Comments on: Writing Excuses Episode 2: Blending the Familiar and the Original http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/ Fifteen minutes long, because you're in a hurry, and we're not that smart. Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:26:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Valtrex. http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-5259 Valtrex. Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:35:46 +0000 http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-5259 <strong>Buy valtrex without prescription.</strong> Valtrex. How much valtrex do you take for fever blisters. Buy valtrex without prescription.

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]]> By: Charity http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-354 Charity Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:46:59 +0000 http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-354 Hey, I am a huge fan of Brandon's books and I found this podcast through his website. I'm just wondering, after listening to this podcast, how important is it to come up with something completely original? It seems every time I tell someone about something I'm writing they immediately come back with "Oh, you mean like (X)?" And it gets really frustrating, as I do want to come up with something nobody has done. I guess I'm feeling like there will always being something out there that is similar to what I'm doing, or trying to do, if it's in the characters or the setting or the plot itself. Should I worry about it or should I just write? Hey, I am a huge fan of Brandon’s books and I found this podcast through his website. I’m just wondering, after listening to this podcast, how important is it to come up with something completely original? It seems every time I tell someone about something I’m writing they immediately come back with “Oh, you mean like (X)?” And it gets really frustrating, as I do want to come up with something nobody has done. I guess I’m feeling like there will always being something out there that is similar to what I’m doing, or trying to do, if it’s in the characters or the setting or the plot itself. Should I worry about it or should I just write?

]]> By: Mike Barker http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-111 Mike Barker Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:18:29 +0000 http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-111 FWIW - I summarized (okay, wrote down key points and some stuff that caught my ear) from this episode over at http://mbarker.livejournal.com/59057.html FWIW - I summarized (okay, wrote down key points and some stuff that caught my ear) from this episode over at http://mbarker.livejournal.com/59057.html

]]> By: stacy http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-74 stacy Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:29:03 +0000 http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-74 I was just thinking during my drive to work this morning how my current reading is a great example of this idea you guys are talking about. If you've never read The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley, you should--it's a fun romp of a series. He takes the idea of a modern fairy tale retelling (or retelling fairy tales at all)--both of which have become a more mundane idea now--and throws in the idea that the two sisters are descendants of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm (also a fairly mundane idea, though more original)--and that the fairy tale creatures from stories are real and living trapped in a community in upstate New York. Combine all those things together--all of which have touches of originality but have been done at least in part before--and you have a very original concept for a story. But I agree that what brings it to *life* is characterization and plot and worldbuilding. The idea is just your starting point, one that grows as you write. So I don't think, Mike, that a writer should spend years looking for that original idea--nor do I think the guys here are advocating that. What I think they're saying is that as you're writing your current project, allow other ideas to seep in. They may not apply to this project. If not, write them down and save them for later. Or they might just be that one thing you were looking for that will make the current project that much more exciting. I was just thinking during my drive to work this morning how my current reading is a great example of this idea you guys are talking about. If you’ve never read The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley, you should–it’s a fun romp of a series. He takes the idea of a modern fairy tale retelling (or retelling fairy tales at all)–both of which have become a more mundane idea now–and throws in the idea that the two sisters are descendants of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm (also a fairly mundane idea, though more original)–and that the fairy tale creatures from stories are real and living trapped in a community in upstate New York. Combine all those things together–all of which have touches of originality but have been done at least in part before–and you have a very original concept for a story.

But I agree that what brings it to *life* is characterization and plot and worldbuilding. The idea is just your starting point, one that grows as you write. So I don’t think, Mike, that a writer should spend years looking for that original idea–nor do I think the guys here are advocating that. What I think they’re saying is that as you’re writing your current project, allow other ideas to seep in. They may not apply to this project. If not, write them down and save them for later. Or they might just be that one thing you were looking for that will make the current project that much more exciting.

