fictionsmith

I wrote a letter to myself as a reminder why I do what I do and thus is my personal manifesto.  If any of this helps you, I’m glad it does, but I don’t intend to hold anyone to this but myself.

I’ve been drawn to the made-up word “Fictionsmith,” and in doing so, decided to create a code of what a Fictionsmith does, boiling it down to 5 points.

——-

1 - Create.
Talking about creating isn’t creating.  A writer writes, a filmmaker makes films, a storyteller sidles up to a campfire.  The fuel of creativity is the mashed up elements in your life’s experiences filtered through your personal processor, so gather raw materials, develop ideas, jot down notes, ask questions, and learn from those that have gone before you be it from personal interaction with the artist or by studying their work.  You have a finite amount of time on this earth, and if you want to create something unique to better society, it’s going to take more development than most people are willing to give it, so judge whether what you are doing is worthwhile and act accordingly.

2 - Don’t go into debt.
A good story should only cost time and maybe a trip to the library to read the books needed to learn the basics of the craft.  With the advent of the democratization of film and self-publishing, tools are cheaper than ever.  Remember that limitations force you to be creative, which can give you a unique voice if you utilize your limitations properly.  Getting yourself into personal debt for your art adds pressure (from others and to your work) as well as kills momentum once your work is finished.  When you can’t afford to pull together a cast and crew and properly compensate them, write books and/or screenplays until you’ve saved up enough money to be able to do so.

Also remember that debt doesn’t just pertain to finances.  You have a finite social currency in time, be it spent with your family, friends, or social networks.  Don’t let your art supersede the need to take care of your responsibility to your family.  You can’t pay back lost time owed as once it’s spent as it’s gone forever.  Curate relationships with friends and take social networking for what it is: a powerful tool but not a substitution for real interaction. 

3 - Help others.
Lessons learned the hard way are badges of honor that many creatives are willing to share their tales about.  If you do your research you can find ways to dodge a lot of the beginner mistakes, but you’ll still fall prey to your own set of pitfalls.  Continue the pattern and help others past these blind spots because it doesn’t benefit you if they fail.  In an industry where people focus on their brand, projects, and themselves, choose to be different and do what you can to see others succeed.

4 - Finish things.
Don’t give up.  Rewrite, revise, relearn.  You will look back on your past art with a more discerning and critical eye because of the lessons you’ve learned, but you wouldn’t have learned those lessons if you hadn’t made the art, even if it feels disappointing right now. 

Developing the habit of quitting a project will keep you from learning the lessons of grit, longevity, and seeing what it looks like when your art is out in the world and how that effects the lives of other people.

5 - Know why you’re creating.
Developing yourself is a byproduct of creating art, but is a selfish endeavor if that’s the extent of it.  Recognizing the beauty and Truth in this world and aspiring to inspire others to see past the mundane is far more valuable.  Good art makes people think how things could be better, great art moves them to act on those thoughts.  The world is dark enough as it is, so let the light inside you show in your work and reflect the God who gave you that light in the first place.

——-

There are other little things I adhere to such as always keeping a pen and paper on me, choosing never to be negative in social media, and speak directly with another artist if possible (and if beneficial to them) instead of about them in public, but these are the big 5 that most of my thoughts boiled down to.

vcD,
-R

Gallivanting into the third act of The Wind Merchant caused me to reflect a bit on the world that the story placed within.

Airships, flying cities, fun inventions/devices made of brass, wood, and leather… I love all that stuff.

Examining the elements, I realized I more drew on the elements of Steampunk that I appreciate and placed them in a fantasy world of my creation instead of something more traditionally Steampunk, per se.  The story isn’t set in 19th century London or even the Wild, Weird West, but an alternate world where society has been forced to escape (and live) above the clouds for spoilerish reasons.

Switching gears (see what I semi-inadvertently did there?), I came to the realization of why I love Steampunk.  For many familiar with the movement, one of the main tenants of the ideology is that we live in a largely disposable society where the most amazing technology gets discarded after an upgrade every year or two, and Steampunk stands in stark contrast with the everyman craftsmanship where the materials consisted of leather, wood, and brass… things that last longer than plastic and glass.

…and that speaks to me.

The idea of things being created and tossed doesn’t sit well with me, and I think finding myself in a society where I know the shelf-life of the things around me unnerves me a little. 

I like the idea of owning something that will last me a really long time, or will outlast my time here and exist well into future generations.  It took me a long time to understand why I appreciated having tools and items around me that could feasibly be the last of those items I would ever need, but I think I finally understand it: Coming from the Christian faith, I believe we are souls that will last forever, so the idea of having something point to the idea of things lasting longer than our time here on earth is what connects with me on a deep level.

