My college often uses its budget to rent or create interesting activities for its students. Since it's finals week, laser tag qualified as one of these stress-reducing activities. Giant inflatable bunkers were erected in the gym and signs hung around campus advertising the event. I had never played laser tag, but the prospect of shooting my frustrations away with harmless light beams seemed like an OK idea.
There was only one problem.
If I took the two hour period needed to suit up and play a few rounds of laser tag in the gym, I would not have writing time. I still needed to eat dinner, finish my studying, and then get some sleep before my exams. With all these other priorities, this two hour time span would have been devoted to writing on any other day, but for some reason I was finding it hard to say no to laser tag. Perhaps it was the magnetic energy flowing off my crazy friends, or perhaps it was the Logic textbook sitting open on my bed in my peripheral vision, or maybe it was just the fantastic mood I had been in since Spring decided to arrive, but laser tag was calling my name.
So I went. And though I didn't write that day, I didn't regret my decision.
I had fun, and I have to admit, the activity did relieve some of my unneeded, finals week stress.
There's a quote from John Lennon that I think applies to this situation. It goes, "Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted." And I agree with Mr. Lennon, here. Because the next day, I slotted back into my writing routine, and I was able to write 8 fluid pages in my current project.
Basically, what I'm getting at is don't stress. Make sure you set up your writing schedule and stick to it as best you can, but if you really feel that another experience will be more beneficial to your mental or physical health at that scheduled time, bend a little. It's OK to be spontaneous. It's OK to deviate for the sake of your own sanity. Just like I've talked about before, you don't have to do what everyone else is doing to make yourself happy or to be successful. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your work is take a break. Then, you may come back even more rejuvenated, and get more work done, than if you had forced yourself to stick to your original plan.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
Are You Willing to Learn?
I know I said we'd talk about the conventions of writing and all that fun stuff, but we're going to deviate a little today. Spontaneity is part of being an artist, so I hope you don't mind. I promise we'll come back to conventions in the coming weeks.
Today, I want to talk about media. TV in particular. I've had a few discussions in and out of class about the consequences of TV. Because this keeps happening to me, I feel it's the universe's way of saying that I need to put this issue out there for more discussion that doesn't reside on my college campus.
Most people I talk to think TV is stagnant for the viewer's mental condition - or even detrimental. I would agree with them if the viewer of said TV is solely watching reality TV, comedy skits, cartoons, or bogus pop culture movies. However, TV can be a very beneficial tool. Documentaries, unbiased news, travel shows about obscure countries, and history shows can all be very beneficial. In America, we also have a wonderful tool known as PBS. PBS tries to air documentaries or movies from other artists, activists, or thinkers that would not otherwise have a voice in our culture propelled by big-box stores, bratty kids of reality TV, and instant information.
In the past week alone I've learned how truck stops got their start, received an insight into the culture and cuisine of Koreatown in LA, learned the evolution of feminism (or lack thereof) in TV shows, and I've discovered a new ferret species in North Dakota. This was all made possible by TV. Now, of course, I could have found this information somewhere else, but TV is what introduced these topics to me. They were a learning experience, as long as I was willing to learn from them. That's the key, right there. If you're going to make the switch from mindless entertainment to intellectual opportunity, you have to be willing to learn new information. You have to sit back with your coffee or tub of ice cream and submit your mind to the obtainment of new, current information that affects us and our world. Think of all the story inspiration you can acquire when you let this happen!
The other day, I stumbled upon a quote in a Picasso exhibit that I found profound. Picasso says, "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
This is why I feel TV doesn't have to be stagnant or detrimental. If you're willing to put in the time - the same amount of time it may take you to find a good book or a trustable Laundromat - TV can be a fast-track to new information. Information that will store itself in your brain and be available for future reference when it comes time to sit and write again.
Today, I want to talk about media. TV in particular. I've had a few discussions in and out of class about the consequences of TV. Because this keeps happening to me, I feel it's the universe's way of saying that I need to put this issue out there for more discussion that doesn't reside on my college campus.
