Saturday we held what I thought would be my last (and possibly THE last) CWC meeting. I had announced a few weeks earlier that I'm still struggling with my writing and need to step away from even listening to critiques. I've also cut back on reading agent blogs and those that dispense writing advice. I haven't canceled my subscription to Writer's Digest, but I have dropped Poets & Writers for now, and WD is going on the shelf until I feel like it won't negatively influence me.
Since Mary and I carpool down to Pueblo, she wasn't sure she wanted to keep making the drive each month alone, especially since she's been struggling with her own writing and might not have anything to submit for a while. Shane, too, hasn't been able to write, not so much out of writer's block, but because it's his first year as an English teacher and that pretty much eats up all his time.
That would leave just Ali and Jenny. And Jenny has another critique group (she's fickle that way). So, death to CWC, right?
Wrong.
I returned to the table after a bathroom break. Conversation ceased, heads turned. Oh-oh. "What?"
They decided, in the five minutes tops that I was gone, to change the format once again. We'll still get together once a month for dinner--on Saturday, which works better for everyone--to talk. About writing, other kinds of storytelling, what we're having trouble with, what's working, our lives in general. Basically, whatever. Sorta like the old Pirate days. If someone wants to submit something, they can, of course. And, if I still need to avoid all critiques, I can read it and mark it up (for some reason that doesn't bother me), drop Mary off with my feedback so they can discuss, and go somewhere for an hour to hang out or write. Then I'll join the rest of the group for dinner.
Cool, huh?
Second transformation of the group in almost two and half years. Most writing groups don't make it a year. And big changes will kill even the strongest group. But we seem to be the little Timex group. We just keep ticking.
Showing posts with label Jenny. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jenny. Show all posts
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Reading Cozies
DB handed out cozies at the CWC meeting on Saturday. I've read them all my life for a light change of pace. Jenny did her own study of them a few months ago. Mary seemed excited about reading one, or two even. But I don't think Ali or Shane have ever read one.
Ali's already posted about her first impressions of the beginning of the book DB gave her. It's not looking too promising.
It'll be interesting to see what everyone has to say next month.
Have you ever read a cozy mystery? Did/do you like them? What about reading other genres that aren't your normal go-to picks? Were there any that pleasantly surprised you? Or annoyed you?
Ali's already posted about her first impressions of the beginning of the book DB gave her. It's not looking too promising.
It'll be interesting to see what everyone has to say next month.
Have you ever read a cozy mystery? Did/do you like them? What about reading other genres that aren't your normal go-to picks? Were there any that pleasantly surprised you? Or annoyed you?
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Looking Back
Yes, I'm blatantly copying Jenny. But it's that time of year.
How did 2010 measure up?
All in all, pretty well. Not if I look at total words written. That number is way down for the year. I did get MMG one revision closer to being ready to submit, though.
I think I accomplished something better than a lot of words. Or at least as good as. I finally realized what works and what doesn't for me when it comes to feedback on my writing. And I managed to articulate that to my critique group. The thing that still makes me smile is that they immediately got it. A couple other members also spoke up at that point to say what is and isn't working for them.
I read a lot of books this year. Just look at the list on the right. And I learned so much from having read them. As I do with just about every book I read. Not just about writing either, but that sure helps.
PPW asked me to do a regular blog post for them. It's my What I Learned About Writing series. I publish here first, then PPW picks it up. Pretty shiny.
My first blog post on Red Room was picked up as a featured blog. I supposed to get a bunch of books, but haven't seen any yet. Not like I don't have enough to read.
I took a banjo class and am still practicing regularly. Performed three dance numbers and a couple "specialties" with my dance class as the Pikes Peak Center--and loved it. Took an additional tap class over the summer that really helped with technique.
A pretty dang good year.
How did 2010 measure up?
All in all, pretty well. Not if I look at total words written. That number is way down for the year. I did get MMG one revision closer to being ready to submit, though.
I think I accomplished something better than a lot of words. Or at least as good as. I finally realized what works and what doesn't for me when it comes to feedback on my writing. And I managed to articulate that to my critique group. The thing that still makes me smile is that they immediately got it. A couple other members also spoke up at that point to say what is and isn't working for them.
I read a lot of books this year. Just look at the list on the right. And I learned so much from having read them. As I do with just about every book I read. Not just about writing either, but that sure helps.
PPW asked me to do a regular blog post for them. It's my What I Learned About Writing series. I publish here first, then PPW picks it up. Pretty shiny.
My first blog post on Red Room was picked up as a featured blog. I supposed to get a bunch of books, but haven't seen any yet. Not like I don't have enough to read.
I took a banjo class and am still practicing regularly. Performed three dance numbers and a couple "specialties" with my dance class as the Pikes Peak Center--and loved it. Took an additional tap class over the summer that really helped with technique.
A pretty dang good year.
Monday, December 27, 2010
6 Favorite Books of 2010
Disclaimer: I realize that not all of these books debuted in 2010. However, I read them all this year, so that is why they are my favorites of the year. And there are 6 instead of 10, not because I didn't read 10 books I liked, but because I'm busy and don't have time to write about why I like 10 books.
In no particular order:
Room by Emma Donoghue
I used this book for What I Learned about Writing From this month. But there is more that I like about it than what I learned from it as a writer. The premise sounds depressing: a five-year-old boy has spent his entire life in an 11'x11' room; the same room his mother's been imprisoned in for seven years. Yet, it's not depressing. Jack has fun in Room. He adores Ma and thinks life is pretty great. I know that life in Room must be harder on Ma--how could it not be--but she makes it home for Jack, and I adored her for that.
They both have to face a lot in the second two thirds of the book, each in different ways. Viewing everything through Jack's eyes makes it at once easier to read and more difficult. Donoghue has a way of letting us see Ma's struggles filtered through her son's innocence without dampening what she's going through.
I've recommended this book to more than a few people, but always add that it might be a more difficult book to experience if you have children of your own.
Postcards From a Dead Girl by Kirk Farber
I knew about this book long before it was published. Kirk is a member of Pikes Peak Writers, and I'd heard about his reading at one of their American Icon Contests. The title already had be interested, then Jenny told me how much she liked his reading--even if they were in competition with each other. So I knew I'd have to buy it as soon as it came out.
The book does not disappoint. Sid Higgins is the ultimate unreliable narrator, because Sid just may be losing his mind. He's getting postcards from his ex-girlfriend Zoe, who disappeared on trip to Europe she started about a year before. All of the postcards are dated from not long after she left, and Sid is trying to find out why they were delayed. In addition to Sid's weird postcard dilemma, he's being haunted by his mother, whose ghost is stuck in a wine bottle in the cellar, he thinks he has a brain tumor, and his sister is pretty fed up with him.
At first I was nervous about the fact that the book has very short chapters, but it works. A lot about this book works. And while I sometimes found myself being frustrated with Sid, I believe it was the author's intent. I'll ask him the next time I run into him.
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about finally reading this one. So many people have raved about it for so long that I just knew it couldn't live up to expectations. Boy howdy, was I wrong.
From the description of the cast of characters, I was hooked. How can you resist an angel who "didn't so much fall as saunter vaguely downwards?"
