I wrote on the bus home. I don’t really like writing, or reading for that matter, while on the bus. I’m so afraid that I’ll miss my stop because I’m too distracted. But I did it anyways. I overcame that fear.
I got really into my writing, and while I wasn’t in any danger of missing my bus, I wasn’t able to throw my stuff back in my bag before I got off the bus. I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing….
(Submitted by sweetinfinities)
I had to reblog this because I immediately thought, “Well, if the mother’s backstory is interesting, maybe that’s where the story really lies.” It’s a little frightening sometimes when you realize that your protagonist isn’t really the character you’re most interested in. When that starting point, that initial character becomes a stepping stone to something else entirely. Fucking scary. It means that everything about your story so far is going to change, possibly completely. It means starting over again.
But for me, now, I think that I’m okay with this. In my 3100 class we did a lecture on re-writing a second or even third draft from scratch. The first draft is just for telling yourself the story. Getting it down on paper. The second draft begins to take form, and by the third draft you’ve got a decent idea, finally, of what your story is about. I agree with this. Completely. And it makes writing new drafts from scratch a lot less scary. I think this has a lot to do with the fear that that first draft was now just a waste of time. “I wrote it, but I got nothing from it.” But that isn’t true. You got the story down the first time, and now it’s a lot clearer. And a lot less frightening.
But back to the point, I think that sometimes what we’re working on just isn’t working. And maybe a minor character is pulling your attention just a little more than expected, a little more than the protagonist is. If that’s the case I think it’s worth exploring that minor character further. It might be that that’s the better story.
How Much Is A Bird in The Hand Worth? (by vsauce)
Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffallo buffalo, buffalo Buffalo buffalo.
Watch the video and you’ll understand.
…really made me realize how little I’ve done as a writer. I mean, it’s not that surprising since I’ve never really been an involved person. I don’t have a good sense of community.
But writing it down was almost frightening. I really have so little to show, and seeing that being the case makes me really want to kick my ass into high gear. I want a sheet of paper that says ‘I’m involved!’.
If you get the reference, you are now two times more awesome in my eyes. If not, don’t worry, my opinion doesn’t count for much. (Also, you’re still probably awesome.) Now, onto this post.
Yesterday in 3100 we were discussing what makes writing great. (Not the act of writing being enjoyable. The other thing, y’know, techniques of the pros.) We got on the topic of depressing stories, for example Misery by Chekhov. Those stories that don’t really have any humour in them, or at least nothing that lightens the mood at all. Some people really like these stories. Some don’t.
I my mind the word that best describes these stories is dreary. These stories start sad, progress sad, and end sad. For me, I don’t mind them but I don’t love them. It’s a lukewarm feeling. I know they have a time and place, and they accomplish their goal really well, but I never feel like I get too attached to the main character.
Which is why, I think, I always have a comic relief. I want that character that will make you laugh out loud. Because for me, laughing with someone is like an affirmation of friendship. And when you’re laughing with a story, for me, that story becomes a whole lot more important. And really, isn’t it hard to see someone cry when you’ve seen them laugh?
I recently read a piece on additive and subtractive writing that I found quite interesting. An additive writer needs to constantly revise, working on editing the first stanza before writing the second or editing the first chapter before going on to write the second. There is a constant back and forth between inscription and composition.. A subtractive writer, however, feels the need to get everything down first, and then slowly chisel away at the unwanted parts.
I’m beginning to think of myself as more of a subtractive writer, something I wouldn’t have thought previously. However, ever since I’ve started actually writing more (refer two posts down to my promise to myself) I’ve realized that what I really want to accomplish in the first draft is getting everything down. I don’t want to stress over every single line, not when I’m busy trying to catch the whole story with my pen. Later I can fine tune the details so they work cohesively. But for right now I just want to get the mountain of information down onto the page.
I’ll start off by saying, if you haven’t seen this play, you should keep an eye out for it and go see it when you can. It’s got great humour and it’s really well written.
I went and saw this play on Friday, the 9th, at the Surrey Arts Center. It was done by the Holy Cross Players (of which I am an alum. I was really sad I didn’t get to go on alum night, which is the thursday, but what can you do.)
Adding this to the play streamed on youtube, (see http://writersuneditedlife.tumblr.com/post/18966034863/thepoisonidrank-8-a-play-about-the-fight-for), this was my second play I watched in March. If all goes well I may even go to a third. Douglas is presenting a play the last week of March, and if I can find someone to go with I plan on going to see that as well.
I don’t know that I’ll ever get into playwriting. Maybe, I mean we never know where the future will see us, but at the moment it isn’t in my current goals. i plan to get back into acting, and in that aspect plays are in my goals, but not as a writer. Still, from a writer’s perspective, it’s still useful to go see a play. I think, at the very least, it’s a good way to see dialogue being used to forward and guide the entire story and plot.
This Sunday I made a promise to myself that I won’t: a) go on the internet (tumblr, facebook, etc.), b) watch television, or c) play videogames until I have written at least two pages or done the equivalent in editing that day.
So far it’s gone well. Monday I didn’t use the internet at all, except to listen to music on youtube while I did the dishes. I think keeping to this will really help my productivity, which since November/December has really been lacking.
I think, however, I’ll attach an addendum to this. I must write a blog post every day also. I think that just one post is fair. It’ll help me catch up on the things I never posted about, and it will also bring me up to an adequate number of posts for my Business of Writing class (which this is an assignment for).
Haha. So far most of these have just been for laughs. (Because of course we all know that things that on some level ring true, but in an unexpected way, make us laugh.)
However, this one was a little too accurate. Mainly because I just did this for a story in my 3100 class with Aislinn Hunter. My character, Tony, really just started out as comic relief, because the story was really dark and I wanted some humour to lighten it a bit. He was ridiculously empty headed, and his mistakes just made you laugh. They made me laugh when I was writing them. However, he ended up playing an intergral role, and I’m sure he’ll continue making appearance’s throughout my time with my protagonist Alex.
(Submitted by unshadowed-heart)
(via thepoisonidrank)
