The Outline As a Sandcastle (Or: Outlines Aren't Giant Man-Eating Spiders, So Stop Fearing Them)

Writers are an odd bunch, as you may see just from my blog. We have different ideas on what to do to cure writer's block and where to find inspiration. One of the many spars us writers engage in concerns the ol' workhorse, the Outline.

Ah yes, the outline. It either helps the writer know where the f*** the novel is going or it misleads with its certainty and doesn't allow room for growth. I'll be the first one to tell you that I love the outline. It has saved my stupid butt more times than I would like to admit. And yet, the limitations of it are known to me, so naturally it is a your-mileage-may-vary thing.

But, allow me to add another perspective to this argument. First off, the biggest problem with outlines seem to be the limitations it brings to the writer. Once you jot it down, it is the equivalent of the 10 Commandments Moses brought down from the mountain. God help you if you change a thing, everything will be thrown into chaos, the writerly variation of dividing by zero. Or maybe you like seeing how the story unfolds without knowing ahead of the plot. But, to be honest, I find that reason to be silly. I mean, you don't want to get spoiled by your own story? Man, must suck to be you, then. You do know how our life is gonna end, right? The same as the rest of us?

Okay, allow me to make the outline less scary and more accessible. Think of it as a sandcastle. A lovely one, crafted with your hands and mind, with the dark beige sand and nice and smooth grains. Sometimes, you get a little help from friends or strangers. You spent hours on the thing, adding the random seashells that brighten it up or a piece of trash that makes an excellent banner for the tower. You could easily place in a contest, a victory worth a round of beers from the beach bar. But, as we know from building sandcastles, whether for fun or profit, sand is a malleable thing. We can change and add to it as much as we can. And sometimes, there is a surprise rainstorm or a rogue wave or an SOB wearing socks and sandals that threaten the poor sandcastle. You can only protect it from the elements for so long. It's gonna get smacked by something, it's only a matter of when, and maybe the what. 

If you think of an outline as a sandcastle, it is something you work on, is worth your time, and yet isn't as concrete. You know things could change very quickly, whether it's a surprise plot point or even a better protagonist. I agree that the outline's creative asphyxiation is an issue, but I'm beginning to think it's more of a block made by the writer than the outline itself. Writers are superstitious, things have to go very well and in certain ways in order for the writing to flow. Well, let's kick that myth down. You'll never have an ideal writing space or time. It's impossible. Stephen King typed out his early works on a child's desk in his trailer's laundry room, for Pete's sake. You can have an ideal method, but it will be tested and revamped, much like an outline would be. You have to allow for that flexibility, from yourself and from your work.

If you never tried it out, just give it a shot. You have nothing to lose. Really, you don't. How else are you gonna know if it works for you or not? You can only read enough testimonials, my dear writing peeps.

I'm just real tired of people making writing out to be this precious thing that can be only handled with kid gloves and the right amount of offerings to the muses. And while I reiterate that the outline is a preference and far from a rule of thumb, its alienating reactions from writers is something I want to end. 

On Writing Characters Like Me (Or: For the Love of God, Another Author Surrogate?!)

If I am guilty of anything in my writing (which I am), I would say the two things I can think of are: odd dialogue (I'm working on this) and author surrogates. Now, unlike the linked definition, I don't create these characters because I think I'm so damn awesome or because I want this author surrogate to jump in and say something about my beliefs. Nah, for some reason, I happen to make characters that are a lot like me.

Actually... *stops for a moment to count*

I only have three characters that I can safely say are the closest in terms to being like me. Now, it's never 100% , 'cause really, show of hands of who wants to see me become a fictional character.

*brief pause* Thought so.

But why do I do it? Really, I wish I knew. Perhaps it is the adage "write what you know", but one of the characters is half-Japanese (which I am not) and another is bisexual (which I am not also). So, if that's not the complete case here, do I secretly harbor the feeling that perhaps I am awesome? Well, not really. I do have traits that could be interesting, like my passion for music and random knowledge of trivia, so I throw in what would make the character human. And last I checked, I am human, so it makes sense to draw from there.

But the thing is, when it comes to character creation, you draw from everything and everywhere. I can't begin to tell you the characters I have created that are loosely based on people I know, from bosses to friends to random strangers I met at the mall. For Pete's sake, my parents were the basis for about four characters! So I am just another source, that's all.

