What do writers do when they're not writing? They get creative in other ways.
From what I've seen and read from others, we pretty much head in the same direction. Crafts. Knit, crochet, x-stitching, embroidery, scrapbooking, quilting. Oh, and there's photography and sketching. Have I left anything out? Probably. But as a footnote, some activities are more perilous than others.
A case in point.
I don't scrapbook, photograph or sketch anything. I have no talents in that direction but I'm pretty good at the rest of the list. Last Fall, I promised my son a quilt for a wedding gift. (Hopefully, it will be ready for their first anniversary.) His wife loves pink so I had to find something that would be a pleasing compromise. Not to masculine or feminine. No problem there. The original design I had in mind proved to be too boring when I started planning it out so I came up with something better. That meant getting more fabric to compliment what I already had picked out.
That meant trouble.
In mythology, Sirens called to sailors, their song irresistible. The sailors ended up on the rocks, their ship destroyed. Death was their only escape. Ulysses is the only character of myth to listen to the Sirens and live to tell about it. Then again, his men tied him to the mast so he couldn't jump overboard, and with their ears stopped up they couldn't hear his shouted orders to free him.
It's the prefect analogy and a good explanation why I try to avoid fabric shopping. Those stores are like the rocky shores and the Sirens are all the quilting fabric inside. Listening to those mythological, "angelic" voices is just begging for trouble.
And I was begging.
My sister must have been in collusion with said Sirens. In my innocence (ha ha ha) I'd asked her to come along and give me her opinion, but she kept drawing my attention to prints she knew I couldn't resist. A couple of them barely whispered and I knew they weren't right. They were easily ignored. Then there were the more...'experienced, more powerful voices.' The colors weren't so much 'vibrant' as they were pleasing to the eye and they were talking to me. She and 'they' made for great harmony. The kind of harmony you can't resist no matter how hard you try. I suppose I didn't try too hard.
I fled from the rocks with seven different prints (not just the two I originally wanted) and my credit card still intact but with a discernible dent in it. I'm not sorry since, like Ulysses, I listened to their song and lived to tell about it.
As to my sister... Well, the Sirens aren't known for their loyalties. She'd been caught as well. In spite of her determination not to succumb to their vocal entreaties (she had no intention of purchasing any-thing) she left with several patterns.
The lesson for the day? Never trust Sirens. They always catch you.
Bwahahahahahah
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
A Little Piece of My Heart
This month practically all news stories have to do with the Winter Olympics. I'm not a big sports fan, but like most folks, I watch the medals count. We've been doing pretty well staying in the top three. But there is one special story that's hit home with most everyone. Puppy adoptions. American Olympian Gus Kenworthy became particularly newsworthy when he decided to adopt four stray pups and their mother. And now it appears that other teams are even helping US Olympians to adopt other strays and find a way to bring them home. Reading about Gus and the pups brought back memories of my own.
Some years ago, I had the gratifying experience of "adopting" a stray cat who eventually became known as CharlieBaby. Charlie was sneaky from the get-go. He used to come around with a couple other cats and one of the tenants would feed them. When that person moved out, Charlie was left behind. Being a cat person myself, I felt a little sorry for him and would put out a bit of food. Eventually he found his way up to the second floor where I lived and established himself in my residence. I guess he decided at that time I was worthy of adoption.
For the first year, I had to let him out every day and watching him dart across the street during noontime traffic was unnerving. I expected him, at some point, to end up splattered. As soon as I could afford it, he was neutered and became housebound. He didn't seem to mind. He had plenty to eat and didn't have to share. There were patches of sunshine to follow around during the day where he could sleep undisturbed and there was a warm bed to sleep in at night. He didn't like sleeping under the bedcovers as most cats preferred. Charlie would crawl to the foot of the bed, turn around and come back to the top, so just his head was out from under the blanket and he'd share a pillow. At least until the next morning when I'd find he had it all and I had none.
Charlie had his little quirks. A couple times he decided to make a bed of the quilt I was working on and fell through. The PVC frame wasn't meant to hold up a sixteen pound cat. I always knew when he was upset with me. He'd pull up any seedlings I had growing. They'd only be a couple inches tall but he had a way of pulling them out of the potting soil without damaging them. I'd find the little plants lying on top of the soil or on the table which always prompted me to ask, "Why are you upset with me this time?" Of course, he never said.
