This new year comes without much expectation. Forecasts seem lower than expected, and lots of changes have been implemented financially and politically. What really seems to me the real lesson here is that people's mindset need to be adjusted to a more common-sense approach to living. What I am about to say is my own opinion based on my own observance as a citizen. Here are my recommendations for the coming year of 2011.
Live within your means. Living within your own means is a principle that has been deteriorated by the marketing of cheap credit. I've seen people get many credit cards and live within the means of their credit rather than their income. Eventually, this scheme falls apart, and creditor come knocking. This is an obvious oversight, but people get trapped in it wanting to desperately become more than what they are financially.
Reevaluate your value system. How do you value yourself? Do you buy into the creed of the more toys the better you are? Is your value in the hands of the opinions as your friends or relatives? What are their values? This can be hard and confusing. If your able to identify one of two areas that need change, however small that change is, you can reap some benefits.
Making time for stress release. Its easy to keep working when you've been working for a long time. I think it helps to get some stress release. Find a hobby, spend time with your loved ones, do exercise, enjoy nature, are some things that come to mind. Finding what works for you to release stress is important. It may seem that in these days of curtailed resources that taking free time is useless. The mind needs the free time and stress release to change gears. In the end happiness may result.
Living within your means, reevaluating your values, and getting stress release are just three of the many things you can do to prepare you for the coming year. This is just my opinion and I make no guarantees about anything. I do recommend to take charge of your life and make the changes you need to make.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Season's Spirit
Reflecting on Christmas. Its a time of year where we celebrate gift giving and faith, perhaps the former rather than the latter. But I think I like to strike a different note, kindness.
Its often said that "all we need is love". Unfortunately we may find it hard to express love to strangers. We have become a society of self-defense. Avoid people, lock doors, don't look at their eyes, be suspicious of people, these have become our mantra. While those things are not bad to do, what do we become when its the main way of how we respond to people? We become inhuman.
Kindness is defined as "the state or quality of being kind" according to Dictionary.com. Quality, I like that word. What qualities do you have? How qualified are you? What quality defines you? Kindness is a quality. Kindness is a quality of love.
Did you know you can defend against somebody and yet still show kindness? It requires a cool head. You keep your defenses up, but you also find ways to show kindness to the person.
In this era of hard times, I think kindness can go a long way.
Its often said that "all we need is love". Unfortunately we may find it hard to express love to strangers. We have become a society of self-defense. Avoid people, lock doors, don't look at their eyes, be suspicious of people, these have become our mantra. While those things are not bad to do, what do we become when its the main way of how we respond to people? We become inhuman.
Kindness is defined as "the state or quality of being kind" according to Dictionary.com. Quality, I like that word. What qualities do you have? How qualified are you? What quality defines you? Kindness is a quality. Kindness is a quality of love.
Did you know you can defend against somebody and yet still show kindness? It requires a cool head. You keep your defenses up, but you also find ways to show kindness to the person.
In this era of hard times, I think kindness can go a long way.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Comedy to change the world
When you think about comedy, you may think jokes that are from your own world setting. If your from the United States, you think of stuff that perhaps Bill Cosby or Jeff Foxworthy has said. If your from Europe you may think of your own stand-up comedians.
When a people don't have comedians or enough comedians, then they tend to make fun of their perceived enemies. Its human nature. Comedy brings a smile and I believe brings happiness in the form of some endorphin like chemicals in the body. It causes people to put down their defenses and ease their attacks. I also think it gives the brain a pause. This pause is a pause from serious business. Have you ever heard a stressed out person laugh? They overly laugh. They are laugh louder and longer, sometimes for a half hour or so. Laughter is a needed thing for the brain and the body.
Wondrously and in the mist of wars and attacks and fighting and stress, comes these stories here and there of comedians coming from the Muslim world. What?! Comedy from/for Muslims? Isn't that a faux pas? Or is it?
NPR did a story on a Arab-American comedian. You can check out the story here. His name is Dean Obeidallah and he is in the middle of a Comedy movement that is being embraced by the Middle Eastern world. Apparently there are some young Muslim comedians coming out of the woodwork as well.
Comedy is a great medium. You can share almost anything with it. People tend to empathize in a comedy context. You can also share social issues from stupidity to abuses. Laughing at oneself is a very powerful empathizing technique form of communication. If you can laugh at yourself you can get the ear of the most hard hearted person.
Can comedy change the world? I think it can. I think it will also take time. A generation has to grow up with it and embrace it as their own.
Incidentally one of my favorite types of books to read are books written by stand-ups,oh, and also Dave Berry.
