On Free Trade and Positivity

Hey, guys! I thought I'd take a break from writing about writing, and instead blog a little about my own life. So...

Yesterday I went to Seattle with my mother and sister. We grabbed Indian food (my favorite) and visited what may now be my favorite store: One Thousand Villages. It's a free trade store, with handmade products from across the globe.The employees are volunteers. The products are all beautiful and, putting it simply, very, very cool.

These are just a few of the things we bought:

As my family drove home, I thought about writing a bit. I haven't been writing much since NaNoWriMo ended, but I'd like to return to writing regularly this coming year.

I had my birthday recently. One of the gifts, "from" my sister but bought by my mother, is a lovely new journal. I've been wondering what to do with it, and an idea occurred to me: to list the "pros" and "cons" of each day - the events which positively or negatively contributed to that day's experience.

I first tried this exercise on the 21st, the last day of school. This is the (summarized) pro/con sheet which I created:

Pro: quality time with friends, a Secret Santa gift, (successfully) speaking to the school on behalf of Community Service, pleasant conversations with a few teachers, singing with friends onstage during an assembly (fun!), providing much-needed help before school to set up for said assembly 

Con: two minor misunderstandings

It is a truth universally acknowledged that I'm a perfectionist. I focus far too much on my own mistakes, and often unconsciously exaggerate their significance. But when I practiced the good/bad events exercise the other day, I was reminded of how lucky I am, what great friends I have, and how often I'm successful in my endeavors. I think that's what I need, to become truly productive and content in life and my writing - some positivity.

Of course, the 21st was an unusually good day - probably in part because I had no academic worries (hurrah for no homework!) - but I'd still love to continue the exercise in the future. In fact, I'm considering making the pro/con journal a New Year's resolution.

What's your favorite store? Any early resolution ideas? Other thoughts?

I Survived! I Survived!

I survived NaNoWriMo!

It was a struggle, hitting that 50K mark. Others finished with insane word counts - I saw several over 100K. And then, of course, there were plenty who fought valiantly though weren't quite able to reach 50,000.

I did have my doubts throughout the month. Somewhere towards the end of Week 2, I really began to dislike my story. The characters seemed weak, the writing dull. The plot was going nowhere. I was losing faith.

Thankfully, I was able to (mostly) write my way out of the hole, reading over some of what I'd written to regain some confidence. I suffered and prevailed, and I now have a lovely, long, nearly-complete novel to edit. I won't try to work my way through the entire text this month, as some will be doing, but I'll work on it when possible. I'm currently loaded down with tests and applications - and edits to my sister's college apps.
So for right now, I'll be writing and considering ideas, but mostly taking a mini vacation. But before I go, I'd like to share with you the biggest lesson I received from NaNoWriMo: that a writer can't wait for inspiration. There is no such thing as "writer's block" - a completely inability to create new material, often cited as the cause of prolonged, creatively-dry periods.

If you're a writer, you've got to write, to push past tiredness and distraction. You can't wait for the right words. It's true that writers sometimes need breaks. I'm living proof; my break begins as soon as I finish this post. But for much of last year, during the first several months of the 2011-2012 school year, I wasn't producing anything. Not only did I not participate in NaNoWriMo 2011, but I barely wrote a word for weeks. It was the first time such a thing had occurred since I recognized my love for writing towards the end of the fifth grade.

Now, I'm determined to never let it happen again. Whatever career path I eventually choose to undertake, I want to continue writing. I don't care if I ever profit from my work; I write, first and foremost, for myself. Writing is a crucial piece of my identity; it causes me, challenges me, to view the world differently.

As a writer, it's my duty to constantly observe and reflect on the nature of the human condition. The role comes to me naturally; recording my observations, creatively transformed, only follows naturally. Thus, I've come to believe, not writing is denying a part of myself - the creative, expressive piece. Whether through blog post, poem, short story, novel, the medium of expression makes no difference.

Losing Faith

If you're a writer, how many times have you felt that first-draft rush? When you've just begun a new story and the possibilities seem endless? It's a great feeling, isn't it? And it never seems to last long.

The doubts come. Your characters seem flat, stereotypical. Your plot is going nowhere. You don't feel like much of a writer, and your production slows. You run out of inspiration, and you lose faith in your work.

I bring this up because I'm currently dealing with a loss of faith in my NaNoWriMo story. The necessity to produce to reach my daily word count has helped, but I'm still in a rough patch. My plot is dull, as well as my characters. I can't figure out a love interest or the specifics of my protagonist's personality. I can't even decide her age.

Loss of faith can hit us in a number of ways. One is creatively, like with writing. Another one I've witnessed in my sister. She's applying to colleges right now, and some low subject SAT scores have caused her to lose faith in her chances (despite an otherwise glowing application.) Now she's spending time telling herself she can't succeed rather than getting to work: she's lost sight of the goal.

So what to do when we've lost in faith in our work? Even in ourselves?

I've always found this one a difficult question to answer. When it comes to writing, I usually try to take a break from a piece, for a new perspective, which isn't much of an option here. So instead, I'm trying to remember what inspired me in the first place (as discussed in this post.) But I'm also trying to simply power through - to accept that not all of my ideas are very good, but still work with them. I have to tell myself that these words aren't wasted, but that they're helping me to craft a vision for this story. And generally, when one steps back from a story after some time, those words which seemed weak and unoriginal aren't nearly as poor as they felt during the writing process.

I guess my message is that it’s necessary for a writer to believe in herself, or if not, then to still power through, and believe that eventually she can eventually reach the level of quality she’s striving for.

How do you power through a project or rough patch despite a loss of faith?

Working with Deadlines

As you probably know, this month is NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month, for those of you who don't know. Every year, hundreds of thousands of insane, sleep-deprived writers (myself included) attempt to write a 50,000-word draft in just the month of November.

A very good question which might've just popped into your head is:Why? Why would someone write so much so quickly? Why put so much stress on yourself?

My answer is one which I'm sure a lot of WriMos share: NaNo is fun, sure, but I need to work with a deadline.

I'm a procrastinator by nature. I love to invent stories, but writing can be a tough task when I'm struggling with translating my ideas into words. So, when I'm drafting, I need to be able to really chart my progress - and to set strict goals for myself. Otherwise, I'll never get a job done fully, because I won't devote the necessary time and energy to the task. As fun as writing can be, I always find myself needing that extra push.

