Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the cache-master domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/merriama/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131
Página 69 – Sitio sobre chorradas acerca de cómo escribir ficción

Blog

  • La distancia también tiene un lapso narrativo




    Diagram of the Phases of the Moon
    Diagram of the Phases of the Moon by English is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

    … Aquí es donde comienzan las dificultades. La distancia o el espacio temporal entre la regresión/anticipación y el hilo principal de la historia puede ser: interna, externa o mixta. Además de subjetiva u objetiva.

    SUBJETIVO Y OBJETIVO NARRATIVO

    Cómo en cualquier asunto, lo subjetivo se refiere a la percepción sesgada del individuo con respecto a sí mismo. Una regresión (analepsis) subjetiva[1] se definiría cómo hacer uso de las memorias del personaje “Y”, para regresar al momento específico temporal del que deseamos

    Y no estoy hablando del uso repetitivo de traer al “presente” narrativo el recuerdo de lo sucedido como en los k-duramas. Sino al uso de la memoria para traer información que resultaría importante para cambiar la percepción del lector.

    Mientras que un flashback sin relación alguna con la memoria de ningún personaje sería objetiva… Lo que no parece muy útil a la hora de construir una fábula… Pero, eso dependería del escritor.


    INTERNO, EXTERNO Y MIXTO


    Suena muy sencillo… En teoría. Hasta que lees la definición.

    “Cuandoquíera que una retrospección tiene lugar completamente fuera del lapso temporal de la fábula primordial, nos referimos a una analepsis externa

    Mieke Bal. Teoría de la narrativa (Una introducción a la narratología)

    Sí la regresión o progresión están dentro del hilo o línea de tiempo primordial de la historia[2], serán internas. Mientras que si, en algún momento, están relacionadas con eventos extraños o no relacionados al hilo principal, son mixtas… Y eso suena un tanto difícil. Particularmente para el caso del análisis porque ¿cuál es el hilo narrativo en una historia con montones de giros temporales y recuerdos?

    No obstante, esto parece útil para la ingeniería inversa de escribir ficción:

    La línea de tiempo cronológica nos ayuda a visualizar todos los eventos de nuestra historia y a mezclarlos de modo que causen mayor efecto en la fábula armada.

    Nos ayuda a visualizar mejor la linealidad de nuestra fábula y a mejorar la experiencia “arqueológica” del lector. El trabajo del lector sería desempolvar las piezas y armar el famoso rompecabezas de nuestra “historia” de tal forma que se lo pase tan “bomba” como cualquier arqueólogo en Pompeya o las ruinas del Petén.

    LAPSUS (lapso)

    Ya que la distancia al hilo narrativo primordial se puede “medir” en cuan alejado está el evento de ésta línea de tiempo; también podemos establecer el espacio de tiempo que acontece entre que comienza el evento, hasta que termina. ¿Cuánto tiempo estuvo el personaje en Saigon o Tokio antes de llegar a Nueva York, a trabajar en el hospital “Z”, que es dónde sucede nuestra fábula principal? ¿Tenía novio allí?

    Este punto es importante dentro de la línea de tiempo. Tenemos que medir los lapsos para que no se sobrepongan en el hilo narrativo principal…  Y sé que parece bastante obvio, pero si no me equivoco, algunas narraciones podrían  aprovecharse de superponer lapsos para aumentar el sentimiento de confusión general.

    ¿Deseas distanciarte con respecto al hilo narrativo de esta entrada y regalarme un like? ¿Por qué no un lapso de memoria con un comentario?

    Pasto kalo. Una tremenda disculpa pero no tengo idea porque subo las entradas, las programo y luego no aparecen…


    [1] O progresión, prolepsis; que es lo mismo como se maneja su objetividad o subjetividad.

    [2] Nota que Mieke habla de la fábula mientras que para mí, el asunto tiene que ver con la historia, ya que la historia se trata del orden o secuencia de los eventos. Mientras que la fábula es no sólo el aspecto formal (lenguaje literario) sino el orden en el que se presentan para mayor efecto; la historia sería el orden de los eventos en una línea cronológica de tiempo.

  • Get ready to write fiction 3

    young athletes preparing for running in training hall
    Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

    And I continue in the analysis. The website is lying on the couch and I gently suggest in a whisper: is it related to your mother? The website opens its little eyes in surprise. It has no mother or father… Lots of people edit it every day.

