…because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones that never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!”
— Jack Kerouac from On The Road
I don’t even know where to start about this except to shake my head with wonder at words that do so well what I would like to do — that riff, that rolling rhythmic jazz that can make my heart beat every bit as hard as music sometimes with the way it makes me feel so much bigger inside. I wish all my words could do that.
This isn’t how I see my everyday self — there’s plenty about me and those I love that is commonplace, and sometimes there is nothing finer than to put my feet up with a bottle of beer and talk about the rain. That’s good. But these words go like a bolt of electricity straight into my writer’s soul, into the part of me that always burns this way even, I think, in my sleep.
All artists are a little mad. I used to think that was hyperbole at best and melodrama at worst, but these days I think it is nothing but the truth. And the madness is in the burning, in the drive to be one with the work and with all the self that is underneath, and that is stronger sometimes than anything else, especially common sense. And so we burn ourselves up.
I love this quote. In fact, I have it stuck on my refrigerator door. Sounds like a rather mundane spot, but it makes me feel less mundane (yes bigger) when I see it there. Reminds me of a couple new friends I met this year. Reminds me not to settle for less.
Howdy,
This is going to sound a bit weird? I wrote a story called the stars and spiders about 10 years ago. The title was inspired by my stepdad who told me when he took lsd he saw spiders on the ceiling.
The inspiration for the story came from my brother who had a dream about somebody surviving a shipwreck through blind luck and the mind altering drugs they had taken. Thus i came up with my story.
I must say that i do not think i could have come up with a better intro than this quote.
It completely describes the ethics of my story
I tried to read kerouak when i was younger but found him pretentious and dated.
I have gonzo tattooed on my arm so what the fuck do i know?
I have posted the outline to my story on the bbc site h2g2..
Its very short and i hope you get a chance to read it.
thanks.
p.s. I may try reading on the road, again..
LSD can make a person see all kinds of things, and then there are the flashbacks… I am pretty sure that if I took as much acid in a short time as Harry in your story outline, my head would be the thing exploding!
Howdy.
Thanks for reading my story.
Exploding heads? Yeah, i like that.
I was wondering if you think that this is a viable outline to persue?
I have changed it a bit. For instance, Harry is no longer on the raft alone. I thought it would introduce more dramatic tension if he was saving the lives of the people who most hate him on the ship. (including his lady friend).
But… It would be prohibitively expensive to make. The subject matter is way leftfield and i am not the most experienced writer on the planet.
Hmm…Back to the drawing board?
Thanks again. Paul.
The best way to get experience is to write a lot, take classes or workshops, read books on the craft, and find people who are better than you to critique your work. And then go back and write it again.
If you already think your story is too expensive to make, and out in left field for most producers/networks, then seems like you have answered your own question. If you want people to buy your story, write a story that they can buy.
Howdy, thanks for the help. Sorry about my craziness. I really had no idea you were an editor when i posted my original thing.
I have had to endure the editing process before, while writing cartoons 4 kids. It drove me somewhat nuts.
I still have problems with being edited.
When i watch 90% of hollywoods fodder i think that there must be some bloody idiot on high saying “You see that bit with a story in? Get rid of it.”
MORE GUNS AND SEX.
I will write the stars and spiders because i have to.
Because i am mad,
Because i shine
and because i want to freak people out.
mucho respecto.
paul.
Go for it, Paul. Shining is the point, as is telling a story that burns for you. Freaking people out, well, if that’s your thing… me, I’d rather connect with them, but mileage varies and there is room for all kind of story in the world.
The only thing you really have to do is write it well. That’s the way to make people pay attention in spite of all their own baggage.
Hope it all goes swimmingly!