The Hive
The official blog of science fiction / horror author Terence West.
William Gibson Blog
Famed author of Neuromancer and Johnny Mnemonic: The Screenplay.
The Word Foundry
Joe Clifford Faust's "blog of a working writer: tracking writing projects, musings on the
creative process, occasional side trips into music, media, politics, religion, etc."
A Writer's Diary
By Cynthia Harrison, who has the good sense to quote Virginia Woolf: "The truth is that writing
is the profound pleasure and being read the superficial."
The American Sentimentalist
"Never has any people endured its own tragedy with so little sense of the tragic." Essays by Mark W. Anderson.
Screenwriting By Blog
David C. Daniel writes a screenplay online. "I've decided to publish the process as a way to push myself through it.
From concept to completion, it'll be here."
SeanAlonzo.com
Official site of occult fiction author Sean-Alonzo, exploring symbolism, alternative
history, philosophy, secret
societies and other areas of the esoteric tradition.
Crafty Screenwriting
Maunderings of Alex Epstein, tv scribe, about life, politics, and the tv show I'm co-creating.
The Writing Life...
"And it came to pass that all the stars in the firmament had ceased to shine. But how was anyone to know?" The Half-Life Conspiracy
Monday, February 28, 2005 Here we go again Yesterday I didn't think I had another non-fiction book in me. This evening I came up with an idea I really like. The mind never shuts off, it seems. Knock on my wooden head.
At any rate, spent an hour developing the idea and it looks workable and possibly commercial, though this is personal enough for this not to be a factor for doing it or not. Going to let it stew a while.
Meanwhile a tad more on the mystery -- but better, came up with a connection between two characters that has much practical advantage and story contribution, including making the red herring more logical. Love these last minute insights. Sure I'm not done with them either.
2/28/2005 07:45:00 PM |
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Renewal A good start on chapter 27 this morning, the first really good "new" writing session I've had in a week or more. Feels great to be back in the groove! Maybe I can get some more done after I finish the student scripts.
I've decided, yes, to take up chess again. Gathering materials to see how much I remember. Want to play the computer, etc, drills and problems, the usual re-learning sequence. Then face a real live human across the board.
2/28/2005 11:35:00 AM |
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Oscars For a while it looked like an Aviator sweep but the end brought some surprises. I went 2 for 2 in my best screenplay predictions.
But this was the most boring Oscars I can remember, mainly because Chris Rock was so bad. I was delighted to see Sean Penn give him a jab about his dumb attempts at humor. Rock really sucked. They really need to do better next year.
Going to try and get some writing done in the morning, then read some student scripts in the afternoon.
2/28/2005 07:05:00 AM |
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Sunday, February 27, 2005 Sunday Morning Interesting profile of screenwriting guru Robert McKee on Sunday Morning today. He's featured in Adaptation, which I show my students on Tuesday. I've never been a great fan of his book Story, seeing no need to turn storytelling into quantum physics -- which is to say, I think his left brain goes considerably overboard in his theories. Bad science is not good art. But his influence is obvious. I like the fact that the "real movie" Adaptation doesn't follow McKee's rules!
No writing today, which is fine. Still only a few to go. Did some house chores, took a Sunday drive, walked around the Linfield College campus in McMinnville, which is gorgeous, let the dog run, had lunch out, came home, ready to watch the stars arrive and the Oscar madness. If by some miracle Cheadle beats Foxx, I may yell and scream. The only other thing that would get me screaming is Sideways making some upsets.
2/27/2005 03:44:00 PM |
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Sideways again I agree with most commentators that Sideways really has only one shot at an Oscar tonight, best adapted screenplay. But meanwhile it swept the indie awards:
By Dean Goodman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - They came, they drank, they conquered.
The wine-guzzling characters of "Sideways" helped the acclaimed comedy sweep the Independent Spirit Awards, the art-house world's equivalent of the Oscars (news - web sites), on Saturday.
The Oscar-nominated saga, in which two buddies get wistful about women and wine while touring southern California wine country, won all six categories in which it was nominated, including best feature, director, screenplay and male lead.
"Winning six out of six, it's just kinda mind-boggling," said Michael London, who produced the $16 million film. "But I think that this movie touched a chord across a wide range of people. Not very often does a movie go that distance and really take people on a journey where they feel particularly satisfied."
Saturday, February 26, 2005 Charles & Dick Here's my favorite photo (here a photo of a photo) of my best friend, deceased over six years now, Dick Crooks and me. When you lose a soul brother, you lose much. 2/26/2005 11:11:15 AM |
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Slumming. Down the road is a very sleazy bar next to an even sleazier motel turned into apartments. And this morning, look what is parked outside! I've heard of going to the wrong part of town to slum etc ... or maybe the topless dancers in the bar decided to arrive in style last night (and never went home?). At any rate, I had to rush home and get the camera before it went away. 2/26/2005 10:51:20 AM |
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Some views before construction begins, turning an abandoned orchard into a housing development. The end of paradise. Edge of our back yard, "the wilderness" beyond. 2/26/2005 07:01:00 AM |
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Morning thoughts Here's something new to me in the marketing world, The Virtual Book Tour. An author spends a day visiting a dozen blogs. This is a pay-for service, and not cheap, but apparently for the two authors who've done it so far, it has worked -- and of course, an aggressive author might set such a thing up herself. Or even himself ha ha. I think women writers are more marketing aggressive. What a world.
I'm thinking of taking up chess again. One, my new friend John plays, or used to. I used to play, decades ago. 48 years ago, in fact, I won a trophy, which sets a few feet from me now, next to my three wonderful statues, "the Willies," for best new play. In 1957 I was my high school chess champion. I'll read a book and see if I remember anything.
