Sensationalize Me

Since my last post I've been pottering about my house muttering angrily to myself, cursing the existence of others and the media; drinking tea and writing my novel like a true recluse. That might be a slight exaggeration but you get the idea.

I've genuinely been avoiding the News because it isn't worth the emotions it attempts to pry from my rib cage; it's been a long time since I'd gladly swallow contrived bullshit. As I've gotten older I've become more passionate about things that offend my morals and intelligence.
What offends me so much that I actually want to yell at the television like a mentalist is the shameless sensationalizing. Especially making a spectacle of tragic events. Focusing on the loss of a few individuals because their pain is the most interesting and enough to hold the world's attention for that bit longer than another's would. Pretending that our compassion extends that far and that we aren't just nosy, attention seeking, greedy creatures.

I asked myself if I'd have any interest in the world's events if the mass media didn't portray it so, if they left out all the human drama and conjecture that makes it more like a story, something we can relate too. The honest answer is I don't know, it would depend on the specific facts and if in any way it affected me. I do know I will always find the ogling of the private matters of an individual, of their family and their community heinous.

It's at this point I'd like to say that I am aware that it is not just journalists that sensationalize tragedy, that TV dramas and novels do the exact same thing. The vital difference for me is that they are fiction, no matter how closely based on actual events we all know what we're picking up or switching on is an exaggerated bias piece of drama. The characters aren't real people having their privacy invaded willingly or otherwise. We can dispose of them when we've had our fill, put them back on the shelf and forget about them because that's where they end. The lives of real people don't end when the cameras turn away, their pain doesn't end as soon as something equally as tragic occurs somewhere else but we all find it just as easy to eat them up and spit them out.

Curiosity killed humanity

I'm still reading Mystic River, taking my time with it so I don't scoff it like a donut and realise it's all gone. I've also got some new games that look interesting so I have a busy few weeks ahead of me. Oh, I watched Revolutionary Road last night, every time I see it I want the book, to see if it's hopelessly empty too.

Devon x

Indecisive Lazy Me

It's been a big week for me but I've still managed to do a lot of writing, I even like some of the drafts I've written. Paranoia is starting to loosen on my back, doubt is such an ugly thing. I have sadly been feeling quite ill lately, I'm constantly exhausted and that obviously impacts my writing and attention to grammar, not that grammar is really all that important anymore these days. 

I've always debated with myself "Which is more difficult, First Person Narrative or Third Person Narrative?" The only conclusion I've come to is that Second Person Narrative would either read like a letter or a self-help book, the latter being very unfortunate. I usually write in first person but that lacks omniscience, which is a very handy tool but you gain intimacy with the protagonist, perceiving the world as they do. Considering my story I wonder if it would benefit from many different perspectives. For this novel I feel Third Person suits it better but I might change my mind because I'm indecisive like that.

I'm happy with my characters so far though, I usually get rather attached to them and any that I don't get the boot. Harsh but necessary, having characters around that you can't even muster hate for are just dead weight. 

Probably what I look like ill.

Also this week my significant other bought me Mystic River by Dennis Lehane, I'll let you know what I think when I'm done and I'll even watch the film and do some comparing if it isn't too much of an effort for lazy me.

Devon x

Time Well Spent

Time, there's never enough and much of it is spent sleeping, if you're me. This month I'm starting a new project, my first novel wasn't good enough for me, so I'm starting another. This blog will be full of how much I hate everything I do, probably. My significant other says I'm hypercritical of my own work, I think hes bias.

Anyway this project is really exciting for me, it's something completely different from my last novel and needs a lot more research and imagination. I have two test readers at the moment, having to deal with my very rough work but they have  encouraging feedback which I really need. 
I realised I was spending too much time worrying about what strangers would think of it and not if I was enjoying it anymore. I write for myself mainly, I can't imagine anyone who is as fond of dark subject matter as me or likes long dialogue with plenty of colourful language. 
This time I've also created my own universe, which is something I was never brave enough to do. I think I've always been paranoid I'm not good enough to create every aspect of a characters world right down to their societies common beliefs. I have discovered it's actually quite fun. I mostly enjoy changing common attitudes our society has, to make myself feel better mostly and have my revenge!
Seriously though I'm going to have to improve my self discipline and avoid the Internet unless it's research otherwise I'll end up on Youtube or Facebook procrastinating like I always do when theres something important to be done. Sometimes I have to tell myself multiple times to stop doing something before I actually will stop, it's a serious problem. I need someone to stand over me and give me treats for doing work, life would be so rewarding then.

I'll keep you posted on how things go.

I'm glad someone is excited

Devon x