Scrivener

Nobody ever explains to young writers the basic necessities for writing a novel in order for it to be published.  Years ago, I did take a correspondence course from the Institute of Children's Literature.  I  received books from them and did write papers for them.  One actually turned into a movie that starred Kevin Bacon who appeared on Jay Leno tonight. I was reminded of the movie that is in part based upon an assignment from that correspondence course.  At least the movie followed the problem of the first writing assignment.  Mine was never finished.  I let the reader hang having to put in his own conclusions...they did not like that of course.

But the entire course took place during a time when I was super sensitive to Hollywood ripoff's and their listening in to every word that was spoken in and around me. I actually developed a deep antipathy towards the people who were either reading my mind, or deliberately eavesdropping in on our conversations. I spent many hours with General Hospital trying to figure out which it actually was, mental telepathy or eavesdropping.  ABC and I together have done a lot to prove that the t.v. is ever with me no matter where, no matter when.

So anyway, I bought into this Scrivener word processing program since taking the time to do a NaNoWriMo stint years ago.  I began with Alexander even though I had considered suicides on Golden Gate Bridge, but decided that suicide was not a subject that I would want to develop with so little information at my fingertips. I had seen a movie that impressed me, but a novel...No, I don't think so.  But suicide is a subject that has interested me for years.  Most teenagers suffer self doubts enough at times to contemplate it, and I had thought that a book might be in order.  But I opted for Alexander instead.

At that time, I was busy writing all the background as I wanted the Iliad to be the backdrop for the story.  I had intended to use excerpts from it in every chapter heading and to show how Alexander had been so influenced by it.  Since then, I have changed my premise a lot.

A story of Alexander as a biography fictional tale is not really interesting when all it does is follow the history books.  What I did as I began to develop my own project was to use the history outline as a guideline to then go into the characters and consider them.  I will probably publish the entire first draft to show how it changes in the rewrite.  In the meantime I am having to learn how to use Scrivener to set up the book so that I can develop it further.  I should make notes and on occasion have done so as I am still getting spiritual insights through what are called spontaneous memories and  each time that lets me see deeper into the truth of this time period as I see it then...My last vision of Alexander so impressed me about his hardships and mental state as to realize that i had to do this right or it would be just another sorry tale of the past that nobody gives a hoot about anyway.

In the book that I had read about him by Arthur Weigall one gets the impression that Alexander has truly gone mad by the end of his life.  Many perceive him to be this way since he does behave in very harsh ways.  The sad truth is that he was a hardened young man at age 18.  But to see him as I had recently done in one of those in your face, face it, looks at him just absolutely convinced me that while he appears to be mad, murderous, and frightening as all hell, he became that way honestly.

I do not dismiss his seeming madness now at all.  I had hated reading about it.  He is a cruel man to his enemies.  He frightened even his own men.  I could and did see why is all that i am saying now...I realized that I have to paint him true...that's all for now...

I hope that Scrivener will be worth the expense and time to make this book finally happen.