Aziraphale and Crowley have been the earthly reps for Good and Evil for a very, very long time. And they like it here. There's one little problem: the Apocalypse is going to happen, on Saturday. Which means they'll have to go back to their respective homes. Can they stop it?
There's an Anti-Christ, witch hunters, a witch, various demons, a handful of "horsemen," a bunch of kids and Dog.
Gaiman and Pratchett each have strong, funny voices. The combination of the two could have been overwhelming. But styles blended seamlessly. They claim that they can't tell who wrote what. I tend to believe them.
It kept me laughing--sometimes until I had to set the book down and wipe my eyes--and turning pages right up to the end.
Hurricane Punch by Tim Dorsey
I received this book from a friend. "It's about a serial killer in Florida." Ah, a Dexter knock off, I thought. Wrong again.
Serge Storms and his buddy Coleman are traveling around the state, just ahead or just behind the hurricanes that are pounding it, wreaking almost as much havoc as the storms. Especially once a rival killer starts taunting Serge.
There are some pretty graphic descriptions of what happens to the victims, which I probably could have done without. But these are tempered by some of the funniest writing I've seen.
After finishing Hurricane Punch, I went out and bought the first two books in the series. I'm looking forward to spending some more time with Serge--just on paper of course.
The Spellman's Strike Back by Lisa Lutz
The Spellmans are back in all their wacky glory. Izzy is prepping to take over the family's detective agency, still going to therapy and dating the hunky Irish owner of her favorite bar. Mom's none too happy and finds a way to bribe Izzy to date other men. David's still unemployed and dating Maggie, Henry's ex. Rae's acting weird.
All in all, life as usual for the family.
This fourth installment is the best of the bunch, and that's saying a lot. All the family intrigue, actual cases, romance and laughter are here. Izzy may be evolving, slowly, but she's every bit as much fun as ever.
The Passage by Justin Cronen
A Government experiment goes wrong. Not only that, it is set loose on the population. The world as we know it ends and another one begins.
Sounds like King's The Stand. And the set up to The Passage definitely reminded me of it. But the disaster is different. It may still be a kind of virus, but one that turns people into vampires. With all the vampire hype recently, I was skeptical. But Jenny recommended it, so I gave it a try.
Many reviewers have talked about the first third of the book being brilliant and the rest bogging down. I didn't feel that. The second second slowed it's pace, but it's the aftermath. I thought there was plenty of excitement, and also how things can become mundane after ninety years--even fighting vampires.
My main disappointment was the abrupt end. At least I had been warned that the book is the first in a trilogy. While he did wrap up one part of the story line, Cronen left the reader hanging over a big old cliff. I'll pick up the second one, for sure.
Juliet by Anne Fortier
This doesn't count in the 6, because I haven't finished it yet. But it could be another one that I finish before the end of the year that would make the list--Juliet by Anne Fortier. I'm about 3/4 of the way through, and I'm still loving it.
In no particular order:
Room by Emma Donoghue
I used this book for What I Learned about Writing From this month. But there is more that I like about it than what I learned from it as a writer. The premise sounds depressing: a five-year-old boy has spent his entire life in an 11'x11' room; the same room his mother's been imprisoned in for seven years. Yet, it's not depressing. Jack has fun in Room. He adores Ma and thinks life is pretty great. I know that life in Room must be harder on Ma--how could it not be--but she makes it home for Jack, and I adored her for that.
They both have to face a lot in the second two thirds of the book, each in different ways. Viewing everything through Jack's eyes makes it at once easier to read and more difficult. Donoghue has a way of letting us see Ma's struggles filtered through her son's innocence without dampening what she's going through.
I've recommended this book to more than a few people, but always add that it might be a more difficult book to experience if you have children of your own.
Postcards From a Dead Girl by Kirk Farber
I knew about this book long before it was published. Kirk is a member of Pikes Peak Writers, and I'd heard about his reading at one of their American Icon Contests. The title already had be interested, then Jenny told me how much she liked his reading--even if they were in competition with each other. So I knew I'd have to buy it as soon as it came out.
The book does not disappoint. Sid Higgins is the ultimate unreliable narrator, because Sid just may be losing his mind. He's getting postcards from his ex-girlfriend Zoe, who disappeared on trip to Europe she started about a year before. All of the postcards are dated from not long after she left, and Sid is trying to find out why they were delayed. In addition to Sid's weird postcard dilemma, he's being haunted by his mother, whose ghost is stuck in a wine bottle in the cellar, he thinks he has a brain tumor, and his sister is pretty fed up with him.
At first I was nervous about the fact that the book has very short chapters, but it works. A lot about this book works. And while I sometimes found myself being frustrated with Sid, I believe it was the author's intent. I'll ask him the next time I run into him.
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.
I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about finally reading this one. So many people have raved about it for so long that I just knew it couldn't live up to expectations. Boy howdy, was I wrong.
From the description of the cast of characters, I was hooked. How can you resist an angel who "didn't so much fall as saunter vaguely downwards?"
Aziraphale and Crowley have been the earthly reps for Good and Evil for a very, very long time. And they like it here. There's one little problem: the Apocalypse is going to happen, on Saturday. Which means they'll have to go back to their respective homes. Can they stop it?
There's an Anti-Christ, witch hunters, a witch, various demons, a handful of "horsemen," a bunch of kids and Dog.
Gaiman and Pratchett each have strong, funny voices. The combination of the two could have been overwhelming. But styles blended seamlessly. They claim that they can't tell who wrote what. I tend to believe them.
It kept me laughing--sometimes until I had to set the book down and wipe my eyes--and turning pages right up to the end.
Hurricane Punch by Tim Dorsey
I received this book from a friend. "It's about a serial killer in Florida." Ah, a Dexter knock off, I thought. Wrong again.
Serge Storms and his buddy Coleman are traveling around the state, just ahead or just behind the hurricanes that are pounding it, wreaking almost as much havoc as the storms. Especially once a rival killer starts taunting Serge.
There are some pretty graphic descriptions of what happens to the victims, which I probably could have done without. But these are tempered by some of the funniest writing I've seen.
After finishing Hurricane Punch, I went out and bought the first two books in the series. I'm looking forward to spending some more time with Serge--just on paper of course.
The Spellman's Strike Back by Lisa Lutz
The Spellmans are back in all their wacky glory. Izzy is prepping to take over the family's detective agency, still going to therapy and dating the hunky Irish owner of her favorite bar. Mom's none too happy and finds a way to bribe Izzy to date other men. David's still unemployed and dating Maggie, Henry's ex. Rae's acting weird.
All in all, life as usual for the family.
This fourth installment is the best of the bunch, and that's saying a lot. All the family intrigue, actual cases, romance and laughter are here. Izzy may be evolving, slowly, but she's every bit as much fun as ever.
The Passage by Justin Cronen
A Government experiment goes wrong. Not only that, it is set loose on the population. The world as we know it ends and another one begins.
Sounds like King's The Stand. And the set up to The Passage definitely reminded me of it. But the disaster is different. It may still be a kind of virus, but one that turns people into vampires. With all the vampire hype recently, I was skeptical. But Jenny recommended it, so I gave it a try.
Many reviewers have talked about the first third of the book being brilliant and the rest bogging down. I didn't feel that. The second second slowed it's pace, but it's the aftermath. I thought there was plenty of excitement, and also how things can become mundane after ninety years--even fighting vampires.
