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Hi, Mike! Sorry it took so long to respond. Absentminded, I am.
It's nice to see another regular writer (whatever format, style, etc., doesn't matter) here. I've tried to dip my toes in nonfiction but I haven't gotten very far yet. I think that writing a blog is a very cool way to hone essay writing. I read on articles every now and then that blogging is a good way to do that. Again, have tried, but never got far. I simply have yet to find a passionate topic I can carry a blog on, I've come to think.
Even though you decided not to pursue magazine journalism, I bet the experiences were invaluable. And those writer magazines, while I've heard of many, I don't think I've heard of “The Sun”; would you recommend it?
I can understand sticking to the shorter stuff. I get bored easily with long projects, too, and do my most clear-headed work with short stories. I'm both baffled and thankful I haven't gotten bored of my book. At times it seems like I've sunk an eternity into it and it gets disheartening. At the end of the day, however, I always come back to it, because for as much time as I've spent on the thing it would be a greater tragedy to abandon it. The way I keep myself at the grind is to think something like “my characters deserve to have their stories finished” or “if I give up on this book, then I'll have trouble finishing any other”. (This book is the first one I've written/am writing.) It's one of those things I feel like if I stopped, I would regret it. Hard to explain, but I figure you understand in context of any other difficult-but-worth-it situation.
Quite interestingly, I often toss aside the shorter stories and don't come back to them until an unspecified time. I have a number of short stories starting to collect metaphorical dust in my documents folder. That, I think, is less of boredom and more priorities.
I wish I had more time to sit and read like I used to. Every now and then I find opportunity to crack open a book. I've started carrying my unfinished reads in my purse when I go out, and sometimes the chance presents itself. (Waiting rooms, late friends, things like that.) Even though I primarily write fiction I enjoy nonfiction more often than not. Memoirs and diaries are undoubtedly my favorite. (Especially the unedited diaries of Anais Nin.)
The few fictional novels I read are always realistic, or at least, as much as they can be. The novel “Fade” by Robert Cormier is one example. It was set in our world, eras 1940s-70s, and there was only one element of fantasy in the entire book. (A hereditary ability to turn invisible.) I can't much stomach heavy fantasy or science fiction. There always has to be an element of realism in a book or I find it hard to have interest.
Which sounds strange, considering I'm writing what's technically a fantasy book. I don't much like calling it that, though. There are many kinds of fantasy, but to the oblivious eye (what I've experienced, anyhow) fantasy equates to dragons and wizards. Or, as of late, vampires. It's correct to call it fantasy but feels odd to me because I try and make it most realistic as I can. I research and use a lot of psychology in writing, and take most the book's technology and culture from history. So the characters, etc. all feel very real to me.
It seems like a pain to research a bunch, but at least it pays off, in both the characters and my own knowledge. I couldn't tell you how much I know about personality or panic disorders just because some characters have them. It's jump-started my interest in going into a psychology major, too, so all's well that ends well!
As far as magazine subscriptions go, I actually only follow Writer's Digest, the Advocate, and a number of (brace yourself) fashion magazines. I don't read the fashion magazines for anything fashion-related, as weird as that sounds. I just flip through the photo spreads and keep an eye out for anything inspiring, or models who come close to my mental image of characters. It's strange that it works but sometimes referring back to certain models helps me picture a character more clearly. Visual thinker, I am.
I don't know much of cars or motorcycles. If ever I have a character with a hot rod, though, I bet I could get back to you with all sorts of conversation on it!
Well, it's by far late, but good luck. Thank you for sharing about your own writing! Until next time.
'yamerias' wrote on '05:I'm a huge MK fan myself, having played almost every game released (only ones not played so far are the 2 Mythologies games and the recently released one) and on pretty much every format too! Have you checked out the new web series on YouTube? Brilliant stuff….incidentally who is your favourite character? For me it is between SubZero and Raiden 🙂
I really like superhero movies and Watchmen has to be one of the best I've watched…I have 2 versions of the movie too…theatrical and the Ultimate Cut (basically the directors cut with tales of the black freighter mixed in). I saw it at the cinema too and it was easily the best movie I saw that year…and yes, that music was brilliantly suited to THAT scene 😛I'm not really sure what exactly I think of Labyrinth…I mean it's ok, but it's no Dark Crystal!!
