Writer Camp, Day I

[whipchick]

In case anyone would like to follow along.

Nonfiction meets in a seminar room that feels straight out of Harry Potter - we're in a converted house called Sunset Cottage, in a room with walnut paneling and glass-fronted bookcases and a big square table that all 9 of us sit around.

IntroductionsThe teacher asked us to talk about our lives rather

Comments

[kandigurl]

Thank you so much for sharing with us! I will probably use some of those free-writing prompts over the next week or so. I'm usually not very moved by general prompts (so why am I doing LJI, GOOD QUESTION WHO KNOWS), but I like that these asked specific questions that force you to go to unusual/uncomfortable places.

[whipchick]

You're welcome! You know what was awesome? I'm not normally a freewriter, and I felt resistant to it. But each time we wrote, I came up with something. And most of it wasn't good, but there were a couple of kernels. Then, when I did the writing homework, I was all, ERMAGERD ISN'T EIGHT MINUTES ENOUGH WE HATESSSSS THISSSSS PRECIOUSSSS WE HATESSSS IT and then when I pushed through to do a few more minutes, something cool came up both times!

So enjoy :)

[kandigurl]

I always find that happens. :) Starting is the hardest part. We would do fifteen minute "word wars" during NaNoWriMo and just write without stopping for fifteen minutes. Usually when you're just writing and not thinking, something comes out, a new direction or a new character, something you never would have come up with if you just sat there thinking. It's crazy and awesome. :)

[lilycobalt]

This sounds like an amazing experience! I look forward to more writing camp posts from you.

[whipchick]

It is!! Thanks :)

[minnesattva]

Those things are not made of words--so any attempt will be failure

I like this a lot. :)

[whipchick]

Isn't that great? :)

Your notes, and punctuation

[drwex]

Sometimes semicolons are better than commas. I had to read starting with me: circus performer, ex-nun, philosophy professor, transgender MTF, advertising copywriter, Ph.D candidate ... three time before I parsed that it was not in fact a list about you. Or perhaps it was the leading colon that misled me. I was first shocked and amused and then bemused.

Your discussion of "truth" in writing reminds me of two things: in film the notion of "unreliable narrator." This is also done in writing, of course, but my two favorite examples come from film and of course I assume everyone has seen the films I think are important so you've seen (English) The Usual Suspects and (Japanese) Rashomon, right? Both are utterly brilliant, imo

Re: Your notes, and punctuation

[whipchick]

ARRRGGHHHH! You are right and I am so glad you caught that! I remember going, "Hmmmm...there should be semicolons there..." and then I either got distracted or fell asleep. So thank you. Though I love the idea of being an ex-nun circus performer who is also MTF and a judge.

Love The Usual Suspects, and I've never seen the film of Rashomon but I have read the play. And I love unreliable narrators. It's not quite the same concept, but I love American Beauty and knowing from the beginning narration that Lester Bangs is moving towards his own death...

That's so interesting about the photos, too. Yes, I totally understand! I go through that with video of performances. I think I might have to write a short story about the way that the post-event visual narrative shapes the memory of the actual event. Or maybe about a guy who literally alters the past with the photos...

Re: Your notes, and punctuation

[drwex]

I love American Beauty

Eee! It's a fantastic movie. One of my favorites both from a narrative and from a cinematic perspective. It's from that period where I felt Spacey could do no wrong and Sam Mendes shoots the movie in a way that is so reminiscent of older movies I adore. One of the things I like most about that movie is that it's a man who is doing everything he can to be unflinchingly honest with his life.

You know Sartre said that the only time we can be fully honest is when we are about to die? (yes, I'm pretty Existentialist when pressed)

the way that the post-event visual narrative shapes the memory of the actual event

Have you read any John Crowley?

[purplefrog26]

Oooh so glad you have enough energy to share this with us. I'm looking forward to checking out those pieces.