Assignment #4 Fiction Writing- A Story Not Assigned

So for today's blog, I was assigned to choose a short story that was not assigned and read a short story called "Marie," by Edward P. Jones. While I did enjoy the antics of an old woman slapping and stabbing youthful people, like a deranged vigilante. I have to post about a story of my choosing, and it is "Boys," by Rick Moody.

I randomly chose the short story "Boys," and to my surprise was actually really good. This is the opening to the story, "Boys enter the house, boys enter the house." This is basically how the whole story is written. Boys do this, boys do that, boys blah blah blah, surprisingly it works very well in this short story. Through out the story we're are given events on what the Boys are doing from little kids, then adolescence, and then adults. During these moments you begin to forget the simple dialog and repetition of the word Boys, and start to picture the events unfolding into a story.There were no dialog in the story because it was narrated, which worked. I would continue but I would be giving to much away. Trust me when I say this. This story was awesome! It kicks you in the heart and you won't even see it coming.

Assignmet #3 Fiction Writing- Encouraging Quote

Well I've been assigned another blog assignment, and I have to keep it short this week. I know I know, I'll try not to be too chatty.

My encouraging quote, is a quote from a comic book writer quoting a quote. Last year during free comic book day, I met an inspiring comic book writer by the name of Dan Slott, no big deal he only writes for Marvel and has changed Spider-man(literally)comics in ways no one else has before. Anyway I met him at Zap Comic's, a local comic book store, and I had a "brief" chat with him. Dan Slott gave me a very insightful quote that has changed me for the better. Errr I think.

 “Chuck Jones said something that was meant for artists but works just the same for writers,” Slott said. “‘Every artist has thousands of bad drawings in them, and the only way to get rid of them is to draw them out.’ So the quicker you get the bad stuff out, the sooner you’ll get to the good.”

Very inspirational stuff, well at-least for me. I promised to keep this short...did I? Oh well. There's a lot more to this story if you'll give me the time partner, click here the link thingy and you'll get to know more of what happened. AAAYEEEEHAWWWW!

Assignmet #2 Fiction Writing- The Begining of Stories

Allllright! More blogging! I don't know if I added enough L's to show my excitement, but I'm excited. It's been a couple of weeks, but I think I have "this" blogging down. So my reason for blogging today is "WHAT ARE MY FEELINGS FOR STORY BEGINNINGS INNINGS INNINGS!" That's suppose to be me shouting of a cliff, and also my sad attempt at satire. I digress, any way, I usually don't care for story beginnings. I am the type of person that's more for the ride. I have to sit through it, no matter how lame the story is, until the ending. I'm just curious that way.

Ok so now I have to Blog about an assigned short story, storied beginning and compare it with my fave book. Hmmm, I got it! "Sarah Cole: A Type Of Love Story," by Russel Banks and "William Shakespeare's Star Wars," by Ian Doescher. I know I know, but there was love in Star wars too!

Here's a little bit from the beginning story of "Sarah Cole: A Type Of Love Story," by Russel Banks.

TO begin, then, here is a scene in which I am the man and my friend Sarah Cole is the woman. I don’t mind describing it now, because I’m a decade older and don’t look the same now as I did then, and Sarah is dead. That is to say, on hearing this story you might think me vain if I looked the same now as I did then, because I must tell you that I was extremely handsome then. And if Sarah were not dead, you’d think I were cruel, for I must tell you that Sarah was very homely. In fact, she was the homeliest woman I have ever known. Personally, I mean. I’ve seen a few women who were more unattractive than Sarah, but they were clearly freaks of nature or had been badly injured or had been victimized by some grotesque, disfiguring disease. Sarah, however, was quite normal, and I knew her well, because for three and a half months we were lovers.

This beginning passage starts with a situation where the writer cleverly starts the story with a dramatic situation and lures us in further by adding satire.You kinda feel for the chap, then you loose it.

Now off to the wars, Star wars, Shakespeare style. Or should I say ACT 1!

C-3PO     Now is the summer of our happiness Made winter by this sudden, fierce attack! Our ship under siege, I know not how. O hast thou heard? The main reactor fails! We shall most surely be destory'd by this. I'll warrant madness herin!
 R2-D2    -beep beep,
Beep ,beep, meep, squeak, beep, beep, beep, whee!
                -We're doomed.

I chose these two story beginnings, because in a sense they're both written very comically. We have two situations, where the authors play with the words in a more subtle matter, like homely woman.

They are two very different stories, but they will tickle your funny bones, unless you've lost your funny bones. Then I pity thee.