"The Battle of Pussy Willow Creek" opens tomorrow, March 1 at The Quad Cinema in New York City. Much has been written, and then deleted about the heroes of this forgotten Civil War battle. Even more has been written and deleted about the directors themselves: Wendy Jo Cohen and Grace A. Burns. Do we blame the racists? The homophobes? Daniel Day Lewis? Below, my interview with Cohen and Burns. Burns gave consent to being strapped to a polygraph machine during our chat. Cohen refused.
JD: What was the initial inspiration for TBOPWC?
GAB: I was working as a focus group facilitator for a pharmaceutical product targeting geriatric war veterans when I met retired Marine Captain and amateur military historian, Timothy Winchell. During the late afternoon Nilla Wafer and pineapple juice break, we got to talking and he told me about his research into the Battle of Pussy Willow Creek and the four heroes whose stories were shamelessly eradicated from the historical record after they saved the country during the Civil War. I was immediately fascinated! I knew right then that I had no choice but to make a feature-length documentary on the subject. Luckily, I had been forced to take a 5-day video production seminar as a requirement for graduation from the Communications department at SUNY Oswego, so I was more than prepared for the undertaking.
WJC: Uh, first off, I want to set the record straight and let you know that Grace isn't my co-director and that The Battle of Pussy Willow Creek isn't a real documentary.
GAB: What?
WJC: The film is actually a work of fiction – what some might call a “mockumentary” – and Grace is a device I made up. I thought my fictional documentary deserved a fictional director, and I imagined Grace as some wannabe third cousin to Ken Burns.
GAB: This is outrageous!
WJC: I had been wanting to do a movie, but my ideas have always been fairly elaborate and finding the budget for something like a sweeping war epic had always seemed out of reach. Then I was thinking about Ken Burns' films one day and it occurred to me that I could use his exact same techniques to tell a completely made up story – a darkly comedic Civil War film presented as if it were an auspicious PBS-style archival documentary. As I started to imagine who the historical characters would be, the story began to fall into place. But it was a long haul to develop it. I wanted the fake story to weave in seamlessly with the actual events of the Civil War. My idea was that, although it was absurd, there would be no definitive evidence to prove that this story couldn't be real. Of course that meant a huge amount of research. It took me four or five years to come up with a workable script.
JD: Tell us a little about the four main historical characters as well as one or two of the historians.
WJC: The first character I came up with was the Chinese immigrant, General Li Shao-zu. It started simply with the name “General Li.” Everyone knows of the illustrious Confederate commander, General Robert E. Lee, and I thought it would be hilarious if there was another guy with the same name. That you'd be hearing this name, General Li over and over again but he's Chinese, obsessed with the i Ching and he fights for the Union. The next character I thought of was Jonathan Franklin Hale, the dashing colonel. I imagined him as this strikingly handsome, patriotic, brave, and honor-bound soldier... the epitome of the heroic young warrior. But he is also incredibly naïve, develops an opium addiction, and is gay. The next hero is Rowena Harris, who is a teen prostitute out for revenge against her former pimp. She disguises herself as a drummer boy and enlists in the army, thinking this would be a good cover through which she can hunt him down and kill him. The details of Rowena's story are tragic, but she isn't a tragic figure... she's an amoral killing machine. She doesn't care about politics and isn't concerned with the war other than as a tool for vengeance. I wanted to play with the stereotype of the “victim” and turn it on its head. Finally we have Elijah Swan. There are so many Civil War movies where African Americans barely figure into the story other than as the raison d'etre for the action. I think that is ridiculous so I wanted to have a guy, an escaped slave, as one of the main heroes. But I didn't want him to be the stereotype of a slave, either beaten down or outraged and righteous. Much like Jonathan, I made Elijah another innocent... a nerdy engineering genius who somehow was unaware that there even were slaves until he was forced to be one. All my four heroes are minorities who would have been disparaged and oppressed at the time, but the thing about them is that they are barely cognisant of that and certainly haven't internalized the idea that they are “different” or “inferior.”
GAB: I don't know why she is talking like she made this story up or something, but I can answer your question about the historians I interviewed for the film. As I mentioned, Timothy Winchell...
WJC: Played by John Redmond.
GAB: Could you stop that please? Timothy Winchell was the person who first introduced me to this piece of lost history. As a veteran himself, he is a fantastic interviewee because he can really speak to the combat experience. He tells me that Vietnam wasn't all that different than the Civil War, and as an expert on both those topics, he really knows what he's talking about. I also think that as someone who wears an eye patch and who doesn't have the use of his legs, he just exudes authenticity. It was through Captain Winchell that I was able to gain access to many of my other interviewees – experts such as Daphne Jones, the editor of Confederate Women on the Front Lines Digest...
WJC: Played by Luisa Battista.
GAB: … Raashida Brinks, the great, great granddaughter of Pussy Willow Creek hero, Elijah Swan...
WJC: Played by Emilie Bonsant.
