morrigirl | Writing Meme

What’s the last thing you wrote?

This little scrap of a verse that I scribbled down after reading some poetry composed by a former classmate who I hated with a wrath far mighter than God's.

Was it any good?

Ernest Hemingway said "The first draft of anything is shit."

What’s the first thing you wrote that you still have?

I still have the very first short story I ever wrote back in fourth grade. All the kids in my class were given their own black and white notebook and instructed to write in it everyday. We could write whatever the heck we wanted just as long as we wrote. I was obsessed with the film The Lost Boys at the time, so the first thing I wrote in mine was a two page story called "The Lost Boys 2." It revolved around Jami Gertz's character, Star, and contained a lot of feeding, blood, and death. After reading it, my teacher wrote in the margin of the first page in red pen, "Such a nice girl, such a bloody story."

Write poetry?

All the time.

Angsty poetry?

Yes, though it has grown less angsty as I've gotten older. I still have all the angsty poetry I wrote in high school though, and let me tell you, I was one tortured soul.

Favorite genre of writing?

This changes from year to year. This year, I've been favoring poetry. Two years ago, I favored creative nonfiction. Fifteen years ago, I was all about fiction. So, it's fluid.

Most fun character you’ve ever created?

It has been so long since I've written any straight up fiction, as oppose to memoir-masquerading-as-ficition, that I don't have a really clear memory of any of the characters I created back in junior high at the height of my fiction writing phase.

That said, the last character I can remember having the most fun with was Clarice "Basket Case" Silvera who I came up with in Beginning Fiction Writing class Freshman year of college. Basket Case earned her nickname by constantly behaving like a nut job. She liked to blow really small slights out of proportion for dramatic effect and then proceed to rail on and on about how she would do in her adversary. She liked to play the extremes because she found it amusing. Only trouble was no one else could tell she was playing around. I remember when the class read the first (and only) story I wrote about her, they wondered why a school would even allow a person as unstable as Basket Case to attend? Not even they could tell that Basket Case was just acting. I just kind of shook my head to myself and thought "These people obviously did not go to a New York City public high school."

Most annoying character you’ve ever created?

Christine, the main character in the 68 page V.C. Andrews inspired novella I wrote when I was twelve called "The Stray Cats" was pretty annoying. All she did was sleep with strange men and get herself pregnant all the time.

Best plot you’ve ever created?

Since it has been about fifteen years since I constructed my last full length fiction plot, I can't say with any certainty that any of them were good. Most of my fiction was written between the ages of 10 and 14 before I really knew anything about plot. Since then almost all the prose I've written have been nonfiction and memoir. Which isn't to say they don't have plots, it's just that I didn't "create" them.

Coolest plot twist you’ve ever created?

I've never really done plot twists, not even as a kid. I've never written a story in which a completely incongruous and shocking twist of fate wanted or needed to occur.

How often do you get writer’s block?

I live in a constant state of writer's block. A better question would be "How often are you actually inspired to write?"

Write fan fiction?

No. I didn't create the characters or the situations, so it's not my job to write their stories. I'll leave that to the original creators who know the world they created far better than I.

Do you type or write by hand?

I used to write by hand, but carpel tunnel killed all that noise.

Do you save everything you write?

No, not everything. I've saved everything I wrote from high school on, but I did a massive purge when I was 13 or 14. I had all these stories that I'd started out of boredom and never finished, stories that never went anywhere, stories that just weren't worth my time. There were more stories then I had room for so I chucked all the abandoned ones into the trash. Though I occasionally wish I still had those little snippits just so I could look back at what I wrote, by and large I don't miss those stories. I have plenty of other material from that time period that makes me smile.

I've actually been considering doing another purge. Recently I found a couple of drawers in my mother's apartment filled with all the workshopped poems and stories I wrote in college. Every critiqed piece that anyone ever returned to me was in there. The only reason I kept them was because the professors always told us we should. But, after looking through them I realized most of the comments were vague and unhelpful. I would never EVER use those suggestions in my work. So since all they are doing is taking up space I'm thinking it would be more productive to chuck 'em rather then let them collect dust.

Do you ever go back to an idea after you’ve abandoned it?

No. When I abandon an idea, I do so for a reason. Either it's stupid or it's not going anywhere or it's not working. If something didn't work for me five years ago, it probably isn't going to work for me now.

What’s your favorite thing you’ve written?

I don't think I have one. There are pieces that hold a lot of sentimental value to me, but I don't prefer any one to another.

What’s everyone else’s favorite story that you’ve written?

I don't ask people what their favorite piece is. I ask for constructive criticism. That's it.

Do you ever show people your work?

These days, the only people who see my work, other then lit. mag. editors and contest judges, are other Knox writers and English majors who went through the same training I did. I know where they are coming from, I know they can critque, and I know that I respect their opinions.

That's it. No one else gets to see my creative writing until it appears in print.

Did you ever write a novel?

No, but I wrote a horrible novella when I was 11.

Ever written romance or angsty teen drama?

No, but after watching all that Degrassi:the Next Generation I think I may want to try my hand at it. Lord knows I've had my share of angsty teenage drama.

What’s your favorite setting for your characters?

I usually write what I know, so NYC is a favorite.

How many writing projects are you working on right now?

Just one, the chapbook.

Do you want to write for a living?

That would be nice.

Have you ever won an award for your writing?

Nope.

Ever written anything in script or play format?

I tried back in seventh grade, and it didn't take me long to realize I had no aptitude for it.

What are your five favorite words?

Lovely, Unison, Personification, Abrupt, and Superfluous (in that order.)

Do you ever write based on yourself?

That's basically all I've done since I turned 13. Coincidence? I think not.

What character have you created that is most like yourself?

You mean, out of the ones who weren't actually me? Um, I don't know.

Where do you get ideas for your characters?

From myself, my family, and my friends.

Do you ever write based on your dreams?

Gievn the fact that I almost never dream, that would be a no.

Do you favor happy endings, sad endings, or cliff-hangers?

I like sad endings. I seem to like ending my stories with people walking out of doors and leaving others behind by doing so.

Have you ever written based on an artwork you’ve seen?

When I was youndger I wanted to write an entire series based on the two young girls who show up in many of Renior paintings; they show up in "At the Piano", "In the Meadow", "At the Shore", "On the Edge of Water".

Are you concerned with spelling and grammar as you write?

Yes. If I know I've spelled something wrong I have to fix it before I continue or else it distracts me.

Ever write anything in chatspeak (how r u?)

Nothing I want anyone to actually read.

Entirely in L337?

Never.

Was that question appalling and unwriterly?

Yes. Moving on...

Does music help you write?

No. That too is distracting.

Quote something you’ve written. Whatever pops into your head.

You expect me to have my entire canon imprinted word for word on my brain? Think again. I write shit down so I don't HAVE to remember it.

And that's my nice little way of avoiding the question all together :-)