I have not chequed out the web series! Didn't know there was one! Raiden has to be my personal favorite. There's something about his basic costume template that always looks so original and interesting. One of those things “if it isn't broke, don't fix it”.
Watchmen has to be one of the best superhero movies I've seen, too. I love when noir styles (thank you, Rorschach!) mix into movies nowadays, especially the parts of Watchmen where it added to the dystopian theme. Call me voyeuristic, but I love dystopian movies. (Must mention Repo: The Musical.) The end of Watchmen, particularly, where there's a surge of 'hope' for mankind secretly brought about by Veidt's cunning. It's simply a fascinating story, and satisfies both my comic book geek and wishful psychologist. Ha ha!
Oh, and Dark Crystal. Thank goodness I'm not the only person who remembers that movie! Every time my friends pull out Labyrinth (for the hundredth time), it's all I can think about. I'll have to make them watch it.
'Martin' wrote on '04:Was his acting better or worse than his role in the Labyrinth?
I personally think his outfit makes up for the acting in Labyrinth. Haha!
'yamerias' wrote on '03:I am a big fan of the NOES franchise, and I must admit when I first heard there was a remake it did worry me somewhat, but as much as it is not as good as the original (it will always be awesome to me as it was the first horror movie I watched in full when I was a kid!) it still wasn't too bad and I enjoyed it. The makeup used on Jackie Earle Haley was pretty good too, looks like proper burns. not like someone spat chewed up gum on someone's face.
Other movies I've watched this week are Watchmen (brilliant), Batman Begins (great story, very true to the comics), Alien vs Predator (not as bad as I thought it would be) and Mortal Kombat (cheesy but fun)
Good! I'll have to put it on my 'watch list'.
And all those movies you watched this week: I love them all. Especially the cheesy Mortal Kombat movie. (I couldn't resist it. Mortal Kombat nerd, here.) I remember I went to see Watchmen in theatres, actually. It's clear in memory because my brother nearly choked on popcorn when the song “Hallelujah” started playing for that not-so-subtle scene with Silk Spectre ii and Night Owl ii.
Welcome to Insomnialand. I hope you find what you're looking for here. This community is the best I've found online: there's a lot of helpful and kind people here.
'yamerias' wrote on '21:I'm just about to watch A Nightmare On Elm Street remake…it's not as awesome as the original, but I currently don't have that on BluRay!!
Is it worth it to watch the remake, or should that be saved for when one's exhausted their movie resources and it may as well be given a chance?
Just watched “Bridesmaids” and “Edge of Seventeen”. “Bridesmaids” was hilarious: definitely not your standard wedding movie. That one, I had to see simply because of all the acclaim it's been getting. The other movie was recommended to me by a friend: it was fairly lighthearted but very thought-provoking in some areas. It was about a high-school boy in the 1980s discovering and exploring his homosexuality, and eventually coming out to family.
I did also watch the Roast of William Shatner lately, but that's an entirely different story involving a lazy Sunday, my Star Trek love and Netflix Instant.
I'm more than interested in this. I've kept sleep diaries before, for my own use, but I think this idea is just as great. Also, it'll help remind me to cheque Insomnia Land more often, haha!
What kind of format? Just as if journaling?
Welcome to Insomnia Land! I hope you find everything you're looking for here in the forums.
When I was a child and growing up, I wasn't so much a poor sleeper as I was night owl. As I got older it seemed to slowly transform from simply staying up late to staying up all night, and then to just staying up regardless of time. How exactly my insomnia started is a bit of a blur to me, but from what I remember, I kept to my room every night writing or drawing until sunrise and by the time I got to school that day I would start counting down the hours until I could go home and try to take a nap before my parents would come home from work. (Which held for a while, until I couldn't make myself fall asleep for naps and just spiraled into progressively worse bouts of plain not sleeping.) Nowadays I work from home and I don't have to worry about my backwards sleep schedule, but I still have insomnia. It's cemented over the years: no matter what life changes come about, it always comes back.
