Wednesday, November 9, 2011
A Picture is Worth... Well, it's Worth it's Own Story
I'm gearing up to revise and edit. Yet I can't seem to find the motivation. I think about all I have to do and suddenly I have to clip my fingernails. Or wash my windows. Or scrub out the funk that grows in the bottom of the refrigerator. (Is it only my fridge that grows that funk? Don't answer that.)
What I think I need is a creative jumpstart. So I thought we could have some fun today.
I think we've done this exercise before but it's a good one and is worth repeating. Below I've posted a few paintings. Choose one and write a bit about it. You can write about what you think is happening in the painting or you can write about what you think happened before or after the scene depicted.
And let's talk about getting our creative juices going, folks. What exercises work for you to get your brain thinking about writing? Editing is much different than writing. How do you make the jump from the very creative act of writing to the very detail oriented act of editing?
Here are the paintings:
What I think I need is a creative jumpstart. So I thought we could have some fun today.
I think we've done this exercise before but it's a good one and is worth repeating. Below I've posted a few paintings. Choose one and write a bit about it. You can write about what you think is happening in the painting or you can write about what you think happened before or after the scene depicted.
And let's talk about getting our creative juices going, folks. What exercises work for you to get your brain thinking about writing? Editing is much different than writing. How do you make the jump from the very creative act of writing to the very detail oriented act of editing?
Here are the paintings:
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35 comments:
It's funny, but I think of editing as creative. This is when I add description, tighten the sentences and the story. For me, that's the creative part. I'm ten pages in. 240 more to go. *chants* I can do this. I can do this.
Music is working for me lately. Which is ironic since I can't listen to music while writing. But finding the right music gets the ideas going. This morning it's Sara Bareilles. Fits my heroine perfectly.
I like that first painting. Let me fiddle with it a bit and see what I come up with.
Marn, it does seem harder sometimes to get the energy up for revising/editing. I usually do it by telling myself I'll just work on one small part -- a scene, or looking for extra spaces -- something to get me going that doesn't involve a lot of effort. And then I'm in it, working and I'm fine. I think it's hard to get started because we know how BIG the project can be.
As for the pics. . . the first one has me laughing.
"Don't touch my hand again."
"I'm not touching you." He moves his hand slightly. "See?"
She snorted. "You might as well be."
"Oh, so you WANT me to touch you?"
Her eyes finally lost their glassy quality, narrowing on him instead. Why had she agreed to this outing? It wasn't because of the receding hairline, or the beard that could keep a family of mice warm for an entire winter. And it certainly wasn't for his ability to keep her entertained.
She would spend the next hour plotting how to fit the parasol through the slats of the bench, at just the right angle. . .
Huzzah for Bo'sun for her momentum in her awesome story--though what I really want to say is: "Stop being a show-off contrarian." (Marn, I'm with you! Once I get to the end of the story and know how it ends, it ceases being particularly creative for me. Editing is even harder work than the writing was. *LOL*)
And I nearly snorted soda out of my nose reading Donna's tidbit. Holy shit.
Though I admit, I was sorta hearing the same conversation when I looked at that picture. And what IS with that beard anyway? I thought the 70s hairstyles were bad.
I won't be doing pic 1 now. LOL! That's hysterical, Donna. And fits the image perfectly.
Terri, when I started writing it, your comment wasn't there -- so I didn't mean to steal that pic from you!
Hellie, the first thing I noticed was her glassy stare. And then that monstrous beard took over. LOL
Picture 2--
"Charles, would you please move the umbrella a bit to the left. You're hogging it again. What are you staring at?"
"Nothing."
"Clearly it's not nothing or you wouldn't be so lax with the umbrella. This dress is brushed velvet, you know. The one that made you swoon at the tailor's bill...."
"I have never swooned. Don't exaggerate, woman."
"Ah-ha, it's the gentlemen's club. Only I just saw a woman enter that establishment. Do you know that woman?"
"What are you rambling on about now? Just take the umbrella!"
"Don't change the subject. You KNOW her, don't you? Don't lie. I saw her look at you."
"You are hysterical. You need to see the doctor."
"Yes, I'm so hysterical, I might see him every day this week if you keep this up."
Last pic:
“Hey, Betsy,” I said, tapping her on the shoulder. “You forgot something this morning.”
“No I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did.”
“You’re going to get us run over.” Betsy weaved around a group of teen boys who’d stopped in front of them. “What’s they’re problem?”
“The thing you forgot.”
Betsy finally stopped, causing me to run into her. “All right, smartass. What did I forget?”
I dropped my eyes several inches below her chin then raised a brow. Betsy followed my gaze.
“Oh shit.”
