point of view shift

I'm generally all for a consistent point of view. That is, if you're going to write a tight third, start that way and stay that way, if you're going to write head-hopping omniscient, start that way early and stay that way, etc.

But I'm finding that this started with an omniscient narrator who knows what everyone thinks and feels but isn't climbing right into their heads that often, and now it's gradually closing in on the protagonist's point of view -- I suppose, as he gradually develops one, being that he can only talk in brief sentences at this point. I've been writing without chapter breaks so far (14 K by the end of today), but I think at the point where Yanek's point of view takes over, which will be soon, I need to start a new part. Then I have to decide whether I'm going to eventually break this first part into a few chapters. There are little subheads here and there.

I remember that a lot of old editions of books like Gulliver's Travel's -- nineteenth century and early 20th century -- used to have subheads at the top of every page indicating what was going on in the book: very handy for finding your place. Some would be longer, and say things in that "in which" formula: "in which our Hero discovers his head is an apple," or whatever: other books would have shorter versions: "discovering my Head is an Apple," or whatever.

I wonder if I would like to use that sometime. I don't know if it could be done in a way that is not coy, but I also don't know if it really matters, given the right story.

I'm pretty sure this is not the right story. I think it would have to be a fast-paced one, or it would make the story seem to lag horribly.

out, out . . .

I'm not better at all, but I have to move around or I won't get better. At least I'm better enough that I'm not sleeping all day, anyway. So I weeded for les than an hour -- meaning I made a few tiny fragile dents in the massive jungle that is my backyard -- and I found myself muttering
"no sorrel, no dock, no feverfew, no violet, no borage, no nasturtium, no blackberry . . ." Doesn't that sound like an Elizabethan garden or something? (maybe they didn't have the nasturtium yet, though) They're all thugs. They need to be rooted out with vigilance, which I do not do because, one, I am lazy, and two, I always get laid up in the spring.

Seasonal note: summer's on its way. I had to water several plants today. Drought is close at hand.

sometimes you lurk, sometimes you spam

I got to my goal: mom is dead, little brother is dead, and stepdad is bringing home stepmom. No, she's not a wicked stepmother. That role is to be taken by a different person altogether.

just ovder 14K words, too.

my butt is sore.