I love NaNo because it perfectly meets my needs. First, it forces me to write those 50,000 words - otherwise, I don't win the challenge. (Winning is a big incentive for me.) It lets a writer check her daily progress, too, on a line graph, and has forums so writers can give and gain advice on plots, character names, and more. Plus, each writer can select his or her region, and meet up with other WriMos in the area.

Do you find it necessary to work with deadlines? Ever tried NaNoWrimo, or want to in the future?

Comedy & Korean Cuisine: Adventures in California

This post will be a short mish-mash of updates. Maybe I ought to come up with a title for posts like this. "What's Up With Christina?" Gotta work on that...

If you follow me on Twitter, you might know that I spent this past weekend in California. My sister wanted to visit Stanford & UC Berkeley, and I was dragged along.

The campuses of both San Jose-area colleges were beautiful, and the weather was great. Our hotel was very cool (with East Asian decoration), and though I missed visiting the pumpkin patch, the stay was nice.

We arrived to California Thursday evening, and woke up bright and early on Friday to visit Stanford. We spent several hours on campus, and chose to hang around the hotel rather, driving up to Berkeley on Saturday. I lay in bed and read a little of "Crossed", the second book of Ally Condie's Matched series. I'd just devoured "Matched", the series' first installment, in about two days. Unfortunately, as is the usual case with sequels, "Crossed" wasn't quite as exciting as I'd hoped. I was also iffy about the POV, which is split between two major characters.

Out of some frustration but mostly tiredness, I dropped "Crossed" to watch the vice presidential debate with my mother and sister. While watching, my mother criticized one of the nominees, and I wondered how SNL would work with the material.

This is because, lately, I've been watching more comedy. I love SNL's polticial gags, as well as Catherine Tate's Lauren Cooper sketches. (This is my favorite - it's best if you're a Doctor Who fan familiar with Tate's other LC sketches.)

I bring this up because, in the past, I don't think I gave comedy quite enough credit. Though some shows' jokes are unoriginal and occasionally perverse, there's some great material out there. I've begun to have real respect for shows like The Office, which uses understated humor based on different personalities. Comedians need to understand characters and conflict, and I think every writer could learn a thing or two from comedy. After all, humor in writing can be a very difficult thing to achieve.

Anyway. After watching the VP debate and mulling over the pros of comedy, my family headed out for dinner. My mother had done a bit of research into restaurants in the area, and right near the hotel was a heavily-recommended Korean BBQ.

Unfortunately, the place wasn't vegetarian, a fact which my mother had misunderstood. She ordered a chicken dish and my sister a broth with tofu, but I had to special order. (It can be difficult to be a vegetarian who doesn't like tofu.) I asked for a broth with dumplings - or, rather, my mother did.

While we waited, a few dishes of potatoes, rice, and noodles were set out, all surprisingly tasty. I'd only ever gone to one Korean BBQ previously, near my house, and hated it. (Maybe because the latter is owned by a Japanese family.) Then my dumplings arrived, and I tried one... and freaked out.

The dumplings' filling tasted like meat. I split open two or three dumplings, and the contents looked like meat as well. For several minutes I sat petrified, waiting for our waitress to pass by again. My mother noticed my behavior and volunteered to try the dumpling, but only vaguely said that she couldn't tell what the filling was.

I was suspicious mainly because of previous mix-ups at Asian restaurants. I knew a mix-up was possible here, too, because of my unusual order. Thankfully, it turned out the filling was only fake meat - designed to taste and look like the real thing - but I was still happy the next day to fly home, where I could stay safe heating up my own nachos in the microwave.

Thoughts on the debate? Comedy? Korean cuisine?

The Art of Translation

September 21 was a field day at my school. Classes were fit into the first half of the day; during the second, my grade led games and teams of all varieties. I myself designed a complicated game called "Primadonna", a lip-singing / dance competition inspired by the Marina & the Diamonds song.

The funny thing about it, though, is that it didn't occur to me just how complex my plan was. In my head, everything made sense - the different positions, the point system, everything. I assumed that, the game properly set up, everything ought to work smoothly.

In hindsight...

The game definitely didn't go as expected. There were mix-ups with team members' tasks, and my friend & I had to cut out the entire relay race portion. I was dying for the first 15 minutes, yelling directions and running from spot to spot, trying to devise instant solutions.

Field Day was on Friday. But over the weekend, I began to think about just where my painstakingly-planned out game had gone wrong. The fault wasn't inherent; I probably would've understood the directions just fine if I'd explained them to myself.

Hence lies the issue. I wasn't explaining the directions to a group of clones. I was speaking to groups of kids, who didn't have the patience or strict enough attention to follow my speech. And that's what every writer has to remember, while writing anything.

You have a human audience - don't make communication confusing! After all, the primary reason why people read is for entertainment. In our modern age, the public's attention span is short, and entertainment is largely visceral. Intelligent humor and irony are great, but not all writers can afford to go Infinite Jest on their readers.

So. Next time I have a grand creative vision, I'm going to try to remember the Field Day fiasco. A writer can never underestimate the power of clear, concise prose.

Another facet of the issue? Mastering voice, Often, a strong voice is crucial to a work's success - just take young adult fiction. I've put down many a YA novel because the voice was grating, a poor imitation of teen-speak by a middle-aged author.

It's never an easy task translating a vision onto the page. But writers have to do it everyday. We have to practice focus on the most minute details, to search for just the right word to describe an action or attribute. As Franz Kafka once said, "all language is but a poor translation." But it's the job of a writer to compose her own best translation... just so it can be translated, infinitely, by her readers.

A Fine “Town” with an Ever-Relevant Message

I recently watched a recording of Thornton Wilder's 1938 play "Our Town", as performed several years ago at the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, CT. This adaption was directed by James Naughton. I was required to write a review for English, and I thought I'd share it with you all.

Thornton Wilder’s 1938 work “Our Town”, one of America’s most widely-adapted plays, is a triumph of simplicity and insightfulness. It is the story of Grover’s Corners, NH, at the start of the century, following the lives of high school sweethearts George Gibbs and Emily Webb.

Mr. Newman as the Stage Manager.