My main disappointment was the abrupt end. At least I had been warned that the book is the first in a trilogy. While he did wrap up one part of the story line, Cronen left the reader hanging over a big old cliff. I'll pick up the second one, for sure.
Juliet by Anne Fortier
This doesn't count in the 6, because I haven't finished it yet. But it could be another one that I finish before the end of the year that would make the list--Juliet by Anne Fortier. I'm about 3/4 of the way through, and I'm still loving it.
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Plantser Becomes a Planner
There is a belief that writers fall into one of two camps: either they plan out every detail of a story before they start writing (Planner) or they completely wing it (Pantser). The reality is there's a spectrum that we all fall on. Some plan a lot, but then let the story lead them once they start writing. Others wing it until they feel like they're getting lost, then sit down and figure out how to proceed. Jenny plots a few chapters ahead. I like to have an idea of how the main plot starts and ends with a few of the emotional beats I want to hit along the way.
That changed after our brainstorming session. I already took a lot away from the feedback I got from CWC in May. Then Jenny let me bounce ideas off her so I know where I need to be to continue. The discussion straightened out some things, curved some others. I have a better feel for exactly where I want to go with this revision.
One of the main things that came from it is that I need a detailed outline now. I have to plan out the main story arc and the secondary arcs step by bloody step. I also have to make sure the "other" methods of storytelling that I'm using support those arcs. Hence, a plan. A real plan. Not a loosey goosey plan (see previous post). Charts, graphs, maybe even the white board and cork board I bought a while back.
At first I was afraid that it would stifle any creativity. That the writing would seem--I don't know--dry. But I'm seeing now that the plan is actually liberating. I can play with it, because I'm not worrying about where to take the plot next. The plot's there. The characters are fully formed so I know how they will act.
It will probably be a while before I start something brand new. Vesta and TKoS both need rewrites. But I might have a more solid plan in place before I start whatever that new thing is. So I can play more.
That changed after our brainstorming session. I already took a lot away from the feedback I got from CWC in May. Then Jenny let me bounce ideas off her so I know where I need to be to continue. The discussion straightened out some things, curved some others. I have a better feel for exactly where I want to go with this revision.
One of the main things that came from it is that I need a detailed outline now. I have to plan out the main story arc and the secondary arcs step by bloody step. I also have to make sure the "other" methods of storytelling that I'm using support those arcs. Hence, a plan. A real plan. Not a loosey goosey plan (see previous post). Charts, graphs, maybe even the white board and cork board I bought a while back.
At first I was afraid that it would stifle any creativity. That the writing would seem--I don't know--dry. But I'm seeing now that the plan is actually liberating. I can play with it, because I'm not worrying about where to take the plot next. The plot's there. The characters are fully formed so I know how they will act.
It will probably be a while before I start something brand new. Vesta and TKoS both need rewrites. But I might have a more solid plan in place before I start whatever that new thing is. So I can play more.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
September Goals
Once again, a month got away from me.
However, I did set down a loosey goosey outline of what I want to do with MMG going forward. The big thing that will get me moving in the right direction is having a brainstorming session this weekend with Jenny.
Some writers can't talk out a book before they work on it--especially first drafts. They say that it feels as if the book has already been written so it's boring to work on it after that. I'm not one of those writers. I want to talk and play with the plot and characters before I get too far into a project.
I know this isn't a new project. But some of the changes I need to make will, in some respects, make it brand new. So I need to have a session with someone who knows the work. Not only the latest version, but what it was on day one. Jenny's really the only one who has seen all the iterations of MMG. Besides, she loves brainstorming as much as I do.
Other goals for the month?
Reading some books on the craft of writing. I'll revisit some old favorites and check out a few I haven't read. The nice thing about craft books--whatever the craft--is that once you are past the beginner stage, you can skim for what you need.
I'm feeling optimistic about getting some words down this month. Besides, it's cooling off. Fall is when my energy spikes. The stars may be aligning for this revision to move forward.
However, I did set down a loosey goosey outline of what I want to do with MMG going forward. The big thing that will get me moving in the right direction is having a brainstorming session this weekend with Jenny.
Some writers can't talk out a book before they work on it--especially first drafts. They say that it feels as if the book has already been written so it's boring to work on it after that. I'm not one of those writers. I want to talk and play with the plot and characters before I get too far into a project.
I know this isn't a new project. But some of the changes I need to make will, in some respects, make it brand new. So I need to have a session with someone who knows the work. Not only the latest version, but what it was on day one. Jenny's really the only one who has seen all the iterations of MMG. Besides, she loves brainstorming as much as I do.
Other goals for the month?
Reading some books on the craft of writing. I'll revisit some old favorites and check out a few I haven't read. The nice thing about craft books--whatever the craft--is that once you are past the beginner stage, you can skim for what you need.
I'm feeling optimistic about getting some words down this month. Besides, it's cooling off. Fall is when my energy spikes. The stars may be aligning for this revision to move forward.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Feminine Ink Revisited, This Time With A Guy
It's been years since I was involved with Feminine Ink. I don't even know if they're still going. I started the group so I like to think that somewhere in a coffee shop in Colorado Springs, Mickey and company are going strong.
The Fem Ink (as it became known) rules were as follows:
1) I did all the prompts. Yes, I can be a control freak, but with good reason in the case of a couple regulars.
2) We wrote for about 7 minutes without stopping. If you didn't know what to write next, you wrote "I don't know what to write," or "la la la," or "Deb's a big old jerk for picking this stupid prompt." It helped thicken my skin.
3) Then everyone read what they'd written.
4) No critiquing or really commenting on the writing was allowed. This was to protect feelings and to avoid discouraging those who were just starting their writer's journey.
5) And the last rule of Fem Ink Club was no talking about Fem Ink Club. That way no one would feel they couldn't write what they wanted.
At our CWC meeting on April 26, we did something similar. I had submitted the first 300 pages of MMG at the end of March and the rest of it at the April meeting. This meant we had nothing to critique since I didn't want a partial critique--I know, picky picky picky. This experiment differed from Fem Ink in that:
1) Everyone brought in 2 prompts (although we only used 1 each)
2) Feedback on the writing was encouraged
It was fabulous. The write-by-the-seat-of-my-pants muscles were stiff. It felt good to exercise them a bit. With 4 of the 5 prompts being complete surprises, I didn't have to worry about subconsciously pre-writing anything. The feedback we got, although all positive, was very helpful. We know each other so well that what was left unsaid was just as useful as what was voiced.
Jenny threw in a twist, as she is wont to do, and said we should all expand on one of our responses and submit it this month. Which to do? Should I use one of the ones with a strong restriction? One allowed no visual descriptions and another was written without adjectives or adverbs. Or take one that will allow me to go off in any direction?
I'll read through them later and decide. Whatever I pick, I know I'm going to learn something and have fun doing it. What more can you ask for?
The Fem Ink (as it became known) rules were as follows:
1) I did all the prompts. Yes, I can be a control freak, but with good reason in the case of a couple regulars.
2) We wrote for about 7 minutes without stopping. If you didn't know what to write next, you wrote "I don't know what to write," or "la la la," or "Deb's a big old jerk for picking this stupid prompt." It helped thicken my skin.
