The non euclidean point where the lines of money and story cross

  • 5 Replies
  • 6674 Views

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Callan S.

  • *
  • Old Name
  • *****
  • Warrior-Profit
  • Posts: 671
    • View Profile
    • Philosopher Gamer
« on: January 20, 2014, 11:25:00 am »
Ever noticed how rappers, once they get signed up, start rapping about all the spooks and tools in the music industray - how they kind of just lose touch with what essentially got them signed up?

Story. I guess there's the utterly made up kind. But apart from that, story is, with whateve embelishments, the conflicts you run into in real life.

And so I quickly get to the non euclidean point - what if (and this is hardly much of an 'if') the conflict you have is that you need money and want to write in order to get sum? The hand touches it's own elbow. I mean, what is that as a story? And yet, like the signed up rapper faced with music industry zombies as their conflict, that IS your conflict right there. The conflict of not having money for not writing a conflict for it's a conflict about not having money because you don't have a story because you conflict is about not having money because...

I told you it was non euclidean! A kind of mobius strip, but tight. Tight as a block.

Further, lets take the tenure of most stories floating around - distanced fantasy. Refined just world fiction. Ie, the very stuff that is most withdrawn from a poor and hungry writers day to day conflict. Ie, the things most withdrawn from from his muse.

Okay, okay! How could these stories float around so much if that's the case - well I dunno. Depends on how much you buy into a just world, that you can write a world that is awash with such justice, I guess. Or if you just have a nice income or mooch off someone who has, then you are not going to be stuck in this knot.

But what if you're a skeptical bum?

The thing is, what if there is ground to work with here? It's just the non euclidean part has made it hard to see?

I raise that, in case a discussion happens here that's of use to me - or more likely, if X number of views and zero number of replies occurs, it might be useful to some other fuzzy creature out there.

Kellais

  • *
  • Kijneta
  • ***
  • The True Old Name
  • Posts: 201
  • Damnation Dealer
    • View Profile
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2014, 04:56:06 pm »
I also predict the "0 replies" version....

ohhhh.......wait!
I'm trapped in Darkness
Still I reach out for the Stars

"GoT is TSA's less talented but far more successful step-brother" - Wilshire

Callan S.

  • *
  • Old Name
  • *****
  • Warrior-Profit
  • Posts: 671
    • View Profile
    • Philosopher Gamer
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2014, 07:47:23 am »
Don't worry. Still counts as zero!

*given in the same tone as your own post*

Cüréthañ

  • *
  • Moderator Extraordinaire
  • Old Name
  • *****
  • Pendulous Fallacy
  • Posts: 772
  • Wizard IRL
    • View Profile
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2014, 06:01:04 am »
Just copy-paste some Ed Greenwood.

Fantasy dross for $$$$.
Retracing his bloody footprints, the Wizard limped on.

Alia

  • *
  • Kijneta
  • ***
  • Of The Knife
  • Posts: 249
    • View Profile
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2014, 06:21:47 pm »
So, there's this story by a writer I know. As far as I know, it's never been translated into English, so I can't tell you to look for it. But it's a kind of urban fantasy/horror story with the main character who wanted to be a writer but got married, has kids, has to make money in a nasty corporation, they are always short of money, you know the stuff. And then one day he gets an "absolute credit card" that never runs out of funds, with no rules, just never give the card away. And then strange things start to happen... And there's no happy ending.
Anyway, I once had an argument with a student who said the story was stupid, nothing scary in it and why such great praise. And then I told him that he will understand it the moment he starts wondering whether to pay bills or buy dinner.

And then there's always the advice that they give to wannabe writers "Write about what you know". So why not write about your lack of money if that's the thing you know best at the moment?
« Last Edit: February 12, 2014, 06:23:44 pm by Alia »
The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom - William Blake

Callan S.

  • *
  • Old Name
  • *****
  • Warrior-Profit
  • Posts: 671
    • View Profile
    • Philosopher Gamer
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2014, 11:16:37 pm »
Hi Alia,

Bakker has a comment on 'write about what you know'

Anyway the thing is, I don't think I would myself read a story about someone in a mundane world being poor. It's both a matter of ethics (I should only expect others to read what I'd read) and practicality (I don't feel if I wouldn't read it, there's much chance of anyone else wanting to and thus not much point writing it)

Alot of writers probably get around this with the rags to riches story. But I find it somewhat contrived.