In “Our Town”, the audience is guided across time and the town’s area by the Stage Manager – just another character in the play, here portrayed by Paul Newman. How the elderly actor was snagged for the part, I don’t know, yet in the end it makes little difference. Newman does not act a star. Delivering his lines slowly and simply, Newman might’ve as well been any other actor.

For me, hence the problem. The Stage Manager is a primary character. He introduces the audience to the town, interviews characters, and gives the sermon at George and Emily’s wedding. The part isn’t exciting, but Newman’s performance to me felt redundant. His hand movements and voice inflections were simply repeated too often.

A performance I found more compelling was delivered by the play’s other “star”: Jane Curtin as Mrs. Webb. Though one could argue her movements seemed just a bit too busy for the pace of the small town, I enjoyed her depiction of motherly fretfulness. Her conversations with neighbor Mrs. Gibbs (Jayne Atkinson) felt very natural, though Atkinson seemed a little too old for her part.

That very problem was a threat in the first act, for actors Ben Fox (George) and Maggie Lacey (Emily.) Not only did the two appear too old to play teenagers, but they often acted so as well. Lacey’s demeanor was too mature; Fox’s almost bumbling performance felt a little ridiculous. I found it difficult to understand either’s affection for the other.

However – though the main cast’s first-act performances were questionable – I found myself warming up to the adaptation by the start of Act II. For me, the play was rescued by its minor characters. I particularly enjoyed the spot-on performances of Stephen Spinella (Simon Stimson) and Jeffrey DeMunn (Mr. Webb.) Background characters such as Howie Newsome (the milkman, played by Jake Robards) also gave the play a very natural feel. Fox’s performance also improved towards Act III’s start, and I loved Lacey’s utterance of my favorite line: “Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you.”

The wedding scene.

Just as crucial to the play’s success was its simple set. Streets and houses were left to the imagination, save for a Grover’s Corners map the Stage Manager presented in his opening monologue. Later in the first act, when George and Emily discussed homework problems, their second-floor bedrooms were symbolized by ladders. At choir practice, Stephen Spinella mimed playing an organ (accompanied by organ music), and as Jake Robards pretended to lead his invisible cow, Bessie, cowbell sounds clang overhead. Even the most simplistic props were excluded: the Gibbs and Webb families feigned the use of utensils during breakfast scenes.

Though some might criticize such extreme minimalism, I appreciated the choice. The play is designed for a simple set, and it works thematically. “Our Town” deals with that very human tendency to become caught up in our daily lives, forgetting to appreciate simple pleasures. To strip props is to strip distractions; the audience is given a focused look at human nature, very intelligently and affectingly done.

I was less a fan of this adaptation’s dim lighting, though I didn't find it inappropriate. I would acknowledge that George and Emily’s wedding scene was too darkly lit, but I felt the lighting of Acts I and III worked. Much of Act I takes place at night and in the early morning, and the third act, “Death and Eternity”, obviously requires a darker set.

Overall, I enjoyed and appreciated this interpretation of Thornton Wilder’s most successful work. Naughton is faithful to the play in the actors’ ages and ethnicities, as well as the minimal set. The performances, though occasionally questionable, were for the most part quite good. And it is through these successes, this accomplished depiction of a small New Hampshire town, that we may all gleam a lesson.

Though the play was written seventy years ago, based on the events of thirty more, its message is as relevant as ever. We cannot forget to sometimes look past our modern world’s innumerable distractions, to appreciate the moon and the lovely scent of heliotrope. This adaption’s third act shines when Maggie Lacey’s Emily remarks that it is so often the living who are “shut up in little boxes”, not the dead. It is such moments that make James Naughton’s depiction of America’s most popular “everytown” a fine production, even if not theatrical perfection.

Ever seen "Our Town"?

"Buffy" Breakthroughs: A Love Post - Part II

Welcome back, loyal blog readers! This week, as promised, I'll be finishing up my discussion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's top 5 "breakthrough" episodes.

Here we go, with #4 and 5 (and some honorable mentions)!:

4. "The Body" (S. 5, Ep. 16)

"The Body" screenshot.

The above image, in conjunction with the episode's title, basically reveal the premise of this episode. But I'll drop a spoilers! warning here anyway.

The episode previous to this ends with Buffy entering her house and calling her mother. Her mom's been dealing with a brain tumor throughout the season, but lately she's seemed to be doing fine - until Buffy walks into the living room and notices her mother, dead, on the couch. It's a shock to Buff and the audience.

"The Body" deals with the aftermath of the event. Buffy's sister, Dawn, is told of the event; friends also react; and the family heads to the hospital and makes funeral plans. It's a powerful episode, and one character's reaction to Joyce's death just about brought me to tears.

But this episode isn't only important for its emotion; what makes it stand out is that it has no musical score. The only music is diegetic (that is, played by the characters, on camera - no background tracks.) The move perfectly fits the hollowness that the characters are feeling, and heightens the sense of sudden grief for viewers.

5. "Restless" (S. 4, Ep. 22)

"Restless" screenshot.

Probably the best word to describe this episode is trippy. The episode is comprised of dream sequences, full of strange lighting effects and camera angles. For example: in the shot above, most of the frame is empty, the focal point in one corner.

"Restless" doesn't follow with an arc. Joss Whedon, the series' creator, called it a "grace note" to season 4. Because it follows the dreams of several characters, this episode acts as an interesting character study, marked by the series' signature wit. At Slayage.com, "The Online Journal of Buffy Studies", author Daniel Erenberg placed the episode as the 2nd best of the series. As he put it, the episode "lends itself to infinite interpretations. No one watches it the same way. That's the mark of a true masterpiece." 

This girl is in agreement.

Honorable Mentions

"Passion" screenshot.

1. "Passion" (S. 2, Ep. 17): This episode is marked by (spoilers) the killing of popular character Jenny Calendar. She's a schoolteacher, Buffy's mentor's sweetheart and all-around nice gal. What makes her killing worse it that it's performed by Angel, Buffy's former beau, made evil after a curse rips away his soul. Jenny's death is meant to serve as a notice to fans: that none of the characters are safe, and that death is scary and real. Television shows often kill off characters for dramatic effect, but I felt this one was especially well-executed. It was definitely a shock.