3) Then everyone read what they'd written.
4) No critiquing or really commenting on the writing was allowed. This was to protect feelings and to avoid discouraging those who were just starting their writer's journey.
5) And the last rule of Fem Ink Club was no talking about Fem Ink Club. That way no one would feel they couldn't write what they wanted.
At our CWC meeting on April 26, we did something similar. I had submitted the first 300 pages of MMG at the end of March and the rest of it at the April meeting. This meant we had nothing to critique since I didn't want a partial critique--I know, picky picky picky. This experiment differed from Fem Ink in that:
1) Everyone brought in 2 prompts (although we only used 1 each)
2) Feedback on the writing was encouraged
It was fabulous. The write-by-the-seat-of-my-pants muscles were stiff. It felt good to exercise them a bit. With 4 of the 5 prompts being complete surprises, I didn't have to worry about subconsciously pre-writing anything. The feedback we got, although all positive, was very helpful. We know each other so well that what was left unsaid was just as useful as what was voiced.
Jenny threw in a twist, as she is wont to do, and said we should all expand on one of our responses and submit it this month. Which to do? Should I use one of the ones with a strong restriction? One allowed no visual descriptions and another was written without adjectives or adverbs. Or take one that will allow me to go off in any direction?
I'll read through them later and decide. Whatever I pick, I know I'm going to learn something and have fun doing it. What more can you ask for?
Friday, May 7, 2010
Blind Rewrites
Jenny and Ali talk about a method of rewriting short stories called "The Blind Rewrite." I don't know that it warrants capitalization and quotation marks, but that's the way they always say it. What you do, as I understand it, is rewrite without looking at the first draft. Hence, blind. The theory behind that is that you will remember what it important and forget what isn't. Not sure that I completely agree, but it's a method.
However, how does one manage that with a novel? Yeah, I didn't even want to think about going there. But I came up with something that worked.
Step 1) Print out a clean copy of manuscript.
Step 2) Read and mark up.
Step 3) Add in any pertinent comments from critique group.
Step 4) Using the now not-so-clean copy, retype the whole thing.
Oooh, you say, no wonder it took you so frikkin' long to get that rewrite done. Well, yeah. But I think it was worth it. We'll find out at the end of the month if the CWC agrees.
There were areas in the original where I'd started telling instead of showing. There were missing scenes needed for tying others together, for clarifying certain things, for heightening tension. I had dreaded having to write those new scenes, but by retyping the whole thing, those scenes just kind of organically appeared.
Another benefit was noticing a lot of continuity issues and many other missing scenes. I was also more aware of repetitions--words, phrases, ideas, actions. I know I didn't catch or fix all of them--that's what critique groups are for--but I caught a lot more than I did in the read-through.
One of my fears going into the rewrite was that I wouldn't have enough when I finished. I started with just shy of 200 pages, maybe 50,000 words. Way too short for a mainstream novel. What if there wasn't enough 'there' there for a full novel? Well, not to worry. The finished product was 603 pages and a little over 104,000 words. Which gives me a nice buffer for the things CWC will cut.
Cutting and pasting would not have solved nearly so many of the problems. Especially not the problems I didn't realize I had. This may be a time-consuming method, but it's one I'm going to keep using. At least for the 1st rewrite after receiving feedback from the gang.
There will be other things to fix, but I hope that this version is in good enough shape that those won't be major.
Fingers crossed.
However, how does one manage that with a novel? Yeah, I didn't even want to think about going there. But I came up with something that worked.
Step 1) Print out a clean copy of manuscript.
Step 2) Read and mark up.
Step 3) Add in any pertinent comments from critique group.
Step 4) Using the now not-so-clean copy, retype the whole thing.
Oooh, you say, no wonder it took you so frikkin' long to get that rewrite done. Well, yeah. But I think it was worth it. We'll find out at the end of the month if the CWC agrees.
There were areas in the original where I'd started telling instead of showing. There were missing scenes needed for tying others together, for clarifying certain things, for heightening tension. I had dreaded having to write those new scenes, but by retyping the whole thing, those scenes just kind of organically appeared.
Another benefit was noticing a lot of continuity issues and many other missing scenes. I was also more aware of repetitions--words, phrases, ideas, actions. I know I didn't catch or fix all of them--that's what critique groups are for--but I caught a lot more than I did in the read-through.
One of my fears going into the rewrite was that I wouldn't have enough when I finished. I started with just shy of 200 pages, maybe 50,000 words. Way too short for a mainstream novel. What if there wasn't enough 'there' there for a full novel? Well, not to worry. The finished product was 603 pages and a little over 104,000 words. Which gives me a nice buffer for the things CWC will cut.
Cutting and pasting would not have solved nearly so many of the problems. Especially not the problems I didn't realize I had. This may be a time-consuming method, but it's one I'm going to keep using. At least for the 1st rewrite after receiving feedback from the gang.
There will be other things to fix, but I hope that this version is in good enough shape that those won't be major.
Fingers crossed.
Monday, May 3, 2010
May Goals
Not many blog posts last month. It may have had something to do with working on those April goals. I felt that if I had time to write anything, I should be working on MMG. So I did. Although I missed the deadline for getting everything to CWC, I did finish the rewrites at 9:45 p.m. on 4/30/10. So I did complete them in April. The final pages went to Ali, Jenny & Shane on Saturday (after I took the full manuscript to Carrie so she could be first). I will deliver Mary's to her today on my lunch break. Phew!
I hope to blog more this month on the experience of revising something so big. It came in at a little over 104,000 words. I'm sure I'll be told to cut many of them, but it definitely needed more than the first drafts had.
So, May goals. I'm taking it easy this month, gang.
--Expand on one of the prompt responses for CWC.
--Work on short stories.
--Work on poetry.
Just playing with words for a while. Soon enough I'll have to get serious with either Vesta or TKoS.
I hope to blog more this month on the experience of revising something so big. It came in at a little over 104,000 words. I'm sure I'll be told to cut many of them, but it definitely needed more than the first drafts had.
So, May goals. I'm taking it easy this month, gang.
--Expand on one of the prompt responses for CWC.
--Work on short stories.
--Work on poetry.
Just playing with words for a while. Soon enough I'll have to get serious with either Vesta or TKoS.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
November Goals
I pretty much rocked October, especially given that it was chock full of extra-curricular activites. I finished everything. Well, everything but getting all the way through TNN. That was due in no small part to doing exactly what I'd said I wouldn't do after it happened with Vesta. After the first feedback session at CWC, I decided to rip everything apart and put it back together --better! faster! stronger!--before the next submission. In a month--right. Please remind me of this when I submit the first part of my next manuscript, whatever that may be.
Time to set goals for November. No NaNoWriMo for me this month. I have tons to revise since Jenny challenged me to put a revised full of MMG through the group soon. And then there's Vesta waiting to be revised as well.
I want to finish the first draft of TNN before I start the MMG revisions. I have maybe 100 pages to go, and there will be a submission due in January. I doubt it will be the rest of the story, but should get everyone close to the end. Of course, the critique for this month. It'll be great to revisit Mary's TF. And then revisions, revisions, revisions. I don't know that I'll finish this month, but I have until the end of March. I, foolishly perhaps, raised my hand on Monday night and claimed March to submit the full.