    Ah, right. I was in the business of writing more advice on getting ready to write fiction (despite the web being filled with advice and advice and there’s no ending to it). Therefore:

    Do a rain check using the cube technique:

    Oh mein Gott! This looks interesting. Shall we borrow it from the website? No, you better go to the website or google it. They deserve the credit and I’m just a coat tailer. In a big stroke it takes us to examine an event from 6 different angles:

    • description of the event (what?)
    • comparison (I’d it like this or is this not like this?)
    • association (expense? formal dressing?)
    • analyze the elements
    • appliance (how is it used or what for?)
    • evaluate

    This is kinda like the deep research to make details credible but is great to bring out good ideas.

    Do a rain check using a mental map:

    And this is going back to school. This changes with your personality and goals. Mental map or outlaying friends on how much you prefer planning or allowing yourself to go wild. The colour inks to separate character’s plots or wishes on paper and/or on cards… Sewing as you plan the title. The website recommends to identify the relationships between elements… McKee (yes, the guy of STORY: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting) would discourage you to do it until you master the typical intro-development-climax trio. Patricia Highsmith would say not every system is good for everybody. I say, make a map but be prepared to derail.

    Rain check for your topic asking yourself what would happen if…:

    In my not humble opinion, this advice is by far surpassed by an ideal of Ronald B. Tobías in 20 master plots. «The best plots are those where you have a good point of view against another good point of view»

    I’m stealing his example since it is great (paraphrasing not quoting). Take a  Catholic girl who believes in life being sacred[1] (yep, one of those) and make her face rape (yep, we’re facing something awful but it still happens and could happen to me, you… despite civilization). She ends pregnant. She now has to choose between an abort, great sin, or give birth to a sinful, tainted baby to leave it (hypothetical point of view) in an institution. Both points of view are valid. No one should carry a baby that reminds you of a traumatic experience or bond you to look after someone who will be despised and practically abused as a result. And religious convictions should be something people can honour to their satisfaction.
    The plot will be good so long you’re honest. Otherwise this plot will end up being propaganda.

    Good examples of this are: Kramer vs Kramer (McKee lived the movie and I second the motion) and Ana Karenina[2].



    Feed your ideas:

    «A good writer is also a good reader and very observant[3]«

    Rain check ideas for your topic:

    This one to pick a topic is a bit backwards. Normally we try writing part of the plot and researching along the way or research before writing but after choosing the topic. Specially because some details appear only after you’re already writing or facing what you want to write about. Nonetheless, this is to your choice.


    Use other inspiration sources:

    The website encourages the creation of soundtracks! To me, who can’t play the triangle, sing horrible and can barely salsa…this is outrageous. From the creation of soundtracks to reading the same genre to figure out how to write a novel of the same kind I can add an ideas from Sarah Domet in «90 days to your novel«.


    DO NOT WATCH TV cause you will get distracted (add internet says the flea writing this blog… internet is my drug). On the other side, Japanese invented doujinshi. A word any fan file who has been introduced to the world of boy love will understand quickly. All right, all right just in case you’re not a stan and you have no idea. A doujinshi is a spin off created by fans to alter the ending or the outcome of a certain story to fit their wishes. It can also be used to partner in bed, favourite characters who ended with different characters. Just because and without logic. It happens in western media, like the one time I read a Rowling apocryphe with Draco Malefoy falling in love with Ginny. It was to an «t» so alike an original, that only this minor detail gave it away.

    Do you remember your bankbook notebook? The one in where we write thing that happens to the ant getting her petticoat wet[4] and we think about? So that! Do it. Besides learning opera, reading the newspaper, reading science books. I’m not inventing, just observing.

    Next entry: finally writing!


    Now, are you preparing your like or are you ready to give it? Are you subscribing or are you just thinking it? The difference? In one you fail but do and in the other, you never fail but will do nothing either. What side of the fence are you?

    Pasto Kalo


    [1] Sorry but for me life is sacred so long it means every life and by every life I mean even the ant in the garden. But given the circumstances, we never treat life as sacred according to circumstances. Ants’ lives are sacred so long they don’t destroy the garden and babies are sacred until it is you who has to clean their poop and pay for their needs when that baby isn’t yours… In my opinion, giving options to the individual brings out the best of the person and avoids children being born into trauma or has parents giving their best. We can’t be prepared for all the possible backgrounds but we can make it possible for people to choose and react accordingly. Would you pay the taxes for sin-born babies to be looked after in orphanages so the holiness of life is kept? Are you personally going to explain to the baby that they are unwanted?

    [2] My second hand Porrua edition deserved a homemade bookbinding with rustic wallet and so so calligraphy plus a hard cover in canvas

    [3] Taken from the website

    [4][4] *»Ahí va la hormiga recogiéndose las enaguas, pobre chorrito la salpicó» There goes the ant grabbing up her petticoat, poor water spring got her wet. Gabilondo Soler Cri Cri.

