Comments on: Bad Advice Wednesday: Make Like Shakespeare, or at Least Spalding Gray

By: Gypsy*

Gypsy* — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:30:55 +0000

One of the characters I learned the most about was an eight year old named Morgan Brown (always addressed by both names.) She holds the history (1920s through the 50s) of a rag-tag clan of bootleggers, fishermen and ex-circus performers. They live in a world created within their own parameters, a place most outsiders don’t care enough about to change. Alligator Cove is swamp land in-between Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades. Morgan Brown observes the kind of details in the lives of grown-ups in her life that most people never see. She reports the facts of their loves, hates, complications and crimes; then, she puts her own tilt on the events. I loved the kid.

The problem: Some of the other (very interesting) characters interrupt the kid, stepping forward to tell stories of their own. Also, I only type 10 words a min. The story stopped one day, mid-paragraph, when Morgan Brown said, “Your crazy if you think I’m wastin’ anymore a my time waitin’ for you ta peck away tryin’ ta get my stuff into your machine or for you ta stop ta hear one a tha others speak!” She came back once…as an adult. The information linked, but her words died on the page.

Any ideas? I’m thinking of letting some of the others give monologues as to how they ended up on the edge of a swamp. I know some of their stories. Morgan Brown unlocked details of an illegitimate birth, explaining future connections. Still, I found that too many of these quirky people have interesting lives, but It felt out of control when I let the characters take over. The story loses shape w/all the sidelines. Maybe I should ask some of the retired circus freaks to talk.

What you’re saying is to give them monologues; then, stick them on a board like an outline? Let their monologues go until when or if I need them? Don’t worry about the length or if they break off into separate stories?
I apologize for the length of this. It’s just that after reading your advise, I feel closer to pulling this off than I have for 3 years.
THX//gypsy*

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:40:11 +0000

Right? These people talk to us.

By: Gypsy*

Gypsy* — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:13:21 +0000

Of Course! Character driven monologues…….who woulda’ thunk it?
This is, without a doubt, some of the best writing advice I’ve ever gotten. Because my stories are written as they’re told too me by the quirky characters that suddenly occupy my brain, I”ve assumed they’ve completely reveled themselves…I know all that I need to know.
I like these guys! In most cases, I even love them. This will be an excellent way to spend more time w/them, to really know their how’s and why’s.
Thx//gypsy*

By: Richard Gilbert

Richard Gilbert — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:56:36 +0000

Among other things, this is a great way to think about exposition—telling stuff—because it puts it in terms of audience and persona.

This may be the best Bad Advice yet. I guess even a near-sighted monologist picks up an acorn once in a while! To hog-butcher a phrase.

I am going to do this and use it as exercises, too.

Now write about Twitter, which I admit I still don’t understand, and tell us your strategy. Because I think it can be actually enhancing for an artist’s work but on its face can seem like codifying our enemy Mr. Monkey Mind.