Dan Harmon Quote from Harmontown

I was talking to a photographer over the weekend who I met and it was an interesting conversation because I’m not a visual person at all, so I’m always interested in talking to artists and photographers and stuff. And he was talking late into the night.

And as the booze hit things got headier and deeper and sadder. He started talking about how there are all these things he wants to do with his photography but like every once in a while he’s like, “Oh my God, I’m the worst in the world. I’m a fucking hack. I suck. I’m a joke – it’s incredible that I ever took myself seriously and I’m a fucking nuisance on society.” And then the next day he’ll be like, “Oh wow. I’m actually really good. I’m great.” 

That’s a piston going up and down. Like you don’t want to be someone who’s even keeled about what they do if you’re a creative. You wanna be – frankly – bipolar. No offence to bipolar people but you literally want to have two poles because that’s what an engine has. It’s exploding one minute and then it’s not exploding the next. That’s why the car goes vroom, vroom.

Dan Harmon

A Brene Brown Quote

If you’re not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback. Period.

Brene Brown

That Time I Decided to be a SF Writer but Only Wrote Stories About Mayhem

I read a lot of science fiction when I was growing up. I worshiped at the feet of titans such as Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov. I also watched a lot of Star Trek, Dr. Who, Star Wars (over and over again) and whatever else might contain some sci-fi element. After many years of churning out fan fiction associated with various SF franchises it seemed only natural that when I took the leap of faith to start writing original fiction, it’d be science fiction.

I plotted out the first big book of my trilogy, wrote two shitty drafts, and re-plotted. Nothing was working. Frustrated at how hard it was to define my protagonist (he remained an enigma wrapped in a psychological mystery), I took a break and wrote the short stories I’d had in my head for over a decade. I wrote three. Then kept writing until I suddenly had enough for a book.

The stories were about perfectly ordinary (and not so ordinary) people doing perfectly horrible things. People setting out with the best of intentions and accidentally killing someone. People getting their comeuppance compliments of despicable characters. People being surprised when karma comes back and bites them on their ass.

At which point (after binge watching Hannibal) I had the feeling that maybe I was supposed to be writing thrillers. Because those short stories about mayhem and revenge were a lot more entertaining to write. I didn’t struggle with the characters, or their motivation. Disturbingly, the plots weren’t much of a struggle either.

I have an idea for a book that’s a dystopian thriller and unlike my pure SF story I can see the characters (and plot) fully formed in my head.

I guess this means it’s time to accept my tastes may have changed and it it might be time for a little genre swapping...

Favorite Anne Lamott Quote

"You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should’ve behaved better."

Adam Savage Interviews Mary Roach

I own all of Mary Roach’s books because they’re fascinating and hilarious. The subjects she chooses aren’t exactly popular non-fiction topics. For starters, writing an entire book on the alimentary canal wouldn’t normally be considered as a best selling topic by a publisher. Then there’s her book on cadavers, the science of sex and researchers who study the afterlife.

In this YouTube video, Adam Savage discusses the subject matter of her books in frank and gory detail. (Warning – if you’re squeamish, don’t watch.)