Should be a busy, but fun month.
Time to set goals for November. No NaNoWriMo for me this month. I have tons to revise since Jenny challenged me to put a revised full of MMG through the group soon. And then there's Vesta waiting to be revised as well.
I want to finish the first draft of TNN before I start the MMG revisions. I have maybe 100 pages to go, and there will be a submission due in January. I doubt it will be the rest of the story, but should get everyone close to the end. Of course, the critique for this month. It'll be great to revisit Mary's TF. And then revisions, revisions, revisions. I don't know that I'll finish this month, but I have until the end of March. I, foolishly perhaps, raised my hand on Monday night and claimed March to submit the full.
Should be a busy, but fun month.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
It's October As Far As I'm Concerned
I usually hold out until the last gasp of a month before I decide on my goals for the next one. But after getting my feedback on TNN from CWC last night, I know I'll need the extra day or two to get where I need to be by the next meeting.
The group did it again. I don't think there was a single suggestion that I didn't think was valid. Even if a couple might have been contradictory, I knew where each person was coming from. And either way would work. It's just down to me on how I want to go.
My goals are listed on the left. As you can see, there is a lot of prep work to do before I actually get back to work on what's next. The time line is going to be tightened, which means deciding where to start the story for the most impact. I'm adding a job for the mother and a family member. I need to draw out a floor plan for each of the 3 (possibly 4) floors in the house so that I don't gain and lose space as I'm doing now.
I would be more frustrated with myself, but I'm learning that this is all part of my process. Would it be easier if I had a clearer idea of what the whole plot was when I started? Well, of course. But I seem to need to write at least half the book before I can really decide what it's about. Maybe I'll grow out of that as a writer. I kinda hope so. But, for now at least, the gang seems to be willing to go along with me.
October is going to be crazy. I have a lot of social events to attend--I know, poor me. There's the trip to visit family and friends in the middle of the month. And we need to schedule Ali's dinner for winning the race. I'm thinking after that, NaNoWriMo is a definite pass this year. Besides, Jenny pointed out that I really need to submit a complete and revised version of MMG to the group so they can evaluate what I've done with the feedback on that. And there are two other novels waiting for revision as well. It doesn't make sense to start something new until I'm really truly done with those.
So, no pressure.
The group did it again. I don't think there was a single suggestion that I didn't think was valid. Even if a couple might have been contradictory, I knew where each person was coming from. And either way would work. It's just down to me on how I want to go.
My goals are listed on the left. As you can see, there is a lot of prep work to do before I actually get back to work on what's next. The time line is going to be tightened, which means deciding where to start the story for the most impact. I'm adding a job for the mother and a family member. I need to draw out a floor plan for each of the 3 (possibly 4) floors in the house so that I don't gain and lose space as I'm doing now.
I would be more frustrated with myself, but I'm learning that this is all part of my process. Would it be easier if I had a clearer idea of what the whole plot was when I started? Well, of course. But I seem to need to write at least half the book before I can really decide what it's about. Maybe I'll grow out of that as a writer. I kinda hope so. But, for now at least, the gang seems to be willing to go along with me.
October is going to be crazy. I have a lot of social events to attend--I know, poor me. There's the trip to visit family and friends in the middle of the month. And we need to schedule Ali's dinner for winning the race. I'm thinking after that, NaNoWriMo is a definite pass this year. Besides, Jenny pointed out that I really need to submit a complete and revised version of MMG to the group so they can evaluate what I've done with the feedback on that. And there are two other novels waiting for revision as well. It doesn't make sense to start something new until I'm really truly done with those.
So, no pressure.
Monday, September 21, 2009
What A Weekend/Everyone Should Have Friends Like Mine
And I don't mean "What a weekend" in a good way.
I dog and house sat for two very dear friends. One of the dogs has developed some special needs over the past year. She is blind, but gets around okay except right after she wakes up. She also has IBS. I won't go into details here. Suffice it to say that she often needs to get outside RIGHT NOW and doesn't always wake up in time to do so. Even when she does wake up, she might start in the wrong direction and not want to believe me that I know where it is and it's this way and please, please, please hurry.
Friday night's multi-interrupted sleep was nothing compared to Saturday night's getting maybe three hours total and not more than an hour at a time. Each time she moved, I had to be ready to help her get outside. Even when she was asleep, I had to be aware of whining and tummy rumblings so I could wake her up in time. As I said in an email to Jenny, not conducive to sleeping or writing.
I would finally feel like I might maybe be starting to get a flow or words going and have to stop, deal with things and then try to figure out where I was and where I thought I was going. It only takes a few of these to just kill any desire to even try to put one word after the other. After about ten o'clock Sunday morning, I just quit trying.
There was a point late yesterday that I decided that not only was I going to throw in the towel on the contest, but on the whole writing thing. Why was I bothering? Most people seem to be quite content, happy even, going to work and coming home day after day. They might work out and/or go to movies or plays or concerts. But mostly they work and take care of their homes and families, and watch television. Basically what I do already except that I give short shrift to everything except the television watching, because I write or try to write or think I should be writing.
And then it happened.
I heard everyone's voice in my head. I heard Jenny, Ali, Fleur, Mary, Shane, Nicole and all the rest of the Pirates saying, "What the hell are you talking about? You're making excuses. Get over yourself and get back to work." I heard Carrie saying, "If you don't finish something for me to read, I'll shave your head. You won't even see it coming."
How great is that? They don't even have to be around to give me a verbal--mental?--bitch slap.
It's going to be like starting a marathon, getting out front in the first mile, stopping to have a big lunch--maybe a nap--and then deciding that you are going to try to win it after all. But I'm not throwing in the towel. I may finish dead last, but I'll finish. And I'll have more words of TNN than I had when I started. And that was sort of the point all along.
I dog and house sat for two very dear friends. One of the dogs has developed some special needs over the past year. She is blind, but gets around okay except right after she wakes up. She also has IBS. I won't go into details here. Suffice it to say that she often needs to get outside RIGHT NOW and doesn't always wake up in time to do so. Even when she does wake up, she might start in the wrong direction and not want to believe me that I know where it is and it's this way and please, please, please hurry.
Friday night's multi-interrupted sleep was nothing compared to Saturday night's getting maybe three hours total and not more than an hour at a time. Each time she moved, I had to be ready to help her get outside. Even when she was asleep, I had to be aware of whining and tummy rumblings so I could wake her up in time. As I said in an email to Jenny, not conducive to sleeping or writing.
I would finally feel like I might maybe be starting to get a flow or words going and have to stop, deal with things and then try to figure out where I was and where I thought I was going. It only takes a few of these to just kill any desire to even try to put one word after the other. After about ten o'clock Sunday morning, I just quit trying.
There was a point late yesterday that I decided that not only was I going to throw in the towel on the contest, but on the whole writing thing. Why was I bothering? Most people seem to be quite content, happy even, going to work and coming home day after day. They might work out and/or go to movies or plays or concerts. But mostly they work and take care of their homes and families, and watch television. Basically what I do already except that I give short shrift to everything except the television watching, because I write or try to write or think I should be writing.
And then it happened.
