Writing Advice: Learning How to Read

When talking with writers I often hear them saying that when they read [insert some title] by [insert some author] it made their own writing feel diminished. I’ve felt like this with certain writers before as well. When I read a wonderful story I sit there and wonder how I could ever be so creative, how could I ever twist words into such fabulous strings as that writer just did? This is the wrong approach to reading though.

In an interview once the author John Green said to young writers, “Read a lot. Reading is the only real apprenticeship we have as writers.” There is great truth behind this statement. No one can teach us how to write the way we can be taught to be doctors or lawyers or bank tellers. There is no set method for writing. Even the most basic rules of capitalization, spelling and grammar can be thrown out the window at times. Examples such as e.e. cummings  and Mark Twain, when experimenting with dialects, come to mind.

It is through reading that we are exposed to different writing styles and we can begin to pick and choose the ones we like and the ones we want to try to emulate until we end up creating our own specific style.

So when reading that truly great book that makes you question your own talent, please don’t let it discourage you. Try to let it teach you instead.

Art That Goes Nowhere

If there’s one I notice in upstart artists above all others, it is an attempt to be increasingly obscure.
All too often, I will wander into the art gallery at my school to see work of such a kind that I can tell the artist was simply trying too hard to be deep or unique, forsaking true depth in the process. I viewed an extremely disconcerting piece last year that consisted of a deer skin stretched out on a plank, with a video of someone repeatedly drilling holes into a deer carcass playing above it.
Unsettling, to be sure, but I also instantly felt that there was little more to the piece than that, regardless of how much effort may have been put into it. In the modern world of art, it seems that people starting out have a “free for all” mentality that can be extremely stunting to true artistic talent. And this is by no means limited to visual arts, I see this in writing as well.
The bottom line to me is, art should be made for a reason greater than “being art”, unless you happen to be a member of the Dadaist movement. The Dadaist movement is something to look up on your own, if you are not familiar with it, but a ten cent definition is that their intent is more or less to make fun of ill-defined art by creating parodies of ill-defined art, which in turn, has confused the art world more, by causing people to create “serious” Dadaist art, an homage of a parody.
You can instantly see the problem. When you have no idea what art is to you, art becomes meaningless, a parody within a parody. There is no point to creating something like this, not even to yourself.
As I said, this is not limited to visual art. I have read experimental writings that read like blogs on speed, filled with words on everything- but no thought. They are empty, meaningless words, sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly, but completely devoid of thought. This is artless art that is trying so hard to be art, it actually manages to fail, and fail badly, without a hint of Dadaist irony.
It is one thing to throw yourself into your art with passion, it is another thing not to let your passion go anywhere. In frustration, you can draw spirals endlessly, or you can take that frustration, observe it, and try to recapture it in a form that explores your thoughts, a sort of exercise not only of learning to analyze your own emotions (for all art comes from a distinctly emotional point of view), but also to make yourself a better artist, in whatever medium you work with.
I am not saying you must always have a deeper meaning for your art- one of my favorite books is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, which has gleefully avoided deeper analysis for over a hundred years because it exists simply as a work of nonsense. But all of the same, this nonsense (which is in fact a genre form), does have some thought behind it. All throughout Alice’s ridiculous journey are subtle jabs at Victorian social order, capital punishment, and the school system, along with some math and a fair amount of wordplay. Alice may not be a “deep” work, in the way we are used to thinking of “deep”, but it is still a highly sophisticated and intelligent work.
While Lewis Carroll was not writing with a clear-cut motive, the intelligence inherent in his work also shows he was not simply throwing his art up against the wall and hoping it stuck. Aspiring artists in every medium seem to misconstrue the ideas. If you are to set out to create- create something worth creating, put some real thought and effort into it. Do not simply throw something against the artistic wall and try to ascribe a deeper meaning to it. Meaning you attach in hindsight does not create a meaningful work, regardless of the amount of time you may have spent on it. Rather, create with a sense of meaning, and even if you do not ascribe some kind of deep philosophy to your piece, and your effort will show through, making your work have true merit.

