entertainment

What Game of Thrones can teach creative writers about hidden context

/ Ajmorse / 3 Comments

Source: HBO;  Margaery and Cersei walk together.

We saw it a few nights ago in the latest episode of Game of Thrones, in First of His Name. Margaery and Cersei are standing side by side, both staring out at the new King Tommen talking about King Joffrey, about the new king, about whether or not Margaery still wants to be queen. Talking about everything else than what is truly on their minds.

Game of Thrones, or more specifically, Game of Throne’s characters, presents a fine example of the importance of hidden context for creative writers.

In context:  Margaery and Cersei are having a conversation, they are talking about the troubles on hand: a recent death, a new queen and what they should do now. Margaery, is polite, beguiling, charming. She knows how to twist words to her favor, to ask a question, yet answer it in the same sentence. Meanwhile, Cersei’s words are clipped, sometimes barbed. The things she says are meant to shock, to entice some reaction from the person next to her, to try to make the person she is having a conversation with, uncomfortable.

Out of context: The tension between the two. The fact that they aren’t looking at each other. The pauses between words. The politeness. Margaery wants the throne and is doing what she can to get it. Cersei doesn’t like Margaery, but knows she must play nice and make small talk, or in Cersei’s case, idle threats. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

While the two, strong, beautiful women are making conversation, most of what goes on between them is what they don’t say. The glances, the gestures, the false smiles. Cersei says it best with a glance, a frown, or a twitch of her eye.

And all the while, there is tension.

You hear it time and time again, from a lot of creative writers, or teachers of the craft. There must be tension. Without tension of some kind there is no story, no problem or obstacle to overcome.

If two characters are having a conversation, and everything is happy, perfect, agreeable, there is no reason for the conversation and as such, there is no story.

That’s why it is so important to create great detail in your stories. Sensory details. Describe the scene and character and conversation in detail.

With detail you will create the tension, and in that tension is what isn’t being said – the hidden context. Which is sometimes the most important thing of all.

What are your favorite stories or TV Shows? Who are your favorite characters in them? And what does it teach you about writing or story telling?

Thoughts below if you’ve got ’em!

 

 

Game of Thrones TV Show Review: First of His Name, or Last?

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I have not read the book series, so my review of this show is based purely on what I have seen in each episode.

Also, Spoilers ahead.

Source: HBO

Season 4, Episode 5: First of His Name Review –

Westeros has a new King. Margaery continues to remain in King Tommen’s good graces, and Cersei admits to knowing that Joffrey was a monster, and makes friends with Prince Oberyn. She asks him to send a gift to her daughter; she misses her, which is understandable.

Arya continues to name names on her ever-growing list of soon to be dead people, and the Hound remains entertaining as always and still manages to challenge the feisty Arya at every turn.

Meanwhile, Sansa arrives at The Eyrie with Lord Baelish, who marries her aunt Lysa. We learn that it wasn’t Cersei and Jaime who murdered John Aryn, but his own wife! As requested by Lord Baelish, so they could be together. While the new Mrs. Baelish is aching to see her new husband to bed, I can’t help but wonder if this is just Lord Baelish’s plan to seize the Eyrie. He’s always wanted a Kingdom to rule on his own.

On another front, Lady Brienne and Podrick travel to find Sansa, and it turns out that Podrick wasn’t trained to do much, except pour wine for Lord Tyrion. Ah, no matter, he’s still loyal and sweet.

Jon Snow and Company finally arrive at Craster’s place, and the traitors are dealt with. Craster’s daughters tell Jon Snow to burn the house and the bodies to the ground, they will find their own way.

And we didn’t get the reunion between Jon Snow and his brother, Bran, as Bran is encouraged by his friends to leave before Jon can talk him out of his quest to head North to the Three-Eyed Raven.

Meanwhile, across the sea, Daenerys decides not to just be a Mother of Dragons and a Targaryen, she will be a Queen.

No attack on Westeros yet by Daenerys, but soon…I hope? And how much did you want to see the reunion between Jon and his brother? I know I did! Urgh.

A solid episode, I thought, but it seems like the more story lines we have for each episode, the longer it takes for the story to progress. It is both entertaining and frustrating as we have to wait for each character’s story in turn. The next episode, however, will be entertaining as we have Tyrion’s trial to look forward too!

