Friday, May 23, 2008

Mishmash

Been a really fun week entertainment wise. American Idol wrapped up with a really great winner, probably my favourite performer on the show since Kelly Clarkson.
House ended with two stunning episodes. Best episodes since the season 1 ending. Amazing, especially because I’d reached a point with House that it felt boring, and I’d felt they’d tapped out everything they could with the character.
And then they go and delve deeper. (spoilers ahead) Threatening House with his friendship with Wilson, brilliant. Without that friendship, what is he, but an addicted, middle age, lonely man.
And that they made Cutthroat Bitch the perfect woman for Wilson, and showed us brilliantly through the process of buying a mattress.
When House does character driven development, they do it better than almost anyone else on TV.
Also realized this week, that as writers, we need to focus on what we do well, but we can’t ignore what we struggle with. I was reminded as I read the latest book from an author I normally love. The book feels really paint by numbers. What she does well, is all there, but what she fails at, she really fails at in this book.
I think as writers there comes a point where we have to push through and really improve our weaknesses. Maybe that’s the push that can take some authors from midlist to bestseller.
It certainly reminded me that I really have to work on character driven story developments, rather than my usual, kill off a character, to drive the plot.
Now, if only I could find some motivation, I’d get right on that..
But first I’m going to listen to David Cook’s/Chris Cornell’s version of Billie Jean.

4 comments:

Maureen McGowan said...

You're so right about working on weaknesses... The only way we'll get better.
Writing is such hard work.

Anonymous said...

Writing is hard work and right now, I have no motivation and I'm trying really hard to find some..

My choices are write or watch American Idol/SYTYCD/various cooking shows/the weather channel..

And I seem to be choosing TV these days..

Sad

Molly O'Keefe said...

I missed the HOUSE finale???!!! That's what I get for watching you two drink margaritas. They've threatened House with losing Wilson's friendship twice now -- with that terrible cop frozen money subplot. Glad they did it right this time. Even if I missed it. Stupid.

Hey that book you're reading -- is it the new Anne Stuart? If it is- I totally agree. The romance - great. The sexual tension - fantastic. Plot details -- TERRIBLE!! Repetition of terrible plot details -- so bad.

She is an amazing lesson of what might be possible if we work on the things we hate or don't work on, or maybe aren't aware that we're bad at (Anne maybe needs a better critique group).

I'm having the same experience with the new Elizabeth Vaughn - Dagger-Star. But that is a blog for another day...

Anonymous said...

Molly, you completely guessed, it is the new Anne Stuart.. and it's like she gave up.
Her subplots are awful, the romance is too similar to the previous six books, and the scenes are incredibly repetitious..
It's teaching me a lot about what not to be lazy about..
Sad to hear the new Elizabeth Vaughan is the same.
The House finale... awesome.. Hugh Laurie sells it like no one else.

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