When a people don't have comedians or enough comedians, then they tend to make fun of their perceived enemies. Its human nature. Comedy brings a smile and I believe brings happiness in the form of some endorphin like chemicals in the body. It causes people to put down their defenses and ease their attacks. I also think it gives the brain a pause. This pause is a pause from serious business. Have you ever heard a stressed out person laugh? They overly laugh. They are laugh louder and longer, sometimes for a half hour or so. Laughter is a needed thing for the brain and the body.
Wondrously and in the mist of wars and attacks and fighting and stress, comes these stories here and there of comedians coming from the Muslim world. What?! Comedy from/for Muslims? Isn't that a faux pas? Or is it?
NPR did a story on a Arab-American comedian. You can check out the story here. His name is Dean Obeidallah and he is in the middle of a Comedy movement that is being embraced by the Middle Eastern world. Apparently there are some young Muslim comedians coming out of the woodwork as well.
Comedy is a great medium. You can share almost anything with it. People tend to empathize in a comedy context. You can also share social issues from stupidity to abuses. Laughing at oneself is a very powerful empathizing technique form of communication. If you can laugh at yourself you can get the ear of the most hard hearted person.
Can comedy change the world? I think it can. I think it will also take time. A generation has to grow up with it and embrace it as their own.
Incidentally one of my favorite types of books to read are books written by stand-ups,oh, and also Dave Berry.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Artist Writer, Soul Bleeder
As an artist writer I'm very much aware of the cost to me. Artists put their soul into their work. It really doesn't matter what the medium is, pencil & paper, ink & pen, clay, artifacts, chalk, buildings...etc...etc, its all a soul expression. This leaves the artist vulnerable. They react with emotion at the smallest complement or critique. It would seem wise to figure out a way to protect oneself from this vulnerability being treaded upon.
I have a friend who has been a writer since childhood. She was a prodigy in her time. Yet over the years it has cost her. It has cost her to the point where she does not want to write. She shouldn't write if she sees it as a form of past abuse.
Brittany Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Robert Downey Jr., to name a couple, have paid the price of their soul being abused. Celebrities have long turned to alcohol, drugs, sex addiction and a myriad of other things because their souls were being trampled on. Schedules, demands, and other pressures kill off the artist a little bit at a time.
Balance is the key. A soul needs balance. Balance with rest and balance with work is a must. When under pressure, the artist often feels frustrated, depressed, etc. Recreation can help and also meditation. Getting grounded, feeling renewed is the goal. Some artists best work is done when they were alone. Their thoughts come together and they can concentrate.
Everyone learns and think differently. Find what works for you. And be aware that it may change over time.
I have a friend who has been a writer since childhood. She was a prodigy in her time. Yet over the years it has cost her. It has cost her to the point where she does not want to write. She shouldn't write if she sees it as a form of past abuse.
Brittany Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Robert Downey Jr., to name a couple, have paid the price of their soul being abused. Celebrities have long turned to alcohol, drugs, sex addiction and a myriad of other things because their souls were being trampled on. Schedules, demands, and other pressures kill off the artist a little bit at a time.
Balance is the key. A soul needs balance. Balance with rest and balance with work is a must. When under pressure, the artist often feels frustrated, depressed, etc. Recreation can help and also meditation. Getting grounded, feeling renewed is the goal. Some artists best work is done when they were alone. Their thoughts come together and they can concentrate.
Everyone learns and think differently. Find what works for you. And be aware that it may change over time.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Red
Ever noticed how the color red is used in telling stories? Schindler's list was a black and white movie with one exception, the red coat of the little Jewish girl. It depicted the fate of that young life and brought audience to tears.
But red is used for other strong emotions. From sultry and sexy, like ladies in red dress in so many movies, to anger and rage, to warning and danger. Red makes the audience pay attention. It highlights something particular and special.
Just remembering one of the classic uses of red is in a comedy bullfight. The red cape is said to anger a bull. Of course when Bugs Bunny entered the ring it meant war with the bull. The red cape hid things like a shotgun and an anvil, all to the determent of the bull. Perhaps it should have been called "Bull caper by Bunny".
There is a certain amount of people that need to know what color things are. Color sets moods and emotion. Just imagine a sharp looking crooner in a black tuxedo and next to him is his date in a slender white backless dress and white fluffy fur around her shoulders. Now compare that to a young guy wearing blue cutoff jeans and a tan. His date is a curvy brunette in a red tight bikini. Notice the glamor in the first example and the casual and sexy in the second? Color makes a difference, and red is easily understood by most everybody.
Red shirt makes one look spiffy, red roses to please the lady, blush red after blundering over words, and a red hand imprint on the face after insulting the object of desire (not to mention a red broken heart).