Writing Advice: The Disparaging Voices

Every time I sit down to try to write this blog post every Friday there is a little voice in my head that reminds me that I’m not really qualified to write advice on writing. The voice probably has a point but I choose to ignore it. 

There are tons of writers who talk about the discouraging voices in their heads. I’m not the first or even a rare example. There are tons of writing tips that say to just ignore it. So I’m not saying anything new here. Not really.

Except I’m not going to tell you to ignore it. When you’re writing and you hear the voice insulting you, about word choice, style or just you and your dreams, ignore it. So I lied just now, I did tell you to ignore it, sorry. Ignore it and keep writing. 

Ignore it but don’t turn it off. You’re going to need that voice eventually. You’re going to need it when it comes time to edit because that voice is the most critical reader you will ever have. Treat it as you would treat any other critical reader. Listen to it- see, I told you I wasn’t going to say ignore it-  and weigh the advice it gives you and use the bits that you want to use.

Unfortunately the voice starts out with a lot of discouraging ad hominem attacks and very few useful comments about writing. However if you listen to the useful comments and ignore the discouraging ones then you can over time hone the voice to give more useful than disparaging comments. I’ve honed the one in my own head to restrict its insults to my writing. It still gives advice in a very derogatory manner but it gives writing advice all the same. Like that crotchety old english teacher that you can never quite please, it has some good points in there, you just have to take it with a grain of salt.

The Ocean of Interpretation

I joined the Cinema club my freshman year, took photography my senior year, and, as much as I suck at it, drawing, painting & sculpting have been a “sub-passion” to my writing. Coming from an extensive history of visual and written art experience, it’s obvious there is an ongoing discussion. Which art is better? The visual? Or the word?

Books are an amazing source of knowledge, and the best part is that they don’t have to come from the Zzzz section of the library. But it’s when these wonderful stories of triumph, honor, and love are adapted to the big screen that controversy arises. 

Movies are a gift to us all, as books be, but they are not the same type of art. So, when I hear people complaining that the movie isn’t better than the book (or vice versa) it makes me want to tell them the following:

In any given book the words an author chooses are vital. They are carefully crafted to inspire a certain image in the reader, but alas, the interpretative wind steers our sail in a unique direction. On these journeys we don’t always have company, but we start staking our beliefs like anchors in the ocean bed, and hold everyone accountable for straying from our current. The world this author created becomes ours. It takes shape in our scope of the world. 

Then the one thing most readers want happens. The movie is in production. Then post-production. And finally the release date arrives. We sit in comfy, odd-smelling chairs, prop our feet up (bitch when someone sits in that chair while the rest of row is empty,) and finally, the movie plays. After a few laughs, some awes, and clapping from the hardcore fans, we walk out of the theater with our review spilling out of every orifice. 

NOW HOLD UP! Is what I would say to that friend, that also happens to be me at times. 

The truth of the matter when the book is transformed into a movie, most readers miss the fact that this is an INTERPRETATION. Readers tend to judge the film based on what their view of this world is. They forget this world is not their sole creation and base judgement on how close their world was brought to the screen.

Now, I don’t argue that crucial things being changed, scenes presented out of order, and such are okay, because they are NOT! But the movie can only truly be appreciated if you detach yourself from the book and realize that this movie is a sole work of art.

Our ships are important, I know, but we all have to step on the ‘common’ dry land sometimes. 

