Tag Archives: literature

At a Crossroads

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I am definitely at a crossroads right now.  As my closest friend prepares to leave the state and I prepare to enter the Peace Corps, everything seems different.  I’m trying to find myself a new social life.  I’m continuing to edit The Stagner Chronicle….and it is so clean that I think this will be the last edit.  I still want to edit and self-publish all four of my works before I leave for the Peace Corps.  I think I can pull it off.

My writing of late has taken a strong non-fiction turn.  I do not know if this is temporary, but I’m not going to fight it.  Whatever comes, comes.  I need to get back to a writing project, though.  I have two non-fiction ideas that I’ve started and one fiction idea.  They all seem incredible.  I think I just need to write out the basic outlines and see which ones are doable.  I’ll let you know when I figure that out.

With Love,
Richard

The Bechdel Test for Novels

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The Bechdel Test was created for movies.  The whole point was to point out the inequality of the sexes on the big screen.  In order for the movie to pass, it must succeed in these three simple tests.

1. It has to have at least two [named] women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man.

It’s pretty simple.  In order for a movie to pass the test, there has to be only one part of one scene in which two women talk about something other than a man.  Unfortunately, of the 3,305 movies that The Bechdel Test Website has rated, 53% have failed.  If you did the same test for men, I can guarantee you that less than 5% would fail.  The point of the test is to point out the inequality that is seen on the big screen…and it is making a huge impact.

I want to make a vow today.  From this moment forward, I will makes sure any Novella length (or longer) writing of mine passes this simple test.  I did have this test in mind when I wrote The Stagner Chronicle–which is why it passed.  I really want to look through my first three novels and see if I fell victim to the same problem.  This type of sexual discrimination is unacceptable in my mind.  I don’t want to be a part of it.

The next time you read a book or see a movie, keep this in mind.  If you are a writer yourself, consider taking this pledge with me.

With Love,
Richard

100th Post

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Join the Kickstarter Campaign to Publish “The Stagner Chronicle”

I know it’s late, but seeing as I’ve been experimenting with everything in regards to blogging…why not.  This is my 100th post.  The past three months or so have been incredible.  This blog is forcing me to do exactly what I wanted it to do.  I write daily and am improving my craft at a far quicker rate than I thought possible.  I even was able to pull a novel out of nowhere in a matter of weeks.

The next 100 posts will be very interesting.  I am convinced that posting more often and writing about current events will become a permanent part of this blog.  Writing and spreading the word about important matters is all I really know…I couldn’t stay away if I wanted. So…here is update number three from the Manifesto.  Remember to check out the Kickstarter campaign.

Better Questions; Better Schools

Strangest Week Ever

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This past week has been different on such a level that I have a hard time understanding how I got here.  The shooting in Aurora underlined a lot…but there was so much more.  The coming realization that my closest friend is leaving the state in a month.  Worries about my mother, my grandmother, and my dog.  Trying to write something entirely new.  I think I may have strained my brain.

Today I revamped the website.  It should not be much easy to get around and find what you are looking for.  I also updated my About Me section so that you can contact me or find me elsewhere on the internet.  Let me know what you think.  I will likely have more free time in the evening.  Expect a late update of a memory, political, or flash fiction piece (I haven’t quite decided yet).

With Love,
Richard

 

Back to Writing

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I’ve been at a bit of a standstill the last two or three weeks.  I’ve been writing memories, yes, but I do not have an overall project.  I hate not having a project to work on.  Although I love writing memories, poems, and flash fiction, they often feel like filler.  I like have a big project going at all times–whether it is the editing or writing of a large piece or novel.  Now that “The Stagner Chronicle” is in the late editing stages, I need something new.

I found that something yesterday.  I started writing as a reaction to events that occurred yesterday.  A few hours passed and I realized I couldn’t stop writing.  My word count is already at 4,000 and I am showing no signs of slowing down.  Due to the nature of what I am writing about, I cannot share the subject matter.  To be perfectly honest, it may not even be okay to share the final product.  It doesn’t matter.  I still need to write it.