]]> By: Mike Oxley http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-67 Mike Oxley Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:14:57 +0000 http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-67 I don't know if the quest for an 'original' idea is the best quest for aspiring writers to be on. Too much time and effort can be wasted slaving to find that 'original' idea. I think the juxtaposition of the familiar and the strange is perhaps a better thing to quest for. For instance, if you hinge your whole story on one 'original' idea, and find that your idea has been done before (as most 'original' ideas have been) then you often will lose inspiration to continue your story. Juxtaposition solves this. As you've said in the podcast, find one common element (be that a normal setting or a cliched idea which has become common) and develop a twist on that element. This should give you a workable 'original' idea. But that isn't enough. Many good books out there use the same old hero's quest juxtaposed with a unique twist, but as Brandon points out it's the characters that make a story stand out and become a 'beloved' series to the readers. Wheel of Time is one such series. There are not a lot of original ideas there, just new twists on the same old themes, but it's the characters that give the books their life. I suppose finding the 'original' juxtaposed idea is a good start, but I would suggest writers not become trapped into wasting too much time in finding that. Better to develop the characters and conflicts while you let the 'original' ideas simmer on the back burner. Eventually you'll have gravy on that back burner, but it's no good without a main dish of characters in conflict to pour it over! I don’t know if the quest for an ‘original’ idea is the best quest for aspiring writers to be on. Too much time and effort can be wasted slaving to find that ‘original’ idea. I think the juxtaposition of the familiar and the strange is perhaps a better thing to quest for. For instance, if you hinge your whole story on one ‘original’ idea, and find that your idea has been done before (as most ‘original’ ideas have been) then you often will lose inspiration to continue your story. Juxtaposition solves this. As you’ve said in the podcast, find one common element (be that a normal setting or a cliched idea which has become common) and develop a twist on that element. This should give you a workable ‘original’ idea.

But that isn’t enough.

Many good books out there use the same old hero’s quest juxtaposed with a unique twist, but as Brandon points out it’s the characters that make a story stand out and become a ‘beloved’ series to the readers. Wheel of Time is one such series. There are not a lot of original ideas there, just new twists on the same old themes, but it’s the characters that give the books their life.

I suppose finding the ‘original’ juxtaposed idea is a good start, but I would suggest writers not become trapped into wasting too much time in finding that. Better to develop the characters and conflicts while you let the ‘original’ ideas simmer on the back burner. Eventually you’ll have gravy on that back burner, but it’s no good without a main dish of characters in conflict to pour it over!

]]> By: Jame http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-63 Jame Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:25:18 +0000 http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-63 Sun Tzu said in The Art of War, that each army is divided into two forces, the extraordinary force and the ordinary force, and that the key to keeping the enemy confused is to make them believe that the extraordinary is the ordinary and the ordinary is the extraordinary. This holds true for more than just war, I believe your podcast shows this. :) Sun Tzu said in The Art of War, that each army is divided into two forces, the extraordinary force and the ordinary force, and that the key to keeping the enemy confused is to make them believe that the extraordinary is the ordinary and the ordinary is the extraordinary. This holds true for more than just war, I believe your podcast shows this. :)

]]> By: Dan Wells http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-62 Dan Wells Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:14:51 +0000 http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-62 I'll agree with some of Mike's statement, with the caveat that an original idea is original whether people understand it or not. It might not be a useful or marketable idea, but that doesn't change it's originality. I’ll agree with some of Mike’s statement, with the caveat that an original idea is original whether people understand it or not. It might not be a useful or marketable idea, but that doesn’t change it’s originality.

]]> By: pneumonochrome http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-61 pneumonochrome Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:12:31 +0000 http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-61 mmmmmm..... gravy. mmmmmm….. gravy.

]]> By: Howard Tayler http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-60 Howard Tayler Wed, 20 Feb 2008 05:24:13 +0000 http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/17/writing-excuses-episode-2-blending-the-familiar-and-the-original/#comment-60 Oh, I don't know -- I think I agree with Mike. The reader has to be able to understand the juxtaposition in order for the novelty of the marriage of the mundane and the fantastic to work. What we provided in the podcast was the theory with few examples. Our listeners (those who wish to write, anyway) must now experiment with other juxtapositions, and find out what works. By the way, if you want to mix oil and water and have them stay mixed, here's how: boil the two together, add flour, salt, and some flavorings. Now you have gravy. Oh, I don’t know — I think I agree with Mike. The reader has to be able to understand the juxtaposition in order for the novelty of the marriage of the mundane and the fantastic to work.

What we provided in the podcast was the theory with few examples. Our listeners (those who wish to write, anyway) must now experiment with other juxtapositions, and find out what works.

By the way, if you want to mix oil and water and have them stay mixed, here’s how: boil the two together, add flour, salt, and some flavorings. Now you have gravy.

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