I heard everyone's voice in my head. I heard Jenny, Ali, Fleur, Mary, Shane, Nicole and all the rest of the Pirates saying, "What the hell are you talking about? You're making excuses. Get over yourself and get back to work." I heard Carrie saying, "If you don't finish something for me to read, I'll shave your head. You won't even see it coming."
How great is that? They don't even have to be around to give me a verbal--mental?--bitch slap.
It's going to be like starting a marathon, getting out front in the first mile, stopping to have a big lunch--maybe a nap--and then deciding that you are going to try to win it after all. But I'm not throwing in the towel. I may finish dead last, but I'll finish. And I'll have more words of TNN than I had when I started. And that was sort of the point all along.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Stoopid Stoopid Stoopid
That's me.
Just accepted a challenge with Jenny and Ali. Whoever produces the highest wordcount in two weeks, starting next Monday, wins. The one who comes in last has to buy dinner.
**CORRECTION** The losers go in together to buy the winner dinner. Which makes more sense since the winner is the only one getting something and the losers share the pain of losing.
I still say, "Ack!"
Just accepted a challenge with Jenny and Ali. Whoever produces the highest wordcount in two weeks, starting next Monday, wins. The one who comes in last has to buy dinner.
**CORRECTION** The losers go in together to buy the winner dinner. Which makes more sense since the winner is the only one getting something and the losers share the pain of losing.
I still say, "Ack!"
Courtney brought up a good point in her response to my Project Runway post. [And, no, Jenny, I wasn't talking about you.] She talked about how some of the contestants freak out when asked to step out of their comfort zone. Same thing happens on Top Chef. Courtney's argument was that chefs, designers and writers need to be able to step outside their boxes once in a while.
Folks, that's why you see prompts and challenges on this and other blogs from the Pirates. That's why UGWP does round stories. That's why we have played a card game where you pick the cards that you will build the story on. Not because we think that one day Jenny will figure out how to market a Top Chef kind of show involving wrters (although that would be groovy), but because we all get those stray ideas that don't fit into our usual genres. Or maybe we realize that one of our story ideas would work better as a screen or stage play than a novel. Or we really, really want to enter that short story contest with the big prize payout. If those muscles are already warmed up, it's easier to engage them when the time comes.
There's another aspect to what Courtney said. That the contestants are freaked out by the twists the shows throw at them. On more than one occasion, I've said, "Don't they watch this show?" Because they always have twists, often the same ones from season to season.
Which comes back to research. I know I've talked about it before, but it bears repeating. DO the research. Want to submit to the Super Groovy Magazine Contest? First, read the guidelines. Second, look at a recent issue. If they only publish hyper-literary stories between 3,000-5,000 words, don't submit a 7,000 word fantasy piece. Same goes with agents.
Two reality shows about seemingly unrelated jobs that are both, apparently, unrelated to writing. But I've been able to adapt lessons from both into my writing. Are there other shows that have given you insight into your craft? Movies? Music? Something else?
Folks, that's why you see prompts and challenges on this and other blogs from the Pirates. That's why UGWP does round stories. That's why we have played a card game where you pick the cards that you will build the story on. Not because we think that one day Jenny will figure out how to market a Top Chef kind of show involving wrters (although that would be groovy), but because we all get those stray ideas that don't fit into our usual genres. Or maybe we realize that one of our story ideas would work better as a screen or stage play than a novel. Or we really, really want to enter that short story contest with the big prize payout. If those muscles are already warmed up, it's easier to engage them when the time comes.
There's another aspect to what Courtney said. That the contestants are freaked out by the twists the shows throw at them. On more than one occasion, I've said, "Don't they watch this show?" Because they always have twists, often the same ones from season to season.
Which comes back to research. I know I've talked about it before, but it bears repeating. DO the research. Want to submit to the Super Groovy Magazine Contest? First, read the guidelines. Second, look at a recent issue. If they only publish hyper-literary stories between 3,000-5,000 words, don't submit a 7,000 word fantasy piece. Same goes with agents.
Two reality shows about seemingly unrelated jobs that are both, apparently, unrelated to writing. But I've been able to adapt lessons from both into my writing. Are there other shows that have given you insight into your craft? Movies? Music? Something else?
Sunday, September 6, 2009
September What?
Wow! Six days into the new month. Guess I should post my goals, huh?
Getting my submission ready for CWC cut into my roll on MMG, but it needed to be done. I'm pretty happy with the result as I submitted 98 pages--the longest submission so far. I also finished the critique for Mary.
My goals for September are going to sound familiar, but with a twist.
--Flesh out the rest of TNN and get it ready for submission. [I want this done before I get feedback on the first part. Otherwise, I have a tendency to want to change direction based on comments rather than letting the story unfold the way I first envisioned it. I've learned that people can change their opinion of the first bit after they read the rest. And it lessens future pressure when it comes time to submit.]
--Get revised bio to Ali by 9/7/09. Yeah, not much wiggle room on this one.
--Critique Shane's submission.
And that's it for this month. Didn't expect that, did you? Where's MMG? I figure I've got about 150 pages of TNN to knock out. Using Jenny's writing math, that comes to almost 7 pages a day in order to be done by the CWC meeting on the 28th. That's NaNo level page count. I think that's plenty to shoot for in one month. Especially one month that's already seen a week go by. And one in which I'm taking on a new tap and jazz class.
With that amount of new writing and trying to get my body to move in new and unusual ways, I think I'm pretty much taking on Ali's challenge as well.
How 'bout you?
Getting my submission ready for CWC cut into my roll on MMG, but it needed to be done. I'm pretty happy with the result as I submitted 98 pages--the longest submission so far. I also finished the critique for Mary.
My goals for September are going to sound familiar, but with a twist.
--Flesh out the rest of TNN and get it ready for submission. [I want this done before I get feedback on the first part. Otherwise, I have a tendency to want to change direction based on comments rather than letting the story unfold the way I first envisioned it. I've learned that people can change their opinion of the first bit after they read the rest. And it lessens future pressure when it comes time to submit.]
--Get revised bio to Ali by 9/7/09. Yeah, not much wiggle room on this one.
--Critique Shane's submission.
And that's it for this month. Didn't expect that, did you? Where's MMG? I figure I've got about 150 pages of TNN to knock out. Using Jenny's writing math, that comes to almost 7 pages a day in order to be done by the CWC meeting on the 28th. That's NaNo level page count. I think that's plenty to shoot for in one month. Especially one month that's already seen a week go by. And one in which I'm taking on a new tap and jazz class.
With that amount of new writing and trying to get my body to move in new and unusual ways, I think I'm pretty much taking on Ali's challenge as well.
How 'bout you?
Monday, August 3, 2009
August Goals
I feel like I accomplished a lot in July. Although when I look at the writing goals and how I did on them, not so much. Still, in a more esoteric sense, I accomplished loads. Because I know exactly what the final (and it will be my final, if not an agent's or editor's) version of MMG needs. It's right there. And this isn't like the other "I kinda sorta think this is what it needs" moments. I know. It feels great. And I've made great strides in that direction. It may take a little longer than I hoped. But I'll know when I'm done.
Anyway, here are the writing goals for August:
--Rewrite of MMG
--Prepare TNN/KoS for submission to CWC
--Do critique (0/1)
--Rework MMG query template with awesome input from Jenny & Mary
--Finish MMG short synopsis
Easy peasy, right?