GAB: … and the renowned Historical Psychoanalyst, Dr. Bingham Wattney, who is the vice president of the American Association of Historical Psychiatry, which I'm sure you've heard of.
WJC: Played by Zeb Hollins.
GAB: I do wish you would shut up, Wendy!
JD: If the story of TBOPWC were made into a traditional Hollywood drama (like Gone with the Wind?) what actors would you love to see in the lead roles?
GAB: Daniel Day Lewis.
WJC: As which character?
GAB: All of them. He's so versatile, don't you think?
JD: Why do you think Lincoln is so "hot" right now?
GAB: I've never found him hot. Of the presidents, I always thought Calvin Coolidge was the sexiest.
WJC: We're in the midst of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, so Lincoln and the War are definitely relevant topics right now. I started making this movie six years ago, but the timing has certainly worked out for it to be released.
JD: The structure of the film really does feel like "Ken Burns Meets Spinal Tap", as has been said (by you both), how did you construct such an original narrative?
GAB: I never said anything about Spinal Tap. And I'd rather not go into my relationship with Ken. It's a painful topic.
WJC: Well, like I said, I had this realization that I could use all the typical Ken Burns tropes – the Talking Head Experts, the Archival Evidence, the Period Music, the Auspicious Narrator – to construct something that looked and felt like a documentary, but that was entirely made up. And since my general view of life is that it's surreal and absurd, this story was naturally going to be a comedy. Anyone can make a parody, though, and I wanted something more, something that would make people laugh, yes, but that had real depth to it. As I developed the characters and the very serious theme of the systemic denial of minority contributions to American history, as well as the meta-story of the historians and documentarian telling a tale that might not quite be what it seems... well, those are the places where I think I have done something original. Part of it, also, was that I never played it safe... I was willing to try putting in ideas that I was not completely certain would be understood. Given this, I'm actually amazed that I managed to communicate as successfully as I did. I've been told by a number of people that the movie is like nothing they've ever seen before, but they all “get” it.
JD: Who have your greatest artistic inspirations been?
GAB: As a documentarian, I owe it all to Robert Flaherty, the visionary behind Nanook of the North.
WJC: Definitely Stanley Kubrick. I love and admire his work so much. In fact, I was directly influenced by his film adaptation of Barry Lyndon. Weirdly, few people seem to talk about how funny that movie is. It's usually spoken about in terms of it's being a three hour long period piece, and of course there's Gordon Willis' exquisite cinematography. The comedy is so dry that it's easy to miss it entirely but at the heart of it, Barry Lyndon is a hilarious satire. That makes sense, of course, because after all it is Thackeray. Another big influence is David Cronenberg. He consistently takes you somewhere you never expected to go. The same with Sam Fuller and Douglas Sirk, two more favorites. I tend to like art that doesn't broadcast to you how you are supposed to watch it... stuff that keeps you on your toes and asks you to do some work as a viewer. All those guys do that with their films, and I hope I've done that as well.
JD: Any last comments or shout outs?
GAB: I'd like to thank my Cinematographer, Jean Culdesac...
WJC: …my Cinematographer, Matthew Howe. We've known each other since film school and I never want to do a movie without him! There's also Eric Anthony Johnson, who did the fake archival photography. Eric is a mad genius and a true artist. And of course Harry Douglas, who was my post production supervisor and Final Cut Pro (editing software) guru. I really could not have done this film without Harry's assistance. Frankly, my entire crew was made up of incredible people who donated their time or worked for a literal pittance. I am so lucky to have had the benefit of so much talent and generosity in the making of this movie.
The Battle of Pussy Willow Creek opens at The Quad Cinema, 34 West 13th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues
Dates: March 1 - 7, 2013 Showtimes: 1:00, 3:05, 5:15, 7:15, & 9:50 pm
(Wendy will be doing Q&As after the 7:15pm shows on March 1-3.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4K0-69ntBk
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Take the 250 Words a Day Challenge!
Hello Writers and Those Who Love Them:
In recent weeks, I’ve had a couple of amazing experiences with writing clients that can be summed up in three digits: 250. I used to proselytize about the benefits of the old Graham Greene method of writing 500 words a day (see my video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQjCbm2wN8Q), but let’s face it, writers have lost a lot of focus and mojo with our iPhones and Facebook posts since the days of G-Squared. (Yes, I just gave the author of The Third Man a rap name). So in the spirit of spreading the love, I throw down this velvet glove and say:
Take the 250 words a day challenge!
250 words = one page. If you can write a few chatty emails, tweet a couple of ironic observations, or write a three page note to your cat sitter (guilty!) then you can certainly bang out a page a day. As you mathematicians have already concluded, that could get you a whole 365 page manuscript within a year. But realistically you will probably end up with many more pages, because we all know the hardest thing is often to just get started. And as for going Greene, here’s what one of my clients said after I suggested trying for more words:
“I think 250 words a day works well for me because it's so no pressure on days that I feel super busy or distracted, and I've doubled or even tripled it so many times on lighter days that I think I will strike a good average without raising the absolute daily minimum. If I find I start to just scrape by, we can re-negotiate! For now this feels good: slow but very steady.”
