The Difference
We're now at the point in the script class where we're editing each other's step outlines. It's hard. It's not like editing prose, where you can comment on word use, sentence flow and other such things. I have to assess things as a whole, work out what information is available and when, think about the logical order of events, how things would look on screen... It's at this point I realise that I do this with prose too... It's just that that's wrapped in a nice layer of something I think I'm semi-good at.
One thing this is forcing me to do is to read an entire piece before commenting. I'm not tempted to stop and make notes on how I think a sentence could be improved because at this stage it just isn't important.
Anyway. Onward. Blogging is complete. Now I've just got to comment on two step outlines, write up last night's lecture notes and get to work on that bastard essay!
This Week I’m Full Time
So I'm off work. I can get my arse in gear, sit in a nice quiet location and get all my work done right? Right?! Well I already lost one day by driving back from Halifax a day late. Then today I get to the library for 8:30 only to find that their heating has gone horribly wrong and after I'm halfway through my coffee minutes I'm dripping with sweat. 45 minutes and a quick dash down the ring road later, I'm sort of settled in another library. I then spend the obligatory 15 minutes swearing under my breath while trying to get the wireless internet (that I don't technically need) working.
So this is me sitting in a really uncomfortable library chair, blogging when I should be working, listening to an album that so far has failed to impress and wondering if it's worth packing up my laptop every time I need to dash to the toilet...
Yay for the full time student experience.
Permission to (Day)dream
I mentioned in an earlier post that ideas tend to come at the least convenient times. I'm coming to think it's more than that. My ideas refuse to be called on demand. I can't place two fingers on each temple and will forth an image that will fit into the structure I've been working on. The process works more like this...
- I start doing something utterly unrelated to writing which requires my full attention e.g. driving, programming or sleeping.
- The images fly unbidden into my mind at a rate quite unsuited to my lack of a pen or paper, or even a free piece of attention to dedicate to them.
I spent twenty minutes in the car tonight trying to hold two separate ideas in memory. When I got home I scrawled them on the first piece of paper I could get hold of and the ideas became static. I think my subconscious is better at developing story ideas than I am.
As a child I had the same over-active imagination and was often told I spent too much time day dreaming. I used to think this was a bad thing. Now I realise that it's an utterly critical tool. So if find yourself drifting away in the middle of a boring task, don't reel yourself in. Let the images flow and, when you see one you can use, grab hold of it, write it down, use it. Give yourself permission to day dream.
Just... you know... don't crash your car in the meantime.
Against the Grain
I've been thinking about this day school and the story that we need to take with us. I'm thinking there's going to be a lot of workshopping stuff otherwise why bother getting us all together? For that reason I want my story to have a somewhat wider appeal than other things I tend to write. I reckon if people are more comfortable (if not familiar) with what they're reading they're more likely to be able to offer criticisms that I can then adapt to other pieces of work. Okay. So. For a person who has a tendency towards the unusual, not to mention the downright bizarre, depressing and dark... How do I go about making my stuff more accessible?
I'm think the answer may be an otter. An otter in a tuxedo. A white tuxedo to be specific. Don't ask...
Also, the otter's name may be Mallory Fortescue. I just don't know why...
Scrivener Love
Okay so I'm sure you know of my ongoing love affair with Scrivener (I'm a geek, sue me). It's a great tool for anyone doing any kind of writing. But every so often I wish it could do something... then I actually try and do it and it can! Today's discovery is custom bullet points. Scrivener lets you put whatever prefix or suffix you like around your choice of bullet point or auto-number. Say hello to custom scene headings for a script outline!
Deadlines
So I've got this essay due on 10th December. I think it's under control. I've got a bunch of notes and next week off work to really throw myself into it. Not much of a problem?
Well... We found out today that our first day school is going to be on December 7th. Not only will I need to book this off work but we've been told that the focus of the day is on editing and that we should bring a 1500 word short story with us. The question now is whether to look through the archives and try and find something that's suitable... or write something brand new. I'm tending to favour the latter for two reasons. First there's the fact that it's only 1500 words and very few of my short stories are actually that short. Second there's the matter of passion. I've got a few ideas bouncing around my noggin right now that I really want to work on, but haven't because I've been reading textbooks, working on script homework, planning the essay or just working on other things. This could be the excuse I need to put aside the time to develop one and because the idea is fresh I'll be even more passionate about making it even better!
So yeah. Now I've got two deadlines. The real question is exactly how edited this story is expected to be... Given that we're going to be editing stuff on the day...
Disclaimer
So apparently there's yet another thing being tagged onto the front of TV shows now. It seems Katy Brand's Big Ass Show (turns out it's not very funny) needs the following disclaimer: "Strong language, adult themes and humour related to religion". Since when did religious humour need it's own disclaimer? I mean the show didn't start till 23:30 so it shouldn't really need a disclaimer anyway. Bah.
Why…
...must ideas pop into my head at the least opportune of times? There are few times when it just isn't possible to whip out your notebook and start scrawling but I seem to find them all... Bah!
On Music
I've got to write an essay. Rather I should say I am writing an essay. It's still in the planning stages and the first draft will be written this weekend. It's due on December 10th and time is kind of pressing... It always is these days.
So... Music! The essay is on my influences, books, writers etc. that have had an affect on my writing practice. When I think about it a lot my influences are just as much comics and movies as they are novels. It's okay to put that stuff in. I asked. But what about that other massive influence in my life: Music? There's rarely a waking moment when I'm not listening to music in one form or another. It affects my mood, it's a comfort and a companion. It's something I absolutely could not live without. But does it count as an influence on my writing practice?
I think it is and should. As I write this I'm listening to Nympthetamine by Cradle of Filth. It's cheesy metal. I can't describe it. The band can't really either. It's epic, it's silly, it's pretentious, it's pretty ridiculous. But it puts me in mind of gothic fantasy. I know that sounds obvious since that's one of the genres they're intruding on but it really puts it in mind. When I imagine that kind of setting this kind of music helps. Mainly because that kind of setting doesn't really work for me if the writer is taking themselves entirely seriously...
The point is this. When I'm writing I have to be listening to music. Unlike a lot of people, who find it distracts them, I find it focuses my thoughts in a particular direction... and I have music for pretty much every direction I could require. So I'd say music is a massive influence on my writing practice. But how to describe that? How to write about that in an essay? Did I just do it? Is this kind of writing suitable? I guess time will tell. The only thing I know for sure is that I can't let this essay be handed in without mentioning In Flames, Misery Loves Co., Queen and a whole host of other bands...
...except I can't. The essay is 3000 words. So I'll have to limit myself to a few. And that's an entirely new issue... Which few?
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Essay First Draft
As with all essays I was utterly loathing writing this one. I partially blame those feelings for yesterday's surprising mid-afternoon to early evening nap that lead to a night crashed out on the settee. Anyway, today was a new day. I was due a pub lunch with work folks that turned out to be a lovely veggie-burger. After that I headed over to the library and finally managed to find myself a desk with a plug point by 2pm. The sheer number of laptops just left plugged in with no one looking after them could've made me a small fortune had I been of the mind for thievery...
So there I was, still wrapped in my duffle coat on account of my desk being right under the air-con vent, wondering how to go about turning my notes into actual sentences worthy of a pass-mark. I turned on my music, the songs I'd acquired the previous weekend actually growing on me. Then it just happened. I started typing and didn't stop for nearly three and a half hours. By the time I retreated to the cafe to re-caffeinate I had converted pretty much all of my notes to text, had well over the 3000 words required and still had much more to consider. I'd not mentioned many of the books and films on my list either...
This is a first for me...