I try to write about anything that happens to me even if it's something as unimportant and bland as a cat and a crow I saw that morning to improve the way I use language. I carry a small notebook and it's full of short paragraphs of two or three sentences about things that I saw or thought through the day. Do any of you practice in a similar way? Do you think it's helpful? I'd like to know your opinion.
Writing anything helps?
- Thread starter Drakai
- Start date
Yes I think it's extremely helpful - not only does it make you actually look at things all around you, you are practising putting it down into words. I would tempted try and take it to another stage (you may be doing this already) and asking questions about what you see. What might the crow be thinking about as it is being stalked by a cat? Is the cat young and practising his hunting, or old and sure of some sort of success? Maybe even try and come up with mini-narratives.
I do keep a notepad and pen on me for jotting down those sudden ideas that strike whilst 'on the road' (never rely on your memory to keep them, I've discovered, as they can be extremely ephemeral). I do a lot of people and thing watching from the top deck of buses here in London coming up with daft narratives about what I see.
I love my teeny notebooks!
Sometimes when I am out walking I start making up the lines of a poem ( or a song if its leaning that way...);
And I need to scribble them down, directly. Elsewise the words are lost forever like the memory of a faded dream upon rising.
A spiral bound hard backed notebook, two inches by three, and a golf pencil. I can scribble down the words as I walk even. (Not recommended for instances where penmanship counts, looks a bit like a three year old got loose with crayons).
Then when I get back I can write all of them up. Or use that lovely speech to text app and recite them into a file.
I have three or four shoeboxes full of these little notebooks.
Sometimes when I am out walking I start making up the lines of a poem ( or a song if its leaning that way...);
And I need to scribble them down, directly. Elsewise the words are lost forever like the memory of a faded dream upon rising.
A spiral bound hard backed notebook, two inches by three, and a golf pencil. I can scribble down the words as I walk even. (Not recommended for instances where penmanship counts, looks a bit like a three year old got loose with crayons).
Then when I get back I can write all of them up. Or use that lovely speech to text app and recite them into a file.
I have three or four shoeboxes full of these little notebooks.
M Harold Page
Writer and Smiter
It all sounds great fun and worth blogging or tweeting.
No, and never did except perhaps as an angsty teenager. However, I do make it a habit to engage with my surroundings, mentally note textures, smells, people, and try to understand what I am seeing which is the same kind of thing.
It depends on what you're doing it for, and what kind literary thing you're practicing for.
As a way of engaging with your surroundings, it sounds great.
As a way of practicing for writing prose... less so if you're a genre writer like me. My kind of prose is anchored in the POV character's mentality. So how I experience a crowded bus is different from how my Viking berserker would and thus my choice of words and imagery is different.
If prose fiction is your bag, then you could tune up the exercise by taking on different POVs when you write your vignette. So you saw a cat and a crow this morning. You know what it meant to you. But what would it have meant, say, to pagan shaman?
No, and never did except perhaps as an angsty teenager. However, I do make it a habit to engage with my surroundings, mentally note textures, smells, people, and try to understand what I am seeing which is the same kind of thing.
It depends on what you're doing it for, and what kind literary thing you're practicing for.
As a way of engaging with your surroundings, it sounds great.
As a way of practicing for writing prose... less so if you're a genre writer like me. My kind of prose is anchored in the POV character's mentality. So how I experience a crowded bus is different from how my Viking berserker would and thus my choice of words and imagery is different.
If prose fiction is your bag, then you could tune up the exercise by taking on different POVs when you write your vignette. So you saw a cat and a crow this morning. You know what it meant to you. But what would it have meant, say, to pagan shaman?
I'd agree with M Harold Page, above. Do you participate in the writing challenges each month/quarter?
pH
pH
tinkerdan
∞<Q-Satis
I have done this; it's a mystery. Truly.
I have no idea what's on some of those notebooks; that's how bad my handwriting is.
I also used to obsess about having an idea while I had no paper around or anything to record it on and almost bought one of those small voice recorders.
Then one day I lost an entire days work on the computer and had to write it all over.
It came out pretty well; and I realized that as long as the fundamental parts of the story exist in my head or even on a printed outline that the story could be what it is when it is and if I lose a piece then the replacement will be much better anyway; or it will be the same.
Perhaps that just means that I've not yet had any prose that came close to an epiphany.
But shoot; it's not like I'm writing the bible or anything like that.
I have no idea what's on some of those notebooks; that's how bad my handwriting is.
I also used to obsess about having an idea while I had no paper around or anything to record it on and almost bought one of those small voice recorders.
Then one day I lost an entire days work on the computer and had to write it all over.
It came out pretty well; and I realized that as long as the fundamental parts of the story exist in my head or even on a printed outline that the story could be what it is when it is and if I lose a piece then the replacement will be much better anyway; or it will be the same.
Perhaps that just means that I've not yet had any prose that came close to an epiphany.
But shoot; it's not like I'm writing the bible or anything like that.
David Evil Overlord
Censored Member
Now I want to read about M. Harold Page's berserker on a bus... 
It's definitely helpful. Authors should carry a notebook wherever they go - and a pencil.
M Harold Page
Writer and Smiter
Now I want to read about M. Harold Page's berserker on a bus...
The craft... the bus... roared and lurched forward. Eric took a hand off his axe to hug his wolfskin tighter. The weapon jolted free and fell over. The haft banged into the long legs of young woman with spiky hair.
The woman glared down at him. "Excuse me?"
The woman glared down at him. "Excuse me?"
Method Writing! Love it!
pH
pH
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