The infamous "they" says not to judge a book by its cover, but you have to start somewhere, right?
Before you start calling anyone Ishmael or can nod knowingly that it was in fact the best and worst of times, there has to be a reason that you picked up the book in the first place. Perhaps it is an intriguing title, a favorite author, or a glowing review that catches your eye, and most likely once it does, rather than start reading right away, you flip the book over or turn to the jacket flap for more information, more reasons to keep going.
Just as it is unrealistic for someone to say, "Check out the intelligence of that girl," based on a glance across a crowded room, a potential reader can't spot a strong hero up on a shelf.
Personally I am as much of a sucker for the feel of a book as I am the sight. I test the weight in my hand. I fan the pages to get a feel for how they will turn. I finger the pages to decide if the quality of the paper appeals to me. I run my hand over the cover. (I tend to prefer soft, matte covers to those which are shiny and embossed.) But I still have to be enticed close enough to the book to pick it up in the first place.
Sure there are recommendations from friends and reviewers. ("She's got a *great* personality!") Maybe these friends know your tastes well, and maybe you are familiar with the reviewers, but it is still you who must make the final decision of whether to start reading.
Which has more weight? An endorsing quote or a summarizing blurb? Is a few sentences enough to pique your interest, or does the entire back cover need to be filled? If it is the latest book in the series featuring familiar and beloved characters, do you even want a hint as to the next adventure, or are you willing to take a leap of faith and be surprised?
I recently read the Fablehaven series in quick succession, and after the second book, I found myself avoiding any mention of the events to come in subsequent books. I wanted to immerse myself in the story, watching as the plot unfolded and the characters grew.
Once your initial criteria are met, and the book has been in your hands for a moment or two, what happens? Do you stand or sit in the store (assuming that you are not shopping online, of course, which presents an entirely different scenario) and read the first paragraph? First page? First chapter? How long does it take to convince you that you want to get to knows the characters and find out what happens to them?
A common recommendation to writers is to start the story in the middle of the action. Grab the reader's attention and hold on for dear life. Somewhere out there is a quote to the effect of telling the author to "grab the reader by the throat and sink your thumbs into his windpipe." Or maybe it is the jugular vein. Either action ought to get someone's attention and hold it at least until the person passes out. If a writer can hold a reader's attention even after the reader has relinquished consciousness, so much the better.
There are probably as many recommendations to begin a story at the beginning. Once upon a time and all that.
I like it when things are already hoppin', as long as the author doesn't leave me in the dark for too long about the basic backstory of how the characters got to where they were when I joined the fray.
The author's style and vocabulary are major factors for me, too.
I can be hooked by a sentence, a paragraph, or a page, but I try to get through at least a chapter before passing initial judgement.
Then the real work begins for the author. Once he or she has your attention, the job becomes keeping that attention all the way to the final page (and beyond if there is a sequel or two or six).
For me, it is all about the characters. Yes, characters need to have something to do, but if I don't make some sort of connection with or have some sort of strong positive reaction to the characters, I don't make it through to the end, no matter how intriguing the plot. On the flip side of the character coin, if I have too strong of a negative reaction to a character -- even if the character is supposed to be the despised villain -- I'll stop. (Jean-Claude in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, series is one example. I get that vampires are evil. I'm all over it. But he doesn't even have the stones to be truly, sexily evil. He's just one more manipulative jerk pressuring a woman into a relationship she doesn't want. It's not sexy. It's not attractive. And once Anita caved, I was pretty much done. I think I made it through one more book after that. I think I stopped after book four. The series is now up to something like twenty. It's too bad. I really liked Anita.) That scenario is a little less common, especially if I am really pulling for the hero. On the edge between the two sides is when a character I like does something which is completely and unbelievably out of character (and I am not talking about outright deception but rather something to fit a formula or as a plot device) or which derails the plot (which is not the same as a plot twist or surprise). Usually it happens when romantic/sexual relationships between characters end up being conveniently inevitable without really adding depth to either the story or helping the individual characters grow. (That subject could be a whole separate rant all its own.)
Balance between plot and character is key to the successful telling of any story, and tilting too far in either direction throws off that balance, but I still look for characters first -- people or creatures who inspire an emotional reaction or connection so that I want to find out what happens to them and how they cope with and adapt to their circumstances. A compelling or intricate plot will not keep me reading if I do not have a vested interest in the characters, but interest in a fascinating character will keep me reading through a less than riveting plot. I get entirely too wrapped up in the lives of imaginary people and thoroughly enjoy doing it.
Now you know (some of the reasons) why I read and what makes me keep reading. What starts and keeps you reading? Plot? Characters? Language? Bragging rights?
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Banned Books Week
As today is the last day of Banned Books Week, I am a bit late with this post but decided to go ahead and write it anyway.
Plenty of famous, classic books have been banned. You have all heard of them and hopefully read at least some of them, perhaps without even knowing that they were banned, so instead I am going to post a link to banned graphic novels.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/american-library-association/banned-books-2010-graphic-novels_b_740726.html#s145730
I can't say that I am surprised that any of these books have been banned or deemed objectionable. What makes me wonder, even if it does not outright surprise me, is the grounds listed for the objection. Almost all of the objections listed in this particular article are related to sex and/or nudity.
It continues to fascinate me that the standard objection to "objectionable" material is sex and nudity. Sex and "smut" are going to stunt and warp our children, but violence is not? Is that how it works? Take Batman, for example. Even as the hero of our story, he's pretty dark and violent, nevermind his various nemeses. There is some serious violence and emotional torment and trauma running through those story lines, but the objection comes from the sexual content? I don't think that I will ever understand why naked people are scandalous.
Is the conservative readership really that shallow? Is it really the sex and nudity that is the problem? Or is it the idea of literature in various forms that challenges the accepted norm (why it is accepted and how it is deemed normal is a whole other discussion) and sex is just an easy out so that the objectors don't have to think and come up with a thoughtful, reasoned argument. After all, they apparently don't want others to think.
In my world, it comes down to personal responsibility and choice. There is plenty of writing out there to which I object, and I am perfectly within my rights to do so. Simply because I object to it or even find it offensive, however, doesn't mean that it shouldn't be written or published or read. Therefore I make the choice to not read it. There are plenty of books I read which many would find objectionable, and I try to be sensitive to the fact that my tastes may not even appeal to friends with whom I discuss and share books. Some things I keep entirely to myself. Others I share only in limited circles. Still others I feel safe sharing or recommending far and wide, but even from within that feeling of safety, I expect anyone who might take me up on my recommendation to make the final choice for themselves. If I recommend a book to kids, I expect parents to be paying attention to what their kids are reading.
If you read something you don't like or find offensive or makes you uncomfortable, by all means close the book. Put it down. Walk away. Voice your opinion. Speak up about what you don't like about it and why. Just please don't close your mind at the same time.
