I Support Supporting.
I’ve been involved in community theatre for years. Once I began to establish myself somewhat in the local theatre circuit, I adopted a practice of supporting those people I knew who were also in theatre. Whenever a friend or someone I had gotten along with well in a previous show was to appear in a production, I’d make an effort to come see them in same. Even if the show itself didn’t appeal to me. First, it’s the decent thing to do. And secondly, I was building a network or artistic, creative types that hopefully would lead to bigger and better things.
During those years I too was also in many shows, to which I would invite all of those people I would come to see. After several years I noticed something; none of them ever came to see me in my shows.
If that sounds like an exaggeration, it’s because it’s a stunning yet true statistic. Unless I was in a show with one of these people I was supporting, or they were there to come see someone else that was in the show with me, almost none of them would attend shows I was in. Oh they really “meant” to, or “would have loved it”, but they didn’t do it.
The result? After a few years, I stopped going to shows to support people. It wasn’t worth my time or money to keep seeing shows, (some of which were honestly not good) only to support “friends” and “colleagues”, when that investment was never returned.
Strict adherents to the “networking magic” school of success would say that I made it all about me, and that is why it failed. That networking is about what I can provide to other people and “yammer yammer yammer yammer”…we’ve heard it all before ad nauseum.
The truth is, I wasn’t in it simply to collect future favors. I was doing it because at the time it seemed like the nice thing to do. Yet it wasn’t always easy to set aside ticket money, or drive 45 minutes to do it. A bit of reciprocity is not too much to ask, I don’t care how “selfless” you claim to be when you do something.
So I began to simply give the best I could give when I was in a show with people. I thought a few years of that would entitle me to some degree of respect and consideration. Last year, the failure of both my own theatre company, and to gain any interest in a play I directing was further proof that support for my creative endeavors is damn near impossible t0 come by.
I am a little bitter about the lack of support I have gotten from the vast majority of people I’ve worked with over the years. The same can be said for the fact I’ve kept a blog of some sort for close to eight years now, that only a few people I know have ever read or commented on. It literally doesn’t require anyone to leave their home, and the patronage is close to zero. I have gotten more response from strangers than the people I know since starting this site.
This is also troublesome. But there is something about the situation that makes it more than just sad, and projects it into the realm of the offensive at times. That extra factor is that many of those same people who didn’t come to see my shows, didn’t try out for my production, or don’t read my blog have projects in their own right that they have the audacity to promote.
Now, perhaps I’m just an unpopular, deeply hated individual. Believe me I’ve considered the possibility more than once. But I’ve not been so hated that others haven’t asked me to come to their show, buy a ticket for whatever, give something a look, and so on. They’ve created something after all, and an audience is an audience.
At least, when they need the audience. Truth be told they usually end up with a bigger audience than I ever got, and that’s probably enough for them. But it doesn’t take away the point I’m trying to make.
Being creative is not easy when it matters to you. When your play, your novel, your website or gallery exhibit actually means something to you, and you really want to move people, it’s not easy. Sometimes people get lucky, and have their first sloppy draft published, or get the lead in a play their first time out, but over the long haul, creating something artistic means effort.
In an increasingly fast paced Crowdsourcing world where iphones and text messages are king and everyone can publish a book or edit a movie, it’s becoming harder and harder to stand out as an artist, particularly a new one. Even in smaller communities, there is so much competing for our attention it’s not easy to stand out and have people take notice of what we’ve created, without some built-in audience or connection to the community. The internet, once a place that made such connections easier is now an even bigger flood of pointless garbage than the real world tends to be. Creatives can get lost there even faster.
My overarching argument is this; support creatives. Especially your friends or people you’ve met personally. It may eventually lead to diminishing returns, and if it does, cut your ties, and move on to something more promising. You don’t have to keep beating your head into a wall. I didn’t. I stopped going to plays that didn’t appeal to me just to support the friends that were in them. But you can keep giving new things a chance. Or a hand.
