Intensely Felt, Sensitive, Promising Prose

Something dangerous happened the first half of this fall semester. I avoided fiction like the plague. I tried to write a line or two every so often, but I panicked. My prose was far from perfect. I wasn't enthused about my ideas. So I just didn't write. I pulled a Paul from Breakfast at Tiffany's. I was sitting around, "writing" my novel, but I didn't even own a metaphorical typewriter ribbon. It was downright depressing.

Is it okay if Breakfast at Tiffany's is my favorite movie now? Hope so.

Well, the past week I've been home on fall break with plenty of time to mull over NaNoWriMo e-mails and sift through old dreams, and you know what? I've decided I don't care if my prose is perfect. I don't care if I write the most trite piece of work to ever grace the planet. I just want to write something. I'm going to write something that doesn't look like "real literature" in the least because I've got to do something with all the scenes and voices in my head. Let there be irrational inventions and historically inaccurate societies and entirely fictional wars fought by impossible people sidelined by highly illogical romances. Let there be days where I don't write enough, followed by days where I write too much and the ideas all putter out into cliches and ramblings. Let there be early Saturday mornings complete with coffee and fall breezes and chapters only I will ever see because they are so atrocious. Let there be something, anything with my name on it. It's the only way I'll ever get better.

So there you have it. I'm doing NaNoWriMo 2014. I probably won't win. I probably will only get one decent paragraph out of it. And you know what? I don't care. And not caring feels positively glorious. Goodbye, Mean Reds. Hello, November.

November Mantra: Channel your post-Holly Paul and for heaven's sake, just write something.

New (Old) Typewriter

I have always wanted a typewriter. Ever since I read the Kit Kittredge books as a kid, I have wanted one. I used to type up newspapers just like Kit, but it wasn't the same without the click-clacking of a typewriter.

My sister owned the doll, but I read all the books. :)

Well, guess what? I am now the proud owner of a typewriter! Sort of! I mean, it doesn't have an ink ribbon... and it's not entirely "mine"... and it's an electronic one from the 80's... but STILL!

It all happened at Goodwill. I was having a glorious day: I bought two skirts, one for $2, the cutest/most unique pair of flats, and a great quality white shirt. Then, my sister and I saw it: the $15, still working, electronic typewriter. Needless to say, we bought it, and the rest was history.

I can't really do anything with it except make clacky noises and play pretend. I want to find an ink ribbon for it, assuming it doesn't lead to any killers...

Don't y'all watch NCIS? That episode where this killer starts killing people (obvs), but it's related to McGee's unpublished manuscript, and it's this crazy fan who steals the ink ribbons from his typewriter and thinks that the book is real!? Somebody? Anybody? *sigh*

Just read this bit of the episode, wouldya?

MCGEE: Okay, sometimes when I’m in trouble, I take a few minutes to free-write.  
TONY: Free-write?  
MCGEE: Stream of consciousness. About my characters, my story arcs, my possible plot lines, everything. No filter. 
 TONY: No filter. 
 MCGEE: Whatever pops in my head goes right to the page.  
TONY: Ah. Write. Be free! Just do it. Free write! Be free. I get it.

See? I didn't just want to tell you about my typewriter! I wanted to segue into a section about free writing! (And gush about how much I love McGee and we're both writers and stuff.) 

I had such a great free writing session today. It was very much Downton inspired. I just finished The World of Downton Abbey, which is such a great intro to the Edwardian era. Plus, it really enhances the show. I find myself explaining the historical significance of certain lines/events to my family. Makes me feel awesome. I feel particularly awesome when I understand all of Branson's political references. Like a sir.

Anyways, my newfound (albeit shallow) understanding of the early 1900's made for an awesome pair of passages. I don't know if these musings will ever transform into a full novel, but I would definitely consider expanding the story. I've got a beginning and an end, but no middle. Someday, right? I'm sure the stuff is ridden with historical inaccuracies, but you know what? It's free writing. Like Dinozzo says, be free! Just do it.

Read my review of The World of Downton Abbey here! Do any of you free write? Tell me about it in the comments, if it strikes your fancy.

I was going to just put a picture of the book, but this bit of awesomesauce cropped up. *smirk*

My Christmas present. Super cool.