Anyway, here are the writing goals for August:
--Rewrite of MMG
--Prepare TNN/KoS for submission to CWC
--Do critique (0/1)
--Rework MMG query template with awesome input from Jenny & Mary
--Finish MMG short synopsis
Easy peasy, right?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Critique Group (And Critique) Love
Last night was another example of why I love my critique group. And it wasn't just that we all were a little slap-happy, running off on tangents and giggling about Vampire Eric.
We critiqued two great submissions last night. The submissions are always great, which is another reason I love this group. I always look forward to doing the critiques, because I know I'm going to enjoy what I'm reading. Ali gave us another installment of her (literally) kick-ass book with the smart-ass voice. Way too much fun, and having to wait until September for the next installment is heartbreaking. Jenny's first installment of the novel she thought would be her under-the-bed book sets up what promises to be a creepily fun ride through a fictional Colorado county.
And as great as the submissions were, we all had a few problems with each of them. No surprise. Even in published works by my favorite authors I can find things that I think would work better a different way. Or I find typos that weren't caught by any of the edits. Something.
Here's the difference between this group and others I've been part of: these two excellent writers accepted the feedback and asked for more. There may have been explanations of "This is what I trying to say," but those were quickly followed by "Obviously, I need to clarify." At one point, Jenny pleaded, "Just tell me what to do!" This doesn't mean that they'll be writing something different from what they set out to write. It means that the changes will help them tell the story they wanted to in a way that readers will get it.
One of my earliest critiques of a short story went fairly well. But the climactic scene was of a man with terminal cancer being told by his family that it was okay for him to let go and die. Just about everyone in the room commented on whether they agreed with euthanasia or not. One person even called it the euthanasia story (I had submitted two that night). When it came around to a friend of mine, he defended it, saying that HE understood what was going on and that I shouldn't change a thing. Of course, I left that night secure in the fact that if this person got it and if I respected this person's opinion (which I do) and thought he was a good writer and editor (which I do) then I didn't need to change anything in my story. But by the time I got home, I realized that I wasn't writing the story for just him or people like him. That if only one person in twenty understood what I was going for, then I failed and failed miserably. I needed to rewrite the story so that it was clearer.
You may not agree with all of the critiques you get. You may get contradictory feedback--even in CWC we don't always agree and that's a good thing. You may think the negative feedback is dead wrong. But don't discount it completely. Think about WHY you are getting the feedback you are. "He just didn't get it." Okay. So why didn't he? Were you unclear? Were your facts wrong? Have you set up a character in such a way that she would never ever do what you've just had her do? That can work, but you have to show the reader a really great reason for her to act against her character. Have you not done enough world building? Sci-fi and Fantasy are not the only genres that require you build the set for your characters to act on. Are those characters realistic whether they are aliens or zombies or lawyers?
None of us write perfect first drafts. Well, some of my colleagues come close and I hate them a little for that. Shhh. Don't tell them. Even they have to revise, though. Everyone revises. At least, the really good ones do. Edittorrent addresses this on her blog as well. [Hyperlink supplied to further impress Oliver]
Embrace the critique! Embrace the revision! I'm learning to. It's not always easy. But you'll be glad you did.
We critiqued two great submissions last night. The submissions are always great, which is another reason I love this group. I always look forward to doing the critiques, because I know I'm going to enjoy what I'm reading. Ali gave us another installment of her (literally) kick-ass book with the smart-ass voice. Way too much fun, and having to wait until September for the next installment is heartbreaking. Jenny's first installment of the novel she thought would be her under-the-bed book sets up what promises to be a creepily fun ride through a fictional Colorado county.
And as great as the submissions were, we all had a few problems with each of them. No surprise. Even in published works by my favorite authors I can find things that I think would work better a different way. Or I find typos that weren't caught by any of the edits. Something.
Here's the difference between this group and others I've been part of: these two excellent writers accepted the feedback and asked for more. There may have been explanations of "This is what I trying to say," but those were quickly followed by "Obviously, I need to clarify." At one point, Jenny pleaded, "Just tell me what to do!" This doesn't mean that they'll be writing something different from what they set out to write. It means that the changes will help them tell the story they wanted to in a way that readers will get it.
One of my earliest critiques of a short story went fairly well. But the climactic scene was of a man with terminal cancer being told by his family that it was okay for him to let go and die. Just about everyone in the room commented on whether they agreed with euthanasia or not. One person even called it the euthanasia story (I had submitted two that night). When it came around to a friend of mine, he defended it, saying that HE understood what was going on and that I shouldn't change a thing. Of course, I left that night secure in the fact that if this person got it and if I respected this person's opinion (which I do) and thought he was a good writer and editor (which I do) then I didn't need to change anything in my story. But by the time I got home, I realized that I wasn't writing the story for just him or people like him. That if only one person in twenty understood what I was going for, then I failed and failed miserably. I needed to rewrite the story so that it was clearer.
You may not agree with all of the critiques you get. You may get contradictory feedback--even in CWC we don't always agree and that's a good thing. You may think the negative feedback is dead wrong. But don't discount it completely. Think about WHY you are getting the feedback you are. "He just didn't get it." Okay. So why didn't he? Were you unclear? Were your facts wrong? Have you set up a character in such a way that she would never ever do what you've just had her do? That can work, but you have to show the reader a really great reason for her to act against her character. Have you not done enough world building? Sci-fi and Fantasy are not the only genres that require you build the set for your characters to act on. Are those characters realistic whether they are aliens or zombies or lawyers?
None of us write perfect first drafts. Well, some of my colleagues come close and I hate them a little for that. Shhh. Don't tell them. Even they have to revise, though. Everyone revises. At least, the really good ones do. Edittorrent addresses this on her blog as well. [Hyperlink supplied to further impress Oliver]
Embrace the critique! Embrace the revision! I'm learning to. It's not always easy. But you'll be glad you did.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Books Into Movies
We all know that the movie is never as good as the book. Ever. Right? Hold on a sec. That ain't necessarily so.
Recent case in point: Angels and Demons. Now this is your basic summer action flick. Nothing too deep and meaningful here. But it is a fun watch. Tom Hanks is good, as always. And the movie is made just a tad bit more watchable because of the presence of Ewan McGregor, who makes everything a tad bit (or a lot) more watchable. But I digress. Most of the people I know who have read both books think that Angels and Demons was much better than The DaVinci Code. But there were still some problems with A&D. Time lines didn't always make sense. Laws of physics were broken. Etc. The movie drops a ridiculous bit near the end of the book that had me screaming "I call no way!" So, movie better than book.
On Twitter last week, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy of MST3K and now Riff Trax fame were compiling a list of movies that were as good as the books they were based on. My own imperfect list follows. The movies may not all be better than the books, but they are good movies, IMHO.
--The Lord of the Rings
--To Kill A Mockingbird
--The Godfather (in which the movie dropped an icky unnecessary storyline about a bridesmaid and her. . .uhm. . .attribute)
--The General's Daughter (read and then seen because of Jenny's shortlived Book/Movie group)
--The Secret Life of Bees
--Black Hawk Down
--The Bone Collector
--Pride and Prejudice
--Brokeback Mountain
--The World According To Garp
--The French Lieutenant's Woman
--Bladerunner
--The Hunt For Red October
--The Harry Potter movies, especially the more recent ones
I know I'm forgetting some. There are also movies that I really liked, but didn't read the book so those aren't on the list.
