Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

quote- Cassandra Clare on the world October 18, 2013

Filed under: Quotations — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:15 am
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“It can be…difficult to learn how the world truly is, to see it in its true shape and form.  Most human beings never do.”

Cassandra Claire in Clockwork Angel (p. 62)

I wonder whether anyone can ever understand how ‘the world’ is?  Everything we see is coloured by our own perspective, and they can be dramatically different.  A world view varies between cultures.  No one sees the whole picture: we’re like the blind men and the elephant, no matter what we want to be.  The more we learn, the more we understand how much we don’t know.

What do you think?

 

quote- George R R Martin October 4, 2013

Filed under: Quotations — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:31 pm
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I was listening to George R R Martin’s Clash of Kings on my commute today, and chuckled over this line:

He thought he could smell smoke,

though perhaps it was just the

scent of his nerves fraying.

Do you ever have days like that?

 

quote- colo-rectal theology September 20, 2013

Filed under: Quotations — Shawn L. Bird @ 6:36 am
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Most things are not…simple and pure, with so much focus given to each syllable of life as life sings itself.  But that kind of attention is the prize.  To be engrossed by something outside ourselves is a powerful antidote for the rational mind, the mind that so frequently has its head up its own ass–seeing things in such a narrow and darkly narcissistic way that is presents a colo-rectal theology, offering hope to no one.

~ Anne Lamott

Bird by Bird.  p. 102

It is a wonderful goal to see the good in things, to relish moments, to celebrate the daily joys, to dwell on the positive.  It’s not always easy.  Looking closely can also mean seeing more clearly, taking off our rose coloured spectacles and really looking at a situation, searching for a solution or an understanding.  Is micro or macro view the more rational one?  Does it depend on what you’re looking at?

 

writing quote- write to know them September 3, 2013

Filed under: OUTLANDERishness,Quotations,Reading,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:30 pm
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Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird writes about the importance of learning about your characters as you’re writing them:

Say this boy meets a girl….Things need to happen.  Then need to get to know each other, even if just a little.  They will talk to each other, and they will talk about each other to friend.  Get all this down.  After you’ve spent a while with them, they will start to sound more like themselves–because you are getting to really know them…

The better you now the characters, the more you’ll things from their point of view.  You need to trust that you’ve got it in you to listen to people, watch them, and notice what they wear and how they move, to capture a sense of how they speak. 

As you learn who your characters are, compassion for them will grow.  There shouldn’t be just a single important character in your work for whom you have compassion.  You need to feel it even for the villain–in fact, especially for the villain.  Life is not like formula fiction.  The villain has a heart, and the hero has great flaws.  You’ve got to pay attention to what each character says, so you can know each of their hearts.

The books that stay with you are the books that have characters with many dimensions to their personalities.  Yin and yang.  Evil in the good.  Good in the evil.

One of my favourite examples of this is Laoghaire MacKenzie in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series.  In the first book, we hate her for being so jealous of Claire that she sets her up to be burnt as a witch.  By the end of the series we sympathize with the bitterness that grew when she realised her adoration was unrequited.  She loves Jamie, and since we as readers do too, we can relate to her pain at not ever being loved as she wanted to be by the man she has loved since childhood.  She believed erroneously that they were star-crossed lovers.

What examples from your reading support this view?  What author is a master at this strong character development?

 

quote- write anyway August 25, 2013

Filed under: Quotations,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:51 am
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Another quotation from Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird,

I tell my students that the odds of their getting published  and of it bringing them financial security, peace of mind, and even joy are probably not that great.  Ruin, hysteria, bad skin, unsightly tics, ugly financial problems, maybe; but to write anyway.  But I try to make sure they understand that writing and even getting good at it, and having books and stories and articles publishes, will not open the doors that most of them hope for.  It will not make them well.  It will not give them the feeling that the world has finally validated  their parking tickets, that they have in fact finally arrived.  My writer friends, and they are legion, do not go around beaming with quiet feelings of contentment.  Most of them go around with haunted, abused, surprised looks on their faces, like lab dogs on whom very personal deodorant sprays have been tested. (p. xxx)

lol.  This one rings true.  🙂  However, whenever I get a note from someone who has read and loved my novels or a compliment about my poetry, it feels quite marvelous!

 

quote- the act is the reward August 21, 2013

Filed under: Quotations,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 3:57 pm
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Anne Lamott, in the introduction to her book Bird by Bird says,

Writing has so much give, so much to teach, so many surprises.  That thing you had to force yourself to do–the actual act of writing–turns out to be the best part.  It’s like discovering that while you thought you need the tea ceremony for the caffeine, what you really needed was the tea ceremony.  The act of writing turns out to be its own reward.

