February 14, 2011
Moving Day
Hi there. If you're reading this it means you either have my old Blogger RSS feed or are coming directly to my Blogger URL. I've moved! Direct your browser to roshow.net for the latest or click here for the new RSS feed. Thanks for reading!
February 11, 2011
Close. To. The. Edge. (How I Make Stuff Up)
I recently read a fascinating piece on the always fascinating website, ribbonfarm.com about boundary conditions in mathematical models and how it relates to the author's thought process. Now for those of you not mathematically inclined, don't be scared! It doesn't involve numbers and equations; it's all explained in layman's terms.
It resonated strongly with me and my own creative process, so I wrote a reply. I thought those of you who swing by and read my work may find it interesting, so I'm "reprinting" it here. Feel free to share your own creative and thought processes. This kind of stuff interests me a lot.
I enjoyed this but from an admittedly egotistical point of view: you’ve described my thought process, too. I’m a storyteller, mostly of fiction, but I loved math growing up and it certainly set the tone for how I approach things. In fact, this is exactly how I come up with a story.
First, I do the brain-dump. I write down every little bit of information I have in my notebook. I’ll even sketch something if it’s important and easier than writing it. Once I get that all down, I break it down into usable pieces and I rearrange them into something coherent. The building blocks actually correlate to the three types you suggest above.
2. Constraints. These are usually technical stuff you have to adhere to. It includes stuff like format (script, prose, serial, single story) and length. If you’re writing for someone else, they may have story points you can’t alter (like say you’re told Bob and Jill can’t break up).
3. Boundaries. This is where the drama comes from! You push things to the limit and see what happens. For instance: Jill punches Bob.
What could have made Jill act in such a violent way? Is Bob going to react as he normally would and punch his wife? If they’re two superheroes fighting in their apartment, is that going to cause serious property damage? And, since they have to stay together, how do you resolve this situation in a way that doesn’t lead to a them breaking up? If it’s got to be a 100 word prose story, what details do I choose to include and how do I structure it?
As usual, thanks for giving me something to think about!
We continued the discussion a little bit in the comments section. Hop on over there to read the rest, if you're interested.
It resonated strongly with me and my own creative process, so I wrote a reply. I thought those of you who swing by and read my work may find it interesting, so I'm "reprinting" it here. Feel free to share your own creative and thought processes. This kind of stuff interests me a lot.
I enjoyed this but from an admittedly egotistical point of view: you’ve described my thought process, too. I’m a storyteller, mostly of fiction, but I loved math growing up and it certainly set the tone for how I approach things. In fact, this is exactly how I come up with a story.
First, I do the brain-dump. I write down every little bit of information I have in my notebook. I’ll even sketch something if it’s important and easier than writing it. Once I get that all down, I break it down into usable pieces and I rearrange them into something coherent. The building blocks actually correlate to the three types you suggest above.
[A few excerpts for those not reading the original article (but, seriously, read it!):
"Dynamics refers to how things change, and the laws govern those changes... Unlike dynamics, which dance around in exciting ways, constraints just sit there, usually messing up the dancing... When boundary conditions change, the effects can be extremely weird, and hard to sort out, if you aren’t looking at the right boundaries... But boundary conditions are where actual (as opposed to textbook) behaviors are born. And the more complex the boundary of a system, the less insight you can get out of a dynamics-and-constraints model that simplifies the boundary too much."]1. Dynamics. These are the basic cause-and-effect rules of the world in which the story takes place. Usually, it’s character stuff: relationships (Bob and Jill are married, so they probably kiss when they get home), personality (Bob has a temper, so if you punch him, he’ll punch you back but it takes a lot to enrage Jill). If you’re writing sci-fi/fantasy it could encompass physics (Bob and Jill are superheroes so they hit harder).
2. Constraints. These are usually technical stuff you have to adhere to. It includes stuff like format (script, prose, serial, single story) and length. If you’re writing for someone else, they may have story points you can’t alter (like say you’re told Bob and Jill can’t break up).
3. Boundaries. This is where the drama comes from! You push things to the limit and see what happens. For instance: Jill punches Bob.
What could have made Jill act in such a violent way? Is Bob going to react as he normally would and punch his wife? If they’re two superheroes fighting in their apartment, is that going to cause serious property damage? And, since they have to stay together, how do you resolve this situation in a way that doesn’t lead to a them breaking up? If it’s got to be a 100 word prose story, what details do I choose to include and how do I structure it?
As usual, thanks for giving me something to think about!