Study of the Masters

If you have been an artist of any sort (be it writing, music, painting, photography etc.) for any amount of time, you will have probably noticed that as much as you draw inspiration from the real world- and certainly you should, inspiration also takes the form, very often, of imitation. The trouble is what to imitate, and knowing the limitations of that imitation.
Looking back on my early work I see, quite shamelessly, everything that I love in my writings from my teenage years, from creatures in Star Wars to dialogue from Spirited Away.
What can I say? My early pieces are unpolished, and sometimes downright theft occurred.
Imitation is healthy in all art forms. Studying the works of people who are your betters- and certainly many people will be- is a natural part of learning to become an artist.
A wise artist never stops studying, and I will never believe I have arrived at a place where I will regard myself as a great writer. I will continue to study my betters. And no matter how good my writing could one day become, I will never believe I am above those writers who I regard as the masters.
So what is the difference between shameless imitation and the study of a master? Discernment.
One of my favorite authors is C.S. Lewis, who was a master of many genres of writing include children’s fiction, science-fiction, poetry, philosophical essays and dramatic historical fiction, to name a few. I regard the man as a master writer, as a sculptor may regard Michaelangelo or a painter Van Gogh. I read Lewis for pleasure, but I also study his form, his use of language, and the way he combines his ideas in the particular style unique to himself. I try to glean what I can from the way he writes, and bring it into my own writing. There is just one problem. Just as you, are not Michaelangelo or Van Gogh, I am not C.S. Lewis. Nor am I any other writer except myself. Much as I admire Lewis, I am a completely different writing, fed off of different writers from Lewis himself. My style evolved in a different way, as did my use of words and imaginative input.
When I first started writing in a serious way, I’d find that if I had read the works of Lewis or some other writer I greatly admire with a distinctive style (there are many) my work afterwards would take on that style. I was attempting to mimic their voice, their use of words, imagery, or even sometimes, their very story structuring, and make it work for me. It did not.
The first part of learning to properly study a master- and there always is a master in your field- is accepting your own work, and moreover, accepting you will never be Van Gogh or Michaelangelo. You are you, dear artist. You are not another. Your own history, both creatively and personally, affects the way you see the world in a way that is distinct from everyone else- including the masters. That is what you have to bring to the table. That is what makes your work worth sharing. Your own uniqueness, is why you must create in the first place. Yours. Your own.
When you accept that, you can channel what you have gleaned from the master in your own way.
And of course, once you have accepted yourself, there is nothing wrong with some allusion after all, an offering to the gods of your genre.

Just Listen

One of the most under-discussed aspects of being a writer is the need to listen. In fact, this goes for artists in any medium. Writing, like any art, is the attempt to reflect life. If you do not engage with life, then your art will be lifeless, and if you do not listen to human beings, who your work is about and aimed towards, then you, quite simply, have no business holding a pen.

Of course, there is a problem with listening, many people are less enlightened than an aspiring writer believes himself or herself to be. People are not always going to grasp your work, even if you are writing about common things. Naturally not everyone is going to get it when you are writing about European politics using psychedelic cannibal monkeys as allegory. My mother, bless her, reads my poetry with a look of confusion, and questions me endlessly about what the fantasy aspects in my short stories mean. I have overheard her saying to people, “My daughter is a writer,” but then following it apologetically by saying, “she writes fantasy.” Listening to something like this can be discouraging, especially if you are starting out, but it is necessary and healthy. If you write work so obscure and vague that everyone raises their eyebrows in the first stanza or paragraph, it is time to rethink a strategy. As I said, art reflects life, and if the reflection is too blurred to understand, there may be more of a problem with the writer than with the audience.

This is not to say, however, that you must give up your wild imagination and only write realist two-character dramas set in highly described and mundane settings. I still write fantasy, despite my mother’s lack of enthusiasm. But I did take a note from my mother’s book and attempting to focus the fantasy, so that I could expand past the genre label. I want to be able for any reader to look at my work and simply enjoy it, and not have to apologize for the genre or imagery. That is key. If you are too caught up in self-appeal, you may be missing the point. I’ll never forget the time my friend described a story of mine enthusiastically to her family as being “a fantasy, but not like you think. It’s dark and it’s really about this man.” Whereas the genre, alone could be a turn-off to those who it doesn’t appeal to, the depth that stretched the genre was appealing to her family. Hearing my friend describe my work in such terms also changed the way I viewed my own work. I, knowing my genre limitations, used to never consider myself capable of literary writing. But the more I listened to readers, their criticisms and their compliments, I saw that I was heading down a literary path, obscure imagery and genre labeling be damned. This does not, of course, mean I have arrived, but it means that I am off to a good start by learning, not to give up on my passions, but to constantly challenge myself to listen to readers, the people who writing, after all, is for.

LE OCTOPUS IS HIRING!

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday too!

WORK WITH US! BUILD YOUR WRITING/NETWORKING RESUME!

