I had the thought today that I don't know if I will learn any more words. Certainly, there may be slangs the come in and out of fashion, and new acronyms or proper names, but as far as regular vocabulary words, I feel like I've learned all the ones I'm going to use.
Part of me was saddened by this. My life isn't half over, and yet all my word learning is done. That's not fair.
After that, I realized that there are plenty of words I don't really know yet. Some I half know, but still have to look up. Other words, I don't at all know and have to discover. It seemed nice.
Ultimately, though, it's futile. My vocabulary as it already stands is isolating. If I were to learn new words , they would be useless because nobody else would know them.
In the end, I accept that there are more words to discover, but any new words I learn will be purely for my own edification. I know enough words to effectively communicate with people, and as a storyteller, that is of utmost importance. With that chapter of my studies largely complete, the next chapters unfold.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Taking Things Literally
I have been both complimented and condemned for being a very literal thinker. Some people are impressed at how I can use it to aid in creativity, and others are annoyed at how I take symbolism at face value.
In my mind, taking things literally is a useful tool. I find it an amusing game to take metaphors and analogies and imagining them as real events. For example, what if we lived in a modern world where people would actually stab each other in the back to get what they wanted (and it was socially acceptable)? What if lying increased our body temperature so much that extreme ones made people's pants combust?
Ideas come from my mind wandering about and probing thoughts like that. I find it always a fruitful venture for creative purposes.
If you find yourself not sure what to do or where a twist or turn might come from, try taking what characters say literally. Find a way to weave a common saying or a hyperbole and make it real. You should be able to get a pretty good surprise out of your audience, but more importantly, you can make your world all the richer.
In my mind, taking things literally is a useful tool. I find it an amusing game to take metaphors and analogies and imagining them as real events. For example, what if we lived in a modern world where people would actually stab each other in the back to get what they wanted (and it was socially acceptable)? What if lying increased our body temperature so much that extreme ones made people's pants combust?
Ideas come from my mind wandering about and probing thoughts like that. I find it always a fruitful venture for creative purposes.
If you find yourself not sure what to do or where a twist or turn might come from, try taking what characters say literally. Find a way to weave a common saying or a hyperbole and make it real. You should be able to get a pretty good surprise out of your audience, but more importantly, you can make your world all the richer.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Appreciate Unrealized Brilliance
Clever people are always clever. Whether they're having dinner with friends, posting stuff on the internet, or writing a magnum opus, people with natural wit will always be making jokes or having deep thoughts; they will always be observing.
These are the things that make life worth living. It's not enough to only be clever when you're on the clock. You should have as many laughs as possible, whether through jokes or puns or gags.
The tragedy is that most of this stuff will be lost to the ages. These things will be said and will vanish in the aether, or they'll be recorded somewhere, but lost or forgotten.
This is all the more reason to try and appreciate the unrealized brilliance that surrounds us. Appreciate those little quips, that stuff that makes us smirk and chuckle. They may not entertain the masses, but they made your life better.
These are the things that make life worth living. It's not enough to only be clever when you're on the clock. You should have as many laughs as possible, whether through jokes or puns or gags.
The tragedy is that most of this stuff will be lost to the ages. These things will be said and will vanish in the aether, or they'll be recorded somewhere, but lost or forgotten.
This is all the more reason to try and appreciate the unrealized brilliance that surrounds us. Appreciate those little quips, that stuff that makes us smirk and chuckle. They may not entertain the masses, but they made your life better.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
You Have To Know What's Possible
Knowledge is an important thing to have. Not all knowledge is equal, though. Knowing how to solve 4x-3=2/3x is of exceedingly limited value. Knowing how algebra works can be incredibly valuable.
There is great value in knowing the principles of information. Specifics can always be looked up, but the fundamental level of knowledge is necessary.
Simply put: you need to know what is possible.
Knowing what can and can't be explained with sciences, with maths, knowing how much information can be found by analyzing a stain on the ground or the contents of a trash can, these are all things that give us some semblance of the world.
There is so much out there that we don't know. But just because you specifically don't know something doesn't mean that it isn't known, or that it isn't knowable.
As a writer, there are some people just trying to poke holes in your story. When you make assumptions or when you ignore an easy solution to a problem, these people will lash out. Having more understanding of what is possible helps you keep them at bay.
Moreover, knowledge is inspirational. The more things you know, the more possibilities you are aware of, the more you have to play with in your creativity. And that will always lead to more interesting stories.
There is great value in knowing the principles of information. Specifics can always be looked up, but the fundamental level of knowledge is necessary.
Simply put: you need to know what is possible.
Knowing what can and can't be explained with sciences, with maths, knowing how much information can be found by analyzing a stain on the ground or the contents of a trash can, these are all things that give us some semblance of the world.
There is so much out there that we don't know. But just because you specifically don't know something doesn't mean that it isn't known, or that it isn't knowable.
As a writer, there are some people just trying to poke holes in your story. When you make assumptions or when you ignore an easy solution to a problem, these people will lash out. Having more understanding of what is possible helps you keep them at bay.
Moreover, knowledge is inspirational. The more things you know, the more possibilities you are aware of, the more you have to play with in your creativity. And that will always lead to more interesting stories.
Friday, April 26, 2013
On Love Songs
Simply put, I hate love songs. They are the lamest kind of music. Every time I hear a love song on the radio, it ranges from obnoxious to infuriating.
Love songs all tell the same story, and that story is repugnant. The singers always say "I was nothing before you" and "I'm nothing without you" and "You're the best, most precious thing ever in all the world."
