altariel: (Default)
altariel ([personal profile] altariel) wrote2009-03-12 10:08 am

Various

Hmph. Almost a month ago, I noted how grumpy short story writing was making me. Yesterday afternoon (thanks, [livejournal.com profile] mraltariel), I finally worked out what the story was that I was trying to tell. I've had four separate run-ups at this damn thing now, none of which have stuck, but this morning I scribbled down an Actual Framework for the damn thing, and now all I have to do is the Actual Writing - which is, of course, the easy part.

Wah, short-story writing is hard! Nothing like writing lovely Tolkien vignettes, which I can conceive of and execute in the space of two days (or used to be able to do). This has taken roughly eight weeks, and loads of different iterations. *plaintively* Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong? Does it get easier with practice? Have my magic powers gone for good? Is this the end?

Yesterday I finished rereading Watchmen, which I hadn't read since college *cough*ty years ago (eighteen). Now I'm trying to decide whether I should go and see the film, but I'm put off by the fact that it's apparently two-and-three-quarter hours long. Two-and-three-quarter hours! No film should be that long, except The Fellowship of the Ring. Anyway, I can't make decisions, so Speak You're Branes, f'list, and do say why in comments if moved.

[Poll #1364164]

[identity profile] gair.livejournal.com 2009-03-12 04:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Hooray for progress with short-story writing, is the motto I am taking from your post. I am RESOLUTE AND CHEERFUL.

[livejournal.com profile] gerald and I watched Citizen Kane the other week, and it is completely fucking awesome and one hour fifty-two minutes long. We have decided that all film-makers should henceforth be required to fill in a lengthy application form and submit it to hostile scrutiny before they are allowed to make a film even one minute longer than that (and of course really 100 minutes is the right length for a film).
ext_74910: (Default)

[identity profile] mraltariel.livejournal.com 2009-03-12 05:08 pm (UTC)(link)
You are absolutely right.

(A is even now out watching the film. I am sitting at home working and pointedly not going and seeing a film that long about a big old comic that I was never very impressed with in the first place. Harumph.)

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2009-03-12 08:53 pm (UTC)(link)
YOU VOTED NO AND I WAS ALREADY THERE!

[identity profile] jhall1.livejournal.com 2009-03-12 09:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks to TV, I've watched both "Laura" and "All About Eve" for the first time within the last few weeks. I'm pleased to say that I thought both lived up to their high reputations. One one took off the time taken by commercial breaks, I think "Laura" would have been about 100 minutes, "All About Eve" about half an hour longer (but it didn't seem that long).

[identity profile] altariel.livejournal.com 2009-03-16 11:40 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, and if the film must be longer than 100 minutes, then go and do it properly as an HBO miniseries.