LOL! We all need a little treatment for Hysteria. If only we could make an appointment for that without having to go all skeevy.
No problem, Donna. You did better than I would have.
And there are already words on the page! It's like accessorizing the awesome outfit you just made. Adding touches to a simple black dress to make it a showstopper. This is the fun part!
*ducks flying bottle*
You guys are hilarious! Love both of these stories. And I love how the one particular detail in each painting is the catalyst. :)
I guess Terri's inspired me to work on some revisions now. Well, maybe not NOW. But soon. Ish. Is that a cobweb under the bookshelf. . .
Bo'sun - I WISH I found this part creative. I hate this part. And I knew it would be painful but this is awful. LOL!! Maybe I should look into music too.....
I agree with Hells though! Huzzah on your momentum! I'm so happy for you. :)
Donna - hahahaa!! That's great. That guy's beard is weird, huh? And I loved the look on her face too.
I think I'm going to just force myself in with the one scene at a time thing. That's probably my best bet to at least get going.
I'm allergic to exercise.
I've never actually had to sit down and edit a whole story all the way through. Writing fan fiction and posting a chapter at a time, I got in the habit of writing what I wanted to post, editing and fine toothing it and posting. Then I'd move on to the next part.
Since my early days as a new writer, I've changed my strategy a bit. Now I write something fully before I post, but I still edit chapter to chapter. I think it works a bit better for me. I find that once I stop for the night, unless I read back through what I was writing before I can't pick up where I left off the night before. And I make notes, like what I was listening to at the time I was writing.
But music is what mostly drives me to create.
Bo'sun - I love it! I didn't even notice that she was hanging low until you mentioned it. LOL!! That's great. :)
Hells - I like that too. He IS hogging the umbrella! What a jerk, right?
I'm going to pick one of these here in a second too....
And there are already words on the page! It’s like accessorizing the awesome outfit you just made. Adding touches to a simple black dress to make it a showstopper. This is the fun part!
You're right to duck, sister. What if the words that are already there suck! *runs away, face in hands*
Well, maybe not NOW. But soon. Ish. Is that a cobweb under the bookshelf.
Exactly. I feel your pain. Where's my Lysol?
I have to ask--are both the women braless in Terri's picture? (It's now TERRI'S picture...it's not picture #4. *LOL*)
I laughed at Terri's paragraph until I realized I was probably the one who forgot her bra when she left the house.
"Jesus, am I still wearing my pajama bottoms?"
I'm just waiting for the What Not to Wear people to show up at my house. Which reminds me I should probably move before they find me. Keep them guessing.
Now I'm going to start throwing things. YOUR WORDS DO NOT SUCK!! This is about the story. You told the story. It's a GOOD story. Could it have one leg that is a little "lacking" making the entire thing wobble a bit? Sure. So you pull out your repair kit, i.e. fold the napkin up and stick it under that leg. Voila! No more wobble.
Donna has the right idea. One scene at a time. Or one chapter at at time as Sin says. What I'm finding is that once I'm in there, working, the answers come out. They're all in there. Trust your story. And your characters. Best lesson I've learned. (From a blog by Sherilyn Kenyon that Hellie sent me once.)
I considered that but I'm pretty sure the chick in the back is well supported, and not just by the dress. LOL!
I've nearly walked out of the house in my slippers, but never missing a piece of clothing. NEVER without a bra.
I love Terri's analogy, but what if you're not an accessorizer? I mean, that sorta loses the momentum of the analogy, doesn't it?
"It's like choosing the right necklace to wear with your little black dress."
"I don't have any necklaces."
"Earrings then."
"They make my ears hurt. I usually leave them off."
"The right clutch purse, then!"
"I don't know. I just have the one purse. I'm not very frou-frou."
"You're a man is what you are. A man wearing a LBD."
What Not To Wear usually finds you at work. You've worked in the same place for more than a decade. Good luck thwarting them.
Dude. You know me. I write SPARSE. I am not an accessorizer. Analogy still fits. It could be the right shade of lipstick. That's all you need. Sometimes less is more. You can still manage that one little perfect twist to dress it up.
Could it have one leg that is a little “lacking” making the entire thing wobble a bit? Sure. So you pull out your repair kit, i.e. fold the napkin up and stick it under that leg. Voila! No more wobble.
Anyone else remember the episode from That 70s Show when Red is out of a job and "fixes" the wobbly table? Yeah, I remember it too.
Nice try, Terri! Glad to see Pollyanna back in full force.
I'm going to go with what I read yesterday in my Harry Potter class. JKR didn't have perfect books--or a perfect story. There were plenty of plot holes everyone likes to bitch about when they're not bitching about her overuse of adverbs--but her story was so good it resonates with a great number of people. Your story will never be perfect; it will always wobble just a little bit, but if you tell the story the best way you know how, with all the passion you have for it, and show us how much you care about these characters--we'll care about your characters too. And it will all work out.