But red is used for other strong emotions. From sultry and sexy, like ladies in red dress in so many movies, to anger and rage, to warning and danger. Red makes the audience pay attention. It highlights something particular and special.
Just remembering one of the classic uses of red is in a comedy bullfight. The red cape is said to anger a bull. Of course when Bugs Bunny entered the ring it meant war with the bull. The red cape hid things like a shotgun and an anvil, all to the determent of the bull. Perhaps it should have been called "Bull caper by Bunny".
There is a certain amount of people that need to know what color things are. Color sets moods and emotion. Just imagine a sharp looking crooner in a black tuxedo and next to him is his date in a slender white backless dress and white fluffy fur around her shoulders. Now compare that to a young guy wearing blue cutoff jeans and a tan. His date is a curvy brunette in a red tight bikini. Notice the glamor in the first example and the casual and sexy in the second? Color makes a difference, and red is easily understood by most everybody.
Red shirt makes one look spiffy, red roses to please the lady, blush red after blundering over words, and a red hand imprint on the face after insulting the object of desire (not to mention a red broken heart).
Changing face of writing
I'm did a short lesson to my ABE students on communicating. And it dawned on me how writing is changing.
Ebooks in the last few years has become a bigger market. You may say you never knew ebooks existed before until Amazon came out with the Kindle. But I've known about ebooks for many years. Before the Kindle, the main device to read ebooks on was the Palm Pilot, and it used the file format of .pdb .
Newspapers are finding harder and harder to keep up with their expenses. As a result some are forced to go down the online only option. Here in St Louis, one resurrected as an online only newspaper, The St Louis Globe Democrat.
Publishing has also changed. No longer do you have the only option of going to a publisher and pony up money to print your work. You can self publish online. You can get your own ISBN numbers, do the copyright registration online and sell your work as an ebook. Who will sell these? You can self sell on Scribd.com, but also BarnesandNoble.com and Borders.com have programs where you can submit your work.
Creative writing is changing. The biggest change is that you can publish your creative work online via blogger, Scribd.com or maybe even facebook or some social network. Its wonderful to have readers read your stuff you made from the heart. These sites often have stats of reads. And getting these stats gives you encouragement to continue.
Those are the options available today. Who knows what will happen in the future? Perhaps a mind meld to the frontal lobes via some contraption strapped to our heads.
Ebooks in the last few years has become a bigger market. You may say you never knew ebooks existed before until Amazon came out with the Kindle. But I've known about ebooks for many years. Before the Kindle, the main device to read ebooks on was the Palm Pilot, and it used the file format of .pdb .
Newspapers are finding harder and harder to keep up with their expenses. As a result some are forced to go down the online only option. Here in St Louis, one resurrected as an online only newspaper, The St Louis Globe Democrat.
Publishing has also changed. No longer do you have the only option of going to a publisher and pony up money to print your work. You can self publish online. You can get your own ISBN numbers, do the copyright registration online and sell your work as an ebook. Who will sell these? You can self sell on Scribd.com, but also BarnesandNoble.com and Borders.com have programs where you can submit your work.
Creative writing is changing. The biggest change is that you can publish your creative work online via blogger, Scribd.com or maybe even facebook or some social network. Its wonderful to have readers read your stuff you made from the heart. These sites often have stats of reads. And getting these stats gives you encouragement to continue.
Those are the options available today. Who knows what will happen in the future? Perhaps a mind meld to the frontal lobes via some contraption strapped to our heads.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Compose
Compose, I love that word. It has a specific meaning but I like to always think of it in terms of a symphony. The various instruments to make distinct sounds. Sounds that conjure up a story.
Peter Tchaikovsky made many sounds bow to his whims. He told stories via the orchestra. Peter and the Wolf was one of the more apparent. He assigned an instrument and a musical theme for each character. This way you could easily visualize what was going on. You could hear the characters.
In much the same way, John Williams composed a piece for an up and coming film maker. His piece was key to take an off the wall story in a very foreign world(s) and make the story relate-able to the viewers. At the time the symphony and the orchestra industry wasn't in much demand with the younger generations. This crazy Sci-Fi story gave the orchestra an opportunity to show a new generation what it had been doing of centuries, move hearts. That film was released in 1977 and was the first world wide block buster ever. Those who worked on it said that the music pulled everything together and made what could have been a B movie to laugh at to a story to take seriously and cherish. That movie was the original Star Wars. And after 33 years, that franchise is still making money.
But what does this have to do with writing? Everything, in my humble opinion. Music brings out the emotion in characters. But the characters have to have the emotion in them to begin with. Creating characters and situations that evoke emotion is what creative writers do. Can you hear your characters? Can you feel your characters?
