If you have noticed, I have not been writing as frequently as I have before. I have to go to writing biweekly rather than weekly. It was too much to write two posts a week, one for this blog and one for my idea-writes STL Aeropspace blog. Lessening my writing will help in two areas, quality of personal life and quality of writing.
There comes a time when doing gets in the way of quality. As an empath and highly sensitive person (HSP) and a migraineur, I have limited capacity for activities. Stress will take me down quickly. Then my quality of life suffers, and it doesn't seem worth it. Actually when I go down, everything seems worthless. That's when thoughts of wanting to get away come and the desire to be in another world rise up. Getting rest resets my brain and gives me back my optimism.
I'm not happy where I am as a writer. I would like to grow. Taking my writing frequency to two weeks will give me more time to think of ways to be more creative and make better quality writing. I am glad I'm writing for myself rather than for a manager or editor of some kind. I feel that managers today fail to consider that their workers need not to burn out and they work them till they can't take it anymore. I've been there and don't want to take my writing there. I don't want to be put off by writing. Writing is too important to waste it on bureaucratic deadlines and pressures. Everyone who can write should write just as an civil duty. We understand the founding fathers of the United States from their writings, and they were prolific writers. Writing is just as important as voting. Sure, you can say that you can get your message out via YouTube.com. I say if your going to do that you should write your speech, that is what your going to say first. Writing tends to congeal thoughts into messages.
Increasing quality of life and quality of writing are my goals for making biweekly posts. I hope this does not put you off. There are many blogs out there and articles to read. So, I don't think you will have any lack of reading to do in the mean time.
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Friday, November 30, 2012
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Bill It's Me! is out.
I published my next small novel called Bill It's Me! on Scribd.com. It's a pure fictitious story about and Empath that helps his cop buddy solve a mystery, and thereby the world.
Yeah I kind of though of the Empath as a type of super hero. He has abilities but he also has weaknesses. He also has an arch enemy and people to care about. No, he doesn't do superhero things like flying or getting into fist fights with people.
This story took me about a year to write. My last one took me about 5 years to write. Of course with the first one I had doubts about my ability to write and not only that who would read it. That's before I hear about Scribd.com on NPR. Then I knew I could have an audience. It's pretty gratifying knowing someone reads and enjoys your work.
With this new story I tried something different. I changed the narration person about half way through. I think it makes sense and works. Now also I just started another story, a prequel to Bill It's Me! There I also change the narration person. So why am I doing this? I suppose it's because I like to get the story from the perspective of a character rather than some ominous voice deemed as the writer. You may say that it speaks to my insecurity, and you may be right. I am insecure about people paying attention to what I have to say. Even worse is when people actually take my advice. Then I feel insecure about my advice and question if it's accurate enough.
Well, there you have it. The launch of a new story. It's free, of course. I'm really a nobody so charging would be superfluous. I'm more interested in people enjoying my stories rather than making money off of them, at least at this time. Cheers.
Yeah I kind of though of the Empath as a type of super hero. He has abilities but he also has weaknesses. He also has an arch enemy and people to care about. No, he doesn't do superhero things like flying or getting into fist fights with people.
This story took me about a year to write. My last one took me about 5 years to write. Of course with the first one I had doubts about my ability to write and not only that who would read it. That's before I hear about Scribd.com on NPR. Then I knew I could have an audience. It's pretty gratifying knowing someone reads and enjoys your work.
With this new story I tried something different. I changed the narration person about half way through. I think it makes sense and works. Now also I just started another story, a prequel to Bill It's Me! There I also change the narration person. So why am I doing this? I suppose it's because I like to get the story from the perspective of a character rather than some ominous voice deemed as the writer. You may say that it speaks to my insecurity, and you may be right. I am insecure about people paying attention to what I have to say. Even worse is when people actually take my advice. Then I feel insecure about my advice and question if it's accurate enough.
Well, there you have it. The launch of a new story. It's free, of course. I'm really a nobody so charging would be superfluous. I'm more interested in people enjoying my stories rather than making money off of them, at least at this time. Cheers.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Writer's Block, finally!
Its been about two weeks since I posted. Like most writers I guess I got a case of writer's block. This is the first I ever had it in many years.
Why do we get writer's block? I can only speak from my own experience. It seems like this time its because the brain doesn't want to write anymore. I've been writing a lot lately. Writing for class and trying to start some freelance writing is taking its toll on the brain. Hopefully this is only temporary, and I will get back to my usual self writing about stuff I believe in and how the world needs to change.
In the meantime I have this block. I'm reminded of Lucy of the Peanuts by Charles M. Schultz where she called Charlie Brown, "YOU BLOCKHEAD!" My head feel a little like that now. So its stress that causes the writer's block.