We are looking for writer’s to fill our four vacant day positions. Your duties will include writing an ORIGINAL post about art, literature, writing etc and posting it on our blogger, and tumblr accounts by noon your local time.

Other positions available!

• Prompt writer. You will be responsible to post a five creative writing/art prompts (or queue by Sunday night to post MON-FRI.)
• Muse Juice Mondays! Every Monday you will post a photo/story of some sort that you find might inspire our readers. (on tumblr reblogs are fine, just remove any and all conversational writings, and title it Muse Juice Monday.)
• All positions are on a volunteer basis. Once the site is up and running at a healthy pace, if you work to our liking we will be glad to offer you a paid position.

You never know what Le Octopus might become. Jump on the ship now before it’s too late.

EMAIL US AT LEOCTOPUSMAG@GMAIL.COM

Writing Advice: Token Characters

Everyone has noticed a token character in a story. For the sake of this argument I’m going to include television shows and movies because of course screen plays are just another medium in which to write a story. Whether it’s a movie, television show or novel, often writers will put in a token character. Sometimes it’s for humor, sometimes to placate a minority. An example is, commonly found in television shows, the token black guy. Urban dictionary entry for this character.

The african american youth in teen films who merely smiles, stays out of the conversation and says things like "Damn!","Shit!",and "That is WHACK!"

This is an accurate definition and with a little tweaking could fit pretty much any type of token character you come across. Token characters can be any minority, be it black, Asian, Indian, or female. Often there are stories that are driven by mostly male characters and there will be the one female thrown into the group for the sake of being there. Often stories will have the wise old Indian character who just ever says cryptic clichés but never serves any other purpose. The wise old Asian is very similar to the Indian and there numerous other stereotypes that are played upon.

Token characters are poor writing. Every character must want something, must have a goal and, through the course of the story, must also change. Without that they are a static character. No, one token character probably won’t completely ruin a story but why go through the effort to write them into it in the first place, if they aren’t performing a function within the story?

Often it seems as though token characters are used to placate the readers or viewers of the minority that they portray. A writer might put a single girl in a story with otherwise all boy characters in hopes of getting girls to read the story too. Then he’ll make the girl nothing more than a two dimensional character and generally uninteresting. She’s just there, a girl, for the sake of being there. This isn’t placating, it’s insulting. Your readers will notice if a character isn’t growing or changing or adding to the story and they will not feel grateful that you just threw in a character with stereotypical traits and nothing more.

The bottom line is not only are token characters poor writing, they are insulting and are better left out the story you are trying to tell.

Le Octopus Magazine

I'm here to give a simple answer to a complex question. What is Le Octopus Magazine about? 

The magazine portion of Le Octopus is a perfect bound, collection of artists/writers and their work. It will be published on October 17, 2011 for the very first time. 

In our debut issue we will feature artists, such as Megan Rae and writers, such as Anne Briggs. As a magazine we strive to bring light to the art we love. We will be publishing every Spring and Fall, but we accept submissions year round. leoctopusmag@gmail.com 

Le Octopus Magazine Team

Tips for Writer's Block

The typical, modern writer is working with a word processor, with the flashing cursor that makes a mockery of the best of us and the instant internet access and… oh look, kittens! Anyone who knows how to type well knows how easy it is to move their fingers without pay attention and how this leads to looking around while typing, easily distracted. Distraction is the worst kind of writer’s block for me.

The best solution I’ve ever found for writer’s block is hand writing. The fact that you have to focus on the words as you write them, as well as to keep them aligned on the page, keeps you focused on the words you need to be coming up with. It helps prevent distractions and even when I am actually stuck on what I’m trying to write I find it helps the words flow better.

It also helps me get more writing done because when I’m transcribing it back onto my computer I get to edit at the same time which means less work during a formal edit later on.

So my advice to anyone with writer’s block, find a pen that writes well and you’re comfortable with. My favorite is a roller ball pen, always green ink. Get a notebook that you’re comfortable with as well. Again, my favorites have the spine on top since I’m left handed and normal notebooks are a pain. Sit down somewhere and start writing by hand. Even if you switch back to a word processor in a few minutes, it’ll still jump start this writing process.