Most people I talk to think TV is stagnant for the viewer's mental condition - or even detrimental. I would agree with them if the viewer of said TV is solely watching reality TV, comedy skits, cartoons, or bogus pop culture movies. However, TV can be a very beneficial tool. Documentaries, unbiased news, travel shows about obscure countries, and history shows can all be very beneficial. In America, we also have a wonderful tool known as PBS. PBS tries to air documentaries or movies from other artists, activists, or thinkers that would not otherwise have a voice in our culture propelled by big-box stores, bratty kids of reality TV, and instant information.
In the past week alone I've learned how truck stops got their start, received an insight into the culture and cuisine of Koreatown in LA, learned the evolution of feminism (or lack thereof) in TV shows, and I've discovered a new ferret species in North Dakota. This was all made possible by TV. Now, of course, I could have found this information somewhere else, but TV is what introduced these topics to me. They were a learning experience, as long as I was willing to learn from them. That's the key, right there. If you're going to make the switch from mindless entertainment to intellectual opportunity, you have to be willing to learn new information. You have to sit back with your coffee or tub of ice cream and submit your mind to the obtainment of new, current information that affects us and our world. Think of all the story inspiration you can acquire when you let this happen!
The other day, I stumbled upon a quote in a Picasso exhibit that I found profound. Picasso says, "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working."
This is why I feel TV doesn't have to be stagnant or detrimental. If you're willing to put in the time - the same amount of time it may take you to find a good book or a trustable Laundromat - TV can be a fast-track to new information. Information that will store itself in your brain and be available for future reference when it comes time to sit and write again.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Creative Writing: The Mundane Life
Since we've recently been discussing the elements of writing, I think it's important before we get too far that we talk about the purpose of writers. The question we need to ask ourselves is: What is the writer's job?
In school, they tell you that you write to convey information. This is why you are forced to write papers on topics you aren't necessarily interested in, but must research anyway. This type of writing is called expository writing, and you either have taken or will take a course with this very title at some point.
But what happens when we start to write for creative purposes? What about writing created for the purpose of art or beauty? Many works allow exposition to fall to the wayside so that the integrity of the art piece can shine. This happens especially in poetry and experimental fiction and nonfiction. When it is no longer the writer's sole purpose to convey information in the most logical sense, then what should the writer strive for?
I have an opinion, like I'm sure many other writers and readers do. Now, remember that I am not a widely published author, nor have I published any work over 600 words, but I have been writing for years and I have taken many classes and read many books on this very subject. So,
My Opinion:
I believe that the creative writer's job is to make the mundane interesting.
We see writers doing this all the time. They portray their characters as everyday humans, going to work, napping, hating school, cooking dinner. Then, they transform this mundane event into something that interests a reader. A roadblock appears in the protagonist's life, a map leads to new adventure, or a divorce is finally happening. An interesting plot transports the reader from where they are in their own mundane lives and gives them something else to think about. And someone will only give you their valuable time if they value your plot, your characters, your story, and your writing.
Even the little things like working, napping, and cooking need to be made interesting by the writer, though. This happens through thoughtful, original descriptions. Take F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" as an example. In the first chapter, Fitzgerald describes through his protagonist's eyes, the place in which he will be spending the summer.
"Twenty miles from the city, a pair of enormous eggs, identical in contour and separated only by a courtesy bay, jut out into the most domesticated body of salt water in the Western hemisphere, the great wet barnyard of Long Island Sound."
Fitzgerald could have, instead, written something along the lines of: Near Manhattan, I would spend the summer on one of the peninsulas that jut into Long Island Sound.
But he didn't. He chose to take the mundane description of a piece of land and make it interesting. He compares the peninsulas to eggs, the water to domestication, and Long Island Sound to a barnyard. By doing this, Fitzgerald is fulfilling the writer's job by making the mundane events and sights of life into interesting passages a reader will want to spend time with.
In short, the writer's job - to me - is making the mundane, boring life we all know into something new. This can be done partly through plot, but most importantly, it has to be done through writing. The description needs to be great and original. By comparing two things that have never been compared before, the reader is experiencing life in a new way. Not just the protagonist's life, either, but perhaps even their own.
So, there's my take on the description for a creative writer. If you think the writer's job is something other than making the mundane interesting, leave your suggestions in the comments.
