Richard Norway
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Posts posted by Richard Norway
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I...There is NO RIGHT ANSWER to this question...
Of course there's not. The answer is that we write our own way. How we accomplish detail is...just the way we write, period. It's what we want the reader is see.
Shit, who am I to be giving you advice?
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James brought up an interesting point by his use of the word 'carpetbaggers.' There was an awful lot of money pouring into California from around the country, from people and businesses that didn't live there. Prop 8 has evidently taken on a national significance.
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The San Francisco Chronicle is hosting a searchable database to find out who contributed to the California Prop8 ballot initiative. Searches may be done by geographic location.
Here is the link:
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No. It isn't. You forgot the question mark.
C
HA! See Cole. I'm not the only one.
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The question is: Do you (generally) write your story with the addition of (substantial) detail in the early stages or do you come back closer to the end and add the details as ornamentation as part of the closing process, so to speak?
I'm a new writer, so don't take what I do as anything more than what I do.
I like to get the story out first. Then when I go back through it, I look at how it sounds, what pictures I have in my mind and add detail to make it clear what I want the reader to also see. Each time I go through it (and there are many), I'm fine tuning it, adding more detail as needed.
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NO!!!!
Don't do this. John, I need to tell you this. I'm a new writer, and you've been an inspiration to me. Do you fucking know that? I don't always agree with you, and you haven't always agreed with me either, but we here at AD need your knowledge, inspiration, your...your...honesty.
Look, someone said they didn't like the way you said something. Well, so what? How many different writers do you know? And how many of them have off the wall opinions?
Look man. you're part of what we are. Just don't go. We (I) need you.
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Have a look. There's some very interesting and quite supportive comments from around the world.
http://www.queerty.com/the-second-stonewal...ornia-20081110/
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In a way, I felt bad about starting this thread 14,000,000 words ago because of all the different directions it's gone and some people arguing (well, discussing) the many aspects of how we approach our writing.
But then on the other side, I'm glad that this all started. For I have learned a lot! I mean that seriously. Some of these discussions were at the heart of how we write, and it speaks to what these forums are all about.
Thanks for being upfront and letting me listen.
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...I hope you at least see my point that extremism of any kind leads to trouble. Everybody's gotta have more tolerance. That's all I'm asking.
Now that is something we can agree on, down to every letter, word and punctuation mark.
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Well, again: Richard, you're trying to lump all religions and churches into one thing. They're all very different things.
Actually, Pec, I was trying to make a distinction between religion (faith) and the church (dogma). But you're right in that like everything else on this planet there are extremes at both ends and one shouldn't generalize. I'd place the fundamentalist Christians at one end and possibly Buddism at the other.
It's unfortunate that people get faith and dogma linked. To many, their chosen dogma dictates what their faith is. Whereas their faith (belief) should find a dogma (church) that supports them or just not find a church and believe what they want.
But here again, maybe I'm presupposing that people will actually think.
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Very well said Des.
Okay, here's something for discussion. I'm a very religious man, but have a real problem with the church, whichever one it is. Churches are run by people. Religion is run by faith, and religion has nothing to do with denomination. That's a label that people get into for convenience.
I really don't care, nor should you, what you think about what I believe. That's me and is not open for evaluation. But like Des pointed out, the "church," and all that that means, is.
The Church is most assuredly a heated topic. and all that means to us. Maybe we should start a new thread (or topic) to continue this discussion. This is an exciteful topic, and I think it's worth pursuing, but under it's own name.
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The Church is denying that they were the main cause or supporter of the anti-Gay marriage propositions, but public records reveal they put more than $20,000,000 just into ads in California alone....
The hurt that was caused went a lot further than you think. Funding for many worthwhile organizations was pulled to send to California to counter the monies that the church (notice I wouldn't capitalize that word) had been sending. Equality New Mexico lost it's Executive Director because the promised funds for her salary were diverted to California. We have a legislative session coming up in January that will be addressing a Domestic Partnership bill. We lost by one, YES ONE, vote last time, and now we're going up against them without the leadership that is so needed.
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I...There is a strong movement by the religious right seeking to re-criminalise sexual practices which are claimed to be against their beliefs.
Such beliefs should never be allowed to remove, or impinge on, our human rights.
I didn't realize that in Downunder you are also experiencing the same religious intolerance that we're experiencing here in the US. Our founding was from extreme religious groups and their beliefs have always been a part of our heritage, good or bad. I guess, I had expected something different from your historical beginnings.
Rick made a LOT of sense, and I too think that we, as a movement, have screwed up. The American public is slowly moving in our direction, but it takes time for those changes to take place. We tried to push gay marriage before the American public was ready, at least to vote on it with majority. It'll happen, but by pushing too early, we set ourselves back by allowing the opposition (right wing conservative religious fundamentalist, ignorant, unthinking, blindly following bastards...sorry for the disgust) to mobilize. Now, it'll take some more time, but I do feel that it will happen, even in the short time that I have left.
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...I use Windows (reluctantly) every day, and there's certain things I can only do under Windows, due to software availability...
I have to agree with The Pec. I use Windows for only one reason and it's not because I have any kind of affinity to the advertising or the actual software. I use it to avoid compatibility problems with other software. Let's face it, Microsoft has the bulk of the market, and I for one don't wish to be pulling out my hair to make a point.
Then again...when Vista came along, I had to start questioning that compatibility issue.
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...I'm not at all comfortable when I hear about all the rules we need to follow. Especially when they get really specific. Rules stifle creativity...
Cole, I think you're right on. But I'd like to temper that a bit. Real creativity is in the solution to a problem that you're faced with. For example, an architect is faced with many problems that he has to solve in the creation of his building, and his ability to be creative in his solutions is what we're after.