I’d like to know what you think…Thoughts below if you got ’em!

 

20 Random Questions about ME

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Here’s something a little different…in case you were curious about the person behind the blog. I’ve posted a lot of posts, but nothing very much about me. So I made some of my own random questions…Maybe we’ll find out that we have something in common! 🙂

1212122120 meeeeeeee

1. What room am I in right now?

I am sitting in my office. I can hear traffic outside my window right now, and the weather is kind of gloomy and grey, but it is so nice having my own writing space. Even finally put curtains up this morning! They are purple.

2. Margarine or Butter?

Butter all the way! I grew up with Margarine though, yuck. I think butter is the best for cooking, though.

3. Who is my favorite celebrity crush?

For guys? Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth. For girls? Mmm…Keri Russel? She is soo pretty.

4. What is my favorite kind of food?

Italian food, yum! Anything with sauce, cheese, pasta, some kind of chicken or mushrooms…or meatballs, siigh, or garlic! Getting hungry thinking about it.

5. What is my favorite TV Show?

Right now, Game of Thrones. But LOST still remains a favorite.

source: zdnet.com

6. Who is my favorite author? Who do I most admire?

J.K. Rowling, of course. If I could come close to the depth and detail that she has created in her worlds, I would be alright, I think.

7. What do I order when I am out for breakfast?

Pancakes and sausage, home-fries and fried eggs over-easy. Last time I ordered bacon and ham, too.

8. If I could have a superpower, what would it be?

Superman powers – super strength, speed, X-ray vision, ability fly. Yeah, it’d be fun to just like jump over a building and be where you need to be.

9. What is my favorite animal?

There are so many. I really like sea creatures. Whales are probably my favorite; Blue whales, humpback whales and killer whales but I also like frogs, and turtles too.

10. What is one of my favorite books?

Graceling, by Kristin Cashore.

11. What music do I listen to on a day to day basis?

On Pandora:  a lot of 90’s hits, but also Ingrid Michaelson, and Disney songs

Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.

Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.

12. If I could travel anywhere in the world, where would I go?

New Zealand. I want to see all the gorgeous scenery that was viewed on all the LOTR movies, it’d also be extremely cool to visit Hobbiton, too.

13. Fiction or reality?

I have a theory influenced by the movie, The Words, that writers struggle with living in fiction or reality. They can chose one or the other, but after awhile, one or the other becomes the reality. The idea is to find the balance between the two, but is that truly possible?

14. Car or truck?

I have a tan Toyota Camry 99. Trucks are cool for those that have something to haul around, but I have no need for it. Plus, I love my Camry.000_0010

15. What do I like best about summer?

The heat! I like being so warm that’s it’s like there’s a blanket wrapped around my shoulders. I can wear flip flops and a dress and at 8 o’clock at night it is still 80 degrees… yeah, that’s my idea of a nice summer.

16. If I were to fix dinner right now, what would it be?

Something simple and comforting. Probably some kind of chicken breast, mashed potatoes and peas.

17. Why do I write?

I write because I feel like half myself without expressing myself on the page. Because there is some kind of peace, some kind of balance in myself when I get the ideas down on the page. One day when I was fourteen and in  English class, I decided I wanted to be the one whose words were quoted and cherished, like something sweet and savory in your mouth. I wanted to be the one to impress people with my words.

100_010718. What was my favorite pet’s name?

His name was Patches, he was a black and white cat who was a goofball and very mischievous. I have never had a cat with such personality before. He’d pounce the other cats when they were sleeping, he’d follow them places, he was a loud mouth, he had terrible luck when it came to hunting mice.

19. If I could live in an alternate reality, where would it be?

I sometimes think about worlds out there other then our own, I wonder what it would be like to live if the sky was purple, the grass was blue and the water was pink? What if we have five limbs instead of four? What if our whole world was underwater?

20. Where do I see myself in 10 years?

Published. No doubt about it. Settled down someplace warm with my graduate degree. In some kind of academic career, or writing professionally, perhaps with a family of my own.

 

Hope you enjoyed! Thoughts below if you got ’em!

Game of Thrones TV Show Review: Oathbreaker, The Good vs The Bad

/ Ajmorse / 2 Comments

Being an avid Game of Thrones watcher, I thought I would put my two cents in about the most recent Game of Thrones episode…

Note: This is conjecture based purely on the TV Show, I have not read the book series completely, and so I can only judge the show based on what I have seen.