Friday, February 25, 2005 James Purdy Purdy is one of the great voices in American letters who has always been more of a cult figure than widely popular. Lately (after half a century of writing) he is getting his due. Here is Gore Vidal on James Purdy in the NY Times. Excerpt:
It is interesting that in a time of renewed debate over sexual matters (disguised clumsily as ''moral values'') James Purdy is re-emerging from the shadows. The first shadow fell upon him with his first novel, ''63: Dream Palace'' (1956), described by the publisher as ''dealing with obsessive love, homosexuality and urban alienation,'' and ending ''with fratricide. . . . Purdy writes about men who are unable to express their love for other men because homosexuality is unthinkable to them.'' Actually, as Purdy demonstrates, it is quite thinkable to everyone else. He has gone his lonely way; sometimes darkly comic, other times tragic as he faces down the ''kindly ones'' in his path, the Greeks' euphemism for the Furies that forever dog mankind. ... For some years I've read his books when I could find them. At one point Edward Albee made an interesting play out of Purdy's novel ''Malcolm'' (1959). But the walls of Jericho remained standing and still stand to this day despite a unique and varied body of work. But then certain writers are simply not allowed to pass because, at some level, they genuinely disturb, causing the Confederacy of Dunces to cart away their most vivid works like so many pillars of salt to be set up in that deadly desert that separates our Oz from the real world.
Grunt work A day filled with grunt work as I begin to prepare the screenplay bundle to send to O'Neill Center next week. Then, in Feb., I actually mowed the lawn! No writing today but may get to some before I crash tonight.
2/25/2005 02:10:00 PM |
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Thursday, February 24, 2005 Caught up Back up to chapter 27 after retreating to 22 and the major plot changes. 4 chapters to go, I think. This will be a much tighter and stronger ending.
2/24/2005 12:36:00 PM |
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Cruising at sunrise There's something about sunrise that makes me want to get in a car and go. So this morning at 630a.m. I'm off on errands, remembering my dad saying "100 miles before breakfast" when our family was traveling, as we often did, camping in the 40s and 50s long before it was fashionable, usually just putting down our sleeping bags at the edge of a farmer's field off the highway and sleeping under the stars. Those were kinder days than now and often a farmer's wife would bring us a pie or biscuits to welcome us in our makeshift campsite on their property.
"Progress" does not mean things get better.
The production of My Fair Lady last night was first class, a bare bones almost Brechtian rendition, small cast, only two pianos, excellent actors and singers from top to bottom. What I didn't like is the script. This story takes forever to tell. Long-winded Shaw adapted faithfully, I suppose. The almost 3-hour show could have been under 2 hours and gotten better for it. "The chain saw is your friend," as I tell my students.
Papers to read, then going in early. Coffee with John -- and work on the mystery, I expect! I look forward to Friday. I'm actually going to mow the lawn -- in February!
2/24/2005 08:15:00 AM |
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Wednesday, February 23, 2005 High concept One of my students this term came up with one of the most commercial high concept movie ideas I've heard in several years. Very exciting! Then I saw her script. Twenty pages and not the vaguest notion of this great idea yet. Typical, really ... all back story, BOOORRRRRRIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGG.
But I read the rewrite today. Now she's cooking! 5 pages in and "it" happens, we know what a fantastic idea this is. Now she has to give it the surprises and twists to give it legs ... and if she can do that, I think she may have a winner. But at least she has the right start now.
The fruits of brooding Well, well, well. In brooding about my ending, I decided to backtrack from chapter 28 all the way to 22, to change a major plot point and set up a new ending, cranking everything up yet another few notches. So now I've gone backwards six chapters. Much of what I've written can stay the same -- but much changes, too. When I make a huge change like this, instead of writing OVER the file of the manuscript, I give it a new name ... and the new name now has 4 at the end, the 4th major change I've done since starting. I do this so I can return to the previous version if I make a wrong decision. But I believe this is definitely a keeper, it is both more logical and more intense. So ... now I am on chapter 22, not 28. Progress!
2/23/2005 04:48:00 AM |
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Tuesday, February 22, 2005 Office hrs. Today I pick up scripts from everyone, their last drafts before final submission in two weeks. So tomorrow is my last chance to give them feedback before they turn the work in for a grade. Hence a very busy day tomorrow! Going to a play tomorrow night as well.
The term is winding down. I look forward to spring break. And spring term -- because next comes summer! But spring will be fun because I am teaching Sideways, both novel and screenplay ... and hoping the DVD comes out before the term ends ha ha.
Still brooding over chapter 28. Time to quit brooding and just start writing. Something is bound to happen. 29 is in good shape in my mind, and so is 30, but 28, a transition and set up chapter, still has me a tad stumped. No big deal, being this close to the end.
I have to catch up on my reading, too. As busy as I am, I always seem to be "behind" on something or other.
2/22/2005 03:36:00 PM |
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The Oscars Here are my predictions and my preferences on selected categories.
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Don Cheadle in “Hotel Rwanda” (United Artists in association with Lions Gate Entertainment through MGM Distribution Co.)
Johnny Depp in “Finding Neverland” (Miramax)
Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.)
Clint Eastwood in “Million Dollar Baby” (Warner Bros.)
Jamie Foxx in “Ray” (Universal)
I predict Foxx; I prefer Cheadle.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Alan Alda in “The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.)
Thomas Haden Church in “Sideways” (Fox Searchlight/20th Century Fox)
Jamie Foxx in “Collateral” (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Morgan Freeman in “Million Dollar Baby” (Warner Bros.)
Clive Owen in “Closer” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
I predict Freeman; I prefer Church.