But composing is more than just emotion, its a conglomeration of emotions and situation that work together to create an adventure and a great ride for the reader. Much like essays or Aesop's fables, there should be a single thought driving the story. A big picture, if you will. I think that what makes a story satisfying.
So compose, bring out the emotions and make them work together like wheels and cogs in a clock.
Peter Tchaikovsky made many sounds bow to his whims. He told stories via the orchestra. Peter and the Wolf was one of the more apparent. He assigned an instrument and a musical theme for each character. This way you could easily visualize what was going on. You could hear the characters.
In much the same way, John Williams composed a piece for an up and coming film maker. His piece was key to take an off the wall story in a very foreign world(s) and make the story relate-able to the viewers. At the time the symphony and the orchestra industry wasn't in much demand with the younger generations. This crazy Sci-Fi story gave the orchestra an opportunity to show a new generation what it had been doing of centuries, move hearts. That film was released in 1977 and was the first world wide block buster ever. Those who worked on it said that the music pulled everything together and made what could have been a B movie to laugh at to a story to take seriously and cherish. That movie was the original Star Wars. And after 33 years, that franchise is still making money.
But what does this have to do with writing? Everything, in my humble opinion. Music brings out the emotion in characters. But the characters have to have the emotion in them to begin with. Creating characters and situations that evoke emotion is what creative writers do. Can you hear your characters? Can you feel your characters?
But composing is more than just emotion, its a conglomeration of emotions and situation that work together to create an adventure and a great ride for the reader. Much like essays or Aesop's fables, there should be a single thought driving the story. A big picture, if you will. I think that what makes a story satisfying.
So compose, bring out the emotions and make them work together like wheels and cogs in a clock.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Democracy Is Freedom of Speech - Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi speaks after years of arrest.
How do we value our voice? Do we get on our housetops and yell at the top of our lung hoping to be heard? Do we shove our opinions down the throats of those who think differently?
After about seven years of house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi is released. She does not put on camouflage and arm herself with weapons of war. All she has is her ideas of democracy and a voice, a gentle voice. A voice that makes a countries military tremble in their combat boots. That gentle voice has the attention of the World and of its leaders.
Aung San Suu Kyi is a warrior. There is no doubt in my mind. But her warfare is in the realm of communication. She has suffered loss, as any warrior does. Her husband has died halfway around the world from her. Yet she chose to keep up the fight.
It is said that the pen is mightier than the sword. Effective communication can and does move people. How do you value your voice?
Write.
Write your ideas, your thoughts, your poetry, your novel, your short story, your essay, your persuassion, your passion, your dreams.
Write. Dammit, write.
How do we value our voice? Do we get on our housetops and yell at the top of our lung hoping to be heard? Do we shove our opinions down the throats of those who think differently?
After about seven years of house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi is released. She does not put on camouflage and arm herself with weapons of war. All she has is her ideas of democracy and a voice, a gentle voice. A voice that makes a countries military tremble in their combat boots. That gentle voice has the attention of the World and of its leaders.
Aung San Suu Kyi is a warrior. There is no doubt in my mind. But her warfare is in the realm of communication. She has suffered loss, as any warrior does. Her husband has died halfway around the world from her. Yet she chose to keep up the fight.
It is said that the pen is mightier than the sword. Effective communication can and does move people. How do you value your voice?
Write.
Write your ideas, your thoughts, your poetry, your novel, your short story, your essay, your persuassion, your passion, your dreams.
Write. Dammit, write.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Genre selecting
I love comedy, drama, and some romance. While I really enjoyed some comedians books (like Dave Berry, Bill Cosby et al.) they are more exaggerated non-fiction than fiction. Not something I would like to write or have the talent to. But mixing up comedy, drama and romance seems good for a story. Keep the reader entertained. Another piece of literature I like are story of morals as in like Aesop's Fables. Driving home a point or an idea is very attractive.
Two genres in particular are attractive to me, science-fiction and murder-mystery. I guess because the ideas of exploration and investigation are almost synonymous, and curiosity is a great hook.
Of course great stories of Star Trek, Space 1999, Flash Gordon, Battlestar Galactica (old and new), Star Gate, Star Wars are great influences. They provide a range of story telling styles form the old single plots to the modern multi-plot stories.
Needless to say my favorite genre is actually sci-fi. So that's what I'm currently writing in. But mixing up stuff seems like fun too.
Two genres in particular are attractive to me, science-fiction and murder-mystery. I guess because the ideas of exploration and investigation are almost synonymous, and curiosity is a great hook.