Also, SPOILERS AHEAD.

Photo credit: HBO

Review of “Oathbreaker” –

It’s great to see the characters grow and change in Season four – Daenerys freeing slaves and grooming her army, Jon Snow training recruits, Jaime Lannister’s more humble attitude, (except for that whole incest rape thing, I mean what the heck?), but it’s difficult sometimes to focus on the good that happens, when being good in the Game of Thrones sometimes means losing your head, sometimes quite literally.

In Oathbreaker, Jon Snow receives permission to take a party to Craster’s Keep and capture or kill the traitors who killed Mormont . Meanwhile, said traitors are rapping and abusing Craster’s daughters and offering a last child sacrifice to the white walkers.

They capture and subdue Bran and company, and tie up and torture, Hodar, and trap the Direwolves, Ghost and Summer. 

Okay, we get it, these traitors are bastards and need to die. But did we need to see it so graphically?

While Daenerys is helping free slaves, Cersei is her bitter alcoholic self bent on seeing her little brother, Tyrion dead, although everyone else seems to think that he is innocent.

At least we got to see a neat scene between Brienne and Jaime, and Brienne vows to find Sansa Stark. It does beg the question: does Jaime love lady Brienne? Could it be the Kingslayer cares for someone more than himself? It is clear that she feels something for him, but perhaps what he feels goes deeper than love…I think he truly respects her.

The change and growth in his character is refreshing, although it is still difficult to move pass the rape scene that everyone can’t seem to stop talking about. Perhaps we can just forget it ever happened.

That seemed to be what the writers wanted in this episode. No mention or thought was given to that scene, except for Cersei’s chilly demeanor, but really, that just means nothing has changed then.

Meanwhile, Margaery is forming a new alliance with the next King in line to the throne, Tommon, and we learn that Little Finger is indeed behind King Joffrey’s death as well as Margaery’s grandmother.

Daenerys’ story is becoming very interesting. She believes in dealing with injustice with justice, and while we root and cheer for her story, the villainous characters bent on slaughter, rape and dead babies always seem to take center stage.

Sometimes it makes for an uncomfortable watch when you don’t always know if your favorite characters are safe or not, if justice is really met, if good actually wins in the end.

It is true Game of Thrones is not for the faint of heart, and it definitely keeps you guessing. I will always root for the good guys, though.

My favorite characters are Daenerys and Arya. I think they have the more interesting stories. Who are your favorites? What did you think of last night’s episode? Think we will see the good guys win in the next episode?

Thoughts below if you got ’em!

Part 1 Confessions: Struggling with Writer’s Fear

/ Ajmorse / 1 Comment

Something that I’ve been avoiding writing about for awhile now…

And that is about Fear…or, most importantly, about MY FEAR.

A writer’s fear. Yikes. A crippling phobia that leads to self doubt, blank pages and writer’s block. I am so worried about whether or not my writing will be good or not, and I don’t get anything written.

IMG_20140401_182813

If you all remember, back in August, I purchased Writer’s Market 2014 with much excitement and enthusiasm, all with the intention of moving myself forward on the path of freelancing and writing as a way to make a living.

I thumped the gigantic book on my desk and then stared at it apprehensively for a few minutes. (No lie.) With a deep breath, I managed to page through the first few pages, and then I pushed it aside, opened up Pandora and started listening to something soothing. Query letters? Submissions? Deadlines? Limits?

Words that didn’t seem intimidating before were suddenly hitting me in the face. Where was my inhaler again? Where was this all coming from?

So, I thought. And I thought some more.

All these questions buzzed through my head: How do I make the submission process, editing and proof-reading work for me? What are my goals? Do I have any? What will bring me satisfaction? What do I want to write and where do I want to send it to?

Wait a minute, self. Slooww down.

I need to keep constantly reminding myself: everyone has their own way of dealing with something. As writers, we should remember that each of us has our own style and that can be applied in all that we do. No one is the same, embrace it!

Also the most important thing right now: Write, Write, Write!  (<<<Something that I will keep reminding myself no matter what! How am I to succeed if I don’t try?)

In the next few days, I will be doing some of my own research to help counteract this weight on my shoulders, and on my chest. I will succeed as a writer. I just have to have the courage to face my own fears!

