Soundtracks for Writing

Spending time telling yourself stories requires a soundtrack. I write in all kinds of places, from shopping malls, to barrooms, to the back office of a commercial tire shop, to an actual office where writing is supposed to be done. Each one of these places has a unique soundtrack. It may be murmuring voices, the hush of Muzak over the PA, the rattle of bottles and glasses, or the infinite selection available on iTunes. I enjoy the variety not only of the venues, but also of the white noise around me.

As would be expected, a good soundtrack enhances the story. Of course, you can’t hear the soundtrack of the written word. Nonetheless, the words can be infused with the mood and style of the music. Film school taught me to pay as much attention to the audio as to the visual aspects of a scene. It would be foolish to ignore the same simply because books are not inherently auditory in nature. In fact, one of the great things about reading is how the imagination fills in the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of the words on the page.

If I’m having difficulty working on a particular part of a story, I’ll change my writing venue or music as a sort of kick-in-the-pants way of getting things going. This typically works. I chalk it up to not having the right soundtrack.

Published in: on August 24, 2008 at 11:54 am  Leave a Comment  
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Island Tour, Aruba

If you want to see the island of Aruba without doing the driving, you can hop aboard one of these former military trucks and go for half or full-day tours.

There will be music playing between the running commentary about the island. You’ll bounce over the rough roads, see the sights, and sometimes stop at a place like this:

The Urataka Center is actually a local joint, a sort of cross between a snack shop and a barroom. They make good pizza here as well as other fast food. It is on the way to and from the Arikok National Park. During the day they see plenty of tourists, but later in the afternoon and early evening there are more locals having their after-work beverages.

If you surf through my blog under the category of Aruba Sights, you’ll see the California Lighthouse, Baby Beach, the natural bridge, the gold mine ruins, and some other locations to which these tours will take you. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen and take plenty of water!

Published in: on August 23, 2008 at 11:36 am  Leave a Comment  
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John Irving’s A Widow For One Year

John Irving’s novel, A Widow For One Year, takes readers on a life-long journey through the lives of several characters. What struck me about this book was the story’s common threads of psychological dysfunction and how one person’s damage profoundly affects others.

In the first part of the book, a sixteen-year-old aspiring writer named Eddie gets his dream job of working with a famous writer, Ted Cole. Upon arriving at the Cole residence, Eddie is soon seduced by Cole’s wife, Marion, who has retreated from life due to the death of her own teenage sons some years earlier. Marion has had almost nothing to do with her four-year-old daughter, Ruth, at this point. Finally, Marion abandons her family, leaving Eddie and Ruth wrecked.

The story then shifts forward in time and focuses on Eddie and Ruth, both of whom have become writers. Eddie struggles with his craft as much as he does with being abandoned by Marion. Ruth is more accomplished but finds herself in Amsterdam’s red-light district working out her own demons. This part of the story was a bit strained but in the context of the first part makes sense.

Finally, Irving brings it all together in the last part. Marion returns after her long absence. The ripples she created come home to roost but in an articulate way for all involved.

What I enjoyed most about this book was Irving’s ability to relate the cause and effect of a tragedy’s consequences. The Marion character is not a sympathetic one, yet she earns respect along the way. At the same time, the other characters plow through life carrying burdens that were placed upon them by others only to realize that at some point they can put them down. There’s a lesson there, one that sadly many people learn too late.

Published in: on August 22, 2008 at 10:19 am  Leave a Comment  
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Dawn at the Anchor

There are those places that make you think. For some people it may be a church, for others a cemetery. Maybe it’s in your car, parked in a quiet spot with a view. Perhaps sitting on a bench along a quiet street.

For me, it is this place on the southern tip of Aruba. There is the anchor standing there as a memorial. But there’s also the infinity of the sea beyond. The breeze can be brisk at this spot. The white noise hushes away distractions. For the half hour before and after dawn, I have the place to myself. Here I reflect on what I’ve been doing, on the people in my life, as well as a little about the past, present, and future. I’m a firm believer in quiet reflection, just letting the mind wander through it’s own convoluted passages. It doesn’t take long for a sense of peace to settle in. The perspective gained from this exercise refreshes the soul.

Published in: on August 21, 2008 at 10:38 am  Comments (1)  
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