NaNo 2011 title and synopsis:

[katernater]

200 years into the future, medical science has progressed to the point where dreams are no longer necessary for healthy human brain activity. Sleep cycles have been reduced to three or four hours a night, with no perceivable adverse effect. For the nostalgic, however, the escape of dreams is something that can be achieved -- for a price. The ultra-rich may purchase "dream furloughs" -- periods of intense REM sleep that may last between twenty-four hours and six months -- that give them an opportunity to act out their wildest, deepest fantasies and desires, all without fear of consequences. When they awaken, they return to their normal lives.

The Dreamers are looked after by Cogzants: members of the working class who, themselves, have no hope of ever dreaming. Dreams are big business and it is the responsibility of the Cogzants to safeguard the minds and bodies of their Dreamers while they slumber. For Elliot, a young Cogzant working in the heart of the metropolis, things are not so simple. He has fallen in love with his Dreamer and has found a way to share her dreams. As their subconscious relationship deepens, Elliot discovers that his actions may have far-reaching consequences beyond the world of the dream. In a desperate race to evade capture and save the woman he loves, Elliot will plunge into the heart of a nightmare that could change the very definition of human consciousness.

So, there it is. My novel idea. This is what I will be working on for the next few months, until the writing start date in November. I'm really excited about this. I've already started to assemble a cast list in my head (Cillian Murphy is an early frontrunner for the role of Elliot) and I'm having a great deal of fun looking into the history of dream research. The (tentative) title comes from the Zhuangzi, a Taoist work from the 8th century:

'Once Zhuangzi dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn't know he was Zhuangzi. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Zhuangzi. But he didn't know if he was Zhuangzi who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuangzi. Between Zhuangzi and a butterfly there must be some distinction! This is called the Transformation of Things.'

Because if I'm not hitting you over the head with symbolism, I'm not doing my job as an author.

I'm not sure where I am going to post updates about my NaNo project. I would post them here, of course, but given LJ's track record lately I'm reluctant to start storing things and then have to deal with the fallout of losing them when the site crashes. I've got my bulletin board and in all likelihood I'll probably just throw everything onto a flash drive and make sure that I know where that flash drive is at all times.

Whew. It feels really good getting that synopsis up there. That might have been the hardest part of the process so far.

Comments

[another-myself.livejournal.com]

Holy shit, Kate.

Holy shit.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

What do you think?

[another-myself.livejournal.com]

The concept is a marriage of science fiction and fantasy with this completely modern element of mystery and enough reality to make it seem completely plausible that this is where the future will lead us. You've followed the very possible development of futuristic science into creating something that will be so possible, it will be outright frightening - and that's what makes it brilliant. Add in the romantic element you've put in, and I'm sold.

I'm blown away. I think you've really got something here.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I think it's got much more meat as a novel (well, one that I can follow through with) than my original NaNo idea, which would have involved a lot of cultural recon in Britain. Which, incidentally, is not something I would have minded in the least, but i'm strapped for cash for a plane ticket to the U.K. at the moment.

I worried at the beginning that it would smack of Inception, but I don't think that dream sharing is a concept that belongs wholly to Christopher Nolan. And the way that I'll go about introducing that concept will be completely different, of course. I've got plans in this here head of mine. :D

[another-myself.livejournal.com]

No, no, it doesn't smack of Inception. This is something else that's wholly you. I can't wait to see how it develops. Because this is fantastic.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

Coming from you, that means a great deal to me. Thank you.

[another-myself.livejournal.com]

You're welcome, dear one. I know how much this means to you, and i wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it. You're creating something amazing.

[ceitfianna]

Wow, that sounds amazing. I look forward to hearing more about it.

Also, I'm almost done with grad school. I just have to finish writing this grant and turn it in and then no more classes. I'm in this weird state of stressed as the words don't seem to be there and so worn out.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm excited to see how it develops.

And, congratulations! I remember feeling very similar: there was so much to do at the end, and such a level of exhaustion at all that had been done already. What are your plans for this point on? (Or are you tired of having to answer that question?)

[ceitfianna]

I"m not as exhausted as I could be as I only have one class. Though the exhaustion I do have is mainly due to having a weird work schedule that's been messing with how I sleep plus the stress of oh god, I'm almost there.

My plans are pretty simple and I actually haven't been talking about them too much. This is the helpful thing about doing a summer class, I've got a little space to breathe. I feel more prepared for looking for a job then I did in April as I've had the summer to polish my resume, LinkedIn and all that sort of thing.

I finish this grant writing course on Monday, keep working as a part time reference iibrarian at the university while I search for a youth librarian job. I"m feeling hopeful about that because a friend of mine just got one, so I know they're out there.

August is going to be this weird mixture of working at my job, no classes to plan for, job looking and then at the end of August, to California for one of my brothers' wedding.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

Would you be willing to relocate for your job? Or do you prefer to stay local, if possible?

[ceitfianna]

I'm quite willing to locate and go wherever I find something. Ann Arbor's a nice place but home for me is on the East Coast and I know I'm adaptable. I've lived abroad so I know I can adjust to a new place. Also I've got a fair bit of wanderlust in me and I enjoy finding new places to make home.

