Pondering

[prillalar]

Did you ever have a story that had existed in your head for so long, possibly because you had to write six seven challenge stories first, and became so vivid in your mind that it felt almost impossible to get out in words?

Did you ever think about how language -- spoken, written -- is an interface between our brains? That when I write a story, that's my interface from my brain to yours? If reading about interface design could make you a better writer?

Did you know that when people find something attractive and aesthetically pleasing, they also perceive it as working better and being easier to use than if it were functional but plain? And that it works the same way with people?

What do you think would happen if a member of the Royal Family was a wizard? If Ed and Al met up with Nicolas Flamel and got the Philosopher's Stone off him? If Thor was cheating on Jack with Maybourne?

Did you ever want to smack me for asking too many questions?

Comments

[daisy-does.livejournal.com]

for the first one -- YES. I get a series of images fixed in my brain, but they're all visual and I can't figure out how to translate them into something verbal.

about the attractive/functional one: how about the fact that babies are happier around conventionally beautiful people? that makes me sad!

[xsmoonshine.livejournal.com]

Yup.

Sort of, yeah, yes.

Guess so, oh dear.

No idea, hope not, he'd better not, the little grey bastard, even if Jack sometimes cheats on him with Daniel!

Never! =)

[destina.livejournal.com]

I enjoy your questions, even if I do feel like my head is packed full of cotton fuzz, and thus I am incapable of answering them coherently. *g*

[nostalgia-lj.livejournal.com]

What do you think would happen if a member of the Royal Family was a wizard?

O_O Harry, I assume?


If Thor was cheating on Jack with Maybourne?

OMG NOOOO u r A evaL homwrecka! ThorNJak4eva!!!!OMHWT!F!!

::applauds interesting questions::

[dodyskin.livejournal.com]

so vivid in your mind that it felt almost impossible to get out in words?

No, never, now that I think about it. I think in words. Sometimes when I dream I have subtitles. I spose I'm not that visual then. Words only fail me when I don't know what I think or feel, not when I have a clear idea.

And that it works the same way with people?

Way of the world, well built means: healthy, fresh, good to eat, good to shag, strong.

Did you ever want to smack me for asking too many questions?

No such thing.

[logane.livejournal.com]

The longer I think about a story before I start to write, the less likely I am to ever actually write it. I start to "see" it as a movie in my head, and don't think I can ever translate those images back to the written word.

[copracat]

Did you ever have a story that had existed in your head for so long, possibly because you had to write six seven challenge stories first, and became so vivid in your mind that it felt almost impossible to get out in words?

No. But I do have stories waiting for me to become a better writer and sometimes I feel sorry for the stories that are sacrificed for them, that I might learn things and improve.

Did you ever think about how language -- spoken, written -- is an interface between our brains?

Yes.

That when I write a story, that's my interface from my brain to yours?

Yes.

If reading about interface design could make you a better writer?

Notice how the argument that supports no beta, no spellcheck, no grammar, no care is often about the me me me of the author with a rejection of any consideration for whether or not the reader understands the story? Yes.


Did you know that when people find something attractive and aesthetically pleasing, they also perceive it as working better and being easier to use than if it were functional but plain?

Yes.

And that it works the same way with people?

Oh, yes.

What do you think would happen if a member of the Royal Family was a wizard?

They are. It's Prince Harry. Fayed Snr was half right about Diana being killed, not in an accident. Rowling's books are a clever expose of the plot. The woman who masquerades as JK is actually an MI5 plant. The real author is in hiding in Cardiff. Didn't you know?

If Ed and Al met up with Nicolas Flamel and got the Philosopher's Stone off him?

No.

If Thor was cheating on Jack with Maybourne?

Only in my fever dreams.

Did you ever want to smack me for asking too many questions?

Not ever. I want to hug your questions and call them George. And Kenneth.

[dorrie6.livejournal.com]

and became so vivid in your mind that it felt almost impossible to get out in words?

I have this problem all the time. If I have a story all planned out in my head before I've written a word (a very rare thing for me- I usually get a tiny idea and then just dive in), I find it almost impossible to write. It's as though my brain considers it already written, since it is so clear in my head, and I can't make the words happen. It's very strange.

[gumbie_cat]

If Ed and Al met up with Nicolas Flamel and got the Philosopher's Stone off him?

I was talking about that with a friend just yesterday. We'd just watched the first few episodes at the university anime society. It could happen.

Me too!

[jessabelle2x.livejournal.com]

I often think about stories during the two hour drive to my parent's house or on business trips, when I can only think and can't write. By the time I'm in a position to put any of it down, it's so visually complete that I feel overwhelmed and don't know where/how to start.

