That's what you call "ironic"

1-Jul-09 at 12:18 PM
8 comments

I use short stories to as writing craft exercises, a smaller space to try something new, like a new voice or narrative style. That's what I wanted to do today. As of 3 p.m., I've spent several hours struggling to get a grasp on the style I want to write this particular tattoo short story in. The style I'm after is that of Tom's stream-of-consciousness Mental Chex Mixes. See, the very idea of "stream-of-consciousness" is that it flows out naturally, that you can't "work" at it.

Or can I? One of my strengths as a writer is the ability to change the style or voice I write in with different pieces. Other extremely talented writers I know can't do that. So I'm going to continue this challenge for a while more.

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writing,
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[this is good]

I love to write (or type...) but I never have the patience you do to do anything OTHER than brain dump stream of consciousness, fleshing out ideas, editing, re-editing, etc. too much work! that is why blogging is perfect for my gnatlike attention span.

anyway--good luck.

Bombay Sapphire Gin always worked for me. ;-)

As writers, we tend to become trapped in narrative cohesion, even though everything in nature tends toward disarray (entropy, I think that is). Try taking a nap, but linger in the hypnagogic period between sleep and waking. That's where the mind slips its tether, and bounces around.

Good luck. And happy Canada Day/writing day!!

As a chronic insomniac, "between sleeping and waking" is the story of my life. But I think I'm getting the hang of this writing style. Did about 500 words in the last hour or so. It actually takes practice to let my brain run free and unfiltered (too many internal editors), but I still want to end up with a story embedded carefully, but not too obtrusively in it. I'm going to keep working at this piece and bring it to my writing retreat in July.

And somehow, listening to The Hold Steady helped, today, too

I'm glad it's working for you. It definitely looks easier than it is, if you do it well (like Joyce did, anyway, where there's an actual point to it).

The Bombay company is still making Sapphire, even though I haven't touched a drop in four years. It will remain as a backup for you. ;-)

I'll get a good idea and write steadily for page after page, but somehow none of it ever seems to come out with a cohesive plot. So I'll devolve into cheap drama and a crappy love scene. :)

I've never tried stream of consciousness. Except for a class exercise, and then only for a page or two.

Laurie replied to TreeSweater’s comment:
Jul 1, 2009
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I've also only ever done true stream of consciousness for a class exercise, and only for about five minutes at a time, just to wake up the brain. The trick now is to craft something carefully that still reads like stream of consciousness.

I love stream of consciousness, ooohhh so much, it is wonderful.
Go for it, Lauri. You can do eet. There be treasures.
As I recall you don't drink? Not that you have to. Stream of consciousness was my style before being old enough to even think of drinking. Ah, youth.
Not that SoC is silly innocence either.
I'll think on this. Good grief, I've automatically written in that style so much that I may have to step wayyy back to get some focus.
It's kind of like lazy fishing.
I'm so helpful.
I'm excited for you.

That's what you call "ironic"

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