You down with MeDD
Apr. 13th, 2009 11:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
valis2So. I've decided I need a Mental Dictation Device.
The way I write is pretty straightforward. I have the kernel of an idea. I begin to think about the idea, and where it could go. This daydream state is just as important as the actual writing portion.
As I grow obsessed with the idea, I begin to write it in my head. I narrate it exactly as I would narrate it on a piece of paper, only because it's my mind, I jump ahead to other sections and combine some daydreaming with it.
Then I begin to actually write it physically. At this point, whenever I am not at the computer actively writing it, I am narrating large sections. Like, when I'm in the bathtub, or in bed, or driving, or at work. I start at the beginning of a scene, and I simply start mentally writing the text. The words appear exactly as they would for the page. If any of it is particularly interesting, I make a note of it somewhere.
The writing starts at the beginning. I don't skip ahead. If I've already thought of a section in my head, especially if I've thought of it multiple times, that section will be written fairly quickly. The connecting sequences might be a little clunky, but they'll be better after a bit of polish. As I write, I reread everything that came before first, unless the story is too big for that (I stop doing that around 15-20k, I'd say). In that case, I just read the section I'm working on.
If I had a MeDD, this would be so much easier. As I sat at work, writing a story in my head, it could be transferred via wireless connection to my MeDD, which would faithfully spool it all to the hard drive of my computer. Because I narrate texturally, as opposed to with images, I think that it would work out well. There are some days where I would estimate I've generated 5 or 6k of material. And then I have to go home and write it "again," in a way. The MeDD would be so useful, because sometimes I lose some of the better turns of phrase--I have a terrible memory. Though, as the flip side of the coin, I might lose some better phrases by only writing it once.
I'd just have to remember to turn it off when I start daydreaming about my Mary Sue characters. lol.
How about you? Any thoughts on writing processes? Would you welcome or curse a MeDD?
The way I write is pretty straightforward. I have the kernel of an idea. I begin to think about the idea, and where it could go. This daydream state is just as important as the actual writing portion.
As I grow obsessed with the idea, I begin to write it in my head. I narrate it exactly as I would narrate it on a piece of paper, only because it's my mind, I jump ahead to other sections and combine some daydreaming with it.
Then I begin to actually write it physically. At this point, whenever I am not at the computer actively writing it, I am narrating large sections. Like, when I'm in the bathtub, or in bed, or driving, or at work. I start at the beginning of a scene, and I simply start mentally writing the text. The words appear exactly as they would for the page. If any of it is particularly interesting, I make a note of it somewhere.
The writing starts at the beginning. I don't skip ahead. If I've already thought of a section in my head, especially if I've thought of it multiple times, that section will be written fairly quickly. The connecting sequences might be a little clunky, but they'll be better after a bit of polish. As I write, I reread everything that came before first, unless the story is too big for that (I stop doing that around 15-20k, I'd say). In that case, I just read the section I'm working on.
If I had a MeDD, this would be so much easier. As I sat at work, writing a story in my head, it could be transferred via wireless connection to my MeDD, which would faithfully spool it all to the hard drive of my computer. Because I narrate texturally, as opposed to with images, I think that it would work out well. There are some days where I would estimate I've generated 5 or 6k of material. And then I have to go home and write it "again," in a way. The MeDD would be so useful, because sometimes I lose some of the better turns of phrase--I have a terrible memory. Though, as the flip side of the coin, I might lose some better phrases by only writing it once.
I'd just have to remember to turn it off when I start daydreaming about my Mary Sue characters. lol.
How about you? Any thoughts on writing processes? Would you welcome or curse a MeDD?
(no subject)
Date: 2009-04-13 11:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-04-13 11:21 pm (UTC)Still, even if I could just get my hands on the text version, I'd be deliriously happy. *nodnod*
to sensory immersion (where I feel the sensations of the story as if I were the character in it).
Oooh, that sounds fascinating! Is it almost like you're looking out through the character's eyes? I'm very interested.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-04-13 11:36 pm (UTC)Yes, although it's not just visual. It's like I get ghost sensations of smells and touches and tastes and everything. Including emotional sensations. It's like I become split in two. Most of me is sitting at the computer (or lying in bed, or taking a shower or whatever) and the other part of me has become the character entirely. And echoes of that second part resonate down into the first, physical part of me.
It's a bit like a dream in terms of real but not-real, except I'm awake and have all the real-life sensory goings-on in competition with the dream sensations.
It's the least frequent of the story-creation states I get into (the other two are practically my default state) and it only happens when I'm doing some hard-core imagining. When in that state, I usually end up muttering to myself and making twitching little gestures and expressions as imaginary actions bleed over. My mother has said that it looks very odd.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-04-13 11:50 pm (UTC)Wow, this is fascinating. I sometimes do try to put myself in the character's shoes, but my imagination is quite fuzzy, and it's very difficult to maintain any sort of image for long.
In fact, I've tried to meditate before, but the whole concept of holding an image of a rose in one's mind is alien to me. It lasts only a split second, and then turns into something else. Hell, it's pretty fuzzy to begin with. Text, though, burns right along my neural paths, and seems to have no problem.
It's the least frequent of the story-creation states I get into (the other two are practically my default state) and it only happens when I'm doing some hard-core imagining. When in that state, I usually end up muttering to myself and making twitching little gestures and expressions as imaginary actions bleed over. My mother has said that it looks very odd.
Totally interesting. When I'm really deep into a h/c scenario, it can get super intense, but generally it still stays only partially visual, mostly textual. There are some feelings involved, some emotions, but it doesn't sound quite the same.
Though if I do get super super into something, I sometimes will accidentally say things aloud. *grins*