I'm not a fan of lipstick per se, but for the sake of your analogy I will agree to shoes. The right shoes for me make the dress. There, we've compromised. I think I hear angels singing.
How could I forget the shoes!! Anyone else get that shoe ad in their email with the smoking hot heels you can buy for like $39.99? Kills me that I can't buy those pretty things. Or more that if I bought them I'd never be able to wear them. *whimpers*
Crap. Are you serious? WORK?
Dude, I'm wearing a t-shirt and sweat pants today (because sweat pants weigh less at WW meetings)--I'm totally a MARK!
I've seen those ads but I steer clear. It's gotta be some sign up thing where they send you a pair of shoes a week or a new pair a month and I don't need more of a shoe collection than I already have. As far as I'm concerned, $39.95 is expensive.
But I do want them. In a bad way. My five inchers are my favorite shoes.
My five inchers are my favorite shoes.
Ahhh, shoes. I thought you were talking about your ice picks.
Of course, I imagine you have the ice picks disguised as stiletto heels. :)
For fun, I tried on some stilettos in Payless not long ago. Nearly fell over. LOL!
I’m going to go with what I read yesterday in my Harry Potter class. JKR didn’t have perfect books–or a perfect story. There were plenty of plot holes everyone likes to bitch about when they’re not bitching about her overuse of adverbs–but her story was so good it resonates with a great number of people. Your story will never be perfect; it will always wobble just a little bit, but if you tell the story the best way you know how, with all the passion you have for it, and show us how much you care about these characters–we’ll care about your characters too. And it will all work out.
I've always said that!
Picture #1
"Egads! Is that the giant oxyphantageous fribble legged flea on the back on your hand!?" He leaned in closer.
"Don't be absurd, I don't have fleas." God, she was so bored.
"No! I saw...where did it go?" He stood up and one hand rose to scratch at his beard.
A small smile crossed her face. Harold's bug collection came in handy now and then. Gerald Hornbottle wouldn't bother her again.
---
How do I deal with gearing up for edits. Well, deadlines are great motivators. Create edits are harder than editor edits. But it is hard to get into editor edits sometimes, because I know how much it will suck my time, but it is always worth it once done. I think that is the focus that works for me...keeping my eye on the finished product.
I’ve always said that!
Now you know what it feels like. *LOL* Irksome isn't it?
Well, a little. But the message is more important than who said it... As I wrote you yesterday...I hope I tell good stories and succeed to some degree of what your instructor wrote of.
It does sound like an interesting class!
Sin - I think that writing all the way through is the way to go too. Polish as you go always gets me into trouble. Because I polish and then polish... and then polish.... Well, you get the idea. :) How's Nano?
“You’re a man is what you are. A man wearing a LBD.”
I resemble this remark. LMAO!
What Not to Wear? I keep waiting for them to show up at my house. Jeans and multi colored t-shirt, sneakers, is pretty much my staple. It's sad.
Hells - I love what you say about JKR's writing. You're right. I think ultimately we need to remember to be true to our voice. That the best stories happen out of our own soul. That's hard though. LOL!
Sin - you wear 5 in heels? I would fall. I would fall with one inch. Besides, wearing heels is like painting a target on my back. THe kids know I can't run after them as fast. See above about sneakers.
Chance - hahahaah!! I love that. Bugs. I wouldn't have thought of that one. LOL!!
Marn, first thing that popped into my head. He's pointing at something on the back of her hand. And he looks like a scientist and she looks bored... ;-)
Picture #1. Could this be a self portrait by Manet in his conservatory .... the beard would certainly fit!
He's clearly explaining the mysteries of French expressionism.
Gentleman:
"But Madame, we try to capture the essence of reality.
Forget the awful realism and dream only of beauty and poetry my dear.
I am in need of a model for my next painting and I do believe that your beauty and smile would be perfect.
I had this awful dream last night. Someone painting a picture kept saying 'post-impressionism'
I woke in a sweat and ran for my brushes.
Oh how I long to paint you"
Lady:
"Bugger off!"
Or Donna's suggestion would fit nicely. *grin*
Nice, Q! And again, you show your advanced level of education. Though I think the art exhibit I went to last year at the deYoung was Post-impressionism... Manet, Monet and the like? Whister's Mother...
All I know...it was impressive!
I just love it...like he's a movie producer...baby, you could be in pictures!
(I am not deliberately trying to be punny.)
This was great, Q! :) Sorry it took me so long to respond. But great. LOL!
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