Writing About Writing vol 21
(yes, this is the permanent WaW image from now on)
The narration project was--... A challenge.
In the challenge, I found that I have had to slightly alter how I approach the writing of a story. Today, we will discuss the necessity of embracing change, and welcoming challenges when it comes to growing creatively.
Let's talk first about what had to change...
First was story length. As a general habit, I've approached this with a "my website, my rules" kinda thing and if I give y'all a 3500 or 5000-word story then that's what y'all getting. What I've learned setting up some stories as long as the lower side of that for narration is that my preferred narration tools are limited at or over 10:55 in length. For that reason, I'm limited to what I've noticed is about 1900 words now. This has, however, uncorked a benefit of allowing me to sit and start on more parts of a multiple-installment story in fewer sittings. If I know I'm character limited, I can plan several parts at once. Y'all will see this in future posts. I have, RIGHT NOW, two stories and counting that are already queued to post next year. I have found this to INCREDIBLY help along in my output. No more stressing all day Wednesday to make sure I have a story up for y'all on Thursday morning. I find myself considering what I might write later as I traipse about my daily doings. Cutting grass, washing my butt, playing with my Baby Bird™, Band-Booster-Dadding for my Chipmunk™... all times I am also observing and thinking of things to write about.
I have four friends who have learned that last thing is a habit of mine. I have told all of them in the past little while that I am ABSOLUTELY aware that they sometimes present me things in our daily text conversations in hopes to one day see me incorporate them into a True Story©. This was not divulged to them as a complaint of any kind, but moreso as a "keep that shit up," and two of them responded that they always kind of hoped I noticed and that those instances were not a one-off...
Keep em coming.
Next is I have to place a materially, but not substantively, different version of the story into the AI... Y'all know that quirky little thing I do with dates? That confuses the narrator. See how I needed that time up there to be read as a "time lapsed" and not "time of day" to say what needed to be said? Well I gotta change the numbers to words. My use of the "™" and strike-through as comedic devices tend to play well in written/read media but not so much when read aloud, so I have to remove them from the narration prompt before processing. It is a second piece of work to make sure y'all hear it read out the way I would have read it myself. Yes, that means I have to write everything, then submit it to the narrator and listen back WHILE reading what I wrote, and sometimes refreshing and resubmitting narration if it is not good enough for my liking.
After that, I have to remember that the permanence of the created and posted videos means that little post-publish edits are no longer a thing. I have to be extra vigilant in making sure I got it absolutely right on the website BEFORE I go to narration with it. Historically, I've been able to make micro edits on a story after it has long been published. Y'all may not notice unless you go back and read periodically -- and I only know of three people including myself who do this -- but now that is all the way off the table with a narrated video embedded on every story since 2023.
Lastly, I deal with setting aside the fact that I'm mainly doing this all for the satisfaction of the fact that I'm doing it and because it is my signal that my brain is properly operational.
It's not like this is my "get rich" power play, lest I'd have quit years ago. Same -- ESPECIALLY -- when it was described as "your stupid little writings." I'll be honest that last assessment of this (and literally ALL of my other hobbies), considering who it was from, is why I go so relentlessly hard to do shit I enjoy. And that is the most important element of it all. Why do I do this? Because it is something that I find enjoyable. It is harmless as a hobby; it keeps my mind engaged and for the sake of my household relationship, I am home safe and sober. If I never make an actual nickel doing it, I am good with applying my creativity to SOMETHING.
I have four friends who have learned that last thing is a habit of mine. I have told all of them in the past little while that I am ABSOLUTELY aware that they sometimes present me things in our daily text conversations in hopes to one day see me incorporate them into a True Story©. This was not divulged to them as a complaint of any kind, but moreso as a "keep that shit up," and two of them responded that they always kind of hoped I noticed and that those instances were not a one-off...
Keep em coming.
Next is I have to place a materially, but not substantively, different version of the story into the AI... Y'all know that quirky little thing I do with dates? That confuses the narrator. See how I needed that time up there to be read as a "time lapsed" and not "time of day" to say what needed to be said? Well I gotta change the numbers to words. My use of the "™" and strike-through as comedic devices tend to play well in written/read media but not so much when read aloud, so I have to remove them from the narration prompt before processing. It is a second piece of work to make sure y'all hear it read out the way I would have read it myself. Yes, that means I have to write everything, then submit it to the narrator and listen back WHILE reading what I wrote, and sometimes refreshing and resubmitting narration if it is not good enough for my liking.
After that, I have to remember that the permanence of the created and posted videos means that little post-publish edits are no longer a thing. I have to be extra vigilant in making sure I got it absolutely right on the website BEFORE I go to narration with it. Historically, I've been able to make micro edits on a story after it has long been published. Y'all may not notice unless you go back and read periodically -- and I only know of three people including myself who do this -- but now that is all the way off the table with a narrated video embedded on every story since 2023.
Lastly, I deal with setting aside the fact that I'm mainly doing this all for the satisfaction of the fact that I'm doing it and because it is my signal that my brain is properly operational.
It's not like this is my "get rich" power play, lest I'd have quit years ago. Same -- ESPECIALLY -- when it was described as "your stupid little writings." I'll be honest that last assessment of this (and literally ALL of my other hobbies), considering who it was from, is why I go so relentlessly hard to do shit I enjoy. And that is the most important element of it all. Why do I do this? Because it is something that I find enjoyable. It is harmless as a hobby; it keeps my mind engaged and for the sake of my household relationship, I am home safe and sober. If I never make an actual nickel doing it, I am good with applying my creativity to SOMETHING.
Comments