Comments on: Writing and storytelling

By: L.C. McCabe

L.C. McCabe — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:55:17 +0000

Roald Dahl used to perfect his stories in that manner. He would spin yarns as bedtime stories for his children and then the next day he would write things down on paper. His routine included six(?) sharpened pencils and yellow paper, if I recall correctly from the extras on a DVD of James and the Giant Peach.

By: Mary Robinette Kowal

Mary Robinette Kowal — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:57:16 +0000

I think I still have mine in a box, too.

By: Rick Smiley

Rick Smiley — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:59:56 +0000

I had forgotten the “we are not dead bodies” thing – I think I have a sweatshirt somewhere.

Tell Rob he is lucky. My wife is a nurse – when she wants to practice, there is a lot more poking and prodding.

“Cough”

By: Mary Robinette Kowal

Mary Robinette Kowal — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:59:29 +0000

It’s fun, isn’t it?

By: Mary Robinette Kowal

Mary Robinette Kowal — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:59:11 +0000

I wind up listening to audio fiction when I’m working because, usually, the verbal part of my brain is unoccupied and a little bored.

By: Mary Robinette Kowal

Mary Robinette Kowal — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:58:15 +0000

Years and years ago, I took an oral story-telling class which had a section on improvised stories. I also used to compete in an event called “Improvisation Story-telling” on the forensics ((Speech, debate and interpretive reading. Not dead bodies)) circuit. I don’t remember a darn thing from it except the basics of knowing beginning, middle and end.

By: Mary Robinette Kowal

Mary Robinette Kowal — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:56:07 +0000

I’m sure I’ll risk my life this way again, if only because I don’t usually have finished stories on my palm pilot.

By: Mary Robinette Kowal

Mary Robinette Kowal — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:54:47 +0000

I do that to Rob with my novel-length stuff. He’s very patient.

By: Elizabeth Barrette

Elizabeth Barrette — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 03:09:26 +0000

*laugh* I’ve had similar things happen to me before. Plus when I was in highschool I got into roleplaying because my friends all wanted to come play in my world.

By: Mike F

Mike F — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 02:19:08 +0000

That’s neat. I would never do it at work since it’s a very different environment than yours, but I can see how that would help. Speaking the story out loud would be a way to help work things out that you might gloss over if you just think about it. See, that sentence makes more sense in my head than if I read it out loud.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:31:48 +0000

Many,many moons ago I ran across a National Geographic Mag. that celebrated living story-tellers. From east coast to west coast. Traditional stories, folk legends, modern myth …

…story telling is a part of who we are as people. I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir here. I mean, puppetry has it’s own traditions that are deep and vast in our history as a species.

Try it again sometime. Maybe you’ve found your inner-tribal voice .

By: Charles Tan

Charles Tan — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:47:49 +0000

We can now officially call you MacGyver for the improvisation…

* And you always have the option of putting your life at risk again whenever you run into writing stumbling blocks.

By: Chang

Chang — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:20:24 +0000

This is very cool. I’d love to have been in and audience like that. Maybe sometime I’ll read to my yoga classes, and not just in one pose.

I once sat down with a friend and told him the plot of my first book. It took about 20 minutes and it really helped me put the whole thing in place well before I had finished it. It probably bored him to tears but it helped me. Hey, i bought him beer beforehand and then left his house right after.

By: momk

momk — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:12:14 +0000

“….but I’m a story teller.”
Truer words were never spoken.