Of course great stories of Star Trek, Space 1999, Flash Gordon, Battlestar Galactica (old and new), Star Gate, Star Wars are great influences. They provide a range of story telling styles form the old single plots to the modern multi-plot stories.
Needless to say my favorite genre is actually sci-fi. So that's what I'm currently writing in. But mixing up stuff seems like fun too.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
What writting does.....
To concrete thought on paper (even virtual paper) is to release the thought that has captivated us.
Emotions are powerful. Language of emotions is the very essence of life. When language is used to describe the language of emotions, then emotions are transferred across space and time. Its astounding how you can know a writer just by his/her writings. His/Her soul is spread out across pages in ink. As long as the work exists their souls keeps on.
I see this to be true time and time again. Thomas Kelly was the lead in the Apollo Lunar Lander project. Kelly was quoted in HBO's From the Earth to the Moon to say that he thought that the craft had a soul. It was the combined souls of every designer and engineer that worked on it. Thus it is with every work we do.
That's somewhat of a sobering thought. Imagine that this society has passed and some future archeologists are excavating the area where your works are, or what you have worked on. What impression would you give to those explorers across time?
Emotions are powerful. Language of emotions is the very essence of life. When language is used to describe the language of emotions, then emotions are transferred across space and time. Its astounding how you can know a writer just by his/her writings. His/Her soul is spread out across pages in ink. As long as the work exists their souls keeps on.
I see this to be true time and time again. Thomas Kelly was the lead in the Apollo Lunar Lander project. Kelly was quoted in HBO's From the Earth to the Moon to say that he thought that the craft had a soul. It was the combined souls of every designer and engineer that worked on it. Thus it is with every work we do.
That's somewhat of a sobering thought. Imagine that this society has passed and some future archeologists are excavating the area where your works are, or what you have worked on. What impression would you give to those explorers across time?
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Plots
Plots are fun. You have a white hat hero and a maiden in distress that's been captured by the black hated villain. So the basic idea of a plot goes. Will the hero be strong enough? Will the maiden be freed? Will the villain be captured? And where to put the monologue of the villain? Perhaps when the hero is trapped and needs time to get out. Yes a good spot for a soliloquy. Charming, isn't it?
Plots and subplots fill the books of today. And why a subplot? Well of course is so the reader doesn't get too bored with the main plot. Flower it up a little. Have a fling, a romance, a fight, or a spite. Comedy is useful. Little jokes and such. Stargate SG-1 and Castle were good with comedy. Main characters playing with each other and such.
I learned a lot from Stargate SG-1 about story telling. It was quite different than any series of Star Trek. They had a multitude of plots. And a seed from past episodes could flourish into a main plot a couple of episodes ahead.
But plots answer the question where are you taking me? And I find that a well defined plot comes about with some back story telling. Stuff that will not make it in a book but serves to give credibility to the plot. Sometimes I have to do multiple back stories so I can understand where and how the characters and players are coming from and coming into.
For example I have this character I had to come up with, he's not a main character but just a henchman. Yet I had to define his character. I used a hot dog in the story to define him. How he uses the hot dog is how he is. There was another character by the name of Flass in Batman Begins. He was defined by his scene with a falafel kiosk.
Lots of plots keep brains from flops. :-)
Plots and subplots fill the books of today. And why a subplot? Well of course is so the reader doesn't get too bored with the main plot. Flower it up a little. Have a fling, a romance, a fight, or a spite. Comedy is useful. Little jokes and such. Stargate SG-1 and Castle were good with comedy. Main characters playing with each other and such.
I learned a lot from Stargate SG-1 about story telling. It was quite different than any series of Star Trek. They had a multitude of plots. And a seed from past episodes could flourish into a main plot a couple of episodes ahead.
But plots answer the question where are you taking me? And I find that a well defined plot comes about with some back story telling. Stuff that will not make it in a book but serves to give credibility to the plot. Sometimes I have to do multiple back stories so I can understand where and how the characters and players are coming from and coming into.
For example I have this character I had to come up with, he's not a main character but just a henchman. Yet I had to define his character. I used a hot dog in the story to define him. How he uses the hot dog is how he is. There was another character by the name of Flass in Batman Begins. He was defined by his scene with a falafel kiosk.
Lots of plots keep brains from flops. :-)
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Worlds
In whatever you write, you have to write in a world. Rules and laws of physics may be different than the one you live in like Alice In Wonderland.
In Avatar you see lots of different wildlife and plant life that are similar but different than the real world. Making a world different makes the reader want to explore. A world could be historical or futuristic. It could be malicious or heaven. It could be as small as a grain of pollen or as large as a universe.