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Annette Bening in “Being Julia” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Catalina Sandino Moreno in “Maria Full of Grace” (HBO Films in association with Fine Line Features)
Imelda Staunton in “Vera Drake” (Fine Line Features, Alain Sarde and UK Film Council in association with Inside Track Films)
Hilary Swank in “Million Dollar Baby” (Warner Bros.)
Kate Winslet in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (Focus Features)
I predict Swank; I prefer Moreno.
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Cate Blanchett in “The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.)
Laura Linney in “Kinsey” (Fox Searchlight/20th Century Fox)
Virginia Madsen in “Sideways” (Fox Searchlight/20th Century Fox)
Sophie Okonedo in “Hotel Rwanda” (United Artists in association with Lions Gate Entertainment through MGM Distribution Co.)
Natalie Portman in “Closer” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
I predict Portman; I prefer Madsen.
Achievement in directing
“The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.) Martin Scorsese
“Million Dollar Baby” (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood
“Ray” (Universal) Taylor Hackford
“Sideways” (Fox Searchlight/20th Century Fox) Alexander Payne
“Vera Drake” (Fine Line Features, Alain Sarde and UK Film Council in association with Inside Track Films) Mike Leigh
I predict Scorsese; I prefer Payne.
Best motion picture of the year
“The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.) A Forward Pass/Appian Way /IMF Production Nominees are still to be determined.
“Finding Neverland” (Miramax) A FilmColony Production Richard N. Gladstein and Nellie Bellflower, Producers
“Million Dollar Baby” (Warner Bros.) A Warner Bros. Pictures Production Nominees are still to be determined.
“Ray” (Universal) A Universal Pictures/Bristol Bay Production Taylor Hackford, Stuart Benjamin and Howard Baldwin, Producers
“Sideways” (Fox Searchlight/20th Century Fox) A Sideways Productions, Inc. Production Michael London, Producer
I predict The Aviator; I prefer Sideways.
Adapted screenplay
“Before Sunset” (Warner Independent Pictures) Screenplay by Richard Linklater & Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke Story by Richard Linklater & Kim Krizan
“Finding Neverland” (Miramax) Screenplay by David Magee
“Million Dollar Baby” (Warner Bros.) Screenplay by Paul Haggis
“The Motorcycle Diaries” (Focus Features and Film Four) Screenplay by José Rivera
“Sideways” (Fox Searchlight/20th Century Fox) Screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor
I predict Sideways -- and prefer it.
Original screenplay
“The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.) Written by John Logan
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (Focus Features) Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman Story by Charlie Kaufman & Michel Gondry & Pierre Bismuth
“Hotel Rwanda” (United Artists in association with Lions Gate Entertainment through MGM Distribution Co.) Written by Keir Pearson & Terry George
“The Incredibles” ( Buena Vista ) Written by Brad Bird
“Vera Drake” (Fine Line Features, Alain Sarde and UK Film Council in association with Inside Track Films) Written by Mike Leigh
I predict Eternal Sunshine; I prefer Hotel Rwanda.
News worth repeating Some items in the press today. First, a story for those of us who bitch and moan as writers, about a guy who publishes his first book at 70 ...
By Borys Kit
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Late author F.X. Toole and screenwriter Paul Haggis were honored with the University of Southern California's Scripter Award Sunday for their roles in bringing to life the characters in the Clint Eastwood (news) film "Million Dollar Baby."
The Scripter, handed out for the past 17 years, is the only award that honors both the author and screenwriter for a film adaptation. Toole and Haggis were last month announced as the winners in a field that also included the writers of "Sideways," "The Door in the Floor," "The Bourne Supremacy" and "Friday Night Lights."
Toole -- the pen name of Jerry Boyd, who died in 2002 -- wrote the short story collection "Rope Burns: Stories From the Corner," and Haggis adapted one of the stories, "Million Dollar Baby," into the screenplay of the same name.
Toole's daughter, Erin Patricia Boyd, tearfully recounted the struggles he faced as a writer -- years of rejection slips, two failed marriages -- before having his first book "Rope Burns" published at age 70. He died at age 72.
And finally, more about "Sideways," my favorite movie of the year.
By Bob Tourtellotte
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When the clamor over the Oscars (news - web sites) dies down, the biggest winner could be the film that wins the fewest Academy Awards (news - web sites), and that may be the comedy "Sideways."
"Sideways," about two middle-aged men looking for love on a drunken vacation in California's wine country, is nominated for five Oscars including best film but is considered likely to win just the screenwriting award.
But apart from its possible victories at Sunday's Oscars ceremony, the critical acclaim and box office prowess of "Sideways" has put director Alexander Payne and writer Jim Taylor in the vanguard of younger filmmakers more excited by human stories than dazzling special effects or action.
Taylor told Reuters the most gratifying feeling from this year's awards season comes from the attention that low-budget "Sideways" has received from critics and fans amid all the big budget films that usually win awards and top ticket sales charts.
It has been named 2004's best film by critics in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco, and won the Hollywood Foreign Press' Golden Globe award for best musical or comedy. [Emphasis mine] Its ticket sales stand at a hefty $54 million.
"People are really taking about ... the humanism of the film and whether there is a new trend in filmmaking. That's exciting because those are the kind of movies we love," Taylor said.
End of term rush ...officially begins today when I pick up drafts from everyone, which gives me a ton of reading to do tomorrow. May not get much writing done in next few days. But the end is in sight, a good feeling. And maybe I need more brooding time still.
2/22/2005 09:44:00 AM |
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Monday, February 21, 2005 Writers and editors A recent comment asks a question: "Would you mind commenting in an upcoming blog how a person can find an editor they can trust to at least be honest about the work. Thank you."