So there you have it: in 278 words!
Please drop me a line and let me know how it's going for you.
Now, some quick biz:
My next Bang the Keys writing workshop starts on April 11.
It runs Wed. nights in Brooklyn
April 11, 18, 25, May 2, 9 & 16. $275.
Small group. Big love.
Contact: JillDearman@gmail.com
www.bangthekeys.com
This six-week workshop is meant for you if you’re a writer who has …
•A hard time balancing your own writing time with your fabulous New York life
•Too many clients, bosses and loved ones demanding a piece of you
•Too many negative voices in your head (you know, the ones who scream: It's too late, you'll fail miserably and why bother)?
•Have written yourself into a corner and need some innovative and practical help with the craft of writing and the art of editing
And if your goals are to …
•create a writing routine/schedule that allows you to "show up" for your own ideas
•develop methods for writing regularly and productively rather than just when the muse strikes.
•develop strategies to create and meet your own self-imposed deadlines.
•complete one short work in six weeks or come up with an ironclad outline for a longer project.
• connect with supportive and dedicated fellow writers
Each week we will also focus on an aspect of revision, as well as other aspects of the craft of writing. All genres welcome.
THE BOOK
If you don’t live in the vicinity, I hope you will check out the book
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bang-the-keys-jill-dearman/1100310722
THE APP
And my APP, chock full of writing exercises
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bang-the-keys/id412669850?mt=8
FREE WRITING EXERCISE AS FEATURED IN THE WRITER
http://www.writermag.com/en/Writing%20Resources/Prompts/2012/01/Writing%20prompt%20No,-d-,%2029.aspx
And if your work needs editing …
SPRING EDITING SPECIAL:
Whether you are working on a short story, novel, nonfiction book, essay, book proposal, screenplay, memoir, play, book of poetry, or a genre bending cookbook/political thriller, please feel free to contact me to get precise info on a package for you.
I offer two options:
Option One) Analysis
Option Two) Analysis plus Line Editing
I also analyze/edit dissertations for those who are all but disgusted with their theses!
Contact info: JillDearman@gmail.com
For everything else: www.bangthekeys.com
Thanks and happy writing!
In recent weeks, I’ve had a couple of amazing experiences with writing clients that can be summed up in three digits: 250. I used to proselytize about the benefits of the old Graham Greene method of writing 500 words a day (see my video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQjCbm2wN8Q), but let’s face it, writers have lost a lot of focus and mojo with our iPhones and Facebook posts since the days of G-Squared. (Yes, I just gave the author of The Third Man a rap name). So in the spirit of spreading the love, I throw down this velvet glove and say:
Take the 250 words a day challenge!
250 words = one page. If you can write a few chatty emails, tweet a couple of ironic observations, or write a three page note to your cat sitter (guilty!) then you can certainly bang out a page a day. As you mathematicians have already concluded, that could get you a whole 365 page manuscript within a year. But realistically you will probably end up with many more pages, because we all know the hardest thing is often to just get started. And as for going Greene, here’s what one of my clients said after I suggested trying for more words:
“I think 250 words a day works well for me because it's so no pressure on days that I feel super busy or distracted, and I've doubled or even tripled it so many times on lighter days that I think I will strike a good average without raising the absolute daily minimum. If I find I start to just scrape by, we can re-negotiate! For now this feels good: slow but very steady.”
So there you have it: in 278 words!
Please drop me a line and let me know how it's going for you.
Now, some quick biz:
My next Bang the Keys writing workshop starts on April 11.
It runs Wed. nights in Brooklyn
April 11, 18, 25, May 2, 9 & 16. $275.
Small group. Big love.
Contact: JillDearman@gmail.com
www.bangthekeys.com
This six-week workshop is meant for you if you’re a writer who has …
•A hard time balancing your own writing time with your fabulous New York life
•Too many clients, bosses and loved ones demanding a piece of you
•Too many negative voices in your head (you know, the ones who scream: It's too late, you'll fail miserably and why bother)?
•Have written yourself into a corner and need some innovative and practical help with the craft of writing and the art of editing
And if your goals are to …
•create a writing routine/schedule that allows you to "show up" for your own ideas
•develop methods for writing regularly and productively rather than just when the muse strikes.
•develop strategies to create and meet your own self-imposed deadlines.
•complete one short work in six weeks or come up with an ironclad outline for a longer project.
• connect with supportive and dedicated fellow writers
Each week we will also focus on an aspect of revision, as well as other aspects of the craft of writing. All genres welcome.