As for those three characters, my literary "twins"? Do they do anything special in their stories? Not really. They struggle, fall in and out of love, have stupid jobs, have bad days at the grocery store, and do not possess super-special powers. I do my damnest to make them as anti-Mary Sue as possible. I owe that, not just to you fair readers, but to myself and to the characters. Not like they'll kick my ass for getting them wrong, but I feel I'm not honest if I write willy-nilly about them.

So, I just happen to have these three characters (all from projects I've mentioned on the blog: Blues, Invisible, and Dolls). Their similarities: tall white girls with German ancestry that love music and reading. Wow, such spectrum. :P

What are your feelings on this topic? Should authors stop using themselves as character idea wells? Is there a way to write an author surrogate that doesn't want to make you punch the author in the face? Am I just being silly? Should I find better things to write about? Let me know what you think in the comments!

2014 Is Not the Year of Grad School

I got the email last night from Michener. Denied again.

Yeah, I'm getting real tired of this. Perhaps grad school is no longer a thing I should pursue. As I gave it more thought after getting the email and throughout the day today (since I wasn't going outside, it's effing cold y'all), I really don't know why I'm going to grad school. What else could I learn that I don't know that I can't get outside of an academic institution?

This is really a long-winded way of me saying "I may not need grad school after all".

I think my professor was right all along...

On the bright side, I have a job interview tomorrow. At least some things are going better than I thought.

As I said on Facebook, 2014 is still a young year. We got eleven months more. Let's see what happens, shall we?

*memes do not belong to me*

Might've celebrated too soon... or not?

*Note: This is a mish-mash of two posts that I never finished until now. You will see why as you read.

So after months of hunting, I found myself a second part-time job! It came out of effing nowhere, just a call about an application that I placed over a month ago, thinking nothing would come of it. Went in for an interview last Monday and got the call on Wednesday that I was selected. What were the perks? More hours to work (35 a week!), decent pay (I start at $9.00 an hour), and I get to wear socks all day! (It was at an early education center in my hometown.)

So I went to the second job last Friday to fill out the necessary paperwork. When it got to the discussion about vacation hours and all that, I realized that if I were to get into grad school, I was honest to God screwed. I couldn't get vacation time until I worked there for a year, so if something were to happen, it would likely make me quit the job due to that policy. I mentioned this to my new boss and she said that would have to talk to her superiors about it, let me know if this was too much of a risk.

I heard back yesterday and they said that they will hold off until I hear back from Michener. At this point, I'm not going to take the job. When a little time passes, I will contact them and say "thanks, but no thanks". I mean, to hold things off due to a theoretical, iffy thing? I could get a rejection any day now! Very weird, and frankly, kinda sad. Oh well.

But this morning I got yet another job interview! It's for a local radio station looking for an office assistant.

It's pretty damn surreal to have all this going on. I'm very excited. Even if grad school doesn't happen, the job search is going better than the last few months.

Either way, the last week or so have been very trying and interesting.

Hey, didn't ya have a post up?

Why yes, observant reader of my blog, I did!

As time goes on, I will talk about it more. Right now, things are at a weird place and I really need to make sure before I proceed further. This is not the time for me to go into detail. I do promise a somewhat good explanation down the road.

But I will assure you, dear readers, that my family and I are well. There has been no deaths or anything tragic and serious, just a really strange wrench got thrown into the gears. I promise you all that.

Until then, here, have this:

Though I think you're a good-looking dude, Mr. Gaffigan. :D

*meme does not belong to me*

Best of 2013: Book Edition

Before you go all "where the f*** is The Goldfinch, you insipid bibliophile?"*, yes I didn't finish much of the big releases of last year. I'm sorry, I really am. More to myself, but still to the few readers that wanted to know what I thought about Doctor Sleep (actually, I'm not fond of it, more on another day) and other big -timers. Either way, here is eight books released in 2013 that I did love and want you to check out (if you already haven't).

8. Eminent Hipsters by Donald Fagen
  Short yet sweet and funny like the author; ...Hipsters is less of an extensive memoir and more of a collection of autobiographical essays. They still get the point across about Fagen, a portrait of the artist as a young man (get it?). I really love Fagen being portrayed as that grumpy professor the students all love but the faculty hate. A great afternoon read.

7. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
  Oh look, Stephen King's son wrote a damn good book. It's about biker chicks, space and time being ripped apart by random objects, and a strange-ass serial killer! And yes, that is my selling point. Go get it and have a blast.

