Kelly McCullough's Blog, page 22
April 29, 2014
The Saga Continues
In this chapter, Valentine makes a startling confession...
Ooooh, what a giant tease! So what do you suppose he says??? Go find out!
April 23, 2014
More Crazy Podcasting
Yeah, admit it, you're curious:
http://mangakast.wordpress.com/2014/04/23/seventh-heaven/
April 22, 2014
Werewolves and Autopies
In this installment, more and more evidence points to Valentine's involvement in the death of the homeless woman found at the base of the clock tower.If you're interested, go get it! (Be sure to make sure to read all the pages. It's easy to miss!)
April 21, 2014
What Do You Need?
It’s a question every writer asks, and one we’re all constantly striving to answer: what do you need to be able to write?
Kelly
What I need to be able to write:
1. Ten to twelve square feet to myself.
2. A comfortable seat and someplace to put my feet up. Not sure why the feet being up matters so much, but it does. I find it almost impossible to work at a desk or table. Comfortable didn't used to matter as much, but my back isn't as forgiving as it was when I was thirty.
3. Relative quiet. White noise or instrumental music is fine, but interesting conversation or lyrics kill me dead.
4. One and one-half or more hours when I know I can just write.
Those are the necessities. It also helps if I have:
A. Power, though the longer battery life on each new laptop has made that less of an issue.
B. Caffeine readily available, tea or diet soda by preference, something that I can sip when I pause to think.
C. A nice view, preferably of green space or nature, though a college campus is fine too. A little bit of visual distraction that I can watch but don't have to.
That's really about it.
Lyda
What do I need to be able to write?
Absolutely nothing.
Thing is, I used to think I needed ALL THE THINGS. I had to have a new notebook for each new project, or I had to have just the right pen or the perfect spot in the sun (or shade), the right coffee, the right mood music, the right amount of time (not too much, not too little) ... everything.
Then my wife and I had a baby. Suddenly, I was really constrained. All the things I thought I needed, I realized I really didn't. If I had my computer and five minutes, I'd use it. If I had a half hour and a pen and paper, I'd use it. In a way, having this intense sort of restriction freed me. All those things I thought I needed fell away. I learned I could write anywhere, anytime, and under almost any circumstance.
I still really like fancy notebooks, though.
I might still need one of those to write. Just sayin'.
Bill
I started to line up all the usual suspects here—money; time; the right people in my life, the ones who understand and are supportive of the commitments the writing life demands; the camaraderie and feedback of a writers’ group; my home office, full of essential books, comics, artwork, collectibles—but in the end all those things, important as they may be, pale beside the need for a project: a project that feels truly worth committing the next however many years of my life to, a story that comes from a place so personal that it compells me to tell it until it’s told, a fully imagined world to live in and explore, with characters whose heads I’ll gladly inhabit every hour of the day, both waking and dreaming alike ... Because if I have that, there’s not a whole lot that’s going to get in my way.
Naomi
You know, it's hard to really answer this question because I haven't been in a truly bare-bones situation for such a long time. I'm used to having a computer, but I remember being a child and doing all my writing by hand. But in terms of what I feel like I need these days:
1. Time. It doesn't necessarily have to be in huge chunks, but I do have to be able to find it somewhere.
2. Self-discipline. So that I use that time for writing instead of checking Facebook over and over and over. (There is always something new and interesting to read on the Internet.)
3. A computer with an ergonomic keyboard. I type a lot faster than I write, and my hands and wrists are a little fussy about keyboards and so on.
4. A project. Which is a little more complicated than just "an idea"—I have a ton of ideas that are setups without enough oomph to actually turn them into a story.
Eleanor
In the past, I would have said time and money. In many ways, they are the same. Money gives you the free time to write. Many writers find themselves in a bind. Because they aren’t making a living at writing, they need a day job; and the day job sucks their time, so they are not able to establish a writing career. This was my problem for many years. Though, to be honest, I have always written slowly and taken many breaks from writing—because I felt I had nothing to say at the moment, or because I couldn’t figure out what came next in a story, or because I was really interested in some other aspect of my life, such as my day job.
