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First, The Bits

Well, I must apologize for my last entry. As is, I think, fairly evident, the truth of the matter is that I hacked out that little fragment more out of a sense of duty than a real desire to write. It’s an excellent example of a simple truth: if you’re not in the mood to write, it’s probably best not to.

Second, it would appear that some people feel they were rather under-represented in my (decidedly mechanical) tale of our vacation. So, in an effort to remedy the situation and avoid any chance of future retribution, let me say a big thank-you to Michelle and Jeff and their lovely children for hosting us during the Alabama leg of our trip. Michelle is one of Lenore’s friends, whom she met duh duh duuuuh online! Yes, I know! For all we knew, we were walking into some sort of bizarre, Deliverance-esque nightmare. But, luckily, things seemed to turn out alright. And I didn’t even have to squeal like a piggy.

Anyway, I know I had a great time, and I’m fairly sure Lenore did, too. Although, Alex, I’m gonna get you for giving me this cold! So thanks again for putting up with us. Southern hospitality truly is alive and well!

On Writing

If it hasn’t been evident, in the past year or so I’ve started making small forays back into the world of writing after a break of, oh, thirteen or fourteen years. You see, back in junior high, I took a course on creative writing and produced a long, decidedly derivative fantasy piece involving some quest for a magic crystal or somesuch. This was, I suspect, around the time I was reading the Belgariad and the Mallorean, so I suppose that’s not entirely surprising. Anyway, I quite enjoyed the process, but it didn’t take long before I was side-tracked into the world of computers. This was probably inevitable as, aside from a natural aptitude, I also had a very encouraging computer teacher and a not-so-encouraging creative writing teacher.

But after a hiatus of over a decade, I’ve found myself drawn back to writing and storytelling. This is, I think, in no small measure a result of increasing boredom with programming and computing which has almost certainly been exacerbated by a, shall we say, less than stimulating work environment (yes, I could remedy this situation… but I’m lazy, damnit!). I also happen to have a history of searching for new creative outlets, as anyone who knows me can attest. Programming, guiter, cooking, knitting, they’re all ways in which I am empowered to create.

The problem is, in the end, they are all limited in their way. The simple fact is, I’m not a terribly good guitar player, as much as I enjoy making noise with my old Yamaha. Nor am I a particularly good cook (competant, yes… but good? No). Knitting, while enjoyable when I’m not in the mood to think too hard, is too restricted (do I really want to make another pair of socks?) And so I find myself drawn back to writing. Of course, that’s not to say I’m actually any good at writing, either, but I do enjoy the process.

Anyway, as if by divine inspiration, a couple of years ago my sister Rheanne bought me a book by Stephen King entitled “On Writing”. To be honest, I’m not sure she really knew what she bought, purchasing the book based entirely on my clear enjoyment of King’s work (you need only look at my bookshelf to see I’m a fan). And at the time I was somewhat bemused by the gift. I had, to some degree, moved on to other authors, and why would I want to read a memoir about Stephen King, anyway? So, to the basement it went where, I’m ashamed to admit, it ended up in a garage sale box.

Well, as it happens, last night I was musing about the process of writing. As I was considering the thought of creative writing classes, I suddenly remembered the book my sister had bought me. So I raced downstairs and dug it out of the box it was in, and promptly chewed through three quarters of it, finishing the rest this morning.

In short, I found the book inspiring. King spends the first half of the book detailing his early life, showing the events which lead to the development of one of the most prolific authors of our time. The second half is then spent on the process of writing itself. It begins with basic guidelines that everyone has heard from time to time (e.g., avoid adverbs). He then goes on to issues of description and dialog composition, advice on plot and thematic development (King’s approach is situational, allowing the plot and theme to evolve as the characters interact, rather than relying on premeditation), pacing, and a variety of other topics. Eventually, he even covers how to find an agent and get published. And to top it off, the end of the book includes a section where King presents an unedited excerpt of his tale ‘1408’, followed up by an edited version and explanations for the various changes. In my opinion, this section alone is worth the price of the book.

But what I most enjoyed about the book is the simple, down-to-earth approach King takes. In an industry full of high-brow critics and literary posers, King’s book is simple, honest, permissive, and encouraging.

It’s just a shame that, apparently, there isn’t some magic trick for finding good ideas. Because I could really use some help there…