  • Mary Shelley: a short podcast

    Remember, this is a Monday patchwork thing dedicated to what I find interesting or attention worth, out there, related to either writing what I write or learning about writers. Enjoy or not to your discretion.

    Mary Shelley in You’re dead to me

  • Lusciously unknown

    crop faceless couple holding hands on balcony
    Photo by Anete Lusina on Pexels.com

    Twice in life,

    pleased I’d be to pretend we’ve met,

    to forget thencefore.

    Just to be

    the first one,

    to erase any of your smile’s memories.

    Then,

    a second meeting,

    to love again what I’ve never met before.

    Since forgotten.

    For you,

    are no more than unknown.

    And what I love is an obsession of my imagination.

    Nothing more.

    Someone made up,

    close to real men.

    Yet, always gone by faked faded wishes.

    All collected.

    All withered.

    Besides copied verses;

    all in awe,

    all in vain and hopeless.

    Indeed insane,

    every night I were to kiss your insubstantial whole,

    somewhere a place blue birds sing,

    to find you once again in alien and foreign lands of dream.

  • ¿Cuál es el tiempo primordial del hilo narrativo?

    pink yarn and crochet hook
    Photo by Anete Lusina on Pexels.com




    Este principio complejo de La Iliada responde a la convención ‘que prescribe que se debe indicar de qué trata la historia.

    Mieke Bal. Teoría de la narrativa (Una introducción a la narratología)

    ,
    …. Antes de dar respuesta a esa pregunta, debo aclarar que Mieke se mete en cosas que la verdad me están sacando canas verdes (como dicen porque si las canas fueran verdes no tendría nadie que pintarse el cabello) y de las que no pienso hablar porque parece muy problemático eso de averiguar cómo es que encajan las unidades narrativas de la historia. Además de las dificultades del análisis de la secuencia que ella menciona usando apartados que hay que buscar por tooodo el texto. Y como a mí el análisis del texto para desmenuzarlo no me interesa, sino más bien como ese desmenuzar lo podemos usar para escribir ficción en lo que algunos llamarían ingeniería inversa… No me meto.

    En vez de eso hablaré de las anacronías y distancia.

    DISTANCIA

    Se mide en kilómetros o en millas según….

    La distancia es la lejanía de un anacronismo con respecto a lo que consideramos «el presente» de nuestra fábula. El “cuánto” se toma mide temporalmente con respecto a la línea cronológica y depende el punto de vista del personaje a través de quién sabemos lo que está sucediendo pues un anacronismo puede volverse subjetivo u objetivo.

    En el ejemplo de Extraordinary attorney Woo Youngwoo de la entrada anterior, la distancia de la existencia de una madre “oculta” a la protagonista con respecto al hilo principal de la trama, es de 30 años (dado que es la edad de la protagonista) y que no en todas las fábulas puede establecerse tan fácil. Mientras más complicada sea la forma de la fábula, más complicada se pone la secuencia de la historia y más difícil es “medir” las distancias entre los anacronismos y el hilo principal de la historia porque hay fábulas donde el “hilo primordial” de la cronología de la fábula resulta confuso…

    ¿Has leído “Cien años de soledad”? ¿Recuerdas lo confuso que resultaba en ocasiones entender de cuál de todos los Aurelianos Buendía estábamos leyendo o cuál era el presente propiamente dicho de la trama?



    Aquí es donde funciona conocer la linealidad de la fábula. Al conocer su linealidad o el orden cronológico, podemos podar e injertar lo que va primero en otras partes y alterar los descubrimientos del lector o poner en claro lo que ya sospechaba desde un principio; juzgando qué escenas resultan clave por su distancia con el “presente” narrativo.



    ANALEPSIS Y PROLEPSIS

    …Grr nombres complicados y que podrían llamarse simplemente: retrospección y anticipación.

    Pues estas dos cositas, retrospección y anticipación dependen de que conozcamos muy bien la historia en orden cronológico ordenado. Porque como construimos la fábula dependerá de si usamos el fragmento «histórico» cómo elemento vivencial o memórico.

    Dicho en términos narratológicos, si se trata de un momento subjetivo u objetivo… Pero esto ya es bastante complicado de por sí para añadirle complicaciones antes de darte tiempo para que la ósmosis lleve todo esto a tu lindo tejido cerebral.  Así que, antes de causarte un cortocircuito, te dejo analizando este asunto del tiempo primordial del hilo narrativo.

