I was determined to create something that would show off all my various writing skills, a book that revelled in style, in language, in meaning. A book of mysteries. Something curious and tantalising. Also, I wanted the book to contain some surprises, some tales of real life, if you will. I started to search through old files, old ideas books, jotting down new concepts on scraps of paper. Soon, I had enough to go on, and started to write. It happened remarkably quickly, given the range of material on view. Story led to story, as I took up the loose ends of one tale, made it into a new narrative. The golden number of fifty stories raised its head. Given the diversity of the book, its somewhat chaotic nature, putting exactly fifty stories in seemed a way of saying there was a governing principle behind it. I arranged the stories in some kind of vague order, from innocence to experience, and then sent it off to Bill for his thoughts.
Second Draft: Bill was enthusiastic on the whole, saying he liked the overall concept and the differing styles. He named some stories he wasn’t too keen on (interestingly enough, these were earlier already-in-existence stories) and I either remixed these, or removed them all together. With the number fifty still in mind I now had to replace these with new stories. The main problem Bill had with the book was the order of the stories. He came up with the idea of splitting it into four sections, maybe with each section having its own title and feel. His idea was to start off with the more “normal” stories, and then work towards the weirder ones. Also, he thought that each section should mirror this process in miniature, normal to strange. I was keen on this idea, so I rearranged the stories accordingly, coming up with the four different titles, the four different concepts for each section. It was never going to make perfect sense, but at least the book started to have an overall shape.
Third Draft: Rereading it, I made a final decision about certain stories, deciding they just weren’t up to scratch. Again, these had to be replaced, more work. Funnily enough, some of these last minute, quickly-written stories are perhaps the more interesting ones. But that’s often the way. I’m a great fan of massive changes at the last minute! Anyway, the book was now complete. Here contained are a few notes, thoughts, fantasies, about each story in turn, for anybody interested in this kind of opening out.
Second Draft: Bill was enthusiastic on the whole, saying he liked the overall concept and the differing styles. He named some stories he wasn’t too keen on (interestingly enough, these were earlier already-in-existence stories) and I either remixed these, or removed them all together. With the number fifty still in mind I now had to replace these with new stories. The main problem Bill had with the book was the order of the stories. He came up with the idea of splitting it into four sections, maybe with each section having its own title and feel. His idea was to start off with the more “normal” stories, and then work towards the weirder ones. Also, he thought that each section should mirror this process in miniature, normal to strange. I was keen on this idea, so I rearranged the stories accordingly, coming up with the four different titles, the four different concepts for each section. It was never going to make perfect sense, but at least the book started to have an overall shape.
Third Draft: Rereading it, I made a final decision about certain stories, deciding they just weren’t up to scratch. Again, these had to be replaced, more work. Funnily enough, some of these last minute, quickly-written stories are perhaps the more interesting ones. But that’s often the way. I’m a great fan of massive changes at the last minute! Anyway, the book was now complete. Here contained are a few notes, thoughts, fantasies, about each story in turn, for anybody interested in this kind of opening out.
