fiction, twitter style
May 25
New fiction, 140 characters at a time.
@vinsfiction.
Enjoy….
fun fun fun gets the work done
May 25
graphic novel, manga, play, projects, twitter, writing No Comments
There’s something about getting together with people on a project who all are on the same wavelength that get the juices get flowing, ideas bouncng off each other like superballs; it is such an incredible experience. It’s also refreshing because if you get stuck hanging off the side of a cliff, there’s someone there to pull you up.
For instance, after much debating on what our goals were for the manga (basically, which publisher we are aiming for), we decided on a page count. At the current count for the script I had written, we were going to need more to progress the story than we could actually use. So I tossed an idea out there, Sara* bounced one back, and Bry* just sat there, just staring at the table. He then came up with this brilliant idea that will help us hit our page target. Things like this, make me excited.
Things like the script adaptation do not. Earlier today I read over the script, version 6 apparently (or so the writer thinks), and again, things were put in that we agreed didn’t work. Parts that I had written were taken out. This destroys one’s fun. The excitement is gone for me from this project. I am really hoping that at this week’s production meeting the writer says he doesn’t like what I am going to put in so I can step down from this and move on. Nothing saps the creative feeling more than having hours of work disregarded when you’re the one they asked to edit in the first place.
On a side note, I’ve been so psyched about the manga thing that I finally sent my brother-in-law the descriptions for the characters for the graphic novel he wants to work on with me. The story is one I’ve been meaning to get down on paper, mostly in novel form, but for whatever reason just haven’t gotten around to it. Hopefully he won’t dally about too long with the sketches.
Also, I’m thinking of telling a story through twitter. This isn’t a new concept. I’m sure tons of people are doing it. @CharlieHuston has been doing it since February 2nd. I think the challenge of telling a story 140 characters at a time will be good for the creative process. Just like this blog is supposed to be. I have noticed an increase in my writing output since I started this. Coincidence??? Yep.
I just need to work out some details of what story I’m going to tell. Maybe I’ll dig out one of my short stories that came from the creative writing class I took in college. I think I may be able to do something with it.
I’ll post the twitter link when I start the story.
*names have been altered to protect me from possible lawsuits.
project is a go. as in, go at your own pace.
May 21
manga, play, projects, writing No Comments
Found out today that the deadline for the manga project is the first of June. What’s that, like eleven days? So that’s not going to happen. My partners and I decided that it would be better for the project if we skipped this anthology and took our time to produce something that we feel would be proud of. We don’t want to rush this out. We’re long-term thinkers.
Besides that, I spoke to the director of the play I’ve been working on and we both kinda’ decided that if the writer doesn’t give us more leeway on this, we’re both out. We don’t want our names on something that isn’t up to our standards. The writer doesn’t seem to want to listen to us so we’re both like ‘screw it’, why waste our time.
Sent out résumés to a couple of places hoping I get a bite. Fingers are crossed.
Now off to tackle the dishes….
because japan doesn’t have enough problems with giant robot monsters from outer space
May 20
manga, projects, writing No Comments
Well, I had the meeting with my friend, whom I will call Bryan*, and my new friend, whom I will call Sara*, about the manga project. Looks like it is a go. This is going to be fun.
In a nutshell, an independent publisher releases these manga anthologies to sell at the comic cons around the country. So she asked if my friend wanted in, he said yes and enlisted Sara to ink for him. They however needed a writer. That’s where I come in. Bry knew I was working on some writing projects, asked if I was interested and if so if we could meet up. I said sure.
The three of us went to a local diner and brainstormed for a couple of hours and came up with this really exciting idea. Not going to give anything away just yet, but we were really enjoying talking about it and very eager to get started. So eager, in fact, that Bryan was sketching up one of the figures while we were still there.
My job right now is to come up with brief synopsis of the story and treatments of the characters (more or less) and let them see it this weekend.
Also, I’ve noticed that my language and grammar seems a bit, well, proper. Forced. So starting now, I’m going to write somewhat looser. A more comfortable style, as it were.
*names have been altered to protect the innocent.
no, it’s not porn.
May 19
manga, projects, writing No Comments
Going to meet up with a friend of mine later this evening at a local diner. He wants to talk to me about either using a short story of mine or having me come up with a whole new one for a manga that he and his friend are creating.
