Aaaaaaaaaand - ACTION . . . then exhale, then inhale . . . write it all, damn it . . . or simply don't think it and definitely don't live it.
If life is book, and we're penning our stories as we go along, then I need to focus more on my plot. If life is not a book, but a path we have chosen to follow, then I need to take a closer look at my current path's direction. If life is not a path, but a classroom on this planet, then I need to rethink this semester's study agenda.
But, back to the 'life is a book' metaphor. . . since we're writers here. Jon's latest post got me thinking, about story-lines and how they either contribute to the plot or they don't - and in a good story, should everything contribute to the plot. And if so, what choices might I make differently - what scenes would I edit out or omit altogether?
So, I thought about my plot; it's been all over the place for a while now. Then, I thought about the action scenes in my story and how I always thought action scenes where pretty much above editing . . . the more action the better the story . . . and how I seem to treat the little nuances in my story with disregard and red pens.
"Ah, she breathed too long, boring, take it out . . . and that cup of organic, shade-grown, fairly traded coffee, she nurses it far too long . . . no one cares about that . . . she's just sitting there drinking that damn cup of coffee when she isn't out watering her garden or peeling potatoes for dinner or talking to her father on the phone or brushing her Golden Retriever or sweeping up dust bunnies."
just some simple, quiet thoughts. nothing action-packed. nothing edited out or spell-checked or corrected for punctuation and grammar. just a perfect moment inside my imperfect story. you are now part of that story . . . part of my plot for today.
Thanks for reading these paragraphs.
But, then again . . . what if we don't have to take responsibility for our lives at all? Just blame it on the Fates, the God's, the exes, the person who took your parking spot, your parents, school, the fact that you ran out of ink at the good part.
Monday, August 06, 2007
My Coffee Scenes Get the Red Ink
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9 comments:
Hey Pythia,
If your life is more like a novel or an epic, then everything does not have to move the plot forward -- there's time and speace for diversions, subtexts, secondary plots, experiments, and quiet moments. The shorter the story, the less room for maneuver.
Cheers! I enjoy the extra touches.
Hey Lindy,
I too love the extra parts! But I understand what Jon is saying -- it's tough to decide what's needed and what's not. Henry James says, Kill your darlings, meaning that when you love something, it probably means it needs to go. No wonder writers go so crazy at times! Happy Tuesday!
Maybe it should be said that everything should relate to the story, not the plot. Two very different things. Often color and dialog and observation are merely the studs within the wall. You don't see them but they need to be there.
Michelle: Thanks for reminding me about James. Too often I hold my creations too closely, love them too much, keep them too precious. A diamond in the heart is still a foreign substance...beautiful plaque.
Jon, 'color and dialog' being the 'studs within the wall' - well, that explains a lot. My studs sometimes become too noticeable taking attention away from the actual structure. I need to be more Zen-like in every aspect of my life and writing.
Thanks for clarifying.
Michelle, I love that quote by James. This life has been a long lesson in "letting go" for me. The writing is, in a sense, a letting go of the thoughts and feelings inside . . . but, once birthed on paper they become my babies and I must learn to let go all over again. I think it was Picasso who burned many of his paintings after he finished them - his process was complete once he filled the canvas.
Erik, my life is most definitely an epic! Thanks for reminding me of those possibilities.
I know this post is blurring the lines between writing and life - but to me, there is no definitive line between them. Each are metaphors for the other.
Finally, I am an important part of the plot.
Will I be getting lines of dialog too?
Please don't give me a red shirt...
Wow, that was deep. Life is full of “what if”, and that expendadnd our horizon and makes us think outside the box.
I’ve always kinda wished life was more like the movies, mainly because of the background music – what if life had that….
Thanks Crashdummie - I agree with you about background music! I LOVE music and I often have a song playing in my mind during certain events and times in my life . . . I guess we're all basically living the Truman Show even if we can't always here the music.
Oh, and Dirk_Star, I would never make you wear a red shirt!
As far as dialog . . . you do very well all on your own - now off to your post to see if Cain lives in the new version!
Hello Pythia
Your parts are going fine! Just keep writing them out like this as they come, every day and watch them take off for you. And whenever you post new poems let me know. I like your work that I've read so far.
Glad you stopped by and I hope this will be the begining of a beautiful blog friendship.
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