No April Fool’s jokes for me today, too much to do! Stay tuned for Part 2: My ways to Counteract Writer’s Fear!

Laundry, a menial chore – a nice journaling opportunity!

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Moved to a new place in the last few months, and the building we are living in doesn’t have laundry on site, so every week or so I must make that dreaded trip to the laundromat. I hate doing laundry, and I hate laundromats, but the last time I brought my journal along and it gave me this somewhat amusing (if a bit depressing) journal entry:

ZZZZZ

3/5/14

I hate the sound of a laundromat. The way everyone’s laundry bumps up and down and goes every which-way, it makes me feel like there’s a hovercraft nearby, the rinsing and the swooshing, the quick, jagged vibrating of a laundry load full of jeans. The heavy slosh of an empty washer only half-full, only half used.

The dryer doors that fly open in mid-spin on a whim, flinging out their contents…be free undies…be free towels…be free…

Then there is the final rinse, the final spin, the heavy drone of a washer that bids you to keep waiting, groans and shudders, waiting….waiting…wait. One final spin, a heavy moan and then it shudders. It’s done.

How disturbing that washing clothes sounds like sex on paper, but it’s not like that at all.

Doing laundry is not sexy. It is the un-sexed, the final hangnail, the equivalent of having a migraine with a piercing light shining down on you.

It is like finding a stain on your favorite t-shirt, drumming your steering wheel in long lines of traffic, a fly buzzing in your ear, diarrhea, a sink full of dirty dishes, an open wound, the stink and the squelch of feet stuck in cold mud.

It is that raw, open feeling of words not said, of empty spaces, of regrets that come flying back in crowds of laughing, boisterous people. It’s like realizing you’ve forgotten something very important, and that dread of forgotten assignments…a pop-quiz, a failed class, the feeling of social paranoia. It is that trapped, dizzying realization that no one is coming to rescue you – life really comes with disappointments, heart ache and hurts.

And no one is going to rescue you from the overwhelming joyless feeling of living sometimes. Sometimes, all you can do is feel lost in the hullabaloo of it. Sometimes all you can do is look around hopelessly at the blank, wide-eyed, too-beautiful people and hope that they won’t notice that you might smell like prey to their eyes, that you might be that one person that might make this second of their lives a little more entertaining.

But ah, I digress – laundry. That menial chore that reminds you that there are other hopeless people in the world around you. You may think that you smell like roses most of the time, but in the end of it…eventually, all your clothes smell like shit. And that’s enough to bring dread to anyone.

Yeah, I really hate laundry. One day, when I’m rich and famous, I’ll hire someone to do it for me. But for now, it keeps me with the realization, and reminds me that no one is perfect – myself included.

Happy Halloween!!!

/ Ajmorse / Leave a comment

I know it has been a while since I posted last and I’m going to try to make up for it in the next coming weeks…

On another note, I recently acquired Photoshop again and I thought I’d do up a little something to celebrate. It’s amazing what you can do with just a picture, some paint tools, cut and paste, and filters. (Gotta love those filters!)

Anywho, enjoy!

halloweenThe black cat in this picture actually belongs to a friend of mine. Believe it or not, the cat really is about the size of a big pumpkin, he’s HUGE. He gets mad whenever I pick on his weight. It’s hilarious though, if you could see this cat waddle…

Anyway, hope everyone has a safe holiday!

And go crazy!! 😉 Have a good one!

Between the raindrops

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I sometimes forgot how much I love to lose myself in the setting of a book or a movie, the way it feels to lose yourself in a different world, a character’s emotions – to be swept away and return only when you need to…

when its time to face the music.

But this also reminds me of dreams, which brings me to the point of this post:  Last week I had a dream…

No, really I did.

I had a dream that…well, I don’t remember much, but in the dream was music. There was a girl running from something, she was full of emotion; longing, fear, desire…she was running to something and she couldn’t get there fast enough and she was worried that she was going to be too late.

Too late for what? I have no idea. I woke up with a song in my head that matched the beating of her heart and I could not figure out where I had heard the song or even what it was. I had a tune in my head, and didn’t even know if it was a real song.

Well, I heard that song on the radio today, jotted down some lyrics and through the power of google, the song has a name.

It is Between the Raindrops by Lifehouse feat. Natasha Bedingfield.

