Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Lemons Into Lemonade

What started as kind of a joke has sort of morphed into a full on project. When I recounted the "will by the light of the convenience store" story here, I was thinking what a great scene in a movie it would have been. Truth is, I think I see a lot of things like that, which is probably a coping mechanism or other such psychobabble. In any event, I told the story to my online friend and he had the same reaction (as well as the divorce story of using B's check for the filing).

Yes. I know. Stop with the chats with the married guy. I know. But hold on.

Online friend is a very talented writer, which is how I first noticed him. He has a very respectable, well-paying day job at which he is quite good, but he is a frustrated writer. He writes short stories for his kid (amazing, I might add, and I intend to sign him as a client in the very near term) and has tackled a few screenplays, but not finished any of them. He doesn't have much time for them and has a demanding work and personal schedule that precludes any pure attention to such pursuits. This is one of the principal topics of conversation between us, as I have encouraged him to get his own supersecret blog and just start writing (he does not know where this one is). He has also had something of a writer's block for a year or so, frustrated with the tension of wanting to do it full-time, but not being able to put his life on hold while he did it.

Anyway, we got to talking about a potential story to be written, brainstorming about various arcs and whatnot. It led to my purchasing a screenwriting software program (he already has it, but I do not use pirated copies) and we are now something of writing partners! Shut up, it is the next best thing. Channeling what is probably unhealthy or otherwise self-defeating thoughts into something therapeutic and creative.

I have had a blast. I started out writing individual scenes, but that was utterly frustrating. No common thread, no sense where the bus was headed, so to speak. I know nothing about structured creative writing and he does and he started an outline, which was about half a page. Last night, I took it to nearly ten pages. Holy fucking shit, that was fun. Imagining a story from start to finish and putting the marker points in to guide the tale. Unreal. It is very much in raw form now, but it is a productive hobby that probably has multiple benefits. He has seen it like this and is contributing rewrites and offering suggestions. By the way, there is nothing quite as revealing as showing someone your private thoughts. My three readers would probably agree, as this corner of the internets is not for public consumption and is a portal into my thoughts. I am here to tell you that it is slighly more revealing when the work is quasi-fiction.

While the crush remains intact, I do believe that I am taking what could be a bad thing and turning it into something positive and productive. If I get up the nerve, and when it is better, I will probably post a link to it and get your feedback. I haven't done this kind of writing since college and can't believe how much I enjoy it. It is better than any therapy I can think of, it challenges me creatively and intellectually, and, perhaps most importantly, it has given me something better to do than feel sorry for myself or angry.

I less than three you, 2007 and you're only three days old.

1 comment:

Connoisseur of Human Folly said...

If I was a movie exec I'd greenlight it.

I wouldn't even have to read it first.

Seriously, though, I agree that creative writing is a great outlet for emotions that don't easily fit anywhere else in your life.