What do you think about this idea?  I know that I see more clearly when I notice the light playing on the fields when I think about how I can best capture the moment in a poem.  I know that when I create a scene between characters, it feels like my imaginary friends are just telling me about their day.  I know that I see everything as a story or a poem, but I’m not sure that the act of sitting down and typing brings me anything beyond satisfaction.  It’s not stitching together heart break (though it has).  It’s not helping me make sense of a challenging situation (but it has).  I know a supreme satisfaction from enjoying the result, but it’s discovering that result that brings it. Hmm.

How about you?  Is the act of writing its own reward for you?  Why?

 

quote- Diana Gabaldon on writing August 13, 2013

Filed under: OUTLANDERishness,Quotations,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:10 pm
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Today (August 13, 2013) on Diana Gabaldon’s Facebook page, someone asked Diana whether she finds writing easy or difficult.  She replied,

.

 Well, some days it flows and that’s great;

other days it’s like shoveling rocks uphill.

With your nose.

If you’re a writer, on your project today, do you feel like you’re shoveling rocks uphill with your nose, or does it flow?  Tell us what you’re working on!

 

behave well & badly July 27, 2013

Filed under: Quotations — Shawn L. Bird @ 6:45 pm

Shawn L. Bird's avatarShawn L. Bird

In Fire and Hemlock Diana Wynn Jones says,

For you , the only way to behave well was to behave badly.  For me, the only way to win was to lose.  You weren’t to know me, and I wasn’t to remember you.

The paradox of this captured me, so I copied it down to ponder.   The rest of this quote talks about letting go being the only real way to love someone.

What does it mean to you?

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you get what you expect July 14, 2013

Filed under: Quotations — Shawn L. Bird @ 12:53 pm

Shawn L. Bird's avatarShawn L. Bird

“The world is a looking-glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face. Frown at it, and it will in turn look sourly upon you; laugh at it and with it, and it is a jolly kind companion; and so let all young persons take their choice.”

William Makepeace Thackeray

There isn’t really much to add to this, is there?  Wherever you go, there you are!

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living a dream with Diana Gabaldon July 12, 2013

Filed under: anecdotes,OUTLANDERishness,Quotations,Reading,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 1:14 pm
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Sam Heughan Headshot - P 2013

Sam Heughan is already charming Outlander fans and schmoozing with them via Twitter. Things are only going to get better from here for this youthful tri-athlete actor!

For the last week, I have had the privilege of being a fly on the wall as an author has a dream come true.  The Starz network signed Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series last spring, and has finally begun casting.  This week her lead character, Jamie Fraser, was cast, and the role went to Scots actor Sam Heughan.

With typical enthusiasm Diana shared her excitement  over his audition tape with her Facebook followers:

She observed how she started watching the audition tape, “and five seconds later, Sam Heughan’s GONE, and so am I.  It’s Jamie Fraser, right there in front of me, moving, talking.  One of the biggest thrills ever.”

Talk about understatement!

Of course, not everyone is able to visualize Diana’s quite explicit descriptions of what Jamie looked like at age 22 in the first Outlander book, and those people leapt up complaining about Sam’s physique, his hair, etc.  Diana firmly and unequivocally put them in their place.  (A hilarious blog about the whole storm  on Thatsnormal.com if you want the details)

Meanwhile, Diana took to Twitter and started messaging Sam Heughan (like many in the Outlander world!) Sam is embracing the enthusiasm of his army of new fans and he and Diana are carrying on a public flirtation for the whole world to see.

I am so thrilled for her.  I suppose this is how Stephenie Meyer felt when Rob Pattison was cast to become Edward in the Twilight movies.  Bad makeup and a low budget probably couldn’t kill her buzz either.  I’m sure when Charlaine Harris first saw Anna Pasquin bring Sookie Stackhouse to life she was equally thrilled (Sookie be damned, how about the perfect choice of Joe Manganiello to be  Alcide Herveault?! Be still my heart!).  Both Twilight and the Sookie Stackhouse series took some serious deviations from the original plots.  No matter.  How amazing must have been those first halcyon days when the incarnate word was made flesh!

Starz has a budget and a social media savvy author who is sharing her excitement with a legion of fans.  The buzz is amazing.  On one hand, I feel very sorry for all the companies over the years that optioned the rights to make a movie or TV series out of this story and then had them lapse before funding could be put together.  Foolish money men.  You will see what you missed!  On the other hand, I think Tall Ship Productions and Ron Moore are going to do Diana’s work proud.  They know very well that rabid fans are going to be unforgiving if they screw up Diana’s story!

The absolutely best part of this, what has me grinning constantly and bouncing around my house, has been the fun of watching Diana in the absolutely giddy excitement of seeing her character come to life.  I can hardly wait until she gets to go on set and meet all the cast!

Some day, perhaps, I’ll get to see my Grace, Ben, Marco, and Alex become flesh.  In the meantime, I’m living vicariously through Diana, and I’m enjoying every minute!

Diana on Sams audition