'Tommy wrote on '30:Hi UliHarp, I'm in the same boat as you I reckon. I'd say they're related, in someway.
I'm seeing a specialist soon, to figure out what the best course of meds are etc. I *think* my insomnia was triggered by depression, and as for solitude, I like being alone sometimes, I love my space – but like you, that then makes me depressed, and I want to get out, and that starts a vicious cycle. Being stuck in the same 4 walls drives me insane sometimes.
I went undiagnosed for years because I refused to admit I had a problem. For years my self-destructive behaviour has lost me jobs, opportunities, friends, money and a lot of good things that were going for me once upon a time. People gave up on me, and I don't blame them. I started relying on alcohol and other substances more and more until it finally caught up with me in March. When I came out of intensive care I swore I was going to sort myself out for good this time so didn't run away as soon as the GP referred me to a psychiatrist this time, I actually went.
And I have to say, my life's a lot better for it, but obviously I'm typing this at 3.37 AM my sleeping hasn't gotten any better 😉
I (reluctantly) admit that I dodge help. It's not that I don't want it, but I always seem to chicken out or gloss over the problems at hand so friends and family don't have to get involved or be concerned. My family, as far as I know, just thinks I'm a night owl and assumes I sleep well enough. A few of my closer friends are aware of everything but rarely bring it up or just say “you're fine”. (Which both kills me and makes me consider if I am.) I think part of my reluctance is that I'm scared to be marked as this or that, because once something's official, it's set in stone. (Or at least, how it seems.) Also, I'm a little threatened by the possibility of medication. It takes a lot to work myself up to medicine for anything: even stuff like ibuprofen or aspirin makes me anxious because it's a foreign substance that could (in worst case scenario) have adverse side effects. I guess the reason for that is my lack of experience with hospitals and doctors, etc. I've never broken a bone, had stitches, or been to a hospital/office for anything besides what could be solved with a brace or exercises (Carpal Tunnel Synd.). So the concept of medicine going into my system is new and (quite honestly) scary. I've had more experience with plain counselors and therapists throughout my life. I'm more comfortable with their sorts of noninvasive treatments (i.e. mental exercises and mantras). My fear is that when I do go to someone for serious analysis, I'll be pressured to take medications or the treatment will change me. Which sounds paranoid and counterproductive, seeing as I would like help… it's just kinda one big, divided jumble in my head.
'BellaRose' wrote on '08:I stopped seeing people because I was too ill or I couldn't socialize, the depression got worse which made my sleep worse. The lack of sleep & stress made my syndrome more & more painful. Which made daily tasks impossible and I ended up just not sleeping at all. The doctors said I was clinically disabled with insomnia!
I was very close to the point of not seeing people or going out during the winter time. I reasoned it then by saying it was cold out, etc., but looking back I flat out didn't want to see anyone. It added to the detriment of my relationship at the time, since my (ex)partner would often visit daily, and I would want nothing to do with him or just be crabby/bitter. I might still be stuck in that self-imposed solitude if not for my friend Eric: he came to our house for a party and starting talking about a cafe group he went to every Monday, and insisted I come with him to the next meet when I expressed interest. Since then I've gone to this group every week, and slowly come back out of my shell and remembered I enjoy being around people. It doesn't seem like much, only getting out and socializing on Mondays, but it was a nice, gradual step out of not seeing anyone at all. I look forward to every Monday now, especially since many people in the group also have insomnia or depression/related emotional illnesses. We don't always talk about them, but when it comes up, everyone's more than understanding and sometimes even helpful.
Also gives me hope. It makes me wonder to see I'm not the only one who gets caught in the 'vicious circle': wonder in the way that I'm curious to see if connections have been made and/or researched by professionals and what they do for it.
My favorite period drama would have to be SungKyunKwan Scandal. It's a Korean drama, set during the late Joseon era. In the story, the main character (girl) enters a school under her brother's name (in that period, women weren't allowed in scholar schools) and there exploits and love stories all around.
It's my favorite not only for its accuracy, but it has a nice balance of serious and hilarious. The costumes and settings they use are also fantastic.
