Taking Colette’s masterclass in writing fiction

I’m still working on the Nights in Paris novel as well as the short film. I’m very pleased with the beginning of my next Colette chapter; it can be hard to know how to start a new chapter. It’s a bit like the daunting task of stuffing a duvet into its cover: you have a clear picture of the end result, but how do you know which corner to tackle first? I’ve taken a tip from the great master — or rather, great mistress — herself: Colette, of course.

Colette often begins her chapters with a conversation, or an action; in that respect, many of her novels are like plays. She acted on the stage for many years, and I think this second, theatrical job helped to hone her shark-like instinct when writing: straight to the point, never deviating, pared down to the absolute essentials. Reading her novels is like taking a masterclass in writing prose that is watertight and incredibly focused: I’m thinking especially of Chéri, Julie de Carneilhan, La Retraite Sentimentale, and Duo / Le Toutonier.

My latest chapter of Nights in Paris starts with Colette opening the door of the marital apartment, apprehensive and afraid of seeing her husband because it is the morning after the night before, and the night was spent with Missy… luckily I have some (dusty) memories of this kind of sordid melodrama, so while I’m writing I can relive the emotional turmoil… oh joy!

Par où commencer un nouveau chapitre? C’est comme empailler un duvet dans sa housse: on le prend par quelle bout?! On trouve la reponse en lisant Colette. Chéri, Julie de Carneilhan, La Retraite Sentimentale, et Duo / Le Toutonier sont des romans d’une précision admirable, dont les chapitres commencent souvent, comme des pièces de théâtre, en pleine conversation.

Researching corsets for Colette

I’m writing the film script for a short film and it’s going really well: the script is simply steaming ahead! The film will be based on my story about Colette, The Silver Stopper, which is adapted from my novel in progress, Nights in Paris. In only three weeks the script is already halfway there: we are on scene six already! It’s very exciting. Although the script is the foundation for a short film — without a script there is nothing — this is also the easy bit. Once the script is finished, then it’s time for the real, hard work to begin!

There is so much to research: dresses, hats, gloves, shoes, corsets, jewellery, furniture, and all the little odds and ends: combs, plates, glasses, ornaments: they seem trivial but are crucial to a film’s authenticity. It’s like reading a fantastic story and then — arrgh — you come across a blazingly obvious error, and it’s so horrible that it ruins your enjoyment and respect for the story. Accidentally doing something like that in our film would embarrass me forever, so it’s essential that all the details are perfect.

Luckily, I adore research, especially historical research. Well, who wouldn’t enjoy researching corsets? Under their black dresses, tightly fastened with hundreds of tiny buttons from neck to toe, those supposedly stiff, proper Victorians wore the most sumptuous, gorgeous undergarments. I have found the perfect corset for Colette to wear on her wedding night: the corset is a beige-pink colour with pink ribbons threaded through the white broderie anglaise lace at the bosom. The corset hooks up at the front and laces up at the back with white ribbons.

The corsets on www.antiquecorsetgallery.com are simply fabulous: this site has the most beautiful antique corsets from the 1600s to the 1900s. You can click on any corset to view a close-up from both the front and back view. It answered some questions I had, such as Colette’s corset should lace up at the front or at the back (lacing varied in different countries and periods). It seems that French corsets around 1900 were back-lacing. But I would love to hear from any corset experts!

Another site, www.1860-1960.com, has the most incredible vintage clothes for sale. It’s stunning to think that it’s possible to actually own a pair of those white, Victorian wedding boots, or that Edwardian glittering black lace dress. It’s so tempting to reach for the credit card — mind you, I probably wouldn’t fit in any of the dresses anyway — even the dresses for larger ladies have tiny, 22 inch waists! We’ll have to work out a budget, and hope that there is room to buy at least one genuine item for our costume department. The rest will have to be hired, but perhaps we can stretch to a small luxury item… a pair of gloves, maybe, or an embroidered handkerchief!

Le scénario pour le film de mon histoire de Colette avance super bien: on est déjà à la scène six! Je pensais que ça allait être difficile, mais en fait, être scénariste, ça me plaît bien!

A script for Colette

Something wonderful and completely new is happening with The Silver Stopper, my Colette short story based on my novel Nights in Paris. The Silver Stopper may be made into a short film — which makes me almost hysterical with joy! My writing is visual and descriptive, so I can see the whole film in my mind, which may be useful for Toni, the director… or annoying! We plan to start writing the script this weekend. I’ve had a look at a script writing program: writing a script is hugely different to a novel or story, but I am full of naïve, idealistic energy at the moment, so I’m not (yet) daunted.

There are already some difficulties we’ll have to contend with, such as: how much of a historical film should we make it? It’s set circa 1907, and Wellington has some historical homes, but not many. Also, how erotic to make it? There’s nothing worse than bad erotica, whether you’re reading or watching it. We could have corsets, shifts and lots of ruffles and ribbons: vintage clothing can be more suggestive and erotic than plain, unadorned nudity. And what about the accents? Do we make our Kiwi actors speak their lines in fake French accents? Aïe aïe aïe, I have a feeling that this could turn très mal, so we need to be careful! Still, it’s a very exciting time, the world is filled with possibilties…

J’ai la possibilité de faire un film de mon histoire de Colette! Je vois déjà le film tout fini dans ma tête — bien sur, c’est un film sensuel, voluptueux et très beau.