What's wonderful about this lovely community of the net is that I know that I've acquired connections all over the world and country. One thing that's made living here a lot better is that the_croupier went through this same program and knows the area, so we connected and became better friends.

My focus is on a job that will work, it might not be perfect the first go, but I think I can find something that's going in the right direction.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

Of course. And I will keep an ear to the ground about any possible openings around this neck of the woods, too. You're going to do great things. I can't wait to see what the future has in store for you.

[ceitfianna]

Thanks, I feel quite hopeful underneath the tired and worry. One of the great parts of this week was I was helping out with a focus group about the library program. So I had a free dinner and heard from librarians and talked about what really worked from SI. It made me realized how much I've done and what I know.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that you're maintaining an optimistic outlook and that you are able to participate in activities that perpetuate it. I know from personal experience that the gap between graduate school and gainful employment can be a terrifying place, but you seem to be coming at it with the right attitude.

[ceitfianna]

I think it helps that I've been in variations of that gap before and this time I have a part time job that I enjoy and pays decently. Also I have my family's support and trust that I will figure this out.

Before I went to New Zealand, I had about a year when I had an internship that didn't pay and no real good job possibilities. Then after New Zealand, I had almost a year before coming here when I was looking for administrative jobs.

This time, the sorts of jobs I'm looking for are ones I really want and feel passionate about and I feel prepared for. The difference is staggering in terms of how I feel.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

And makes all the difference, I imagine.

You will continue to write regardless, I hope?

[ceitfianna]

I don't plan on stopping that. There have been very few times in my life when I wasn't writing in one form or another and I'm sure it will be more as I actually have time.

I currently have in my google docs, a Jane post canon story, a William Evans' story and the start of a poem about librarians. I also signed up for ineedmyfics that some people on my flist are running as writing for people is one of my best inspirations.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

Hah! Brilliant and very good to hear!

[farstepper.livejournal.com]

Oooh I am intrigued.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

I've never done NaNo before (I always had a class to finish or something), but I feel as if this year could be the year that I actually get something done. Whether that's 50,000 words or a concrete idea for the future is anyone's guess.

Anyway. How're you doing?

[farstepper.livejournal.com]

I've never done it either, but people I know do and they all love it. You'll have loads of fun I'm sure.

I'm okay. Working, doing school, and applying to jobs pretty much fills my days right now.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about you and sending white light your way.

[farstepper.livejournal.com]

That is kind of you. Feel free to focus that white light on my job prospects. I'm about six seconds away from telling everyone at work what I think of them (which would be bad).

....last week they had me putting grammatical errors BACK into documents.

[nerdish.livejournal.com]

I think I'm going to go fall back off the face of the planet, because yet again, you have blown me away. This is going to be insanely interesting.

I don't think I can talk to you anymore. Nope. I'm going back to my life of mediocrity and bad fan fiction.

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

I'd read that. I'd buy the movie ticket, too.

I think your worst problem with it will be avoiding cliche, in that there has been a hell of a lot of SF written about dreams (now I see why you described it as a Phil K Dick cross!) On the other hand, the reason it's been written about a lot is that it's a fascinating subject, and there's always room for one more, especially a new take on it.

[awesomesquared.livejournal.com]

i DON'T KNOW WHAT MY FEELINGS ARE DOING.

[awesomesquared.livejournal.com]

The real question I'd love to ask is...who are your avatars for these Dreamers and miscellany. Who plays these characters as you write them? That's the part that always intrigues me.

[katernater.livejournal.com]

Excellent question. Right now I'm having a hard time trying to place the principal female character. I originally thought of Hayley Atwell (because she's got that softness I really want for the part), but I've also been watching a lot of Luther lately and could see Ruth Wilson in the role.

The other parts are not fully formed yet. I know I've got a bunch of business types (who will be in charge of the corporate side of things and who will also add the requisite amount of "Western capitalist evil"), but not faces for them. This is the fun part, though: fleshing all of that stuff out.

[dynastessa]

Ooh, now that sounds very, very interesting. It's vaguely Ishiguro meets Chris Nolan's Inception meets something else I can't put my finger on.

But I would totally read this.

Please keep us updated!

[highlander_ii]

pssst - *points to your DW accts*

Also - I think someone said Scrivener will link up across machines. You could also use a dropbox type acct too.

And, in writing, like with software, redundant backups! In multiple locations and formats. This is the one time paranoia can be helpful. XD


I like your idea... v. cool! =)

[teh-maskmaid.livejournal.com]

Okay so this is the NaNo project you were talking about in the other post...

Forget novel. Write this as a screenplay. It would make a fantastic movie.

Seriously. It would be the kind of movie I'd want to see. Something that is smart and well-thought out, stepping into the future with touches of fantasy, but still real enough to be plausible and maybe even a little prophetic. It's really fantastic.

[antiquitea.livejournal.com]

Oh, this just sounds absolutely fantastic. I really wish it were November so that you could begin cranking this out!

[nerdish.livejournal.com]

Do you have a NaNo account? so I can stalk you there as well?

[katernater.livejournal.com]

I do! I'm katernater over there, as well. :D