2. "Normal Again" (S. 6, Ep. 17) and "The Wish" (S. 3, Ep. 9): These 2 episodes explore two different, very freaky, alternate dimensions. In "Normal Again", Buffy is injected with hallucinogenic venom that causes her to believe she's been catatonic in a mental hospital for the past 6 years. In "The Wish", Buffy has never come to Sunnydale, and vampires control the streets at night. And they've invented a machine to industrialize the harvesting of blood... 

3. "The Gift" (S. 5, Ep. 22): All right, I'm cheating with this episode. "The Gift" doesn't contain an original format, unusual score, or alternate dimensions. What it does contain are some very cry-tastic moments. I don't want to spoil the plot for any future Buffy fans, but I will say this: a song featured at the episode's climax, "The Sacrifice," sends chills down my back and tears to my eyes whenever I listen to it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

So! That wraps up my discussion of Buffy's breakthroughs. Enjoyed it? Comment below!

What great/groundbreaking TV have you watched?

"Buffy" Breakthroughs: A Love Post - Part I

* You can check out Buffy's Wikipedia page for background on the series.

It's no secret that I'm an uber-fan of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (as this post proves.) When first watching the series about a year ago, I zipped through all 7 seasons in under three weeks. (That involved at least one all-nighter.)

Today and next week, in a 2-part discussion, I want to highlight five of Buffy's greatest "breakthough" episodes - episodes not only entertaining and emotional, but ones that brought something new to the series (and, in some cases, television in general.)

So - without further ado - I give you #1-3!:

1. "Once More, with Feeling" (Season 6, Episode 7)

"Once More with Feeling" screenshot.

This is possibly Buffy's most original and influential episode, concept-wise. It's a miniature musical - complete with witty lyrics, orchestral backing, and some pretty cool choreography. It received critical acclaim after airing in 2001 (despite some actors' limited vocal ranges), and its musical format has been copied in several TV shows since. (Scrubs, anyone? Grey's Anatomy? Even Glee, possibly?) Yet even forgetting the strength of its influence, "Once More" can definitely be labelled Buffy at its finest. 

Other interesting points:

- "Once More with Feeling" is Buffy's most technically complex episode. The cast had to take extra voice and dance training, which was interspersed with the production of four other episodes. 

- From 2004 to 2007, "Once More" was shown in theaters (with the audience invited to sing along), before a financial dispute ended public showings.

- "Under Your Spell" received attention from Buffy studies writers for its frank depiction of lesbian romance. Previous television shows had never gone beyond kisses and coming-outs - small bits of affection (definitely no erotic material.) Actually, Buffy was the first show in U.S. TV history to portray a long-term lesbian relationship among the core cast of characters. 

(So... musicals & social advances? Not a bad way to spend a Tuesday evening..)

2. "The Zeppo" (Season 3, Episode 13)

"The Zeppo" screenshot.

"The Zeppo" takes spot #2 because of its complete focus on a minor character (Xander Harris.) The title of the episode refers to Zeppo Marx, who was the straight man among the Marx Brothers and long considered to be the most unexceptional member of the act. From Wikipedia:

"The Zeppo" is a twist on the show format, which normally consists of an action-packed "A-story" and a character-development "B-story". Here, Xander's feelings of inadequacy develop into the A-story while a stereotypical epic episode of Buffy and the others saving the world is pushed to the background to become the B. Most of the apocalypse story elements come across as background events, happening offscreen, only in small bits, or being talked about afterwards by the characters.

"The Zeppo" has proved influential on later television writers, including Doctor Who executive producer Russell T. Davies. He has cited the episode along with Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Lower Decks" as an influence on his 2006 Doctor Who episode "Love & Monsters." The television format came to be known as the "Doctor-lite episode", an annual tradition for Doctor Who since 2006.

3. "Hush" (Season 4, Episode 10) 

One of the Gentlemen - "Hush" screenshot.

Personally, I consider "Hush" to be one of Buffy's creepiest episodes. Firstly, it introduces a terrifying new villain: the Gentlemen, a group of demons that levitate from town to town, served by a group of demonic footmen in straight jackets. (One can already wonder about the monsters' symbolism.) But what's scary about this episode is its silence: 27 minutes of the episode are free of dialogue, after Sunnydale, CA citizens wake to discover that they are unable to speak. Their voices have been stolen by the Gentlemen, who cut out human hearts at night... their voiceless victims unable to scream for help.

This episode received high praise after airing, and was the only episode in the entire series to be nominated for an Emmy in Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series. As Wikipedia states, "Hush" addresses the limits and assets of language/communication, and the disruption to society when communication breaks down.

...

All right, that's it for now! I'll be discussing Buffy's top 4 and 5 breakthroughs next week, along with some honorable mentions. Until then...

Ever watched Buffy?  What television do you love and admire?

Apologies & a Break from Writerly Woes

Now that I'm back to school, it's going to be harder than ever to post regularly. I'm considering decreasing my posts by half, for at least a month or two. But I'm still working on the final decision.

This week, I don't have time to write a proper post, but I'd still like to share something. (That is, besides updates on my various writerly woes, which I know you must be bored of.)

So here you go! - some of my current inspiration:

or: vimeo.com/36588368

&

Regina Spektor: On Growing Up A 'Soviet Kid'

Interview by NPR

Is It Time To Redefine Your Goals?

Hey, guys.

Lately I've been trying to head in new directions, with my writing and the blogs. For example - you might've noticed visual changes to both Writer, Bewildered and Roses & Mustard. I've been mixing and matching colors, backgrounds, and graphics to improve the looks of the sites and (hopefully) increase blog traffic.

Writing-wise, I've made a huge decision: I'm sticking to short stories.

While I was in Paris, I wrote a short story entitled "At the Zoo." I'm very happy with it because I think it marks - or I'd like it to mark - a change in my writing habits. This past year was a dry one, creatively. I produced barely anything. I wasn't committed enough - I didn't make the necessary time and energy sacrifices.

I want to change that this year by redefining my goals. I've been so focused on idea of a novel, but it's now that I'm finally realizing the truth: I'm not ready for a such a lengthy project. If I want to get anything written, I need to set smaller, manageable goals - that is, short stories by given dates.

The other change I'm making is plot-wise. I've spent the last several months developing characters for my early-twentieth century story. (It's switched from 1945 to 1922 and back again more than once.) But none of my characters have had the right spark. I've liked them, but never loved them. And this week, I finally figured out where I went wrong.