He was finicky when it came to moist cat food, but liked the dry. He also liked freshly roasted chicken or turkey, toast crumbs, bits of sliced cheese, saltine or ritz crackers, or cheese-its. Crackers had to be broken into small bits otherwise he couldn't eat them. Once in a great while a tablespoon of plain ice cream was a treat.
Charlie became the inspiration from which I created Houdini, better known as Dinks. (After all, Charlie was able to do a couple things that, for the life of me, I could never figure out how.) He was the black cat in Highland Eyes, with magical abilities and a mind of his own, moreso than Charlie. He was great. How could I do less with a cat like Charlie to inspire me?
Charlie's been gone about ten years now. Doesn't seem that long. Every now and again I go back and look at those memories and realize after all this time, I still miss him. He was the greatest, the best(and the smartest) companion of all the cats I've had as pets.
Going back to Gus and his pups, I certainly hope he gets them back to Colorado and they all do well in their new home(s). Kudos to the other Olympians who follow his example.
Some years ago, I had the gratifying experience of "adopting" a stray cat who eventually became known as CharlieBaby. Charlie was sneaky from the get-go. He used to come around with a couple other cats and one of the tenants would feed them. When that person moved out, Charlie was left behind. Being a cat person myself, I felt a little sorry for him and would put out a bit of food. Eventually he found his way up to the second floor where I lived and established himself in my residence. I guess he decided at that time I was worthy of adoption.
For the first year, I had to let him out every day and watching him dart across the street during noontime traffic was unnerving. I expected him, at some point, to end up splattered. As soon as I could afford it, he was neutered and became housebound. He didn't seem to mind. He had plenty to eat and didn't have to share. There were patches of sunshine to follow around during the day where he could sleep undisturbed and there was a warm bed to sleep in at night. He didn't like sleeping under the bedcovers as most cats preferred. Charlie would crawl to the foot of the bed, turn around and come back to the top, so just his head was out from under the blanket and he'd share a pillow. At least until the next morning when I'd find he had it all and I had none.
Charlie had his little quirks. A couple times he decided to make a bed of the quilt I was working on and fell through. The PVC frame wasn't meant to hold up a sixteen pound cat. I always knew when he was upset with me. He'd pull up any seedlings I had growing. They'd only be a couple inches tall but he had a way of pulling them out of the potting soil without damaging them. I'd find the little plants lying on top of the soil or on the table which always prompted me to ask, "Why are you upset with me this time?" Of course, he never said.
He was finicky when it came to moist cat food, but liked the dry. He also liked freshly roasted chicken or turkey, toast crumbs, bits of sliced cheese, saltine or ritz crackers, or cheese-its. Crackers had to be broken into small bits otherwise he couldn't eat them. Once in a great while a tablespoon of plain ice cream was a treat.
Charlie became the inspiration from which I created Houdini, better known as Dinks. (After all, Charlie was able to do a couple things that, for the life of me, I could never figure out how.) He was the black cat in Highland Eyes, with magical abilities and a mind of his own, moreso than Charlie. He was great. How could I do less with a cat like Charlie to inspire me?
Charlie's been gone about ten years now. Doesn't seem that long. Every now and again I go back and look at those memories and realize after all this time, I still miss him. He was the greatest, the best(and the smartest) companion of all the cats I've had as pets.
Going back to Gus and his pups, I certainly hope he gets them back to Colorado and they all do well in their new home(s). Kudos to the other Olympians who follow his example.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Revisiting Goals
Just a year ago, I wrote a blog about the differences between making resolutions and goals. I opted for the goals and resolved to keep them. One BIG resolution broken. Due to family problems it was difficult to work toward my monthly writing goals, so 2013 wasn't such a productive, "wordy" year.
So...if resolutions aren't such a good idea and goals were hard to reach, what's to be done about them?
I decided to renew last year's goals but look at them differently. Sometimes a different point of view and a new approach makes the goal easier to reach. You have to find what works for you.