Anyone have some to add?
Recent case in point: Angels and Demons. Now this is your basic summer action flick. Nothing too deep and meaningful here. But it is a fun watch. Tom Hanks is good, as always. And the movie is made just a tad bit more watchable because of the presence of Ewan McGregor, who makes everything a tad bit (or a lot) more watchable. But I digress. Most of the people I know who have read both books think that Angels and Demons was much better than The DaVinci Code. But there were still some problems with A&D. Time lines didn't always make sense. Laws of physics were broken. Etc. The movie drops a ridiculous bit near the end of the book that had me screaming "I call no way!" So, movie better than book.
On Twitter last week, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy of MST3K and now Riff Trax fame were compiling a list of movies that were as good as the books they were based on. My own imperfect list follows. The movies may not all be better than the books, but they are good movies, IMHO.
--The Lord of the Rings
--To Kill A Mockingbird
--The Godfather (in which the movie dropped an icky unnecessary storyline about a bridesmaid and her. . .uhm. . .attribute)
--The General's Daughter (read and then seen because of Jenny's shortlived Book/Movie group)
--The Secret Life of Bees
--Black Hawk Down
--The Bone Collector
--Pride and Prejudice
--Brokeback Mountain
--The World According To Garp
--The French Lieutenant's Woman
--Bladerunner
--The Hunt For Red October
--The Harry Potter movies, especially the more recent ones
I know I'm forgetting some. There are also movies that I really liked, but didn't read the book so those aren't on the list.
Anyone have some to add?
Sunday, May 31, 2009
CWC Rocks
Once again the anticipation was worse than the actuality. Everyone had the same problems with Vesta as before (and they really, really, really don't like Zack), but there were so many great suggestions that I'm excited about the possibilities. I especially like when someone suggested a change that I'd already thought of. Or when I said, "I know that I need to have this person at this event," and the whole table would bounce and say, "Yes!" Jenny said the bones are there, they just need fleshing out (which is how I tend to write). Mary said she likes the toys I've chosen to play with. How great are those comments?
Jenny posted about our critiquing in the dark. It seems crazy now that no one suggested we stop, but why would we? We still had a critique and a half to go. How could we short change Mary and Shane like that? I think it says something about why I love this group so much. Although there is friendship above and beyond our writing, when we're at CWC, it is all about the writing. There is a bit of small talk, but when it's time for business, that's it. We have Pirates and Sunday dinners and other gatherings for the other stuff.
Now it's time to start revisions of TNN so I'm ready to submit next month. Be aware of my usual shortcomings in the back of my mind, but let this one be what it needs to be at the same time. I'm just glad I'm not submitting a first draft this time around.
Jenny posted about our critiquing in the dark. It seems crazy now that no one suggested we stop, but why would we? We still had a critique and a half to go. How could we short change Mary and Shane like that? I think it says something about why I love this group so much. Although there is friendship above and beyond our writing, when we're at CWC, it is all about the writing. There is a bit of small talk, but when it's time for business, that's it. We have Pirates and Sunday dinners and other gatherings for the other stuff.
Now it's time to start revisions of TNN so I'm ready to submit next month. Be aware of my usual shortcomings in the back of my mind, but let this one be what it needs to be at the same time. I'm just glad I'm not submitting a first draft this time around.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
The Filing Cabinet Thing
Over at Jenny's blog, she talked about how Fred's death hit her and about how he left "file cabinets full of stuff."
Since Fred's funeral last week, I've thought about those file cabinets. They seem to always be on the periphery of my thoughts. Jenny has dedicated herself to accumulating her own cabinets. I'm struggling with the idea. You see, while I didn't know Fred nearly as well any of the others, I was the closest to his age. How many years did it take him to produce what is in those files? How many years did I waste not writing anything?
Intellectually, I know that I can't get back those years and that worrying about them is counterproductive. But the death of a friend isn't an intellectual exercise. It's all about the emotions. So this last week I've been trying to get out of my head and go with my gut. Let myself do whatever seems to be the thing to do at the time. Writing has not happened. At all. No new stuff. No rewrites. Not even Morning Pages. What I've tried to do is get some of the things done that nag at me while I write: clean out the spare room that is supposed to be made into a comfortable writing room, lawn work, other cleaning, etc. And I have done some of that. I also spent a whole day watching the first season of True Blood. I went out to see Star Trek yesterday. I may do dinner and another movie tomorrow.
But today I am writing. This entry--the first one in a couple weeks--is one example. Morning Pages are being made up. And the pages for rewrites are on the table next to me. I've decided it doesn't matter how much I have time to produce before I finally call it a day for this lifetime. Just that I do. That I keep doing this thing I love and not let anyone or anything deter me. That I also listen to my heart as much as my head, if not more, so that I continue to have something to write about. I want to remember that sometimes writing means doing something else. That you never know what will be the catalyst for a story or a character or a setting. That first and foremost a writer must live in the world so she can observe it, because that's what we really do. We observe and report. It's just that there's a lot of other things that go on between the observation and reporting.
I hope some of Fred's work is published. As much for his family and friends as for him. But another legacy he'll be able to claim will be the inspiration he's been to group of writers in Southern Colorado. Here's to a lot of overflowing file cabinets.
Since Fred's funeral last week, I've thought about those file cabinets. They seem to always be on the periphery of my thoughts. Jenny has dedicated herself to accumulating her own cabinets. I'm struggling with the idea. You see, while I didn't know Fred nearly as well any of the others, I was the closest to his age. How many years did it take him to produce what is in those files? How many years did I waste not writing anything?
Intellectually, I know that I can't get back those years and that worrying about them is counterproductive. But the death of a friend isn't an intellectual exercise. It's all about the emotions. So this last week I've been trying to get out of my head and go with my gut. Let myself do whatever seems to be the thing to do at the time. Writing has not happened. At all. No new stuff. No rewrites. Not even Morning Pages. What I've tried to do is get some of the things done that nag at me while I write: clean out the spare room that is supposed to be made into a comfortable writing room, lawn work, other cleaning, etc. And I have done some of that. I also spent a whole day watching the first season of True Blood. I went out to see Star Trek yesterday. I may do dinner and another movie tomorrow.
But today I am writing. This entry--the first one in a couple weeks--is one example. Morning Pages are being made up. And the pages for rewrites are on the table next to me. I've decided it doesn't matter how much I have time to produce before I finally call it a day for this lifetime. Just that I do. That I keep doing this thing I love and not let anyone or anything deter me. That I also listen to my heart as much as my head, if not more, so that I continue to have something to write about. I want to remember that sometimes writing means doing something else. That you never know what will be the catalyst for a story or a character or a setting. That first and foremost a writer must live in the world so she can observe it, because that's what we really do. We observe and report. It's just that there's a lot of other things that go on between the observation and reporting.
I hope some of Fred's work is published. As much for his family and friends as for him. But another legacy he'll be able to claim will be the inspiration he's been to group of writers in Southern Colorado. Here's to a lot of overflowing file cabinets.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)