Thursday, May 8, 2008
Off to the Races
And their off!
As all of you are reading this, I will be at the greyhound race track. Some of my coworkers and I have the day off, so we decided to make it a girl’s day out. Woo Hoo! Sorry, I don’t get out much.J I will spend the day gambling, drinking, laughing, and eating, but not necessarily in that order. I’m not much of a drinker, or gambler, but I can laugh and eat with the best of them.
Today is all about fun, relaxation, and girl time. Well almost…
I’m not so sure watching greyhounds race down a dirt track is the epitome of fun, but I’m not at work, and I have a drink in my hand.
By now, you are all probably wondering how this is related to writing- brace yourselves for the big reveal.
Today is not only a girl’s day out, but also research for my WIP. I’m planning a gambling scene in Picture This (tentative title). Today I am a sponge, all pertinent action, such as placing a bet, reaction of winners, and dirty little jokes told throughout the day will be filed away for future reference.
It doesn’t matter where you are during your free time, everything around you can be resourceful. I always carry a mini notebook and a pen at all times. I have recorded scenes at ballgames, church picnics, shopping malls, and even the grocery store. I think like a writer no matter what role I am currently playing in my life. Some of the funniest dialogue, and situations come from places you least expect.
Saturday night our family is attending the WWE Wrestlemania. It’s an early birthday present for my eight-year-old son. I am not a fan of wrestling, but have you ever suffered through anything for the sake of your child’s pleasure? I’m not planning a wrestling scene in my WIP, but part of the story takes place in redneck territory so I’m going armed with pen and notebook. I may get a lot of curious looks, and harassment from my son, but if life gives you a ring of wrestlers, wield a pen and record the action.
I won’t be around to comment today but I’ll catch up by late afternoon.
Cheers!
Have you ever planned a scene in your WIP around something you’ve witnessed at a social event? Have you ever used dialogue you’ve exchanged with a friend in your WIP?
Do you carry a notebook and pen wherever you go?
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17 comments:
What does it say about me that I went to a greyhound track on my honeymoon? In January.
I carry the notebook. The last thing I worte down was something a teen girl said to me: "hidden among the hidden," describing what she did to avoid confrontation. I loved it so much I told her I was going to use it in a book, and I did---stuck it in Paradise, even in the synopsis. But mostly I must not be hanging around interesting people, cause there's not much I hear that's worth immortalization.
I actually don't carry a notebook. I should, though, but I'm so forgetful that I end up forgetting the thing at home. I have a journal for when I'm home and just need to make notes, but if I'm out, I end up writing on whatever is handy. Receipts, napkins, etc.
Probably not that efficient.
I hope you had fun at the races today, Lis. I've never seen a greyhound race, but I've been to the horse races numerous times (my dad=big fan).
Yup, I carry a little notebook in my car and in my purse. I don't normally record anything down until I get home at night, but bits of dialogue I will write down because it seems like good dialogue only happens once in a blue moon for me.
I use dialogue between my heroes and heroine that Mattycakes and I have. And now you'll know how truly sarcastic we are to each other. LOL
Lisa! If anyone deserves a little time off for drinking and having a good time, it's you! Have a great time today!
I always carry a notebook and I do jot down impressions and bits of conversation. I never consult the notebook when I am writing though. Just writing stuff down seems to engrave it on my brain, so it's there when I need it.
Not long ago I pulled off the road to write a brief description of a woman pounding a "For Sale by Owner" sign in front of a gorgeous house. She was young, and both the house and the car in the driveway were expensive, but there was dejection in every line of her body. I wrote the first scene of a new book based on that image, but I didn't once refer to the notebook. The image was vivid in my head.
Wow, Janga, very vivid imagery! As I was reading your comment I could see it too so clearly.
Yes, Yes, and Yes. I do the second one so much, Terri lectures me about it. What? I've changed OUR names and setting! It was a really good piece of dialogue!
Oh, and I love greyhounds (though not really racing)--they have necks.
I also can't bear to watch horse racing because I know they will run their hearts out--they love it--but their bones are so thin for all their muscles...it kills me when they snap something. I suppose the "majority" of them are fine; and lots of athletes collapse on the field (football players who collapse and are young don't bother me near as much as horses with broken legs)--but it kills me. Horses are so beautiful. They should be kept to pastures to run around and eat grass...