(And if you want to read more of "The Great Gatsby" you can find it free, online here)
In school, they tell you that you write to convey information. This is why you are forced to write papers on topics you aren't necessarily interested in, but must research anyway. This type of writing is called expository writing, and you either have taken or will take a course with this very title at some point.
But what happens when we start to write for creative purposes? What about writing created for the purpose of art or beauty? Many works allow exposition to fall to the wayside so that the integrity of the art piece can shine. This happens especially in poetry and experimental fiction and nonfiction. When it is no longer the writer's sole purpose to convey information in the most logical sense, then what should the writer strive for?
I have an opinion, like I'm sure many other writers and readers do. Now, remember that I am not a widely published author, nor have I published any work over 600 words, but I have been writing for years and I have taken many classes and read many books on this very subject. So,
My Opinion:
I believe that the creative writer's job is to make the mundane interesting.
We see writers doing this all the time. They portray their characters as everyday humans, going to work, napping, hating school, cooking dinner. Then, they transform this mundane event into something that interests a reader. A roadblock appears in the protagonist's life, a map leads to new adventure, or a divorce is finally happening. An interesting plot transports the reader from where they are in their own mundane lives and gives them something else to think about. And someone will only give you their valuable time if they value your plot, your characters, your story, and your writing.
Even the little things like working, napping, and cooking need to be made interesting by the writer, though. This happens through thoughtful, original descriptions. Take F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" as an example. In the first chapter, Fitzgerald describes through his protagonist's eyes, the place in which he will be spending the summer.
"Twenty miles from the city, a pair of enormous eggs, identical in contour and separated only by a courtesy bay, jut out into the most domesticated body of salt water in the Western hemisphere, the great wet barnyard of Long Island Sound."
Fitzgerald could have, instead, written something along the lines of: Near Manhattan, I would spend the summer on one of the peninsulas that jut into Long Island Sound.
But he didn't. He chose to take the mundane description of a piece of land and make it interesting. He compares the peninsulas to eggs, the water to domestication, and Long Island Sound to a barnyard. By doing this, Fitzgerald is fulfilling the writer's job by making the mundane events and sights of life into interesting passages a reader will want to spend time with.
In short, the writer's job - to me - is making the mundane, boring life we all know into something new. This can be done partly through plot, but most importantly, it has to be done through writing. The description needs to be great and original. By comparing two things that have never been compared before, the reader is experiencing life in a new way. Not just the protagonist's life, either, but perhaps even their own.
So, there's my take on the description for a creative writer. If you think the writer's job is something other than making the mundane interesting, leave your suggestions in the comments.
(And if you want to read more of "The Great Gatsby" you can find it free, online here)
Monday, April 8, 2013
The Audience
There are many major elements involved in writing. You have to think of setting, character, plot, momentum, imagery, and diction. I plan to eventually talk about all of these elements and the knowledge I've gained in them, but first I want to talk about audience. I feel audience is an important element of writing that people can forget when they're learning the standard writing "formula" in a workshop or writing group.
The audience, of course, are the people you are intending to read your story, poem, or novel. Some writers only want to write for themselves. Publishing doesn't matter to them because they just write for their own enjoyment. For these writers, the audience is themselves and they can write whatever they want in any form or non-form. They don't have to worry about other people necessarily understanding what they read. I even know someone who writes in their own code so no else can read their work.
Writers who want to share their writing with others, though, need to know their audience. Some writers write for commercial publishing, others for literary purposes, and some are completely experimental.
For these writers, it is important that they know what their typical audience member expects. What are the conventions of their genre? Now, this does not mean you have to write always within these conventions. Every story would be the same and completely boring if this happened. However, reading up on the conventions for each type of publishing style and each genre will help you to know what your reader is expecting when they take a look at your piece.
To understand your genre and the conventions it includes try:
The "perfect reader" is a fictional person you expect would be the perfect person to read your writing. If you write Young Adult, say your perfect reader is a 16-year-old girl who lives in rural Wyoming with her single mother and her tabby cat. She spends her evenings reading books (like yours) because there is nothing to do in town except go bowling or watch movies their theater doesn't receive until 3 weeks after the release date. She has short brown hair, an overbite, and wears glasses in the evenings when she takes her contacts out. She likes lattes, french fries, and chemistry (because she gets to be lab partners with her best friend since 2nd grade).
