Hi all! Before I write anything else, I just want to say how bummed I am that I was too sick to attend the first meeting with everyone :/ I was really looking forward to meeting everyone and hearing your ideas as well as getting some feedback on the two ideas I've been struggling with for my thesis. So that's basically what this blog will be about for me - kind of an artist statement for each idea, and I'll post a link to my Google Drive with my previous stories in it as my sample writing pieces (provided I can figure out how to properly do that). Anywho, here goes!
IDEA #1: My initial idea was to combine these three stories (Rebecca's Fiction Samples) into one longer piece. They would still be separate pieces as each tells a different part of the same story, if that makes sense, it would just be one longer project. This has been my plan since I began writing the first story my sophomore year and to abandon it now seems crazy, especially when I've put so much time into developing the story and the characters in my head as I've written each story. BUUUUUUT then inspiration for a new idea struck me and I am simply torn :(
IDEA #2: I explained a little bit about this idea in my questionnaire, but I feel like I can expand on it more with this blog. Inspiration sort of struck over this winter break to embark on a project that would recount my experiences and efforts to learn more about the Japanese half of my identity, mixed in with a little bit of my sister's experiences - what has motivated us to learn more and get more in touch with that part of ourselves, what has kept us from doing so. And if I am able to get input from the older generations in my family who experienced life in the interment camps during WWII and those who have lived between that period and today, I guess it would be a bit of a family narrative, but still focusing on me and the impact that learning about their experiences has had on me. It seems like such an interesting idea that I could potentially turn into something great. I'm just reaaaaallllly worried about having to start from scratch with this project and whether the idea of it is more appealing and interesting than it would turn out to be, and if I end up hitting a dead end or something then what would I do, I just don't know!
Apologies for the long length and if it wasn't all that coherent, I'm just so torn about which project would yield better results because I think I would love doing either of them! I wish I could have talked about this all in class but hopefully I get some good advice or responses from you all here on the blog! And if anyone gets a chance to read any or all of the three stories I posted a link to, please don't hesitate to email me with feedback about them! Guess that's it for now, I look forward to your comments and blogs!
That wasn't long Rebecca, we'll show you long! This friday will be a good time to talk to your group about your thesis decisions and with your instructor Mia
ReplyDeleteYou sound inspired and overflowing. cool.
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ReplyDeleteRebecca!
ReplyDeleteElmaz is right - we'll show you long ;) No need (ever) to apologize for length (here). Definitely coherent! It's great to read what you're thinking about! While we missed you last week we'll definitely catch you up (you've got an email waiting for you from yours truly).
It sounds like you've got some big energy behind #2. It is an exciting, expansive, important endeavor, that you can definitely "turn into something great." If you choose to take this course my suggestion would be to hone in on one place/story/moment to start exploring from. What you might find is you develop that one part of what (after your thesis) becomes a larger longer term project that breathes into all of its possibility. The thesis itself then becomes practice for developing the longer work.
That might even be applicable to both ideas once you start delving in...
Follow your heart on this one - go where the energy is moving most - both will be work and that's what we expect!
Excited!
Do them both.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, as Mia said above me, I can feel the energy you've got behind your second idea, and I don't think that's something that'll just be idea-appealing but not appealing in the final product. I feel like you have a lot to explore and a lot to say, and it'll be a great adventure for you while writing...and I think THAT's what's going to be cool about our projects (the adventure thing).
And of course there'll be an adventure in continuing your first idea, and I totally understand how you wouldn't want to leave that untouched. From what I've read (and remember), I wouldn't want it to discontinue either.
All these choices! But you know what you're going to put your best into, and we're here to support that "best" and everything else.