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Dialogue with my muse |
| I have been carrying on a dialogue for almost a year. During this time we have discussed the progress of my writing, editing, and publishing efforts. Join in to listen to our conversation about my daily writing life and add your comments if you think of anything Calliope and I miss. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today? JOE: Warm but well. We are experiencing a hot spell but still have a nice breeze most of the time. CALLIOPE: Enjoy it while you can. Winter in the Northeast comes all too soon. What's happening on the literary front? JOE: I am working consistently on Marital Property chapter by chapter. CALLIOPE: Do you still like the first person narrative approach? JOE: The more I write, the happier I am with it. I think it will improve the book quite a bit. CALLIOPE: Any progress with marketing? JOE: I have been concentrating more on writing this week. CALLIOPE: What about the video? JOE: I completed an outline and recorded a draft. I would like to refine it a bit more and polish it before I publish it on You Tube and My Space. CALLIOPE: Sounds like a good idea. Any plans for the weekend? JOE: Other than a concert tonight, I plan to concentrate on reading. CALLIOPE: Does that help your writing? JOE: I'm sure it does. I think it is important to surround myself with creative expression to encourage me. Talk with you on Monday. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. I was wondering what kept you. JOE: Sorry I'm late. I ran across a series of videos portraying the effect of our cruel use of animals and discussion of how it affects our lives at Transformation of Energy blog (http://gracefulgnosis.blogspot.com.) I also found a quote from Tolstoy, "As long as we have slaughterhouses, we will have wars." CALLIOPE: Quite profound. JOE: I thought so. As much as we would like to think we resemble Native Americans and others who thanked animals for giving us their lives to sustain us. We prefer to hide from the slaughter and the cruelty which accompanies it. CALLIOPE: What do you make of Tolstoy's quote? JOE: I think any violence, even done on our part without our direct knowledge inclines us toward violence toward each other. CALLIOPE: Quite a realization. JOE: Yes, and I think this includes sexual and verbal violence as well as physical. CALLIOPE: Do you think violence towards animals explains our violence toward each other? JOE: I wouldn't go that far but I think there is a connection. CALLIOPE: What do you plan to do about it? JOE: Be more aware of my connection to animals through food, clothing and entertainment. I will also continue to make people aware of their effect on others and influences on how we act. CALLIOPE: Sometimes I wonder if it's worth the effort. JOE: I do too. But not making the effort just allows us to become more callous. Talk with you tomorrow. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today? JOE: Quite well thank you. CALLIOPE: How did work on the column go yesterday? JOE: Smoothly. I started out writing the text since I did not know what the title should be. CALLIOPE: Did the title arrive in time? JOE: Just as I finished the column. Thanks for the inspiration. Learn to Appreciate Music as a Common Language seemed perfectly appropriate. I'm not sure if it will show up in exactly that form in the newspaper. CALLIOPE: Why's that? JOE: I wondered about my columns being retitled almost every submission and started working harder to find appropriate titles. I finally inquired and learned that they adjusted the title depending on how much space they had rather than for any other reason. CALLIOPE: Quite interesting. So what's on the docket for today? JOE: I had planned to record Are You Afraid of This Book as promotion for The Pastor's Inferno yesterday but didn't get to it. I couldn't face you this morning with nothing in hand so I recorded a draft of it this morning. CALLIOPE: So it's not finished? JOE: No. I plan to record several other drafts until I am happy with it. Maybe some day I'll move toward professional recording but not right now. CALLIOPE: Why not now? JOE: Financial considerations. But maybe in the future. Back to work. Talk with you tomorrow. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you this morning? JOE: Relaxed and refreshed. CALLIOPE: On what account? JOE: I am planning a column on how music brings us together. Last night I had the pleasure and privilege of hearing a concert in Centennial Park of Batavia presented by the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra. CALLIOPE: Did the concert provide you with some ideas for your column? JOE: Sort of. It provided me with experience but not with words. I know the feeling I would like to convey in my column but not how to express them. I can't even think of a good title for the column. CALLIOPE: Do you need some help? JOE: Of course. Would you be so kind? CALLIOPE: I will consider the matter and drop you some hints today if I am at all able. JOE: You're a kind muse. Thank you. Not too long ago I read a post by a person taking his muse to task. It seemed ungrateful to me. CALLIOPE: Me too. Muses have the job of inspiring people but not always with the inspiration they expect or want, or dare I say even feel they deserve. JOE: I agree. It is presumptuous to expect a muse to do one's bidding. CALLIOPE: As I see it, the point of having a muse is to stretch your imagination and offer you ideas you would not have thought of on your own. You can't expect to be thrilled by every idea which comes your way. JOE: Again I agree. I don't have to accept every idea you send me. But if you do send it, I think it is my duty to at least consider it and wonder why. Talk with you tomorrow. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today? JOE: Fine. I feel rested and energetic. CALLIOPE: How do you plan to use this energy? JOE: I have several activities planned involving other people. Still, I have some time for myself. My first priority is to record Are You Afraid of this Book. CALLIOPE: Please refresh my memory. JOE: Okay. I think some readers are fearful of The Pastor's Inferno due to its theme and content. Rather than hoping their fears will abate, I thought it might be useful to address them directly. CALLIOPE: Weren't you working on that over the weekend? JOE: I was. I completed the outline Sunday but didn't have time to record it yesterday. It seems the summer is busier than I thought it would be. CALLIOPE: So you plan to do it today? JOE: Yes. I also learned something interesting yesterday. CALLIOPE: Which is? JOE: Larry Shearer wrote a review of Young Man of the Cloth for Amazon. He liked the book but commented that one particular conversation did not sound true to life. CALLIOPE: So what did you learn? JOE: That part of the editing process in fiction could be to read passages from the point of view of the narrator or other characters being described. I will be that character for a moment and consider whether the passage describes me accurately. I'll try it today and let you know how it works. See you tomorrow. