Work Room - Week 8

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

This week's topic http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/507748.html could end up going in any number of directions - and knowing Idolers, it will. But before you run off, let me direct you to a definition of "travesty" that doesn't go into a dark place.

"a literary or artistic burlesque of a serious work or subject,characterized by grotesque or ludicrous incongruity of style,treatment, or subject matter." (from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/travesty )

I try not to steer people toward things. Even when I do, no one tends to listen. ;) But I think there is a ton of things that can be done with just this part of the definition alone - and then take it on the road!! :)


I've brought in an old hand at creating works of wonder on the fly. Someone who knows the ins and outs, of pretty much everything.

Our Season 7 Winner, and reigning LJ Idol - and this week's Mentor - amenquohi!!

***

Hello everyone! I can't believe I'm back in the Idol Pool again - though to be fair, I'm not treading water (or drowning) with the rest of you.

Instead, I now get to lounge in indolent splendor here on the sidelines,with a fruity drink in my hand. It's a nice place to be.

So here I am, four-time veteran and one time winner, professional(paid!) blogger, with a book deal in the works (fingers crossed) and one hell of a lot of luck. If you don't believe me, check out the entries from the final three last season. Or five. Or ten. This contest can come
down to one vote, and I am living proof. That, above all means that you just can't phone it in. You need to bring your A-game more often than not, and in the later weeks, you need to erase every other letter but "A" from your game alphabet. No pressure, though.

I'm happy to answer any questions (entirely from my own viewpoint, ofcourse, YMMV), cheerlead, and offer whatever limited resources my braincan manage. I'll start by imparting this piece of wisdom that saved meon many an Idol week when I was staring blankly into space and saying "Uhhhhhhhhhhhh".

The first rule of Thesaurus Club is that you do not talk, articulate, babble, broach, chant, chat, chatter, comment on, communicate, confess,converse, describe, divulge, drawl, drone, express, flap one's tongue,gab, gabble, give voice to, gossip, influence, intone, notify, palavar,parley, patter, persuade, prattle, prounounce, reveal, rhapsodize, run on, say, soliloquize, speak, spill the beans, spout, squeak, squeal,tell, tell all, use, utter, ventriloquize, verbalize, voice or yak about Thesaurus Club.

In other words, use your Thesaurus.

Seriously. When the prompt comes up,pick a keyword (or the word itself, if it's a one-word prompt) and pull out the Thesaurus. I had many times when the prompt itself didn't
immediately ring bells for me, but a synonym suddenly triggered acreative landslide. It's a good trick, and it saved my ass more than a few times.

Comments

Re: Feedback Thread

[pixiebelle.livejournal.com]

I think we have been through this a lot with your seekrit project, but it might prove to be helpful for others.

You know what I think your strengths are: I think your humor is hilarious, you have a way with words that just cracks me up. Your unique metaphors are always so creative. Your characters and dialogue are almost always right on, especially the dialogue. It's REALLY good.

The thing to work on? Is adding more information that what needs to be said. Mainly with your stories for the seekrit project than Idol (though sometimes is can show up in nonfiction as well). It's important to remember to stay relevant to the story and cut anything that serves no purpose. This is easily a weakness of mine, more so than yours even, but it's one I am working on too :)

But you know I love your writing overall, that's just what I am picking up recently since you have asked me to give you advice and all before :)