There will always be someone else with a project to investigate and support. Someone will always need any help they can get in spreading the word about their creations. So help out some of those people each day. Give a project or even a person that is unfamiliar a temporary benefit of the doubt, and attend their show or promote their blog. You can always step away if you don’t like it or if you don’t feel appreciated.
The very act of creating in this world is a brave one. Far too brave an act than to be shoved out of our minds by busy schedules and the next Facebook status update. We owe it to creativity itself to try a little harder as people to look into, talk about, and promote creative endeavors that we come across. Not every one of them, but not just those of our best friends either. Those of us who spend our lives being creative have a special obligation to at least try for our fellow creatives.
A handful of my friends have done so for me. I try to do so for others. Will you?
Boston: One Week Later
If you keep up a regular online presence in any given medium, as I do, there are events that in some ways call for a response, even if they don’t fall within your usual topics of discussion. I imagine the attack on the Boston Marathon last week would qualify as such an event. Obviously it has for me and this blog.
And yes. “Last week”. Can it be that a week ago the moment of this writing, Boston had never been hit with a terrorist attack? That 170 people were not injured? That four people were not dead? That nobody had ever head of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev? That non-locals such as myself had not heard of Watertown or Boylston Street? Or Patriot Day?
It can be, and is true. As I right this, exactly one week ago all of that was true. The attack had not even happened yet. The longest week in Boston possibly since the Revolution had yet to get underway. Yet to become one of the most dramatic weeks in the whole country, in fact, in recent years as no doubt vivid memories of September 11, 2001 entered the minds of everyone who experienced that.
So similar and yet so different from 9/11, though. Innocent people died violent deaths. People severely injured. A city turned upside down with fear. Conspiracy theories, bigotry and the blame game all in common with 9/11.
Yet in some ways, this was worse than 9/11. To begin with until 9/11, September 11 is simply a day. Patriot Day, however, has been a day of great pride and significance to all of Massachusetts A day which will continue to be so, (just ask any Bostonian) but will, regardless, now forever at least bare the scar of this attack. Something that was specifically good take a direct hit.
Also, though the death toll was lower, the carnage seemed more in one’s face in Boston last week. (Almost last week.) Pools of blood seen from the helicopter shot. Limbs blown off, lying in the street. The celebratory nature of one of the most filmed finish lines in all of history turning into hell before our very eyes, four hours, 9 minutes and 43.5 seconds into the race.
No doubt there were some hellish images captured of the 9/11 attacks. But something had obviously already gone wrong by the time cameras started rolling. In Boston, we have a full view of the final moments Boston would ever be the same, followed immediately by the moment that changed everything forever.
9/11 was, to ironically borrow a term, “shock and awe”. Especially in New York, as the destruction was so massive, so stunning, that one hardly sees carnage when one looks at the towers falling. They almost melt out of existence. And while bodies were recovered, many were incinerated either on impact, or pulverized in the collapses. This does not make it any less horrendous, only less biologically graphic.
As opposed to shock and awe, Boston was like someone breaking into your home and shooting you point blank in the gut, only to leave without robbing you. Horrifying still, but in a completely different way.
Also different was the aftermath. We don’t know yet if the Marathon Bombers were connected to some cell, acting on orders, or just screwed up in their own right. That perhaps will come. But we do know the following: On Monday last there was a bombing and the devastation and confusion set in. A few days later, some false reports of people being under arrest. Later that same day, videos and photos of suspects are released. In the following wee hours of the night, the suspects flee, and in a shootout with police. One dies, the other gets away. both are identified by name.
A manhunt the likes of which even New York on 9/11 did not see begins, and Boston becomes essentially a ghost town for about eight hours. Rare was the person wasn’t law enforcement or National Guard on the streets that day.
Then that night another shoot out. A quasi-standoff for a few hours, and the injured remaining subject is taken into custody alive. And…cut. End of scene. Over. They got him. All within a few days.