Perhaps a good centering or grounding will do me good to release the stress from day to day living. Reading what's going on in the world might help as well.
Libya is still struggling, Europe still has recession issues and the far right still hold the Republican party hostage. In these days of extremes, you hardly can see a moderate in sight. SpaceX is going to court over a critic. This makes me believe that there are people who have a hard time to let go of the old way of doing things in space. Its time to embrace the new. The new is the now. The same goes with business'. Those companies who don't or can't change fast enough will suffer and possibly go through restructuring or be bought out.
There see? Writer's block is starting to fade. I hope I can keep it up. Take care y'all.
Why do we get writer's block? I can only speak from my own experience. It seems like this time its because the brain doesn't want to write anymore. I've been writing a lot lately. Writing for class and trying to start some freelance writing is taking its toll on the brain. Hopefully this is only temporary, and I will get back to my usual self writing about stuff I believe in and how the world needs to change.
In the meantime I have this block. I'm reminded of Lucy of the Peanuts by Charles M. Schultz where she called Charlie Brown, "YOU BLOCKHEAD!" My head feel a little like that now. So its stress that causes the writer's block.
Perhaps a good centering or grounding will do me good to release the stress from day to day living. Reading what's going on in the world might help as well.
Libya is still struggling, Europe still has recession issues and the far right still hold the Republican party hostage. In these days of extremes, you hardly can see a moderate in sight. SpaceX is going to court over a critic. This makes me believe that there are people who have a hard time to let go of the old way of doing things in space. Its time to embrace the new. The new is the now. The same goes with business'. Those companies who don't or can't change fast enough will suffer and possibly go through restructuring or be bought out.
There see? Writer's block is starting to fade. I hope I can keep it up. Take care y'all.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Writogasms
Have you ever had a writogasm? The other day I did while writing my final paper for the week. It was for one of my classes in a masters program. I remember writing and getting into it. It seemed that I couldn't type fast enough as the ideas raced through my head. I finally took a break, and discovered I felt a sense of euphoria.
The feeling took me aback because I never felt it before. This last week was a very busy week for me. I ended up writing 3 papers for class and 3 articles, not to mention this blog. That's a personal record. I have never written so much before. I wondered if other writers experience this as well.
I'm sure there are writers who can punch out a couple of long chapters in a novel in the course of a week. I never have, yet. So pardon my inexperience if how much I wrote this week seems like nothing. I'm just glad I was able to do it. It means that my migraines are under control.
Whether much or little is written, I feel that if I'm progressing as a writer then its worth a little celebration. Hence, the writogasm. ;-)
The feeling took me aback because I never felt it before. This last week was a very busy week for me. I ended up writing 3 papers for class and 3 articles, not to mention this blog. That's a personal record. I have never written so much before. I wondered if other writers experience this as well.
I'm sure there are writers who can punch out a couple of long chapters in a novel in the course of a week. I never have, yet. So pardon my inexperience if how much I wrote this week seems like nothing. I'm just glad I was able to do it. It means that my migraines are under control.
Whether much or little is written, I feel that if I'm progressing as a writer then its worth a little celebration. Hence, the writogasm. ;-)
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Freelance Writing for Examiner.com
Examiner.com is a news site that I never heard of until I searched for writing jobs locally.
In the search Examiner.com came up looking for specific freelance writers. I checked out their site, and its a news site for local news. The funny thing about it is that its actually nation wide. But when you log on or go to their site, it will default to your local city. You can also select other cities.
They hire freelance writers for who can write for their own communities. The writers apparently get paid by readership. So it may not be profitable at the beginning, but its seems to be a good way to get writing professionally.
O K I'll admit I have applied. It was a simple 3 step process and at the end they said I would get a response in 2 weeks. In the process you select what areas you want to write about from their selection. Then you can add one and only one subject of your own. Too bad I had a couple in mind.
You might ask what I wanted to write about. Well I wanted to write about Space programs and Aerospace. I love these subjects. I have all my life. If your asking why don't I just do that here on this blog, my answer would be because this blog is my way to freely be myself as an intuitive. Writing about Space and Aerospace is a analytical exercise.
So you might want to check out Examiner.com for your local news and commentaries. You never know who is reporting what. It just might be your neighbor.
In the search Examiner.com came up looking for specific freelance writers. I checked out their site, and its a news site for local news. The funny thing about it is that its actually nation wide. But when you log on or go to their site, it will default to your local city. You can also select other cities.
They hire freelance writers for who can write for their own communities. The writers apparently get paid by readership. So it may not be profitable at the beginning, but its seems to be a good way to get writing professionally.
O K I'll admit I have applied. It was a simple 3 step process and at the end they said I would get a response in 2 weeks. In the process you select what areas you want to write about from their selection. Then you can add one and only one subject of your own. Too bad I had a couple in mind.
