Has anyone ever read a novel that had a homeschooling family as central characters, or even peripheral characters, in it? I never have. I've never even heard of one. So, I'm thinking that I might use my blog as a springboard for my NaNoWriMo novel challenge. Of course, to make it juicier I will include much more detail about relationships and activities outside of simply home schooling. However, I will have my protagonist be a mother who home schools her children. Her goal? I think it might be "peace."
Not the loftier goal of world peace, but more of a peace with her life, with her choices, with her family and children that ultimately provides her with the confidence she needs to follow her own path. Sort of a woman vs. self plot line.
So let me ask you a question... if you were reading this type of novel, would you want it to start with the children in school, in the thick of their troubles there and the ultimate decision to home educate being one step on the plot graph? Or would you rather it start after that decision has already been made?
The reason I wonder is because I don't want to propagate the stereotype that home schoolers are somehow prejudiced against public school. I have nothing against my local school. Nothing against the teacher or administration who are trying desperately to do their jobs. It just wasn't the right choice for my family.
Hmmmmm... maybe I can somehow work that message INTO the plot.
The other reason is that I'm not sure I want home schooling to necessarily be a central plot, perhaps just a peice of the protagonist's life that is helping to resolve part of the conflict....
Okay, one more question for my loyal readers and trusted friends... if you were writing such a novel, would you use your own family's actual history as a base for your storyline?
Do you think it would cause issues if the novel were read by the general public (for example, if my main character's son had my son's exact "cracks")? My frustration is this: The disorder he has that has been most difficult is rarely discussed for many different reasons. Would writing about it in a novel help people struggling with those same issues feel like they have support? OR, could it potentially cause problems in my own family if people discovered that it was based on my real son?
Could I do it in such a way that the main character's life is so different from my own that it wouldn't make sense to associate the fictional family with mine?
I'm sorry, a lot of questioning rolling around in my noggin these days... Yikes, six more days until the novel challenge begins!!!!
I'm beggin' for advice!
I know how much you have struggled with your son's medical condition, and I really think it would be a wonderful source of comfort to others out there struggling with that issue if they knew they were not alone and could perhaps gain knowledge and insight from your experiences.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd be very careful about using 'cracks' if you are going to base the novel on your real life experiences. And of course you should be basing all of this off your real life experiences. They are after all, what you know best!
ReplyDeleteI have not read or heard of such an novel.
I think the idea of starting once the decision is made and the family is living the current homescool life, maybe flashing back to experiences that led this family to the decision to homeschool.
Ok, I'll think more too! Sounds like a wonderful project!
IMHO, I think whether you start with the children being homeschooled or in public school depends on what the premise is of why homeschooling was the end result. The stereotype of homeschoolers against publicschoolers won't necessarily be propogated unless you introduce that into the plot and have public school shortfalls as the primary driver of the decision.
ReplyDeleteI think it is acceptable to use your son's medical condition as an aspect of a character in your novel. However, I would be weary to base the entire character off your son.
All great thoughts, folks! Thanks. I'm actually thinking that the entire plot of the novel isn't going to revolve around homeschooling and that decision. AS I think about it, the plot is more going to be about a woman making peace with herself... who happens to be a home schooling mom. That way I can use parts of my life (as most authors do). I've always wanted to write about encorpesis, but I'm not sure a novel is the right genre. I'm excited to takeon this challenge! So are my kids! My son hasn't written so much in his life!
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