I don't really want to invent my own characters. A story I find much more compelling is the life of Anna Akhmatova, my favorite poet since I was 12, when I first discovered poetry. I'm interested in her relationship with first husband Nikolay Gumilev and her brief affair with Amedeo Modigliani - which took place in Paris. I've made my first goal to write about her and Modi's time together.

What are your goals? Do you need to redefine them, or have you had to in the past?

Oh! - last but not least, I'm heading off to the UK for 2 more weeks. I doubt I'll have time to post on the trip, but I'll see you again September 9th.

And did I mention my Kindle got broken? Well, my Kindle got broken. I might blog about the experience when I return...

Oh, Commitment

If you know me, it's no secret that I have troubles with commitment. I'll promise to write a blog post on Sunday and wait till Tuesday, promise to spend an hour with the WiP and spend 15 minutes writing a paragraph...

So. Commitment issues.

As every serious writer knows, it's not easy to complete every task we set ourselves up for. Writing can be a stressful process. It takes time, which those with full- or part-time jobs may find lacking. Personally, I find myself with an average of at least 2-3 hours of homework each night, plus 1 hour walks in the morning and at least 1 hour of community service activities every week day (from tutoring to Honor Society to a school community service club.) That's a lot to juggle, and I often don't get nearly as much sleep as I'd like. (I usually get about 6 hours of sleep during the school year.) My habits aren't healthy - I gain weight, feel stressed... and my writing is also affected. It's difficult to write every day - some days, I simply don't have the time, or am so tired that forcing words out is no more than an unpleasant chore.

So how to keep up productivity? In my view, morale comes first. So put in place a reward system. Write a poem and grab a bowl of ice cream. Finish a chapter and spend some time catching up on your favorite TV shows. And that brings me to an important point - don't neglect friends and family. Remember: writing is important, but you have a life to live! (Besides, experiences equal inspiration. I don't know about you, but most of my writing is somehow inspired by my experiences. Important events leads to new plots. My characters may be shaped by fictional characters, but for the most part they're based on myself and my interactions with friends and family.)

How do you stay committed to your writing? Do you use a reward system? What's your trick for balancing writing and life?

How Much Does Prose Matter?

Hemingway in 1939

How much does prose matter?

It's a question I've been thinking about lately. How important is the actual writing of your story - not simply the plot, characters, et cetera... but the words?

I was thinking about this largely because of Hemingway and what I've been reading of him. He hated Jews, gays, probably women... - and it did tend to seep into his writing. But he's nearly always ranked as one of the greatest American writers out there!

Why? Well, he could definitely tell a story! But he became great because of his clean, understated prose - a style he developed as a journalist during WW1. You may have heard of his "iceberg principle" - writing a piece but taking out all unnecessary detail. The effect is an iceberg - only a little is visible (read), but a whole lot hangs under the water (is implied and understood.)

I was thinking of this, additionally, because of Milan Kundera's novel "The Unbearable Lightness of Being." I've been reading it quickly and quite a bit. Kundera's complex characters have won my heart, as well as the work's style. It's a "novel of ideas", presenting existential notions to explain its characters pasts and how their histories affect their actions.

So how much does prose matter? I've been learning that a strong voice and style can definitely influence the power of a work. It can make a serious subject seem silly, or the reverse. It can make an irritatingly quirky character curious. It can make a scene heartbreaking beautiful or sickeningly melodramatic.

What are your thoughts on the power of prose?

What Are You Shooting For? Lessons from "The Avengers"

Yesterday evening, I went to see "The Avengers."

Unless you live on Mars, you've probably heard of it. If you're not clear on the plot, here it is:

Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow answer the call to action when Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., initiates a daring, globe-spanning recruitment effort to assemble The Avengers team to defeat an unexpected enemy threatening global safety and security. Despite pulling together the ultimate dream team, Nick Fury and longtime confidant Agent Coulson must find a way to convince the superheroes to work together when the powerful and dangerous Loki gains access to the Cosmic Cube and its unlimited power.

You might be confused. Bored. That's kinda how I generally am regarding this sort of movie. It also brings up an important point for writers: What are you shooting for?

Obviously, the creators of "The Avengers" were shooting to entertain a younger, more male, audience. (Though as the box office has proven, nearly everyone's seen it.)

(FUTURE UPDATE: I’m lol’ing at myself. Superhero flicks generally do appeal more to guys than girls, but the biggest “Avengers” fans usually seem to be girls. Of course, who doesn’t lust after Tom Hiddleston?)

However, the movie's goal was typical for an action movie. Lotsa fighting, romantic elements present but receiving little attention. Some humor and wit, too, especially from Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.)

And cliche moments. One example is when Evil-God-Dude Loki visits Germany and suppresses a crowd outside a theater. As an Evil-God-Dude, he has a staff/sword item to magically force his minions to kneel.

Once everyone's kneeling, Loki lifts the spell and begins to give a grand speech about taking over the world. Naturally, one old man stands up, to give a short line about freedom. Then, just before Loki can evilly extinguish the man's life, Captain America swoops in.

At other times, "The Avengers" just has some faulty psychology. The worst of it arrives as the Avengers battle Loki's forces to protect Manhattan.

At a point in the sequence, Captain America swoops onto a car beside two police officers. He pauses for a moment to deliver evacuation instructions, to which one of the policemen replies: "Why the hell should we follow you?" When C.A. swiftly spins and delivers blows to two of Loki's alien fighters, the policeman also turns and begins to bark C.A.'s directions to bystanding officers.

I cringed a little at that moment. Once again, cliche resistance. But there was something else: the policeman's reaction didn't strike me as natural. Humans are sheep!: if we see a hero/leader giving orders in a terrifying situation, we're going to follow them.

Now, I don't totally want to disparage the movie. (And with Joss Whedon as screenwriter, I'm not sure it was possible for this flick to be truly bad.)

My point is the question I presented at the beginning of the post: What are you shooting for? Because, truthfully, "The Avengers" was quite a good movie. Sure, the who's-more-macho fights got tiring after a while, but there were some pretty funny moments (such as the Hulk pounding Loki against the ground, before he can give another I-am-a-god! speech.) The Black Widow was very cool, and I was interested by her relationship with Hawkeye, though it didn't receive much attention. Plus, the performances weren't terrible: I enjoyed Mark Ruffalo's (as Hulk) in particular.