THE BOOK
If you don’t live in the vicinity, I hope you will check out the book
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bang-the-keys-jill-dearman/1100310722
THE APP
And my APP, chock full of writing exercises
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bang-the-keys/id412669850?mt=8
FREE WRITING EXERCISE AS FEATURED IN THE WRITER
http://www.writermag.com/en/Writing%20Resources/Prompts/2012/01/Writing%20prompt%20No,-d-,%2029.aspx
And if your work needs editing …
SPRING EDITING SPECIAL:
Whether you are working on a short story, novel, nonfiction book, essay, book proposal, screenplay, memoir, play, book of poetry, or a genre bending cookbook/political thriller, please feel free to contact me to get precise info on a package for you.
I offer two options:
Option One) Analysis
Option Two) Analysis plus Line Editing
I also analyze/edit dissertations for those who are all but disgusted with their theses!
Contact info: JillDearman@gmail.com
For everything else: www.bangthekeys.com
Thanks and happy writing!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Writers: Choose Art Over Idiocy!! Get Help Meeting 2012 Deadlines
Hello Friends,
Hope you are enjoying the holiday season. A few announcements and updates, and then back to overeating in the spirit of Festivus.
1. NEW EDITING SERVICE: Ph.D. Dissertations and MFA Theses
(in addition to regular fiction, nonfiction, script and poetry editing).
Ph.D. Students:
Are you “All But Disgusted” with writing ABD after your name and credentials? Are you struggling to complete your dissertation and fear you will overlook problems your advisor will pounce upon like a puma on its prey (especially if said advisor detests ubiquitous alliteration)?
MFA Students:
Are you panicking now that you are finished workshopping small sections of your book to your fellow MFA in Creative Writing classmates? You actually have to write, edit and finish your thesis on your own and are feeling the sudden urge to overeat and watch an endless stream of YouTube videos?
I will provide an in depth analysis––with an eye towards publication––and line editing, as well as prevent you from having a garden variety nervous breakdown that sadly won’t lead to a bestselling memoir.
Contact: JillDearman@gmail.com
2. HOLIDAY DISCOUNT ON EDITING SERVICES
And for the rest of you non-Schoolies:
I will be offering a HOLIDAY DISCOUNT on my regular editing services. Whether you are working on a short story, novel, nonfiction book, essay, book proposal, screenplay, memoir, play, poetry collection, or experimental legal thriller based on the secret memoirs of a Pomeranian princess…
I offer two options:
Option One) Analysis
Option Two) Analysis plus Line Editing.
Contact: JillDearman@gmail.com
3. NEW YEARS WRITING WORKSHOP – Dates and Deets
2 hours per week. Wed. nights at 6:15 in Brooklyn / Jan 11, 18, 25, Feb 1, 8 & 15.
$275 Please contact:JillDearman@gmail.com. Individual writing coach sessions also available by phone or in person. Watch the Bang the Keys video and check out the vibe before you imbibe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqjCbm2wN8Q
4. NEED WRITING EXERCISES NOW? Download the BANG THE KEYS APP as featured in The Writer Magazine:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bang-the-keys/id412669850?mt=8
The Bang the Keys APP will be available for Androids soon!
And look for free writing exercises in early 2012 in The Writer Magazine.
To order my book, “Bang the Keys” (Penguin):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bang-the-keys-jill-dearman/1100310722?ean=9781592579143&itm=1&usri=bang+the+keys
5. HOLIDAY CHART READINGS
Wearing my other hat (the one with the funky symbols on it) … I will also be offering very limited astrological chart / and tarot readings at a 10% discount for the holidays. For more: http://www.jilldearman.com/services.html
Contact me at JillDearman@gmail.com.
For more on everything: www.bangthekeys.com
Hope you are enjoying the holiday season. A few announcements and updates, and then back to overeating in the spirit of Festivus.
1. NEW EDITING SERVICE: Ph.D. Dissertations and MFA Theses
(in addition to regular fiction, nonfiction, script and poetry editing).
Ph.D. Students:
Are you “All But Disgusted” with writing ABD after your name and credentials? Are you struggling to complete your dissertation and fear you will overlook problems your advisor will pounce upon like a puma on its prey (especially if said advisor detests ubiquitous alliteration)?
MFA Students:
Are you panicking now that you are finished workshopping small sections of your book to your fellow MFA in Creative Writing classmates? You actually have to write, edit and finish your thesis on your own and are feeling the sudden urge to overeat and watch an endless stream of YouTube videos?
I will provide an in depth analysis––with an eye towards publication––and line editing, as well as prevent you from having a garden variety nervous breakdown that sadly won’t lead to a bestselling memoir.
Contact: JillDearman@gmail.com
2. HOLIDAY DISCOUNT ON EDITING SERVICES
And for the rest of you non-Schoolies:
I will be offering a HOLIDAY DISCOUNT on my regular editing services. Whether you are working on a short story, novel, nonfiction book, essay, book proposal, screenplay, memoir, play, poetry collection, or experimental legal thriller based on the secret memoirs of a Pomeranian princess…
I offer two options:
Option One) Analysis
Option Two) Analysis plus Line Editing.
Contact: JillDearman@gmail.com
3. NEW YEARS WRITING WORKSHOP – Dates and Deets
2 hours per week. Wed. nights at 6:15 in Brooklyn / Jan 11, 18, 25, Feb 1, 8 & 15.