You might ask what I wanted to write about. Well I wanted to write about Space programs and Aerospace. I love these subjects. I have all my life. If your asking why don't I just do that here on this blog, my answer would be because this blog is my way to freely be myself as an intuitive. Writing about Space and Aerospace is a analytical exercise.
So you might want to check out Examiner.com for your local news and commentaries. You never know who is reporting what. It just might be your neighbor.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Crash - an explaination
Crash is a set of three word pics that I put together. I comprises of three different scopes but all the same theme. That theme is to overcome distress.
Breaking Bondage describes the personal distress. If you have ever been controlled you can relate to this. Is based on personal experience. If you are being controlled I suggest you plan for your freedom. After I took my freedom back I had to start over. It was a scary and enlightening time. I learned much about myself, stuff I had forgotten being in bondage.
If You Could See.... describes the social distress. There are many things that need to get fixed in society. The world is becoming more populous and modern, and adjustments have to be made. It covers violence, education, health care, medical inadequacies, and how we think of intelligence. These are obviously passions of mine. We are much more that what we've been told we were in the 20th century.
DOOM! covers the big picture. Its states different scientific findings that can spell the destruction of the human race. These destructive forces are not man made but are all natural disasters. A Gamma Ray Burst eminates from a supernova. Think of it as a massive laser that can destroy all life on planet Earth. Asteroid impacts have been discussed in recent history. You may know about them already. But the right size asteroid can wipe out all life on Earth. The Yosemite Caldera Eruption is a future event on Earth that has the potential to kill many people and animals in the United States. The Great End refers to a newer theory based on the expansion of the Universe as observed by Edwin Hubble in 1929. It states that the Universe will come to a point of expansions that molecules and atoms will not be able to maintain their integrity. Thus we will be torn apart. At any rate this word pic paints the picture that our time, the human time, is limited.
I feel that these word pics give some perspective on life. There is more to life than just ourselves, yet if we are not free how can we help? I write these as an exercise of intuition and analytical thinking. I don't deem myself a poet so I've been reluctant to call these poems. They do help me stretch my creative writing skills and word usage.
Breaking Bondage describes the personal distress. If you have ever been controlled you can relate to this. Is based on personal experience. If you are being controlled I suggest you plan for your freedom. After I took my freedom back I had to start over. It was a scary and enlightening time. I learned much about myself, stuff I had forgotten being in bondage.
If You Could See.... describes the social distress. There are many things that need to get fixed in society. The world is becoming more populous and modern, and adjustments have to be made. It covers violence, education, health care, medical inadequacies, and how we think of intelligence. These are obviously passions of mine. We are much more that what we've been told we were in the 20th century.
DOOM! covers the big picture. Its states different scientific findings that can spell the destruction of the human race. These destructive forces are not man made but are all natural disasters. A Gamma Ray Burst eminates from a supernova. Think of it as a massive laser that can destroy all life on planet Earth. Asteroid impacts have been discussed in recent history. You may know about them already. But the right size asteroid can wipe out all life on Earth. The Yosemite Caldera Eruption is a future event on Earth that has the potential to kill many people and animals in the United States. The Great End refers to a newer theory based on the expansion of the Universe as observed by Edwin Hubble in 1929. It states that the Universe will come to a point of expansions that molecules and atoms will not be able to maintain their integrity. Thus we will be torn apart. At any rate this word pic paints the picture that our time, the human time, is limited.
I feel that these word pics give some perspective on life. There is more to life than just ourselves, yet if we are not free how can we help? I write these as an exercise of intuition and analytical thinking. I don't deem myself a poet so I've been reluctant to call these poems. They do help me stretch my creative writing skills and word usage.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Next Novel - Bill It's Me
I wrote Viewing Creation Encounter as a Sci-Fi space action novel. It was my first attempt at such a task, and I learned a lot about characters through the process. I also wrote it with the knowledge I gained from different web sites about astronomy and space programs as well as my personal knowledge about people from different cultures. Religion was also a subject in the novel. In my next novel I diverge from most of that and concentrate on characters and knowledge about Empaths.
I'm a Natural Empath. Some may ask what does that mean. We have heard of them in Sci-Fi stories but are they real? Yes they are real. But reality does not mimic fiction in this case. There are a variety of Empaths but they most all have a particular quality. That quality is that they are sensitive to emotions and pain of others. Thus Empaths suffer to one degree or another. Empaths also can train themselves to change their disability into an ability. That is a much preferable state than just suffering because for the Empath there is no real escape, just techniques to ease the suffering. In my next novel I embellish the abilities of the Empath and give him a Psychopath as a villain. Yes, its kind of like Superhero stuff.
