I am having a great writing day. It is only 2:00 in the afternoon and I've done over 1600 words already. I think the current short story will end up being around 8000 words, so I'm halfway there. I have no idea where I'm going with it, but it feels right. Nice and moody and violent. Gotta love it. I've stopped for now because I'm starting to realize that I can only go in spurts. I feel like I write myself into a tight corner and the story doesn't go anywhere if I push myself. It's suffocating at times. But taking breaks between 500 or 1000 words is working really really well. I'll probably finish the shitty first draft of this story by Monday morning, if I keep up this pace. Not bad considering I started writing it Wednesday night.
Another factor in the productivity is finding an internet radio station that plays nothing by trip-hop. It's funny that such a moody, and thumping genre is bringing out all the good noir stuff out of me. And the story is most definitely noir. Sometimes I'm a little selfconscious of the name of this blog and wonder if people think I'm a little presumptuous with calling myself a noir writer, and declaring it in such a way. To tell you the truth, I never expected anyone to read this thing. I have no problem deluding myself - I do it everyday.
9 comments:
Nice! I'm jealous. I've been productive but easily distracted. Sounds like the sleep deprivation has you in a nice groove though.
What station? I listen to an indie station out of NH that broadcasts on the Web. It plays trip hop, downbeat, reggae, Latin, jazz, other international... a good mix for sheer background.
I hate you. ;-)
Only about 500 words so far today. I run into the same thing you do. I can move a story along for a bit, then it peters out and I have to let it stew for a little while.
It's funny how music pulls things out of us. Especially those thumping, visceral beats. Good for murder and mayhem.
I keep a mix on my iPod for writing that's almost all instrumental. Used to listen to Groove Salad, an trance, electronica internet station off live365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/groovesalad) , but I think it went under or switched to something else.
Pandora.com is good for that, too, I've found.
I hate you. ;-)
Only about 500 words so far today. I run into the same thing you do. I can move a story along for a bit, then it peters out and I have to let it stew for a little while.
It's funny how music pulls things out of us. Especially those thumping, visceral beats. Good for murder and mayhem.
I keep a mix on my iPod for writing that's almost all instrumental. Used to listen to Groove Salad, an trance, electronica internet station off live365 (http://www.live365.com/stations/groovesalad) , but I think it went under or switched to something else.
Pandora.com is good for that, too, I've found.
What noir writers do you like to read?
Christa, you are incredibly productive lately. You have nothing to complain about.
Stephen: he hates me so much he had to post it twice. :)
As for the trip-hop station, it's one of the radio stations on itunes. I can't remember which one unless I go there. But I have to agree that instrumental works really well. I've also found a great jazz station, which is also very good at getting me in the mood to write, especially works by Coltraine and his contemporaries.
Cory, on noir writers there are so many. Off the top of my head of writers I've been reading recently: Swierczynski, James Sallis, Pelecanos, Michael Connolly, Sara Gran, Jim Thompson, Goodis, Chandler. I'm sure there are a ton more that I'm not even thinking about.
Steve likes cat cozies and mysteries solved by little old ladies who own yarn shops. Don't let him fool you.
Trip-hop... geesh and you called me a pansy because I'm afraid of heights. Death metal and Disney hits are the only writing music there is.
Seriously though, for me there has to be a lot of bass and a heavy driving rhythm for to be able to write. I have to be able to type along with the beat. It pushed me forward, which in turn keeps me from stopping.
Are you an expulsive or formulating writer? Expulsive writers have the whole story in their head word for word and they merely sit down and expel it. (I'm this type. Sandra claims she is as well.) Formulating writers create the story as they type.
Lyman,
I'll listen to metal when I'm fucking around on the keyboard, trying to come up with something. But Disney tunes? Yeah, I'm listen to the soundtrack to Mulan all the time. No, I think you should keep the pansy crown for now. :)
As for expulsive v. formulating writing, I have to say that I'm formulating. I'll have the ending in mind. Some of the main characters, but it really is only when I start to write that the story unfolds. Sometimes I can do the expulsive thing, but only occasionally.
What the fuck is trip-hop?
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