There is much more to learn and to do, of course. But the direct fear that gripped Boston seems, as of now, to be over with the capture of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Both the individual and the collective nightmares will of course continue for a while. And for the victims and their families, the nightmares may never stop.
We of course ask why in both cases. We struggled with lost innocence, the nature of evil, and our own mortality in both 9/11 and the Marathon attacks. Truly, I don’t presume to have any answers, or even any suggestions of answers to those questions and concerns. Much of what I could say has already been said, and will be said again over and over. That doesn’t mean I shouldn’t say it, it just means I’m not going to in this venue at this time.
I will say that the more we experience these terrible events, the more we need to exercise caution of spirit. We must work extra hard each time there is a bombing not to be filled with hate ourselves. To seek justice but not vengeance. To refrain from judging entire demographics. To remember that every American citizen is entitled to due process and to not let attacks like this abandon our ideals of freedom and privacy.
Perhaps above all, we need to remember to love as much as we can after each of these events. Not only because love is just about all we can do at such times, but because it may just be our love that prevents the next person from turning into someone like Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Maybe.
“Novel 2” Progress
If you’ve followed me on either Twitter or this blog, you know that I have two novels in progress. One, Flowers for Dionysus is, which is undergoing its fourth revision. It’s the one I talk about most and the one that’s closest to being publish or query ready.
Sometimes, you’ll hear me speak of what I am calling for now “Novel 2”. It’s not a sequel to the first novel. Totally different characters, story and tone. Possibly different genre, though I still struggle with classifying either novel.
As with my first novel, I outlined the first half of the plot for Novel 2. Unlike my first novel, I completed the first half as part of National Novel Writing Month. Since November, I have been outlining the second half of Novel 2.
It’s been rougher going for this novel than the first one. More plot problems. More questions. Fewer things solved during the outline process. I cover one mess, and several more show up.
Late last month I decided to outline the last chapter or two. I was already about 75% of the way to the end anyway, as far as I could tell, but there were about a million small stepping stones I had to create to get there. Those stepping stones will have to be in place somehow, eventually. Yet I decided, despite my self-identification as a plotter, that continuing to outline wasn’t doing me any good in this circumstance.
The whole point of plotting for me is to provide a road to travel on, so I’m not flying by the seat of my pants when I actually write the prose. While I have that road, I don’t have as many stops along the way mapped out. I used to those stops being there, so I wanted to get most of them down in the outline. But this time it felt my dinner was going to be cancelled because I was spending hours polishing the silverware.
Silverware is of course vital to most meals, but if one spends too much time on it without starting to cook, there is no dinner. I felt at this point that continuing to outline was polishing the silverware before I even knew what food I was preparing.
So, once the latest draft of my first novel is completed, I am going to finish the rough draft of Novel 2.
It goes against the plan, but I realize sometimes one needs to be flexible when it comes to writing plans and goals. My hope is that some of the problems that have arisen with the story will get solved as I write what I do have. I confess to being uneasy about the prospect, but at least I will be moving forward. I will be cooking something for dinner, to continue my tired analogy.
Other than Nanowrimo, I’m not a fan of pantsing, and I keep telling myself that I would be pantsing for this. That broad as it may be, I still have an outline to follow for about 75-80% of this Novel 2, so I’m not shooting in the dark. It’s just that I had close to 95% of my first novel outlined, and I suppose I got used to doing it that way.
I shouldn’t be afraid of this, I suppose. I’ve still got quite a guide to work from. The process mustn’t be the enemy of the product. I’m just hoping the product ends up as solid as I’d hoped when I started outlining.
Personal Linguistics
I’m a writer. I work with words. But like anyone else, I also need to use them in everything else I do. Also like everyone else I have particular go-to phrases or words to express or indicate certain concepts and feelings. That isn’t to say I never use alternatives, because I do. Yet everyday speech is not the same as one’s writing. At least it shouldn’t be. I got to thinking about my own go-to phrases-ones that I either use everyday, or ones that I always use in a specific circumstance. I’ve compiled a list of 16 of my go-to expressions.