The story is divided into two parts. These parts are seemingly two realities of similar time frame. With the writing, I differentiated the tow parts using two different grammatical persons. It seemed to fit the storyline and give it some credence. I have not come across any work that has done that. There are stories that will change the narrator, and in a sense that's what I'm doing.
The novel will be called Bill It's Me and I will put it out on Scribd.com for free just like Viewing Creation. I hope you can enjoy it and tell me if it works. Thanks for reading.
I'm a Natural Empath. Some may ask what does that mean. We have heard of them in Sci-Fi stories but are they real? Yes they are real. But reality does not mimic fiction in this case. There are a variety of Empaths but they most all have a particular quality. That quality is that they are sensitive to emotions and pain of others. Thus Empaths suffer to one degree or another. Empaths also can train themselves to change their disability into an ability. That is a much preferable state than just suffering because for the Empath there is no real escape, just techniques to ease the suffering. In my next novel I embellish the abilities of the Empath and give him a Psychopath as a villain. Yes, its kind of like Superhero stuff.
The story is divided into two parts. These parts are seemingly two realities of similar time frame. With the writing, I differentiated the tow parts using two different grammatical persons. It seemed to fit the storyline and give it some credence. I have not come across any work that has done that. There are stories that will change the narrator, and in a sense that's what I'm doing.
The novel will be called Bill It's Me and I will put it out on Scribd.com for free just like Viewing Creation. I hope you can enjoy it and tell me if it works. Thanks for reading.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Essay, A Very Useful Format
In the last few posts, I've written my viewpoint in essay format. Yes the same essay format that is taught in schools and GED programs. Yes that seemingly boring and tedious way of writing that you would never use because its seemed so obtuse. Actually I'm fond of the essay format. I want to say something about the different essay genres, what is the best genre for blogging, and why blog in essay format.
Did you know there are several different types of genre of essays? Purdue.edu has a good web site on the different essay genres (click here). In a writing class I was challenged with the argumentative essay. In the argumentative essay you have to come up with arguments against your own argument. If your passionate about your argument in the first place it really forces you to think of the other side(s) of the issue. Its a real mind bender.
Mostly here I've been using the narrative essay genre. I think its a good fit for blogging. The reason is that the narrative format allows the writer or blogger to be creative. It's the lighter of the essay genres. It also allows you to speak your mind and that is what blogging is all about.
Why should any essay format be used in blogging? That's a good question. Most bloggers just write. Their format varies but mostly it comes out like a conversation of what my day was like. That's fine if you just want to share your experiences, but if you want to make a point nothing drives it better than an essay format. The essay forces you to sum up your thought into one thesis statement that drives the whole piece. From there you break down what points you want. Three to five points are great, but you could still only have two points and that's fine as well. Some teachers mention a five paragraph essay. That is not written in stone. The emphasis on five paragraphs was pointing to the essay format in general. An introduction paragraph, a paragraph for each point, and a conclusion paragraph. That's really all its about. I'm afraid people have been put off by the five paragraph requirement by some teachers. After you put it all together you can see how it makes you explain your argument in a clean concise way that anyone can read.
Well, knowing the different genres, trying out a narrative genre, and organizing your thoughts in an essay format for a blog will explain what you are trying to say to most people. That's why I believe that essay writing has a place in the blogging movement, and that's why I use it.
Did you know there are several different types of genre of essays? Purdue.edu has a good web site on the different essay genres (click here). In a writing class I was challenged with the argumentative essay. In the argumentative essay you have to come up with arguments against your own argument. If your passionate about your argument in the first place it really forces you to think of the other side(s) of the issue. Its a real mind bender.
Mostly here I've been using the narrative essay genre. I think its a good fit for blogging. The reason is that the narrative format allows the writer or blogger to be creative. It's the lighter of the essay genres. It also allows you to speak your mind and that is what blogging is all about.
Why should any essay format be used in blogging? That's a good question. Most bloggers just write. Their format varies but mostly it comes out like a conversation of what my day was like. That's fine if you just want to share your experiences, but if you want to make a point nothing drives it better than an essay format. The essay forces you to sum up your thought into one thesis statement that drives the whole piece. From there you break down what points you want. Three to five points are great, but you could still only have two points and that's fine as well. Some teachers mention a five paragraph essay. That is not written in stone. The emphasis on five paragraphs was pointing to the essay format in general. An introduction paragraph, a paragraph for each point, and a conclusion paragraph. That's really all its about. I'm afraid people have been put off by the five paragraph requirement by some teachers. After you put it all together you can see how it makes you explain your argument in a clean concise way that anyone can read.
Well, knowing the different genres, trying out a narrative genre, and organizing your thoughts in an essay format for a blog will explain what you are trying to say to most people. That's why I believe that essay writing has a place in the blogging movement, and that's why I use it.
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.
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.
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