See what I'm getting at here? If you make this perfect reader for your piece, you have someone to compare and contrast ideas with. Ask: "Will my perfect reader laugh at this?" "Will she think this metaphor is accurate?"
The best part about this perfect reader is, even if you make her super specific and give her quirks and strange habits, there are tons of people in the world who are similar to her. They will understand her and it will feel like the story you wrote was written just for them. Think of all the times this has happened to you. You read a book and thought it was written just for you - the author just got you.
You can have this happen if you create your perfect reader. Then, your audience will feel more connected with your writing, you will have a goal to work toward and a "person" to bounce ideas off of, and (if this is what you want) your writing will feel more like a piece to be shared and less like that thing you work on in the early hours of the morning with a coffee cup in your hand.
So, before you start your writing, consider who will be reading it. Don't dwell on this too long, but you should have a general idea. Then, when the piece has been revised a few times to make sure all plot points are accounted for and the sentences flow nicely, find your perfect reader and read your piece from her perspective. It'll be like looking through new eyes.
The audience, of course, are the people you are intending to read your story, poem, or novel. Some writers only want to write for themselves. Publishing doesn't matter to them because they just write for their own enjoyment. For these writers, the audience is themselves and they can write whatever they want in any form or non-form. They don't have to worry about other people necessarily understanding what they read. I even know someone who writes in their own code so no else can read their work.
Writers who want to share their writing with others, though, need to know their audience. Some writers write for commercial publishing, others for literary purposes, and some are completely experimental.
For these writers, it is important that they know what their typical audience member expects. What are the conventions of their genre? Now, this does not mean you have to write always within these conventions. Every story would be the same and completely boring if this happened. However, reading up on the conventions for each type of publishing style and each genre will help you to know what your reader is expecting when they take a look at your piece.
To understand your genre and the conventions it includes try:
- Researching conventions for your genre online
- Reading plenty of books/poems/stories similar to the one you are writing
- Creating your "perfect reader"
The "perfect reader" is a fictional person you expect would be the perfect person to read your writing. If you write Young Adult, say your perfect reader is a 16-year-old girl who lives in rural Wyoming with her single mother and her tabby cat. She spends her evenings reading books (like yours) because there is nothing to do in town except go bowling or watch movies their theater doesn't receive until 3 weeks after the release date. She has short brown hair, an overbite, and wears glasses in the evenings when she takes her contacts out. She likes lattes, french fries, and chemistry (because she gets to be lab partners with her best friend since 2nd grade).
See what I'm getting at here? If you make this perfect reader for your piece, you have someone to compare and contrast ideas with. Ask: "Will my perfect reader laugh at this?" "Will she think this metaphor is accurate?"
The best part about this perfect reader is, even if you make her super specific and give her quirks and strange habits, there are tons of people in the world who are similar to her. They will understand her and it will feel like the story you wrote was written just for them. Think of all the times this has happened to you. You read a book and thought it was written just for you - the author just got you.
You can have this happen if you create your perfect reader. Then, your audience will feel more connected with your writing, you will have a goal to work toward and a "person" to bounce ideas off of, and (if this is what you want) your writing will feel more like a piece to be shared and less like that thing you work on in the early hours of the morning with a coffee cup in your hand.
So, before you start your writing, consider who will be reading it. Don't dwell on this too long, but you should have a general idea. Then, when the piece has been revised a few times to make sure all plot points are accounted for and the sentences flow nicely, find your perfect reader and read your piece from her perspective. It'll be like looking through new eyes.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Who Are You, Random Character?
I've talked in the past about getting to know your characters and how this adds depth and believability to your story. For example, This post talks about personality.
However, just like people, the characters of your story have vastly ranging wants, likes, dislikes, needs, desires and so forth. These are what propel the story forward, and, in essence, give you a story to tell in the first place.