$275 Please contact:JillDearman@gmail.com. Individual writing coach sessions also available by phone or in person. Watch the Bang the Keys video and check out the vibe before you imbibe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqjCbm2wN8Q
4. NEED WRITING EXERCISES NOW? Download the BANG THE KEYS APP as featured in The Writer Magazine:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bang-the-keys/id412669850?mt=8
The Bang the Keys APP will be available for Androids soon!
And look for free writing exercises in early 2012 in The Writer Magazine.
To order my book, “Bang the Keys” (Penguin):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bang-the-keys-jill-dearman/1100310722?ean=9781592579143&itm=1&usri=bang+the+keys
5. HOLIDAY CHART READINGS
Wearing my other hat (the one with the funky symbols on it) … I will also be offering very limited astrological chart / and tarot readings at a 10% discount for the holidays. For more: http://www.jilldearman.com/services.html
Contact me at JillDearman@gmail.com.
For more on everything: www.bangthekeys.com
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Top Five Inner Monologues of Paranoid Writers (Plus Fall Wkshp, Editing Special, APP & More)
Greetings and Happy Fall!
Recent studies (CNN via Twitter via some random blogger from Duluth) show that writers are more prone to paranoia than politicians, plumbers or petty thieves. In that spirit, I recently wrote up this piece on writerly paranoia for my weekly Barnes and Noble.com column. (Read when no one is looking.)
http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Unabashedly-Bookish-The-BN/Writerly-Paranoia-The-Top-5-Inner-Monologues/ba-p/1141060?nobounce
NEXT WORKSHOP – Dates and Deets
Bang the Keys six-week writing workshop dates and deets:
Park Slope, Brooklyn. Two hours per week. Wed. nights at 6:15 October 5, 12, 19, 26, Nov 2 & 9. $275. Please contact: JillDearman@gmail.com
Check out the vibe before you imbibe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQjCbm2wN8Q
NEED WRITING EXERCISES NOW? DOWNLOAD THE BANG THE KEYS APP as featured in The Writer Magazine:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bang-the-keys/id412669850?mt=8
AUTUMN EDITING SPECIAL:
In honor of the ongoing recession, I will be offering a discount on my editing services this fall. Whether you are working on a short story, novel, nonfiction book, essay, book proposal, screenplay, memoir, play, book of poetry, or a genre bending cookbook/political thriller, please feel free to contact me to get precise info on a package for you.
I offer two options:
Option One) Analysis
Option Two) Analysis plus Line Editing
Contact info: JillDearman@gmail.com
Bio: Jill Dearman is an editor, writing coach and author of Bang the Keys: Four Steps to a Lifelong Writing Practice (Penguin 2009). Her editing clients include authors published by Harper Collins, Norton, Penguin, and numerous other houses; New York Times journalists and award-winning scriptwriters. For more on her editing philosophy, and blurbs from her clients go to: http://www.jilldearman.com/services.html and click on “Editor”. She is also a part-time Professor of Journalism at New York University and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. An award-winning fiction writer, her prose has been published in numerous publications including North Atlantic Review, The Portland Review, Lilith, New York Stories, and Mr. Beller's Neighborhood. As a journalist, she has written for The Writer, New York Daily News, Time Out New York, and other publications. She writes a weekly interview column for Barnes & Noble.com called “Writer to Writer.”
For more: www.bangthekeys.com
Recent studies (CNN via Twitter via some random blogger from Duluth) show that writers are more prone to paranoia than politicians, plumbers or petty thieves. In that spirit, I recently wrote up this piece on writerly paranoia for my weekly Barnes and Noble.com column. (Read when no one is looking.)
http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Unabashedly-Bookish-The-BN/Writerly-Paranoia-The-Top-5-Inner-Monologues/ba-p/1141060?nobounce
NEXT WORKSHOP – Dates and Deets
Bang the Keys six-week writing workshop dates and deets:
Park Slope, Brooklyn. Two hours per week. Wed. nights at 6:15 October 5, 12, 19, 26, Nov 2 & 9. $275. Please contact: JillDearman@gmail.com
Check out the vibe before you imbibe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQjCbm2wN8Q
NEED WRITING EXERCISES NOW? DOWNLOAD THE BANG THE KEYS APP as featured in The Writer Magazine:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bang-the-keys/id412669850?mt=8
AUTUMN EDITING SPECIAL:
In honor of the ongoing recession, I will be offering a discount on my editing services this fall. Whether you are working on a short story, novel, nonfiction book, essay, book proposal, screenplay, memoir, play, book of poetry, or a genre bending cookbook/political thriller, please feel free to contact me to get precise info on a package for you.