The list is of course not exhaustive. And as you will see, most of the phrases are not unique, and are in fact commonplace. But the voice of a person is made up not so much of the unusual turns of phrase they employ at times, but of the well used, obvious, simple linguistics they adopt on a daily basis. Any one of these phrases is pretty common. But consider them all together and a pattern emerges that gives one an idea of how I talk in most every day situations.
One also must consider the spin someone may put on a phrase. How it may differ somewhat from the original usage. The context in which one would use a certain word.
Personal language is also about what we don’t say. Some would use “idiot” as I frequently do, but rarely use “moron”, which I hardly ever do. They mean essentially the same thing in modern times…why do I prefer one over the other? Do I even know?
This was a fun exercise for me, and I hope some of you will do it for your own personal language. You can even ask others who know you well what some of your common expressions are.
Now, here are 16 of mine:
“Bogus.”
Though it technically refers to something that is fake, I tend to use this word a lot to point out something that defies logic or fairness. A lousy waitress expecting a large tip is bogus. Casting your own wife in every show you direct is bogus.
“Clown”
A description of many different types of people. Usually, but not always, some sort of incompetence is present, to which the subject is apparently oblivious.
“Jackass”.
Technically a cleaner replacement for “asshole”, I don’t see the two words as the same. In short, most jackasses to me are clowns that are also bitter and/or arrogant, but just as incompetent.
“Dancing Bear”
I use this one to describe people or situations that are all style and no substance. Or when that is what people expect from me. “Dog and pony show” is also used in similar contexts.
“Well done. There you go. It is what it is.”
All self-explanatory, but I use them on a daily basis, multiple times
“That’ll do.”
Almost exclusively when I want something unpleasant or annoying to cease.
“That’ll do it.”
Very similar to the previous phrase, but totally different context. It means, “It’s completed.” Ironically I use it most often when something long or complicated is over, as opposed to something fast and simple, which is the context most people employ, I think. Usually the first thing I say at the end of a run of a play I’m in.
“I don’t know the answer to that.”
Sounds common and easy enough, but most people would probably just say, “I don’t know”. I do that too, but just as often I use this extended expression.
“Witless”.
Probably my deepest insult, at least as it pertains to creative endeavors. Things can be “stupid” and still be funny. There is a certain wit to a type of stupidity. But if I deem something “witless”, I’m saying that it is 100% lacking in redeeming qualities, despite being created by people who ought to be better at what they do. Especially true when it’s abundantly clear that the creator is trying to impress or amuse, or has impressed/amused themselves. Probably what most people would call “retarded”, but I avoid that term, as it’s usually offensive.
“Magnificent”.
On the other side of the spectrum, this is my rarest compliment. The highest praise I can place on a creation. “Perfect” would also be here, but I’m known to use “perfect” sarcastically. I rarely use “magnificent” in such a way. If I am moved, it is usually “magnificent”
“That makes sense.”
My go-to response when literally what someone is saying makes sense to me, but I have no particular response to it.
“Screw that noise.”
“The hell with that,” basically. “Noise” being a term for inconvenient or unpleasant truths and situations. Used to be used in that context decades ago on a regular basis. Making a bit of a come back lately, I think. I saw it from an old TV show years ago, and have used it regularly since. I use the “f word”, but not with this phrase. Has to be “screw”.
“Boot him in the sack.”
Vulgar, yes. But it’s something I’ve found I want to do to guys I detest, but probably don’t belong in jail yet. And yes, its “boot” not “kick” and “sack” not “balls.” Just the way it came about, I guess. i have no equivalent for women I despise, other than perhaps “rip her hair out”, and even that doesn’t carry the same weight.
“Yammering”.
My preferred expression for rambling or prattling.
So there are 13 of my go-to expressions. What are some of yours?
My Work in Progress: Response to a Prompt Chain
J. D. McLaughlin tagged me recently in a post she wrote last week. Now it is my turn to respond to said prompt/questions (Make sure you go read hers as well.)
And now, unto the post.
