'Power is safest where it need not be protected.' Finding it twice —first as observation, then scratched into an empty suitcase— that's the kind of structural echo that turns a good story into something that stays with you. And the redactions are smart: they force the reader to fill in the names, which makes you complicit in a way that explicit naming never could. Curious about your process, did the found-document format come first, or did the story demand it?
Another part of the process is that I write it in Norwegian first. I almost always do. I find that I can visualize the story in my head better that way.
At first, yes. Now I write directly in English — slower, clumsier, dictionary never far. Being self-taught means every story is also a language exercise. But I notice the Catalan still shapes the rhythm underneath, even when the words are English. Do you find the same with Norwegian?
Definitely. The sentence structure is often reverse from English so it's often a mind-bender. And sometimes I grab for closer words than right one. In Odd's Saga, I use "gård", the norwegian word for farm or homestead. But farm doesn't sound right, so I use the scottish word "garth" instead, even though it's sneak and shrinks the word.
What irks me is that english is very wordy. Case in point, the use of very in the last sentence. I wouldn't have to use "very" in norwegian. But I can use norse/norwegian phrasings and cut the padding. So that's often what I do.
Garth' for 'gård' is a perfect solution, I think, you keep the sound and the weight without the footnote. Catalan has the same compression problem in reverse. English needs three words where Catalan needs one, and the padding dilutes the atmosphere. I've started treating the cuts as part of the voice rather than a limitation.
If you get a chance, I’d love you to take a look at my work. Just starting so just one short story right now, but I post every two weeks. I work in film for the studios in rewrites, but I just sent my first novel to my agent. Anyway I’ll keep checking out your posts. Thanks
Love this style! This is well done.👏
Thank you!
'Power is safest where it need not be protected.' Finding it twice —first as observation, then scratched into an empty suitcase— that's the kind of structural echo that turns a good story into something that stays with you. And the redactions are smart: they force the reader to fill in the names, which makes you complicit in a way that explicit naming never could. Curious about your process, did the found-document format come first, or did the story demand it?
Demanded! I set out to document a case of found footage from the get go, so every journey entry just spun out from there.
I also set out to make Løvstad a typical norwegian naive with popcultural references and no sense of actual danger ☺️
Another part of the process is that I write it in Norwegian first. I almost always do. I find that I can visualize the story in my head better that way.
Do you write in Catalan first?
At first, yes. Now I write directly in English — slower, clumsier, dictionary never far. Being self-taught means every story is also a language exercise. But I notice the Catalan still shapes the rhythm underneath, even when the words are English. Do you find the same with Norwegian?
Definitely. The sentence structure is often reverse from English so it's often a mind-bender. And sometimes I grab for closer words than right one. In Odd's Saga, I use "gård", the norwegian word for farm or homestead. But farm doesn't sound right, so I use the scottish word "garth" instead, even though it's sneak and shrinks the word.
What irks me is that english is very wordy. Case in point, the use of very in the last sentence. I wouldn't have to use "very" in norwegian. But I can use norse/norwegian phrasings and cut the padding. So that's often what I do.
Garth' for 'gård' is a perfect solution, I think, you keep the sound and the weight without the footnote. Catalan has the same compression problem in reverse. English needs three words where Catalan needs one, and the padding dilutes the atmosphere. I've started treating the cuts as part of the voice rather than a limitation.
Yes, the same! English is bloated and padded! Catalan sounds better already!
Nice read!
If you get a chance, I’d love you to take a look at my work. Just starting so just one short story right now, but I post every two weeks. I work in film for the studios in rewrites, but I just sent my first novel to my agent. Anyway I’ll keep checking out your posts. Thanks
Thank you!