Nothing like starting the New Year off with a bang, and I don't mean the anticipated fireworks. I do love to watch that crystal ball at Times Square when it's lit up and before it drops. The changing colors and patterns are fascinating and have me imagining what some of the color schemes and patterns would look like in a quilt. (Not that I recall, a couple days later, what I saw). To me, that pre-drop is the best part of the show.
What's that got to do with setting goals? It's a prerequisite to getting creative. Have you ever noticed how one creative idea can lead to something else creative and yet not be related? I'm sure that made a whole lot of sense. I can watch something like that and at some point come up with an idea for a totally unrelated project. Before you know it, you have a whole slew of ideas you're just itching to get to and know you can't. So you make a list, check it twice (oh...that's Christmas. Wrong holiday, wrong character). You prioritize all the things you'd like to do and before you know it your year is filled with good intentions.
The problem is, some of those goals end up leading to boring projects and they get left by the wayside. In a few months or even years, you might come across it again and consider taking it up where you left off. (I've done that a few times.) That is, if you can recall exactly what you were doing to begin with. (Ever try picking up an incomplete crocheted afghan and try to figure out what stitch you were using? More often than not, taking apart a few stitches doesn't help.)
Some of those goals have to be considered in the respect of time and expense. Is it something you really want to invest in, or is it a whim? Enthusiasm can be a good guide on that score. Something might be nice, intriguing or present something of a challenge, but if it doesn't really set us on fire at the time, maybe it's better to put it into a filler list. One of those things you'd like to do but there's no hurry to get around to it.
I don't believe in setting goals on New Year's Eve or the holiday itself. You need time to get away from the holiday hype and give serious thought to the coming year. Today is a good day to make some decisions. I have three manuscripts I want to get finished and ready for submission. Then there's the queen size quilt I promised my son for a wedding present (he and his wife will have it for their first anniversary). A 1500-piece jigsaw puzzle sits on the table and every time I go by it, I spend a few minutes looking for and putting together a few pieces. That's my break from creativity. As to reading? I fit that in every night before I go to sleep.
Yeah, it's a full schedule, but that means I don't have time to get into trouble. (hahaha) Will I have everything done by 2015? Who knows...but it'll sure be fun trying.
Monday, December 16, 2013
When Television Annoys
From late November to the end of January you can pretty much expect to see the TV schedules filled with reruns. In a way, I can understand. Why put on a new episode of your favorite show when the majority of people are off and running, getting their shopping done, attending holiday parties or just visiting with family and friends you don't get to see very often. If I don't feel like watching the rerun of a story that was on just a couple weeks earlier, then there's always movie channels.
Movie channels like Encore (which has several channels, each a different genre and no commercial breaks) FX, Disney and others have a lot to offer. Are they worth it? It's a matter of opinion. Sometimes a dumb movie suits the mood. Sharknado? Which spawned Stonado? And watch for it...Sharknado2! There was even a Godzilla movie recently (it's a few years old) that I hadn't seen. Godzilla looked fat and flabby, nothing like the monster we watched years ago. This one looked like he'd been on a crash diet. Kind of reminded me of a story book I had as a child. The Saggy Baggy Elephant.
Then there are the movies that go back thirty or more years. Those were good movies with one major problem created by time. Mom and I watch them with comments, "He's gone." "He's gone, too." "Yeah, I think she's gone too." "We're watching a movie filled with dead people!" It's a sobering thought to realize all the great actors are disappearing. Just this weekend we lost Peter O'Toole, best known for his role in Lawrence of Arabia. I think one of my favorite roles was his portrayal of Henry II, opposite Katherine Hepburn's Eleanor of Aquitaine. I believe the movie was The Lion In Winter. (Henry and Eleanor's third son was the famous Richard the Lionheart)
There's always a downside to watching favorite movies and this is my point. Why do the networks have to stick in so many blasted commercials? Maybe it would be tolerable if each commercial break had a different set of ads but each break runs the same commercials over and again. Each ad runs for thirty seconds in the effort to show more products and services. Granted, there are a few that are cute, amusing the first couple times you see them. After that they just become downright annoying.