I offer two options:
Option One) Analysis
Option Two) Analysis plus Line Editing
Contact info: JillDearman@gmail.com
Bio: Jill Dearman is an editor, writing coach and author of Bang the Keys: Four Steps to a Lifelong Writing Practice (Penguin 2009). Her editing clients include authors published by Harper Collins, Norton, Penguin, and numerous other houses; New York Times journalists and award-winning scriptwriters. For more on her editing philosophy, and blurbs from her clients go to: http://www.jilldearman.com/services.html and click on “Editor”. She is also a part-time Professor of Journalism at New York University and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. An award-winning fiction writer, her prose has been published in numerous publications including North Atlantic Review, The Portland Review, Lilith, New York Stories, and Mr. Beller's Neighborhood. As a journalist, she has written for The Writer, New York Daily News, Time Out New York, and other publications. She writes a weekly interview column for Barnes & Noble.com called “Writer to Writer.”
For more: www.bangthekeys.com
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Free Writing Exercises! Plus Next Workshop Starts Next Week ...
Greetings and Happy Spring!
For writers and those who love them … need a couple of writing exercises to get your mojo percolating? If you are a victim of 21st Century infomania, these should help you to stop surfing and start focusing on your prose or script instead of on superficial tripe. (No disrespect to vegetarians or gourmet chefs.) When in doubt, try each of these for 15 minutes. But don’t stop there if you’re on a roll.
Exercise #1
“The Lie”
One character tells a fib that leads to another character telling a bigger lie. Then another character tells a lie in reaction to that lie. Write the scene in dialogue in the form of a playscript. Serve it up two ways:
A) “The Lie – comedy”
B) “The Lie – tragedy”
Exercise #2
“Art Changes Life”
What book or film changed the way your character views the world? How? When? Where? Why? Write a cinematic scene that captures what the experience was like for this character. Use that piece of art to inform the tone of your prose.
For more, download my Bang the Keys writing exercise APP. $2.99 on iTunes, for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. And coming soon for Android phones!
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bang-the-keys/id412669850?mt=8
And now, for you scribey Brooklynites…or other New Yorkers who don’t mind a subway ride:
Next Bang the Keys Writing Workshop starts this Monday, March 28.
Park Slope, Bklyn. 6:15 pm. Mon. Mar. 28, Apr. 4, 11, 18, 25 and May 2.
For info: JillDearman@gmail.com / www.bangthekeys.com
For a taste of the vibe check out my book trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQjCbm2wN8Q
Finally, if you are seeking any editing help with your project, give me a holla! Good luck, mateys.
Truly, madly, deeply,
Jill
For writers and those who love them … need a couple of writing exercises to get your mojo percolating? If you are a victim of 21st Century infomania, these should help you to stop surfing and start focusing on your prose or script instead of on superficial tripe. (No disrespect to vegetarians or gourmet chefs.) When in doubt, try each of these for 15 minutes. But don’t stop there if you’re on a roll.
Exercise #1
“The Lie”
One character tells a fib that leads to another character telling a bigger lie. Then another character tells a lie in reaction to that lie. Write the scene in dialogue in the form of a playscript. Serve it up two ways:
A) “The Lie – comedy”
B) “The Lie – tragedy”
Exercise #2
“Art Changes Life”
What book or film changed the way your character views the world? How? When? Where? Why? Write a cinematic scene that captures what the experience was like for this character. Use that piece of art to inform the tone of your prose.
For more, download my Bang the Keys writing exercise APP. $2.99 on iTunes, for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. And coming soon for Android phones!
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bang-the-keys/id412669850?mt=8
And now, for you scribey Brooklynites…or other New Yorkers who don’t mind a subway ride:
Next Bang the Keys Writing Workshop starts this Monday, March 28.
Park Slope, Bklyn. 6:15 pm. Mon. Mar. 28, Apr. 4, 11, 18, 25 and May 2.
For info: JillDearman@gmail.com / www.bangthekeys.com
For a taste of the vibe check out my book trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQjCbm2wN8Q
Finally, if you are seeking any editing help with your project, give me a holla! Good luck, mateys.
Truly, madly, deeply,
Jill
Friday, January 28, 2011
1 DAY WRITING WORKSHOPS IN FEB/New Writing Exercise APP
In honor of my favorite holiday, Ground Hog’s Day, I’ll be doing two writing workshops, for writers who don’t want their disappointing writing histories to repeat themselves.
Sat. Feb. 5 from 10-4 in Chelsea, NYC. $180
“Break New Ground”
Ready to break bad writing habits and become a more disciplined scribe and a better craftsman? Turn that high-powered perception on yourself, Dr. Lecter, and face the monsters within. You know – the ones who say, “Do a status update now and write your story later” or “Your script is tight and camera-ready,” when you know it’s still missing some magic. The emphasis will be on mastering your own writerly character flaws, and capturing fresh, thrilling energy on the page. Break the cycle and write with maximum verve and efficiency. If you feel like a hamster on a habitrail, please contact me at JillDearman@gmail.com for more info. Squeak!
