The Secrets of Genre and Process: Can Someone Just, You Know, Give Them To Me?

So, I've been tagged in one of these "pay it forward-" or is it "tag - you're it" blog meme thingies.  I only said yes because it was Marie at MY CYBER HOUSE RULES who invited me.  She's one of my best internet friendishes whom I've only met in the world of TRON and The Lawnmower Man.  She's a liver of life (one who lives life to the fullest - not the squishy organ), a singular force for positivity and adventure.  Go now, and read her blog and look at her insightful photographs.  Go on - I'll wait.

...wait wait wait...

See?  She's fun, non?  Anyway, my task was to answer a few simple questions, so let's get to it.

One:  WHAT AM I WORKING ON?

Simple.  Nothing.  I've reached a bit of a crossroads with this blog.  I write a lot of little back-stories for the 700 HOBO names John Hodgman gave us in his brilliant and hilarious almanac of fake facts, "The Areas of My Expertise."  Please go buy it.  I also sometimes write ABOUT MYSELF.  I'm pretty sure the average blog reader is not interested in weird hobo fiction, and the average hobo fiction enthusiast doesn't want to hear about my MANY STINTS ON THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.  So, one thing on which I'm working is deciding where to go next, blog-wise - if I continue at all.

What I *SHOULD* be working on is my novel.  I've done several National Novel Writing Months, and several of the Camp NaNoWriMo sessions, and last year, I produced something that might actually be workable.  I should be working on that, but apart from editorial stuff, I have no clue about next steps, and at the moment, I am falling victim to a self-destructive "If I don't try, I can't fail" mindset.  I'll get there, though.  In the meantime, here's a glimpse of two of the three main characters, although this scene is not in the book:  HERE - CLICK HERE!!.

Two:  HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF ITS GENRE?

I'd like to tell you all the ways in which my work differs from and is superior to everything else in my genre, but to be perfectly honest... WHAT GENRE?  I started with BIZARRO TALES of my formative years, moved through almost two years of the UNEMPLOYMENT thing (also liberally-sprinkled with utter bullshit), before moving into the WORLD OF THE HOBO.

So, yeah.  I don't really have a genre.  And that's okay, for now.  

Three:  WHY DO I WRITE WHAT I WRITE?

Because I have to?  I like putting words together, preferably in new and distinctive ways.  In everyday life, I often have immense difficulty in keeping my mouth shut.  And so it is when there's a keyboard in front of me.  I have to write. 

If we're talking about why I write the hobo stuff, the main reason is... because I've started.  I can't write about some of the 700 hoboes; I have to write about all of them.  It's a mild form of OCD, I'm sure.

Four:  HOW DOES MY WRITING PROCESS WORK?

Process?  What's a process?  Okay, I'll try to be serious for a second.  Process is very personal.  My day job is relatively menial, and I get to listen to my 11,000-song iPod most of the day.  I get a LOT of my inspiration from music.  That, and dreams, and the works of those whose work I adore:  Douglas Adams, Mark Leyner, Christopher Moore, Steve Martin, Loren Bouchard, and whoever writes the TV show "Archer."  

When I have an idea for a blog post, I wait until way too late at night, and crank out mostly harmless silliness for a rum-soaked hour or two, show it to [Maris], proofread, touch up, and post.

When I embark on a novel project (which I have yet to attempt outside of the compressed schedule of a NaNoWriMo event), I turn on the music and set my laptop on our old computer desk's monitor pedestal, and stand and type.  I get my characters talking (dialogue has evolved into one of my strengths), and let them tell me their stories.  It's all very organic.  Research is done on the fly, and I read each day's work to [M] for feedback.  Okay, sometimes, if it's going really well, I don't read her the "dailies;" I just keep writing.  

I tell stories, and my writing is in many ways simply a transcription of my conversations - real, imagined, and various combinations thereof - and as such, I feel that once it's been typed, it's been typed.  The words are out, and they should be changed as little as possible.  This is a recipe for complete and utter failure as a writer, and I'm working on it, but there it is.  It's not much of a process, but it has been pretty good to me, so far.

There.  Questions answered.  Now, for the fun part.  I get to tag a couple of my blogging friends.  I couldn't get three to commit, but here are two people whose work is worth a look - I promise:

1.)  There is seriously a little bit of everything at L.M. Leffew's CHAOTICALLY YOURS.  Her writing is crisp and smart and just go check out her blog, please.  Read more than one post.  She's cool.