Plenty of famous, classic books have been banned. You have all heard of them and hopefully read at least some of them, perhaps without even knowing that they were banned, so instead I am going to post a link to banned graphic novels.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/american-library-association/banned-books-2010-graphic-novels_b_740726.html#s145730
I can't say that I am surprised that any of these books have been banned or deemed objectionable. What makes me wonder, even if it does not outright surprise me, is the grounds listed for the objection. Almost all of the objections listed in this particular article are related to sex and/or nudity.
It continues to fascinate me that the standard objection to "objectionable" material is sex and nudity. Sex and "smut" are going to stunt and warp our children, but violence is not? Is that how it works? Take Batman, for example. Even as the hero of our story, he's pretty dark and violent, nevermind his various nemeses. There is some serious violence and emotional torment and trauma running through those story lines, but the objection comes from the sexual content? I don't think that I will ever understand why naked people are scandalous.
Is the conservative readership really that shallow? Is it really the sex and nudity that is the problem? Or is it the idea of literature in various forms that challenges the accepted norm (why it is accepted and how it is deemed normal is a whole other discussion) and sex is just an easy out so that the objectors don't have to think and come up with a thoughtful, reasoned argument. After all, they apparently don't want others to think.
In my world, it comes down to personal responsibility and choice. There is plenty of writing out there to which I object, and I am perfectly within my rights to do so. Simply because I object to it or even find it offensive, however, doesn't mean that it shouldn't be written or published or read. Therefore I make the choice to not read it. There are plenty of books I read which many would find objectionable, and I try to be sensitive to the fact that my tastes may not even appeal to friends with whom I discuss and share books. Some things I keep entirely to myself. Others I share only in limited circles. Still others I feel safe sharing or recommending far and wide, but even from within that feeling of safety, I expect anyone who might take me up on my recommendation to make the final choice for themselves. If I recommend a book to kids, I expect parents to be paying attention to what their kids are reading.
If you read something you don't like or find offensive or makes you uncomfortable, by all means close the book. Put it down. Walk away. Voice your opinion. Speak up about what you don't like about it and why. Just please don't close your mind at the same time.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
And the world spins madly on
This blog isn't really supposed to be about me. It is supposed to be about books and music and movies and the occasional observation or bit of commentary (or even sociopolitical rant) when I just can't contain myself.
Well, I have had a pretty rotten day which means I need to take few steps back and get a bit of perspective, remember what's really important, and doing so has inspired a bit of personal introspection. Ready or not, here it comes.
A bit more than thirty years ago I was simultaneously part of something horrible and something wonderful.
Shortly before my fourth birthday, I was diagnosed with a rare presentation of a cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma (say that three times fast if you dare). That -- along with the subsequent radiation and chemotherapy -- was the horrible part.
A little more than a year later, I stood on the porch of a big, friendly house -- the house that love built I do believe they call it -- while the mayor cut a ribbon to dedicate the city's first Ronald McDonald House, a place for parents from out of town to stay while their children were being treated at local hospitals. There was a big, sunny turret in one of the bedrooms, a player piano in the dining room, video games in the living room, and a huge tree mural painted on the basement wall where a bunch of us kids made handprints for leaves.
My parents -- especially my mother -- were a big part of making RMH a reality. They were a big part of a lot of people's lives during a very difficult time. A vital part in the face of a lot of sickness and sadness.
I remember being sick. I remember being stuck with enormous needles. (I remember having to be strapped to a board with sheets of velcro so that I could be stuck with enormous needles.) I remember radiation treatments. I remember carrying around a peanut butter pail because of the nausea that went with treatment. I remember enormous vile tasting pills. I remember the horrible smell of the hospital parking lot elevator. I remember my mother attending multiple funerals in a single week.
I also remember a nurse named Sandy with the most fantastic long red hair. I remember a doctor so tall he had to stand me up on the table and still bend over. I remember another doctor introducing me to her lab rats. I remember IV pole races in the halls. I remember arguing with my mother about eating "funny" brownies. I remember a Halloween party with another patient's mother dressed in a shiny green spandex frog costume with the frog mask tucked under her arm as she spoke to a scared new parent.
Somehow in the face of so much illness and even despair, there was at least as much love and courage and support. Too often the illness prevailed, but even so, hope remained.
Heroes bring hope, and I believe that more often than not, heroes are the people of quiet strength whom you meet every day. People who, no matter what hardship, trouble or difficulty they are facing in their own lives still have enough hope and strength to share with others. People who offer the support and encouragement to help make the dreams of others -- even complete strangers -- come true.
That strength and encouragement is what builds houses of love, and hope is what should remind you that no matter how bad it seems in the momnet, the day, the week or even the year, it is still possible to do something different, somthing else, something better, something more. Even if it is only a small step forward, don't let the fear that there might not be a step after that stop you. Take the step anyway. Take the chance and see what happens.
Well, I have had a pretty rotten day which means I need to take few steps back and get a bit of perspective, remember what's really important, and doing so has inspired a bit of personal introspection. Ready or not, here it comes.
A bit more than thirty years ago I was simultaneously part of something horrible and something wonderful.
Shortly before my fourth birthday, I was diagnosed with a rare presentation of a cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma (say that three times fast if you dare). That -- along with the subsequent radiation and chemotherapy -- was the horrible part.
 |
| My brush with celebrity at the ribbon cutting in 1980. |
A little more than a year later, I stood on the porch of a big, friendly house -- the house that love built I do believe they call it -- while the mayor cut a ribbon to dedicate the city's first Ronald McDonald House, a place for parents from out of town to stay while their children were being treated at local hospitals. There was a big, sunny turret in one of the bedrooms, a player piano in the dining room, video games in the living room, and a huge tree mural painted on the basement wall where a bunch of us kids made handprints for leaves.
My parents -- especially my mother -- were a big part of making RMH a reality. They were a big part of a lot of people's lives during a very difficult time. A vital part in the face of a lot of sickness and sadness.
I remember being sick. I remember being stuck with enormous needles. (I remember having to be strapped to a board with sheets of velcro so that I could be stuck with enormous needles.) I remember radiation treatments. I remember carrying around a peanut butter pail because of the nausea that went with treatment. I remember enormous vile tasting pills. I remember the horrible smell of the hospital parking lot elevator. I remember my mother attending multiple funerals in a single week.
I also remember a nurse named Sandy with the most fantastic long red hair. I remember a doctor so tall he had to stand me up on the table and still bend over. I remember another doctor introducing me to her lab rats. I remember IV pole races in the halls. I remember arguing with my mother about eating "funny" brownies. I remember a Halloween party with another patient's mother dressed in a shiny green spandex frog costume with the frog mask tucked under her arm as she spoke to a scared new parent.
Somehow in the face of so much illness and even despair, there was at least as much love and courage and support. Too often the illness prevailed, but even so, hope remained.