Have you ever timed how often they come on and how long they last? I have. In most cases, you can expect to see as many as eight to ten ads in one break. That's four to five minutes worth. Then you get to see a bit more of the movie--the next seven minutes. Sometimes you can't tell where the movie breaks for a commercial--there's no warning. So if a movie is scheduled for 3 to 3.5 hours, you can bet at least 30 minutes, maybe more, is commercial time. Once upon a time the British had the right idea. Commercials could not be shown on the telly until the end of the broadcast day. I do believe they gave that up in favor of our system.
Well, that's my gripe and there's only one thing left to say, to summarize...
"We interrupt this commercial break to bring you the scheduled movie."
Movie channels like Encore (which has several channels, each a different genre and no commercial breaks) FX, Disney and others have a lot to offer. Are they worth it? It's a matter of opinion. Sometimes a dumb movie suits the mood. Sharknado? Which spawned Stonado? And watch for it...Sharknado2! There was even a Godzilla movie recently (it's a few years old) that I hadn't seen. Godzilla looked fat and flabby, nothing like the monster we watched years ago. This one looked like he'd been on a crash diet. Kind of reminded me of a story book I had as a child. The Saggy Baggy Elephant.
Then there are the movies that go back thirty or more years. Those were good movies with one major problem created by time. Mom and I watch them with comments, "He's gone." "He's gone, too." "Yeah, I think she's gone too." "We're watching a movie filled with dead people!" It's a sobering thought to realize all the great actors are disappearing. Just this weekend we lost Peter O'Toole, best known for his role in Lawrence of Arabia. I think one of my favorite roles was his portrayal of Henry II, opposite Katherine Hepburn's Eleanor of Aquitaine. I believe the movie was The Lion In Winter. (Henry and Eleanor's third son was the famous Richard the Lionheart)
There's always a downside to watching favorite movies and this is my point. Why do the networks have to stick in so many blasted commercials? Maybe it would be tolerable if each commercial break had a different set of ads but each break runs the same commercials over and again. Each ad runs for thirty seconds in the effort to show more products and services. Granted, there are a few that are cute, amusing the first couple times you see them. After that they just become downright annoying.
Have you ever timed how often they come on and how long they last? I have. In most cases, you can expect to see as many as eight to ten ads in one break. That's four to five minutes worth. Then you get to see a bit more of the movie--the next seven minutes. Sometimes you can't tell where the movie breaks for a commercial--there's no warning. So if a movie is scheduled for 3 to 3.5 hours, you can bet at least 30 minutes, maybe more, is commercial time. Once upon a time the British had the right idea. Commercials could not be shown on the telly until the end of the broadcast day. I do believe they gave that up in favor of our system.
Well, that's my gripe and there's only one thing left to say, to summarize...
"We interrupt this commercial break to bring you the scheduled movie."
Friday, November 22, 2013
That Unexpected Twist
Every night there are specific TV shows I like to watch. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday each have one show, Friday is two and Tuesday is a full schedule. If certain ones of those shows were to be cancelled for one reason or another, I'd get over it before long. Other shows make a more lasting impression. I enjoy the weekly plots, but I admit...I'm more character oriented than action.
I looooove Person of Interest. That's one show that doesn't need sex or graphic violence to succeed. Granted, HR is a bunch of really nasty guys but what they do to others is 'off camera'. You don't have to see it to know what's happened. Hand-to-hand combat is more honorable, when you have to face your opponent, when you realized he was real and felt the same things you did. It gave a different perspective, as opposed to fighting an unseen enemy.
The POI characters are pretty much down-to-earth (except for Root who is in another world) Finch, the computer genius pretty much directs everything while Reese takes care of business. Have you noticed how Reese has never raised his voice for any reason? Has never become angry? He must be a strong believer in 'Don't get mad--get even." Carter and Zoe give the story class. Unemotional Shaw hasn't figured out how to be classy but her attempts can be amusing. (the episode where the three ladies were out to trap a serial killer). It was also fun watching partners Fusco and Carter try to keep the other from knowing he/she worked with Finch and Reese.
