Early 'spam, then I'm calling it a day

[cleolinda]

So I finally caught up and watched the two episodes of True Blood and I kind of loved it. Like, not even ironically--genuinely loved it although there was kind of some snarky love in there as well. Put on some pants, Anna Paquin. Part of me wants to write up an in-depth thing about it, and part of me, mostly the part centered around my sinuses,

Comments

[laughingacademy]

It was good despite the plot? Thank you for validating my decision to avoid writing classes in college.

[spectralbovine]

Writing classes in college were the only reason I got anything written in college. They're good for forcing you to actually produce content, which gives you practice. And they taught me to focus on character. Which...may be why I have such a hard time coming up with plots.

So, anyway, I'm really glad I took writing classes in college. Even though they are, of course, bizarrely subjective. One of my instructors thought my story had, essentially, too many stylistic shifts for a seventeen-page story. My next one thought it was good and helped me revise it to submit to an English department competition judged by professional writers. Where it won $1000, the one and only prize.

(Hilariously, I submitted the same story to a student-run contest judged by graduate students. Where it won $150. Which was second place.)

[cleolinda]

I will say, I had a great professor for that particular workshop--Brad Watson; he left after only a semester, but I saw a book of his at Books-a-Million and I'd love to hunt him down again--who was really, really supportive of the whole Black Ribbon. He didn't give me that backhanded compliment stuff; I got it all from classmates. (Who were, themselves, good people. Just... very "literary" types.)

[raz0rgirl]

Have you ever seen (and/or read) Wonder Boys? It's fiction, but it's like watching a documentary of any given English department (which, having spent a lot of time in English departments, I have much love for). I love the workshop scene.

[cpl593h]

YAAAAY Another season of True Blood! I love it to death, even though Jason Stackhouse looks like my creepy ex and even though watching him have sex is kind of hot, it's all kinds of wrong in my head.

[laurelin_kit]

We Finally Realize Where We've Seen 'Fringe' Before [Find The Pattern Of Plagarism]. Or "plagiarism," even.

Mmm. I'm going with no on this one. (Unless Pacey is like Pacey #7 and they give me a live-action montage of glorious repeated deaths, in which case I'll watch Fringe forever.) But otherwise, that seems like a stretch. There needs to be more epic failure in Fringe before I start thinking Venture.

[spectralbovine]

"Wow, this has a plot, but it's actually pretty good."
Oh dear.

I suck at describing things, so I would never tell you more about the teacup, but I would certainly tell you what a character is thinking in five different metaphors. And my literary idol is Lorrie Moore, so I think I may have that tendency toward, er, a clarifying moment of ambiguity.

The whole "literary fiction" thing is such bullshit, really. That shouldn't be a fucking genre! It's just fiction! And I hate that I feel like I shouldn't try to write...literarily because that would make me pretentious.

[rinnamarie]

No kidding. I hate reading books where you can just TELL that the author is trying to be literary. You can't force that stuff.

[spectralbovine]

Yeah, I really liked Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects, but there were definite times where I could sort of hear her saying, "Goddammit, this better get me on the New York Times bestseller list!" And it's a first-person narrator, so it's worse since you're like Who thinks like that??

[fallingmallorn]

What's with everyone ragging on Jodie Foster for wearing Birks? This is supposed to be surprising after she announces a spokesmanship with Burt's Bees? Really? Next they'll be utterly outraged that she's buys granola or something. :/

I loving the Inkheart poster, though...
Poster: SPARKLY SHINEY MONSTERY KEWL!!one!!!1!
Brendan Fraser: Must...keep....eyes...open....
Watchful Daughter Is Watchful: C'mon, dad, I'm right above you, so don't fall asleep. Don't you dare embarrass me in front of Gollum King Kong Tattooed Evil Guy. Remember, I'ma watchin' you.