6. Odds Against Tomorrow by Nathaniel Rich
  If there was any new book I was eager to read, it was this one. And thank goodness, it was worth the wait, the time and money used to get the book, and the reading experience. It is a strange one, following a young man with a tendency to predict major disasters. When he foresees a major hurricane-like storm hitting New York City, it becomes a tale of survival atop a dissertation on corporate life and the nature of tortured geniuses in this century.

5. Storm Kings: The Untold Story of America’s First Tornado Chasers by Lee Sandlin
  Warning: this is my inner meteorologist about to geek out here. At first, this book was a little slow, but as you get past the first two chapters, it picks up with the speed of an unexpected windstorm. This book is not only a hidden history uncovered, but a humbling reminder how meteorology as we know it is still a young science. It is a marvel it has gotten this far, who knows what the future holds?**

4. Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
  Oh my God, a YA book that isn't an insufferable mess! The story follows a young woman living in the red light district (Storyville) of New Orleans and her attempts to escape her abusive mother and a housekeeping job at a brothel while applying for a prestigious college; all the while solving a strange murder mystery atop that.

3. Turn Around Bright Eyes by Rob Sheffield
  Yep, also talked about this one here before. But, my opinion didn't change. It is a funny and wonderful look into the world of karaoke and the people who love to sing despite the lack of training. It is also an intimate look on how Mr. Sheffield found new love in a woman who would love karaoke as much as he did. Loved it, just as great as his previous books.

2. Angelopolis by Danielle Trussoni
  Man, I hate getting into series in progress. I already talked about this book to a lesser extent, but I will reiterate one thing: DAT ENDING. My God. Where is the last book, Ms. Trussoni?!

1. Adulting by Kelly Williams Brown
  Thank all that is heavenly possible for Ms. Williams Brown. Thanks to her, I have regained faith in my generation and especially women my age. This book is just plain wonderful and I wish it was around when I was younger, but what ya gonna do? It is full of wonderful advice, so good that I just reread it this month! Go buy it and read it, then go enjoy her blog.

~

This post was brought to you by a photo of me on the Eiffel Tower, circa 2010, taken by my sister:

I still have that jacket, believe it or not.

~

Side note: After reading Night Film, as I briefly talked about here, I have to say one thing to Ms. Pessl: you just had to kill the supernatural angle that late in the game, didn't ya?

*If I had finished The Goldfinch in time for this list, Ms. Tartt and Ms. Williams Brown would be sharing the literary crown, as Ms. Teng and Ms. Calvi are already doing for music.

**God, I still want to be a storm chaser and this book didn't help at all.

Best of 2013: Album Edition

Okay, here we are. Everyone has already released their best-of-the-year lists. And like everyone else, I have lists of my own. Yet, it is late and not as varied in some multimedia departments. I only saw two movies of worth: The World's End and Pacific Rim, so no movie list this time. But I do have enough for books and music, as always.

So to kick things off, here are my ten favorite albums of the year!

10. AMOK by Atoms for Peace
  I originally wanted to name this as my album of 2013, but future releases would knock it down this low on the list. I see the ordering in lists as arbitrary, so it being here isn't a bad thing at all. So Atoms for Peace, which is several members of Radiohead and a Radiohead producer, made their debut with this fine album. It contains the minor hit "Default" and my personal favorite "Ingenue". Hope to hear from them again. Until then, will there be a new Radiohead album?

9. Nepenthe by Julianna Barwick
  Man, don't you love it when favorite artists make new albums every couple of years? Yeah, I do too. When I heard Barwick was releasing something new in 2013, I was very excited. Of course, she delivered with another excellent, haunting album full of evocative songs. I know people have done this kind of music in the past, but it's nice to see it revived and appreciated in the 21st century. Favorite track: "Pyrrhic".

8. The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You by Neko Case
  After falling in love with Middle Cyclone, I eagerly awaited her latest release. It helped that I follow her on Twitter and she talked about the album a ton prior to its release. Once I popped it into iTunes and gave it a listen, I knew that she was someone I can count on to release quality material, even after long breaks between albums and tours. Though I cite "Wild Creatures" as my favorite song, "Nearly Midnight, Honolulu" is quite powerful and haunting in its simplicity. Like Case, I hope this kid will break free from their mother and know that they are loved by those less cruel.