At the beginning of the season, there was speculation that Reese might have a love interest. I figured it might be Zoe. She's a lot like Reese in the way she approaches problems to be solved and there is a bit of chemistry there. (It started showing (as well as their dry wit) when they went undercover as a married couple.) But there was something about Carter. She grew to respect Reese, even if she didn't necessarily approve the way he got the job done. Then respect became something more akin to friendship where they worried about each other as fellow team members.
This week's episode, everybody expected Fusco to bite the dust. After all he was the one captured and about to die. He managed to get free. The scene switched to Carter leaving the police station with Reese. They talked for a moment then there was gunfire. I stared at the screen. "Tell me they didn't do that. They didn't kill Carter." Sure enough. They did. Since that episode aired it seems everyone has been talking about it. Few if anyone saw it coming.
And that's the whole point. You can get to know characters on TV, in the movies, in books and somewhere along the line certain ones become favorites. There's just something about them that resonates with the viewer/reader, something they can relate to. When that character is eliminated, for whatever reason, you have a strong reaction for good or bad. And talking about it draws more interest. It's a cycle that gives the creator a direction to go in based on response and keeps viewers/readers coming back. Response is what makes the whole industry tick.
As long as there are writers may they always keep in mind the value of surprise.
Here's to the unexpected twist. May it always keep us coming back for more.
I looooove Person of Interest. That's one show that doesn't need sex or graphic violence to succeed. Granted, HR is a bunch of really nasty guys but what they do to others is 'off camera'. You don't have to see it to know what's happened. Hand-to-hand combat is more honorable, when you have to face your opponent, when you realized he was real and felt the same things you did. It gave a different perspective, as opposed to fighting an unseen enemy.
The POI characters are pretty much down-to-earth (except for Root who is in another world) Finch, the computer genius pretty much directs everything while Reese takes care of business. Have you noticed how Reese has never raised his voice for any reason? Has never become angry? He must be a strong believer in 'Don't get mad--get even." Carter and Zoe give the story class. Unemotional Shaw hasn't figured out how to be classy but her attempts can be amusing. (the episode where the three ladies were out to trap a serial killer). It was also fun watching partners Fusco and Carter try to keep the other from knowing he/she worked with Finch and Reese.
At the beginning of the season, there was speculation that Reese might have a love interest. I figured it might be Zoe. She's a lot like Reese in the way she approaches problems to be solved and there is a bit of chemistry there. (It started showing (as well as their dry wit) when they went undercover as a married couple.) But there was something about Carter. She grew to respect Reese, even if she didn't necessarily approve the way he got the job done. Then respect became something more akin to friendship where they worried about each other as fellow team members.
This week's episode, everybody expected Fusco to bite the dust. After all he was the one captured and about to die. He managed to get free. The scene switched to Carter leaving the police station with Reese. They talked for a moment then there was gunfire. I stared at the screen. "Tell me they didn't do that. They didn't kill Carter." Sure enough. They did. Since that episode aired it seems everyone has been talking about it. Few if anyone saw it coming.
And that's the whole point. You can get to know characters on TV, in the movies, in books and somewhere along the line certain ones become favorites. There's just something about them that resonates with the viewer/reader, something they can relate to. When that character is eliminated, for whatever reason, you have a strong reaction for good or bad. And talking about it draws more interest. It's a cycle that gives the creator a direction to go in based on response and keeps viewers/readers coming back. Response is what makes the whole industry tick.
As long as there are writers may they always keep in mind the value of surprise.
Here's to the unexpected twist. May it always keep us coming back for more.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
What Language Do You Speak?
Language is fascinating. There are hundreds of languages and dialects around the world, each one with their nuances and little quirks. In some cases there are lots of similarities. For example, if you speak Spanish, it would be rather easy to pick up Portuguese. Many of the words are alike but then, once upon a time, Portugal was part of Spain.
Gaelic is another example. It goes back hundreds of years and at one time when some of the Picts decided to go off on their own, their version of the language changed until today when we have Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic. There are lots they share but each also has its differences. Personally, I love to listen to the Scottish Gaelic. I may not understand any of it but I like the sound of it. With the English ruling the country, the Gaelic, for the most part has been allowed to die out. The language hasn't been passed down to each new generation. There is a group of people, though, who have been working to bring back it back. I hope they succeed.