1: What is the working title of one of your current stories?
I’ve decided to answer these questions about my novel as opposed to one of my short stories. My current “Number One” novel, that is to say the one that is furthest along, (working on the 5th draft now) is called Flowers for Dionysus. At least it has been for a while. That might change.
2: Where did the idea come from for the story?
Several places, in fact. I had come to the point where I thought it was time to try a novel. This was just less than four years ago. During that time a few events happened within the same few months, all of which contributed to the idea. Among other things, these events were:
– Reading Adventures in Time and Space with Max Merriwell by Pat Murphy.
– Attending an okay production of Taming of the Shrew at a nearby park.
– Finding something left over from that production in the park the following day.
-Being in Romeo and Juliet at a local community theatre.
3: What genre does it fall under?
This is tricky. Answering this vital question has been a thorn in my side almost from the beginning. I’ve researched and consulted with others on it. At various points I’ve thought it was low-fantasy, commercial fiction with fantasy elements, urban fantasy, magical realism, mythic fantasy, just plain fantasy or just plain commercial fiction. As of now, I’m still not sure how to classify it for marketing purposes. It happens to defy easy genre classification.
4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I’m not much in favor of people writing books specifically with the idea of them becoming movies some day. I read many writing blogs that tend to assume your ultimate goal as a fiction writer is to one day sell the movie rights to your work, and that just isn’t the case.
In certain scenes in my novel, I may have envisioned them playing out via certain actors, but that’s a far cry fro my choosing actors to play in the story of my novel. It happens naturally sometimes, but I try not to think too much about this. (Even if the book takes off, and I allowed a movie to be made, I’d have zero input on who played whom anyway.)
You have to write a story, and if movies come along one day, (and your willing to let the movie eviscerate your original concept) deal with it when the time comes.
5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your story?
When a disillusioned community theatre actor reluctantly comes out of retirement to help an old friend with her troubled production, his faith in acting (and himself) is restored through a series of supernatural encounters in and around the local playhouse.
6: Will your story be self-published or represented by an agency?
I don’t know yet. I’ve researched both approaches, and in the end, you have to do all of the selling work all by yourself whether you end up self-publishing or going the traditional route. Right now I’m leaning towards giving self-publishing and selling a try, and the traditional way can take years, and I’ve already spent years on this project. Plus, in the traditional method, I have to try to impress one single overworked literary agent. If I self publish, I can target my efforts to the specific type of people who would enjoy this book. People that don’t fall into tidy marketing categories.
But I am still researching agents and keeping a list of them, should I choose that path.
7: How long has the editing taken you?
Each draft is a quicker experience. Plus I take intentional breaks between drafts. Total, from the end of the first draft to now, I’ve been editing the work for about three years.
8: What other stories would you compare it to within your genre?
I dislike that everyone has to do this with their work. What if it doesn’t remind someone of something old? But if I had to pick something, I’d once again say Adventures in Time and Space with Max Merriwell, though that book is in a different genre than my own. (Hence part of the problem I have with genres and comparisons.
9: Who or What inspired you to write this story?
This was sort of answered in question number two, was it not?
But to elaborate a bit, I can say that some of my experiences in theatre certainly pushed my along. I wanted to capture something that spoke to the potential good that the arts in general, and theatre in particular can do in the lives of people and communities. My own life has been changed because of it over the years, and I wanted to explore a story wherein similar things affected people in a positive way.
There is also the fact that I’m a bit of a seeker; I’m always on the look out for signs from the universe or the Divine.
10: What else about your story might pique the reader’s interest?
There isn’t any sex in it. Nor is there violence…I explore the truth behind religion without endorsing any of them…though by no means unique, community theatre as a setting is different enough from the norm to attract an interest from those who have been a part of it, but relatable enough to those who never have been…there are some extra touches thrown in for those who do know all about the community theatre life, however.
So, there are my answers. I now tag fellow fiction writer, J. Lea Lopez, in hopes she will continue this chain!
Ty Unglebower 