Decompressed Storytelling and You

In recent years, a plague has infested the comics industry and has even moved into screenwriting. That plague is decompressed storytelling, which essentially using prolonged segments of dialogue in the bulk of the narrative to evoke a more emotional response. The norm, before this trend, was to have a meaty chunk of dialogue contained in one panel or to use very snappy and concise dialogue sentences that got the point across with a few jokes, or emotive phrases. The dialogue would then be followed by a hearty serving of action to keep the reader in the moment. Rinse and repeat through the three arcs of a 20-page issue.

The compressed method would pound out the plot rather quickly and in an easy to follow manner then reward the reward the reader with some sweet eye-candy and art focused panels that evoke emotions themselves. While the decompressed method drags the reader through a muddied or often over-simplified plot through two pages for details that could be established in one panel.

I have recently noticed that season two of Daredevil uses a decompressed method which actively detracts from the dopeness that is Jon Bernthal's Punisher. I really want to like this show, but the pacing is making it real hard.

This is my call to action. If you are a writer and you want to tell a decompressed story, don't. - Cheers.

Friendly Competition in the Creative World

I recently went back and watched an interview with metal vocalist and political commentator Eric July from early 2015. In a discussion about different demographics of fans, he brought up a point about the one-upmanship that can occur in the creative world. A fan, or claimant of fandom, will sometimes only follow an artist just in an attempt to one-up them. One-upmanship has positive and negative potential.

First, the good. The progression of arts, science, and economic growth all come from competition, friendly or murderous. Just as a business provides a better service at a better rate to drive out its competition, an author will create a more concise and well-worded work to get their words heard in the white noise of publication, populated by every writer and their Instagram of adorable dog pictures. Personally, I'm a cat person. This competition drives critical growth and evolves the poetry of language.

Now, the bad. Too much competition can rot the very creative nature that drives one to make works. One can easily get hung up on the competition, rather than the product that results from it. If a creator loses sight of their vision, they lose the poetry of the words. When the creator takes their primary focus off of their vision, the one-upmanship can become a creative block instead of a kindling for the creative fire.

Use competition to fuel your work. Never lose sight of the product in the race. When you strive to better yourself, your competitors will grow to be better than you and the cycle continues. - Cheers.

Avoiding Relaxation and Staying Creative: Finding a use for my Psychology Classes.

At the time of writing this entry, I had just finished a week of industry panels, networking summits, kissing hands and shaking babies. I genuinely hate people. During this time, I still have my own projects that I need to continue working on as well as editing and reading other’s work. Literature waits for no man.

Exhaustion is a normal part of my existence. I have come to embrace it. Most of my best ideas come from periods of too much input and not enough sleep. Of course, to further develop them, rest and focus are required, but getting the idea in the first place usually occurs in the same way that one has a fever dream. When the mind cannot operate properly it draws bridges between poorly connected subjects and new experiences that don't make sense. Seeing the world in these obscured filter and mixing in things that shouldn’t be, creates a pastiche of what the world could be, given an odd twist of events. That is the point of a good story, to reflect on the world and what could be. 

So embrace your exhaustion, and strive for insomnia. - Cheers

Finding a Story: Reasons to Not Skip Leg Day

As a writer, I often look at the small things in life as part of a story that could be told. This thought process usually occurs when I'm listening to a song, and something in the lyrics feels like it belongs in a written story. My brain starts to make connections and extrapolating then gives me something that needs to be written.

Recently, I have been listening to one song's chorus on repeat. I know there is a story in there, but I haven't quite figured out what it is. This struggle sometimes locks up the creative part of me for a day or more. This is where leg day often finds its way into the equation.

I know far too many creative people that put off physical training. Exercise is a fantastic thing. Not only does it strengthen the body but it strengthens the mind as well. For creatives, maintaining a balance between mental and physical training is paramount. Physical exercise allows the creative to slow down and focus on their breathing and the form of their glutes. It's like meditation, but more American. In this trance, the brain is able to juggle the myriad of inputs it received in the last few days and bridge connections. Once the brain puts one and one together, it connects the lyrics in the chorus to a news article I read earlier and how great my glutes look then puts a character in a situation the is influenced by both.

After you discover the story you've been looking for, feel free to examine how marvelous your glutes are. - Cheers.