No matter where you go in the world, I think the most asked question is "Do you speak English?" More than three quarters of the world's population know at least a smattering of the language, enough to get by on while the majority of us speak it fairly well. English is considered to be the hardest language to learn, as a second language. There are a ton of rules to learn and every one of them has its exceptions. Some of those exceptions probably have their own exceptions as well. Not a wonder people have such a hard time learning English.
If you weren't born learning English, then I can understand the frustration. I'm one of those people who doesn't learn languages easily, the secret being that you have to think in that language, not translate in your head. I just couldn't get the hang of that concept and kept trying to mentally translate the words. It certainly slowed down my learning process. (Not a wonder I couldn't get through Spanish in college) If I were to try again to learn a language, I think I'd do much better now than I did twenty years ago. (Didn't help either that other students in the class already had Portuguese, although they often confused the two.. That put them way ahead of me.)
I love the little quirks. In Britain, the boot is the trunk of the car, the bonnet is the hood, boots are wellies, umbrellas are brollies, a baby carriage is a pram and what we call soccer, they call football. Actually, that one makes a lot of sense, the rest...not so much. But that's language for you. Which brings me to a final point.
If those terms are part of the English language, then why don't we use them here? I don't know what anyone else might suggest but I have a simple answer...
I speak AMERICAN!
Gaelic is another example. It goes back hundreds of years and at one time when some of the Picts decided to go off on their own, their version of the language changed until today when we have Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic. There are lots they share but each also has its differences. Personally, I love to listen to the Scottish Gaelic. I may not understand any of it but I like the sound of it. With the English ruling the country, the Gaelic, for the most part has been allowed to die out. The language hasn't been passed down to each new generation. There is a group of people, though, who have been working to bring back it back. I hope they succeed.
No matter where you go in the world, I think the most asked question is "Do you speak English?" More than three quarters of the world's population know at least a smattering of the language, enough to get by on while the majority of us speak it fairly well. English is considered to be the hardest language to learn, as a second language. There are a ton of rules to learn and every one of them has its exceptions. Some of those exceptions probably have their own exceptions as well. Not a wonder people have such a hard time learning English.
If you weren't born learning English, then I can understand the frustration. I'm one of those people who doesn't learn languages easily, the secret being that you have to think in that language, not translate in your head. I just couldn't get the hang of that concept and kept trying to mentally translate the words. It certainly slowed down my learning process. (Not a wonder I couldn't get through Spanish in college) If I were to try again to learn a language, I think I'd do much better now than I did twenty years ago. (Didn't help either that other students in the class already had Portuguese, although they often confused the two.. That put them way ahead of me.)
I love the little quirks. In Britain, the boot is the trunk of the car, the bonnet is the hood, boots are wellies, umbrellas are brollies, a baby carriage is a pram and what we call soccer, they call football. Actually, that one makes a lot of sense, the rest...not so much. But that's language for you. Which brings me to a final point.
If those terms are part of the English language, then why don't we use them here? I don't know what anyone else might suggest but I have a simple answer...
I speak AMERICAN!
Thursday, September 5, 2013
ORB - Love It Or Hate It
Every writer knows you have to do at least some research to produce a good story. I admit, I'm not big on that part of the process but I won't deny the truth of it.
I don't do outlines. Back in grade school we were taught how to outline. It was an interesting challenge, learning how to pick out all the relevant points of a topic and put them in outline form. From there you were expected to write a paper. That was all well and good, until we were expected to outline everything. I mean every subject required it. I got to the point where, even to this day, the idea of writing outlines makes me shudder with revulsion.
Writing an outline says you know what your writing project is about. The closest I come to it now, is to write a bunch of questions. In a way, I envy those writers who know exactly what they want to write and can go to it, start to finish. That takes us to the next step of research. Research, supposedly, should be done at the beginning of a project. You can't research something if you don't know what you want or what you're looking for. You have to have some starting point for information, some sense of direction. I have neither.