Explains why I've only ever finished one story *L*.

[not-vacillating.livejournal.com]

Did you ever have a story that had existed in your head for so long, possibly because you had to write six seven challenge stories first, and became so vivid in your mind that it felt almost impossible to get out in words?

Yes. There have been several stories I've "lost" because I polished them in my head so often that they never made it to paper.

Did you ever think about how language -- spoken, written -- is an interface between our brains? That when I write a story, that's my interface from my brain to yours? If reading about interface design could make you a better writer?

No, I can't say I have. I think about language and how it works a lot, especially now, but I've never thought of it in quite those terms. Although you're right-- it is about interfacing, in some ways. That's another name for communication.

Did you know that when people find something attractive and aesthetically pleasing, they also perceive it as working better and being easier to use than if it were functional but plain? And that it works the same way with people?

No, I hadn't thought of that in those terms, either. I'm going to have to think about it some more now you've mentioned it, though.

What do you think would happen if a member of the Royal Family was a wizard?

Draco/Prince Charles! I have suggested this before, but loneraven freaked out and I never wrote it.

If Thor was cheating on Jack with Maybourne?

Jack would love it. At last, the perfect reason for killing Maybourne!

Did you ever want to smack me for asking too many questions?

Not yet.

[not-vacillating.livejournal.com]

OMG NOOOO u r A evaL homwrecka! ThorNJak4eva!!!!OMHWT!F!!

I quite agree Yeah, dude, eval!!1!! Thar&Jak OTP!!!1!!!!!!!!11! 2gether4eva LOL!!1!!!1!!

(P.S. Love your icon.)

[zortified.livejournal.com]

Did you ever have a story that had existed in your head for so long, possibly because you had to writesix seven challenge stories first, and became so vivid in your mind that it felt almost impossible to get out in words?

I have a bunch of these. They get so detailed - and are so based in the visual rather than the written - that it would be more work to write them down than it would be worth, it seems like. If I could plug my brain into a video camera and film it, I would.

Many of them are several years old. :-)

[prillalar]

I'm usually more verbal than visual, but I've been imagining this one story for months and months and so it's sort of stuck. *g*

I wonder what it is about "conventional beauty" that we're hardwired for it. Evolutionarily, why? Hmm.

[prillalar]

he'd better not, the little grey bastard, even if Jack sometimes cheats on him with Daniel!

Thor -- intergalactic heartbreaker!

[prillalar]

I love your cotton fuzz icon. :)

[prillalar]

What do you think would happen if a member of the Royal Family was a wizard?

O_O Harry, I assume?

Hee! I was thinking more generally. Would they have to go away to school? Would they have a private tutor? Do the Royal Family already know about wizards or would it be a big surprise? Would it make the MoM freak out? Would wizardy be exposed to the public?

Ah, each question breeds more and more!

OMG NOOOO u r A evaL homwrecka! ThorNJak4eva!!!!OMHWT!F!!

I think the Jack-Thor-Harry [Maybourne -- don't freak, HP fans] triangle would be quite interesting. Esp since Harry is in love with Jack anyhow.

Re: ::applauds interesting questions::

[prillalar]

Sometimes when I dream I have subtitles

That is way cool. I'm not all that visual either, but I've been thinking about this one for so long, it's become somewhat non-verbal in my brain.

[prillalar]

I wonder what the solution to that is! One time I had a scene stuck in my head that I could see, like a movie. I wanted to write it, but had no idea who the POV character should be. So I just wrote all the dialouge down and then stared at it until I figureout out who would work the best. Not my usual MO!

[ladyvyola.livejournal.com]

Did you ever want to smack me for asking too many questions?

No, I want to smack you because I am emotionally stunted and can only express my deep, heart-felt love in this way. [/marcus flint]

[prillalar]

What do you think would happen if a member of the Royal Family was a wizard?

They are. It's Prince Harry. Fayed Snr was half right about Diana being killed, not in an accident. Rowling's books are a clever expose of the plot. The woman who masquerades as JK is actually an MI5 plant. The real author is in hiding in Cardiff. Didn't you know?

Aiee! Are we going to be "silenced" now, cause we know?

[copracat]

No. It's too fantastical. Nobody believes it.

[prillalar]

We need some sort of brain siphon device, to get those stories out and into the computer. Firewire would be best.

[dorrie6.livejournal.com]

Agreed on all points.

[prillalar]

It's the coolest fucking show ever and now everything is in an uproar because it's been licensed, or probably licensed, or something. Ack! Need my fansubs!

*koff* Sorry about that. I'm a little uptight about it right now. Thank god I didn't get into GW until that was over and done with.