Sunday, February 19, 2017

A Week in Writing #130

This week I heard from one of the readers of this blog and that they actually get something from reading it. Very pleased to hear that. When I sit down to write these posts, I really don't know if anyone really reads them or not and more importantly gets anything out of them. I see the 16 to 20 page views and that's really enough, though I would like it to reach a larger group, but I am writing this mostly and perhaps selfishly for myself; I'll admit to that. I'm hoping my weeks of trying to write will help someone else realize they are not alone and if that helps someone then that's really great to know.

A lot seems to be happening with the comic book. We got pages from everyone this week, artist, colorist and letterer. That doesn't mean that everything is always running like a well-oiled machine, I don't know if any collaborative project ever runs without a hitch; even though I'm paying them, we've gone back in forth this week on what might appear to minor things in the long run, but which we think really matter. What photos would be on someone's credenza? What angles would video be shot from? Small, but important to establishing a sense of reality within the story.  If you're keeping track, we're up to page 16 with the recolor of issue #1, page 8 with the re-lettering of the same issue and up to page 8 with the artwork in issue #3.

Had a very informative discussion with another story creator on Friday morning. A friend of a friend that we had actually met at last year's San Diego Comic-Con talked with Paul and I about both the issues with issue #1, most of which we were already aware of, but more about trying to build an audience for the story as well as other issues. Really appreciate him spending the time with us and his ideas were really getting us going on next steps. Stay tuned.

Did some writing on my own Familiar Stranger. Trying to get into the action as quickly as possible and decided what to do over the weekend. Had other reasons to go, but decided to use the La Brea Tar Pits as an entrance point into the story, with my main character, a private detective, observing a couple rendezvousing there. Was able to scope it out and I think I know how to get going.

Besides the Tar Pits, went to a book reading in Chinatown. One of Paul's professors from college was launching a book and we went along to check it out and to have dinner. I must admit I had never been to a reading before and was really curious how one works.

There were two other writers, whose credits I was unfamiliar with, who did a couple of readings from their own works. A little esoteric for me, one read two different writings, both of which ended up revolving around the death of her father, though I believe one selection was really about a book dealing with a 14-year-old Mexican girl being forced into prostitution by her Grandmother. The other writer read a story from his phone about relationships and lemon reamers, the latter being something I never really gave any thought to but which seemed to be a very important thing to him. The other was a reading from his own work that didn't really work for me.

These writers were sort of the opening act to the main writer whose book was what we were there to celebrate. His was a very personal sort of stream of consciousness work about his life. Again, being a college professor some of his concerns were not mine, but he still made an emotional connection with me, especially when he wrote about his life as a father with a newborn son. The whole reading took less than an hour. Not sure all readings were like this, but it turned out to be an interesting experience nonetheless. Makes you wonder what your own reading would be like if ever provides the opportunity and occasion.

Given the travels, this weekend has not been very productive writing-wise. First, I didn't have time for my Writer's Digest class about blogging and no time to write a new review, though I do have the next one in mind. Did publish my usual Saturday morning review, this time for 9 (2009), an animated film about a very dystopian world. Still working on my Academy Awards Review Hub. I think I got myself in deep with a much bigger project than I originally anticipated. We've reviewed more Academy nominated films than I had imagined.

Tomorrow is a holiday so hoping to get some writing done. Hopefully, I can get further with Familiar Stranger and report back here about it.

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