Thursday, April 13, 2006
Fear of Kites (a mount hermon recap)
Most of what happened at Mount Hermon will stay at Mount Hermon, if only because of all the you had to be there moments. F'rinstance, is mishearing someone say they have a "fear of kites" all that funny? (They meant heights, of course.) It was at the moment, but there's likely a support group online somewhere that will take offense if too much a deal is made about it.
Likewise the "American Association of Gray Sweashirt Guys of America" doesn't need me making fun of the appellation any more than Christopher Fisher did. (Of course, now I've upset West Virginians who think I'm mocking their mountain range.)
And while porpoise can do nothing but increase the humor quotient of a story, the word itself only has the special connotations I'm thinking of for a half dozen MH attendees. Plus it needs Mike Snyder's body language to really sell it.
And Dave Long's "Armed Robbery" anecdote, as told at MH at any rate, is decidely not-CBA-approved. (A boy really shouldn't do that to his mother.) Sure, he could clean it up, but it would lose something in the process.
These are the moments Mount Hermon is made of. I can get turned down by editors and agents for the price of postage. I can get "send it to me when it's ready" for the same price, too. The critiques were helpful, but except for the lack of postage the transaction is remarkably similar (you give them the pages, the critiquer gives you the comments); even using dramatic verbs like foist or flung doesn't make the exchange very interesting. Odd moments like when you realize you're eating scrambled eggs on soggy Doritos, are just that: odd. Work them into a story sometime, but don't confuse them for the story itself.
So while I could tell you "9 Things You Should Do to Build Emotional Intensity in Fiction" or "3 Essentials for Memorable Characters," even that wouldn't be any more exciting that reading it out of a book. The book would most likely be better written, to boot. Though it might not include the word porpoise.
Likewise the "American Association of Gray Sweashirt Guys of America" doesn't need me making fun of the appellation any more than Christopher Fisher did. (Of course, now I've upset West Virginians who think I'm mocking their mountain range.)
And while porpoise can do nothing but increase the humor quotient of a story, the word itself only has the special connotations I'm thinking of for a half dozen MH attendees. Plus it needs Mike Snyder's body language to really sell it.
And Dave Long's "Armed Robbery" anecdote, as told at MH at any rate, is decidely not-CBA-approved. (A boy really shouldn't do that to his mother.) Sure, he could clean it up, but it would lose something in the process.
These are the moments Mount Hermon is made of. I can get turned down by editors and agents for the price of postage. I can get "send it to me when it's ready" for the same price, too. The critiques were helpful, but except for the lack of postage the transaction is remarkably similar (you give them the pages, the critiquer gives you the comments); even using dramatic verbs like foist or flung doesn't make the exchange very interesting. Odd moments like when you realize you're eating scrambled eggs on soggy Doritos, are just that: odd. Work them into a story sometime, but don't confuse them for the story itself.
So while I could tell you "9 Things You Should Do to Build Emotional Intensity in Fiction" or "3 Essentials for Memorable Characters," even that wouldn't be any more exciting that reading it out of a book. The book would most likely be better written, to boot. Though it might not include the word porpoise.
Mikesell
4 Snarky Remarks:
Jennifer Crosswhite, at 3:30 PM
Nice recap. I hadn't thought about the fear of kites since I got home. I have, however, been practicing my stiff-armed swimming techniques.
It was great to finally meet you in person. But we need to find a way to do this more than once every 3 decades.
Happy Easter.
It was great to finally meet you in person. But we need to find a way to do this more than once every 3 decades.
Happy Easter.
Been trying to live the MH experience vicariously through compatriot Jen Tiszai, but good as she is, man, I know I missed something! Please, at least tell me you added the jersey accent to porpoise. Without it, porpoise just has no purpose.
Yeah, I know, shoulda been there. Thanks for the glimpse.
Abundant blessings!
Yeah, I know, shoulda been there. Thanks for the glimpse.
Abundant blessings!
Just so you know, my wife has already commandeered my gray sweat shirt. Maybe I can borrow it from her for next year's conference.
I'd forgotten all about that "fear of kites" thing. In fact, I've forgotten most of what happened that night.
Did I dance? Tell me I didn't dance.
I'd forgotten all about that "fear of kites" thing. In fact, I've forgotten most of what happened that night.
Did I dance? Tell me I didn't dance.
We should have video taped Mike. Trying to imitate someone imitating me just doesn't capture it. However a video of Jeanne tapdancing may bring more money on eBay.
And we need to memorialize Chris's sweatshirt somehow. Maybe a shadowbox with a lovely calligraphed card detaling its history.