Agreement and Beliefs in Fiction

I was reading an article on writing the other day that really resonated with me and opened the door to new freedom. The article was talking about how often when a writer feels like his/her characters are starting to blend together, it is because the author is writing him/herself into them too much. Sure, a lot of a writer's characters are going to be filled with bits and pieces of the author, sharing some experiences or traits every now and then, but as a writer you should be careful not to write yourself in too much. This will lead to flat or too similar characters, and it can also really restrict your freedom as a storyteller. I fall into this trap a lot, especially when writing female characters. The writing becomes boring and stale even to the writer sometimes, if the characters are too similar to the author or to each other.

This article discussed ways in which to make your characters different, one of them being to remember that you as a writer don't have to believe everything your characters do. This might sound obvious, but when you get to writing, it can be the first thing you forget. You don't have to agree with every idea you set forth! In fact, the best writing often stems out of the author feeling very uncomfortable, stretching his/her boundaries, and going outside of his/her comfort zone into new territory. I suppose I knew I didn't have to wholeheartedly agree with everything I put into my novels, but once I get going, I sometimes forget that. Once I read this, it hit me that I have a lot more room for stretching my story than I had previously seen; it was like new worlds had opened up. 

So remember, you don't have to agree with everything your characters do, and all of your characters don't have to (and really should not) all agree either either. 

On Writing

“This is not an autobiography. It is rather a kind of curriculum vitae—my attempt to show how one writer was formed. Not how one writer was made; I don’t believe writers can be made, either by circumstances or by self-will (although I did believe those things once). The equipment comes with the original package. Yet it is by no means unusual equipment; I believe large numbers of people have at least some talent as writers and storytellers, and that those talents can be strengthened and sharpened. If I didn’t believe that, writing a book like this would be a waste of time." 


~ Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft 

Nashville Music: VITEK

I went to VITEK's new album release show last night at the High Watt above Mercy Lounge. It was amazing. As objective as I can be while dating someone in the band, I think this band puts on the best live show I've seen in years. They are so energetic and fun, playing off each other and having fun while remaining tight and looking well-rehearsed. 

The trumpet player in the shades is my boyfriend. 

These people are talented music-making machines. 

Making Movies

I was in a couple of short films this week: one on Monday, and one on Wednesday. 

The shoots both went really well. I felt that warm, bubbling energy inside me that I get when I’m really honed in on my character and hitting everything just right. 

At the end of the night on Wednesday, the boom operator (who is also a director), asked me if I was available to act in one of his upcoming projects, because he “likes the way I act.” 

So, one gig led to another. 

It was a pretty good week, you guys. 

Titanic

Last night, I saw a really beautiful movie re-released in the theater: Titanic. I was much too young to see it in the theater when it first came out, so I was super excited to see it this time around, even though I have seen it several times at home. It was re-released in 3D, which I was slightly apathetic about at first, but once the movie got going, I realized how much cooler this masterpiece is in 3D. I definitely recommend going to see it while it's still out; it's worth the money. This was probably the best 3D movie I've ever seen. 

I've always loved the movie, but I could appreciate it a lot more this time around than I could as a pre-teen. The cinematography is breath-taking, and honestly it really doesn't look like it came from the 90's. It's much better than that. I could also appreciate the story a lot more as an adult, and the acting is brilliant, of course. I know probably everyone reading this has seen Titanic before, but I highly suggest going to see it while it's back out in the theater, as it was a completely different experience for me. You won't regret it! 

And for those of you like my boyfriend, who have been living under a rock since you were ten and haven't seen the movie, I won't spoil the ending for you ;) 

Kwellering the Night Away

Last night, my boyfriend and his friend and I went to Ben Kweller's concert at Mercy Lounge. It was great. I knew it would be worth going, even though I wasn't feeling well at all yesterday, because I saw Ben perform a few years ago in Birmingham, and it was incredible. He is an amazing live performer. He sounds great and you can understand everything he's saying (I hate when you go to live shows and can't hear the lyrics over everything else). He's also really good at getting a crowd involved and singing along. 

There are a couple of things that Ben does undeniably well, like write beautiful melodies and improv like a beast, but something I noticed particularly last night is how good he is at...um..."sound assimilation." (I just made up that term). What I mean is, Ben puts random "oohs" "ahhs" and "sha shas" in nearly all of his songs, but instead of it being cheesy or overdone, he plays it off perfectly. A lot of times when an artist starts randomly "ooohing" I just wanna pack up and go home. But Ben incorporates these random sounds into his songs so well, it's as if they are real lyrics with meaning. I don't know how he does it...but it's awesome. 

In high school, I had a five-minute crush on a Ben Kweller look-alike. Coincidentally, I also recall him wearing a t-shirt with "Kweller" on it. It was appropriate. 

Sew Fun

I don't have much to post about today, but I am currently working on a quilt (slowly but surely), which is pretty artsy. I started it over a year ago as a birthday gift that fell through, and I have decided recently to take it back up again. My goal is to finish it sometime during this year. I don't want this unfinished project hanging over my head any longer! 

I like sewing, but I hate sewing machines. To be honest, sewing machines kind of scare me. (I mean, what if you put your finger too close to that feisty little needle? OUCH). Quilting is good for me, since in my opinion it's easier to quilt by hand; though it would probably be much faster on a machine.