Heroes bring hope, and I believe that more often than not, heroes are the people of quiet strength whom you meet every day. People who, no matter what hardship, trouble or difficulty they are facing in their own lives still have enough hope and strength to share with others. People who offer the support and encouragement to help make the dreams of others -- even complete strangers -- come true.
That strength and encouragement is what builds houses of love, and hope is what should remind you that no matter how bad it seems in the momnet, the day, the week or even the year, it is still possible to do something different, somthing else, something better, something more. Even if it is only a small step forward, don't let the fear that there might not be a step after that stop you. Take the step anyway. Take the chance and see what happens.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Gadgetry Part 2 - Giving in to temptation
While I have faced one temptation head on and walked away unscathed, I have succumbed to another.
The other day I was out shopping for a protective housing for Scheherazade the iPod, preferably something not terribly expensive or sparkly (since I come from a world in which drawing attention to something is a good way to have it stolen). I also wanted something simple -- no clips or buckles or moving parts, thank you very much. The silicone housing which protects Saraswati the Droid does a fabulous job, so I was hoping to find something similar.
Just for kicks, I decided to start at the source. I didn't expect much in the way of reasonable pricing, but as Scheherazade is an iPod classic (rather than the more popular and widely marketed touch and nano), I thought that I might have better luck with selection. As it turns out, not so much. (I did find something quite functional and reasonably priced at another establishment, so all is well.)
As I was in the apple store on a Wednesday morning, however, the store was not nearly as crowded as it had been on previous visits, so I had the opportunity to play with an iPad at my leisure.
It's cute. It's fun. It's a shiny new toy. (And according to the current window display at the Apple store, it is the way to read ebooks.) The touch screen is responsive, and all selections and commands are made though those handy little pictograms known as icons. (Yes, I am implying that you don't necessarily need to know how to read [English or most any other language] to be able to use it.) The virtual keyboard is, of course, much larger than anything you might find on a smartphone, but I didn't find it to be all that much more user friendly for the touch typist, and when held lengthwise, the device is too big to accommodate thumb typing comfortably. (I will admit, however, that I did not try reorienting the device.) There is space for the commonly used non-letter keys, but you still have to touch the 123 button to take you to a separate screen. I would imagine that the goal is to emulate the aforementioned smartphone keyboards rather than the more traditional computer keyboards.
The screen is bright, and the resolution is impressively sharp. I can see it being a lovely device for portable movie watching. I did not immediately see icons for more practical applications such as a spreadsheet or word processor, and I did not investigate or inquire. Most of the offerings were social in nature, including some applications geared toward personal organization, or else portals to various entertainment media -- music, videos, the web.
For all of the fun and flash and clarity, I was not nearly as enchanted as I expected to be.
For someone who spends a lot of time on social networking sites and watching videos, possibly even reading ebooks (more about that subject in a minute) and does not already have a smartphone and/or some sort of portable computer, it is just the thing. For someone who already has one or more of those things, it is utterly redundant.
As I already have a netbook and a smartphone with which I am extremely satisfied, I was happy to learn that I have no use whatsoever for an iPad, or any other tablet PC for that matter. Phew.
On the other hand, what I did decide not to live without is a nook. I gave in about a week ago, and I dare say that I am officially happy with my extravagant new toy, whose name is Gertrude(as in Stein, as in Hamlet's mother, and even as in Jekyll http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_Jekyll) because Marion Ravenwood is spelled differently than Marian the librarian and Maid Marian, and I don't know that I could choose. Marian the librarian is, of course, the most appropriate, but I much prefer Ms. Ravenwood's spelling.
I'm still not quite sure about the size and weight and the feel in my hands. The device might weigh about as much as a standard trade paperback book, but it is quite a bit thinner and therefore denser. The corners are curved, but the taper from back to front creates a bit of an edge, which I hope to soften with a silicone cover, at least until I decide to invest in (splurge on) a leather cover of some sort.
The device is responsive, but does require just a bit of patience. I can see so called "mad clickers" (those who will pound on the enter key or punish the left mouse button when a command is not instantaneously and obviously executed) becoming frustrated, and navigating with a combination of physical page turning buttons and the touch screen is a bit odd, but like anything, once I learn the quirks and the rhythm, I am sure that it will be fine.
Unlike the netbook, and even the Droid to some extent, even after being on for a couple of hours, there is virtually no heat output as far as I can tell. The sleep and screen saver settings can be easily adjusted. The WiFi, and to a lesser extent the 3G, connection will drain the battery in a hurry, but in "airplane mode" with all network connections disabled, a full battery charge easily lasts for days.
I have wandered around and downloaded a bunch of free content, and I am looking forward to reading blogs and trying out magazines and perhaps even newspapers. The magazine selection is limited -- thirteen offerings at the moment -- but the New Yorker is really the only one I am interested in anyway, so I am set there. I can purchase a single issue or opt for a monthly subscription, and either option is significantly less expensive than the paper variety. There are twenty newspapers, including the New York Times and the Boston Globe. I am not much for newspapers personally, but it makes me think of my mother who likes to read them online.
While I did set up bookmarks for all of the blogs I (would like to) read on a regular basis, I haven't spent much time with that particular feature just yet. When web surfing, the text which appears on the color touch screen is highlighted by a black box on the main reading screen. It's distracting enough that it is almost easier to read the tiny navigation screen, and I wrote to nook support and said so. The web browser is still a beta product, so there is reason to hope for the future. It is also possible that as I get used to it, the black box will not be quite as distracting.
As far as the actual reading part goes, the screen really is wonderfully soft and gentle on the eyes. No glare, no eye strain. It truly is nothing like staring at a computer screen. I spent hours with the device a couple of nights ago as I went through one of my "read a book in a day" binges and felt no ill effects whatsoever. In fact, with the adjustable type size, I would even go so far as to say that it is easier on the eyes than even print on paper. The blinking between screen changes and page turns is only minimally distracting, although, again, a tiny bit of patience is required.
The 3G connection in and around the house seems to be decent -- I have downloaded a few free samples and complete ebooks -- but I had to return to the mother ship (or at least have a wifi connection) for my firmware update. Of course, spending time at a b&n to update my nook isn't much of a hardship for me.
Like all good drug dealers, they offer temptations of all sorts of free stuff, although I think that the "read in store" capability might be a little more limited than I had originally thought and hoped. It only works for an hour per visit. There are free articles and ebooks and samples of ebooks and coupons for paper books and even the cafe. And there are plenty of offerings which are almost free. Temptation at every click of a button.
The free samples of ebooks are a bit disappointing in that the first three or four pages are taken up by title pages and copyright information. I do not know if publishers require that information to be included or if someone just isn't quite paying attention, but when an eight-page sample turns out to be only three pages of actual text from the story, it is a bit disappointing. (I wrote to nook support about that issue as well.)