Sin, I think that it is the vivid image that leads us to play the "what if. . ." game. I wondered why someone selling that kind of house wouldn't put it in the hand of a realtor. Then I wondered what if she was the architect as well as the owner. What if her husband had been killed and she insisted on selling their dream home that they never moved into so that she could be sure the right person lived in their "house of dreams"? I was off !
I do carry a notebook in my purse, but all my ideas that need written down happen either while driving or trying to fall asleep. Luckily, I have a large legal pad in my truck and variuos notepads around the house. Kiddo likes to draw so we always have notepads around.
I don't think I've used any real life dialogue, but I think about using real life situations. Mostly I take a real life situation that didn't end or go the way I wished and change it so it does. Sort of like putting happy endings on things that didn't end happy.
Have fun at the races. I still get depressed everytime I think about last week's derby. So sad. I've been to horse races but never the dogs. Sounds like a good way to blow off some steam and have a fun girls day out.
Janga - You are off and running. And I'm so excited to see you say you started another story. Yippee!
Have a great time, Lisa! You're only doing what pirates do, climb ashore and spend every last dime on drink, gambling, and fun. :-) Then you'll take the adventure and spin a tale of debauchery to yer mates.
I have notebooks with me all the time. I like to record vivid imagery and the feelings inspired by what I see.
Oh, the horrors of last week's race. Reminds me of poor Barbaro too.
Sounds like a fun day, Lisa. Enjoy!
I am guilty of using real dialogue. I happen to frequently be in the the company of supreme smarta$$es and some of the dialogue is just too priceless to pass up. Like Hellion though I would definitely change the names and protect the not so innocent!
I keep telling myself I need to do the notepad thing. I put one next to my bed. Now I have to put one in the car and my purse!
The Derby this year was definitely another sad one. There's nothing worse than an injured horse. I kept asking why they couldn't do a little orthopaedic surgery and then put them out to pasture or something. It seems they always have to put them down, though. It's so black and white with those animals.
I know Irish. I've been reluctant to talk about the Derby since it happened. I bawled my eyes out because I wanted her to win. But with two broken front ankles, the kindest thing they could've done was put her out of her misery.
They say it's because if the horse can't stand up on its feet, it will die. Since she'd broken both front legs (ankles?), there was no way she'd stand again. I think infection sets in if they can't stand; and it just prolongs them dying.
It's still depressing. Feed those guys calcium for goodness sakes!
I heard today PETA is trying to get the owner to donate the winnings to their organization so they can work to protect these animals. Yeah, right. Stupid nitwits. She ran her heart out to finish second at the cost of her own life so you could benefit from it.
Puleaze.
And if this brushes too close to political talk, my apologies. I love animals. But this group has their main office here where I live and I just don't like their tactics.
I'm back from the races, and sorry to say I lost a chunk of change:( But! both of my friends were big winners:) Stella who is a single mom and struggles to make ends meet won 800.00! My friend Ruth won a 1000.00. We had such a good time, I appreciate you all commenting and holding down the ship for me today.
I didn't see the Derby but hearing about it made me so sad. So heartbreaking.
Janga your discription of the girl pounding the for sale sign in the yard is so vivid. Awesome imagery.I can see why it enticed you to write. I love moments like that that spark the muse.
I use dialogue I hear at work all the time in my writing. I work with men and women,and I hear bits and pieces of conversations about every walk of life. I always change things to protect the innocent, but most of my coworkers know I'm a writer so they look at me and say "Put that in your book." LOL
All the time. I find all kinds of inspiration from life. A few months back when I went to a writer's retreat, one of the ladies wore a t-shirt that said something along the lines like, be careful what you do, you may end up in my book. I absolutely loved it.
When you said races, I thought you might mean drags, they are coming here in a few weeks and there is nothing like the sound of the roaring engines as they speed down the track at 300+ mph.
Renee
Renee
I've missed you! Hope life is treating you well. I love the t-shirt. I need one of those. I work with a surgeon that every time something naughty is said he looks at me and says "More material."
Thanks for dropping by.
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