8 replies to this topic

[whirlybird]

I was just going over a section of my story that I haven't looked at in awhile and wondered who in the world wrote it. Although vaguely familiar, I certainly didn't remember the specifics. Sometimes this happens and I'm pleasantly surprised at the beautiful way a particular portion is written and other time I've been appalled.

Or is it just me? I'm now 50 after all and I might be losing my mind slowly but surely.

But, then again, maybe it's the computer gremlins at work

-Whirlybird

[Thoth]

whirlybird, on 07 November 2011 - 03:10 PM, said:

I was just going over a section of my story that I haven't looked at in awhile and wondered who in the world wrote it. Although vaguely familiar, I certainly didn't remember the specifics. Sometimes this happens and I'm pleasantly surprised at the beautiful way a particular portion is written and other time I've been appalled.

I look at things I've written in the 80s and marvel at it. We all change over time and so does our writing style. Over a long stretch of time it is inevitable that we would find work that is beautiful to us, and work that is appalling to us. It's just time and statistics, don't you think?

whirlybird, on 07 November 2011 - 03:10 PM, said:

Or is it just me? I'm now 50 after all and I might be losing my mind slowly but surely.

Well, I'm over fifty. And I can tell you with absolute certainty that, yes, what we experienced was normal, and yes, we are losing our minds. But perhaps it will make us better writers.

whirlybird, on 07 November 2011 - 03:10 PM, said:

But, then again, maybe it's the computer gremlins at work

Ooo. ***shakes fist at screen menacingly*** Those rascally Blue Button Gremlins! I wouldn't put it past 'em.
-Thoth

[whirlybird]

Thoth, on 07 November 2011 - 05:10 PM, said:

I look at things I've written in the 80s and marvel at it. We all change over time and so does our writing style. Over a long stretch of time it is inevitable that we would find work that is beautiful to us, and work that is appalling to us. It's just time and statistics, don't you think?


Well, I'm over fifty. And I can tell you with absolute certainty that, yes, what we experienced was normal, and yes, we are losing our minds. But perhaps it will make us better writers.


Ooo. ***shakes fist at screen menacingly*** Those rascally Blue Button Gremlins! I wouldn't put it past 'em.
-Thoth

Hi T,

I guess what really scares me is I was looking at something I just wrote a few months ago. Mostly it was a paragraph here, a few lines there but still they were foreign to me. Mindless Writers could be new name for a writing group. What do you think?

I love your visuals, T. I can actually see those Blue Button Gremlins laughing up a storm while I peer helplessly at the screen, wondering who wrote parts of my story. Of course, their cousins, the Green Gremlins, live in my house and hide stuff from me all the time. At least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it

-W

[Marguerite]

whirlybird, on 07 November 2011 - 03:10 PM, said:

I was just going over a section of my story that I haven't looked at in awhile and wondered who in the world wrote it. Although vaguely familiar, I certainly didn't remember the specifics. Sometimes this happens and I'm pleasantly surprised at the beautiful way a particular portion is written and other time I've been appalled.

Or is it just me? I'm now 50 after all and I might be losing my mind slowly but surely.

But, then again, maybe it's the computer gremlins at work

-Whirlybird

I often forget specifics, as in I go back to a passage convinced that it does or doesn't say something, only to discover the opposite. Or I describe X, only to realize I described it in three previous chapters (not always the same way). Storyist stores the names and details of minor characters and settings, but even Storyist can't save me when I add a line saying that my heroine lives on the first floor, only to find her running down the stairs ten pages later. (True story. It happened this afternoon.) It doesn't help that this was my practice novel, which I've rewritten at least a dozen times and which has accrued all kinds of gunk during the rewrites. But in this case the whole chapter is less than a month old. Sigh.

Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised. Other times, ack! I wonder why I bother. But as Thoth says, it's part of the process. And the results do seem to get generally better over time.

And yes, I am over 50, and if I am not losing my mind, it's only because I have none left to lose.

Or the computer gremlins. I could go for that.
M

[Thoth]

For me the worst part isn't forgetting the occasional fact—I keep track of things like a character's address and apartment number in Character Notes. I even note facts beforehand that I know I'll probably never use (like telephone number or mother's maiden name). The worst part, for me, is losing the character's voice. He/She will be talking and suddenly he/she will sound like a totally different person. Vernacular is often how the reader identifies and remembers a character ("What is it to you?" asks the Bronx cabbie versus "Whatsit tooyah?"). Does this character always have a growly voice? Is this other character always pleasant? Is she always mean to subordinates? Does he always toady to the boss with lots of "yes, sirs"? I'm always shocked (shocked I say!) at how much alike most characters sound in text. Shouldn't I be able to tell them apart just by how they're written (like on the forum)?

Oh, one other thing: nicknames! Did you ever have a character consistently call another character a nickname (e.g., "Champ" ) and then suddenly call him something else (e.g., "Blue Gremlin") without reason? It would be like Macbeth suddenly calling Lady Macbeth "Queenie" (after he kills Duncan, of course).

%#@&
-Thoth

[Ironbark]

Thoth, on 08 November 2011 - 02:44 AM, said:

Oh, one other thing: nicknames! Did you ever have a character consistently call another character a nickname (e.g., "Champ" ) and then suddenly call him something else (e.g., "Blue Gremlin") without reason? It would be like Macbeth suddenly calling Lady Macbeth "Queenie" (after he kills Duncan, of course).

Now that is an interesting image! I'll be smiling a while at that.

Character names are an interesting diversion for me at this point. I think most of us are familiar with the "prior loading" that names have. If you have only ever known one Wolfgang, and he was a jerk, you will be wary of people with that name. If you have known five Jennifers and they were all wonderful, you will gravitate to the next Jennifer you meet.

What I am discovering at present is that I created a somewhat diffident character, often delightful but sometimes downright difficult for my protagonist called Joanna in the opening chapter of my current novel project. She is a central character. I had never known a Joanna in person, which was one reason I chose the name. And now I have met a Joanna and become good friends, but I actually found my perception and approach to the real Joanna preloaded by the experiences "living with" my character. I think it is time to have a straight jacket fitted.

[Thoth]

pjc, on 08 November 2011 - 12:06 PM, said:

Now that is an interesting image! I'll be smiling a while at that.

Thank you.

pjc, on 08 November 2011 - 12:06 PM, said:

Character names are an interesting diversion for me at this point. I think most of us are familiar with the "prior loading" that names have. If you have only ever known one Wolfgang, and he was a jerk, you will be wary of people with that name. If you have known five Jennifers and they were all wonderful, you will gravitate to the next Jennifer you meet.

Very true. I find certain name sites are helpful, after I have an idea of the character's character. Here are two of my favorites: Click here for given names and here for surnames.

pjc, on 08 November 2011 - 12:06 PM, said:

... I think it is time to have a straight jacket fitted.

I could recommend a tailor but I find it difficult typing with my nose. I suspect you will too.

Something else to think about: Space alien names.
(One of my favorites is Eck — a literally two-dimensional creature from a Rod Serling short story.)
-Thoth

[Ironbark]

Thoth, on 08 November 2011 - 05:30 PM, said:

Something else to think about: Space alien names.
(One of my favorites is Eck — a literally two-dimensional creature from a Rod Serling short story.)

I only just noticed this. Eck, from Ecke? (German for a corner - seems fitting for 2D)

[Thoth]

Ironbark, on 01 December 2011 - 12:05 PM, said:

I only just noticed this. Eck, from Ecke? (German for a corner - seems fitting for 2D)

Possible. Even likely.
I'd have to research it.
-T