As one might imagine, new releases are much easier to come by than backlist titles, so if you are looking to consolidate your library onto an ereader of any kind the way that you can consolidate your cd collection onto an mp3 player, you will likely be disappointed. On the other hand, a lot of those classics that you think that you ought to read at some point (or at least a lot of the classics which I think that I ought to and would like to read at some point) are readily available at very reasonable prices. Many fall into that "almost free" category mentioned above. Will having a library of classics at my fingertips make me more likely to read them? If Anna Karenina doesn't weight three pounds, am I more likely to carry it around until I finally get it read? I'm not sure, but I think it might be possible. I wonder the same thing about short story collections.
Just as having the Droid means that I can e-mail and chat without having to be sitting at or with a "real" computer, the nook means that I am carrying around an entire bookstore, which for someone like me is a fabulously wonderful and extremely dangerous thing. It's a bit mind boggling -- Mr. Barnes and Mr. Noble everywhere I go, for research, for reading, for whatever -- but I think that there are grand adventures to be had.
The other day I was out shopping for a protective housing for Scheherazade the iPod, preferably something not terribly expensive or sparkly (since I come from a world in which drawing attention to something is a good way to have it stolen). I also wanted something simple -- no clips or buckles or moving parts, thank you very much. The silicone housing which protects Saraswati the Droid does a fabulous job, so I was hoping to find something similar.
Just for kicks, I decided to start at the source. I didn't expect much in the way of reasonable pricing, but as Scheherazade is an iPod classic (rather than the more popular and widely marketed touch and nano), I thought that I might have better luck with selection. As it turns out, not so much. (I did find something quite functional and reasonably priced at another establishment, so all is well.)
As I was in the apple store on a Wednesday morning, however, the store was not nearly as crowded as it had been on previous visits, so I had the opportunity to play with an iPad at my leisure.
It's cute. It's fun. It's a shiny new toy. (And according to the current window display at the Apple store, it is the way to read ebooks.) The touch screen is responsive, and all selections and commands are made though those handy little pictograms known as icons. (Yes, I am implying that you don't necessarily need to know how to read [English or most any other language] to be able to use it.) The virtual keyboard is, of course, much larger than anything you might find on a smartphone, but I didn't find it to be all that much more user friendly for the touch typist, and when held lengthwise, the device is too big to accommodate thumb typing comfortably. (I will admit, however, that I did not try reorienting the device.) There is space for the commonly used non-letter keys, but you still have to touch the 123 button to take you to a separate screen. I would imagine that the goal is to emulate the aforementioned smartphone keyboards rather than the more traditional computer keyboards.
The screen is bright, and the resolution is impressively sharp. I can see it being a lovely device for portable movie watching. I did not immediately see icons for more practical applications such as a spreadsheet or word processor, and I did not investigate or inquire. Most of the offerings were social in nature, including some applications geared toward personal organization, or else portals to various entertainment media -- music, videos, the web.
For all of the fun and flash and clarity, I was not nearly as enchanted as I expected to be.
For someone who spends a lot of time on social networking sites and watching videos, possibly even reading ebooks (more about that subject in a minute) and does not already have a smartphone and/or some sort of portable computer, it is just the thing. For someone who already has one or more of those things, it is utterly redundant.
As I already have a netbook and a smartphone with which I am extremely satisfied, I was happy to learn that I have no use whatsoever for an iPad, or any other tablet PC for that matter. Phew.
On the other hand, what I did decide not to live without is a nook. I gave in about a week ago, and I dare say that I am officially happy with my extravagant new toy, whose name is Gertrude(as in Stein, as in Hamlet's mother, and even as in Jekyll http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_Jekyll) because Marion Ravenwood is spelled differently than Marian the librarian and Maid Marian, and I don't know that I could choose. Marian the librarian is, of course, the most appropriate, but I much prefer Ms. Ravenwood's spelling.
I'm still not quite sure about the size and weight and the feel in my hands. The device might weigh about as much as a standard trade paperback book, but it is quite a bit thinner and therefore denser. The corners are curved, but the taper from back to front creates a bit of an edge, which I hope to soften with a silicone cover, at least until I decide to invest in (splurge on) a leather cover of some sort.
The device is responsive, but does require just a bit of patience. I can see so called "mad clickers" (those who will pound on the enter key or punish the left mouse button when a command is not instantaneously and obviously executed) becoming frustrated, and navigating with a combination of physical page turning buttons and the touch screen is a bit odd, but like anything, once I learn the quirks and the rhythm, I am sure that it will be fine.
Unlike the netbook, and even the Droid to some extent, even after being on for a couple of hours, there is virtually no heat output as far as I can tell. The sleep and screen saver settings can be easily adjusted. The WiFi, and to a lesser extent the 3G, connection will drain the battery in a hurry, but in "airplane mode" with all network connections disabled, a full battery charge easily lasts for days.
I have wandered around and downloaded a bunch of free content, and I am looking forward to reading blogs and trying out magazines and perhaps even newspapers. The magazine selection is limited -- thirteen offerings at the moment -- but the New Yorker is really the only one I am interested in anyway, so I am set there. I can purchase a single issue or opt for a monthly subscription, and either option is significantly less expensive than the paper variety. There are twenty newspapers, including the New York Times and the Boston Globe. I am not much for newspapers personally, but it makes me think of my mother who likes to read them online.
While I did set up bookmarks for all of the blogs I (would like to) read on a regular basis, I haven't spent much time with that particular feature just yet. When web surfing, the text which appears on the color touch screen is highlighted by a black box on the main reading screen. It's distracting enough that it is almost easier to read the tiny navigation screen, and I wrote to nook support and said so. The web browser is still a beta product, so there is reason to hope for the future. It is also possible that as I get used to it, the black box will not be quite as distracting.
As far as the actual reading part goes, the screen really is wonderfully soft and gentle on the eyes. No glare, no eye strain. It truly is nothing like staring at a computer screen. I spent hours with the device a couple of nights ago as I went through one of my "read a book in a day" binges and felt no ill effects whatsoever. In fact, with the adjustable type size, I would even go so far as to say that it is easier on the eyes than even print on paper. The blinking between screen changes and page turns is only minimally distracting, although, again, a tiny bit of patience is required.
The 3G connection in and around the house seems to be decent -- I have downloaded a few free samples and complete ebooks -- but I had to return to the mother ship (or at least have a wifi connection) for my firmware update. Of course, spending time at a b&n to update my nook isn't much of a hardship for me.
Like all good drug dealers, they offer temptations of all sorts of free stuff, although I think that the "read in store" capability might be a little more limited than I had originally thought and hoped. It only works for an hour per visit. There are free articles and ebooks and samples of ebooks and coupons for paper books and even the cafe. And there are plenty of offerings which are almost free. Temptation at every click of a button.
