(WRITING Q) When do you do things to yourself?

[Lisa Denton]

I sometimes write stuff funky but if it works for me I go with it. Whether its correct or I tell my MS Word Internal Police to Ignore All and Shut The Fuck Up, if it looks good in the context I am wanting then I use it. Like:

(Lisa followed Carson around thinking "this guy keeps droppin his wallet," so she thought she would just take out 5 dollars everytime he dropped it and then buy him one of those big chains like bikers have to chain his wallet to his pants.)

Have you ever thought "Thunk?" I do it all the time, I will think that I had thunk that, but I won't write thunk or say thunk. I guess there is some kind of mind spell checkin symbiosis between brain, tongue and fingers that lets you think thunk but not throw it out for others to think about. They might think you are funny.

Anywho, I think I'll go follow Carson around and see if he drops his wallet some more.

 

[NoJo]

There's a cute sort of present tense, used by Damon Runyon, the "anectodal tense."

And then this party enters the establishment, and orders a cheese danish, as is is his custom...

like that.

Present tense first person, I don't like. But present tense third/omniscient is punchy and filmic.

Another rule I've taken on board from screenwriting is replacing "and" with a comma.

So,

He grabbed her arm and led her quickly along the hallway

becomes

He grabs her arm, leads her quickly along the hallway

 

[NoJo]

I sometimes write stuff funky but if it works for me I go with it. Whether its correct or I tell my MS Word Internal Police to Ignore All and Shut The Fuck Up, if it looks good in the context I am wanting then I use it. Like:

(Lisa followed Carson around thinking "this guy keeps droppin his wallet," so she thought she would just take out 5 dollars everytime he dropped it and then buy him one of those big chains like bikers have to chain his wallet to his pants.)

Have you ever thought "Thunk?" I do it all the time, I will think that I had thunk that, but I won't write thunk or say thunk. I guess there is some kind of mind spell checkin symbiosis between brain, tongue and fingers that lets you think thunk but not throw it out for others to think about. They might think you are funny.

Anywho, I think I'll go follow Carson around and see if he drops his wallet some more.

So, Lisa follows Carson around. Whodathunk?

 

[carsonshepherd]

Don't worry. My wallet doesn't have any money in it.

 

[NoJo]

I just have a bus pass and a condom in mine. And that suits me fine.

 

[carsonshepherd]

Where is your self-portrait? I rather liked it. But Bette Davis is cool too...