One Two Fiver - a writer's warm-up
December 31, 2008 10:03 AM Subscribe
That is how Proust began and look at all the words he ended up with...but then he was French so not sure that counts.
posted by Postroad at 10:13 AM on December 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by Postroad at 10:13 AM on December 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
cool. thanks.
posted by theefixedstars at 10:18 AM on December 31, 2008
posted by theefixedstars at 10:18 AM on December 31, 2008
Thanks...
for this...
Need to write like... Shatner.
posted by Urban Hermit at 10:24 AM on December 31, 2008 [3 favorites]
for this...
Need to write like... Shatner.
posted by Urban Hermit at 10:24 AM on December 31, 2008 [3 favorites]
Need to write like... Shatner.
I can't get behind that.
posted by Joe Beese at 10:30 AM on December 31, 2008
I can't get behind that.
posted by Joe Beese at 10:30 AM on December 31, 2008
Because I have a bad case of Overdeveloped Teenaged Asshole syndrome, my first instinct is to take a dictionary and copy all the "A" words, thus going out of my way to pervert the exercise, get no benefit out of it, and confirm my status as an obnoxious shitheel.
Does OTA syndrome get better with age or should I see a doctor?
posted by The Whelk at 10:31 AM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
Does OTA syndrome get better with age or should I see a doctor?
posted by The Whelk at 10:31 AM on December 31, 2008 [1 favorite]
I've been blocked on a particular script for far too long to mention. The other day I came up with a very bizarre solution that so far been working well. I wrote down segment headings on recipe cards (something I've done 8 million times in the past). Then, I threw them all up in the air and then randomly picked up the closest one to me that landed face down.
I flipped the card over and then immediately, without thinking, began writing ... on a chalk board. (It's about 4 feet square). I tried to make the segment (scene, really, as it's a script) fit on the board so that it was short and to the point.
Then, I picked up my voice recorder and read the scene into it.
I then immediately erased the chalk board and grabbed the next closest recipe card and repeated the process.
Then, on my way to work each day (on the subway), I transcribe the scenes from the voice recorder into my laptop. My commute is about 35 minutes or so so I really don't have time to edit if I want the scene entered by the time I get to work.
I literally have not written a new scene on this script in almost 5 years (though I "work on it" every day).
With this ridiculously convoluted method, I've turned out 16 scenes in 3 days all without, really, thinking. I mean, I've thought about the damn thing for years so technically it should all be in my brain somewhere--I just hadn't figured out how to get it out. The normal process of sitting in front of a keyboard hadn't been working (though I wrote 4 *other* scripts that way without issue in the same time period).
Weird how the fuckin' brain works.
posted by Manhasset at 10:36 AM on December 31, 2008 [10 favorites]
I flipped the card over and then immediately, without thinking, began writing ... on a chalk board. (It's about 4 feet square). I tried to make the segment (scene, really, as it's a script) fit on the board so that it was short and to the point.
Then, I picked up my voice recorder and read the scene into it.
I then immediately erased the chalk board and grabbed the next closest recipe card and repeated the process.
Then, on my way to work each day (on the subway), I transcribe the scenes from the voice recorder into my laptop. My commute is about 35 minutes or so so I really don't have time to edit if I want the scene entered by the time I get to work.
I literally have not written a new scene on this script in almost 5 years (though I "work on it" every day).
With this ridiculously convoluted method, I've turned out 16 scenes in 3 days all without, really, thinking. I mean, I've thought about the damn thing for years so technically it should all be in my brain somewhere--I just hadn't figured out how to get it out. The normal process of sitting in front of a keyboard hadn't been working (though I wrote 4 *other* scripts that way without issue in the same time period).
Weird how the fuckin' brain works.
posted by Manhasset at 10:36 AM on December 31, 2008 [10 favorites]
I would say that it's a funny coincidence that I read this while avoiding getting started on my writing for today, but since that's what I'm doing eighty percent of the time I'm on Metafilter, it's really not that odd.
posted by Bookhouse at 10:36 AM on December 31, 2008
posted by Bookhouse at 10:36 AM on December 31, 2008
Thank you so much for this. You have no idea how valuable this is to me.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 10:45 AM on December 31, 2008
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 10:45 AM on December 31, 2008
I use a minute timer from a board game. I just look at it and know that when it runs out I have to start writing. Usually after 30 seconds or so of watching the sand fall I'm board and want to get started writing. It helps to get past the intimidation of an empty page.
posted by I Foody at 10:51 AM on December 31, 2008
posted by I Foody at 10:51 AM on December 31, 2008
Writing:
Step 1: Sit down.
Step 2: stare at document
Step 3: Check MeFi
Step 4: FAIL
(Thanks, I may give this a shot. )
posted by Artw at 10:59 AM on December 31, 2008 [13 favorites]
Step 1: Sit down.
