Paperback Writer

Last century, the Beatles had a song about a guy who wanted to be a 'paperback writer'. They made it sound sordid and cheap, but even back then, I knew that's what I wanted to be.

If you want to analyze it, it was a logical decision, formed at a very young age. Even as a kid, my favorite form of self-entertainment was to write stories. My favorite type of stories to read was science fiction, since fantasy wasn't as prevalent back then. Once I finished the 3 or 4 sf titles in the school library, and the 1 shelf of sf in the town library, I would save what change I could and go buy my own book.

I grew up in towns so small, there was nothing resembling a book store. The drug store had some comic books and a revolving rack of paperbacks, mostly romances and westerns. I was so young, I don't think I realized books came in hardback except in schools and libraries. So, if I was going to write, obviously I would expect to be a paperback writer.

I'm grown up now, but I still write. I still dream of having paperback books on the shelves with my name as the author. I don't care so much about seeing my name on hardbacks, but if/when it happens, great. Ebooks are the coming thing, and that would be great, too. But I really, really want a physical paperback, not too expensive, but something I can hold in my hands and autograph for fans.

I'm not quite as desperate as the guy the Beatles sang about, but I am just as determined. I want to be a paperback writer!

Mac 5 Point of View 2

Last time, I said I only changed Point of View character in Mac's story when the scene changed. Further reflection reveals that isn't exactly true. There is at least one time when I go through most of a scene from one man's PoV, then switch scenes, back up and show the middle and end of the scene from another man's PoV.

It's kind of a cheat, I suppose, but the first man isn't there for the end of the scene, and the second man isn't there for the beginning of the scene. The only person who is there for both the beginning and the end of the scene is Mac, and I had already decided the PoV would not come from her.

Besides, the two men saw her so differently, by backing up through a few lines of conversation, I could show that even though they heard virtually the same conversation, they interpreted it in vastly different ways. All because each already knew what he thought the real situation was.

There was another way I 'cheated' on PoV, but I just couldn't figure out how to get around it. There are a few scenes where the reader does see things through Mac's eyes, but not through her mind. An accident with the equipment traps an alien intelligence. When Mac is called in to repair the equipment, it shorts out, and the intelligence is transferred to Mac's body. Every time somebody gets close to her, thinking something is wrong with Mac, a large electrical shock sends them reeling back. So, I have some scenes where the alien is observing the crew and wondering what has happened, how to set things right, but I tell myself that isn't Mac's PoV. Others might argue with me about that, I don't know. I figure it's my story, so it's my rules.

Up to a point, that's true. If an editor wants to argue that I'm 'not following the rules', then I'd have to at least consider their statement. But as I've said, Mac's story might never reach the end of its rough draft. Chances are, she's a permanent resident of my mind.