So what kind of humor do you want to employ in your writing? How much action, romance? Who's your audience?

Just something to consider.

Other weekend news:

1. Loving Marina Diamandis's new album, Electra Heart.
2. Loving "Bridget Jones's Diary." Can't believe I didn't see it before! (It also inspired lots of Colin Firth love.)
3. Also: began to watch the 1995 "Pride & Prejudice" miniseries (feat. Colin Firth)

Who's your audience? Did you see anything over the weekend? 

Put Twitter Down! & Tidbits

If you follow my personal Twitter, you'll know that I went to Point Defiance Zoo over the weekend.

You'll also know that I was taking a lot of pictures and tweeting them.

Now I'm not usually the type to be glued to my phone, but yesterday was an exception. I love going to the zoo - I haven't gone since November last year - and I thought it would be nice to have those tweets up. For that purpose, I don't regret it.

However, I actually took more pictures than I put up, because my phone ran out of battery. I had to switch to my mom's camera - which I really love, I've got to say. But I'm glad my phone died on me for more reason than that.

Technology is a distraction.

It's the truth, plain and simple. It's part of the reason why I've been giving - or not giving - some extreme neglect to my GoodReads and Tumblr.

For that matter, I'm glad for two books I ordered the other day - "The Inside Story" and "The Council of Mirrors" by Michael Buckley. They're books 8 and 9 of his Sisters Grimm series, about two kids who learn that fairytales are real and their characters are living in the girls' home of Ferryport Landing.

I read books 1 through 7 of the series years ago, but I finally picked up 8 and 9 after a conversation with a friend. I enjoyed these last two, but I got more from them than a few hours of entertainment: I got a break from technology. A break from Netflix, a break from TV, a break from the Internet...

Yesterday, after my phone died, I still wanted to post some more tweets. So I took pictures on my mom's camera and began to write down on the back of a receipt what I wanted to say.

Except what began to form wasn't tweets. It was story ideas. And last night, it evolved into the first few paragraphs of a short story.

Guys, this is big business. I've barely been writing this year, and all of a sudden I get a short story idea - but not just an idea. An idea I love.

And here's the thing: showering today, I thought of two more ideas. After taking notes on them for several minutes, I realized I'd enjoy writing them too.

A trip to the zoo, a dead phone, and ideas for three short stories? What's up?!

...

In other news:

1. I loved the "Once Upon a Time" finale (can't wait for season 2!.) But I wanted to marry, intensely, the end of "The Vampire Diaries" season 3. Sure, this year has had its ups and downs... but I frickin' loved that finale!!!

2. I really want to go to Yale. Yeah, crazy, I know... but dreamy. (I love the Harvard campus... but I'm thinking Yale for early decision.)

3. Over the weekend, I was ranting to my mother about America's public education system. Specifically, my Chemistry class, and the age-old question: "The chicken or the egg - did the teachers or students go rotten first?" It's sad, and ironic, since my school's supposed to be among the top in the state - but I really only enjoy one of my classes, Algebra II. And I don't like algebra.

Do you feel more inspired when you're around less tech? Any amazing TV you've been watching? Any general excitements or irritations?

Weekend Lessons; Or, What I Learned from My SAT Prep Course

It's an established fact that my mom borrows techniques from the Tiger Mother. So it's obvious that I'd be forced into taking a Princeton Review SAT prep course.

The class began yesterday, with a diagnostic test. I'll be taking several over the course of the class, all gradually increasing in difficulty. I'm already nervous, and here's why. (You might already have an idea.)

THE ESSAY.

**sinister dum-dum-dum**

If you read proficiently, have a pretty nice vocabulary, and know proper grammar, the writing section of the test can actually be fairly enjoyable (am I a nerd to admit it was fun?) Not including the essay, of course.

The essay. For which you're asked to analyze quotes rooted in analogy and political principles and... The essay for which you're reccommended to use "examples from literature, the arts, science and technology, history, current events, or your own experience or observation."

The essay for which you're given 25 minutes.

So basically I saw the prompt, then the suggestions for examples, and I had a 15-minute blank. No kidding. Peripherally, I watched each of the students surrounding write their essays - I think all of them had finished a page by the time I began. I actually wrote my introduction and first body paragraph, then skipped to the conclusion. I was having a near heart attack.

So I definitely can't speedwrite. In other news...

Once the miniature torture session had ended, we moved onto some math, grammar, and vocabulary. And, as usual, I found something I read from the "analyze this section" quite interesting.

Basically, the passage was about scientifically using linguistic information to determine the identity of a writer, lifted from a book published in 2000. It didn't give the name, but I wanted to share this:

But none of us can easily change our basic vocabulary, our personal store of available words. Human beings, in that respect, are the prisoners of their own language. We write from within a repertoire in which certain thoughts and words and spellings are available to us while others are not.

 The idea isn't especially new. My English class actually discussed this a bit at the beginning of the year, as we covered 1984, with the government attempting to crush the language and leave citizens with extremely limited vocabularies - without the words to express their doubts, eventually unable to even conceive of rebellion.

When I read this, my thoughts actually went into a different direction. It gave me a hopeful thought, in the midst of my rattledness: that no matter the lack of progress I make, I'm still able to say things no one is able to, because of the way in which I express them. The details I choose to add. Even if I'm not certain of my point (and I'm certainly not an articulate speaker) - I can write it out, give it time, and eventually the right words will come. I don't care if this is actually how it works, it's something I choose to believe in.

So that's that. Phew! And I haven't even mentioned *grinning like an idiot* that I wrote 655 words last night, and I think I could make it a daily routine, and after 100 days I'd...

Time to end the post? I agree. I'll just leave you by saying I'm pretty excited about the copy of Dante's Inferno I just picked up. Cool illustrations, from Hieronymus Bosch to Last Judgement depictions from the Renaissance  to some Gustave Doré engravings.

Have you also been rattled by the SAT essay? Any thoughts on the quote? Cool literary editions you've picked up?

Progress Report / On Conflict

by Chris Robley

I've been busy today, what with working on a piñata and attending a charity walk, so this won't be a proper post - just a bit about my recent writing progress.

