I'm trying to figure out if it would be completely crazy for me to attempt to attend Uncle Orson's Writing Class next week. It would be a semi-long drive for me. It's 235 miles away. And it's going to be my birthday, and I was hoping to get Karaoke Revolution instead.
I think I'm at a point where I don't really need more education, I need to just get writing. I guess that is why I didn't apply to bootcamp. That and being on painkillers after breaking my rib the week before submissions were due.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
It will be worth the trip.
Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :
Go. You may or may not learn anything knew (although I expect you will find something you didn't know before or at least didn't know consciously) but I bet it will set a fire under you. Sometimes these things are more about motivation and Card is an AWESOME teacher. He is at least as good a teacher as he is a writer and I'm not exaggerating even a little bit.
Go.
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
I went to the Writing Class, and got the Hundred Ideas in an Hour thing. That made it worthwhile. But all the other stuff didn't sink in until I did the semester-long writing classes. I suspect Boot Camp would be a similar experience.
Posted by pooka (Member # 1738) on :
It's good to see I can always register at the door, if I wait that long to decide. I think my main concern is what to do with my kids. And my daughter will balk at missing the last day of school.
[This message has been edited by pooka (edited June 05, 2006).]
Posted by thexmedic (Member # 2844) on :
I've never been to writing class so I can't really comment - but Karaoke Revolution rocks.
Posted by trousercuit (Member # 3235) on :
Get thee behind pooka, Satan.
Posted by Kickle (Member # 1934) on :
Is anyone else from Hatrack planning on going?
Posted by pooka (Member # 1738) on :
My sister has offered to watch the kids, so pray for rain so my husband won't mind me not being here to work on our shed. Then there is asking minipook if she minds missing the last day of school.
Posted by pooka (Member # 1738) on :
I guess I'll spend most of today writing.
I'm going to give 3rd person another stab. Just a quick one, though. If I'm not loving it, bye bye birdie.
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
I live an hour away. I won't be at the class -- OSC would say, "Why are you here again? Go write!" -- but I'd be interested to know who's going, from Hatrack. Maybe I could take you to Buena Vista's finest restaurant, the Hardee's. (Or even someplace better.) Now, you may have homework in the evening; take that into account.
Posted by pooka (Member # 1738) on :
I came up with a really good first 13. So good, I'm too exhausted to write anything else.
Actually, I feel hopelessly blocked. Maybe I had to do it this way to show that there was no way for it to work.
[This message has been edited by pooka (edited June 12, 2006).]
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
One more reason to go to Writing Class. He does an exercise on third person that will unlock it for you. Guarantee.
Posted by pooka (Member # 1738) on :
Well, I'll probably have to wait two years now. Can you explain it to me? P.S. If you don't tell me, I will have to spend my birthday wanting to punch something. No pressure, of course.
PPS. I just posted the first 13 on F&F, and they don't look nearly so interesting as they did before lunch.
[This message has been edited by pooka (edited June 12, 2006).]
Posted by pooka (Member # 1738) on :
Fine, I'll just keep going with 1st person. Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
Avoiding third person is one way to ensure you'll never be able to do it.
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
Patience, grasshopper. Some of us live in different time zones and might be asleep while others are not.
The exercise was simple. Write a page about one recent real hour of your life--in third person, limited. In other words, you are the point of view character. You aren't worried about plot or conflict, just what you observed and how you felt, but only in third person. As an example, I'll post 13 lines of mine from last year's Boot Camp.
quote:Despite the hard plastic chairs, Mary was facinated with the seminar. Then her cellphone vibrated in her pocket. While her pulse ratcheted up a notch, she pulled the phone out as discreetly as possible. Was this the audition call? The number on the screen started with 613. What state was that even in? She was pretty sure it wasn't New York. Even though she had written ahead to ask the instructor if it was okay to have the phone on, she felt deeply self-conscious about it. Every nerve of Southern etiquette screamed that she was being rude.
Sliding the phone back into her pocket, Mary turned her attention back to the speaker. The phone in her pocket buzzed again as the call dumped to voicemail.
But what if it wasn't.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
I'd forgotten about that exercise. Mine was about having I-17 shut down and waiting an hour for the hotshots to put out a grass fire before I could continue driving to Utah.
Posted by ken_hawk (Member # 2647) on :
I can't go to the writing class this year. I don't have my laptop yet (will in 7 weeks) or money to get a plane ticket. I live in Kansas so it would be a verrry long drive. Next summer I should be able to make it though. I'll have to save my money all year since flights out of Wichita to Roanoake are 500$ right now.
Posted by wbriggs (Member # 2267) on :
Next year, if OSC continues his practice as before, you'll be flying to somewhere west of the Mississippi.
Posted by Silver3 (Member # 2174) on :
Mine was about waiting for friends at the cinema (it could have been about having my connecting flight cancelled at Dulles on Sunday evening, but that was plain boring ).
BTW, hiya guys! *waves a hello from SVU* Kickle and I have survived Writing Class, and we're now doing the story planning for something that has to be turned in for tonight
Posted by pooka (Member # 1738) on :
Thanks, I'll try that. So simple, I feel dumb getting upset over it.
).