What I Did for Love. Of Writing.

It's like you guys imagine I set out to do weird shit on purpose or something. NO, I DON'T! C'mon. The sad truth is I am just weird. It kinda spills out when I'm not paying attention. So it's hard to say I've done anything specifically for writing. Everything is for writing.

 

That said, it's possible I've sought out a few experiences for story purposes. Kitting up and going into a cavern where I learned to rappel, got to zip line, and walked the same path, in a limited fashion, as Mayan sacrificial victims. Yep. This cave was an active archeological site and included human remains in caverns below us. We remained on the first level of this particular representation of Xibalba - sacrifices were made in this part of the cavern system, but they were all agricultural. People brought offerings of corn. Some of the clay containers still remained - with intricate art still visible on them. The most disconcerting part? All of the containers tested, tested positive for human and/or animal blood. Apparently, one didn't enter these caves without paying one's way.

It's possible I smeared a little blood (from a scrape, I swear) on a stone. What? Old gods would be mighty hungry, don't you think? Besides. Little did I know I was sponging up details to use in a series I hadn't yet started when these photos were taken: Nightmare Ink and Bound by Ink.  

 

But really, deliberately weird? I don't know. Was going to a tiny, expensive college in order to break open my emotional life so I could pour that out on the page as needed weird? I didn't know that's what I was doing at the time. And there's my problem. Nothing I do for writing seems weird to me. So I asked my family. "Hey. What's the weirdest thing I've ever done for writing?" Each of them looked at me for several seconds, and then looked away, pressing their lips tight. Never did get an answer.

 

Wonder why.

Weird in the Name of Art

I once made arrangements for myself to drive to another town in another county, meet with a dojo owner and his number one sidekick, where they would act out a few sword-fight scenes that I could video tape for the purpose of being able to write what I saw.

This guy was a big-deal sword master. I'd been put in contact with him by the local karate guy who was giving one of my sons lessons. I felt pretty lucky to have made the contact and that he was willing to work with me.

Mind you, this was back in the 90s when video cameras were as bulky and heavy as a boom box (which by then were shrinking, thank goodness) and the VHS tape could go right from the camera to your VCR.

Mr. Dojo was an inch shorter than me, very American and a bit full of himself. The latter aspect worked well as my lead pirate character. His buddy was just this side of Hodor (size-wise), which did not work well as my lithe female opponent, but he was handsome and had a sweet, shy smile that he kept offering me so I was willing to forgive him.

We discussed what I wanted scene-wise and Mr. Dojo set up pads and various dojo items I-do-not-know-the-name-of to represent ship masts and edges of the boat. I marked the capstan, the steps to the poop deck and such. Then I sat back and they did what they do. Not with real swords mind you, but with wood equivalents.

Since there were multiple scenes of sword play in my not-likely-to-ever-get-published pirate story, they created several scenes from beginning to resolve. And they did it like it was easy. Well, it was easy for them. But at that time blocking characters around a fight scene was intimidating.

I learned a lot from them, and from that excursion. Interviewing people as an author can be quite fun. Especially if you're treating the interviewee(s) to lunch at a Chinese buffet after their efforts.

While interviewing people who know what you need to learn to write the story you have to tell isn't weird, it was the first time I did so it was weird to me...but I didn't let it stop me. There's things you have to do for your art. The first time, it may be awkward, but take it in stride and being willing to learn--that's what you're there for!

Weird is a Matter of Perception

When one is already off-kilter from the norm, "weird" is a relative term.  Now, do I perchance engage in certain behaviors that might cause strangers to do a double-take or maybe even cross the street to get away from me?

~shifty eyes~
Possibly.

3 Things Most Likely Misunderstood By The Casual Observer:

1) What They See: Twitchy woman wandering the dog park arguing with herself (or the dog).

What I'm Doing: Repeating aloud the epically awesome bit of dialogue that just entered my head. I have to repeat it to remember it. 
Facial expressions and gestures may also be involved.

2) What They See: Pudgy broad having it out with flying pig statues in the middle of downtown.

What I'm Doing: Working out the spacial relations for a fight scene.

3) What They See: Dirty cougar leering at the fitness buffs down on the River Walk.

What I'm Doing: Cataloging preening behaviors and reactions to improve descriptions and add variety in my writing.

I'm sure I have more unnerving habits that may or may not have anything to do with writing, but I'm not going to admit them...yet.

~wanders off to scream 'Personal Space Invader!" at strangers~