The free samples of ebooks are a bit disappointing in that the first three or four pages are taken up by title pages and copyright information. I do not know if publishers require that information to be included or if someone just isn't quite paying attention, but when an eight-page sample turns out to be only three pages of actual text from the story, it is a bit disappointing. (I wrote to nook support about that issue as well.)
As one might imagine, new releases are much easier to come by than backlist titles, so if you are looking to consolidate your library onto an ereader of any kind the way that you can consolidate your cd collection onto an mp3 player, you will likely be disappointed. On the other hand, a lot of those classics that you think that you ought to read at some point (or at least a lot of the classics which I think that I ought to and would like to read at some point) are readily available at very reasonable prices. Many fall into that "almost free" category mentioned above. Will having a library of classics at my fingertips make me more likely to read them? If Anna Karenina doesn't weight three pounds, am I more likely to carry it around until I finally get it read? I'm not sure, but I think it might be possible. I wonder the same thing about short story collections.
Just as having the Droid means that I can e-mail and chat without having to be sitting at or with a "real" computer, the nook means that I am carrying around an entire bookstore, which for someone like me is a fabulously wonderful and extremely dangerous thing. It's a bit mind boggling -- Mr. Barnes and Mr. Noble everywhere I go, for research, for reading, for whatever -- but I think that there are grand adventures to be had.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
When in doubt, write.
When I started out the day, I had big plans. Well, maybe not big plans, but I had at least three blog entry ideas in my head, and even a few vague aspirations toward working on the screenplay. Once I sat down and logged in, however, I ended up wandering.
I read my morning comic strips and checked my e-mail. I responded to a few messages, and followed enticing links in one which led to the downloading of free ebooks. The further I wandered, the less inclined I became to write, despite an attempt at an entry about Dreaming of Dior and being an aspiring but somewhat reluctant fashionista.
In the midst of the wandering, there has been reading. Of an actual paper and ink book. Having started last night, I am thirteen chapters and eighty-seven pages into WWW:Wake by Robert J. Sawyer.
The story begins with a fifteen year-old American girl living in Canada who has been blind since birth traveling with her mother to Japan to receive a high tech implant behind her left eye. The implant is supposed to essentially unscramble the mixed signals her brain is getting from her retina. There is a much more comprehensive and surprisingly not confusing explanation in the book. Or maybe it makes sense to me because I know a thing or two about dysfunctional eyes.
Meanwhile, a Chinese doctor is faced with the horrifying decisions involved in containing an outbreak of a new strain of bird flu easily transmitted between people so that it does not become a pandemic.
The action taken, while necessary, is potentially an international public relations nightmare, so the Chinese government blocks all communication to and from the outside world ... inspiring a few determined hackers to try to find the reasons and a way through the firewall. (We're up to three storylines if anyone is counting.)
In chapter thirteen, the author hops the reader across the globe again to California to witness a web cam chat between a chimpanzee in San Diego and an orangutan in Miami.
Laced through these seemingly unconnected narratives is the not quite story of some sort of entity, some sort of being, struggling toward consciousness for the very first time.
While I am certainly intrigued, I am becoming concerned that if there are any more threads to follow, I will end up with a knot rather than finely woven fabric.
I read my morning comic strips and checked my e-mail. I responded to a few messages, and followed enticing links in one which led to the downloading of free ebooks. The further I wandered, the less inclined I became to write, despite an attempt at an entry about Dreaming of Dior and being an aspiring but somewhat reluctant fashionista.
In the midst of the wandering, there has been reading. Of an actual paper and ink book. Having started last night, I am thirteen chapters and eighty-seven pages into WWW:Wake by Robert J. Sawyer.
The story begins with a fifteen year-old American girl living in Canada who has been blind since birth traveling with her mother to Japan to receive a high tech implant behind her left eye. The implant is supposed to essentially unscramble the mixed signals her brain is getting from her retina. There is a much more comprehensive and surprisingly not confusing explanation in the book. Or maybe it makes sense to me because I know a thing or two about dysfunctional eyes.
Meanwhile, a Chinese doctor is faced with the horrifying decisions involved in containing an outbreak of a new strain of bird flu easily transmitted between people so that it does not become a pandemic.
The action taken, while necessary, is potentially an international public relations nightmare, so the Chinese government blocks all communication to and from the outside world ... inspiring a few determined hackers to try to find the reasons and a way through the firewall. (We're up to three storylines if anyone is counting.)
In chapter thirteen, the author hops the reader across the globe again to California to witness a web cam chat between a chimpanzee in San Diego and an orangutan in Miami.
Laced through these seemingly unconnected narratives is the not quite story of some sort of entity, some sort of being, struggling toward consciousness for the very first time.
While I am certainly intrigued, I am becoming concerned that if there are any more threads to follow, I will end up with a knot rather than finely woven fabric.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Gadgetry
There is no television reception in my house. There used to be one of those big antennas (antennae?) on the roof, but while it seemed to work okay during the winter, once spring came and the trees leafed out, there was a noticeable decline in clarity. So when the new roof was put on, the roofers were kind enough to take down the antenna.
I had a pair of not terribly old rabbit ears and even gamely bought one of those digital converter boxes, which was not so much helpful.
While I realize that you are paying for the service and the equipment more than the programming, I cannot bring myself to pay -- what is it these days? fifty? seventy-five? a hundred dollars? a month to have advertising piped into my house.
Besides, the longer I am away from it, the less I miss it. What am I really missing anyway? Depressing news? Celebrity gossip? Reality television shows about teen pregnancy? (Although I have to say, I took myself out to lunch today, and got to watch an episode of Julia Child and Friends on the cooking channel, which I very much enjoyed.) These days, even when I sit down to watch a movie or a television show on dvd, about all I can think about is all of the other things I probably could and should be doing.
Some of those things are practical -- cleaning the house, doing the laundry, cooking a real meal and making sure that I have leftovers to take to work for lunch -- but many of the things are alternative recreational activities which make me happy and which even make my brain work from time to time -- reading, writing, knitting.
Even though I might not get much use out of the television and about the only time I listen to the radio is when it wakes me up in the morning, I do have a host of other technological gadgets of which I am rather fond ... so fond, in fact, that they all have names.
Kristos (because a young Greek man named Kristos does not count as Greek homework) the netbook travels with me most everywhere I go. Scheherezade the iPod (so named because she was originally acquired for the purpose of listening to audio books -- a pastime which never really panned out) provides an extensive and varied soundtrack for my commute and when I feel the need to drown out ambient noise.
Someone was even generous enough to give me one of those snazzy pens that records sound as you write as well as an image of your handwriting. Amat-Mamu now comes with me to meetings on a regular basis. The software which converts the image of writing into text is a bit dodgy (or else I need better and more consistent penmanship), but overall, she is an extremely handy contraption.
There is a bright red wireless mouse who travels with Kristos but does not have a name -- Templeton, perhaps, even though he was a rat -- but there are tiny 4Gb flash drives -- Ceridwen and Belisama -- who do.
