AKA – How I spent my summer vacation

Which wasn’t really a summer vacation, it was an extra day off for the holiday. But that’s like a summer vacation and I got to level my character higher than I have in over a month. My gaming character, not my story character. That would be so cool, wouldn’t it? If you could just point and click and use a pretty graphic interface to project your character through their story visually and just have something in the background write all the nifty thoughts you’re thinking while it happens that are related to the story? Not like “nachos would be good” but like “and then he says something witty” except it actually puts something witty in your story.

Which, is kind of my point, amidst the very run-on sentences that I pretend are valid stream of consciousness. I was thinking about my stories over the weekend. Because I’m desperate to start writing again and haven’t been able to get into it. But I had this idea, right? I was talking about it for a few days last week, so I was pondering why I haven’t been able to start it. Process went kind of like this.

Me: *thinkthinkthinkthinkthink* maybe it’s because I’m trying to write a YA story, and you really want something more adult. Maybe I need to change the POV character. Or their conflicts. Or…

Pst…hey you.

Me: Huh, what?

Maybe it needs a change of setting

Me: Uh…like Seattle? It’s pretty there. New York? I’ve never been there. I’d have a hard time writing it.

I was thinking more like not here

Me: Yeah. Seattle.

*sigh*. Let me put this another way. Maybe it needs ninja assasin chicks in spandex trying to save the world from demonic forces

Me: What? No. This is literary fiction. The story of the trials and tribulations of every-day people who realize they’re capable of extraordinary things.

Like zombie assasination?

Me: Like introspection and personal growth.

*yawn* Boring. Since when do you like stuff like that?

Me: Since always.

Look, I don’t have time for this. I’ll lay it out simple for you. Try and keep up. You don’t watch chick flicks because they tend to bore you. You couldn’t stand Sex in the City so this isn’t going to be chick-lit. Unless you’re feeling particularly ponderous, you fall asleep during movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind…

Me: Excuse me! I like movies like that. Little Miss Sunshine. Inception…

*ahem* Still talking. And you’ve proven my point. Inception was eye candy. Maybe it made you think, but that wasn’t what kept you enthralled.

Me: The Social Network

Fast Paced, intense because of the incredible pacing, for the most part only focused on some very dramatic scenes, and oh yeah, it makes you feel smart that you can keep up with the nerdspeak. Doesn’t count. Are you done interrupting?

Me: No

Yes. Fantastic. As I was saying, if anyone asks you what your favorite stories are, as a genre, you always say “high action.” Doesn’t matter if there’s minimal plot, you like to see well-choreographed fight scenes, and you squeal every time there’s a new ‘Avengers’ movie coming out. So just think for a minute. Why would you work so hard to take that out of your own work?

Me: It’s not intellectual.

Neither. Are. You. You’re intelligent, sure. But last time you had an in-depth conversation with someone…it was about why Tony Stark rocked. Don’t do this to yourself. Put the action scenes back in. Let your characters be all thought-provoking either during or after the butt-kicking. Bring the guns back. And the fight scenes. And…are you getting this yet?

Me: *pouts* no.

Fantastic. Glad to hear it. You know you want to. Go write it, and have fun.

I’m not the only one who talks to myself, am I? And how wise or un-wise would it be to try and open this earphone case with the paper cutter in the next room?