Fiction vs. Reality: Shark of Darkness

I was watching Discovery’s Shark Week kick off program Shark of Darkness. I am really disappointed with the program. I have always loved sharks and I am puzzled why Shark Week has gone fictional vs. educational. I thought the purpose of Shark Week was to educate the world on why we need sharks in our oceans not send people out on another Jaws killing spree.

Peter Benchley, after he released Jaws and the movie came out, said he regreted the sharks that were killed and the absolute hatred of sharks his novel inspired. He is an advocate for shark protection and ocean conservation. Protecting the oceans and marine life is very important, for now and for our future generations.

I love fiction as good as the next girl but don’t sell me fiction under the guise of reality. As a halfway intellegent being give me the benefit of letting me decide if I want a shark documentry or dare I say it Sharknado. Otherwise I’m turning the old boob tube off and posting a rant on wordpress about the inconsiderate nature of tv empires trying to get ratings.

I’ll give an example of fiction being good old fiction. Steve Alten’s Meg series is awesome, a well written story. He isn’t trying to convince you Meg is real and out there because he puts a label “This is a work of Fiction” on it. He does ask the reader to step into this fictional world of “what if” and I am more than willing to follow along into the waters edge and feel the cold chill of Meg flow over my imagination. Maybe Discovery should think it over and label it right and then maybe I will be willing to go back in the water.

Okay I’m off the old soap box.

Notebooks=Idea catchers

My last post was a reblog of one of Dylan Herns posts. I stumbled across one of my old story outlines about two weeks ago. I don’t know how most folks keep up with the odds and ends they write. I have used three ring binders, notebooks, legal pads, and a recorder.

I bought the recorder because when I drove back and forth to work and home I would have all these awesome story ideas and by the time I got home couldn’t remember my ideas. Put the recorder in the car handy to record my ideas and they evaporated faster than water in the Sahara.

My best system seems to be a small notebook in my bag with plenty of pens. Cause at least one will refuse to work. Although my husband fusses when he stumbles across two or three notebooks with my scribbles, I don’t think he realizes how hard those Idea Catchers are to corral. I have found them all over the place. Okay I have rambled more than I intended.

So what method of idea catching do you use?

The difference between creativity and inspiration

Words of pure genius. Thank you Dylan for this post. You have reminded me why I write and even though it is hard it is good work. Hope you don’t mind the reblog.

Suffolk Scribblings

There is a big difference between creativity and inspiration yet many people assume they are the same. One of the comments I often read on Twitter is that a writer doesn’t feel in the mood, that today isn’t a creative day, that their muse isn’t with them. It sometimes comes from an established author but you mostly hear it from those starting out on their writing journey. The problem is, these writers are confusing inspirations with creativity.

The math of creativity and inspiration

In order to help understand the difference between the two and why it’s important, I’ve drawn up a couple of equations for you – no, don’t run, they are really simple.

Here’s the first one:

Inspiration = right time + right place + notepad

And now the second one:

creativity = inspiration + perspiration*

Why is this important?

Because waiting around for inspiration is a pointless exercise…

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The difference between creativity and inspiration

Thoughts of pure genius. The blank page gives the pen the right to dream (quote stolen from somewhere but I can’t remember who or where) Thank you Dylan for an awesome much needed post.