There is semantic confusion in this question. Editors by nature are honest because their reputations are on the line when they back a book -- if by editors we mean those who work for book publishers and select manuscripts and work with authors to perfect them. However, there are "unattached" people calling themselves "editors" who work with writers for a fee. I don't trust any of the latter. Why? Because it is not in their financial self-interest to be honest. They need to play the writer like a fish, keeping him or her on the line (with flattery, with optimism) no matter how bad the writing may be.
If a writer believe s/he needs "an editor" to improve one's writing, well, I think it makes more sense to take a writing class from a credentialed (published) author working in a similar genre. Online classes are everywhere now, from good teachers. Check out Writers on the Net, one of the first and best, which has dozens of classes in all genres. I taught screenwriting for them for years. I think classes are more cost-effective and more likely to improve one's writing. The climate is more realistic and neutral (in terms of payoff).
Also, the traditional editor who works for a publisher is seeing the job description change since the multinational corporate takeover of the book industry. Book editors spend less time editing and more time marketing. Much has been written about this, and there are good blogs about the publishing industry.
My own editing experience is restricted to periodicals, as managing editor of a monthly magazine and editor of a quarterly journal. I learned why editors can seem so distant and unresponsive to a writer: s/he is over-worked and underpaid! I often rejected manuscripts after reading less than one page. When I needed a story, I usually got on the phone and called up someone I already had worked with. It was easier. Beginning writers are outsiders looking in -- and perseverance is probably better than talent in the long run on the road to success.
Brooding Not a word of writing done today. However, I did so much constructive brooding about chapter 28, I feel like it's been a constructive day. I think I only have three chapters to go. Brooding about the best strategy for the ending.
2/21/2005 07:25:00 PM |
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End of an era? I've been teaching online since 1994 -- 3 terms a year. This winter I took a break, and I'm enjoying it so much I cancelled my spring class online as well. My online teaching days may be over. Most of my motivation was the recent poor quality of students, who had almost no motivation to do the work. In the past, my online classes were better than my university ones. In the past year or two, they've reversed positions. Interesting. At any rate, I very much enjoy the free time I have from not teaching online. I always assumed I would quit the university first, online last. Apparently not.
2/21/2005 07:21:00 PM |
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Anthology Alas, we seem to have one of those books that gets great reviews -- and poor sales. That's the story thus far. The publisher hasn't taken my advice and made an assault on libraries, which I think is our major market.
2/21/2005 12:28:00 PM |
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Amadeus II It was a very good production, with excellent leads. Better than I expected it would be, in fact. One of the city's best directors, Bill Dobson (his wife runs the PSU opera), was in charge, 18 years after he directed the west coast premier here. The production was in a fine new theater in Lake Oswego, one of the "Portland suburb communities." A very good night of theater.
A morning meeting with the anthology publisher, getting brought up to date, I presume. My first signing/reading is March 9. Maybe some more are scheduled.
My attitude continues to improve after the recent lows in writing. After I return from the meeting, hope to get some work done. Have a student script to look at, too, though I could do that tomorrow morning.
Sunday, February 20, 2005 Amadeus Seeing the stage play tonight, which isn't done all that often. There actually are two versions of the script, the original London version and the New York version, incorporating some major story changes. Then the film made even more changes. I'll be curious which script is used tonight.
Finish chapter 27 this morning. Only 2 or 3 to go. Things coming together nicely, though there still are loose ends, contradictions and other things that need fixing. It's a mess really but not as much as it might be and certainly better to work with than no draft at all. I think I can get it in pretty good shape in a single rewrite, then get down to the polishing. A good shot at finishing the draft this month, still. My energy, however, still hasn't reached the great level I had in January. Feel like I'm running on half my cylinders.
2/20/2005 11:00:00 AM |
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Saturday, February 19, 2005 Harriet generally doesn't take good pictures. This, a picture of a picture, is my favorite, taken a decade ago. 2/19/2005 03:55:08 PM |
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Writing as trance Been a day filled with snippets of writing. I miss the trance I was in during January when the story just poured out. Writing goes best when trancelike, I think. Ideally I like to be in a trance from Friday through Monday, then return "to the world" for three days of teaching, but it seldom works out so cleanly. At least all the snippets today add up to a decent work day. Still looks to me like everything is fixable, which is to say, no major overhaul necessary during the rewrite. I also did some more polishing on the screenplay. One more read through and I think I'll take it to the copy shop for all the copies necessary for the O'Neill application. It would be a good script to workshop if I get the gig.
2/19/2005 03:24:00 PM |
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Agent Ransack With Microsoft, Goggle and Yahoo! competing with new file searching utilities, you might want to check out the free utility I've used for years. Agent Ransack is powerful, quick, easy, versatile. I use it most when I can't remember where I put a manuscript file or what I named it but I remember a phrase in it -- within seconds, AR finds it. Highly recommended. I don't know what these new ones can do any better.
2/18/2005 07:43:00 AM |
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More surprises Another surprise in chapter 26, which changes the ending a tad, not in the action but the personnel, a change that actually makes better sense. So clearly much still in flux. But I have guarded optimism for a good four days of writing, making progress toward the end. Might finish the draft this month, only weeks away.
2/18/2005 05:25:00 AM |
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Thursday, February 17, 2005 New comments interface At last, they have made the comments interface here much easier and more user friendly, especially for those who don't want to start an account here. Very easy now for anyone at all to leave a comment.
2/17/2005 04:03:00 PM |
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Office hours Managed to get a few more pages done on chapter 26. Maybe I can finish it tomorrow and get 27 done before I return to teaching mode. We'll see! Damn eager to finish the draft now, with the end so close. Eager to start fixing everything that needs fixing. Eager to get back to my road story.