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today? JOE: Raring to go. CALLIOPE: Good. I take it you had a refreshing weekend. JOE: I did. I chauffeured my clown Fuzzy to the Oatka Festival parade. While watching the parade I made two new contacts. Later we relaxed with friends in Penfield. Yesterday I found some sale books at the Leroy Library and continued reading The Poisonwood Bible and also completed my outline of the video, Are You Afraid To Read This Book. CALLIOPE: Sounds busy as well as relaxing. What's on the agenda for today? JOE: I have some library books out which I want to review for style today. I also have an evaluation to complete and the video to record. CALLIOPE: That should keep you busy. Any progress with Marital Property? JOE: No, I haven't had time to work on it. If I have time later today I will. If not, I will get back to it tomorrow. CALLIOPE: You sound more organized today than you did last week. JOE: I'm working on it. I feel I have a better sense of direction this week. I think it will help me get more accomplished. CALLIOPE: I hope you're right. JOE: I hope so too. Talk with you tomorrow. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today. JOE: So far, so good. Carol and I had a delightful breakfast and are ready for the day's events. CALLIOPE: Which are? JOE: Her first gig in a parade as Fuzzy the Clown. She's a little concerned about the predicted heat but we have water planned along the way just in case. CALLIOPE: What else? JOE: Pat and Dick invited us to their pool later to refresh ourselves after the parade. CALLIOPE: Any literary adventures planned today. JOE: Not particularly. I don't think I'll have time for any formal activities. I plan to take my camera to the parade to see if I can spot any characters or incidents worthy of note for future reference. That's about it. CALLIOPE: So, a little break from writing? JOE: Indeed. I think it helps every once in a while to step back and look around to see what is happening. I noted several unusual characters at concerts the past two nights. Unfortunately I forgot my camera last night to record the most unusual. CALLIOPE: What do you mean by unusual? JOE: Very strange body types as if a person were constructed by committee using spare parts. Also combinations of clothing left over from the show, What Not to Wear. CALLIOPE: What do you plan to do with these observations? JOE: I would like to use them as characters in my short stories and perhaps as minor characters in my novels. Time to start observing again. Talk with you on Monday. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you this morning? JOE: Plotting. CALLIOPE: Plotting what? JOE: How to best use the limited time I have available today. CALLIOPE: What's limiting you? JOE: I have a massage scheduled this morning. This afternoon I will be doing a police candidate screening in Buffalo. Tonight I am attending a neighborhood concert. CALLIOPE: I see. So what do you plan to do with the time in between? JOE: I have two priorities today. One is to outline a video promotion for The Pastor's Inferno. The other is to continue revising Marital Property. CALLIOPE: At least you have a focus. Will you have more time tomorrow? JOE: No. I will probably have time to talk with you but I am delivering Carol to the Oatka Festival Parade where she will march as a clown. Then we are visiting friends with a pool to make the heat more bearable. CALLIOPE: And Sunday? JOE: I might have some time then and can do some reading. I am continuing with The Poisonwood Bible as an example of first person narration. CALLIOPE: At least you're keeping busy. JOE: I am, but sometimes I feel scattered. I think I need to be more careful about planning my time. Talk with you tomorrow. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today? JOE: Relaxed. I spent last night with friends listening to a Coupe Devilles concert and dancing at Charlotte beach in Rochester. CALLIOPE: Sounds like fun. I'm glad you're continuing to socialize. What's doing on in your literary world? JOE: I am continuing to work on my revision of Marital Property, changing it to a first person account. The more I do the more comfortable I am with this approach. CALLIOPE: What do you like best about it? JOE: The characters are coming to life and all have a chance to share their perceptions on observations. I think it makes for a much richer story. CALLIOPE: I'm surprised you didn't think of it before. JOE: Sometimes I need a kick in the pants to see reality. I thank my readers for their incisive comments helping me sharpen the text. CALLIOPE: I agree that it's better not to write in a vacuum or at least let your story see the light of day for a little airing out. What do you have on the agenda for today? JOE: More of the same- work on Marital Property and work on marketing. CALLIOPE: Speaking of which, how is The Pastor's Inferno doing? JOE: Not so well. I think the book scares many people with its theme. CALLIOPE: What do you think you can do about it. JOE: I've been wondering that myself. I have been considering promotional material directly addressing these fears. I think it's at least worth a try. Talk with you tomorrow. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you this morning? JOE: Ready for another day. I have written in my journal and checked my email. Now I'm ready to go. CALLIOPE: Tell me about yesterday. JOE: I worked on Marital Property again. All of my major characters have made an appearance in the first person. I am still debating whether to use present or past tense in my narrative. CALLIOPE: Why is that an issue? JOE: I feared that present tense might get tiresome, especially in a novel length story. I decided to experiment with it and so far I like the results. I think I will continue with it at least for now. CALLIOPE: What if you tire of it? JOE: Then I will switch to past tense or a combination of past and present tense. CALLIOPE: Do you have any models to consult. JOE: I am reading Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible as I mentioned. She uses strictly first person and present tense for the most part although I noticed some sections with past tense. CALLIOPE: Which tense do you like better with her book? JOE: I think I like present tense better, but that doesn't mean it will work for me. CALLIOPE: True. It's fun to experiment though isn't it? JOE: It is. I am happy to have this opportunity to try various approaches and be free to choose whichever I like best. Talk with you tomorrow. |
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Hope they like snow! 
I just tell them to go get a life...
It's a sunshiny 24 here at the moment; 19 in Buffalo.