Dan Jorgensen's Blog, page 62
November 1, 2024
'How life is lived, you know'
“WhenI'm writing, I'm trying to immerse myself in the chaos of an emotionalexperience, rather than separate myself from it and look back at it from adistance with clarity and tell it as a story. Because that's how life is lived,you know?” – Charlie Kaufman
Born in New York City in November of1958, Kaufman is a screenwriter, producer, director, and lyricist who wrote thefilms Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshineof the Spotless Mind, for which he won an Academy Award. All three scripts appear in the WritersGuild of America’s list of the 101 greatest movie screenplays ever written.
It’s been a busy 2024 for Kaufman,writing the Netflix animated movie Orionand the Dark and now his second novel ThisFace Can Even Be Proved by Means of the Sense of Hearing. He’s also producing the Broadway play Pre-Existing Condition.
“I want to create situations that give peoplesomething to think about,” Kaufman said about his works. “When I write characters and situations andrelationships, I try to sort of utilize what I know about the world, limited asit is, and what I hear from my friends and see with my relatives.”
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A Writer's Moment: 'How life is lived, you know'
October 31, 2024
A Writer's Moment: 'Nothing will stop you'
'Nothing will stop you'
“Ilove research so much that I do an enormous amount; it helps put off the momentof starting to write the story.” – Alan Garner
Born in Cheshire, England in October of 1934, Garner just celebrated his 90th birthday by publishing a memoir calledPowsels and Thrums. And despite being a self-professed“procrastinator” it was the writer’s 28th book to go along with dozens of short stories and essays.
There are few writers who wouldn’tagree with Garner’s take on research. Gatheringinfo. to utilize as the foundation for stories is generally gratifying andfulfilling. And, of course, most writersare procrastinators by nature – knowing that they should put pen to paper orfingers to keyboard but dreading how things are going to start and where theymight lead.
Born in the front room of hisgrandmother’s Cheshire house, Garner grew up in that northwestern Englishcounty listening to "the old tales" from his grandparents and choosing it as the setting for most of hisbooks. Best known for children'sfantasy novels and the retelling of traditional British folk tales, his work isfirmly rooted in Cheshire’s landscape, history and folklore.
While he is noted for his “slow, butsteady” writing style his output has been substantial and has earned himalmost every major writing award that honors or recognizes literature for youngpeople.
When asked again about that“procrastination thing,” Garner said you have to work to get by it. “ Look, if you are going to write, nothingwill stop you. And if you are not going to write, nothing will make you.”
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October 30, 2024
A Writer's Moment: 'It's an arduous task at best'
'It's an arduous task at best'
“Writingone's first novel, getting it sold, and shepherding it through the labyrinthsof editing, production, marketing, journalism, and social media is an arduousand nerve-wracking process.” – Paul Di Filippo
Di Filippo, born in Rhode Island onOct. 29, 1954 is the author of hundreds of short stories and numerous novelsand “collections,” including his acclaimed SteampunkTrilogy.
A finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, BSFA, PhilipK. Dick, Wired Magazine, and World Fantasy awards he’s not only one of America’s leading science fictionand fantasy writers but also a highly respected reviewer for suchmagazines as Asimov's Science Fiction, The New York Review of ScienceFiction and the online Science Fiction Weekly.
Despite his own successes, he has a bit of a gloomy outlook on having success with your first book.
“Any debut novel is usually a case ofspitting into the wind - or, just maybe, casting your bread upon the waters,”he said. “Without an establishedaudience in place, first-time authors have to hope for resonant word of mouthand a receptive reviewer or three.”
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A Writer's Moment: The 'Sounds' of writing success
The 'Sounds' of writing success
“Soundis so important to creative writing. Think of the sounds you hear that youinclude, and the similes you use to describe what things sound like. 'As she walked up the alley,her polyester workout pants sounded like windshield wipers swishing back andforth.' Cadence, onomatopoeia, the poetry of language are all so important.Learn all that you can about how to bring sound into your work.”– Barbara DeMarco-Barrett
DeMarco-Barrettis the author of Pen on Fire: A Busy Woman’s Guide toIgniting the Writer Within, a Los Angeles Timesbestseller and winner of the Best Book Award from the American Society ofJournalists and Authors. Host andproducer of the long-running podcast Writers on Writing,she has taught at several colleges and universities and is a frequent presenterat writing workshops and conferences.
Herreminder of the importance of sound is key to any successful writing endeavor.
A train rumbling by; the hoot of anowl to break the night’s stillness; a floorboard’s creak just when no one else issupposed to be around. When I was ayoung child we would gather around an upright console radio to “hear” TheShadow, Dragnet, or The Lone Ranger. Mybrothers and my only view was of the front of that radio as we sat cross-leggedon the floor to listen. But the worldsof crime, drama and the Old West came pouring out upon us – a wonderful mix ofa writer’s words and great sound.
For a writer, DeMarco said, “Workingdoesn't always mean putting words on paper.”
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October 28, 2024
A Writer's Moment: 'Nine-tenths of wisdom'
'Nine-tenths of wisdom'
Iam a part of everything that I have read.” – TheodoreRoosevelt
Born in New York on Oct. 27, 1858Roosevelt was a statesman, explorer, soldier, naturalist, reformer and the 26thPresident of the United States. Heplayed a major role in the development of the country’s national parks,monuments and history and also was a multi-book bestselling author. Much of his writing success, in fact, preceded histime in politics.
The author of 18 books on topicsranging from foreign policy to the importance of the national park system healso was a voracious reader, consuming up to 7 books each and every week of hisadult life. Among his favorites werebooks of poetry. U.S. Poet LaureateRobert Frost once said of Roosevelt “(He) was our kind. He quoted poetry to me.He knew poetry.”
From his acclaimed autobiography TheRough Riders to his book History of the Naval War of 1812 (still taughtin naval war classes), his writings covered everything from The Duties of American Citizenship to Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail –topics he both wrote about and lived. Healso served as editor of The Outlook magazine, where he hadweekly access to a large, educated national audience.
In the process, his thoughtfulwritings and wise editorial decisions played a key role in protecting some ofour nation’s most valuable natural sites and resources.
“Nobody cares how much you know,”Roosevelt said, “until they know how much you care. Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise intime.”
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