Fantastic resource Here is an extraordinary online resource for email addresses of agents and publishers, Anyone Who's Anyone in trade publishing, which actually includes more, including the film industry, plus many interesting and useful excerpts from correspondence between the site owner and various individuals in the industry (revealing preferences and more). The work putting this together is staggering, another example of the extraordinary free services available on the net because dedicated individuals, Gerard Jones in this case, make them available. A fantastic site.
2/17/2005 08:11:00 AM |
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Wednesday, February 16, 2005 Big picture I think I can finish the draft of Dead Body In A Small Room within the next several weeks -- unless I get a major interruption in my rhythm. Closer I get to the end, more I realize that needs to be fixed -- so what else is new? With the draft done, I'll move immediately back to Kerouac's Scroll with high energy to get back to it. I need to fill in some research for the mystery, then start rewriting. I still ought to be able to get it ready to market by summer. And maybe finish the road story draft this summer as well.
I have no firm plans what to do after these two books are done. If the mystery series sells, of course, I suppose I'll be starting a second one. But until that time, not at all sure what to turn to next. Several ideas for new projects but none really grabs me. I may even go back to screenwriting or playwriting for a while. Hard to say. I have no non-fiction projects that interest me, though I do have a couple historical fiction ideas but I don't want to write an epic or anything of size.
Or I may take the digital camera and do some photo essay projects for a while.
Three writing modes When I'm working on a manuscript, I'm writing in one of three modes:
Creative mode. The first draft, creating something from nothing.
NOTHING --> SOMETHING
Rewrite mode. Making something better.
SOMETHING --> SOMETHING BETTER
Grunt work mode. Fixing minor things.
SOMETHING --> SOMETHING DIFFERENT
The creative mode is the most fragile, difficult, and least fun. The rewriting mode is the heart and soul of writing. It's also the most fun. Grunt work is something to do when you aren't busy in the other modes.
2/16/2005 08:58:00 AM |
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Busy day I have a busy Tuesday, mainly reading midterms which I picked up last night. This will be fun because I gave them a "fun" assignment: to write a short script based around a scene I gave them as the story's midpoint. I get a morning break by having coffee with an old friend, Diana, who has directed several of my plays, including the hyperdrama The Bride of Edgefield. Anyone who directs a hyperdrama earns my accolades for courage. Diana also is an experienced actor ... and a cancer survivor. Haven't visited with her in a while, so it will be good.
2/16/2005 02:25:00 AM |
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Tuesday, February 15, 2005 Ta da! Finished chapter 25, first one in a while. Got a start on 26. I may come in at 28 or 29 chapters, so the end is very near now.
2/15/2005 03:08:00 PM |
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Progress At last! Good progress on chapter 25 this morning, here in the office. Breaking now to meet with John and maybe grab lunch, then back. I should finish the chapter this afternoon and maybe even get a start on 26. The light at the end of the tunnel gets closer.
2/15/2005 12:17:00 PM |
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Riding the bus I'm a bus person, usually driving to park & ride to catch a bus to the university. In mid-afternoon, when I usually do this, the bus is never crowded. This morning I came in early at mid-morning and the bus was standing room only, a sardine can of riders. Very different experience. Most fascinating were the cell phone conversations taking place all around me, a virtual symphony of monologues. Good movie scene. Now I have a couple hours before my coffee appointment with John. Maybe I can get some work done (for a change, it seems).
2/15/2005 10:54:00 AM |
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Oregon Book Awards One of the things I've always admired about our local book awards, sponsored by Literary Arts, Inc., is that there was no entry fee. This was a huge "welcome" sign to struggling, poor hand-to-mouth beginning writers, which many of us were ourselves at one time. No more. This year they are requiring entry fees, and many will not enter as a result. If you have a job, twenty-five dollars doesn't seem like much. But to a struggling writer, it can be the food budget for a week. Worse, they now require a photograph, not realizing what a hassle and expense this can be for private, shy, introverted struggling writers. Why don't they invite writers in and take their pictures themselves if the writer doesn't have a photograph? They're becoming just another corporate competition, making the rules for their convenience, not the convenience of writers. This really saddens me. They had something very special here. No more.
2/15/2005 08:53:00 AM |
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Guarded optimism Woke up with good energy, hoping at last I can return to my rhythm, which I lost a few days back and have not recovered. This is why I hate interruptions in my routine: sometimes it can take days and days to get the rhythm back. This is why I try to be so protective of my routine. But sometimes the "outside world" intervenes and you find yourself having to start all over again to get the mind back into the groove you were in before the interruption. This only happens during first drafts when everything is so fragile. Rewriting can happen on a public bus because the writing already exists. It's getting the writing onto the blank paper or screen that is the hassle; once there, you can do anything with it. It's playing God, getting it down from nothing, that's the bitch. Anyway, I have to go to the university early on another matter and hope to take advantage of it by locking myself in my office and getting some real work done.
2/15/2005 07:34:00 AM |
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Monday, February 14, 2005 Creeping forward Low energy but got a start on chapter 25 this morning.
2/14/2005 02:00:00 PM |
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Sunday, February 13, 2005 Screenwriting Spent several hours polishing the screenplay, which I need to send off in two weeks. Will let it sit a week now and look at it again.
Some school stuff to do tomorrow but maybe I can get back into the novel as well. Light at the end of the tunnel -- but I still have to move toward it.
2/13/2005 09:15:00 PM |
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Changes Made a major change in chapter 24 this morning, which may have been nagging at me and holding me back. Now I'm ready to move forward again.
2/13/2005 08:56:00 AM |
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Saturday, February 12, 2005 Time to get back to work This unexpected vacation must end. Need to get back writing tomorrow.