    Pasto kalo. Dale me gusta si te gustó, regalame un mensaje, nos vemos pronto con más chorradas en ingeniería inversa sobre cómo escribir ficción. 






  • Get ready to write fiction 2

    young athletes preparing for running in training hall
    Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

    Hi! Last time I was about to start nonsense about advice on how to begin writing fiction… Which I’m not very sure to know how anymore since I have an story in a long, long hiatus simply because my main character isn’t human. Whatever. I can still translate my Spanish original criticizing a website. Anyone can criticize, can’t we?

    ADVICE ON HOW TO START

    Start with known stuff:

    Wiki discourages us from writing about things we don’t have idea such as Nordic mythology, historically ambianced romance[1]…. One of the first exercises of the «90 days to your book» by Sarah Domet is to write everything we know about the neighbour, our first partner, first kiss

    Anything that comes as known and takes part in the contents of our safe box of a skull is what you know and should write about.

    Patricia Highsmith would recommend having a notebook were to write or draw anything going on in life so we can relive later the same feelings and use them as material. Something akin to investing in treasury and take the money interest out later.

    The following image by Big Choma is quite the example of what you can do with your own experiences by manipulating them. It is about… You can truly see what it is about.


     

    Create lists of random stuff:

    This advice is quite interesting and you can get random ideas using idea generators you can get in yeah, Google store and any other[2]. I won’t tell you names since programmes become apps and apps become obsolete in a sigh.

    It is very similar to what Lanzarotearteurbano does in his video. I didn’t know rappers[3] can try following a programme feeding them random words to create stuff by giving the words rhyme and meaning (or so I understood from the video (Quite cool! As a writing/rapping/drawing exercise it is really a good one).

    Create some characters:

    This runs about giving characters depth either by using a chart generator such as a 10 x10 chart or My own character’s guide so you can cloth your character in details. Some authors use the personal unfolding technique. The features of themselves in combination to invented psychological traits, to make characters a lil bit more someone well known to them and easily manipulable (by dropping the bombs that will move them towards the desired endind). This is quite as if they were psychoanalyzing themselves — don’t take it as if I hold any psychology title because I don’t.

     As an example, Frodo tells Sam some people have to sacrifice something from themselves so the others can go on being happy. As if Tolkien was borrowing Frodo’s voice[4] to tell himself everything wasn’t in vain (going to the war of 1914…)

    Yet… Characters can be used as vehicles to take us here and there depending on the plot. Forza plots don’t require very complex characters.  If Jiwoon of Eleceed were that complex, he wouldn’t go and help people getting himself in trouble and there wouldn’t be any fighting. Author might argue he is more complex than that but… tough I love reading the fights, Jiwoon is never going to be unfriendly or dishonest (giving a different dimension to the plot). Which is not a crime and Eleceed is an action manhwa.

    Try to create a map:

    Like those of the Middle-earth, or the ones of Earth-sea by Ursula K. Leguin. You can do that or rename the very city you live at, as Santa Bárbara or Vigata. For me, this is way easier to do since I’m spatially challenged (my own very way of getting acquainted with places is getting lost). After all… Mexico is loaded with streets called: Revolución, Guerrero, Ferrocarriles Nacionales, CFE, Escuadrón 201, Juárez, Felipe Ángeles, Reforma, Hidalgo, Madero or Colosio. I guess a little in the same fashion Russia must have a Lenin and Stalin street every city. As there must be a Washington or Jefferson street in at least the capitals of each state.

    Start a diary or a journal:

    It is said that successful people keep diaries. Writers keep work notebooks and a joke about this; is that we won’t get rid of them in fear of throwing away possible stories. These diaries can be filled with feelings in a media other than words about daily events (so don’t rebate and draw). It is like having a saving bank note you will use later.

    Have a blog: this is advice from escritores.org (yep, you’re right in Spanish). It keeps you writing and teaches you how to order your ideas. Either with photographs or videos, not just text. Plus, it is a way to remain professional even if you aren’t being published.


    Write letters:

    In the Twitter, FB and Line era? A line sentence message is something easy. Try to put together a whole page whilst communicating (not just memeing) with another human being just by writing. You’re bound to learn a thing or two on how to entertain. A video or photo in IG will get a like to the most and you will get not that much feedback.

     And the advice is not yet exhausted. I’ll come back with more next Wednesday. Until then, be good, happy and do me a favour: either you like this or you hated it. Comment! (please).




    [1] Real state?