2.)  Speaking of cool, check out Vinny C's blog AS VINNY C's IT.  He's from the southern reaches of the Caribbean, but don't be jealous.  His life is just like ours.  His perspective, however, is fresh and funny - plus, stick figure 'toons!  Go.  Click.  Enjoy!

3)  I was supposed to tag three people for this, but I only got two to play along.  So... go to their blogs twice, or something.

Thanks for hanging in there until the end of this little exercise.  I'll be back as soon as I think of something.  Tah!

A Valid Question

How will I choose...

What Are You Doing Here?

What?

I said, what are you doing here?

I don't understand the question.

It's very simple.  I'm not sure I can make it simpler.  What.  Are.  You.  Doing.  Here.

Here?  Like, here on this blog?

Exactly.  What are you doing?

I'm... 

You're?

I'm?

You're...

I'm... None of your beeswax, you disembodied voice.  I started a blog.  I write stuff.  I post it.  Then, a dozen people turn up to read it (maybe two dozen, on a really good day).  Anyway - it's mine.  And what I do here is my concern, not yours.

Okay, look.  Maybe we got off on the wrong foot...

Yeah, the wrong-- wait.  You have feet?

Don't change the subject!

What subject?  You just showed up and started picking at me about... I don't know what... my *intentions* with my blog?  Is that it?

That's it.  What do you think it is that you are actually doing here?

Ah - you're thrown off by all the hobo stuff.  No worries.  I've got a page that EXPLAINS THE HOBOES...

No.  We understand the hoboes.  John Hodgman.  Back stories for his list of hobo names.  We get it.  And no, we don't even care to ask whether you plan on doing all 700 of them.  Make 'em a separate blog.  Don't make 'em a separate blog.  Do 'em all.  Stop now.  We don't give a rat's red rump.  That's neither here nor there.

Okay - that's kind of a relief, because if I'm being honest, I really don't know where I'm going with the whole hobo thing.  But, if that's not it, then just what are you asking, you who seem to have become plural?

What are you doing here?  How hard is that?

It's harder than it sounds, if you're asking existential questions of a blog and/or its blogger...

You need a minute?  We're totally okay with you taking a minute...


2,640 minutes later...

Okay.  Done.  I don't need any more minutes.

You have an answer?

Yes.

To "What are you doing here?"

Yes.

Alright, then.  Let's hear it.

You aren't going to like it.

We never said there's a wrong answer, did we?  Come on - out with it.

Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you about how very much you should be prepared to not like it...

It's fine.  GO.

I don't know, and I don't care.

What.

See?

No, no.  It's cool.  You don't know what you're doing here, and you don't care.

Correct.

You don't care what about what you're doing, or you don't care that you don't know?

Both?

We find you annoying.  Go back to your hoboes.  Wait - are you going to move the hoboes to their own blog, or what?  We noticed the new layout, here.  Kudos on your decision to stop making your readers' eyes bleed with that green-on-black text!

I find YOU annoying.  And I think that for now, the hoboes can stay here.  I may not know what I'm doing here, but I generally enjoy it, and the thought of doing whatever it is that I am doing on two separate blogs is just wholly unappealing.

Can we ask again in a month or two?

Oh, would you please?  That would be great.


An attempt at matching the not-the-same-old-writing-prompt from my buddies at STUDIO 30 PLUS with a not-the-same-old-post.  And yes, I really don't know what I'm doing, here (I might care a little bit, though).

LOOK OVER THERE!!

STUDIO30PLUS

Made you look!  Well, hopefully I made you look.  Check it out.  The very nice people at S30P are so very nice, they made me their Featured Writer Of The Day for Friday, December 7th, 2012.

I know!  I'm pretty excited about it.  Nervous, too.  You see, S30P is an online community of over 400 fellow bloggers, many of whom have published books, and most of whom are really good writers and clever, witty people - so it can be a little intimidating to novices such as myself.  They are very kind, though.  In fact, I often think of S30P as my own little support group.

Please visit us there, today.  

And if  you're a blogger, or thinking of becoming one, please join.  We're an extremely supportive bunch!

Oh - and if you're too lazy-- I mean, busy to click on the links above, I'll post today's Featured Writer piece here in Mostly Harmless Drivelville in the near future.  It's a good one, about turning forty while your body goes kablooey.

Did I mention that it has pictures?  Like this:

 Now, just what does THAT have to do with turning 40?  Intriguing, right?  Go see for yourself.  It'll all make sense.

I don't see how you can wait, really.  

GO!

GO NOW!!

Here's that link again...

S30P Featured Writer Of The Day - December 7th, 2012