This is another very trite example, but it works. Let's say that I ask you to design something. You would probably then ask me what I wanted you to design...an airplane, a bridge, some computer software, etc. By asking that question and getting an answer, you've now given yourself a restraint. The further you go down that road of defining what it is that you're going to design, the more restraints you've imposed upon yourself.
I believe true creativity is expressed in the solutions that you dream up or create given the restraints imposed either by yourself, or others. The word 'creativity' is derived from the word 'create.'
I think you're absolutely correct is defining the 'Rules Of Writing' as artificial and were designed only after the fact to explain what has already happened instead of laying a solid basis for doing something in the future.
I believe that real creativity comes out of having those restraints in place.
Just a newbe's humble opinion.
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Thanks to everyone who responded to my question. The responses were as varied as the people here, and I really appreciate and understand your views. What a marvelous group you all make!
I knew that by not giving too much of the story away at this point, your responses might head in different directions, and WOW, did they! I had pretty much decided on how I was going to present my story, and maybe my engineering background came into play here, because I became too detailed, focusing too much on mechanics. My profession is grounded in the laws of nature which are unbendable.
But reading the varied opinions here brought me back to why I'm taking up writing in the first place. And you all said it in one way or another. It's to have an outlet for creativity.
Des' second post brought me full circle back to why I asked the question in the first place...'What is it that I'm trying to do?' I thought about the significance of the two elements of 'immersion' and 'alienation' and how they related to what I wanted my readers to think and feel. And that brought me to ask myself, just whom am I writing for...the reader or myself? For me anyway, the answer is 'both.'
To say that I'm now not concerned with the mechanics of this craft would be delusional, but I now have a better understanding of my thought process going into this story and what I want to accomplish.
I didn't tell you how I plan on proceeding mechanically because that's not the significant point of what I got out of this little exchange. So instead of saying to you all 'Thanks for answering my question,' I need to say 'Thanks to everyone for enriching my writing experience.'
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I had helped two local state representatives get reelected and one state senator get elected. It was mostly phone banking and I held a couple of fund raising receptions at my house. These three guys needed to get elected as they fully support the up coming civil union legislation coming up in January.
My partner, David, and I were invited to their election results watch in a suite in a local hotel. Well, of course I went because the food and wine was free.
As we ate and drank, the room erupted with applause when the West Coast states closed their poles and the networks predictions were announced.
We left right after that because the local results were taking forever.
It was a good night, but I might have preferred to have been at the Luxor. I was there just 2 weeks ago, and by the end of THAT night I was up $ 5.00. I had to leave before I went negative.
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Being a new writer, I think I need some advise. I'm writing my second novel and am following two main characters, so I've decided on third person. But the antagonist's story starts out 3 years before the protagonist's. I'm interspersing the stories (it's a drama thing, okay?), so that means when I'm talking about the antagonist, it's a different time period from the protagonist's and their times are slowly brought together, so when they meet (for their confrontation), the time line is now together.
I was thinking about using 3rd past for the antagonist's story as it's happening in the past, but using 3rd present for the protagonist's.
My problem is that I think 3rd present sounds hokey. I guess, I just don't like the way it sounds.
I'm considering on writing the whole thing in 3rd past, one, for consistency, and two, the reader might not have as much of a problem in transitioning back and forth, although, the idea of presenting the story from two different time periods might be reinforced by the shift in tense.
Any thoughts?
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It makes me feel so good to look out across my land of New Mexico and see a vast ocean. It is so brilliantly blue in makes my heart sing.
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I think a similar measure is up in Florida also.
Pec, I was raised in SoCal in a beach town just outside of LA and returned for a number of years before getting my head on straight and got out. But I still have an affinity for the state. I feel your anger too. From what I've heard, the race is too close to call and the separation in the polls is within the margin of error.
I can't vote there, but you've got my well wishes.
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...I just want to encourage all those eligible to do so, to get out there and vote. No voting -no complaining!...
I decided to vote early this year for the first time ever to avoid those lines. Statistics came out today on the early voting turnout here in New Mexico, and I was shocked.
59% of the state's population are registered voters.
72% of the registered voters (according to the pundits this morning) will vote this year.
42% of the registered voters have already voted in early voting.
WOW! I'm so proud of my state.
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...one thing you must do is develop the discipline to write everyday. Every day. Whether you want to or not. She says that discipline will really help your writing.
C
Actually, I've heard that since I was about 2. I'm working on it, albeit slowly, but very methodically. One thing at a time. I'm not doing too bad actually. I've just about mastered getting out of bed in the morning.
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...I also love to read books on writing by published authors, like of Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird, my copy of which is almost always with me...
Colin
I had not heard of or seen this book before. I checked Amazon and read the first few pages that they previewed, and it told me of the diabolical life I'm setting myself up for. It talked of the pain and agony of writing, of the wretchedness of trying to tell the truth. I had to have it. Amazon is now winging my 'Birds' to me as I speak.
Thank you for the recommendation.
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The link didn't work for me either, but I found it going directly to Nifty. It's a good read, light, but it does make you think. Graeme is tackling the same concept in his serial novel, The Price Of Friendship.
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Another protest in the works
in News & Views
Posted
It's too bad that phelps (notice, I wouldn't capitalize his name? Due respect and all.) is a citizen here, so we can't exclude him (1st amendment and all that), but Canada gives me a warm feeling when they talk about inclusion and civil rights. I'm not leaving the US, but have an endearing respect for our neighbor. phelps has earned the disrespect of more people by the way he continues to speaks out. Even we here, I mean the straight community, are seeing his ill-logic. But then again too, we've seen Prop 8 pass in California
I guess, I see us on a road to finally being citizens of a just society. It will take time, but the African-American community waited for a long time too, but it's paid off. Just never stop trying.