C. L. Norman

This new trend in movies, making them all 3D is driving me batty.

Years ago my family went and saw Jaws 3D at the 2 dollar theater and it was neat, scary, and most importantly, different. Now it is the new trend or maybe the new vampire. If a movie is in 3D, it is suppose to be cool. I don’t agree.

Movies in 3D like to show off that they are in 3D. They have shots and effects put in solely for the purpose of making the audience go “Oooo.” These shots have very little to do with the story and everything to do with planting a sign in their yard saying “Look how cool we are.” They might as well have pulled back the curtain; exposed the wires and let us see around the edge of the backdrop.

Advances are apart of life and movie tech will change and evolve. The 3D thing has to stop or stop being used as it currently is. Concentrate on the story and forget about showing off please.

        

Tuesday night, I was at an all-author planning meeting for our local Rivers of Ink writers meet readers conference. After the formal part of the meeting wrapped up, the mingling and snacking part of the meeting began. During this time, I was approached by an unpublished writer who had written a novel about a werewolf. He asked me to read it for him.

Looking at his earnest face, knowing that I am also unpublished, I felt obligated to say yes. I resisted. I had to say no. I have a busy family life, work life, and writing life already. To commit to reading this stranger’s novel was more than I could do.

In fact, I had a sudden feeling of standing at the top of a very tall slippery slope; one on which I could very easily lose myself. Lose my writing time and personal reading time to helping others with their writing.

My husband can hardly ever say no and I have difficulty with it but in this case I steeled my resolve and said it. No.

How easy is it for you to say no?

        

I’ve been getting very good feedback on my stories over the last several months. And it is giving my inner critic the power!

Folks are reading my stuff. They are liking my stuff. My inner critic wants to keep them liking my stuff and so is picking apart every little word choice, character name, plot twist (or bend), or story idea. I thought I could talk loud; just ask my kids. My inner critic? She is way more chatty and voluminous — I don’t think that word means what you think it means — than I could ever be.

She has grabbed my typing hands, stopped my ink pen, and with her words, has dried up mine.

It is a weird thing. As an aspiring writer, I want people looking at my work and enjoying it but for me, the attention gives my inner critic power. And that isn’t good. She had plenty of power beforehand, believe you me.

So let’s try this. You don’t look at me straight on. Use your peripheral vision. I’ll tell her that no one is watching and I can write what I want, when I want; maybe she’ll listen. At the very least maybe she’ll go on a vacation, a long vacation, and leave me alone long enough to get some more stories into circulation.

        

• Water cooking in the sun on a concrete sidewalk smells like my childhood.

• Annie and Auggie need to begin a romantic subplot on Covert Affairs. Their chemistry is my favorite part of the show so far.

• Writing outlines is hard. I usually am a seat-of-my-pants-type writer. A challenge/assignment for my writing group has us writing an outline for a novel due next Thursday and my brain keeps resisting it. I will do it!

• Abbie on NCIS is cool.

• Having my oldest child out of the country for the Fringe Festival makes me feel old. The first faint feelings of empty next syndrome are stirring in my heart.

• Cast in Chaos by Michelle Sagara is a great book. My one complaint with it had to do with the part just before the ending. Something about the way it was written made me feel almost like things went into slow motion. Can’t wait to hear more of Kaylin’s adventures.

• As Lie The Dead by Kelly Meding kept up the pace of the first book. Coming back from the dead never was so cool.

• Step Up 3D was a good movie but gratuitous 3D effects are annoying.

• Visiting amusement parks on a Saturday in August is not as fun as it may sound.

• And finally, keep your eye on the blankie. If you don’t, your son will make you go to extraordinary means to get it back.