It just occurred to me that I've never really talked about my WiP on the blog. If I had the plot developed, I might discuss it, but I'm nowhere near that stage yet. At this point, I've got the premise, characters, and some mental notes on scenes, but less than 1,000 words. I try to decide on several backstory details every day, and I think this is the best way to approach this story. I want to start from the beginning and see what happens. However, before I get very far, I'll have to do quite a bit of research. (The setting's Paris, 1945.)

My biggest issue with stories is always conflict. I'll create a couple characters I love to death, but there won't be any inherent conflict in the premise. Plausibility, sure. Originality, maybe. Gut emotional appeal, for me. It's not that I hate to torture my characters as much as I hate to give them faults. I guess it's because they're so often based on me, and I hate to acknowledge my own faults.

If you've seen my 2010 NaNo badge in the right column, you may be wondering how I managed it. To write a story in a month when I'm so lost in the current WiP. You'll wonder more when I say I've been reshaping the current idea over and over since December 2010 - right after NaNo's end. The current WiP, of course, barely resembles my original ideas, but the truth is I've barely written anything for the project in over a year. I'm finally happy, even proud, of the premise, but the pages are still blank.

Just to confuse you a bit more: I decided to participate in NaNoWriMo 2010 on October 31st - only hours before it began. Most writers will already have a detailed outline prepared - no one will concoct and write a plot in the same month.

But I did it. The girl who'll take a year to create a decent premise. I wrote a 51,000-word novel in a month, with no preparation beforehand.

The secret? The majority of it was based on my own life. The conflict was easy - my life was full of it. I was angsty, I had questions, and Tumblr for any extra inspiration if necessary. The story was asking to be written, and easy to complete.

So today I was flipping through a few books on the art of the novel. Lately I've been feeling pretty horrible about the prolonged block - and pretty hopeless about my writing. But then, about an hour ago, I had a revelation. It suddenly struck me how I'm going to make my way out of this maze - what direction my story's got to go in.

I began with a list of everything my protagonist wants. Everything she believes in. Then, I began to write ideas for scenes which would undermine those beliefs. Various obstacles she'll have to face before a plot twist and resolution. And I made them various, not just one that escalates.

If you've been reading this thinking, "Well, yes," I'm not surprised. An hour ago, the time of my revelation, this seemed... well, like a revelation. Now that I consider it, I realize it's nothing I haven't been suggested before. It's odd how tired old lessons can just inexplicably click.

I'm not quite sure what lesson I mean to teach. Maybe it's that, no matter how stressed you are about a block, there's hope around the corner. Maybe I gave some helpful advice on plotting, or perhaps you found my story interesting. Or maybe this post is just a challenge to myself, to write this story.

What writing challenges do you face?

Aiming for the Heart: Another Hunger Games Post

Last week, I talked about the Hunger Games' recently popularity. Today, I want to talk about a revelation I had at the end of Mockingjay, the series' 3rd and final book.
...

First thing I have to cover is the history of my affair with these books. I read The Hunger Games 3 years ago and began Catching Fire, but quit early on due to boredom. I wasn't invested in the characters.

Now comes the movie. The teens falling head over heels, the Internet swarms, the whole phenomenon. So I decide to borrow back books one and two from my friend.

Josh Hutcherson

I read them in a day. I see the movie. I fall totally in love with Josh Hutcherson (Peeta), though he's short, and I'll never forgive Suzanne Collins for his name.*"Son of a breadmaker...", scans audience for appropriate facepalms*

(ALSO: Birdy's song "Just a Game", featured on the movie's soundtrack, makes me cry. Though I have to mention that her music usually does.)

- Point being that I fall in love with the books the way I didn't 3 years ago, but the way every reader seems to be doing now. I feel appreciation for Katniss. Gale is complicated. Then, as I've said, I've totally fallen for Peeta. (Or Josh Hutcherson, the line is blurry here.)

What I do have to say: It was Mockingjay, the end of the series, that made me impressed. That tought me something about my own writing. The first and second books definitely provide a lesson for plotting and raising the stakes, but they didn't hit me the way Mockingjay did.

It was the death of a character and Katniss' subsequent meltdown that did it. Sure, I was effected by *possible spoiler* Rue's death (and the flowers!), but it didn't make me cry the way I did at the series' end.

Here's my point: Think of your reader as a target. If you shoot him in the foot, it'll hurt (and probably irritate him.) If you hit his upper arm, it will hurt more. But hitting him in the heart will completely rock him. (You could also try hitting his head, but then you might miss him completely. Or knock him over.)

The end of Mockingjay hit me in the heart, and led to some serious blood loss.

How I feel about the series now:

I'm glad it's popular, because it's the kind of thing teens should be reading. It's not just some silly love story, it's about the desensitization of violence in entertainment/the media, and war and survival. It poses morality questions and features a fantastic female protagonist (which is, in YA, pathetically rare.)

How I feel about the movie:

- I'm not a fan of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss - I'd prefer someone younger, who acts more like... well, a terrified girl struggling to maintain her compusure and figure out this boy thing while surviving. Katniss definitely isn't a damsel in distress, but is only 16 in the first book.

(FUTURE UPDATE: I still think JLaw might be a little old for the part, but I don’t care, because she is amazing. She’s a fantastic actress and a super role model.)

- I don't get all of the fan outrage I've been seeing. (To me it's a little silly after surviving through 8 Harry Potter adaptions.) I actually enjoyed some of the changes, such as the choice of character who gives Katniss her symbolic mockingjay pin. In the books, it's Madge, the mayor's daughter, who's cut out of the movie completely. Instead, it's an old woman from the Hob (the black market), who gives the pin away for free. Though Madge is more likely to own the gold pin, and has enough resources to give it away, it's not her kind of person - the mayor's family - who gives Katniss power. *possible spoilers* Katniss' defiance of the Capitol is symbolized by the mockingjay and leads to riots and revolution. Revolution by the poor, weak, and oppressed - epitomized well by the old Seam woman. Even if Madge got the pin from her mother's sister, who died in the Games (if I remember correctly.)

- I wish the movie was creepier, even if it was necessary to tone down some bits. The scariest part, and the only part I remembered from 3 years ago, was taken out! *spoilers* (that is, the eyes and hair of the dead tributes in the muttations)

- Josh Hutcherson is mine. Hands off!

Have you read the books? Seen the movie? What did you think? And what stories hit you in the heart?

