A novel in the making
Synopsis
Philian Kasik has forsaken his career as a painter for a picture-perfect family life in the suburban idyll he secretly detests.
To maintain an illusion of self-determination, he indulges in his peculiar morning ritual of writing a resignation letter from his well-paid corporate job. The illusion is shattered through an unexpected promotion; a step he perceives as another anchor pulling him deeper into a life of boredom and mediocrity.
Torn between society's expectations and his desire to paint, his life quickly spirals downward into binge drinking and self-destructive behaviour that threatens to destroy not only his family but also his sanity.
Strangers on my mind | From an Idea to a novel concept
Every story is based on an idea. But not every idea immediately makes a good story. Often ideas are fragments without context that invade our thought space with the stealthiness of squatters. As writers, we feel the need to inspect these lodgers from all angles. We want to put flesh on their bones and give them a physical form that we can see, feel and relate to.
In this post, I show you my approach of turning an initial idea into the foundation for my novel PAIN/T.