    [2] Dan chan told me there is the Snyder app

    [3] I don’t like rap. It is one of those rhythms that like regaetton and norteña (country like music) are played top volume in robust buffers by drivers who step on the gas around here. You don’t listen to the music. You hear the vibrations of the woofers in the car’s windows. I’d love to become a torturer  and… make them listen to the 2 meters hight pile of music by Mozart tied to a chair. I mean, reggaeton is great but don’t force others to listen to it! Wow, I got to ramble instead of saying that looking at thus guy just practicing is awesome. He misses one or two words but he keeps going on. My respects, rapping is not easy and watching you practicing makes me feel like I should do more if it too.

    [4] I mentioned this in a translation of a lecture about war and art by Margaret Macmillan but since you’re here I don’t think you will read it since it is in Spanish

  • Stranded

    crop faceless couple holding hands on balcony
    Photo by Anete Lusina on Pexels.com

    The longer I look at you,

    even from afar.

    The most I’d like to squeeze your heart,

    orphan from your breast.

    To claim it,

     as mine and no one else.

    Break you to strayed lost shreds of daylight.

    That’ s the way,

    I want to kiss your frozen smile.

    A cada parpadeo que se traga un segundo más de ti,

    aún desde lejos.

    Y más deseo,

    hacer huérfano de tus costillas,

    el órgano que te bombea la vida.

    Separarte en tantas hebras,

    deshiladas de luz de día.

    Así, para besar congelada tu risa.

  • Get ready to write fiction



    young athletes preparing for running in training hall
    Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

    Puff… I know this is a blog about how to write fiction and I should encourage you but this is also true: there is no way to get prepared for something you don’t have idea how to do… Each book is different. Each book is as difficult to write as the previous one. Thus, whatever you learnt about writing becomes useless… In a sense. Nonetheless, we need to review the following 2 steps.

    1. DECIDE THE FORMAT

    The website on how to «Ki», says it all depends on if you want to tell a genealogy of the character’s relatives lives o a memory regarding a single character.

    As certain as it might come as difficult for me to base a whole book in a single character’s psyche whilst some people are more than skilled in doing; this doesn’t determine the format. The less if we include comics or other adaptations.


    Truthfully, the format might come out from abandoning technologies. Webtoons for example are wildly more popular now than the overpriced gringo[1] comic of 25 pages and their publishing, is more a result of public approval than one editor’s solo decision. Yes, webtoons have editors but you can still publish digital comics in your own page, Patreon, Webtoon or other places I have no idea about. And get popular without having an editor to decide if it can be published there. Editors jump into scene once you become popular … Same wise, self publishing in Amazon or other places, «erases» the editor as intermediary but it carries within on other troubles. Such as paying ourselves for publicity.

    Besides these, there is Twitter, for there already are novels published 140 types at a time. Thus, why not Facebook, Line, Wattpad? Wherever.

    Plus, there are many other things to consider about. Rookie writers like I was when I first wrote this entry in Spanish, use to start by writing short stuff. Which doesn’t mean something as a short story, can’t become a 150 pages length, in a more experienced writer’s hands. Like Brilliant phoenix by Bradbury. What started a short story, ended a great novel.

    The decision of format is not just a decision. It is a summation of chained elements.



    2. GET ANY IDEA OF SOME KIND

    The phrase would get Sarah Domet a ‘little’ upset. How could you get an idea of any kind when you shall use the third or the fourth, perfectly reflected upon?


    Not that the advice is bad. It is just the wording. It sounds like us corrupting the idea genie by buttering his toast[2] in order to be given one.

    The website adds some more advice on how to better the empty universe of our mind, which I think, belongs to the area of creative or not creative exercises to write taught by different writers to start writing. You might know some, after all you must have already seen a lot or can read some more in Terrible minds[3].

    Did you learn something new? If you did, give a like or comment and subscribe. Pasto kalo. Next entry I’ll review the advice. Let’s keep it short and simple for you to mull it over. Writing is an activity that needs lots of ruminating.


    [1] Even Batman and Marvel have migrated to Webtoon

    [2] I’m kinda aware my country is famous because corruption and in the original it says «mordida» (bite). Tough, one never knows who is reading and my particular way to anglanize idioms is not to translate but by making dot connections. Anyways, a mordida is a nice encouraging donation of security plastic paper printed with heros and remarkable people to enhance the imagination of its acquisitive power. And it is quite universal. You might say your country is free from, but I’m sure there are cases of it very well hidden on plain sight. Only in the Antarctic it must be difficult to be practiced.

    [3] Original entry, there’s a reference to tips by Viaja con P de Pasaporte in Spanish.