Review
As far as I'm concerned, the really remarkable thing about What I See is the massive amount of material I've produced considering how much there is that I won't write about. My stories are at a minimum 90% true. The 10% that's invented are primarily identification details--I usually use a different name for bars and the like, and people are always assigned a handle. What's cut out is usually mundane and unimportant. If you read along, you are very likely aware of this, since I've restated the point multiple times throughout the months. What I mean when I say "the things I can't write about" are the pieces that I don't let happen. For example, I might re-read something and think, "That's funny but too crude," or "That's smoothly written but pointless," or "What a heap of crap," so I'll click the back button without saving it. There have been more than a few instances when I've posted something for a few hours, reconsidered it at some later point in time, and removed the entry. Sometimes I keep the rejected pieces; other times I delete them. On occasion I'll revisit a certain article--sometimes weeks later--and completely gut the crap out of it before republishing.
I love to surprise people with what I come up with. For instance, I might make some off-handed comment to someone along the lines of, "I'm writing about last night," and their immediate reaction is usually, "If I get in trouble because of it, I'm going to kill you." To their surprise, I'll turn around and write something completely unrelated and allusive about the evening's events, or something that might have happened regardless of the night's specific circumstances. In my mind, that's the key to great writing: the ability to lead people along through a train of thought that they were not expecting. It's easy to make a list of taverns and people. First, there is no art in making lists; that's too pedestrian for a person of my intellect. Second, diaries are bound to be overly personal, so I've steered away from that format into slightly more esoteric topics that challenge my skills of writing and contemplation.
Admittedly, in the beginning, most of my posts were recollections of specific events, primarily revolving around drinking and misbehaving. However, back around Halloween, right around the time when people close to me began to find out about what I see, I noticed that people sometimes acted differently when they thought I was thinking about writing. The irony of this is, the first moment that I sense a person might be putting on a show for my benefit, a little voice in my head strongly insists that I ignore them. The little voice is powered by three very good considerations:
Also: Sorry, Ellen.
I love to surprise people with what I come up with. For instance, I might make some off-handed comment to someone along the lines of, "I'm writing about last night," and their immediate reaction is usually, "If I get in trouble because of it, I'm going to kill you." To their surprise, I'll turn around and write something completely unrelated and allusive about the evening's events, or something that might have happened regardless of the night's specific circumstances. In my mind, that's the key to great writing: the ability to lead people along through a train of thought that they were not expecting. It's easy to make a list of taverns and people. First, there is no art in making lists; that's too pedestrian for a person of my intellect. Second, diaries are bound to be overly personal, so I've steered away from that format into slightly more esoteric topics that challenge my skills of writing and contemplation.
Admittedly, in the beginning, most of my posts were recollections of specific events, primarily revolving around drinking and misbehaving. However, back around Halloween, right around the time when people close to me began to find out about what I see, I noticed that people sometimes acted differently when they thought I was thinking about writing. The irony of this is, the first moment that I sense a person might be putting on a show for my benefit, a little voice in my head strongly insists that I ignore them. The little voice is powered by three very good considerations:
- This vehicle is not meant to read like an outline of a script for my life, and therefore there are no stars of What I See. At best, the characters in my life make for an ensemble effort. Given that it's What I See, I think it's only right that the subjects of the material are my reactions, rather than a dialogue or events-driven give-and-take revolving around others.
- It's not like I'm desperate for material when I sit down at the computer. I find inspiration in a wide variety of places, so I'd rather keep it organic, preferring not to force the issue. Plus, when I don't have any idea of what to write about, I'll just write about baseball or sports.
- I don't have an editor pointing a gun at my head, and there are no deadlines or really even any expectations that drive me to write. I just flat out do it whenever I get the itch, and because the motivation comes from within, it is extremely easy to come up with ideas. If ideas prove hard to come by, so be it: I simply won't write that day.
Also: Sorry, Ellen.
posted by Pat at 12:54 PM
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