However, I was forcibly retired after the 2008 financial crash. After looking for work for a year and a half, I gave up and applied for Social Security. So now I have time and enough money to get by. SS is key, but I do make a little income from writing.
What do I need to write now?
A computer, a printer, paper, notebooks, pens, mechanical pencils, and erasers. Books and magazines also help. I subscribe to New Scientist. My sub to MIT’s Technology Review has lapsed. I need to think about renewing it. For the most part, the books I read are either nonfiction, often popular science, or science fiction and fantasy. Nonfiction provides information. Fiction by other writers provides inspiration.
I have a desk that is my at-home workspace, but it’s usually covered with paper. Either I work at the desktop computer in the living room, or I take my little netbook out to a coffee shop. I love to write in coffee shops. They are full of people working at computers. The staff leaves you alone. If I want to take a break, I can people watch or get myself something to eat or drink.
My favorite coffee shop plays good and interesting CDs: blues, folk music, French chanteurs ... At home, I listen to classical music on Minnesota Public Radio or put on a classical music CD.
I go back and forth between the computer and pen and paper. Often I begin on paper, then move to the computer. As I input what I’ve written on paper, I make changes and then continue the story on the computer. I always print out stories and revise on the hard copy. I can’t see mistakes on the computer.
What else do I need? Friends and writing groups. I belong to two groups: the Wyrdsmiths and an s.f. poetry group. Both provide support and criticism. At this point, I can’t imagine writing entirely on my own.
But I do still need time to myself, a lot of it, to write and read and think. I find walking the track at the gym is very helpful. I work out plot problems and even compose dialogue while walking. The track is usually quiet and almost empty. A walk by the river is less useful, since nature is distracting, and I have to watch out for other people.
That’s about it: time, money, equipment, reading material, a workspace, friends, and silence …
April 19, 2014
Pumped from Using the Prompt
The first is really best if used completely randomly (press 'fill in) and see what happens. We got a completely zany storyline that included robots poking each other at a funeral. (Exactly, right? I mean, that image is going to stick in my head... possibly until I figure out how to write it.) http://www.plot-generator.org.uk
The other one was slightly more useful. This site offers a number of tailored options, including the one I ended up using with was 'how I got my superpowers.' http://www.springhole.net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/plotgens.htm
The prompt I got in response to 'how I got my super powers' was: FROM THE FAIRY. I couldn't resist that one and ended up writing this little snippet...
I don't know if I'll do anything more with it, but it's a fun start, don't you think?
They told me if I wanted to get superpowers, I had to buy them from the fairy. The problem was you never knew what it’d cost you. Fairies are fickle, you know. Sometimes they just want something mundane. I heard of a guy who got the power of invulnerability and all it cost him was a slice of Munster cheese. Other times, they wanted too much, stuff no sane person would part with. Sure, you’re immortal, but your body is gone, and you’re just stuffed teddy bear without even the ability to move or speak.
Anyway, I have no idea if the participants (I hesitate to use the term students in this situation) got as much enjoyment out of the program as I did, but I hope so. One of the challenges of the 'First Pages' program is that it's meant to be flexible. That's a good thing, because it can mean that the "class" is tailored to individual needs, but it can also mean the instructor (me) does a lot of flailing around from subject to subject hoping to hit on something that works. I felt very flail-ly, but I sincerely hope that since I had fun it means they did too.
We nominally have a subject to discuss, but this one was "Read to Write" and so the 'discussion' was meant to be structured around what books can teach us about writing. Since, as far as I can tell, the answer is: everything, we talked about that for a while, but... well, that wasn't much of a sustaining sort of subject, you know? Maybe if I'd had a blackboard we could have listed books that influenced our writing. Perhaps, since I'll be doing this again in Roseville next month, I can start with that next time.
