Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Introduction # 2 & Freewrite # 1

The Introduction Part 2:
I know I just started this blog a matter of days ago, but the writing lust took hold of me and thusly, I must now write.

How I freewrite is usually this: Take the subject matter or topic and think on it for only a moment. Then start writing without stopping for about 10 minutes. What you have as a result is usually crap. Absolute crap that has no place in the publishing world.

So what's the point? Well, I'll tell you. When you do a freewrite the purpose is only to push your mind into different venues of creativity, spurning new ideas, different perspectives, and is actually helping you see how you write. Freewrites is where tons of stuff can be pulled out of.

Last semester I was in a fiction writing workshop. One of our assignments every week consisted of at least two freewrites, and in doing so, I learned that freewrites expand ideas and open up so much to the imagination. Unfortunately, they don't write themselves.

WRITING IS NOT EASY. But have faith, if you work at it, it'll all get better.

And now, on with my freewrite!

What I'll do for the first freewrite is simple: I'm going to randomly write something. I'll start with a simple sentence work from there. You never know where it is going to go, but even if you feel that it is complete garbage, KEEP WRITING. It really is imperitive that you keep going. Set a timer if you're trudging along breaking yourself in two, write nonsense, just KEEP WRITING. And now? My first freewrite on this blasted thing.


Keep in mind, this is only a freewrite! It will, in all probability, suck very much. And grammar? Toss it because it's not important in these exercises.



THE FREEWRITE:
Cal looked out the window of his car and squinted through the rain-streaks pouring down. The house had a few lights on but everthing else seemed quiet save for the sound of the rain pummeling his car.
"You can do this you stupid piece of shit", he whispered to himself, clutching the shotgun with both hands. "You have to do this."
Just then the lights in the house began to go out, one by one.
First the kitchen light, then the living room light, and finally, a minute later, the bedroom light.
The squat white house was nestled deep in the suburbs with the typical mowed lawn, flowers and bushes decorating the front on each side of the porch, and a long, narrow driveway that went up behind the house to the two-stall garage.
Cal sat for another few minutes surveying everything. He had to be patient, he had to be calm. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Fuck it" he said, determination slowly ebbing back into his mind. He reached for the door handle and began opening the door, but his cell phone rang starkly, making Cal jump up in his seat and give a slight whimpering yelp in fright.
"Goddamn it!" he shouted, too loudly he realized after it was too late. He opened the car door slightly and then shut it. The phone kept ringing. Cal stared out the windshield unsure of what to do. Another car drove up behind him, the headlights a myriad of shapes through the streams of water cascading down the windows. Another moment and the car passed. Cal took another deep breath and answered the still ringing cell phone.'
"This better be good, goddamn it."
The voice on the other line drained the blood from Cal's face, he dropped the phone and it landed in his lap. The shotgun slowly slid from his grasp and fell between the carseat and the door. Cal's eyes were wide with shock, his breathing coming in quick puffs.
"No." was all he could say before turning the car on and speeding off into the frenzied night, a night that should have ended all his problems. Cal knew now, however, that his problems had just started.

I cut this one short because someone was actually calling me. That's...really creepy. Next freewrite soon! Any comments, suggestions, additions? Let me know! So far, no one has even probably looked at this blog but I'm gonna try my damndest to change that. That's all for now.


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cal knew the driver in front of him would do his best to shake him, but there was nowhere he could turn that Cal couldn't follow, nowhere to hide where he couldn't be found. With an almost supernatural patience Cal handled the slick roads deftly, watching the man in front of him sliding wildly in what was no doubt a frenzied, sudden dementia. Any man with a normal life would smile right now. Cal did not. Instead he followed the poor bastard home, through over five miles of winding, wet, and wholly dark county roads until the lead car appeared to give up and pulled into an unpaved driveway. Cal knew this to be the bastard's home. He parked ten feet behind the car, and reached inside the glove box for his silenced pistol. He knew damn well the other man had a shotgun. Pausing only to light a fresh Winston with the car's cigarette lighter, Cal opened the door and strode towards the other car. He put his cell phone away, it had done the only duty he would ask of it tonight. Predictably, the driver's side door of the other car flew open. And, with shotgun in shaking hands, was Cal.

The younger Cal.

The wiser was quick to shout; "Don't think that's gonna do you much good, asshole!" Upon hearing the voice again, and seeing it's reality before him, the younger fell to his knees, carelessly letting the shotgun clatter to the ground. His eyes betrayed the raw fear and disbelief that broiled him alive just then, the complete shock and the utter despair that nothing was normal anymore, that every strand of sanity had been cruelly cut at the exact same time. But the wiser only shouted more.
"You think you're solving problems tonight? You think shooting up her house, her nice quiet house in a nice quiet fucking neighborhood, is gonna bring you the relief you seek? You stupid prick, you brought a fuckin' shotgun to the dance, besides! Who kills people in suburban utopia with a fuckin' boomstick? You do, boy. You and me both. Believe me, the only thing you would've solved tonight was the easiest investigation the local pigs ever had! You get nabbed in less than two days! So unless you enjoy the sight of me, and truly believe I'm what you'd like to become, it's time to start taking care of business my way." With those last words, the wiser brought the pistol-less hand across the younger's face with a sharp, backhanded slap. The younger could only afford a whimper.
"Get up, cocksucker. If I'm gonna let you kill her, you're gonna do it right!"

Mike Oblivion said...

Ben, you little slut. That's a good continuation! That's not exactly what I had in mind but, hell go with it. This is getting sorta nostalgic. At least there isn't any ducks in it. Yet.

Anonymous said...

Before you know it we'll have Paul and his faggot dog Blaze tied to the railroad tracks. Again. Like I said, if you wanna take it somewhere else, feel free. This is just what popped in my dome after reading your beginning. Otherwise add on to this one, I want to see what you do with it.