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. 

Video Killed the Radio Star

Today was my first day on the set of my first music video. Most of the scenes were done in a bedroom, and I had to put on my makeup like I was getting ready for a date on camera. This was more challenging than I had expected! It's more difficult than you might think to put on lipstick with a camera in your face blocking a good portion of the mirror you're using to see what you're doing, while you're trying not to move out of frame.

It was really fun though. I must admit, I love being on camera. I've done a small bit of film acting, but I've never done a music video before. I'm really excited to see how it turns out. I've got another shoot or two for the rest of the scenes coming up; I don't know when the whole project will be completed, but I can't wait to see it.

My character in the video is getting stalked, so we took some paparazzi shots of me through a window and exiting my house and such. My paranoia switch has been flicked, and as I'm sitting here typing this at a coffee shop, I half expect to look out the window and catch someone creeping on me with a camera ;)

Music Makes the World Go 'Round

So...here's a little bit of what I've been listening to lately: 

The Young Veins: http://www.myspace.com/theyoungveins

These guys are really cool. The music has a nice, old-timey feel to it. Their album "Take a Vacation" came out in 2010, but it sounds like it's from the 1960's, and I like it. 

Say Anything: http://www.myspace.com/sayanything 

Max Bemis' indie-punk band is really edgy with some pretty biting, clever lyrics. Just make sure you only play these songs for people age 18 and over.... 

Fun: http://www.myspace.com/fun 

This band's music is precisely what its title promises: a lot of fun! The genre is indie-pop, but I think it has an almost electronica flavor to it. And the lead singer is Nate Ruess of The Format, another great band. 

Robert Gay: http://www.robertgaymusic.com/home 

This guy is a really talented songwriter and lyricist. His music is a little bit of Americana, a little bit of indie-pop, and a little bit of old-fashioned rock. Check out the music previews on his website from his first album "When This Goes Bad" and his upcoming album "When I Was Young." Check the website soon for the release of "When I Was Young" for purchase. 

Not So Smooth Seas

I saw this picture on pinterest today, and it made me think of some points regarding writing. Sure, this sentiment can be applied to life in general, but it's also a good tip to remember when creating plot. When writing fiction, mastering good ebb and flow in terms of plot takes a lot of time and practice. You have to play around with things like timing and emphasis. For instance, you don't want to build to your main climax too quickly, because then you probably have (a) not developed the characters enough by the point of climax for the reader to really care what happens to them, or (b) left too much space post-climax, ending the story/novel on a dull note. 

Remember the quote above when experimenting with plot. Well-developed characters must encounter enough obstacles along their paths in order for the reader to care about them. It usually works out best if all of these obstacles are not either so menial that they don't seem like such a big deal, or such fantastical barriers that the average reader cannot at all relate to them. A good example of utilization of this method is Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy: in each of her books, the heroine Katniss goes through a series of ordeals much unlike our every day occurrences (like going into man-to-man combat with twenty-three other teens). Those kind of obstacles make the story exciting, but in the face of that, Collins makes sure to include some regular sixteen-year-old-girl-stuff to Katniss' character, like the fact that she is somewhat torn between feelings for two boys, or the dynamics among her and her sister and their mother. Those more "normal" conflicts help make Katniss a relateable character for the teenagers and young adults reading the story, instead of allowing the exciting and nearly other-worldly violence complete take-over of the plot.