I really enjoyed meeting with my group this week. It is so
nice to be in a writing group with people who are interested in giving advice
as well as hearing feedback on their own story.
For this week’s meeting our group decided to each give each
other a quick summery of what the gist of our story was and what we needed help
with. This was so helpful for me because every time I explain my story to
someone it helps reaffirm the direction I want it to go in. Also, when I was
talking about what I needed help with—some things came up that I didn’t even
know I needed help with –like how to tackle the internal pressure of being a
woman.
One of the area’s I really struggle with is the sex scene.
When I was hashing things out with the group and trying to explain why it’s so
hard to write them they suggested considering what I needed/or wanted the sex
scene to accomplish. For some reason –it never occurred to me that I was trying
to accomplish anything with the sex scene. I just knew there needed to be one
and I knew that I wanted my character to have trouble dealing with it—but I had
no idea to what end.
I also discussed what my group mates needed help with in
their stories-and that was extremely helpful. Hearing what their struggles were
made me feel not so alone in this solitary writing world. It also made me
realize how much talking about my story actually helps. I wasn’t sure exactly
what to expect from these group meetings, but I was surprisingly delighted with
the results so far.
On a side note: My meeting with Elmaz was also particularly
helpful. She suggested a diary to write in for my characters. I could write
from my characters perspective-any one of them-and that would help me develop
them and think about what kind of things they would do-characteristically. I thought this was a very intriguing idea
because I rarely journal myself, but it seemed like a way to connect to my
character on a deeper level—maybe the level that I have been trying to break
into!
Wish me luck!
And thanks for an amazing brainstorming session group!
I'm interested to see what becomes of your sex scene in your story. I really struggle with writing those type of scenes too, and I like your peer group's advice to consider what you need/want the scene to accomplish. I never really thought about that either, in truth I think I just wanted to throw one into my old fiction stories just to try something new, so maybe that's why it was so awkward for me to write. I wish you the best of luck with creating yours!
ReplyDeletehello,
ReplyDeletewell i wanted to mention this to you in class last week when you were talking about the challenge of writing sex scenes but i wasn't sure but thennnn reading this blog post i again felt compelled to give this suggestion. i guess on the notes of "have trouble dealing with it" and as mentioned in class the idea that someones thoughts may be elsewhere during an intimate act. anyway so i was reminded of the movie happiness by todd solondz, which i had seen several years ago but recently re-watched on an unofficial philip seymour hoffman marathon i've been having. the movie is definitely triggering/uncomfortable/controversial at times..but most of the characters struggle with intimacy/relationships in a way that the director makes uncomfortable for other and funny black humor other times or something. googling the trailer for it the link "50 most disturbing movies" came up, soo..if you do decide to watch it and hate it i am sorry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkQ_JxoWUP8