No-shave November still cruising. Looking a bit better, but still scraggly and not quite connecting. Oh well.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Beard Week 4
No-shave November still cruising. Looking a bit better, but still scraggly and not quite connecting. Oh well.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Synopsis Writing
I've been battling this particular monster lately, wondering what exactly one is supposed to do when writing a synopsis, as some people claim it should be one page for every 25, and others claim it to be eight-12 pages, still others say no more than five, and "experts" recommend one to three pages.
I started with the suggested chapter by chapter breakdown, writing about a paragraph for every chapter. It came to be eight and a half, single spaced pages. From there, I tried to craft my synopsis, writing what I could and ending up with the same amount of words--only they flowed a bit better. By page three of this single spaced "concise" version, I decided I was going about this all wrong. So I took a reverse approach.
Regardless of page length, everyone agrees that you boil your novel down. But since this was not working for me, I took one of my query letters with my one paragraph snippet and expanded up it. This proved to be much more beneficial. I already had the bare, bare bones of the story, what it was all about--minus the characterization, setting, and subplots--so why not add some meat. Sinew by sinew, I stitched in the muscle, gave it some strength, some figure. I was able to do more characterization. I could set the scene. I could insinuate the subplots.
For me, the hardest part is figuring out what to cut, but adding, that I can do no problem. And it made all the difference in the world, as I suddenly felt more freed. What was once impossible became a fun little adventure. I could give the generic paragraph some actual life, add more of my voice, and let it run.
I know this probably isn't the most helpful of things, but I'm--by no means--an expert. Perhaps, if this synopsis proves to be successful, I'll give a better description as to what I did and how. For the moment, the general advice is to summarize your story in one to two sentences, one paragraph at most, then add to it step by step. Pluck out the details you like best about your story and weave them in, those particular lines you love, the bits that sum up the relationships. This seems to be the one place we get to tell instead of show, and not get in trouble for it.
I don't know. Perhaps I'm rambling. But if this is of any help, or you have questions, feel free to contact me. I tend to have things fall more into place when I'm chatting about them.
Happy Thanksgiving.
I started with the suggested chapter by chapter breakdown, writing about a paragraph for every chapter. It came to be eight and a half, single spaced pages. From there, I tried to craft my synopsis, writing what I could and ending up with the same amount of words--only they flowed a bit better. By page three of this single spaced "concise" version, I decided I was going about this all wrong. So I took a reverse approach.
Regardless of page length, everyone agrees that you boil your novel down. But since this was not working for me, I took one of my query letters with my one paragraph snippet and expanded up it. This proved to be much more beneficial. I already had the bare, bare bones of the story, what it was all about--minus the characterization, setting, and subplots--so why not add some meat. Sinew by sinew, I stitched in the muscle, gave it some strength, some figure. I was able to do more characterization. I could set the scene. I could insinuate the subplots.
For me, the hardest part is figuring out what to cut, but adding, that I can do no problem. And it made all the difference in the world, as I suddenly felt more freed. What was once impossible became a fun little adventure. I could give the generic paragraph some actual life, add more of my voice, and let it run.
I know this probably isn't the most helpful of things, but I'm--by no means--an expert. Perhaps, if this synopsis proves to be successful, I'll give a better description as to what I did and how. For the moment, the general advice is to summarize your story in one to two sentences, one paragraph at most, then add to it step by step. Pluck out the details you like best about your story and weave them in, those particular lines you love, the bits that sum up the relationships. This seems to be the one place we get to tell instead of show, and not get in trouble for it.
I don't know. Perhaps I'm rambling. But if this is of any help, or you have questions, feel free to contact me. I tend to have things fall more into place when I'm chatting about them.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
+Turkey Day+
Have you seen those slow-motion shots of them sharks popping out of the water? We should feast on seal while watching and join in their celebration of life. Or death. Or whatever.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Films I Watched in the Past Few Days
Gentlemen Broncos: This wasn't quite what I expected. From the trailers, I figured it would be a bit more plot-driven than Jared Hess' earlier films. However, it was not. Not to say that this is a terrible thing--considering there really is no one out there making films like his (and in this day and age, that is a rarity.) It's not a fast-paced film. The absurdity of the thing made it worthwhile. One bizarre situation after another that illicit giggles long after the film credits roll. This definitely isn't a film for everyone--not even of Napoleon Dynamite fans--but for those select few, it is a gem.
Boondock Saints II: All Saint's Day: I enjoyed the first Boondock Saints. In fact, I remember thinking it was one of the better films I'd watched in recent times. This was ten years ago, and for its time it was a good flick. This one, sadly, is not a good film for its time. Had it been made eight of nine years ago, it would've been an acceptable sequel. As it stands, All Saint's Day is a 90s action film made in 2009, and that is simply not acceptable. After the Bourne trilogy and spectacle pieces like Wanted, guys simply running around shooting guns with a bit of slow-motion thrown in doesn't cut it anymore. Just goes to show that pissing off Hollywood is a bad thing (watch this film to know what I'm talking about.)
Away We Go: This is a good film for any late-twenties folk to see. Not only does the film hit everything production-wise, it's a good story, one that makes you laugh, possibly cry, have something torn from you, and realize the true weight of "starting a family." I honestly can say much more than that, as you simply need to watch the thing. Just trust me, it's good.
Boondock Saints II: All Saint's Day: I enjoyed the first Boondock Saints. In fact, I remember thinking it was one of the better films I'd watched in recent times. This was ten years ago, and for its time it was a good flick. This one, sadly, is not a good film for its time. Had it been made eight of nine years ago, it would've been an acceptable sequel. As it stands, All Saint's Day is a 90s action film made in 2009, and that is simply not acceptable. After the Bourne trilogy and spectacle pieces like Wanted, guys simply running around shooting guns with a bit of slow-motion thrown in doesn't cut it anymore. Just goes to show that pissing off Hollywood is a bad thing (watch this film to know what I'm talking about.)
Away We Go: This is a good film for any late-twenties folk to see. Not only does the film hit everything production-wise, it's a good story, one that makes you laugh, possibly cry, have something torn from you, and realize the true weight of "starting a family." I honestly can say much more than that, as you simply need to watch the thing. Just trust me, it's good.
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