Whatever it is, the world encompasses the traits of a character. It will either challenge or help your hero. The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, Alice in Wonderland, Planet of the Apes and Aliens all had malicious worlds. The heroes had to explore and survive the worlds they were in. They were also extremely fictitious worlds. Meaning that they were environments we would not recognize just looking at he world we live in.
Sometimes you do want a world based on this current world we all live in. Stargate SG-1, Sanctuary For All, Superman, Batman, Ironman...etc all took the real world and altered it slightly by adding creatures, characters and sometimes things that just defy the laws of physics.
I think defining your world first could prove to be invaluable to bring your piece of literature into a consistent and visual experience. It could take a second, or several weeks to accomplish this.
In Avatar you see lots of different wildlife and plant life that are similar but different than the real world. Making a world different makes the reader want to explore. A world could be historical or futuristic. It could be malicious or heaven. It could be as small as a grain of pollen or as large as a universe.
Whatever it is, the world encompasses the traits of a character. It will either challenge or help your hero. The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, Alice in Wonderland, Planet of the Apes and Aliens all had malicious worlds. The heroes had to explore and survive the worlds they were in. They were also extremely fictitious worlds. Meaning that they were environments we would not recognize just looking at he world we live in.
Sometimes you do want a world based on this current world we all live in. Stargate SG-1, Sanctuary For All, Superman, Batman, Ironman...etc all took the real world and altered it slightly by adding creatures, characters and sometimes things that just defy the laws of physics.
I think defining your world first could prove to be invaluable to bring your piece of literature into a consistent and visual experience. It could take a second, or several weeks to accomplish this.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Flamboyant Characters
I've never made a flamboyant character. Yet they stick with me. For instance Sir John Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry IV was very flamboyant, talkative, inquisitive, even pushy. He was Henry's companion among his friends as a prince, and loved his company. Yet as a King, Henry rejected him. Self-absorption does not begin to describe Falstaff. Shakespeare makes us love and pity this character. Tragedy is often a trademark with Shakespeare. But how unforgettable was Falstaff.
Another unforgeable character was Dr Zachary Smith of Lost in Space. Focussed on self preservation, he was both a villain and a help to the rest of the characters. Sometimes it seemed he would switch roles several times in an episode.
Dart Vader in Star Wars was also self absorbed but in a non funny way. But when I look at The Empire Strikes Back, Vader's ways of dealing with his crew is almost comical.
An actor who has played several flamboyant and self absorbed characters is Christopher Lee. He has played Dracula, Count Dooku, Saruman from what I remember. His wiki page gives a good account of his work. I've always enjoyed his work. He was my favorite Dracula, and I hate horror movies.
These characters are desperately flawed. I just want to sit them down and teach them a lesson or two. Kill them with lecture. Change them to conform. But that's their allure. They do not conform. They will not conform. They are monolithic monuments to the Ego. Something for the heroes to deal with. Causing the reader to place in check his own desires and will. They are an Aesop's Fable of self absorption. And yet we can learn a great deal from them with their monologue antics.
Another unforgeable character was Dr Zachary Smith of Lost in Space. Focussed on self preservation, he was both a villain and a help to the rest of the characters. Sometimes it seemed he would switch roles several times in an episode.
Dart Vader in Star Wars was also self absorbed but in a non funny way. But when I look at The Empire Strikes Back, Vader's ways of dealing with his crew is almost comical.
An actor who has played several flamboyant and self absorbed characters is Christopher Lee. He has played Dracula, Count Dooku, Saruman from what I remember. His wiki page gives a good account of his work. I've always enjoyed his work. He was my favorite Dracula, and I hate horror movies.
These characters are desperately flawed. I just want to sit them down and teach them a lesson or two. Kill them with lecture. Change them to conform. But that's their allure. They do not conform. They will not conform. They are monolithic monuments to the Ego. Something for the heroes to deal with. Causing the reader to place in check his own desires and will. They are an Aesop's Fable of self absorption. And yet we can learn a great deal from them with their monologue antics.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Characters
To any story there has to be characters. The problem I encountered is the two dimensionality that happens to characters. What I mean by two dimensionality is the lack of depth. So much so that they seem like paper cutouts. My main character and the villain I hated because they were so two dimensional, and this just happened. I really wanted to relate to my characters. So I had to do some back stories on these.
I wrote out a paragraph on each depicting what they hated and liked. This gave some ways of responding to other characters and the environment. This exercise helped me to know how to think about characters. Funny thing is that afterwards, it was easier to write the story because the characters in my brain acted almost on their own...... :-o
Michael Angelo is said to free his sculptures from the rock they were in. Meaning he looked at the rock with a sculpture already in there and just freed it. In much the same way, freeing characters by defining them is remarkable. You can put two characters in a room and just watch the conversation as you write it. It seems that characters do the work.