Thur. Feb. 10 from 6:30 pm to 9:30pm in Chelsea, NYC /$95
“Meditation for Writers”
It was hard enough in the old millennium just to find time to write,
what with family, work, and other demands. But now with the temptation
of Twitter, Facebook, crackberries and blogs, what's a multi-tasking
scribe to do? This workshop will provide modern as well as classic
meditation techniques to keep your mind on your writing, not on your
text messages! In addition to uncovering new ways to focus and tap into your creativity, this workshop will also provide soulful and practical techniques and support for writers who are prone to depressive or anxious mindsets. (Okay, who isn’t raising their hand?)
Sign up for both by Ground Hog’s Day (Feb. 2) and pay $250 (save 25 clams).
And if you are an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch user, please download my new Bang the Keys Writing Exercise APP on itunes: http://www.jilldearman.com/app.html
For a vibe on Bang the Keys check out the book trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQjCbm2wN8Q
For everything else:
Email: JillDearman@gmail.com
www.bangthekeys.com
Cheers!
--Jill
Sat. Feb. 5 from 10-4 in Chelsea, NYC. $180
“Break New Ground”
Ready to break bad writing habits and become a more disciplined scribe and a better craftsman? Turn that high-powered perception on yourself, Dr. Lecter, and face the monsters within. You know – the ones who say, “Do a status update now and write your story later” or “Your script is tight and camera-ready,” when you know it’s still missing some magic. The emphasis will be on mastering your own writerly character flaws, and capturing fresh, thrilling energy on the page. Break the cycle and write with maximum verve and efficiency. If you feel like a hamster on a habitrail, please contact me at JillDearman@gmail.com for more info. Squeak!
Thur. Feb. 10 from 6:30 pm to 9:30pm in Chelsea, NYC /$95
“Meditation for Writers”
It was hard enough in the old millennium just to find time to write,
what with family, work, and other demands. But now with the temptation
of Twitter, Facebook, crackberries and blogs, what's a multi-tasking
scribe to do? This workshop will provide modern as well as classic
meditation techniques to keep your mind on your writing, not on your
text messages! In addition to uncovering new ways to focus and tap into your creativity, this workshop will also provide soulful and practical techniques and support for writers who are prone to depressive or anxious mindsets. (Okay, who isn’t raising their hand?)
Sign up for both by Ground Hog’s Day (Feb. 2) and pay $250 (save 25 clams).
And if you are an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch user, please download my new Bang the Keys Writing Exercise APP on itunes: http://www.jilldearman.com/app.html
For a vibe on Bang the Keys check out the book trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQjCbm2wN8Q
For everything else:
Email: JillDearman@gmail.com
www.bangthekeys.com
Cheers!
--Jill
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
It's a Happy, APPY New Year for Writers Looking for Exercises On the Go
Greetings and Happy New Year! Some updates for writers and those who love them:
A) NEXT WORKSHOP STARTS JAN. 24
Winter 2011 Bang the Keys Writing Workshop will take place in Park Slope Brooklyn. Six Monday nights at 6:15.
Jan. 24, 31, Feb. 7, 14, 28 and Mar. 7. $275
CONTACT: JILLDEARMAN@GMAIL.COM
To feel the vibe, of the workshop, the book, and the whole she-bang, watch this short vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQjCbm2wN8Q
B) THE BANG THE KEYS WRITING EXERCISE APP IS HERE:
If you are a writer, you have surely said these words before: “I wish I had more time to write.” In fact, you probably said them while simultaneously emailing a pal, Googling to find the complete cast list of “Nashville”, and texting your family about dinner while sitting in the café you escaped to in order to get some “time alone to write.” If this 21st Century portrait fits you, then please, check out my new APP available NOW on itunes:
(No, it’s not a play on ceviche or carpaccio. It’s dozens of writing exercises you can do on your iPhone, iPad or iTouch.) $2.99.
http://www.jilldearman.com/app.html
It’s the perfect complement to my book, Bang the Keys: Four Steps to a Lifelong Writing Practice.
C) UPCOMING 1 DAY WORKSHOPS:
In honor of my favorite holiday, Ground Hog’s Day, I’ll be doing two writing workshops, for writers who don’t want their disappointing writing histories to repeat themselves.
Sat. Feb. 5 from 10-4 in Chelsea, NYC. $180
“Break New Ground”
Ready to break bad writing habits and become a more disciplined scribe and a better craftsman? Turn that high-powered perception on yourself, Dr. Lecter, and face the monsters within. You know – the ones who say, “Do a status update now and write your story later” or “Your script is tight and camera-ready,” when you know it’s still missing some magic. The emphasis will be on mastering your own writerly character flaws, and capturing fresh, thrilling energy on the page. Break the cycle and write with maximum verve and efficiency. If you feel like a hamster on a habitrail, please contact me at JillDearman@gmail.com for more info. Squeak!