It always amazes me how a good song can sweep you up just as much as a novel, or a great movie. It is where I find some of my inspiration…and why I don’t always like to watch the music videos that go a long with songs. I like to create my own story.

There just might be something here, too. I can still see the girl running, the mud flying up on her t-shirt as her legs tear across the ground, as cold, water dribbles down her bare legs and her cheeks and eyelashes, mixing with muddy rain and tears.

Once Upon a Time Review 1/6/13 – Regina tries to change, too little, too late

/ Ajmorse / 2 Comments

I watched the new episode on Sunday, but with work, vacation plans (more on that later)…I wasn’t able to write until now. From here on out, I’d like to try to post at least once a week!

I am very excited about the new ideas I have in this new year and can’t wait to get started. Even with the brand new year, there is still so much to do and so little time!  ***An update on this later in the week! (or later today, baha!)

Now, what to say about Once? So much happened in the most recent episode!

*Spoil Alert!*

Photo credit: ABC.

This episode remained very much a Regina-centric episode, and who can complain, really? We love our Evil Queen just as much as Snow, Emma and Charming! In the Enchanted Forest flash-back, after being tricked by Snow and Charming, Regina must admit to defeat by the couple, whose army is much stronger than hers. She is then captured and put into prison. Can the Evil Queen really change her ways?

In present day Storybrooke, Cora and Hook make their way quietly into town, but Cora wants to make sure that her child is truly broken, and so will eventually need her. What better way to do this, but to take her son away from her? What a wonderful mother! Heh. She pretends to be Regina and murders Dr. Hopper.

While Emma and company interrogate Regina about the murder, Emma is not convinced that Regina truly did it, until Rumpelstiltskin is able to show them the evidence. In doing so, Emma uses magic! Interesting!

Meanwhile, the Evil Queen in flashback enchanted forest world, refuses to show remorse and change her ways, forcing Snow and Charming to exile her from the Kingdom. And back in the present day Storybrooke, Snow is saddened by the fact that Regina will not change even though she has been given numerous second chances.

Here is where I feel sympathy for Regina and am starting to dislike her mother even more. “You can pretend all you want,” Snow tells her, “But we know who you will always be like.” Has Regina tried to change too little, too late? She is truly trying and now no one believes her!

The end of the episode reveals Dr. Hopper not really dead, but a captive of Hook and Cora.

Thoughts and Observations:

  • No Mulun and Aurora in this episode – but I’m sure there will be much more of them to come and hopefully some new characters!
  • The beginning scene with Charming and Snow in bed was hilarious and the look of horror on Emma’s face. Charming says something like, “At least we can still provide her with a few traumatic childhood memories at this stage of her life.” Bahahaha!
  • Emma’s red leather jacket is gone, her hair is pulled back and she is wearing a sweater and jeans through most of the episode – the result is a softer, more open, motherly Emma.
  • I am a Regina fan through and through and seeing her heartbreak at her separation from Henry and the fact that no one believes her is kind of heartbreaking!

Here’s a sneak peek of the next episode:

Thoughts below! 🙂

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – An unexpected Pleasure!

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Went and saw the The Hobbit last night and thought I’d post a quick review! There are no spoilers here, except about how fantastic I think this film is, so feel free to read on and get a peek at the music in this gorgeous movie!

When I heard that Peter Jackson was going to make The Hobbit in a 3-part film, I had my doubts. It wasn’t until I re-read the book, until I realized there is so much that happens behind the scenes that J. R. R. Tolkien never expands upon. How creative of Peter Jackson and company to bring a world to life that no one ever has ever seen before!

I was most excited when I read that some of the same people from the Lord of the Rings were going to be involved with the project: Howard Shore, the composer; screenwriter and co-producer, Philippa Boyens, and screenwriter and producer, Fran Walsh, who both had a hand in some great writing in the Fellowship of the Ring. I knew that as long as these fantastic people, (including Peter Jackson, of course!) were involved with the project, they couldn’t go wrong and boy, did they deliver!

The casting was excellent, the characterization of all 13 dwarfs was superb and so creative, they all have their own look and personality, it was done quite fantastically; the scenery was larger than life and the music; oh, the music!

There’s really nothing else I can say except to let you listen. I am such a sap sometimes, and there were a few moments in this film where my eyes teared up just because the music was so beautiful and awe-inspiring. I absolutely loved it!

What do you guys think?