2/12/2005 10:47:00 PM |
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Strange wings You never know who will find your work and what uses they might make of it. I know absolutely nothing about the politics of India -- and yet here is my work being used in an "OPEN LETTER TO DR ABDUL KALAM PRESIDENT OF INDIA ON GTB, OBC, RBI" (whatever that is, and I assume we're not talking about runs batted in here ha ha). You turn up the most fascinating things on the Internet.
2/12/2005 03:16:00 PM |
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Jivin' John's #1 all-time doowop song, "In the Still of the Night" by the Five Satins. Shoo-doot-n-shoo-be-doo... 2/12/2005 01:35:31 PM |
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Jivin' John's #2 all-time doowop song, "Earth Angel" by The Penguins. With "Hey Senorita" on the flip side, this record was a double whammy. 2/12/2005 01:34:01 PM |
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Biopics Just rewatched on cable one of my favorite biopics, The Buddy Holly Story. Gary Busey sang the Holly songs himself, unlike this year's Oscar favorite Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles. Diana Ross as Billie Holiday also sang herself. Another good biopic performance, Jessica Lange as Patsy Cline, was lip-synced, which is the usual practice.
This year I am rooting for Don Cheadle in Hotel Rwanda over the probable favorite Foxx, a performance I thought had considerably more depth and variety and nuances. Foxx, of course, was outstanding, especially in capturing Charles' body language. But in a close call, I'd choose Cheadle. Personally I don't put the others in the running compared to these two performances. I'm usually dead wrong on these matters.
Made two batches of my vegetarian lasagne, which took all morning, a batch for us and a batch for the dinner party tonight. Looks like another day without writing.
2/12/2005 01:11:00 PM |
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History of Doowop In Eugene, DJ Jivin' Johnny Etheredge, a good friend (my mystery The Deadly Doowop is dedicated to him), has been playing doowop and early rock on the radio for about 30 (count em!) continuous years. The last time he dedicated four consecutive shows to a history of doowop, he recorded them for me -- volume one of eight is playing right now -- and I'm going to listen to all eight hours over the next several days. The soul needs its shot of doowop now and again. I wrote a nice profile of John back in the 70s for Northwest magazine and came close to including it in the recent anthology. But I decided three stories by the editor would be too many and there were two of mine, about a logger poet and about baseball, that I thought had wider appeal. But it was the next in line. Once a doowop fan, always.
2/12/2005 08:20:00 AM |
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Second wind? Didn't get any writing done yesterday after all. Been writing nonstop for six weeks -- may need a battery charge, a second wind. We'll see how it goes today (after I get some more sleep).
2/12/2005 03:33:00 AM |
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Friday, February 11, 2005 Arthur Miller One of our great American playwrights died last night. I had the honor, first, of being in one of his plays and, second, of chatting with him online, asking him what he thought of an all-black production of Death of a Salesman being done here in Portland. He said that wasn't the play he wrote. 2/11/2005 11:21:00 AM |
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Practical Screenwriting Finished my book corrections, a 5-page list just emailed to the publisher. Hope this is the last time I have to go through it! Now I want to see the cover.
Off to the store to buy ingredients for one of my specialties, vegetarian lasagne, including making my own pasta ... for a dinner party tomorrow night. Hope to get started on chapter 25 this afternoon.
2/11/2005 09:27:00 AM |
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Archives My archives rarely receive over 1000 hits in a single day, but it's happened twice this week, Monday and yesterday. Activity in the opera area has been especially high. Hmm.
2/11/2005 07:02:00 AM |
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Madam Butterfly A solid production last night for the most part. And yet I walked away a tad let down. The music in the last act doesn't rise to the occasion for me, never grabs me the way it should. In this sense, reading the libretto was more moving -- the music I imagined, I heard in my mind's ear, was more tragic that what was delivered. I also didn't like the directing of the ending, which I found too busy, too filled with visual distractions. So this is not one of my favorite operas. All the same, a good experience.
Why is this opera so popular? A long standing ovation last night, for example. Probably because of its strengths, foremost of which is a clear, focused moving story. Good if not great music. (Surprisingly few memorable arias for a classic like this.) A very sympathetic protagonist.
I've never seen Tristan and Isolde, the music of which I much prefer to Butterfly. Hope I can one day. Maybe I should get the DVD.
Thursday, February 10, 2005 Office hrs. Managed to get to campus before the end of my office hours. Will hang around till class starts. Mainly want to brainstorm some student stories that still aren't clear to me. Then may well let them go a tad early. Harriet is picking me up, bringing a sandwich for my dinner, then it's off to the opera! Looking forward to this. Tomorrow maybe I can get back in the groove and over the next four days make some real progress on the mystery ... I could finish the draft in two good weeks of writing, I think. Eager to do just this! I see a lot that needs fixing but that's the point, after all, and SEEING what needs to be done is more than half the battle. This is what students need to learn. Sometimes they don't even see there's a problem.
Picked up some classic mysteries and suspense stories to reread ... The Postman Always Rings Twice, The Manchurian Candidate, Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
2/10/2005 03:51:36 PM |
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Today Today is something of a mess. First, the batch of student papers had too many students with problems, really got me depressed. Then all the damn errors in my screenwriting textbook got me down, too. Don't they have any decent copy editors over there? Fortunately, we see Madam Butterfly tonight, and I am really looking forward to it. I think I'm skipping office hours today, and I may even let the class out early. Interesting what a foul mood poor screenwriting can get me in! The downside of teaching. Good work makes you feel great, poor work makes you feel lousy.
But I'm having fun working on a screenplay of my own for a change, polishing the one I'll send to O'Neill. It's been a long time. It's a fun form to work in -- so much easier than writing prose, once you get the hang of it. You get to pass the buck to your collaborators so often! Let them figure out the details (i.e. costume designer, set designer, etc.).