Saraswati the Droid is probably my favorite electronic friend (but shhh ... don't tell the others). She keeps me in touch with the world via phone, text, instant message and e-mail -- the internet in the palm of my hand. Amazingly, her presence in my life means that I spend a little less time in front of a computer screen. She can play games, do any number and variety of calculations, tell me which movies are playing where (and show me previews), show me the stars and provide a weather report. I recently figured out how to employ her as a modem when local WiFi is on the fritz. I have even heard tell that I could use her to read books, but while sharp, her screen is just not quite big enough to be conducive to reading for long periods of time, and her stature is just a bit too diminutive to hold comfortably in a reading position.
Besides, I still can't quite bring myself to need electricity in some form to read a book. Or not be able to loan or give a book to a friend once I have read it.
But I might be getting closer.
I have seen a few Kindles from afar, but have never played with one. The nook almost had me with fancy advertising prior to its release, and the promise of a fifty-dollar gift card with purchase makes my ears perk up every time I hear it. Still I resist because I stare at a computer screen for a living, and no matter how closely it might imitate ink and paper, an electronic screen is still an electronic screen.
There is the appeal of being able to carry a pile of books -- it is not uncommon that I carry three or four for various reasons -- in a slim device. I am also trying to teach myself more about various computer programs, and I tend to prefer to do it the old fashioned way -- by reading a manual or using it as a reference. A lot of these manuals are available at a discount or even free in electronic form, but it is difficult to read a manual on the same screen that I am running the program I am trying to learn.
There was also the nice gentleman I chatted with about the nook he was using who told me that it was easy to use and handy to have.
Then today I discovered that one of my Goodreads friends is actually an author. Research told me that neither of his books was available in any of the local purveyors of printed words, but that I could download the Kindle version to my PC almost instantly for ninety-nine cents.
Wow. Ninety-nine cents. For a fifteen dollar book. It's not even too much of an investment to keep me from purchasing a paper copy should I get far enough into the electronic version to decide that I want to read the whole thing but not on a computer screen. There were plenty of other offerings at the same price point or a bit higher, but I dared not browse too far lest I get carried away and end up with a whole library.
The thing is that the ebook is only available for the Kindle (or for Kindle software downloaded to a PC or other compatible device). So if I had a nook, I would have been out of luck. I would be willing to guess that there are nook friendly ebooks not available for the Kindle. I can, however, download both Kindle ereader software and Barnes & Noble ereader software to my PC for free, so both formats are readily accessible.
As a result, I am starting to dream of a tablet PC ... specifically a tablet PC which runs the Android operating system. No Microsquash (I wonder if that name can get me sued for slander) and even no Mac. (Although I did have a brief opportunity to play with an iPad not long ago and wouldn't turn my nose up at it if someone gave me one.) The success of the Droid phones makes me think that the Android operating system is on its way to widespread, mainstream acceptance.
I don't need it to have all of the talents of Kristos, or even Saraswati for that matter. It probably doesn't even need an internet connection, WiFi or 3G, although if it did, I would probably be more inspired to read blogs and online magazines. (Okay, okay, I don't need it at all, but this is my daydream, so keep quiet.) I'm thinking more along the lines of a handheld digital document reader for ebooks, pdfs and the like.
I can see it now -- relaxing on the patio or lounging by the pool, dozens, if not hundreds, of books at my fingertips to satisfy every literary (or not so literary) whim. And the more I think about it, the more appealing access to online reading on such a device is becoming. Reading in the bathtub is probably out though, wouldn't you say?
I had a pair of not terribly old rabbit ears and even gamely bought one of those digital converter boxes, which was not so much helpful.
While I realize that you are paying for the service and the equipment more than the programming, I cannot bring myself to pay -- what is it these days? fifty? seventy-five? a hundred dollars? a month to have advertising piped into my house.
Besides, the longer I am away from it, the less I miss it. What am I really missing anyway? Depressing news? Celebrity gossip? Reality television shows about teen pregnancy? (Although I have to say, I took myself out to lunch today, and got to watch an episode of Julia Child and Friends on the cooking channel, which I very much enjoyed.) These days, even when I sit down to watch a movie or a television show on dvd, about all I can think about is all of the other things I probably could and should be doing.
Some of those things are practical -- cleaning the house, doing the laundry, cooking a real meal and making sure that I have leftovers to take to work for lunch -- but many of the things are alternative recreational activities which make me happy and which even make my brain work from time to time -- reading, writing, knitting.
Even though I might not get much use out of the television and about the only time I listen to the radio is when it wakes me up in the morning, I do have a host of other technological gadgets of which I am rather fond ... so fond, in fact, that they all have names.
Kristos (because a young Greek man named Kristos does not count as Greek homework) the netbook travels with me most everywhere I go. Scheherezade the iPod (so named because she was originally acquired for the purpose of listening to audio books -- a pastime which never really panned out) provides an extensive and varied soundtrack for my commute and when I feel the need to drown out ambient noise.
Someone was even generous enough to give me one of those snazzy pens that records sound as you write as well as an image of your handwriting. Amat-Mamu now comes with me to meetings on a regular basis. The software which converts the image of writing into text is a bit dodgy (or else I need better and more consistent penmanship), but overall, she is an extremely handy contraption.
There is a bright red wireless mouse who travels with Kristos but does not have a name -- Templeton, perhaps, even though he was a rat -- but there are tiny 4Gb flash drives -- Ceridwen and Belisama -- who do.
Saraswati the Droid is probably my favorite electronic friend (but shhh ... don't tell the others). She keeps me in touch with the world via phone, text, instant message and e-mail -- the internet in the palm of my hand. Amazingly, her presence in my life means that I spend a little less time in front of a computer screen. She can play games, do any number and variety of calculations, tell me which movies are playing where (and show me previews), show me the stars and provide a weather report. I recently figured out how to employ her as a modem when local WiFi is on the fritz. I have even heard tell that I could use her to read books, but while sharp, her screen is just not quite big enough to be conducive to reading for long periods of time, and her stature is just a bit too diminutive to hold comfortably in a reading position.
Besides, I still can't quite bring myself to need electricity in some form to read a book. Or not be able to loan or give a book to a friend once I have read it.
But I might be getting closer.
I have seen a few Kindles from afar, but have never played with one. The nook almost had me with fancy advertising prior to its release, and the promise of a fifty-dollar gift card with purchase makes my ears perk up every time I hear it. Still I resist because I stare at a computer screen for a living, and no matter how closely it might imitate ink and paper, an electronic screen is still an electronic screen.
There is the appeal of being able to carry a pile of books -- it is not uncommon that I carry three or four for various reasons -- in a slim device. I am also trying to teach myself more about various computer programs, and I tend to prefer to do it the old fashioned way -- by reading a manual or using it as a reference. A lot of these manuals are available at a discount or even free in electronic form, but it is difficult to read a manual on the same screen that I am running the program I am trying to learn.
