Quick question. Would you say it's generally a better idea to have a character respond to a line of dialogue with a gesture instead of another line of dialogue to maintain or build tension?
Depends on the context. Gesture is a solid option, obvi, but characters can answer questions with other questions.
Person A: "What happened to your face?"
Person B: "Have you ever heard of ninja throwing stars?"
Lots of times, I'll have a character raise a question, and leave it unanswered for awhile, and loop back around to it later.
Tobias Wolff does this in Hunters in the Snow. Three men go hunting, and it comes up that one of them is having an affair with a young babysitter. It's not till after one of them gets shot, and the hunters are driving all night long to get him to the hospital that the affair gets raised again. They drive between bars and diners, and get lost on the road, that one hunters affair and the other one's eating disorder take over the story to the point where you as the reader almost forget that there's a man dying with a bullet in his belly in the back of the truck. The physical story and the verbal story are practically separate.
Thanks for the response, Colton! From what I've gathered from everything, as long as the response isn't a perfect answer, it can probably work. A more evasive response can build more tension. And I have to read more Tobias Wolff lol
Also, I saw that you read work for Monica Drake's workshop? How was that experience?
I went to Portland once (~2012). The grass there's so green... kinda stunned. I imagine you get a lot of precip in the area. I stayed at that Grand Hotel just outside Tualatin (sp?) off the Interstate. Some Portland Trailblazers were lodging at the time. Rookies, I think. All-in-all, really nice place. Too far from me now. This is a really neat think you're doing, man. Much respect!
No worries. Karyn and I are talking about a pop-up model for future events. You want to read one evening in the sprawling, ancient Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery? That's the kind of underground events we're looking into. More of a BYO rave scene.
I’m no longer able to work on the laptop due to neck and forearm issues. They gave me a bunch of videos to watch of people doing exercises and I must’ve watch the videos 50 times and I still don’t feel any better.
Yo, if you post the date of the next Hindsight soon you may just see Portland Karie Anne.........it's snowed every Monday since January and I'm behind story telling schedule....
Can't wait to listen in on Hindsight Story Night! We just checked into our hotel and will be on our way! We're carrying lots of love from rain city Vancouver BC!
Hey Chuck, quick question for you. You said in an interview that you prohibit rhetorical questions in a story. Are there any situations where it's okay? Or do you discourage it across the broad?
I don't prohibit much, but if it's something people tend to overuse I'll ask them to go cold turkey. Rhetorical questions are a great device for roping in the reader, but I've seen too many stories where they're overused.
If you see me banning them, it's usually in response to a story that's chock-full of them.
I keep thinking about the story you read, Chuck, and pondering what something along those lines would look like for people who scam the elderly. I loved the Farrah Faucet device.
Just to double check, the reading starts at 6? When do the doors open? I want to save my mother a seat
I should've said door open at 6:00 with readings to begin at 6:30.
Quick question. Would you say it's generally a better idea to have a character respond to a line of dialogue with a gesture instead of another line of dialogue to maintain or build tension?
Depends on the context. Gesture is a solid option, obvi, but characters can answer questions with other questions.
Person A: "What happened to your face?"
Person B: "Have you ever heard of ninja throwing stars?"
Lots of times, I'll have a character raise a question, and leave it unanswered for awhile, and loop back around to it later.
Tobias Wolff does this in Hunters in the Snow. Three men go hunting, and it comes up that one of them is having an affair with a young babysitter. It's not till after one of them gets shot, and the hunters are driving all night long to get him to the hospital that the affair gets raised again. They drive between bars and diners, and get lost on the road, that one hunters affair and the other one's eating disorder take over the story to the point where you as the reader almost forget that there's a man dying with a bullet in his belly in the back of the truck. The physical story and the verbal story are practically separate.
Thanks for the response, Colton! From what I've gathered from everything, as long as the response isn't a perfect answer, it can probably work. A more evasive response can build more tension. And I have to read more Tobias Wolff lol
Also, I saw that you read work for Monica Drake's workshop? How was that experience?
I was pretty nervous per-the-usual. Other than the hungry bears behind me, it was otherwise low-key.
That's a bit like the story Dun Dun in Jesus' Son.
Yes! Same as in both stories, the casual nature of the shooting puts all the stress on the reader.
I went to Portland once (~2012). The grass there's so green... kinda stunned. I imagine you get a lot of precip in the area. I stayed at that Grand Hotel just outside Tualatin (sp?) off the Interstate. Some Portland Trailblazers were lodging at the time. Rookies, I think. All-in-all, really nice place. Too far from me now. This is a really neat think you're doing, man. Much respect!
Yes Sir. On my way as we speak...
I'm too old for this shit. lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-XuTdj2Z6A
Thank you for the swag and chocolate. It was very sweet of you. Now, never mention my birthday again. May you fly with the eagles.
Yes Sir. So sorry Sir. My apologies.
And thank you Sir. I had to listen to a lot of gangster rap and Beastie Boys to get ready... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru3gH27Fn6E
The sound of my own voice makes me want to vomit
Is the contest over at the end of May? Do readers still have one more opportunity to read in May to enter the contest?
Thank you.
We'll have May events in NYC and Youngstown, but we might not in Portland. April might be the last Portland meet-up.
🥺
No worries. Karyn and I are talking about a pop-up model for future events. You want to read one evening in the sprawling, ancient Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery? That's the kind of underground events we're looking into. More of a BYO rave scene.
Hmmm— Youngstown has some veeeeery excellent cemeteries!!! Oak Hill is quite the destination!!
Just to add some Cacophony Society flavor.
I’ll be there and I’ll be bringing a solid competitor for Krissy’s last month that raised the bar! Sorry to Colton’s mom I’m advance.
Don't apologize. My mom's favorite book is Pygmy and her favorite story is Monica Drake's Mustard.
It sounds like it will be an exciting night. Colton's mom along with Cheap and Crass. I wonder who else is reading?
Do people still get writers cramp?
Only when signing books
I’m no longer able to work on the laptop due to neck and forearm issues. They gave me a bunch of videos to watch of people doing exercises and I must’ve watch the videos 50 times and I still don’t feel any better.
Remember the story about Stephen King bleeding on the books as he signed them? That's worse than writer's cramp.
Yo, if you post the date of the next Hindsight soon you may just see Portland Karie Anne.........it's snowed every Monday since January and I'm behind story telling schedule....
Have fun tonight!
Can't wait to listen in on Hindsight Story Night! We just checked into our hotel and will be on our way! We're carrying lots of love from rain city Vancouver BC!
Hey Chuck, quick question for you. You said in an interview that you prohibit rhetorical questions in a story. Are there any situations where it's okay? Or do you discourage it across the broad?
I don't prohibit much, but if it's something people tend to overuse I'll ask them to go cold turkey. Rhetorical questions are a great device for roping in the reader, but I've seen too many stories where they're overused.
If you see me banning them, it's usually in response to a story that's chock-full of them.
I keep thinking about the story you read, Chuck, and pondering what something along those lines would look like for people who scam the elderly. I loved the Farrah Faucet device.