With Love,
Richard

 

Writing on Culture

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I had trouble sleeping last night.  Some nights my brain just won’t shut up.  I was lucky this time.  This sleepless night translated to creativity.  I’ve always wanted to find a different way to look at culture and the world we grow up in.  By telling stories, I want to be able to explain a  truth I wouldn’t otherwise be able to put into words.  I feel like I have finally done that with the short story below.  I will almost certain be turning this story into something more.  I already have an outline to make this at least a novella.  We shall see.

My Kickstarter campaign to help publish The Stagner Chronicle is ready.  All I am waiting for now is the verification of my account.  It’ll likely take a few more days before I can officially get it up.  I can’t tell you how excited I am for this.  I do believe I can turn it into a success.  I hope you will all join me.  Until then, enjoy the story.

The Assembly Line

 

Kickstarter & Video Storytelling

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I’m pretty sure I am going to do a Kickstarter campaign to help my latest novel–The Stagner Chronicle–get off the ground.  The website is set up in a way that makes it a perfect alternative to publishing.  I’ve been looking through campaigns similar to the one that I am creating.  Many people were able to meet their goals and surge past them.  I hope I can pull off the same thing.  I’m going to place my goal low anyway.

In order to make a successful Kickstarter campaign, videos explaining yourself are essential.  I made one for the campaign itself.  Then I decided to try reading one of my short stories aloud to provide an example of my storytelling.  It ended up being really fun.  I may start doing this for everything I put up on the site.  I want everyone to tell me what they think.  Linked below is a short story I uploaded a few months ago.  It now has a video at the top of it where I read it with the emotion it was intended to have.  Let me know!

It’s What You’ll Never Know

Mountain Conversations

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I spent most of my day in the mountains with a new friend.  I love the stage in new friendships when you are able to talk for hours on end.  Politics.  Old romances.  The role of creativity.  Philosophy.  I’ve always been fascinated with the way that conversations evolve from one topic to the next.  When a conversation goes on for hours, you can usually track it back like an organic, living thing.

I spent most of my evening working on a script for Elance.  With every passing day, I am becoming more and more interesting in screenwriting.  Instead of aiming for writing another novel in the second half of 2012, I think I’m going to try for a movie-length script. All I have to decide now is what story I should write about.  I have plenty of stories in mind.  I just don’t know which one would translate best into film.

Today, instead of a memory update, here in an influence update and a  music video.

Fun
I liked the song, “We Are Young”.  Fun didn’t hit my radar, however, until the some “Some Nights” hit the radio.  I am in love with it.  My inner history nerd loves the video that goes along with the song.  The lead singer is so emotional.  Plus, the romance that they push in the video is so beautiful.  Make sure to watch the video.

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Fascinated by Scripts

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I know I bid far to low to ghostwrite the script I am currently working on…but I love it.  I’ve written Haikus, Poems, Flash Fiction, Short Stories, and Novels.  The one format that I have never worked with is screenwriting.  It’s very different and dialog-oriented.  Now that I am learning the ropes as part of a job, I can’t help but wonder if I would enjoy doing one on my own.  I absolutely love movies.  Plus, I usually envision my stories in scenes.  Maybe this is the perfect in-between.

Aside from working on the script today, I am getting back into the swing of working on my 50-Day Memory Challenge.  I’m going to try to do as much work as I can over the next couple weeks.  Once the end of July hits, I’m going to get crazy busy.  Trip to Connecticut.  Trip to Iowa.  Trip to Washington.  All within the course of one month.  It’ll be amazing, but difficult to write consistently.  I can’t wait.

Day Twelve: Dances with Cougars

Happy Forth

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I will do my best this summer to keep up with my blog here.  With so much happening this summer, that will be harder some days than others.  I took a week off of writing after finishing editing the third draft of my latest novel.  After a bit of a road trip this weekend, I am back at it.  I will start the memory challenge back up here soon as I decide on what to work on next.

Free writing is an important element for any writer.  It is an element that I neglect far too often.  Sitting back in my hometown coffee shop, however, I got the inspiration to sit down and just write.  Out came a piece that surprised me.  I am going to upload it under nonfiction because it does feel like a diary piece.  I need to make sure to continue free writing much more often.

Her