But, so after we'd exhausted that subject, I opened the floor up to questions. What do you struggle with with your writing? And, somehow from there, we got to plot generators, and silliness ensued.
Ultimately, as I said, I had a good time, if nothing else. And, well, I guess, worst case scenario, they got what they paid for (it's free.)
April 16, 2014
More MangaKast
Mason and I recorded our sixth MangaKast and it's up for your enjoyment here: http://mangakast.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/podcast-the-sixth/
We talk about Bleach 577, Ao no Exorcist 56, and Toriko 274... though a lot of it is teh stupid that comes from being awake way too early. We have fun, though. In fact, a large portion of this particular podcast is me laughing so hard I snort.
April 15, 2014
Mochas and Motorcycles!
You can read it here: UnJust Cause Part 4: Mochas and Motorcycles
In this installment, Alex discovers that demons have a weakness for mochas. Also, it seems that the sexy redhead werewolf biker, Mac, is stalking her!
Seriously, what's not to love about a werewolf motorcycle gang?? Go check it out! (Don't forget to leave a comment.) Thanks!
April 9, 2014
Writing
It's perfectly true that fiction does not sell till editors look at it, and most of my work sells sooner or later.
I have no idea why I'm stalled right now. But the obvious thing to do -- as Naomi says -- is get the stories out.
There are plenty of things that can go wrong with a writing career. All you can do is make sure that the things going wrong have nothing to do with you. Don't do the work of malign fate for malign fate.
Cap 2
Well, now I have seen Captain America 2. I think I have used up a month's supply of adrenaline. Thus far, my favorite Marvel movies are Thor 1 and Captain America 1. But this movie is a fine mix of violence, paranoia and cynicism. I will say no more, for fear of spoiling the story for the two or three people who haven't seen CA # 2 yet.
Note: Cap is never cynical, nor is he treated with cynicism. But the world that poor guy has found himself in. You can understand why he longs for WWII.
I did nothing after Captain America, except lie on the couch and read. I am going through Quiet a second time. According to the book, introverts need to limit their input. Well, I certainly exceeded my limit at CA # 2. That's okay, so long as I have down time after. Now I am thinking about the movie, trying to understand what it says. Not that it's hard to figure out, but I need to distance myself from all the crashing and banging. It occurs to me that good writing -- writing that is obviously skillful and thoughtful -- can put a barrier between the reader and the experience: a kind of glass wall. Action flicks smash right through that wall. The noise and the adrenaline removes a layer of protection. Remember that American torturers use noise -- especially rock music -- to break their victims down. I am not saying that the noise of an action flick is torture, but it makes the audience vulnerable. You can't maintain an intellectual and emotional distance in an action flick. Of course, there is evidence that this kind of adrenaline high also protects people from the reality of what's happening. But I guess I am inclined to think that the crudeness and rawness of an action flick is closer to life in contemporary America than is intelligence and grace.
An action flick says, "Civilization? You think we have a civilization here? The more fool you!"
There are a lot of ways that writing -- and movies and art -- can break through the glass wall which I don't like. I am kind of a wimp, and there is a limit to how much ugliness I can handle. I didn't like The Avengers, except for the bit at the end when they are in the shawarma joint. It's almost the only part of the movie I remember. Too much violence. Not enough plot. And the villains were all external. The problem for me is -- how do you break the glass wall without being way too nasty? And is disgust an adequate way to break the wall?
I think I am trying to be profound and failing. Ah well.
Five is Live
This is another project I could consider a failed experiment, but, in this case, I really don't. Mason and I have limited expectations for it, for one. We probably have three faithful listeners (which is probably actually one, since I play the edited version for Mason when he gets home from school.) But, this is a totally different thing we're doing. It's entirely for ourselves and we know it. I get to bond with my son about something we both enjoy, and he gets to be a host of a podcast... how cool is that? (When you're ten? Pretty darn cool.)
Plus, at least one day a week, we're up and ready for school ON TIME. (Even mom appreciates that!)
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