Writing my short story took a lot of improvisation. I had specific events panned out, but not there exact moments. Even some of my most touching or important moments in the story came along as I was writing, but had not been a part prior to then. It came in a steady flow. At time,s I would have to stop and think "what direction is this going in, to what purpose, etc." I'm very happy I stopped and did that at times, because sometimes I got lost in my story.
Anyway, there was no outline on which I checked off every "story landmark, dialogue, etc." This was a rough outline by which I wrote, and I'm happy about that. The story didn't come off as mechanical (at least to me, at the moment), and the characters had voices of their own. Dialogue flowed from my fingers almost effortlessly, as nothing was pressured on the characters. Earlier on, I had to think about dialogue, I had to choreograph tension, and I had to stop to be sure what came next fit the general feel. It showed. Some parts of the original draft I am proud of, but others are, as we'd say in french "pire". Absolutely horrible. You can see that I over thought and though it was meant to be an early A+ effort, I felt the opposite was the result. With the finished version, some of those old elements are kept, and an entire scene is kept, but still almost extensively edited. There was the feel from the rest of the story that it then had to fit with, so that was the only time I stopped and thought and edited with an unfeeling scalpel.
In the end, I couldn't stop myself. Constantly playing, or rather, manipulating writing techniques new and old, trying to display the image in the best way possible, I had to finish the story, but it was going to take longer than expected. I had to do my character justice, and I had to develop his anguish, his blind ingratiation of the love he's been given, and his realization (or lack thereof) that he must make things right. Though it took 12 pages to take him through that humbly set but daringly intimate inward quest, I felt it had to be done. Granted, it always feels close to perfect at the original finish, but I certainly think that that is about the right length for his story. The end was accomplished. I believe the necessary steps to take him there were put in place and taken. I am confident, and I loved the experience.
So now, the ball is in your court, Sr. Allen.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Metacognition: Jane Eyre Essay.
Whoof.
It was a doozy.
Although suprisingly not nearly as difficult as I had expected. (Then again, when one specializes in love, it probably shouldn't be such a hard thing to write and ruminate about, no?)
And that's what I experienced this project as being: one big written rumination. I'm not sure whether that was the intended feel to get from it (and I'm almost positive it wasn't) but hey, it's what happened. And it's something I've never experienced on an essay before.
I don't want to say the method Tessa and I developed was haphazard or...aimless, but it developed just as a conversation would. We were to write a dialogue about the GENERAL theory of love and I feel it developed as such; after all, I don't know many people who talk in focused, scripted essay speak.
I feel with this we accomplished a comfortable, authentic dialogue (or trialogue) beyween the characters and discovered a lot about love and it's different modes of existence and requirements, etc. I feel we kept the characters on a tight enough leash to not seem rambling and idiotic, but we also gave them enough room to explore their previous actions and emotions, now that they are "free".
Is till feel, however, a bit unaccomplished regarding the whole essay. I'm not sure there was a strong enough structure, though I feel the desired effect was accomplished. In the end, I left with an empty "has this really been done right?" feeling, probably because I'd never done an essay of this easy style before (and I say easy because I love dialogue and find it very easy to write.)
In the end, I can say that I felt I excercised a whole different pair of muscles and, although it felt awkward and I'm not sure I excercised those weights 100 % correctly, I feel I came out of it with a very appreciated literary experience.
It was a doozy.
Although suprisingly not nearly as difficult as I had expected. (Then again, when one specializes in love, it probably shouldn't be such a hard thing to write and ruminate about, no?)
And that's what I experienced this project as being: one big written rumination. I'm not sure whether that was the intended feel to get from it (and I'm almost positive it wasn't) but hey, it's what happened. And it's something I've never experienced on an essay before.
I don't want to say the method Tessa and I developed was haphazard or...aimless, but it developed just as a conversation would. We were to write a dialogue about the GENERAL theory of love and I feel it developed as such; after all, I don't know many people who talk in focused, scripted essay speak.
I feel with this we accomplished a comfortable, authentic dialogue (or trialogue) beyween the characters and discovered a lot about love and it's different modes of existence and requirements, etc. I feel we kept the characters on a tight enough leash to not seem rambling and idiotic, but we also gave them enough room to explore their previous actions and emotions, now that they are "free".
Is till feel, however, a bit unaccomplished regarding the whole essay. I'm not sure there was a strong enough structure, though I feel the desired effect was accomplished. In the end, I left with an empty "has this really been done right?" feeling, probably because I'd never done an essay of this easy style before (and I say easy because I love dialogue and find it very easy to write.)
In the end, I can say that I felt I excercised a whole different pair of muscles and, although it felt awkward and I'm not sure I excercised those weights 100 % correctly, I feel I came out of it with a very appreciated literary experience.
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