Tomorrow I need to get back on the mystery, I can see light at the end of the tunnel. Eager to finish the draft. Just as eager to get back to my road story. I miss literary fiction ha ha! I belong to the dinosaurs there, I guess. I've been reading some publishers blogs and they are so depressing. Books are marketed like any other commodity today. Like tooth paste or deordorant. All these megacorporations worrying about their bottom lines.
2/10/2005 11:57:54 AM |
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Screenwriting Just read a batch of weak screenwriting, which is depressing as hell. Endless talk, chat chat chat, long dialogue scenes going somewhere (where, where?) very slowly. Too many of my students don't understand the incredible efficiency of film storytelling -- and we're over halfway through the course! Need to get them on track quickly.
2/10/2005 10:24:53 AM |
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Thought of the day As a culture disintegrates, its citizens are reduced to consumers and patriots.
2/09/2005 10:31:28 AM |
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Bygone days I woke up this morning with an unusual dream in my head, unrelated to my work, which is what I usually dream about: I was giving a folksong concert (singing "Muleskinner Blues," to be specific!).
In the 60s and 70s, I took my guitar everywhere. Invite me to dinner or a party, I brought my guitar, expecting to be asked to sing. Less frequently I gave "formal" folksong concerts, usually in a university setting. I was an amateur folksinger. I wrote a lot of songs (a few of them are in my archive).
My last big effort in this direction was in 1979 when I received a grant to write and perform a tribute to Woody Guthrie, which became Ramblin': The Songs and Stories of Woody Guthrie (audio of the show, this version with a second musician, Jim Wiley). The initial grant was for ten performances but the show was so popular, the granting institution asked me to apply for more money, more performances. To make a long story short, I continued to tour the show long after the grant money was gone, and through the 80s performed it over one hundred times from Seattle to Los Angeles. My last act of singing in public, about six or seven years ago (?), was doing this show.
I don't do it any more and don't have plans to resurrect it. My folksinging days are over. The closest I come now are visits to Idaho, where I know some musicians, and sometimes we bring out the instruments for old-times sake. A few years ago, going to L.A. for a surprise 70th birthday party, I ended up borrowing a guitar and singing with some musicians with whom I had an informal folk group in the 60s, and it was a hoot. We remembered the words -- and the harmonies!
Tuesday, February 08, 2005 Office hrs II Wrote a tad more in chapter 24. Then was able to run Sophocles, my screenwriting program, off my flash drive and do some work on the screenplay I'll send to O'Neill. I'm a little surprised how much I still like it.
2/08/2005 03:52:32 PM |
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Office hours A surprisingly productive day! After the good start on chapter 24, got my prep work done for class today and had time to read an old screenplay, which I still like a lot. Will tweak it and send to O'Neill, I think. I probably should write more screenplays, despite my disdain for the Hollywood marketplace. Tonight I pick up a lot of student scripts, which I'll read tomorrow and discuss in class Thursday. Thursday night, the opera! Butterfly got a stellar review and has been getting long standing ovations, even our local opera critic loved it. Very much looking forward to it. We have good season seats, and for next year, too, which I like even more than this season.
2/08/2005 03:08:27 PM |
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Morning Despite being busy, got a good start on chapter 24 today.
O'Neill Conference is starting a screenplay division, and I've been invited to give them something for consideration for their inaugural workshop in July. Hmm, I just might. 2/08/2005 10:52:58 AM |
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Busy week Looks like a very busy week, not sure how much I'll get written on the mystery. I can devote the weekend to it, however.
2/08/2005 08:42:05 AM |
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Monday, February 07, 2005 Update Another "no" from an agent reading sample pages of the novellas, although he praised my "professional writing" -- but the book would be too hard a sell. Well, I knew that going in. What I don't understand is, why does it take sample pages for them to realize this? Or does he really mean my writing isn't "professional" enough to overcome the biases of the marketplace? At any rate, he did ask to see the mystery when it's done. I have a lot of readings for it thus far.
Going through the textbook, and there still are a shocking number of things that need to be fixed. Main issue now is inconsistency of their format of the text.
2/07/2005 03:01:33 PM |
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Super Bowl There are three things I liked about the Super Bowl:
The National Anthem. It was done tastefully for a change by a large mixed military chorus.
Paul McCartney's halftime show. All the songs were over 30 years old.
No riot in the streets after the game. Hooray for Jacksonville.
Sunday, February 06, 2005 Power and corruption The theme of the 2005-6 season at the Portland Opera is power and corruption, with the season comprised of Tosca, Macbeth, Nixon In China and Don Giovanni. A terrific season (though my wife strongly disagrees)! On the current season, we see Madam Butterfly on Thursday. I have the libretto and need to read it before then. Meanwhile, beginning to look around for a suitable story for my third opera project with John, as he works on the music of our second, Varmints.
Got a good start on chapter 23 today. Started to look over the final proof of the textbook, already finding more problems than should be there at this late stage. They really need help in the copy editing department.
2/06/2005 10:39:49 AM |
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SAG awards Screen Actors Guild award for best ensemble cast went to Sideways, in what has been called "a surprise win." Complete list of winners in film acting:
THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role...Jamie Foxx / RAY - Ray Charles: Universal Pictures
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role...Hilary Swank / MILLION DOLLAR BABY - Maggie: Warner Bros.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role...Morgan Freeman / MILLION DOLLAR BABY - Scrap: Warner Bros.
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role...Cate Blanchett / THE AVIATOR - Katharine Hepburn: Miramax Films
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture / SIDEWAYS Fox Searchlight Pictures
Second wind A day off is all it took: I'm up with energy and a second wind this morning. Just about ready to begin the last major sequence of the mystery. Lots to fix, I am realizing, but I resist much more fine-tuning until I get to the end now. Then I'll put it aside for a week or so while I catch up on some research I need to do, then start rewriting. I don't anticipate a problem having it finished before summer.
