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"Our Strength is Not For Hurting"
Jun. 25th, 2011 11:36 amRT @melikhovo (via @rosefox) Interesting post by @pablok about images of masculinity in anti-rape campaigns aimed at men: wp.me/p15eEG-P1
on writing, "but what IS it?"
Jun. 2nd, 2011 03:28 pmAnd so on Twitter, a random comment about 'are you working if...?" led to Kris Rusch and I getting feisty* over what constitutes "writing."
Kris said that words-on-page is "the only sign" of writing, and that nothing else count. I disagreed: the inspiration and the thinking and the researching are all part of the writing. Words-on-page is the final and most important part of it, of course: if you don't get the words down, nobody else can see what you've done/share the story.
But to say that words-on-page is the ONLY sign... that bothered me. A lot.
A story isn't words. Words are what convey the story. The stronger and more effective your conveyance, the better people respond. That's the goal. But Kris would agree that a story without research is going to fall flat, no matter how well-structured your words (as her former editor, I am in a prime position to say that Kris does a hell of a lot of research!)
And I know from my own and others' experience that research triggers ideas, and the ideas trigger thoughts, and those thoughts move the story in ways we-the-writer might not have anticipated or planned.
So how can that process be any less "writing a story" than the actual choosing/typing of words?
Idea + Plotting + Research + Word choice + Editing/revising = Writing.
I suspect that this is an argument of semantics, but it really bothers me to see writers discounting everything that comes before as not actually working-at-writing. Because it IS. And they should give themselves credit for the whole damned difficult process.
As an aside, I have decided that the push to post daily wordcounts has the potential to become akin to measuring dicks in the locker room: pointless and potentially damaging. Too much guilt coming off people who "only" wrote 1000 words, or "only" revised one chapter. If you're on schedule, and feel good about what you did - isn't that a good day's work?
*we've been friends for a long time. Hopefully nobody thought it was daggers-drawn....
Kris said that words-on-page is "the only sign" of writing, and that nothing else count. I disagreed: the inspiration and the thinking and the researching are all part of the writing. Words-on-page is the final and most important part of it, of course: if you don't get the words down, nobody else can see what you've done/share the story.
But to say that words-on-page is the ONLY sign... that bothered me. A lot.
A story isn't words. Words are what convey the story. The stronger and more effective your conveyance, the better people respond. That's the goal. But Kris would agree that a story without research is going to fall flat, no matter how well-structured your words (as her former editor, I am in a prime position to say that Kris does a hell of a lot of research!)
And I know from my own and others' experience that research triggers ideas, and the ideas trigger thoughts, and those thoughts move the story in ways we-the-writer might not have anticipated or planned.
So how can that process be any less "writing a story" than the actual choosing/typing of words?
Idea + Plotting + Research + Word choice + Editing/revising = Writing.
I suspect that this is an argument of semantics, but it really bothers me to see writers discounting everything that comes before as not actually working-at-writing. Because it IS. And they should give themselves credit for the whole damned difficult process.
As an aside, I have decided that the push to post daily wordcounts has the potential to become akin to measuring dicks in the locker room: pointless and potentially damaging. Too much guilt coming off people who "only" wrote 1000 words, or "only" revised one chapter. If you're on schedule, and feel good about what you did - isn't that a good day's work?
*we've been friends for a long time. Hopefully nobody thought it was daggers-drawn....
why we females sigh so often....
Apr. 28th, 2011 07:40 amTo quote one comment: "This thread is so full of Dear Penthouse story beginnings w/ FML endings..." (via @nkjemisin)
I am pleased to say, as an adult, I have learned to say "Okay, I'm interested in you. Ball's in your court." It works surprisingly well. :-)
I am pleased to say, as an adult, I have learned to say "Okay, I'm interested in you. Ball's in your court." It works surprisingly well. :-)
RTing myself:
@LAGilman So proud to vote in NYS: Rep. Crowley (D-NY) - Speechless http://youtu.be/_ZCl2bi-JDY via @youtube #realitybasedpolitics
@LAGilman So proud to vote in NYS: Rep. Crowley (D-NY) - Speechless http://youtu.be/_ZCl2bi-JDY via @youtube #realitybasedpolitics
Apparently, Twitter likes snark.
Mar. 29th, 2011 07:56 pmAn offhand comment I tweeted about six hours ago has resulted in, at last count, over two dozen retweets, and pushed about a dozen new people into my follow-trail.
*blinks*
The comment, off a Skype conversation, was thus:
When someone says they're a writer but never finishes anything... I'm like "yeah, and I'm an astronaut, I just don't go into space."
The rest of the conversation went something like this:
LAG: Am thisclose to saying "don't tell me what you're doing, show me what you've done."
Other Guilty Party: Yeah, I know at least half a dozen "writers" who never actually write. ....Everybody's got a book in them, but not everybody can get it out. Some can't get it out in one piece.
LAG: Some people, it's a picture book.
-----------
Today's tally: about 2k new words written on PSI #4, a meeting with the tax guy, some prep for RT next week (ack!), and a light workout at the gym. Tonight, I really should work on "Praise the Devil." But, considering I have a cold, and crap sleep two nights running, maybe I'll just have some Scotch and an early night...
*blinks*
The comment, off a Skype conversation, was thus:
When someone says they're a writer but never finishes anything... I'm like "yeah, and I'm an astronaut, I just don't go into space."
The rest of the conversation went something like this:
LAG: Am thisclose to saying "don't tell me what you're doing, show me what you've done."
Other Guilty Party: Yeah, I know at least half a dozen "writers" who never actually write. ....Everybody's got a book in them, but not everybody can get it out. Some can't get it out in one piece.
LAG: Some people, it's a picture book.
-----------
Today's tally: about 2k new words written on PSI #4, a meeting with the tax guy, some prep for RT next week (ack!), and a light workout at the gym. Tonight, I really should work on "Praise the Devil." But, considering I have a cold, and crap sleep two nights running, maybe I'll just have some Scotch and an early night...
we're just sayin.....
Mar. 20th, 2011 06:28 pmRT @qwertyroch (via @LynnFlewelling) In one hr, we fired arms worth >5 years of federal NPR funding into Libya. Tomorrow Terry Gross and Ira Glass will be dropped into Tripoli.
EtA: and as long as I'm snitching from other people: xkcd on radiation
EtA: and as long as I'm snitching from other people: xkcd on radiation
Some surreal for your Sunday?
Jan. 24th, 2010 06:55 amRT @timhutton peter sellers/ hard days night. ♫ http://blip.fm/~jnx9t
also: RT @timhutton peter sellers working on a hard days night. good out-take. ♫ http://blip.fm/~jnxhg
EtA: Hrm. Am closing in on my 666th follower (which is nothing by the standards of other folk here Tweeting, but I am not quite the social media celebrity. Also, I cull spammers). Should I do something special for my 666th? Any suggestions?
also: RT @timhutton peter sellers working on a hard days night. good out-take. ♫ http://blip.fm/~jnxhg
EtA: Hrm. Am closing in on my 666th follower (which is nothing by the standards of other folk here Tweeting, but I am not quite the social media celebrity. Also, I cull spammers). Should I do something special for my 666th? Any suggestions?
