Complex Stories
June 14, 2001
7:15 a.m.
Americans as a whole tend to be a little slow on the uptake of great social issues. But now there's hope. Perhaps now they will begin to take life a little more seriously. After all, this news hits us right where we live -- right in the television set. What am I talking about? I saw news today that NBC is going to broadcast Leno without television lighting in order to save some of California's vastly stretched energy. I'm sure they'll have a great deal of fun with it. Me, I just thought it was a little silly. But then, heck, it's television. Silly is as silly does.   How's that for a cynical comment? Work moves forward on the novel. I did get sidetracked for a night as I sorted through some issues with my video drivers, but I'm through storyboarding about 40% of the tale. Things are looking up. With a little luck I'll get into the meat of the next draft by early next week. Then it's all downhill from there. Doing a storyboard this way is really useful. It's hard for me because I have to pull myself away from the words themselves, and look at overarching issues. I, like I assume most writers would say, enjoy working with the words. But looking at the story flow forward on a wall is interesting in itself. More importantly, it shows you where things don't latch up overly well...or maybe not at all, which is a problem we'll not talk about. It works for me, I guess, because I'm a graphical person. Yes, I write outlines often. But complex stories don't come alive for me (in the making, anyway) until I can see it sprawled out in front of me. Then I can study. Then I can analyze. Then I can see why it doesn't work to have an event occur here--bit if it were to happen there it would be smooth and supportable. Maybe it's just me. Regardless. I'm pleased with things, slow as they are. And I think they're coming together. Have a great day.  Daily Persistence is © Ron Collins |
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