{"id":39963,"date":"2022-02-17T06:30:02","date_gmt":"2022-02-16T17:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/?p=39963"},"modified":"2022-02-13T15:56:32","modified_gmt":"2022-02-13T02:56:32","slug":"inside-the-writing-life-a-closer-look-at-the-three-cs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2022\/02\/17\/inside-the-writing-life-a-closer-look-at-the-three-cs\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside the Writing life: A Closer Look At The Three C&#8217;s"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_2191\" style=\"width: 192px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2191\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-2191\" src=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/etching_keep-of-winds-182x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"182\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/etching_keep-of-winds-182x300.jpg 182w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/etching_keep-of-winds-622x1024.jpg 622w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/etching_keep-of-winds.jpg 1437w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 182px) 100vw, 182px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2191\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Art: PJ Fitzpatrick<\/p><\/div>\n<p>When I posted the <a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2022\/01\/06\/the-wall-of-night-4-the-chaos-gate-update-january-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WALL #4 progress update on January 6<\/a>, I referenced the &#8220;Three C&#8217;s&#8221;:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Characters Behaving Badly<\/li>\n<li>Continuity<\/li>\n<li>Contrary,( if not downright) Cantankerous Muses<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I shared some insights into the phenomenon of <a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2021\/05\/10\/inside-the-writing-life-characters-behaving-badly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Characters Behaving Badly<\/a> last year, but thought you might be interested in the other two C&#8217;s as well.<\/p>\n<p>So I&#8217;ll expand a little more on Continuity today and come back to Contrary, if not downright Cantankerous Muses either next Thursday or a little later, depending how the blogging aspect of the writing life plays out.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Continuity<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The term arises out of film, I believe, but is equally applicable to long-form prose writing, traversing the spectrum from matters-of-magnitude through to far smaller concerns. A synonym would be &#8220;consistency&#8221;, although I believe continuity better captures the flow of detail and sense through an entire manuscript.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10913\" style=\"width: 105px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10913\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-10913\" src=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/bigheirofnightMMUK-95x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"95\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/bigheirofnightMMUK-95x150.jpg 95w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/bigheirofnightMMUK-190x300.jpg 190w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/bigheirofnightMMUK-651x1024.jpg 651w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/bigheirofnightMMUK.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 95px) 100vw, 95px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10913\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Evolution<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_35895\" style=\"width: 108px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-35895\" class=\"wp-image-35895 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/GatheringOfLost_Blue-98x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"98\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/GatheringOfLost_Blue-98x150.jpg 98w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/GatheringOfLost_Blue-196x300.jpg 196w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/GatheringOfLost_Blue.jpg 344w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 98px) 100vw, 98px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-35895\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">of<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_29607\" style=\"width: 105px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-29607\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-29607\" src=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Daughter-of-Blood-by-Helen-Lowe-95x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"95\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Daughter-of-Blood-by-Helen-Lowe-95x150.png 95w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Daughter-of-Blood-by-Helen-Lowe-190x300.png 190w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Daughter-of-Blood-by-Helen-Lowe-650x1024.png 650w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Daughter-of-Blood-by-Helen-Lowe.png 742w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 95px) 100vw, 95px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-29607\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Character<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><br \/>\nAn example of smaller concerns would be if a character starts the story as a blue-eyed blonde and ends as a brown-eyed brunette. At some point the author needs to decide which it is and ensure all the instances of the discarded option are removed from the manuscript. This is usually something that takes place at second-draft stage, with any instances that have been missed picked up by the edit\/copyedit\/proof processes.<\/p>\n<p>Generally speaking, the characteristics of my major characters don&#8217;t change that much, so this is not an applicable example for my work. The names of minor characters are far more relevant, especially as Haarth is a secondary world so the names are all made up. There are also a considerable number of named characters, so although the major players are generally not a problem, sometimes rank-and-file characters can end up with identical handles.<\/p>\n<p>Again, this is generally something that can be fixed up while tidying the manuscript, rather than when writing new.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_26269\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26269\" class=\"wp-image-26269 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Its-edit-time-3-300x193.