There was also the nice gentleman I chatted with about the nook he was using who told me that it was easy to use and handy to have.
Then today I discovered that one of my Goodreads friends is actually an author. Research told me that neither of his books was available in any of the local purveyors of printed words, but that I could download the Kindle version to my PC almost instantly for ninety-nine cents.
Wow. Ninety-nine cents. For a fifteen dollar book. It's not even too much of an investment to keep me from purchasing a paper copy should I get far enough into the electronic version to decide that I want to read the whole thing but not on a computer screen. There were plenty of other offerings at the same price point or a bit higher, but I dared not browse too far lest I get carried away and end up with a whole library.
The thing is that the ebook is only available for the Kindle (or for Kindle software downloaded to a PC or other compatible device). So if I had a nook, I would have been out of luck. I would be willing to guess that there are nook friendly ebooks not available for the Kindle. I can, however, download both Kindle ereader software and Barnes & Noble ereader software to my PC for free, so both formats are readily accessible.
As a result, I am starting to dream of a tablet PC ... specifically a tablet PC which runs the Android operating system. No Microsquash (I wonder if that name can get me sued for slander) and even no Mac. (Although I did have a brief opportunity to play with an iPad not long ago and wouldn't turn my nose up at it if someone gave me one.) The success of the Droid phones makes me think that the Android operating system is on its way to widespread, mainstream acceptance.
I don't need it to have all of the talents of Kristos, or even Saraswati for that matter. It probably doesn't even need an internet connection, WiFi or 3G, although if it did, I would probably be more inspired to read blogs and online magazines. (Okay, okay, I don't need it at all, but this is my daydream, so keep quiet.) I'm thinking more along the lines of a handheld digital document reader for ebooks, pdfs and the like.
I can see it now -- relaxing on the patio or lounging by the pool, dozens, if not hundreds, of books at my fingertips to satisfy every literary (or not so literary) whim. And the more I think about it, the more appealing access to online reading on such a device is becoming. Reading in the bathtub is probably out though, wouldn't you say?
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Margarita Chemistry
Last year, a family friend sent a marvelous pitcher from Estes Park Glass Works, and it was almost immediately dubbed the margarita pitcher.
As a result, I started making margaritas.
The first batch was basic and according to a recipe in a book called High Spirits: 1 1/2 ounces tequila, 1/2 an ounce of triple sec, juice from half of a lime and salt for the glass. I put the liquor, lime juice and a bunch of ice in the blender and hit the button labeled "liquify."
Yum.
A bit strong, and someone decided to add sugar, but I thought it was just the thing for a Memorial Day barbecue.
One of the leftovers from said barbecue was most of a twelve pack of Minute Maid pink lemonade, so the first experiment was the above recipe, doubled and with a can of pink lemonade.
Even more yum. And a bit more dangerous as the pink lemonade disguised the taste of the liquor quite effectively.
As spring has been masquerading as summer from time to time this year, the margarita experimentation began a bit earlier.
The first variation attempted this year was substituting the can of lemonade for close to a pound of fresh, rinsed strawberries and a bit of sugar. (I didn't measure, but it couldn't have been more than about a tablespoon.) The yum continued.
Next up were peaches. Not as much of a success, but I think that the real problem was a lack of lime juice. I think that lime juice is the key to this particular concoction.
Today I tried a can of green tea ginger ale. This time I had lime juice, and I was back to yum, although I think that it would have turned out better had the ginger ale been thoroughly chilled. I will have to note that for next time.
Well, the next time I make green tea ginger ale margaritas.
The next experiment is going to involve the sorbet in the freezer. I have lemon, and I have mango tangerine (I think -- some kind of citrus at any rate). Sorbet really could do with a bit of liquor to spice things up, wouldn't you agree?
(You'll notice that none of these drinks contain "margarita mix." Do I even want to know what is in "margarita mix"? Other than sugar or high fructose corn syrup or some other close relative, probably not.)
I recommend that margaritas be consumed from a chilled glass and through a bendy straw.
7-3-10 Edit to add: The mango tangerine sorbet margarita experiment was conducted yesterday with great success.
As a result, I started making margaritas.
The first batch was basic and according to a recipe in a book called High Spirits: 1 1/2 ounces tequila, 1/2 an ounce of triple sec, juice from half of a lime and salt for the glass. I put the liquor, lime juice and a bunch of ice in the blender and hit the button labeled "liquify."
Yum.
A bit strong, and someone decided to add sugar, but I thought it was just the thing for a Memorial Day barbecue.
One of the leftovers from said barbecue was most of a twelve pack of Minute Maid pink lemonade, so the first experiment was the above recipe, doubled and with a can of pink lemonade.
Even more yum. And a bit more dangerous as the pink lemonade disguised the taste of the liquor quite effectively.
As spring has been masquerading as summer from time to time this year, the margarita experimentation began a bit earlier.
The first variation attempted this year was substituting the can of lemonade for close to a pound of fresh, rinsed strawberries and a bit of sugar. (I didn't measure, but it couldn't have been more than about a tablespoon.) The yum continued.
Next up were peaches. Not as much of a success, but I think that the real problem was a lack of lime juice. I think that lime juice is the key to this particular concoction.
Today I tried a can of green tea ginger ale. This time I had lime juice, and I was back to yum, although I think that it would have turned out better had the ginger ale been thoroughly chilled. I will have to note that for next time.
Well, the next time I make green tea ginger ale margaritas.
The next experiment is going to involve the sorbet in the freezer. I have lemon, and I have mango tangerine (I think -- some kind of citrus at any rate). Sorbet really could do with a bit of liquor to spice things up, wouldn't you agree?
(You'll notice that none of these drinks contain "margarita mix." Do I even want to know what is in "margarita mix"? Other than sugar or high fructose corn syrup or some other close relative, probably not.)
I recommend that margaritas be consumed from a chilled glass and through a bendy straw.
7-3-10 Edit to add: The mango tangerine sorbet margarita experiment was conducted yesterday with great success.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Sight to see
There is the cutest little blonde girl in a pink checked sundress sitting a few tables away.
Actually, she is kneeling on the chair, so that she can reach the tabletop where a gentleman I am going to assume is her grandfather has sliced up a small, decadent chocolate Bundt cake, which she happily began eating with her fingers until a woman I am going to assume is grandmother insisted on a fork.
Now there is a whipped cream topped chocolately looking beverage to accompany the cake.
I just hope that there are big plans for running between the days rain drops and jumping in puddles to burn off all the inevitable, impending sugar rush.
Actually, she is kneeling on the chair, so that she can reach the tabletop where a gentleman I am going to assume is her grandfather has sliced up a small, decadent chocolate Bundt cake, which she happily began eating with her fingers until a woman I am going to assume is grandmother insisted on a fork.
