Rewrite: Day 11. Venetian Blind Syndrome

Have you noticed, with Venetian Blinds half closed or half open, when you move your head, that something seems to move outside the window. It is an illusion but it is a very persuasive illusion and it is one you can use in your writing. Why does it happen? The Venetian Blinds cut the outside world into slices. It is a bit like an old television screen, where the picture is built up of lines. We can create the illusion of movement in the 'real world' of our story by cutting our story up into slices. If we interleave the slices, when the reader 'moves his or her head' across the page, an illusion of movement is created. 
As I restructure my novel, each chapter becomes a series of layers or slices creating, hopefully, the illusion of action. It may not work but ... when I move my head, something seems to happen. 
This was a writing day and this was the last full day of my writer retreat and tomorrow, I go home, weather permitting; although there is snow in the forecast so perhaps I'll get snowed in. 
Today, I have been working on Chapters Six and Seven at the end of Part One. I have discovered stories within stories as characters develop their skills as storytellers in their own right. It is quite fascinating. In Chapter Seven, story becomes legend further interpreted in song. 
Story, myth, legend and song. Blink and you miss it.

Myths and Legends 

• Here's a lovely 2.5 minute clip of Michael Morpurgo from the BBC Learning Zone
• Step by step myth writing from Creative Writing Ideas and Activities
• A myth writing workshop with Jane Yolen from Scholastic

Ends