Category: Video

I see myself in this …

Courtesy of Lara Zielin, one of the fantabulous 2009 Debs, comes this video:

While I haven’t knocked on anyone’s door … yet, I’ve been known to sing the praises of “The Donald” more than once. Okay. A lot. All the time. Actually, I probably need a 12-step program, the one where I promise not to annoy my writing friends.

But, but, but … their (writing) lives would be much more fulfilling if only they listened to Donald Maass. Try the gateway drug Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook. Just one exercise. Or two! How could it hurt? It’s an exercise, silly, not a way of life.

That comes later.

And look, he’s going to be in Madison, WI in November! I may have to make a pilgrimage.

Seriously. I used Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook extensively with Geek Girl. But you know, writing craft books are just like any other book–they work for some people and not for others. For me, voice and tone go a long way in whether I simply enjoy a writing craft book.

But, yeah. I’ll try to stop curb the proselytizing.

On writing partners

I’m always fascinated by how other writing partners work. I wonder if it’s like being a twin–you have a connection with someone most people don’t have.

So naturally, I loved every minute of this interview. I don’t think the process Darcy and I go through is quite as bloody. But we do trade scenes back and forth, and write over each other, and we do have sentences where I’ve probably written two words and she’s written three (and vice versa).

And we do talk about the characters as if they’re real people. (You mean they’re not? Oh.) We’ve been know to spend copious amounts of time shopping for the perfect prom/homecoming dress/shoes etc. for them.

And … we’re doing a lot of that right now, which is why the blog content has been a little thin.

Jasper Fforde on writing and publishing

This is a great five minute or so interview with Jasper Fforde. He talks about the long haul of writing and publishing. And if you hear a little cheer at the mention of ten years and six and a half manuscripts, that’s just me.

Because … ten years … six manuscripts. Wow. Sounds like someone I know. Wait! I do know her. That’s me.

Enjoy!

In which I once again reveal my mash-up addiction

I wonder if you have to be a certain age to enjoy this. I thought Andrew (aka classic rock kid) might. He does like Metallica and has Enter Sandman on his iPod. His response when this was done:

“It’s weird.”

I, on the other hand, love it. Love. It.

Not only does the band in question, Rock Sugar, have this mash up, it’s apparently what they do. All mash-ups, all the time. Dude. Even better, they’ve taken Madonna’s Like a Prayer and combined it with AC/DC’s Shook Me All Night Long. Definitive proof Like a Prayer should’ve been a heavy metal song all along.

I tell you, these guys are genius.

So, if you’re of a certain age, enjoy:

With open arms

Just in case you forgot tomorrow is Valentine’s Day:

Oh, sure. I can see it now:

Hey, honey, I ditched the Godiva chocolates this year and got you disembodied arms that talk.

Because nothing says “I love you” like disembodied arms that talk. Is it just me, or is that ten different kinds of creepy?

Seriously, I picture these arms springing to life in the middle of the night while their unsuspecting recipient sleeps in his/her bed. Then, the slow-mo crawl across the floor with its fat Mickey Mouse fingers, up and onto the bed, the recorded message playing on a continuous loop until its meaning becomes tragically ironic.

Yeah. Nothing says Valentine’s Day like that.

Miles to go

I have one thing to say today:

It. Is. Finished!!!!!

Okay, what is actually finished is this round of revisions. Unfortunately, “It is revised!” doesn’t have the same ring to it.

I still have miles to go before I sleep–or rather, before it’s ready to go. But I think/hope I have the main restructuring slog out of the way. This is really a “my reach may exceed my grasp” kind of story. So for now, I’ll let The Fine Art of Holding Your Breath compost.

Even with the all the work ahead of me, I can’t help feeling a little bit like this:

This leaves me free to revisit Dating on the Dork Side, which I’m also very excited about. Although, I accidently opened one of its files yesterday. As I told Darcy: it reads like I downed half a bottle of NyQuil before I sat down to write.

So. Miles to go there as well.

Think I’ll go list to Ode to Joy one more time. 

Because really, when you finish any draft of a manuscript, the skies should open, light should pour down, and all the animals of the forest should burst into song.

And the Berlin Philharmonic should personally come to your house.

Storytime, Liebchen

I was going to write something profound and deeply moving today. Okay, I really wasn’t. Nevertheless, I was going to write something (such as word count on revision up 7,000 words this week).

Instead I think we could all use a break. The video below is quite possibly the funniest thing I’ve seen all week:

As the creator notes, it isn’t really Werner Herzog reading/interpreting Curious George, but that hardly matters. There are so many good lines, but I think my favorite are: 

In short order, a monkey has bested seven adult men. This should give you a dim view of human potential.

Enjoy and happy Sunday!