Cosmic Statements?
My journey to faith in Christ culminated in reciting the Creed, and believing it, during a CofE Communion service…a long time ago. My journey since then has included a hunch that God would bring books to me at just the right time.
It’s happened again. Last week. I was half an hour early before meeting my daughter and granddaughter at the Bristol Aquarium, so I diverted to find a warm radiator in the Central Library. Most had already been nabbed – but I was stopped by Dewey 808: ‘Literature and Writing’ and zeroed in on Fay Weldon’s Why Will No-One Publish My Novel?
Oh boy! I wish I had read this years ago. Except that now, with a historical novel undergoing its third re-write, and having received advice from two authors, it seems like I have stumbled across treasure hidden in the field at just the right time.
And for one phrase in particular: Cosmic Statement.
Weldon: "Boil your whole novel down to one sentence – what I call your Cosmic Statement’’
I found this surprisingly illuminating when, from the blur of my thoughts, I suddenly realised ‘I know what I have been writing about’. The setting, characters, and the plot, I knew already. But the moral purpose? The heart of the matter? No. I hadn’t considered that. Worse I hadn’t even realised that there was one.
Why mention this? Two reasons: writing a Cosmic Statement could be a light-bulb moment. But, also, I’d love to know whether writing Cosmic Statements is common practice, and how useful they are…or not!
Don’t be surprised if, like me, you discern an autobiographical core purpose. As Weldon asserts ‘A writer needs a fair bit of introspection…hiding from the self makes one boring’.
My protagonist starts off as a 17-year-old and matures as the story unfolds so my Cosmic Statement is: Courage propels, fear impedes. My 17-year-old can then face the threat of death, financial temptation, romance and love, faith, and so on. The other characters, as well, either mature or stagnate.
In the run-up to placing my faith in Christ, the battle between fear and courage played itself out. Fear of ridicule, fear of family rejection against the call of adventure, of abandoning agnosticism, of finding Christ, Christ my Librarian, still issuing books for me to read.
This is a wonderful idea! I often think of one line for my books, but they might change. I wonder if there's an underlying, permanent one though! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThat thought occurred to me. I’m also writing a children’s story and I could make it fit as it’s relevant but maybe a different slant will keep me on my toes.
DeleteI loved Fay Weldon's book. It's one of the best ones around for straight-talking!
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DeleteLovely post, John. Welcome to the world of the redeemed! Praise the Lord!!Christ, your inspirer by the Hoy Spirit, will give you the all the words for your story including the light bulb, the cosmic bulb or whatever else is needed. I'm not conscious of using cosmic statements as I leave it all to Him!He is our mighty pen! Remain blessed. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteSorry John, I meant Holy Spirit! Thanks and blessings.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that! As I sometimes say Christianity is a Spirit-spirt operation!
DeleteI wonder, is a cosmic sentence simply a fancy name for a strap-line? When you publish on KDP there is a place to enter this and it becomes part of the title and more visible to the algorithms.
ReplyDeleteTrue - 'cosmic statement' could be a strapline or a mission statement. For me, I've found making a distinction between summarising the plot and the underlying psychological purpose quite useful. Mind you, so many have read and thoroughly enjoyed The Narnia Tales without any perception of the allegorical nature of the stories. Take your point about KDP and algorithms...if I venture down the KDP routes. Thanks.
DeleteGreat blog John, I think it's a great idea to have a clear and simple one liner that captures the essence of your writing. I'm going to check out the Fay Weldon book.
ReplyDeleteIt's all very fresh to me. I found it, as I said, surprisingly helpful with the novel. Not quite so sharp with the children's book I'm close to finishing. All the best with your one liners.
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