It is the job of the writer to know as much about the protagonist and the people who surround him as she possibly can. Without knowing the inner depths of the protagonist, the story will be flat and lifeless. For example; if you don't know how a character will react when they order a hamburger and instead receive a cheeseburger, that's a problem. What if she's lactose intolerant? What if cheeseburgers remind her of a dead relative and cause her to burst into tears? What if she yells at the waiter? What if she doesn't care and eats the cheeseburger as is? There are so many possibilities since all people react differently to situations. You need to know your characters before you run into situations like this in the story. For them to be believable and for them to truly be relatable people, you need to keep them consistently unique.
I know this is a daunting task. When they first appear, characters are random people who have crossed paths with you. And you don't simply walk up to a random person and know everything about them. You barely know how your best friend is going to react sometimes.
Other than writing out a few practice scenes and having conversations with them in your head, try some pen-to-paper exercises that will help you better get to know your characters.
Here's a quick worksheet to try:
For each category, list 5 items your protagonist stores there.
In his or her wallet, purse, or pockets:
In the glove compartment or on the floor of his or her car:
In his or her refrigerator:
On his or her desk:
In his or her medicine chest:
On his or her bookshelf:
In his or her dresser drawer:
Now, for each category, list 5 experiences your protagonist has undergone there.
At the doctor or in the hospital:
At the park:
In the post office:
At work:
At school:
In his or her car:
At the Laundromat:
This exercise may seem stupid at first. You're probably saying: What does it matter if there's a pencil rolling around in the glove box of the car? and Why does anyone need to know my protagonist went to the doctor at age 3 for an ear infection? but I promise that this exercise is beneficial if you take the time. Sure, most of these details probably won't make it into the story, but some sure will. This rattling pencil is a sensory detail, and that doctor's visit could produce a fear of doctors in the future. Anything is possible.
Even if no details from this exercise make it to your story, fear not. This much time spent asking your protagonist questions about himself will turn up something - even if it is nothing more than a better understanding of how he orders his burgers.
However, just like people, the characters of your story have vastly ranging wants, likes, dislikes, needs, desires and so forth. These are what propel the story forward, and, in essence, give you a story to tell in the first place.
It is the job of the writer to know as much about the protagonist and the people who surround him as she possibly can. Without knowing the inner depths of the protagonist, the story will be flat and lifeless. For example; if you don't know how a character will react when they order a hamburger and instead receive a cheeseburger, that's a problem. What if she's lactose intolerant? What if cheeseburgers remind her of a dead relative and cause her to burst into tears? What if she yells at the waiter? What if she doesn't care and eats the cheeseburger as is? There are so many possibilities since all people react differently to situations. You need to know your characters before you run into situations like this in the story. For them to be believable and for them to truly be relatable people, you need to keep them consistently unique.
I know this is a daunting task. When they first appear, characters are random people who have crossed paths with you. And you don't simply walk up to a random person and know everything about them. You barely know how your best friend is going to react sometimes.
Other than writing out a few practice scenes and having conversations with them in your head, try some pen-to-paper exercises that will help you better get to know your characters.
Here's a quick worksheet to try:
For each category, list 5 items your protagonist stores there.
In his or her wallet, purse, or pockets:
In the glove compartment or on the floor of his or her car:
In his or her refrigerator:
On his or her desk:
In his or her medicine chest:
On his or her bookshelf:
In his or her dresser drawer:
Now, for each category, list 5 experiences your protagonist has undergone there.
At the doctor or in the hospital:
At the park:
In the post office:
At work:
At school:
In his or her car:
At the Laundromat:
This exercise may seem stupid at first. You're probably saying: What does it matter if there's a pencil rolling around in the glove box of the car? and Why does anyone need to know my protagonist went to the doctor at age 3 for an ear infection? but I promise that this exercise is beneficial if you take the time. Sure, most of these details probably won't make it into the story, but some sure will. This rattling pencil is a sensory detail, and that doctor's visit could produce a fear of doctors in the future. Anything is possible.
Even if no details from this exercise make it to your story, fear not. This much time spent asking your protagonist questions about himself will turn up something - even if it is nothing more than a better understanding of how he orders his burgers.
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