This could be a whole new venue. Not too long ago, my brother-in-law told me he was interested in creating a comic book/graphic novel and asked if I’d be willing to come up with a story for it. I said sure and we agreed that this was something that was going to take time because we each have other things going on at the moment. But I’m supposed to send him some character descriptions soon so he can start sketching out ideas. But that was a few weeks ago.
Comic book writing is something I have thought about, but I’m not sure if I have the ability to keep writing an ongoing story. Graphic novels or manga comics may well be the way for me to go if this is an avenue I’m interested in.
finally, some me time
May 18
fiction, personal, writing No Comments
Today was a relief. I finally got to do some writing for myself. It’s been quite awhile since I have been inspired to put pen to paper, literally.
I think that’s been my problem. I never have been truly comfortable writing on a computer. Just something about using a keyboard doesn’t make it feel truly like writing. To combat this, I purchased a blank, unlined notebook a couple of months ago. I read that Neil Gaiman uses blank notebooks and thought that I might give it a go. I knew what pen I would use; I have a fountain pen that I was given as a gift many years ago. The only problem was that the ink cartridges I purchased didn’t fit so I had go back to the shop to get another package. This time, I made them fit.
So, after numbering the pages of the blank notebook I was ready to write. Uninspired, but ready. That is, until today came along.
I had been toying around with some ideas for some time now and didn’t think I could, or should start something until I had more. I decided that today, since I am waiting for the rewrites for the screenplay project, I was going to take the plunge and just start writing, seeing where it would lead. It led to a not-too-shabby fifteen pages, handwritten.
If I can keep this up, I might be able to get a full-length novel out of this. I just have to stay disciplined and write at least a few pages everyday.
What?! You want funny? I’m friggin’ funny.
May 17
play, projects, writing No Comments
So, there was a production meeting last Thursday at 10.00am. I sent out my version of the play to the director and writer Tuesday afternoon. At 8.00pm Wednesday night, I finally hear back from the writer, but not in the way I expected. What I received from him was an ‘updated’ version of what I had given him.
I didn’t have the time to read it Wednesday night, so my plan was to print it out and read it Thursday morning before the meeting. That didn’t happen. Turns out, my printer doesn’t like me.
You see, I got to page 35 (of 75) when the printer ran out of paper. Fine. Put some in and hit the ‘OK’ button. Except it wasn’t the ‘OK” button, it was the power button. I turn the thing back on, expecting to be able to print the rest of the pages. Not gonna happen. It starts printing from the first page again, even though I specify it to start at page 36. After some fancy setting adjustments, I get it to print up to page 41. And then it only prints page 41. Over and over and over. No matter how many times I stop and delete the print que, it always goes back to page 41. Turn off the printer, quit Preview, open the document again, try to print it again and it only prints page 41.
By now I’m pissed, and running out of time so I load up the printer full of paper and print the script from the first page again. This time, no problems at all. It prints all of the pages.
I quickly skim through the script and notice that the writer added a scene that the director, producer, and I said wasn’t needed because it didn’t do anything to add to the story. That, as I found out in the meeting later, wasn’t the only thing that changed; the writer removed all of the comedic scenes I wrote. (Before the meeting, the director and I were bullshitting and he said that he really enjoyed what I had added. That he actually laughed at it; not just finding it amusing.)
Also, the writer said that he didn’t know where to add a scene that I had actually added to the script. He just didn’t ‘get it’.
When I finally had a chance to explain to the writer why I had added what I did (because he written that a character was supposed to ‘come by the office’ but never had him show up on stage or mentioned him again) he, the writer, seemed to finally ‘get it’. But, he said he was going to take that character and change him to one of the characters from the scene I mentioned earlier, the one he added back in.
He thinks that scene adds some comedy to the show when all it really does is repeat things already said so that it becomes annoyingly repetitive.
To make matters worse, when the producer told him that at some point he would have to let go of the story and let me and the director take over, he replied that he doesn’t think he’s gonna do that.
That, right there, is why I never should have taken the project on in the first place. I knew that he was going to do what he wanted and that anything that I may have written would not be good enough for it. No, not that it wasn’t good enough, that it wasn’t written by him. The story he has in his mind is the one he wants and nothing else matters.
And this is why this thing is going to flop.
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