Suddenly Seven/Stolen Pictures

[j_cheney]

OK, when a scene runs through my head, I generally type it up and file it, even if it's not what I'm currently working on. I have quite a few folders on my desktop, each of which represent a different novel set-ups. There may be a few random scenes, or over 300 pages (in one case). Anyhow, whenever I get around to seriously writing something, I can pull out those pre-recorded scenes, plunk them into place, and then smooth out the edges with a planer.

Therefore, I am suddenly now 65 pages into Devil in the Details, or just past Chapter 7. Nice to have it flow so quickly, but I'm not having any illusions about the big terrible scene that awaits me in chapter 13/14. That's going to be horrible to write. ::shivers in dread::

lisamantchev commented about thinking of characters in terms of what Hollywood actor would play them (as I know melissajm does sometimes, as well.) I really don't do that....I have a bizarre system of my own. I cut pictures out of magazines and use them. I've always done this. I have picture, articles, etc. cut out of magazines all the way back to my college days. Filed. Neatly. In portable file boxes.

This isn't just pictures of the people, BTW, I have pictures of buildings, parks, gardens, animals, clothing, rooms, furniture....anything that catches my eye. What can I say? It's a weird approach.

Comments

[keesa-renee.livejournal.com]

Mmmm...I, on the other hand, have never been one to think visually, at least not to that extent. I tend to think (and write) more in emotions and minds/inner lives and the-way-I-feel-when-I'm-around-this-kind-of-person...I probably couldn't physically describe any of my characters, as far as hair color, eye color, nose shape, etc., goes, let alone base them on a specific actor. I think I'm the one who's weird in that way, though, not you, because a lot of people tell me that they do build their characters around images or actors.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

I think, at the base of it, we're actually the same. I don't visualize people. I walk away from a mirror and I can't remember what I look like, much less try to picture others in my head (so I've never understood what that scripture means, in relation to me, at least.)

That's why I have to have pictures. So I can keep my visual details consistent throughout my descriptions. I can't do that in my head.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

Yes, that makes sense. ;o)

[keesa-renee.livejournal.com]

I've got it!! The verse isn't saying "it's stupid to look in a mirror and then forget what you look like; no one would ever do that"; it's saying "hearing the word and not doing it is as useless as looking in the mirror--to see what you look like--if you're the sort of person who's going to forget right away, anyway."

There, now! Hehe. My Inner Editor wouldn't let me rest until I had figured out exactly how to phrase what I was trying to say. :-) Oh, and I seem to have messed up your comments line...they don't let you edit comments, and I realized I had left off half a sentence, so I deleted it and reposted it--with the rest of the sentence--but that's why the post you reply to is down there below your reply. Sorry about that! :-D

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

Don't worry aobut it. If I recall correctly, the word 'fool' is used in that verse, which I userstand was incredibly harsh in the Hebrew language. I think I've always understood the content of hte verse, but rather found the analogy to be disturbing. (Because it didn't work for me) Oh, well!

[keesa-renee.livejournal.com]

Mmm. I hadn't ever thought about it that way. :-) I do create files on characters for novels (it's part of the Snowflake process...I probably wouldn't do it except for that), which keeps me from describing a character's hair as auburn in one scene and blonde in another (something I've done before...), but for short stories, I generally tend to have a minimum of character description...a lot of the time, I'm more likely to introduce a character by telling what emotions he calls out in my main character than his hair color, just because I don't think in terms of hair colors. I've heard some how-to authors really stress the fact that one of the worst things in the world is the "mirror description"--where one character looks at themselves in a mirror and we get a detailed description of hair color, eye color, etc.--but that's never been a problem for me, because I don't think that way.

Speaking of mirrors, I think the scripture is describing exactly what you're talking about, if we're thinking about the same one (whosoever heareth the word of God and doeth it not is like unto a man beholding his face in a glass, who, when he has gone away, immediately forgetteth what he looks like, rough quote); it doesn't do you any good to look in a mirror to see what you look like if you're going to immediately forget what you look like (the way I do, and the way you do); similarly, just *hearing* the Word does no good if you don't *do* it. (If, on the other hand, you're just looking in the mirror to see whether your shirt is on backwards, for example, the scripture is less applicable...unless you're going to turn around and forget whether or not your shirt is on backwards, but that's a different problem altogether.)

In other words, the scripture isn't saying "it's just as stupid to look in the mirror and forget what you look like as it is to hear the Word without doing it"; it's saying "there's no point in hearing the Word without also doing it, just as there's no point in looking in a mirror--to see what you look like--if you're one of those people who turns around and can't remember what you look like a second later."

Umm...does that make sense? :-D

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

I do on occasion have a person look in the mirror....but not to admire their silky red hair...more like to check a bug-bite. Something prosaic.