Thursday, March 13, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
7 Days Until The Opening
Holding Court opens a week from today. With that in mind I re-visited the first play I wrote. I had submitted it to Writer's Digest for their annual writing competition and was awarded second place. I was so stunned I wrote an email to the two judges. One wrote back to me within a few days. Basically, she said 'keep it up.' I never heard from the other judge.
Dear Miss Ryan,
As the final-round judge in this year’s Writer’s Digest playwriting contest, you selected my play, Living With Women, as second-place winner. The confidence this recognition has given me is immeasurable. The act of writing is a daily re-commitment fueled by mood swings caused by things as varied as nice weather, bad weather, finding love, losing pounds and especially receiving recognition.
I am currently in my thesis semester seeking my master’s degree in Creative Writing from the New School University. Grad students can be as miserly with praise as they can be grandiose in admiration of themselves.
Writing is a selfish act the writer is hoping (expecting?) to get praised for. We’re appalled when readers don’t get it, and somehow almost as appalled when they do, or at least surprised, and grateful. The objective affirmations one receives throughout their lifetime can usually be counted on one hand.
The only other personal experience I have with the stage was as an under-age bass player in a rock band in the late ‘80s, so I suddenly find myself being presented with one of the central questions in writing; What happens next? Do I seek an agent? Production? A director? There are innumerable and often unreadable how-to books written for a general audience of “writers.”
As someone who has seen my work, any advice or guidance you can offer is greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Pablo A. Rajczyk
Shadow8pro@yahoo.com
718.267.7733
25-76 44th Street #2F
Astoria, NY 11103
Dear Miss Ryan,
As the final-round judge in this year’s Writer’s Digest playwriting contest, you selected my play, Living With Women, as second-place winner. The confidence this recognition has given me is immeasurable. The act of writing is a daily re-commitment fueled by mood swings caused by things as varied as nice weather, bad weather, finding love, losing pounds and especially receiving recognition.
I am currently in my thesis semester seeking my master’s degree in Creative Writing from the New School University. Grad students can be as miserly with praise as they can be grandiose in admiration of themselves.
Writing is a selfish act the writer is hoping (expecting?) to get praised for. We’re appalled when readers don’t get it, and somehow almost as appalled when they do, or at least surprised, and grateful. The objective affirmations one receives throughout their lifetime can usually be counted on one hand.
The only other personal experience I have with the stage was as an under-age bass player in a rock band in the late ‘80s, so I suddenly find myself being presented with one of the central questions in writing; What happens next? Do I seek an agent? Production? A director? There are innumerable and often unreadable how-to books written for a general audience of “writers.”
As someone who has seen my work, any advice or guidance you can offer is greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Pablo A. Rajczyk
Shadow8pro@yahoo.com
718.267.7733
25-76 44th Street #2F
Astoria, NY 11103
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Holding Court
No one said art was easy.
The play formerly known as Dating Courtney is now called Holding Court. I was reluctant to change the title because, frankly, I thought it was perfect - it was an accurate description of the show and it was succinct.
But Courtney wasn't thrilled with it. She was, in a way, embarrassed that her name was so prominently displayed.
My argument was that it not only described the show, but also that it’s a showcase for her, so why not put her name in the title?
But when I spit out 'holding court' during a brain-storming session it seemed no less accurate, and still included Courtney's name, thought more subtlety.
So the name, the postcard and the play itself have gone through multiple drafts. The first two will stay the same; the play still has a few tweaks to go.
So, here’s the newest (and final) postcard for Holding Court.
The play formerly known as Dating Courtney is now called Holding Court. I was reluctant to change the title because, frankly, I thought it was perfect - it was an accurate description of the show and it was succinct.
But Courtney wasn't thrilled with it. She was, in a way, embarrassed that her name was so prominently displayed.
My argument was that it not only described the show, but also that it’s a showcase for her, so why not put her name in the title?
But when I spit out 'holding court' during a brain-storming session it seemed no less accurate, and still included Courtney's name, thought more subtlety.
So the name, the postcard and the play itself have gone through multiple drafts. The first two will stay the same; the play still has a few tweaks to go.
So, here’s the newest (and final) postcard for Holding Court.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Zombies Ate My Brain
Not literally of course, but I have to say that I've had zombies on the mind for the last couple weeks.
I can't remember what triggered it, but if I had to take a guess I would say it started when I read The Road. There are no zombies in the book, but it put me in a post-apocalyptic mood. I recently read World War Z, which I enjoyed. I asked my Librarything compatriots for suggestions along those lines and someone said I should read Cell. I hate to say it, but it was the most unsatisfying read I've had in as long as I can remember; psychic, floating, pseudo-zombies "infected" by cell phones? Not exactly what I was looking for.