Reflections: The Hunger Games & Teens Reading

This isn't a post I planned to write, but I feel like mentioning something I've noticed: A lot more teens reading.

So why are they?

Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games.

I first read the YA novel in 2009, right after its paperback release, and the release of the series' second book, Catching Fire. I read the first book fairly quickly, drawn in by the plot. Just in case you're not familiar with it, here's the synopsis:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

This book definitely isn't a bore. It's plotted very well. However, none of the characters stuck with me after my first read through. Yesterday, I reread the novel, and had more appreciation for them, but still no mind-blowers. It's not that they're underdeveloped - it's just that, being pretty well-read, they don't stand out for me.

Hunger Games fan art.

They definitely stand out for most teens. I've mostly gotten this sense by scrolling through Tumblr. I've got to have seen a million artsy photos of the books, pages with highlighted quotes, and fan art. Then, there was a girl at school the other day, who was going on forever about how she'd stayed up till 2 AM to read the first half of the first book. It was the first time she'd read (or planned to read) an entire novel since elementary school.

That's several years. Of barely reading.

Anyway, as I've mentioned, I've been reading the books again. I gave them to a friend and borrowed them back for spring break, and I'm already farther than I was three years ago. I got through the first book about just as fast, then stayed up to 2 AM, ironically, to get as far as I could in the second. (Page 328 of 391, when exhaustion had simply caused the words to lose meaning.) I'm still not in love with the characters, but I've got more respect for them. And I do plan to buy Mockingjay, the third and final book of the series.

So what's my point? I'm not sure I've got one. I suppose I just find it odd that, for the first time, I fail to be swept up by a teen reading phenomenon. (Even Twilight I loved originally, though I did happen to be 12.) Instead, when I read the books, my inner editor scrambles to mention possible improvements. I find Katniss's love life much less interesting than the underlying messages about technology and entertainment and the media (plus lots of similarites between the Capitol and Rome), which I hope other teens will also recognize. I'm also hoping that the movie, which I'm seeing tonight, will focus on these themes. Fingers certainly crossed.

Have you read the books? Did they sweep you up or leave you bored to tears? What about the movie? And what about all these teens reading?

A Note of Love: Zeffirelli's "Romeo & Juliet"

This isn't going to be much of a post, but more of a note for love for Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 production. I watched it because my English class is covering the play, and I'm grateful I checked it out. This is a great example of how stunning Shakespeare can be when performed.

The movie is by no means perfect; after all, it was made in the '60s, which implies at least a few bad shots and effects. (R&J's fight scenes can be a tad horrible.) However, the performances of Leonard Whiting (Romeo) and Olivia Hussey (Juliet) are gorgeous. The pair were 17 and 15 at the time of filming, respectively, but did brilliantly. In fact, Hussey's performance as Juliet is often cited as one of, if not the, very best. (John McEnery was also great as Mercutio.)

To let you understand my enthusiasm, I'll show you what is probably the very best scene (featuring a song that's become classic itself):

What are your favorite play- or novel-to-film adaptions?
Know any other Zac Efron look-a-likes?

Quick View: Philosophy in Fiction

Key word being "quick." 3 novels, 3 philosophies, plus questions - let's go!

Idealism in Homer’s Iliad

According to the Idealist…

The world works according to your ideals. If you’re religious, you’re an idealist – you believe in a god (or gods), and therefore the good are rewarded, the evil are punished, etc. There is some sort of justice/a plan.

From the cover…

The Iliad is typically described as one of the greatest war stories of all time, but to call it a war story does not begin to describe the emotional sweep of its action and characters: Achilles, Helen, Hector, and other heroes of Greek myth and history in the 10th and final year of the Greek siege of Troy…

How it’s idealistic, summarized…

In Homer’s world, everything is the result of godly actions. The gods aren’t perfect beings by any means, so there isn’t necessarily a plan – but at the end of the day, most of the good live. You don’t have to be an optimist to be idealistic – you just need to believe that there’s a higher purpose out there (and those with hubris will meet downfall.)

Existentialism in Dostoevksy's Crime and Punishment

According to the Existentialist…

The world is meaningless/absurd/etc., so you’ve got to create your own meaning: You’ve got to consciously decide on what you live for. Then you can live passionately.

From the cover…

A desperate young man plans the perfect crime -- the murder of a despicable pawnbroker, an old woman no one loves and no one will mourn. Is it not just, he reasons, for a man of genius to commit such a crime, to transgress moral law -- if it will ultimately benefit humanity? So begins one of the greatest novels ever written: a powerful psychological study, a terrifying murder mystery, and a fascinating detective thriller infused with philosophical, religious and social commentary…

How it’s existentialist, summarized…

Raskolnikov, our protagonist, is a complete existentialist (as was Dostoevsky himself.) 23, feverish, and completely mentally unstable, he seeks greatness by committing a murder. He is in contrast to Sonia, a Christian prostitute, and stunning character in her own right. Eventually, Raskolnikov experiences a change of heart, but continues to believe in the creation of his own meaning.

Naturalism in Wells' Island of Doctor Moreau

According to the Naturalist…

The world works according to scientific laws. Morality comes from humans' biological and social evolution rather than divine revelations.

From the cover…

After surviving a shipwreck, Edward Prendick is rescued and brought to the island of Doctor Moreau, exiled from England because of his gruesome experiments in vivisection. What Prendick encounters in the days ahead is more horrible and terrifying than any death he could ever have imagined…

How it’s naturalistic, summarized…

In the story, Prendick goes from idealistic to naturalistic. He lives on Moreau’s island for 10 months and emerges completely changed: He has witnessed near-human creatures revert to animals, and is no longer able to live with others. He isn’t able to study biology, either. In one scene, he even compares a preacher to an Ape-Man speaking “Big Thinks” – ideas he repeats because of their important sound. It’s very creepy, and very believable.

My Questions
Do your characters share any of these ideas? How does this affect their actions? Do they pray frequently, move to the country, murder an old woman... ?

Most of your characters won't be acting so drastically, but questioning your characters' beliefs is important. They're going to act on these, not their ages or hair coloring. Make sure you focus on the important details! (Besides, too much description is tiresome, and you want some details to be left to the reader's imagination - that's part of the fun of a story. Plus, it's too easy to waste time on names and sketches.)

So - what do you think? How do you use philosophy in your fiction? What other examples do you know of?