These stories may sound sweet or endearing if you are the object of that person's affection, but there are two problems. First, you are an OBJECT. The people who are sung about are not humans; they're idols. They are placed on pedestals and bequeathed magical powers. Second, the singers consider themselves worthless. They say that they are not worthy of the love they feel, yet somehow all they do is sing the praises of love instead of actually, you know, working on becoming a better person.
In reality, love songs (or love stories) do not have to be based on such a story. In fact, the song Invincible by Muse (which is arguably a love song) perfectly encapsulates the beauty of true love. In the first section of the song, the singer does say that the other person is truly special, but does it in an empowering way. He tells the person to do what they want because of being so strong. As it goes on, the singer says "us" and "let's". He shows that both people are involved, like in a partnership, and he expresses that the partnership is stronger than the individuals, culminating with the line, "Together, we're invincible."
This is a song of hope and strength, some of the best qualities of true love. If you are wanting to write a story (or a song) about people in love, try looking at love as a two-sided thing, where both of the people are real people, and not where there is a lowly peasant trying to appease a flawless god.
Love songs all tell the same story, and that story is repugnant. The singers always say "I was nothing before you" and "I'm nothing without you" and "You're the best, most precious thing ever in all the world."
These stories may sound sweet or endearing if you are the object of that person's affection, but there are two problems. First, you are an OBJECT. The people who are sung about are not humans; they're idols. They are placed on pedestals and bequeathed magical powers. Second, the singers consider themselves worthless. They say that they are not worthy of the love they feel, yet somehow all they do is sing the praises of love instead of actually, you know, working on becoming a better person.
In reality, love songs (or love stories) do not have to be based on such a story. In fact, the song Invincible by Muse (which is arguably a love song) perfectly encapsulates the beauty of true love. In the first section of the song, the singer does say that the other person is truly special, but does it in an empowering way. He tells the person to do what they want because of being so strong. As it goes on, the singer says "us" and "let's". He shows that both people are involved, like in a partnership, and he expresses that the partnership is stronger than the individuals, culminating with the line, "Together, we're invincible."
This is a song of hope and strength, some of the best qualities of true love. If you are wanting to write a story (or a song) about people in love, try looking at love as a two-sided thing, where both of the people are real people, and not where there is a lowly peasant trying to appease a flawless god.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Your Tastes Will Change
The funny thing about taste is that we usually think of it as permanent. The things we like, we will always like. The things we hate are fundamentally awful, so they could never be anything else.
The funny thing about life is that the things we think will last forever usually don't. Sure enough, stories you hated become appealing, genres you loved grow stale, and you find yourself wanting to write the kinds of stories you once mocked others for reading.
Don't feel bad when your tastes change. Embrace it. After all, it's just a part of life, and life is funny. Jump head-first into whatever you're interested in, regardless of what you used to think, and regardless of what others may say (after all, they may one day love it as much as you do).
The funny thing about life is that the things we think will last forever usually don't. Sure enough, stories you hated become appealing, genres you loved grow stale, and you find yourself wanting to write the kinds of stories you once mocked others for reading.
Don't feel bad when your tastes change. Embrace it. After all, it's just a part of life, and life is funny. Jump head-first into whatever you're interested in, regardless of what you used to think, and regardless of what others may say (after all, they may one day love it as much as you do).
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
On Traditions
What makes something a tradition? Technically, it's just something that's done repeatedly. So why does one thing become traditional and others don't?
Historically, things become traditions because they work. If sticking an earthworm on my fishing hook attracts fish to bite it, I'm going to keep doing it. If putting tree branches on my hook doesn't work, I won't do it again.
The problem with traditions is they aren't perfect. Putting a worm on a hook may be better than nothing, but it might be worse than other baits. If you stick with what works, you may never find what works better. Or even just what works differently.
I write this post not because of fishing, but because of writing. (It totally does apply to fishing, though, as well as any other endeavor, too.) Why do we write novels the way we do - with chapters of certain lengths and paragraphs of certain lengths, and sentences of certain structures? These are not essential to the communicative ability the way spelling and punctuation are. These are stylistic. They certainly do work well; many novels have used this structure. But when we start assuming that novels have to be written in the traditional style, we miss out on so many possibilities, some of which may communicate far more effectively than the traditional style ever could.
Try different styles. Be experimental. See what works best for the story you want to tell. It may be the traditional style, and that's ok. It may be a non traditional style, and that's ok, too.
Historically, things become traditions because they work. If sticking an earthworm on my fishing hook attracts fish to bite it, I'm going to keep doing it. If putting tree branches on my hook doesn't work, I won't do it again.
The problem with traditions is they aren't perfect. Putting a worm on a hook may be better than nothing, but it might be worse than other baits. If you stick with what works, you may never find what works better. Or even just what works differently.
I write this post not because of fishing, but because of writing. (It totally does apply to fishing, though, as well as any other endeavor, too.) Why do we write novels the way we do - with chapters of certain lengths and paragraphs of certain lengths, and sentences of certain structures? These are not essential to the communicative ability the way spelling and punctuation are. These are stylistic. They certainly do work well; many novels have used this structure. But when we start assuming that novels have to be written in the traditional style, we miss out on so many possibilities, some of which may communicate far more effectively than the traditional style ever could.
Try different styles. Be experimental. See what works best for the story you want to tell. It may be the traditional style, and that's ok. It may be a non traditional style, and that's ok, too.
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