A book I read shortly after it came out was Everything Is Illuminated (about an entirely different kind of apocalypse). When I met Jonathan Safran Foer he said he'd merely written a book he wanted to read. That's the best advice I've ever heard about writing.
So here's my plan. I'm going to write my own zombie story, in serial form. I'll post it here and to my website as I finish each chapter. I have no timeline and only the vaguest idea of a story. I only know that the infestation has begun and is in full swing and the first-person narrator is a journalist housed inside a concentration camp, not as punishment but for his own protection, along with a number (hundreds? thousands?) of other refugees.
Wrrrrgghh!
I can't remember what triggered it, but if I had to take a guess I would say it started when I read The Road. There are no zombies in the book, but it put me in a post-apocalyptic mood. I recently read World War Z, which I enjoyed. I asked my Librarything compatriots for suggestions along those lines and someone said I should read Cell. I hate to say it, but it was the most unsatisfying read I've had in as long as I can remember; psychic, floating, pseudo-zombies "infected" by cell phones? Not exactly what I was looking for.
A book I read shortly after it came out was Everything Is Illuminated (about an entirely different kind of apocalypse). When I met Jonathan Safran Foer he said he'd merely written a book he wanted to read. That's the best advice I've ever heard about writing.
So here's my plan. I'm going to write my own zombie story, in serial form. I'll post it here and to my website as I finish each chapter. I have no timeline and only the vaguest idea of a story. I only know that the infestation has begun and is in full swing and the first-person narrator is a journalist housed inside a concentration camp, not as punishment but for his own protection, along with a number (hundreds? thousands?) of other refugees.
Wrrrrgghh!
Sunday, December 16, 2007
More Cormac
I found this interesting link. Wes Morgan apparently walked around Knoxville taking pictures of settings from Suttree.
If you want to know with what frequency and on what page a particular word occurs, John Sepich has put together a concordance for Suttree.
If yyou're really interested in such things, you can find a concordance for each of McCarthy's novels.
Cool.
If you want to know with what frequency and on what page a particular word occurs, John Sepich has put together a concordance for Suttree.
If yyou're really interested in such things, you can find a concordance for each of McCarthy's novels.
Cool.
At Home Without The Man
It's been said of Cormac McCarthy that he is such a reclusive writer that he's not even famous for it. Well, that's all changed.
Maybe it was the Oprah Effect, or maybe the great mass of people have caught up with the writer, but it seems these days you can't step out of your house without hearing or seeing his name. I guess winning a Pulitzer, having your book picked by Oprah (or is it 'blessed' by her?), and having a recent novel turned into one of the most universally praised films in a decade will get your name out there.
With all the exposure (hell, people even know where he hangs out), there's still a lot about the man most people don't know.
The Knoxville News Sentinel has apparently been trying, unsuccessfully, to get an interview with their hometown hero for a while. Even without his input they decided to run an interesting piece, including some old photos of him and the houses he lived in.
Maybe it was the Oprah Effect, or maybe the great mass of people have caught up with the writer, but it seems these days you can't step out of your house without hearing or seeing his name. I guess winning a Pulitzer, having your book picked by Oprah (or is it 'blessed' by her?), and having a recent novel turned into one of the most universally praised films in a decade will get your name out there.
With all the exposure (hell, people even know where he hangs out), there's still a lot about the man most people don't know.
The Knoxville News Sentinel has apparently been trying, unsuccessfully, to get an interview with their hometown hero for a while. Even without his input they decided to run an interesting piece, including some old photos of him and the houses he lived in.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Top 10 of 2007
Time Magazine has released its list of the top 10 books of 2007. Sadly, I am not on it. Just as sadly I haven't read any of these books. (I'm so embarrassed.)
1. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao By Junot Diaz.
2. Then We Came to the End: A Novel By Joshua Ferris.
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini.
4. Out Stealing Horses: A Novel By Per Petterson.
5. Tree of Smoke: A Novel By Denis Johnson.
6. House of Meetings By Martin Amis.
7. No One Belongs Here More Than You By Miranda July.
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows By J.K. Rowling.
9. Like You'd Understand, Anyway By Jim Shepard.
10. The Post-Birthday World By Lionel Shriver.
1. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao By Junot Diaz.
2. Then We Came to the End: A Novel By Joshua Ferris.
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini.
4. Out Stealing Horses: A Novel By Per Petterson.
5. Tree of Smoke: A Novel By Denis Johnson.
6. House of Meetings By Martin Amis.
7. No One Belongs Here More Than You By Miranda July.
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows By J.K. Rowling.
9. Like You'd Understand, Anyway By Jim Shepard.
10. The Post-Birthday World By Lionel Shriver.
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