Monday, July 2, 2007

Same Time, Different Story

Most of you know I'm not all that committed to the law school thing. LOL. I mean, I'm getting by, but what I really want is to write for a living. I don't need fame, I don't need glory... I just need a steady (or semi-steady) income that will allow me to put "Storyteller" on my resume. Bear with me, it's late. (g)

Anywho, I have a paper due in precisely 7 hours. It's not finished. Oh, I'll get it done... probably by the skin of my teeth, but that's me. As I usually do, I decided to catch a few winks to charge up my battery and then planned to push on until I finished. Be that two hours before class, or two minutes. (g) More likely the latter.

So, I go to bed... guess what hits me hardcore? Yup. If you know me, you've guessed it by now. My mind would not shutdown, but instead decided to work out the kinks in my short story. It was a lovely hour and a half of inspiration...then a miserable half hour as my body finally gave up, only to be awoken just as I fell asleep. I don't feel one bit refreshed.

What I have to show for my "nap" is a great deal of insight into how I'm going to weave my short story together. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it won't go quite as smoothly as I'm imagining... but I now have a firm idea of how I'm going to layout the story, in what I hope is a coherent fashion.

It's a bit tricky. I'm telling the story all from one POV (what else is there?), but in three distinct sections that will be interlaced together. One is sort of my MC narrating from the present... The second is my MC in real time in a scene from the past, and the third is my MC narrating/experiencing another series of scenes.... all leading up to a point where they all three meld together for the big "Aha" moment. OH man, doesn't that sound wonderful? Yeah, the actual writing of it will probably drive me insane...but I can hope for the best. (g)

I had to take a few minutes to write this post, because dang it... this is what it's like being me, the writer. (g) I swear to the heavens, I could SO be that tortured artist in the barren room, a single bald lightbulb swinging from the ceiling... haven't showered for days...slouched over the computer, just typing my little fingers down to the nub. I tell ya, I'm one heartbeat away. (g)

Does this happen to you?? Gah, tell me I'm not alone in this. :)

8 comments:

Kait Nolan said...

I believe the term is attic garret :) And where's your absynth?

Susan Adrian said...

Jen:

Okay. I'm gonna say the obvious, having read these same sentiments several times. {s}

Why are you in law school?

You don't seem to like it; you don't seem to want to be a lawyer. And you know I'm behind you on your quest to be a published writer--but almost all of those still need day jobs too. Isn't there a day job you can get that you would be passionate about, that would also allow you time for writing?

Just curious. Gah, I sound like an old meddling woman. {g}

Jennifer Hendren said...

Susan,

Oh girl, I know! LOL. I've had this argument with myself more times than I care to admit. To be 100% honest, when I received my acceptance letter, I was crushed. I absolutely DID NOT want to go. But at the time, I'd been working on COTM for a couple of months -- if that -- and had no idea if the whole writing thing would stick this time 'round.

Then after my first year, I knew 200% that I didn't want to be a lawyer...but at that point, it felt weird to just drop out, no matter how strong the urge. I mean, I made it through the worst year... the rest should fly by, right?

Yeah, now I'm at the point where I'm just stubbornly hanging on to get the degree. I figure it will help me do _something_ eventually, even if it's not a legal career. Not that I wouldn't be willing to ditch it should the BIG DEAL come out of the sky... Okay...keeping it _real_. I stick with it because my family would flip out if I quit now. They know I don't want to be a lawyer, but I don't think they've fully accepted the idea. (g) Can't blame 'em. I'm a walking, talking contradiction.

I wear myself out. lol.

Jen

Jennifer Hendren said...

Maggie,

I was actually thinking a bare, Cabrine Green room. (g) Is that how you spell that? You know -- where Candyman lives? The projects with flies buzzing round the toilets?

LOL -- yeah, bear with me. I'm going on no sleep here.

Oh man, absynth...that brought on images of Ewan. *sigh*

Jen

Susan Adrian said...

Jen:

[it felt weird to just drop out, no matter how strong the urge.]

You know? I had JUST that feeling recently...when considering whether to drop TMT for consideration and change tracks. But dude, I have NEVER felt such relief as when I just let go and told myself that nobody was making me do it, and I could stop without considering myself a failure.

Jennifer Hendren said...

Susan,

Yeah, I have to say I've experienced that load off before in my life. It's a wonderful feeling. :) Actually, I experience it every time I finish finals. LOL.

*one more year...one more year* (g)

Jen

Susan Adrian said...

Jen:
Oh, only one more year! That does make a difference. I was thinking it was 2. :)

Jennifer Hendren said...

Susan,

Yeah... Just. One. Short. Year. Gak. (g)

Jen