Shakespeare

Many years ago, I visited Shakespeare’s home in Stratford, England. Ever since that day, I’ve been a huge Shakespeare fan. Here are four of my favorite Shakespeare quotes:

            Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em.

            --Twelfth Night 2.5.149-150

            This above all: to thine own self be true.

            --Hamlet 1.3.84

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

            Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
            --Hamlet 1.5.187-188

We are such stuff

            As dreams are made on, and our little life
            Is rounded with a sleep.
            --The Tempest 4.1.173-175

Speaking of The Tempest, there was a great movie version of it made in 2010, starring Helen Mirren and Felicity Jones. If you haven’t seen it, it’s well worth the watch.

The Tempest 2010 trailer

  

May all of us find our inner bard.

Masks, Props, and Characters

The Halloween season is upon us. And one of my favorite things about it is the idea of dressing up as characters. Becoming someone we’re not. This, of course, is the root of acting.

As a screenwriter, I realize that I’m creating characters that will be played by someone else. So how do I give them life so the actor or actress can pick up on their energy?

Well, I can take a tip from Halloween: I can wear a mask or hold a prop. If my character’s a vampire, I can wear fake fangs (from the Dollar Store) to help feel the character as I write. A toy sword is great for a pirate; a hat can make me feel like I’m on a safari.

If I don’t have the exact prop I’m looking for, it’s amazing all the things a pencil can be: a sword, a gun, a cell phone, a spyglass, a magic wand, an antenna, a flute, and many more.

It works for me. Try and see if it’ll work for you. If your character seems to lack spice, take a lesson from Halloween. Try wearing an article of clothing your character might wear, putting on a mask, or just grab a prop. Can you feel your character better? If you can, then you’ve discovered yet another tool to improve your writing.       

 
Happy Halloween.

Climax

Along the writer’s trail, I come upon a vision:

Silent leaves

 

      Golden red

            The climax of a story

Harvest Moon

It was a harvest moon last week. The event reminded me of how creativity, like the moon, waxes and wanes: Sometimes it’s a bright rush of inspiration; sometimes it’s a dark regenerating stillness.

The harvest moon was originally a time when farmers, before the days of electric lights, could see well enough to stay up late and reap their crops. It symbolizes the beginning of autumn: a time of gathering, a time of plenty.

May this fall produce a bountiful harvest of creativity for us all!