Jeff Vandermeer, who I link to on the right, is writing a series of posts on technique. At the moment he is talking about openings and using his new novel Finch as the examples.
He is talking about novel writing, but if you have any interest in writing at all you should read it. It can apply to anyone.
I am testing out a new tool to post a bit that I came across that I liked a lot.
Many times I find myself having characters notice things or say things they really shouldn't notice or say. The problem is one of two things. Either there is no way they should/could know what they are saying, or they shouldn't really notice what they are noticing. It is such a part of their everyday life that it should now go unnoticed.
It is my feeling that landscape not invested with emotion or point of view is inert, lifeless. Like a historical novelist, when writing fantasy set in a place not here, I have an obligation to describe that place and make it realistic, but I have an equally important charge not to lard the narrative and the characters with excessive description or description that is not truly related to the viewpoint character. Which is to say that certain things are known to Finch and thus must be given over to the reader and other things that he knows but would not comment on or really register must be conveyed in a kind of shorthand, or conveyed in a context in which he would register them. That includes aspects of the setting, in addition to his interactions with other characters.
This is short but really good. Very Twilight Zone and I had it figured out early on, but it was still fun to watch. Watch it quick, though, because it won't be online long according to the official site.
If you've read me for any time at all, or ventured back into the archives, you know that I am fascinated with process. I love seeing how and where other people work.
Stumbled across this video of cartoonist Mort Drucker, known mainly for his work in MAD magazine.
Watch it if you'd like. I found it quite interesting. It's just a teaser to a longer video at schoolism.com. He talks about how he got started, how he works, shows us his studio. He talks about the importance of hands to a drawing. He also talks about drawing caricatures. Said that he needs to have a front shot and a profile shot of a person before he can draw a caricature, because if he has only one or the other then he can't know what the person really looks like.
That got me thinking about my writing. I have tried in the past to do quick character sketches of people I wanted to write about. I wanted to get to know the full person. I don't always finish them, and often I don't even start them. I am too eager to get to the fleshing out of the idea.
But after watching this video I wonder if my stories are suffering from thin characters. I mean, if the idea that I am trying to flesh out is mainly action, then all of the character I see is their profile as they run past me. If the idea I have is a little more heady then all I have is the character staring at me straight-on saying "Write my story." Either way, I don't know what the characters will be like when either they are forced into action or when they are forced to be still.
I think I tried to stretch that comparison to the video a little too far, so I apologize if it doesn't make sense. I am doing this quickly.I think it does, but it came out of my head so it should make sense to me.
Anyway, a new resolution. Fuller characters in 2010. Or paying more attention to try for fuller characters in 2010.
Today is the last day of Gina's Christmas break. Actually, yesterday was the last day of her break. Today is just an extra day off since she went to an in-service during the summer. Today is her reward. We are planning on spending it doing things around the house. We also want to see a movie. Problem is we are getting a slow start. And have no idea what movies are even out there to see.
I have a large mirror to hang and other pictures to get up on the walls. We are still trying to decorate this place. It's starting to feel more like home and we actually made a couple of furniture purchases yesterday. I spent my evening last night putting together a pair of bookcases that we bought for the library/formal living room. They are black and look pretty sharp. Easy to put together and once we have all of them that we want it's going to look really nice. We still need seating for it all to come together. Don't tell Gina, but when it's done I think it's going to be my favorite place to write. Gina just asked if I wanted to get two more bookcases today. I am game. We have a literal ton of books and need some lace to put them all.
Speaking of writing, I added about 250 more words to the piece I posted the top of a few days ago. It's not perfect but it's not bad. The big thing, though, is it's writing. It's progress and that's better than just about every day since we bought the house. I'm happy.
At the day job last week we were discussing an editorial looking back at the decade. The proposal was, essentially, that the Aughts, or whatever you call this set of ten years, has been a lousy one, but never fear. The next ten could be pretty great.
I was listening to this and thinking. I was also considering a couple of columns we'd run a day or two before. They both said that the last decade was lousy.
Everyone made a convincing case in a history book sense. But I don't look at things like that. I think many, if not most, people look at them more personally. We think of our personal milestones. For me, this has been a pretty great decade.
I started the Aughts working at a newspaper that no longer exists, doing a job that I didn't hate but didn't love. I ended the decade working for the newspaper that was always going to be my final stop, doing a job I love, and making more than double the money I was making when I started the decade.
I am ending the decade more productive(the last couple of months withstanding)as a writer. I have completed multiple stories this year and made good progress on the novel I've been working on for years. I still need to edit the things I have finished and get them submitted for publication. But that is great progress for me and I am far ahead of where I was 10 years ago.
But the biggest change in this decade is that I met and married Gina. Without her I wouldn't have bought a house this decade. Without her I wouldn't have seen the world. No Italy. No Mexico. This blog wouldn't be here without her. The writing I've been doing wouldn't be possible without her encouragement and support. She makes all of it easier, and not just the writing. I had prayed for someone like her to come into my life and this is the decade that prayer was answered.
Something I banged out in a couple of minutes. Goes with an idea I'd had a couple of months ago. I just wanted to get it on "paper" while it was fresh. Whether or not this is how the story actually begins or not remains to be seen.
The Seventh Dallas was an aging beauty. A pot-marked and scarred cargo hauler, her heavy hull and and over-sized crew quarters made for an imposing figure when she was docked. But to Elias Kope she was anything but imposing. “My gentle beast,” her first captain had called her.
Seeing her tethered to the deck of the Crimeon like this, all polished and shining, pulled the captain, if just for a moment, from the funk he’d been in since receiving his notice three months ago. For a moment he was back on this same deck but forty years earlier, the Seventh Dallas shining behind him. He was being pinned a captain and presented with a certificate, signed by officers outranking him, that gave him control of his own ship.
He approached her from the front and let his fingers run along the length of her hull. He smiled and leaned in close enough o feel the coolness of the metal on his cheek. “The are putting you to pasture far too early, girl. Both of us. Far too early.”
I have been thinking about it, and I believe I am going to write a wrap-up-the-year/decade post. Both have been big for me. Lots of milestones. I am not doing it here, obviously, but I will write one before the year's end.
I think I have figured out a way to make our house hunt work in a story. It's another monster story. Still don't know why I am writing monster stories or having more ideas for them, but I am going with it.
This one could involve zombies or not. Haven't decided. This idea is still in it's tadpole stage so it could go many directions. I just know it involves lots of guns and a four-bedroom ranch that's fully furnished and fully stocked.
Gina and I honeymooned in Rome and it was amazing. Honeymooned? Can that be a verb? How about Gina and I spent our honeymoon in Rome. It was amazing. We were there for more than a week and got to take our time seeing the city.
On our first day we unexpectedly saw the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. It was easily some of the coolest things I'd ever seen. I wish I had known about this, though, before we went. Click the link to see a brain on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
