| Subject: Re: Story: What the modern woman wants |
Author:
Sandra Alzona
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Date Posted: 08:36:05 07/23/04 Fri
In reply to:
Eric Chen
's message, "Re: Story: What the modern woman wants" on 04:31:01 07/22/04 Thu
Honestly? It took me less than an hour to write "NOT A POEM". I just edited some grammatical errs after a couple of hours. I guess we all have our "moments". =)
I know... It's like a no-brainer when you read these things. But when one is face to face with a blank screen or a blank page, and you hear from heaven or somewhere that you have every freedom and right to jot down whatever you want, you're suddenly lost. You're suddenly NOT free. Ironically. Without inspiration or at the very least an audience, there's not an ounce of adrenalin, passion or energy. You have a funny feeling there's not even a brain that ticks between your ears. We've all been there.
I was trained to write in a wierd situation. My former boss would insult me, how I looked and everything, and I'm supposed to say something witty even if I had to insult him back. He made me do that. We did this side by side on our own computers, clicking away while breathing fire at each other. How's that for training? I guess there's an amount of subconscious anger at oneself for not being able to wear one's thinking cap right when you have to. And, oh, boy, did we make each other's caps spin!
There are certain writing projects when I get obsessive compulsive like anything. Everything has to be right and all that. All of a sudden, I'm not writing like myself and it usually turns out okay.
I guess I've changed a lot of that. These days I'm just as relaxed as that sheet of paper that stares right back with its intimidating blankness. I just have to ask myself a lot of questions and take them personally, then I go answering myself right back as I write. Otherwise, I'm possessed and just going with the flow. I do believe that we are all channelers in one way or another, but the more one thinks of that, the more she or he won't be able to write. As an afterthought, though, it is an amazing thing indeed. There is really nothing new in this world. There hasn't been a feeling any other new feeling than what human beings have been feeling since the beginning of time.
When we want to know how it is in the shoes of another, we try to understand. It wasn't the job of this writer to understand too much. It was a day in a life type of story. A turning point. A road that suddenly made a sharp turn kind of story. It could've been any story captured at that instant. We all have such stories in our lives. Take note: it was based on the Joy Luck Club. She is not yet getting too deep into herself and that most likely because of her age. As for channeling, we can only channel through ourselves. That propelled her enough. For a 15-year-old with such reading comprehension and perhaps further observation of her surroundings and culture, I must say she is very good. This also signals an awareness of herself as a woman and how she perceives the world as having a place just for her.
It's a wonderful story because we go spiralling into the hearts of these two characters. Ironically, we get a glimpse of how they connect. Notice what the old woman was praying for and why? How did she really see herself? Why didn't she want her daughter to be like her? She didn't have a very good self-image for a very long time. It is a non-modern woman's stereotype of a modern woman. The writer is not even a "woman" yet and is more of someone from the outside looking in.
But, Eric, obviously, you've been writing long stuff here yourself. I wonder what inspires you?
Namaste,
Sandra
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