In Viewing Creation: Encounter, I had an international crew all with their own personalities. And then the aliens had their own background as well. Since I got them defined I found that the interactions came naturally and the things I had to keep in mind were the circumstances they were in.
Funny things about characters though. Anything can be a character, from a person to an inanimate object like a chair or a ship. Characters have attributes that define them so the sky is the limit (and sometimes beyond). Their attributes can be anything you can imagine as well. You could have a duck trapped in a cat's body if you wish. Sounds like a setup for a comedy. And I think that is a wonderful thing. Let the childhood imagination take flight.
I wrote out a paragraph on each depicting what they hated and liked. This gave some ways of responding to other characters and the environment. This exercise helped me to know how to think about characters. Funny thing is that afterwards, it was easier to write the story because the characters in my brain acted almost on their own...... :-o
Michael Angelo is said to free his sculptures from the rock they were in. Meaning he looked at the rock with a sculpture already in there and just freed it. In much the same way, freeing characters by defining them is remarkable. You can put two characters in a room and just watch the conversation as you write it. It seems that characters do the work.
In Viewing Creation: Encounter, I had an international crew all with their own personalities. And then the aliens had their own background as well. Since I got them defined I found that the interactions came naturally and the things I had to keep in mind were the circumstances they were in.
Funny things about characters though. Anything can be a character, from a person to an inanimate object like a chair or a ship. Characters have attributes that define them so the sky is the limit (and sometimes beyond). Their attributes can be anything you can imagine as well. You could have a duck trapped in a cat's body if you wish. Sounds like a setup for a comedy. And I think that is a wonderful thing. Let the childhood imagination take flight.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Social Injustices
You know the great thing about SciFi is that you can write about current social injustices and do almost anything you want with them.
Star Trek in the original series had many social injustice themes. From mixed relationships to bullying to nuclear holocaust have been portrayed.
In my novel, Viewing Creation: Encounter (free ebook), I recognized several social injustices. Prejudice against foreign people is prevalent in our United States society. So I intentionally had an international crew for the UES Encounter. The black human is often prejudiced against, so I made the heroes buddy a black man and the prevailing race of the aliens (Qars) to resemble black humans, with some differences. Threat of bombings anywhere, is a type of social injustice, but also a political statement. I depict a bombing in the Preface to introduce the foe for the story. Another biggy today is religious intolerance. Its regnant in this society. Everyone judges everyone on this one it seems. From those who have a religion to those who don't, from those of one religion to those of another. In the story the tension is depicted.
So SciFi gives a very malleable venue to tell your story.
Star Trek in the original series had many social injustice themes. From mixed relationships to bullying to nuclear holocaust have been portrayed.
In my novel, Viewing Creation: Encounter (free ebook), I recognized several social injustices. Prejudice against foreign people is prevalent in our United States society. So I intentionally had an international crew for the UES Encounter. The black human is often prejudiced against, so I made the heroes buddy a black man and the prevailing race of the aliens (Qars) to resemble black humans, with some differences. Threat of bombings anywhere, is a type of social injustice, but also a political statement. I depict a bombing in the Preface to introduce the foe for the story. Another biggy today is religious intolerance. Its regnant in this society. Everyone judges everyone on this one it seems. From those who have a religion to those who don't, from those of one religion to those of another. In the story the tension is depicted.
So SciFi gives a very malleable venue to tell your story.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Genre selecting
I love comedy, drama, and some romance. While I really enjoyed some comedians books (like Dave Berry, Bill Cosby et al.) they are more exaggerated non-fiction than fiction. Not something I would like to write or have the talent to. But mixing up comedy, drama and romance seems good for a story. Keep the reader entertained. Another piece of literature I like are story of morals as in like Aesop's Fables. Driving home a point or an idea is very attractive.
Two genres in particular are attractive to me, science-fiction and murder-mystery. I guess because the ideas of exploration and investigation are almost synonymous, and curiosity is a great hook.
Of course great stories of Star Trek, Space 1999, Flash Gordon, Battlestar Galactica (old and new), Star Gate, Star Wars are great influences. They provide a range of story telling styles form the old single plots to the modern multi-plot stories.
Needless to say my favorite genre is actually sci-fi. So that's what I'm currently writing in. But mixing up stuff seems like fun too.
Two genres in particular are attractive to me, science-fiction and murder-mystery. I guess because the ideas of exploration and investigation are almost synonymous, and curiosity is a great hook.
Of course great stories of Star Trek, Space 1999, Flash Gordon, Battlestar Galactica (old and new), Star Gate, Star Wars are great influences. They provide a range of story telling styles form the old single plots to the modern multi-plot stories.