7. Nature Noir by Crystal Stilts
  God, I wish this band (like everyone else I like) were more popular. Everyone badly wants another Joy Division. For some reason, The National are cited as the American reincarnation of the iconic band. Ehhh... Crystal Stilts can kindly take that title and run the eff away with it. You see, everyone thinks Joy Division is a lot more grandiose than they really are. They're pure rockers. And at least, Crystal Stilts sticks to that part and do it very well. Their latest is no exception. Favorite track: "Future Folklore".*

6. Ice on the Dune by Empire of the Sun
  After hearing the first single "Alive", I got a little worried. While I did like it, it didn't grab me until repeat listens. Nonetheless, I feared the sophomore slump from my favorite Australian dance duo. I took the plunge and bought the album regardless of my fears. I found them to be unfounded. With tracks like "Surround Sound" (I think it's great, shut up) and "Old Flavours", "Alive" was just an outlier in the whole package. I am glad that "DNA", my favorite track, was released as a single. The video, though, left a lot to be desired.

5. and that's your time by THEESatisfaction
  I didn't buy this album until early this month, but I badly wanted to count them in this list. Of course, the risk is 'what if the album isn't that good' when doing something like that. Nope, no sophomore slump for these Seattle ladies! I was a bit surprised to see their new album without a label backing (wonder what happened?), but I wanted to support them regardless. Indie acts need the support of their fans more than ever as they journey into self-releasing. I am proud to support them with my patronage and fangirlism. Favorite track: "Queen Country (4 Women)". Close your eyes and get swept away in the beats and rhymes.

4. Heartthrob by Tegan and Sara
  I'm no spring chicken with these dynamic ladies, I knew of their existence long before this album. Yet, it took this to get me to finally listen to their music. And I have to say I am not only very impressed, but I look forward to digging into their catalog. I understand that their earlier works aren't as electronic and poppy, but hey, they can go electric and still rule acoustic, right? And it also helped that this album was played over and over at my job. Favorite song: "I'm Not Your Hero".

3. UZU by Yamantaka // Sonic Titan
  I forgot who or what introduced me to this band, but whoever it was... thank you. I've been wanting a solid metal group to patronize. This Canadian act mixes heavy metal, prog rock, and noh theater costumes and concepts to create a beautiful blend of artful music that captures the listener and sweeps them away into stories that are gorgeous and horrific. Favorite track: "Hall of Mirrors". Rapping section FTW!

2. We the Common by Thao and the Get Down Stay Down
  Again, Bitch Magazine gets the kudos for introducing me to this band via their music reviews. After reading it, I sought out the album as soon as possible. It is such a solid, rocking album with wonderful undertones of country rock and soulful singing done by the band's namesake. Favorite track is "City", though "Holy Roller" will always remind me of walking down the sidewalks of San Francisco.

1. Tie: Aims by Vienna Teng and One Breath by Anna Calvi
  As before, women are crowned the music rulers of 2013.
  Teng makes her glorious return after taking a few years off to attend grad school and finish with a Masters degree. That, along with the recent sociopolitical environment (which was more prevalent since she moved to Detroit), inspired her to make a passionate plea for various causes: the 99% movement ("In the 99"), wasteful delivery systems ("Landsailor"), and trying to live in a city falling in despair ("Close to Home"). Favorite song: "Level Up". And sadly no, I didn't contribute to her Kickstarter video. I would've, but money was very bad at the time.
  As for Calvi, her return is marked with passion, but for different reasons. Mourning the loss of a beloved family member, she takes these emotions and channels them into an album that is not only beautiful but so heartbreaking. It's been a while since I heard an album this intimate. The moment I hit 'play', I knew this wasn't like her first album. And that is a very good thing. Favorite song: "Piece By Piece".

~

So there ya go. 2013 was a solid year for music**. Hope 2014 continues that streak (which seems like it so far). Thanks to all the musicians who put something out this year and to the newcomers that took the big leap.

This post was brought to you by my theme song of 2014***:



*Wow, not much of a review and more of a ranty-fest on The National. I don't really dislike the band at all, I think "Anyone's Ghost" and "Conversation 16" are amazing songs. I'm just tired of the myth that Joy Division were proto-emo. They weren't, y'all.

**Though funny enough, some music critics have called 2013 one of the worst years in recent memory. Well, that's what happens when you listen to crappy music stations. You have to look for the good stuff. I hope to prove that it isn't the equivalent of pulling hen's teeth.

***When I said this on Twitter, Vienna Teng favorited it. Needless to say, it made my day.

*meme does not belong to me*