Watch Me Write

I wish I could be there :( Come to Calgary.

It's a pity I didn't know sooner, I could have made up some excuse for going to Melbourne, like visiting relatives or something.

Alas, I hope it goes well for you Max, sounds exciting.

ninjas! write about ninjas! at a tea party! with elvis!

i'm.. not invited, am I? :p

You need to plug in a web cam and broadcast your angst... so we can all share it.

"one writer embarrassing herself in public" -- Ah I remember an earlier blog you wrote about gender of pronouns in English, very interesting to see you carry this on. It is interesting how much "herself" stands out. I believe in German they have started using alternatives: instead the masculine (Freund) or feminine (Freundin) form of the word for friend, the gender-neutral FreundIn is used, although I guess this may only be for written use.

On topic- great idea, would be very interesting indeed to watch- especially seeing more than one writer, to see differences in method.

Wow... wish I could be there. I would come serenade you to try to give you some inspiration! As long as we can all read what you wrote later (video would be better :)) then all is well!

Keep it up Max!

I am your muse. Write about me.

You make me wish I lived in Australia. Also, laugh.

I can't be there...even if I tried. By the time I hopped a flight from NYC, you'd be done. BUT, I'm reminded of the Monty Python routine, "Novel Writing from Derbyshire." I used to know it by heart, but it was a classically hilarious and surreal bit with a 'play-by-play' announcer and color commentary as Thomas Hardy sits down in front a large "bank holiday crowd" and proceeds to write a novel. We only witness the first words...as they announce breathlessly, "A sat...A Saturday! A Saturday was approaching...!!" and it just runs silly from there.

Clear your head...deep meditation...breathing...silence...and...WRITE!

I wish I could be there, but I'm some thousands of miles away...

Any chance of a video, or giving us some kind of after-the-fact timeline? Something like showing what was written after 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.

Hey Max,

If you're looking for ideas, then could I be bold enough to suggest this? It's a non-commercial project I'm working on, spawned from a videogame magazine I independently published. Please see the links below for more information. The second story, written by IGN Australia's Entertainment Editor, will be going live at the end of this weekend.

"Project begin:
L1V3S (thirteen lives) will be a collection of thirteen original short stories. Each story will focus on one character–one life–that is somehow connected to the world of video games.

Each story will be written by a different author and, across the project, a variety of writing styles and genres will be encouraged. As each story is finished, it will be uploaded to the web site as a post and as a downloadable rich text document file (for use in eBook readers). When all thirteen stories are finished, voice talent will be sourced and the stories will be recorded as audio (mp3 format). These recordings will then be turned into an audio book and burnt onto DVDs or uploaded as a series of podcasts.

The first two stories in the project will be ‘L1V3S: GameGirl_19' and ‘L1V3S: Tony Klausen’, both of which were commissioned for issues of JumpButton magazine."

http://jumpbuttonmag.com/?p=44

http://jumpbuttonmag.com/?p=45

http://jumpbuttonmag.com/?p=63


The idea of coming and watching you work--in public no less!--sounds unmissable. Unfortunately, I have 2-year-old triplets. Two of them are autistic. If I can wrangle it, I'll be there. And, if I am, then one of those coffees is on me...

:)

(Apologies if this *and* my email hit you at the same time!)

Max, this is too awesome for words, and I'd totally come watch if there wasn't the entire planet in the way.

Thanks for trying new things! Following you as a author really is a special experience.

This idea is hilarious.

Post a picture of the staring-into-space work method once the event is over!

Thanks Max...good to hear that bit again. It took place in Derbyshire, not Dorchester, but I swear in my teens I knew in by heart. I'm sure you'll do great w/out the play-by-play.

set up a camera so those of us nowhere near melbourne can see

To hell with motorcycle racing, base jumping, bomb defusing and throwing paper clips at airline security dweebs. Is that testosterone I smell, wafting across the Pacific?

Harlan Ellison has done this several times as I recall, though usually in the windows of places like coffee shops and bars I think, and without the totally evil computer and projector shenanigans of course.

I wish you lots of luck and a good idea or two to get started with. Um, how about a short sequel/prequal to Machine Man :-) You could post whatever you come up with on this blog so we can all be amazed!

I second Lance and MYOB. I love this idea! Should definitely be live-broadcast, or if not possible, taped and posted on YouTube or as a podcast or whatever. Good luck!

Was great to see you write on Saturday; your thought process, personal annotation, and the like.

Thanks, too, for signing my copy of Syrup.

You can't leave us non-Australians hanging like this - it's like nationalism or something!

Even if there are no videos, please tell everybody how it went. Will you be trying it again? Would you change the format? Do we get to see what you wrote?