Day 15

In the Red Violin, one of the characters is a writer: the violinist’s girlfriend. At one point in her writing, her character goes off to Russia (or somewhere). She, being the author she is, must follow him. And so she leaves England, leaves her violinist lover, to follow her character to far away country.

I had always thought this to be silly. Frivolous, even. Fiction is fiction, right?

I’ve been sitting at my computer for an hour. I spend an hour at it each morning because it’s discipline and any few hundred words help move the whole thing forward. But this morning it’s isn’t moving forward because one of my characters has just gone to see a movie at Parc. I checked the theatre’s web site last night and it just so happens that there is a movie playing there now that just happens to start at the time my character goes to see it, and it just happens to be the type of movie my character would see. So I want him to think about it as he walks down Montreal streets, but to have him think of it I must see the movie myself. I’ve tried writing around it, but can’t unless I change characters, which isn’t called for at this time. I have two chapters left to write before closing up the first part of the book. So you see, I must see this movie.

I am aware this might be a luxurious form of procrastination. I am aware the movie might be very bad and not inspire my writing one bit. I am aware I might be imitating Bret Easton Ellis’ form of critiquing popular culture (was he ever wrong when it came to Whitney Huston and U2!). I am aware I’m doing the same frivolous thing as the passionate Red Violin lover. And I am aware that as long as I remain convinced that I can’t write around this movie, I won’t. So I guess tonight I’ll just go see it. There’s a 5:30 presentation. Besides, no warm in supporting the new Parc owner.

Ps: Yesterday I passed the 20K mark !!! :-D