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"193\" srcset=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Its-edit-time-3-300x193.jpg 300w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Its-edit-time-3-150x96.jpg 150w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/Its-edit-time-3.jpg 529w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-26269\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tidying the manuscript<\/p><\/div>\n<p>By implication, when continuity slows down the writing process it&#8217;s because of the larger matters, such as lining up events from past books with their consequences in the present, and also ensuring that characters, having espoused values and\/or actions in one book, do not advocate for or do the opposite now. Unless, that is, the character has been established as being contrary and\/or unreliable, or events have occurred that profoundly change their nature.<\/p>\n<p>All these matters directly affect the writing-in-progress, so where a question or doubt arises it is necessary to check back&#8212;and sometimes to track the evolution of events and characters through the preceding books to ensure the circumstances in <em>this<\/em> book hold water. And most importantly of all, ring true.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, I know the books pretty well, so know where to start looking. Nonetheless, the process can take time&#8212;but more so when I haven&#8217;t checked soon enough and find rewriting is required.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_36405\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-36405\" class=\"wp-image-36405 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Helen_Lowe_TWON_fan_495w-300x224.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Helen_Lowe_TWON_fan_495w-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Helen_Lowe_TWON_fan_495w-150x112.png 150w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Helen_Lowe_TWON_fan_495w.png 495w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-36405\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Consistency &#8220;through&#8221; the story&#8230;<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Or as the hobbits found when first setting out on the ring quest, attempted shortcuts (or trying to ignore the continuity niggle) frequently make for long delays.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>PS Did you know that there&#8217;s an AI called Continuity in William Gibson&#8217;s <em>Mona Lisa Overdrive<\/em> (the final novel in the <strong>Sprawl<\/strong> trilogy)? Names are an important part of both character development and worldbuilding, imho, and I really like this one. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-39968\" src=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Mona-Lisa-Overdrive.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"176\" height=\"286\" srcset=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Mona-Lisa-Overdrive.jpg 176w, https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Mona-Lisa-Overdrive-92x150.jpg 92w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 176px) 100vw, 176px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><strong>Previous Bulletins From\u00a0<em>Inside The Writing Life<\/em>:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2020\/05\/01\/inside-the-writing-life-a-little-about-the-writing-itself\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">A Little About The Writing Itself<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2020\/05\/14\/inside-the-writing-life-about-those-muses-then\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">About Those Muses, Then\u2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2020\/05\/28\/inside-the-writing-life-naturally-self-isolating\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Naturally Self-Isolating<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2020\/06\/18\/writing-novels-posting-blogs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Writing Novels, Posting Blogs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2020\/07\/23\/inside-the-writing-life-another-milestone-ticked-off\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Another Milestone Ticked Off<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2020\/08\/27\/inside-the-writing-life-a-game-of-two-halves\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">A Game Of Two Halves<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2020\/08\/31\/inside-the-writing-life-further-reflection-on-writing-transitions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Further Reflection on Writing Transitions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2020\/09\/17\/inside-the-writing-life-fun-with-friends\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Fun With Friends<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2020\/10\/22\/inside-the-writing-life-those-moments-of-grr-argh\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Those Moments Of \u201cGrr-Argh\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2020\/11\/05\/inside-the-writing-life-sometimes-its-a-case-of-oh-frabjous-day\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sometimes It\u2019s A Case Of \u201cOh Frabjous Day!<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2020\/11\/19\/o-frabjous-day-reprised\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u201cO Frabjous Day\u201d Reprised<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2021\/02\/08\/inside-the-writing-life-listening-to-the-silence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Listening To The Silence<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2021\/05\/10\/inside-the-writing-life-characters-behaving-badly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Characters Behaving Badly<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2021\/05\/27\/inside-the-writing-life-many-placemarkers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Many Placemarkers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2021\/07\/05\/inside-the-writing-life-the-authorial-break\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Authorial Break<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2021\/10\/11\/inside-the-writing-life-of-puzzles-and-gardens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Of Puzzles and Gardens<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/2021\/10\/25\/inside-the-writing-life-wrangling-the-roadblocks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wrangling The Roadblocks<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When I posted the WALL #4 progress update on January 6, I referenced the &#8220;Three C&#8217;s&#8221;: Characters Behaving Badly Continuity Contrary,( if not downright) Cantankerous Muses I shared some insights into the phenomenon of Characters Behaving Badly last year, but thought you might be interested in the other two C&#8217;s as well. So I&#8217;ll expand [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[50],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-about-writing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39963"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39963\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39981,"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39963\/revisions\/39981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helenlowe.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}