Thur. Feb. 10 from 6:30 pm to 9:30pm in Chelsea, NYC /$95
“Meditation for Writers”
It was hard enough in the old millennium just to find time to write,
what with family, work, and other demands. But now with the temptation
of Twitter, Facebook, crackberries and blogs, what's a multi-tasking
scribe to do? This workshop will provide modern as well as classic
meditation techniques to keep your mind on your writing, not on your
text messages! In addition to uncovering new ways to focus and tap into your creativity, this workshop will also provide soulful and practical techniques and support for writers who are prone to depressive or anxious mindsets. (Okay, who isn’t raising their hand?)
Sign up for both by Jan. 29 and pay $250 (save 25 clams).
D) EDITING
See my latest Barnes and Noble.com column on self-editing tips for writers.
And consider this:
Winter Editing Special:
In honor of the ongoing recession, I will be offering a discount on my editing services this fall. Whether you are working on a short story, novel, nonfiction book, essay, book proposal, screenplay, memoir, play, book of poetry, or a genre bending cookbook/political thriller, please feel free to contact me to get precise info on a package for you.
E) New Service: Creativity Coaching. As always, I offer writing coach services to individuals. But now I am beginning to work as a Creativity Coach. Are you struggling to find the time and space to express your artistic inclinations? Are you a dabbler – interested in many forms – but unsure which one you wish to focus on? Have you gone through a recent life change and are now experiencing a renewed desire to explore your creative side and see where it leads? Or are you just curious and ready to create more and talk about it less?!
For everything else: www.bangthekeys.com
Thank you!
Jill
A) NEXT WORKSHOP STARTS JAN. 24
Winter 2011 Bang the Keys Writing Workshop will take place in Park Slope Brooklyn. Six Monday nights at 6:15.
Jan. 24, 31, Feb. 7, 14, 28 and Mar. 7. $275
CONTACT: JILLDEARMAN@GMAIL.COM
To feel the vibe, of the workshop, the book, and the whole she-bang, watch this short vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQjCbm2wN8Q
B) THE BANG THE KEYS WRITING EXERCISE APP IS HERE:
If you are a writer, you have surely said these words before: “I wish I had more time to write.” In fact, you probably said them while simultaneously emailing a pal, Googling to find the complete cast list of “Nashville”, and texting your family about dinner while sitting in the café you escaped to in order to get some “time alone to write.” If this 21st Century portrait fits you, then please, check out my new APP available NOW on itunes:
(No, it’s not a play on ceviche or carpaccio. It’s dozens of writing exercises you can do on your iPhone, iPad or iTouch.) $2.99.
http://www.jilldearman.com/app.html
It’s the perfect complement to my book, Bang the Keys: Four Steps to a Lifelong Writing Practice.
C) UPCOMING 1 DAY WORKSHOPS:
In honor of my favorite holiday, Ground Hog’s Day, I’ll be doing two writing workshops, for writers who don’t want their disappointing writing histories to repeat themselves.
Sat. Feb. 5 from 10-4 in Chelsea, NYC. $180
“Break New Ground”
Ready to break bad writing habits and become a more disciplined scribe and a better craftsman? Turn that high-powered perception on yourself, Dr. Lecter, and face the monsters within. You know – the ones who say, “Do a status update now and write your story later” or “Your script is tight and camera-ready,” when you know it’s still missing some magic. The emphasis will be on mastering your own writerly character flaws, and capturing fresh, thrilling energy on the page. Break the cycle and write with maximum verve and efficiency. If you feel like a hamster on a habitrail, please contact me at JillDearman@gmail.com for more info. Squeak!
Thur. Feb. 10 from 6:30 pm to 9:30pm in Chelsea, NYC /$95
“Meditation for Writers”
It was hard enough in the old millennium just to find time to write,
what with family, work, and other demands. But now with the temptation
of Twitter, Facebook, crackberries and blogs, what's a multi-tasking
scribe to do? This workshop will provide modern as well as classic
meditation techniques to keep your mind on your writing, not on your
text messages! In addition to uncovering new ways to focus and tap into your creativity, this workshop will also provide soulful and practical techniques and support for writers who are prone to depressive or anxious mindsets. (Okay, who isn’t raising their hand?)
Sign up for both by Jan. 29 and pay $250 (save 25 clams).
D) EDITING
See my latest Barnes and Noble.com column on self-editing tips for writers.
And consider this:
Winter Editing Special:
In honor of the ongoing recession, I will be offering a discount on my editing services this fall. Whether you are working on a short story, novel, nonfiction book, essay, book proposal, screenplay, memoir, play, book of poetry, or a genre bending cookbook/political thriller, please feel free to contact me to get precise info on a package for you.
E) New Service: Creativity Coaching. As always, I offer writing coach services to individuals. But now I am beginning to work as a Creativity Coach. Are you struggling to find the time and space to express your artistic inclinations? Are you a dabbler – interested in many forms – but unsure which one you wish to focus on? Have you gone through a recent life change and are now experiencing a renewed desire to explore your creative side and see where it leads? Or are you just curious and ready to create more and talk about it less?!
For everything else: www.bangthekeys.com
Thank you!
Jill
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