ACTIVITY: Character Development
As previously announced, I have undertaken a mini quest, the purpose of which is quite simple - to be me.
I have to believe for my own sanity that there are many out there that agree with me when I say that sometimes being just "me" is hard. This is because so often, in my case, I am "Matt and Jill," "the bartender," "the cousin," "the friend," "the daughter," etc. And though I LOVE being all those things, and they are 100% a part of who I am, I recognize that my nature leads me to chose being these things -and attending to the obligations that go with- much more often than I chose being just "me" and doing the things that maybe just I love. It's sort of a mom syndrome type thing, though of course the only babies I have are my baby dogs.
Part of reason I entertain this little blog is to remind myself of the things I love to do and to give me an added incentive to actually do them when life pulls me inevitably toward much more boring pursuits.
And so. I took a writing class this past weekend!
And while on break, I ate at the bar of a little cafe near Union Square by myself, pulled out my journal and wrote - just like I had seen people do countless times at the bars I tend <---- I've always wanted to be one of those people.Here's what I jotted down for you:
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I digress.
Xavier High School was where Gotham Writer's Workshop (there is a Groupon deal going on right now, by the way!) was offering this weekend's one-day intensive workshop. I took Character Development. It seemed like a great place to start and actually, the whole day was surprisingly well structured and nicely informative.
Some of the things we covered:
It was a fun day - motivating and a nice refresher. It reminded me to reign in my big white pillowy sentences and to focus on just giving them purpose.
I have to believe for my own sanity that there are many out there that agree with me when I say that sometimes being just "me" is hard. This is because so often, in my case, I am "Matt and Jill," "the bartender," "the cousin," "the friend," "the daughter," etc. And though I LOVE being all those things, and they are 100% a part of who I am, I recognize that my nature leads me to chose being these things -and attending to the obligations that go with- much more often than I chose being just "me" and doing the things that maybe just I love. It's sort of a mom syndrome type thing, though of course the only babies I have are my baby dogs.
Part of reason I entertain this little blog is to remind myself of the things I love to do and to give me an added incentive to actually do them when life pulls me inevitably toward much more boring pursuits.
And so. I took a writing class this past weekend!
And while on break, I ate at the bar of a little cafe near Union Square by myself, pulled out my journal and wrote - just like I had seen people do countless times at the bars I tend <---- I've always wanted to be one of those people.Here's what I jotted down for you:
* * * *
High school, you may be surprised to learn, is high school no matter which one you walk into. At 31 years old, this is first time in almost 13 years that I've stepped foot into one and I was actually shocked to find all the similarities. The one I visited, Xavier on W. 17th, smells the same as my high school. My shoes clack on the title floors here just the same as my principal's had all those years ago. The chairs with their built-in desk tops are still cold to the touch when you get into them and so slick that you can swivel your butt back and forth in your seat. I'm certain I have every one of those framed photos in my own album, only mine with different faces. Our instructor's voice echoed into the hallways just the same even when the door was closed and I was hard pressed not to raise my hand and beg permission to use the restroom half way through the day.
My attention even wandered away as it once had when I was 18. This surprised me. After all, I really wanted to be here this time round. I chose this class specifically. I excitedly anticipated the day. I woke up early and make it there with 20 minutes to spare (so not the class when I was actually in high school). And still, when we returned from lunch, I had to tell myself to focus. I had to will myself to listen and engage. To take full advantage of this rare educational treat that I have allowed myself time for. But oh, how I loved the day dreams. When was the last time you really daydreamed? Sure, you get glimpses of it during your commute maybe, or while waiting in an office for your turn to be called in. But when was the last time you daydreamed so hard, with the hum of an instructor's voice rhythmically lulling you into this peaceful state, your thoughts so detailed that your mouth practically moves along with the words in your head? Even that moment when you wake to find that your thoughts had slipped away from you is sweet. For a second, you're almost shy and embarrassed, like everyone knew you were miles away. But of course, they do not and that secret daydream is yours alone to keep forever.
Oh, and doodling is super fun. I apparently doodle the same way now and I always have!
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I doodled every minute of every day in high school. After this weekend's class, I'm starting to think that I majored in art because I mistook my love of doodling for a love of drawing. Don't get me wrong, I really like fine arts, but I never once wanted to make a living at it.
I digress.
Xavier High School was where Gotham Writer's Workshop (there is a Groupon deal going on right now, by the way!) was offering this weekend's one-day intensive workshop. I took Character Development. It seemed like a great place to start and actually, the whole day was surprisingly well structured and nicely informative.
Some of the things we covered:
* Primary and Secondary Characters and what they "desire."
* Contrast and Complexity in a character's personality and how it creates interest.
* Communicating your character - by "telling" and by "showing"
* Character Arcs and how the reader craves some sort of change to occur.
We did writing exercises along the way and read some out to the class. And in the end, we "interviewed" a stranger and made a character out it by answering questions like these:
* What do you consider your greatest achievement?
* What is your idea of perfect happiness?
* What is your current state of mind?
* What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
* On what occasions do you lie?
It was a fun day - motivating and a nice refresher. It reminded me to reign in my big white pillowy sentences and to focus on just giving them purpose.
More topics have come from this, but you'll have to wait! A bar shift awaits!!
P.S., New Yorkers - Let me know if you buy into this Groupon and maybe we can get a group together again go. :)
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