Now there is a whipped cream topped chocolately looking beverage to accompany the cake.
I just hope that there are big plans for running between the days rain drops and jumping in puddles to burn off all the inevitable, impending sugar rush.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Frenzied scripting
Much as November was spent writing fifty thousand words of a novel, so April was spent writing one hundred pages of a script -- in my case a screenplay adaptation of a novel.
When I officially crossed the goal line, a much more cinematically inclined and educated friend of mine asked me what I took from the overall experience, and after he and I had nattered back and forth at each other online for a while, I decided that I should natter a bit more comprehensively and coherently on the subject.
First and foremost, much like November's novel, the script is not finished. Not even close. Not even the first draft. I've got the beginning and the middle, and the climax and ending are fast approaching, but they only exist in my head at this point, and even there they are vague. So that means I need to keep working, and if possible, keep up the momentum.
Second, the screenplay writing process was not nearly as exhausting as the novel writing process. I'm not quite sure why. The time span was still thirty days, but according to my stats chart, I only actually worked on the screenplay on fourteen of those days.
It could be that after fifteen hundred to two thousand words a day, three or four pages which are more white space than text thanks to screenplay formatting requirements were not nearly as intimidating. It could be that since I was doing an adaptation, I had source material right in front of me, so it was a matter of deciding which parts to use as opposed to having to come up with all of the parts on my own. In fact, there were times it almost felt like cheating. I picked a novel which is not terribly long (just over two hundred and fifty pages) and not terribly complicated. The main characters each have their own stories, but they are extremely closely connected.
Now what I really need to do is finish roughing out the rest of the scenes and then go back and really look at the whole thing, almost to the point of starting over. I'll kill a tree or two and print the entire document so that I can scribble all over it -- my preferred method of revision.
One of the major challenges for me was to try to write and visualize in movie terms.framework at the same time. It's not enough to just see the scene in my head. I have to think about the mechanics -- what the set needs to look like, what the characters are wearing and doing, and how the shot is achieved. I have no yet spent nearly enough time describing the settings, or at least specific salient details, or telling my characters what they should be doing while they are speaking.
Transitions are also difficult. I need to watch movies and pay attention to the transitions while I watch. In a novel or a short story, you can often just start a new paragraph or chapter.
I also need to watch more films which weave two stories together. For a while, I thought about The Lake House because the otherworldly romantic component figured prominently in the story I am telling, but that film has an ongoing correspondence which ties the characters and their stories closely together, so I am not sure that it quite fits my criteria.
Gladiator is another contender. All of the primary characters are together at the beginning, and relationships and even mutual histories are established early on. Then they follow separate paths for a while, and then those paths collide again. They are parallel stories rather than a main plot and a subplot.
The most important thing I take from the experience is the reminder/realization that the best way to learn to write is to write. And after you have learned to write by writing for a while, you learn more about writing by revising. You can read books and take classes if you want, and I am sure that they help, but they don't actually do the writing for you, and they can't give you your voice. That is something which you have to find on your own.
Script writing was a foreign concept, a foreign language even, on April 1. While I don't have any plans to relocate to Hollywood or New York City just yet, I know for certain that I learned more about writing a screenplay by wading right in and writing it (with the considerable aid of a fabulous script writing program which eliminated all of my formatting worries) than I ever would have by just reading a book or even taking a class.
I still have plenty to learn -- more than can be covered in a single lifetime, I am sure -- but I plan to learn it by finishing the first draft of this project and then going back to the beginning, taking it apart, and putting it back together again. My next goal is to get it to the point that I am willing to let somebody read it. After the second or third round, perhaps.
When I officially crossed the goal line, a much more cinematically inclined and educated friend of mine asked me what I took from the overall experience, and after he and I had nattered back and forth at each other online for a while, I decided that I should natter a bit more comprehensively and coherently on the subject.
First and foremost, much like November's novel, the script is not finished. Not even close. Not even the first draft. I've got the beginning and the middle, and the climax and ending are fast approaching, but they only exist in my head at this point, and even there they are vague. So that means I need to keep working, and if possible, keep up the momentum.
Second, the screenplay writing process was not nearly as exhausting as the novel writing process. I'm not quite sure why. The time span was still thirty days, but according to my stats chart, I only actually worked on the screenplay on fourteen of those days.
It could be that after fifteen hundred to two thousand words a day, three or four pages which are more white space than text thanks to screenplay formatting requirements were not nearly as intimidating. It could be that since I was doing an adaptation, I had source material right in front of me, so it was a matter of deciding which parts to use as opposed to having to come up with all of the parts on my own. In fact, there were times it almost felt like cheating. I picked a novel which is not terribly long (just over two hundred and fifty pages) and not terribly complicated. The main characters each have their own stories, but they are extremely closely connected.
Now what I really need to do is finish roughing out the rest of the scenes and then go back and really look at the whole thing, almost to the point of starting over. I'll kill a tree or two and print the entire document so that I can scribble all over it -- my preferred method of revision.
One of the major challenges for me was to try to write and visualize in movie terms.framework at the same time. It's not enough to just see the scene in my head. I have to think about the mechanics -- what the set needs to look like, what the characters are wearing and doing, and how the shot is achieved. I have no yet spent nearly enough time describing the settings, or at least specific salient details, or telling my characters what they should be doing while they are speaking.
Transitions are also difficult. I need to watch movies and pay attention to the transitions while I watch. In a novel or a short story, you can often just start a new paragraph or chapter.
I also need to watch more films which weave two stories together. For a while, I thought about The Lake House because the otherworldly romantic component figured prominently in the story I am telling, but that film has an ongoing correspondence which ties the characters and their stories closely together, so I am not sure that it quite fits my criteria.
Gladiator is another contender. All of the primary characters are together at the beginning, and relationships and even mutual histories are established early on. Then they follow separate paths for a while, and then those paths collide again. They are parallel stories rather than a main plot and a subplot.
The most important thing I take from the experience is the reminder/realization that the best way to learn to write is to write. And after you have learned to write by writing for a while, you learn more about writing by revising. You can read books and take classes if you want, and I am sure that they help, but they don't actually do the writing for you, and they can't give you your voice. That is something which you have to find on your own.
Script writing was a foreign concept, a foreign language even, on April 1. While I don't have any plans to relocate to Hollywood or New York City just yet, I know for certain that I learned more about writing a screenplay by wading right in and writing it (with the considerable aid of a fabulous script writing program which eliminated all of my formatting worries) than I ever would have by just reading a book or even taking a class.
I still have plenty to learn -- more than can be covered in a single lifetime, I am sure -- but I plan to learn it by finishing the first draft of this project and then going back to the beginning, taking it apart, and putting it back together again. My next goal is to get it to the point that I am willing to let somebody read it. After the second or third round, perhaps.
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