Thursday, February 5, 2009

Listing to one side (or the other)

I love my blog. But right now, I'm loving my WIP more.  Between the timer and the outline, I've gotten myself into a real story. And I'm the only one who can get me out.

I would say that blogging here will be scarce for awhile, but I don't know that. Something interesting may happen that I want to tell you. Or I may start posting old photographs instead. Or lists.

Did you see where the NY Times says lists are taking over the world?  Well, one particular "25 things" meme.  My theory is that most people don't think they can write, but everybody knows how to make a list.  It's the perfect way to join your left and right brains. The left brain loves the sequencing and the right brain loves the brainstorming. (By the way, my favorite list exercise is 100 Questions.) 

Here's Bod and his teacher making lists in The Graveyard Book

"Name the different kinds of people," said Miss Lupescu. "Now."

Bod thought for a moment. "The living," he said. "Er. The dead." He stopped. Then, ". . . Cats?" he offered, uncertainly.

"You are ignorant, boy," said Miss Lupescu. "This is bad. And you are content to be ignorant, which is worse. Repeat after me, there are the living and the dead, there are day-folk and night-folk, there are ghouls and mist-walkers, there are the high hunters and the Hounds of God. Also there are solitary types." 

"What are you?" asked Bod.

"I," she said sternly, "am Miss Lupescu." 


Now, off to write!

P.S. 
  1. Poets.org has a fantastic list of poetry in movies. (Maybe more on that for Poetry Friday tomorrow.) 
  2. I recently posted a select list of Shakespeare and theater-related movies over at Flixster. (Suggestions welcome.) 
  3. The new Kidlitosphere Central has a list of nearly every blogger active in the children's literature world, plus a ton of other resources. It's the perfect gateway to share with those who have no idea such a wealth of on-line expertise exists. 
  4. I've added a new feature to my right sidebar: A list of shared items, posts from around Blogdom that have inspired, distracted, amused or otherwise compelled me to...um, put them on a list.

4 comments:

  1. Oooh, thank you for that Gurney Journey link. A) It looks like a fabulous site, and B) I can't wait to linger later over that Wyeth post.

    See? Even my comment is a list.

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  2. Funny you mention that "25 Things" meme. A family member tagged me on Facebook and as I was doing it I thought-- this would be a great tool for developing a new character or story. Something about a list is less intimidating, maybe?

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  3. Ah. *sigh*
    The Graveyard Book. I can hear those words in Neil Gaiman's voice, and it's luuuuurvely.

    Good luck writing yourself out of a bind, there, dear.

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  4. Jules, I should've told you about that Wyeth link before, seeing as how you love his work. I learn so much from Gurney Journey. I can't stay away.

    Jennifer, I agree. Much less intimidating.

    Tanita: yes, yes. The rhythm of these lines is so right.

    ReplyDelete

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