Since I developed this site... I've been having the distinct joy of having to type in lyrics and credits for many songs I haven't heard or thought of in years
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I never write from personal persepctive. I've always felt that writing about yourself is generally a mistake for anyone. It is impossible to be objecttive and it tends toward self-indulgence.
I so hear this. I TEACH this. But.
The flip side of this, to me, is I don't want my work to be 100 percent objective. I am often nervous about self-indulgence (which is why I've been reticent to do any one-man-show stuff--the grand emperor of self-indulgence). But writing from completely outside myself also feels like a trap. It's like I'm playing at something I have no real knowledge of. It allows for a strings-free approach, no vulnerability. Like I'm writing around something instead of writing through it. If that makes sense.
This strikes a chord with me right now because of the project I'm working on. It's based on an event that happened to me and more so to my brothers. I think it has a curious balance of involvement and detachment for me. I'm able to say "This is what happened...and this is the world of the play." I'm enjoying the process.
I'm working on a one man show, but for exactly the reaons you speak of, it is me playing 6 characters that aren't me at all.
and I have the perfect title for it
"Ernie Lijoi - Together at Last!"
I might be good, when writing about what happened to you, write it happening to a character who is like you, but choose a few specifics that make that character distinctly _not_ you.
Oh, that's already happening. I can't help but do that when I write anyway. I'm sort of a fly-by-night cook when behind the keyboard, playing around with different rhythms and combinations of traits. It's all fixable in the rewrite.
My writing is all informed by my experiences. Even when I write novels with female protags, it's all me in there. Thankfully, I've had a lot of experiences. Right now I'm writing about the first time sex was funny. It's cool.
I so hear this. I TEACH this. But.
The flip side of this, to me, is I don't want my work to be 100 percent objective. I am often nervous about self-indulgence (which is why I've been reticent to do any one-man-show stuff--the grand emperor of self-indulgence). But writing from completely outside myself also feels like a trap. It's like I'm playing at something I have no real knowledge of. It allows for a strings-free approach, no vulnerability. Like I'm writing around something instead of writing through it. If that makes sense.
This strikes a chord with me right now because of the project I'm working on. It's based on an event that happened to me and more so to my brothers. I think it has a curious balance of involvement and detachment for me. I'm able to say "This is what happened...and this is the world of the play." I'm enjoying the process.
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and I have the perfect title for it
"Ernie Lijoi - Together at Last!"
I might be good, when writing about what happened to you, write it happening to a character who is like you, but choose a few specifics that make that character distinctly _not_ you.
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