Needless to say my favorite genre is actually sci-fi. So that's what I'm currently writing in. But mixing up stuff seems like fun too.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
To write or not to write
There is an Ezine article that gives some reasons why to write. I'm sure they are trying to get people to write. Publishers then would have something to publish. They give reasons like, "Its your dream", "You just might have a story worth telling", "Nothing ventured, nothing gained", "If you're not creative enough to write fiction, write something else", etc. I really don't like any of these.
But why write? There are tons upon tons of books out there. Many free, many cheap, and some from mainstream authors. But its not about them. Its about you. Why did Michael Angelo sculpture? Why did Leonardo Da Vinci create? What made them start?
For me its time. Its time to set thoughts to paper (or formatted text on computer memory). Mid life, I suppose, where one contemplates their own value and how life has gone so far and where its going. I want to leave a mark on this Earth. A dent in the soil if you will. Something to say I was here. Something other than bathroom or subway graffiti.
OK. Well that'a a why, but why really? If your determined to make a difference why writing? Why not art? After all a picture is worth a thousand words. Apart from giving in to laziness, are we afraid of a thousand words? If were not afraid to write, ask yourself why writing and not some other form of art. For me its a crusade of sorts. I'm a visual learner. I like theater, I like movies, I like plays. More than that I like plots, characters, scenarios, ACTION! Hmmm, getting carried away there. What I'm trying to say is that there are few, oh so few, visual writers out there. What do I mean? There are things I hate about writing. I hate long prolonged descriptions that lead no where. I hate detailed that's meaningless. If your going to tell a story, and that is what writing is, then tell the #$%^&%# story. So many writers are so detailed they loose my interest very fast.
We all have imagination. Some people prefer to visualize a scene, some to hear a scene, some like the meticulous meaningless details. The fact is we are wired differently and we like to learn differently. So whatever writer you are there is an audience out there for you.
So why write? For fun? Well fun is a complex thing. It may not be fun to write, but the finished product may be fun. Exploring characters and new worlds may be fun. Creating alternate realities or what if scenarios involving thermal nuclear devices, or just a simple yes or no in an "be my spouse" question.
Inevitably, "my dear Watson", any creative venture is an expression of yourself. Of what you are and what your connected with. And its no different for writing. To read a writer's work is to explore the their soul.
A good piece of literature is like a sonnet, or a symphony. It brings you from doldrums to excitement, fear, tears, and manipulates your emotions. The more emotion you express in your writing the more the readers and responses.
Why do I write? I write for the love of writing.
But why write? There are tons upon tons of books out there. Many free, many cheap, and some from mainstream authors. But its not about them. Its about you. Why did Michael Angelo sculpture? Why did Leonardo Da Vinci create? What made them start?
For me its time. Its time to set thoughts to paper (or formatted text on computer memory). Mid life, I suppose, where one contemplates their own value and how life has gone so far and where its going. I want to leave a mark on this Earth. A dent in the soil if you will. Something to say I was here. Something other than bathroom or subway graffiti.
OK. Well that'a a why, but why really? If your determined to make a difference why writing? Why not art? After all a picture is worth a thousand words. Apart from giving in to laziness, are we afraid of a thousand words? If were not afraid to write, ask yourself why writing and not some other form of art. For me its a crusade of sorts. I'm a visual learner. I like theater, I like movies, I like plays. More than that I like plots, characters, scenarios, ACTION! Hmmm, getting carried away there. What I'm trying to say is that there are few, oh so few, visual writers out there. What do I mean? There are things I hate about writing. I hate long prolonged descriptions that lead no where. I hate detailed that's meaningless. If your going to tell a story, and that is what writing is, then tell the #$%^&%# story. So many writers are so detailed they loose my interest very fast.
We all have imagination. Some people prefer to visualize a scene, some to hear a scene, some like the meticulous meaningless details. The fact is we are wired differently and we like to learn differently. So whatever writer you are there is an audience out there for you.
So why write? For fun? Well fun is a complex thing. It may not be fun to write, but the finished product may be fun. Exploring characters and new worlds may be fun. Creating alternate realities or what if scenarios involving thermal nuclear devices, or just a simple yes or no in an "be my spouse" question.
Inevitably, "my dear Watson", any creative venture is an expression of yourself. Of what you are and what your connected with. And its no different for writing. To read a writer's work is to explore the their soul.
A good piece of literature is like a sonnet, or a symphony. It brings you from doldrums to excitement, fear, tears, and manipulates your emotions. The more emotion you express in your writing the more the readers and responses.
Why do I write? I write for the love of writing.
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