Changing my mind about summer plans. Initially thought of camping in four-corners area of southwest, but now I feel more like staying close to home, enjoying the house while we still have it. Paradise is about to end here. I need to enjoy it while I can. We can take short trips from here, several days at the coast, several up the gorge and so on, maybe the usual trip to Idaho.
I finished Joseph Kanon's Los Alamos, which I liked very much. Going to read more by him. Historically based mysteries, a nice genre. I see a way to tweak one of my ideas for a future literary novel, based on an historical character, into same. Might consider it if I get that far.
After the mystery is drafted, I immediately return to the road story in progress. Eager to write that one, it's so personal a buddy story. After it ... well, if I sell the series, I know the next mystery novel and probably would begin there. In fact, I plan to meet the major character in that one is this one, there's a logical place to make such an introduction. If I don't sell the series, well, not sure what the next project would be then.
I also have energy to do a new screenplay -- actually make a major revision of one already written. Not sure if I'll follow through on that or not.
Phone call from anthology publisher last night, bringing me up to date. Reviews upcoming in Seattle, Boise, and many towns here. My first reading is still a month away.
All my relatives in New Jersey will be rooting for Philadelphia in the Super Bowl. I expect to join them.
2/05/2005 03:19:16 AM |
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Thursday, February 03, 2005 "Pedagogical high" Class tonight was very exhilarating. Several students read the opening pages of their screenplays, and there was some good work being shared and discussed. We'll do more of the same next week. This is the time when teaching is fun and rewarding.
2/03/2005 07:39:58 PM |
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Office hrs. Finished a 2700 word chapter 21 -- with a huge surprise and plot twist. Really raises the stakes and starts a ticking clock, I like it. Have to fiddle with how the final conflict will evolve now but that's fine. Onward.
2/03/2005 03:57:23 PM |
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Sketch the critic shaking a manuscript for its meaning: "You call this a piece of good writing?" 2/03/2005 01:58:38 PM |
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Practical Screenwriting Just rec'd a PDF of my book for final approval, the last step. See if anything still needs tweaking. I still haven't seen the cover, though. Exciting moment in a book's journey!
2/03/2005 08:33:50 AM |
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Another surprise I'm developing a chapter outline as I write the mystery, mainly for a tool for myself at this point. As I was bringing it up to date this morning, I thought of a major plot twist in chapter 21 that really raises the stakes, so I'm going to try it out. This will require some foreshadowing in pages past, which I'll start fixing, too. I think this will work out -- even though, as a reader just reminded me, not all surprises are always for the benefit of the story. But I like raising the stakes.
2/03/2005 08:10:10 AM |
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Wednesday, February 02, 2005 Gallery of Heroes: James Agee James Agee was the first prose stylist whose work opened my eyes to the possibilities of language as music and metaphor. His remarkable book Let Us Now Praise Famous Men and his novel A Death In The Family expanded my understanding of what language can do. Years later, visiting relatives in New Jersey, I went to Frenchtown so I could stand in front of the building in which Agree rented a room while he was working on a book. This is what the magic of literature can do. 2/02/2005 07:46:51 PM |
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Last half of term I work harder in the last half of a term than in the first half, primarily because I have more reading and evaluation to do. That begins today with a large stack of "first drafts" from my students taking "the forest track," which I need to read today and return tomorrow. Next week we do the same thing for "tree" people. I expect my progress through the mystery to slow down but I still should finish a draft this month, being over halfway done. There's really only three major action sequences left.
I've been thinking about my abandoned road story lately and am eager to return to it. A bit of research to do for the mystery, a pile of several books I need to go through.
I expect to start hearing from agents this month but don't anticipate any takers, to be honest. But it may set the stage some more for the mystery.
Waiting Still waiting to hear from 8 agents who have sample pages from the bundle of my two short novels. Meanwhile, my shipment of Patriots is on the way.
Surprises For all the best laid plans, surprises happen in writing -- and often they are the most exciting part of the process. There were two surprises in chapter 20 of the mystery, a small one and a major one. The small one: my protagonist and love interest end up in bed sooner than I anticipated. These things happen. The major one: the love interest confesses to being a gambling addict. With my setting in Nevada, this is cool because it sets the stage for her lapse in a later story. And it adds a complication to her relationship with the protagonist. I also gave her a young daughter, being raised by her parents while she's in "recovery." This came totally out of the blue as I was writing. I never had one conscious earlier thought that she was a gambling addict. Suddenly, as things were getting hotter with the protagonist, she confessed it to him, as in, you sure you want to get involved with a single mom gambling addict? The creative process is full of mystery and wonder. A writer learns to respect it. A writer learns to thank the gods.
2/01/2005 08:42:31 AM |
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26 days, 20 chapters, 54,000 words I started the draft of the mystery on January 5. I've averaged almost a chapter a day since then. Not bad at all, if I say so myself. I should finish the draft this month. Then I'll return to Kerouac's Scroll and begin rewriting the mystery, after first catching up on some research I need to do to fill in details. Looking good. Onward.
2/01/2005 06:42:47 AM |
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Dead Body In A Small Room Finished 2000 word chapter 20. Rest of the book in what appears to be a reasonably tight chapter outline. The end in sight. Onward.
2/01/2005 06:37:43 AM |
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Index to Tumour Diary Ivan Noble, the BBC reporter who kept a two-year blog about his fight with brain cancer, has died. Here is an index to his diary. Hundreds of thousands read this regularly, evidence of the growing and new importance of blogs as a communication tool.
2/01/2005 05:58:35 AM |
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_The Writing Life