I'm a seat-of-the-pants/patchwork writer. When I'm ready to start a writing project, I have no idea where I'm going with it. I get the inkling of an idea ... a statement, a line of dialogue, something that has no context whatsoever. It's allowed to flow on its own for a while, like a few drops of dye added to a patch of oil. It doesn't mix but it can form some interesting patterns. At some point it's going to start working together. That's what happens to my ideas. Writing a half dozen or so scenes that appear to have no relevance to one another can be a challenge. After all, where's the theme, the point of writing anything at all, the connection to make it all work? It's the kind of challenge I like.
What I don't like about research is the way it can be distracting. You look up a date, an event, a mini-bio of a particular person. One thing leads to another then another, and before you know it, you're out on a research limb. What you end up looking at/reading might have nothing whatsoever to do with what you started out researching. While it may be fun, and interesting, it's a definite distraction ... unless you found a way to use the unexpected info. On that note, there have been times when the off-beat info was more helpful than the original idea. At some point a scene or two will develop to give more authenticity to whatever is shaping up.
So what do you do with a bunch of scenes that appear to have no relevance to one another? You try to put them in the most logical order. Believe me, the order doesn't always work. I've been known to shuffle around scenes like puzzle pieces. You keep moving them into one place or another until the fit works. Once that's done, then the bridge building begins. That can be fun.
Bridges are structures meant to connect places and things. By taking certain elements from one scene and elaborating on them a bit more I can segue them into the next. Maybe the bridge has a small plank missing to create a sense of mystery or expectation. As long as the rest of the bridge is solid, it can work. I know, it's only as strong as its weakest plank but hopefully it'll dare you to keep going. When the bridges are built, the initial journey is complete.
And there you have it. ORB. Outline/Research/Bridges. While we love it or hate it, its worth will vary from one writer to the next. We can't completely do without it.
I don't do outlines. Back in grade school we were taught how to outline. It was an interesting challenge, learning how to pick out all the relevant points of a topic and put them in outline form. From there you were expected to write a paper. That was all well and good, until we were expected to outline everything. I mean every subject required it. I got to the point where, even to this day, the idea of writing outlines makes me shudder with revulsion.
Writing an outline says you know what your writing project is about. The closest I come to it now, is to write a bunch of questions. In a way, I envy those writers who know exactly what they want to write and can go to it, start to finish. That takes us to the next step of research. Research, supposedly, should be done at the beginning of a project. You can't research something if you don't know what you want or what you're looking for. You have to have some starting point for information, some sense of direction. I have neither.
I'm a seat-of-the-pants/patchwork writer. When I'm ready to start a writing project, I have no idea where I'm going with it. I get the inkling of an idea ... a statement, a line of dialogue, something that has no context whatsoever. It's allowed to flow on its own for a while, like a few drops of dye added to a patch of oil. It doesn't mix but it can form some interesting patterns. At some point it's going to start working together. That's what happens to my ideas. Writing a half dozen or so scenes that appear to have no relevance to one another can be a challenge. After all, where's the theme, the point of writing anything at all, the connection to make it all work? It's the kind of challenge I like.
What I don't like about research is the way it can be distracting. You look up a date, an event, a mini-bio of a particular person. One thing leads to another then another, and before you know it, you're out on a research limb. What you end up looking at/reading might have nothing whatsoever to do with what you started out researching. While it may be fun, and interesting, it's a definite distraction ... unless you found a way to use the unexpected info. On that note, there have been times when the off-beat info was more helpful than the original idea. At some point a scene or two will develop to give more authenticity to whatever is shaping up.
So what do you do with a bunch of scenes that appear to have no relevance to one another? You try to put them in the most logical order. Believe me, the order doesn't always work. I've been known to shuffle around scenes like puzzle pieces. You keep moving them into one place or another until the fit works. Once that's done, then the bridge building begins. That can be fun.
Bridges are structures meant to connect places and things. By taking certain elements from one scene and elaborating on them a bit more I can segue them into the next. Maybe the bridge has a small plank missing to create a sense of mystery or expectation. As long as the rest of the bridge is solid, it can work. I know, it's only as strong as its weakest plank but hopefully it'll dare you to keep going. When the bridges are built, the initial journey is complete.
And there you have it. ORB. Outline/Research/Bridges. While we love it or hate it, its worth will vary from one writer to the next. We can't completely do without it.
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