Step 2: stare at document
Step 3: Check MeFi
Step 4: FAIL
(Thanks, I may give this a shot. )
posted by Artw at 10:59 AM on December 31, 2008 [13 favorites]
Resolution for tonight: Crack through first draft of story, not stopping to fiddle with it, just to get it down. Once I'm over that hurdle everything else becomes miraculously easier.
posted by Artw at 11:04 AM on December 31, 2008
posted by Artw at 11:04 AM on December 31, 2008
This is great, thanks.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:16 AM on December 31, 2008
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:16 AM on December 31, 2008
Well, this is pretty fun:
"Down by the yellow lake, underneath the charred palm branch, resided a twisted, scarred, two-faced little man by the name of Joh - not John, but namely Joh, because those who decided to name him couldn't be bothered to completely fill out the birth certificate. Joh liked his name, however - it gave him a certain intrigue among travellers, and he was certainly a man of reputation. Every person who passed by his humble leaf abode knew not to disturb him, to tread on their toes, to talk in whispers to their fellows - for if Joh were to be woken, much unpleasantry would ensue..."
...I WILL BE THE NEXT SHAKESPEARE JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE
posted by archagon at 11:20 AM on December 31, 2008
"Down by the yellow lake, underneath the charred palm branch, resided a twisted, scarred, two-faced little man by the name of Joh - not John, but namely Joh, because those who decided to name him couldn't be bothered to completely fill out the birth certificate. Joh liked his name, however - it gave him a certain intrigue among travellers, and he was certainly a man of reputation. Every person who passed by his humble leaf abode knew not to disturb him, to tread on their toes, to talk in whispers to their fellows - for if Joh were to be woken, much unpleasantry would ensue..."
...I WILL BE THE NEXT SHAKESPEARE JUST YOU WAIT AND SEE
posted by archagon at 11:20 AM on December 31, 2008
Step 3: Check MeFi
No, MeFi is 'research'.... it's not procrastination at all!
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:25 AM on December 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
No, MeFi is 'research'.... it's not procrastination at all!
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:25 AM on December 31, 2008 [2 favorites]
If I stop and restart I go back to see where I left off and end up spending my quality time editing instead of creating. I think I just have to stay up until it's done. How long will it take to get 30,000 words down on paper?
posted by spacely_sprocket at 12:08 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by spacely_sprocket at 12:08 PM on December 31, 2008
I have some kind of creative thing sitting around somewhere from 2000 or so... fuck Musicmatch Jukebox.
posted by Artw at 12:10 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by Artw at 12:10 PM on December 31, 2008
Step 1: Sit down.
Step 2: stare at document
Step 3: Check MeFi
Step 4: FAIL
Oh god, yes. Yes and yes. *facepalm*
......
I wonder if there's anything new on Metachat?
posted by jokeefe at 1:26 PM on December 31, 2008
Step 2: stare at document
Step 3: Check MeFi
Step 4: FAIL
Oh god, yes. Yes and yes. *facepalm*
......
I wonder if there's anything new on Metachat?
posted by jokeefe at 1:26 PM on December 31, 2008
No, MeFi is 'research'.... it's not procrastination at all!
It's pre-writing!
posted by mothershock at 2:04 PM on December 31, 2008
It's pre-writing!
posted by mothershock at 2:04 PM on December 31, 2008
I tried it with oil instead of lotion but the irritation persisted.
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 3:43 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 3:43 PM on December 31, 2008
Wrong thread again. Sorry.
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 3:44 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by strangeleftydoublethink at 3:44 PM on December 31, 2008
METAFILTER : it's the research to pre-writing the writing
posted by liza at 5:28 PM on December 31, 2008
posted by liza at 5:28 PM on December 31, 2008
Aw shucks. Thank you, jbickers, for posting my project to the blue.
As for procrastinating, making a web site that helps other people combat their procrastination is very effective.
You would think that contributing to the decrease in global procrastination levels would have some kind of a payoff for me, perhaps along the lines of emissions trading, but noooo. I haven't written anything in about a month, yet I find myself planning 125r phase two.
Perhaps I should make phase 2 so big and painful to implement that my novel starts to look attractive by comparison.
posted by hifimofo at 7:02 PM on December 31, 2008
As for procrastinating, making a web site that helps other people combat their procrastination is very effective.
You would think that contributing to the decrease in global procrastination levels would have some kind of a payoff for me, perhaps along the lines of emissions trading, but noooo. I haven't written anything in about a month, yet I find myself planning 125r phase two.
Perhaps I should make phase 2 so big and painful to implement that my novel starts to look attractive by comparison.
posted by hifimofo at 7:02 PM on December 31, 2008
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posted by jbickers at 10:05 AM on December 31, 2008 [9 favorites]