Thursday, May 12, 2011

Edit Land: Experiments with Language

My editor mentioned on the first round of edits for Glitch that she'd like to see if we could make the Glitch time and the being Linked up time (the Link is a method of societal control, with a chip in everybody's brain) have different kinds of language. As if we could really experience through language, the difference Zoe feels when she's Linked and when she glitches out from the Link. Yeah, so I had bigger things I was focusing on in Edit Round I, and now we come to Edit Round II, and she's gently nudging me about this again. And better yet, suggesting places I could do it and some ideas of how!
So I'm editing today, spending an inordinate amount of time on Chapter 1, but I think both Edit Gal and I count this as a key chapter where we set up the world and let readers get to know Zoe and want to be on her side. I start playing around with the language for when she's Linked, how a computer controlled mind might think and behave. And then it hit me: there wouldn't be personal pronouns in a group-think setting. There wouldn't be any I or me. Also, computer-think, like sign-language, wouldn't bother as much with transition articles like "the" or "as" or even forming complete sentences. They would want to get information across in as few words as possible. Period.

So anyway, I've been experimenting with this, and having Zoe transition back to personal pronouns when she's glitching, slowly learning how to get the feel of being an individual. It's exciting. We'll see what Edit Gal thinks when I turn it back in to her!!

Image via: cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com

7 comments:

  1. that sounds like a great idea!

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  2. Ooooh, I like that idea, too. Sort of brilliant! I think Edit Gal has got to appreciate the logic in your thinking. Good luck, and let me know how it goes!

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  3. WOW! Good luck with that! I hope she loves it!

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  4. Thanks Erin and Eve! I think with some polishing, it can turn into something really cool! time will tell ;)

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  5. Thanks Shari! Here's crossing my fingers...time will tell! :)

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  6. I tried to comment on this post a few times while Blogger was having its seizure. I just wanted to say that I really like seeing this little slice of the editorial process, as well as your thinking about how language structure and style shows the reader the thought processes of the protagonist. Thanks for sharing it!

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  7. I think that's a great idea. I love how books that use language to suggest different environments and mental states. Good luck with the edits!

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