The Concierge
Two of my stories feature a man I refer to as the "Concierge". The guy who specializes in getting you all those weird things you didn't know how to get on your own and sure as hell didn't want to admit you wanted.
In "The Double D", he's after John Dillinger's penis that was severed and kept in a jar on orders from J. Edgar Hoover. In "Lord Knows", he's after Tupac's bulletproof vest. Both stories reference other things he's obtained.
I'm working on a new story.
But I've run into two problems. I've never thought about either one. The first is balance. Expecially, when it comes to explaination and exposition. One hand, I'd like to assume that someone reading it has read the other stories and understands the shtick. On the other, chances are, someone reading the third story probably hasn't read either of the two. So, how do I put enough in so the new reader gets it, and get's it quick, but without boring the old reader? For that matter, how do I keep spinning and explaining his "skill" in new and interesting ways?
The second problem is style. I would like to think that if I look at the first story in this crop, not just the Concierge pieces, that I've improved as a writer. I think I'm still finding my voice and experimenting. I know there are things that identify a piece as mine, or at least my wife tells me so, but I don't think it's all quite there yet.
What about you? Do you think it's important to have a consistent voice for the same character? Do all Concierge stories need to read the same? Especially, since they're written in first person?
In "The Double D", he's after John Dillinger's penis that was severed and kept in a jar on orders from J. Edgar Hoover. In "Lord Knows", he's after Tupac's bulletproof vest. Both stories reference other things he's obtained.
I'm working on a new story.
But I've run into two problems. I've never thought about either one. The first is balance. Expecially, when it comes to explaination and exposition. One hand, I'd like to assume that someone reading it has read the other stories and understands the shtick. On the other, chances are, someone reading the third story probably hasn't read either of the two. So, how do I put enough in so the new reader gets it, and get's it quick, but without boring the old reader? For that matter, how do I keep spinning and explaining his "skill" in new and interesting ways?
The second problem is style. I would like to think that if I look at the first story in this crop, not just the Concierge pieces, that I've improved as a writer. I think I'm still finding my voice and experimenting. I know there are things that identify a piece as mine, or at least my wife tells me so, but I don't think it's all quite there yet.
What about you? Do you think it's important to have a consistent voice for the same character? Do all Concierge stories need to read the same? Especially, since they're written in first person?
