The Gorilla in the Phone Booth
On Sunday afternoon, I finished writing my 74th book. Well, “finished” might be stretching the truth a little. I still need to add more scenes and lengthen the letters that make up a secondary story line. And that’s just what I know it needs. My editors are sure to come up with more suggestions.
On Monday, I chatted with my agent who had already started reading the book, and I was reminded of the advice she gave me about 25 years ago. It’s called “the gorilla in the phone booth” and it goes like this:
My character needs to make a phone call…
But there’s a gorilla in the phone booth…
But my character MUST make a phone call…
But the gorilla is still in the phone booth…
But my character absolutely, positively MUST make a phone call…
And so it goes throughout the book.
This is perhaps the most difficult thing about writing for me: making life so bloomin’ hard on my characters. Torturing them in ways both large and small, in ways both physical and emotional.
And sometimes I (the author) know how hard it is for them and they (the characters) know how hard it is for them. But sometimes I don’t get enough words on the page to let you (the readers) know how hard I’ve made it on them. I think it is there because I know the story so well. But it isn’t there. Sigh.
Thank goodness for my editors, who are so capable at pulling those extra words out of me and making sure I get that scary gorilla into that phone booth to await my desperate character.
Come to think of it, when my agent gave me this tip 25 years ago, there actually were phone booths. Back then, if we were away from home and needed to make a call, we actually had to go find a public phone. Man, doesn’t that sound quaint?
Maybe I need to update this tip, but it just doesn’t sound right to say there is a gorilla on my cell phone. 😉
~robin
Photos by GraphicStock
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I’ve never heard Goal/Motivation/Conflict summed up as ‘a gorilla in the phone booth’. Love it!
LOL! And I never knew that my gorilla in the phone booth could also be called GMC. Who knew?
Just pictured a gorilla on your cell phone Robin..CHORTLE!
Congrats on your 74 books …. an amazing effort..and I still have some of your originals! Guess you had plenty of gorillas on your phone booth back then. Can’t wait for your next book .Fantastic effort all round!:)
Trust me, Rosie. I would never let a gorilla near my iPhone. He might run away with it, and then where would I be? LOL!
I don’t just “like” this, I love it!!! Gorilla on my cell phone!! is the perfect response! To tell the truth, I’ve noticed that in fiction (written and on screen) – how the protagonist comes up against that opposition – ad nauseum!!! and I think, “come ON!!! give that person a BREAK already!!!” now I see why!! Gorilla in the phone booth, of course!!
Way to go on completing #74!!! Next up, the 3/4 centennial right??
Thanks for “loving” the post. And yes, I am already at work on #75 which I need to finish in record time. Busy, busy, busy.
Love this, Robin! Your gorilla on a cell phone comment made me giggle. 😉
Not long ago one of my daughters was asking me about my college days, and I laughed as I thought back to having ONE pay phone for an entire dorm floor to share, LOL. But maybe folks were a bit more patient then, because we had to wait our turn!
Oh, gracious! Patti Jo, now you made me giggle, remembering waiting in line to you a single phone. But do young people ever actually “talk” on their phones today? All I see my granddaughter doing is texting.
Interesting! I had never heard of that either. Thanks for the food-for-thought–and the laugh!