We continued the discussion a little bit in the comments section. Hop on over there to read the rest, if you're interested.
February 10, 2011
I Did A Guest Rant, Check It!
I did a guest rant for a friend's blog: What's Pissing Rolando Off? Subway Car Musicians.
February 7, 2011
After the Sun Sets
Every month With Painted Words puts up an image and invites writers to submit pieces inspired by it. As a fun exercise for myself, I will be playing along monthly. January's inspiration image was a photograph by Rod Walker.
Carl ran toward the setting sun as fast as he could, the stalks of corn scratching and slapping his face. He didn’t care. He had to try and outrace the sun, he thought. Then laughed. Only a kid thinks he can reach the horizon before the sun disappears behind it. He kept running, hoping anyway.
Carl was a sweaty, scrawny, budding alcoholic. The last thing he remembered before getting blacked-out-drunk was Billy betting him a new quad that he wouldn’t hang out in the cornfield till dark. Carl proclaimed he wasn’t afraid of any fairy tales (but he was) and took the bet. They started shotgunning beers to seal the deal. That must have been around two in the afternoon. The next thing Carl remembered was waking up in a pool of his own vomit, hungover and surrounded by endless fucking corn. So he got up and ran toward the setting sun as fast as he could.
The sun set. It got dark. Carl stopped running. He listened. The only sound was his beating heart. He took a few deep breaths. His heart slowed. He relaxed. It was just a fairy tale.
They sprung from the cornstalks and dug their teeth deep into Carl’s neck and thighs. His heart rate shot back up. His adrenaline flowed. Soon Carl didn’t feel anything. When they were done, they disappeared back into the cornfield. Carl’s emptied corpse was left alone in the moonlight.
If you'd like to read more, another submission of mine was published in their December 2010 issue.
 |
| Photograph by Rod Walker |
Carl was a sweaty, scrawny, budding alcoholic. The last thing he remembered before getting blacked-out-drunk was Billy betting him a new quad that he wouldn’t hang out in the cornfield till dark. Carl proclaimed he wasn’t afraid of any fairy tales (but he was) and took the bet. They started shotgunning beers to seal the deal. That must have been around two in the afternoon. The next thing Carl remembered was waking up in a pool of his own vomit, hungover and surrounded by endless fucking corn. So he got up and ran toward the setting sun as fast as he could.
The sun set. It got dark. Carl stopped running. He listened. The only sound was his beating heart. He took a few deep breaths. His heart slowed. He relaxed. It was just a fairy tale.
They sprung from the cornstalks and dug their teeth deep into Carl’s neck and thighs. His heart rate shot back up. His adrenaline flowed. Soon Carl didn’t feel anything. When they were done, they disappeared back into the cornfield. Carl’s emptied corpse was left alone in the moonlight.
If you'd like to read more, another submission of mine was published in their December 2010 issue.
February 4, 2011
Arnie Goes to the Carnival
I wrote this script for a possible gig. They want to do short animated videos starring a muscle-bound airhead with a giant ego but a good heart. It was great to get back to script writing. Prose fiction is fun, micro-fiction is super-fun but this is the most fun by a mile.
EXT. CARNIVAL - DAY
A beautiful sunny day at the carnival. Children run around, young couples stroll, parents drink sodas and eat pretzels... everyone's having a nice time.
SOUND EFFECT: BING!
EXT. CARNIVAL - "TEST YOUR STRENGTH" BOOTH - CONTINUOUS
ARNIE, a giant, comically oversized muscle-bound man, smiles ear to ear, one hand majestically holding the hammer, the other side receiving his stuff animal prize from the tired, old BOOTH ATTENDANT.
Arnie hands the prize over to JENNY, his date, a cute girl (maybe even a little artsy/dorky). She adds them to an already overwhelming armload of prizes. She looks bored.
EXT. CARNIVAL - DAY
A beautiful sunny day at the carnival. Children run around, young couples stroll, parents drink sodas and eat pretzels... everyone's having a nice time.
SOUND EFFECT: BING!
CUT TO:
EXT. CARNIVAL - "TEST YOUR STRENGTH" BOOTH - CONTINUOUS
ARNIE, a giant, comically oversized muscle-bound man, smiles ear to ear, one hand majestically holding the hammer, the other side receiving his stuff animal prize from the tired, old BOOTH ATTENDANT.
Arnie hands the prize over to JENNY, his date, a cute girl (maybe even a little artsy/dorky). She adds them to an already overwhelming armload of prizes. She looks bored.
ARNIE: Again!
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