Whether or not I consciously realized it when I was drawn to Steampunk, it’s there, and while it’s not one of the main themes of The Wind Merchant (directly), I thought I would share this little bit of self-understanding that took me longer than it probably should have to dawn on me.

vcD,
-R

UPDATE:  The Kickstarter is now live! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dunlap/the-wind-merchant-and-greyscale

I think I was about nine when I first met Ras Veir, and today I’d like to introduce you to him.

But first, backstory.

Back in the pre-AOL era of Prodigy’s pay-by-the-hour intranet, I would sit at the computer, typing stories and tying up our house’s phone line for hours on end.  At thetime Ras was an A-wing pilot, fighting the Empire, emulating the fighter pilot moves in the films I would watch over and over again.

Yes, my humble beginnings as a storyteller was as a Star Wars fan-fiction writer before I even knew what that was.

Fighting my personal battle with the bane of children everywhere (boredom), I developed my creativity by crafting stories.  Mixing that with being an only child, I had full run of those tales, which naturally progressed into writing fiction through the years, which progressed into making silly little films when I received my first video camera, which eventually progressed into things like Greyscale and Leave Me.

Almost every story I wrote had someone named Ras involved as long as there was something to be piloted, and each iteration of him was a familiar friend to me.  He would come to my aid, helping me tell stories that would ultimately cause me to learn something about myself with each one.

Today, Ras Veir is helping me finish Greyscale.

Anyone following the progress of Greyscale has probably noticed there hasn’t been a lot of activity in the last year and a half regarding the film, and part of this was due to me getting back on my feet after a ten month stint of unemployment and relocation to Nashville.

There’s an axiom in independent filmmaking: Good, fast, cheap.  Pick two.

I have quality work being done on the film, but after the job hiccup, it was being done at the pace of people investing their time on the film while winning their bread elsewhere (something totally understandable).  However, there are certain things that can’t be finished with time alone.

The last remaining piece of Greyscale before it can be shown to distributors is a 5.1 surround sound mix… which requires use of a studio… which costs money…

Ras Veir doesn’t have a studio or money, but he does have a story.

When I realized I needed to clear this last financial hurdle for the film, I recalled my earliest storytelling days… there was no budget involved in those tales.  I didn’t have to tell stories based on what locations I had access to or have to change characters based on the actors that came to the auditions.  I could have flying cities if I wanted to and get away with it without any real-world repercussions.

So I called on Ras.  This time he showed up wearing goggles and piloting an airship, ready for a steampunk adventure that I was more than happy to provide for him. All that to say: I’m writing my first full-blown novel called The Wind Merchant.  

Synopsis: To save his hometown from falling out of the sky, a fledgling airship pilot pursues an undiscovered element on the wind.

It’s definitely a mix between Fantasy and Sci-Fi, but overall it’s going to be a fun adventure tale with a healthy dose of steampunk influence abounding throughout.

Its purpose (aside from telling a fun steampunk adventure tale) is to raise the money to finish Greyscale through a Kickstarter campaign I’ll be launching in the near future (assuming Kickstarter approves it) and then be for sale on Amazon.com through self-publishing avenues.

So far it’s been a joy to reunite with a childhood friend and tell a story in an exciting new world where energy is harvested from the wind and most everyone lives on giant flying cities.  I’ve had the story in the back of my mind for quite a long time so I’m excited to let it escape to the page.

I’m handwriting the first draft in the tradition of some of my favorite authors

My lovely sister-in-law got me this Turkish leather-bound blank book and I can’t think of a better home for The Wind Merchant’s first draft.

Also, to keep me inspired and motivated, the top image is sliver of a retouched painting called The Getaway (First Flight) that Grant Cooley (www.GrantCooley.com) licensed to me for the book cover.  The guy’s hair was blonde in the print that hangs at my desk and he kindly made it dark brown to fit with Ras’ description.

I’ll post more details as they come, but I’m so incredibly excited to have my old hobby become my new hobby and hopefully pull Greyscale through it’s final hurdles in the process.

vcD,
-R 

This morning I left for work ten minutes early.
The mist and the silence it brought greeted me
at my doorstep.

Birds softly chirped hidden within the woods,
and I had enough time to stand still and listen
to them and them alone.

Forgotten was the last time
I had allowed myself a margin of time
to stop and notice a moment like this.

Moments otherwise missed fumbling keys,
slinging bag over shoulder and locking door,
hoping for the right clock numbers upon arrival.

I could use the right type of distraction;
where a chirp comes from the forest
instead of my phone.

vcD,
-R

Birthdays often cause reflection and anticipation in me.
Looking back at 27, I realize (sadly) that the opening paragraph
still very much applies.

But as of yesterday, the roadblocks have finally been cleared.

I think the only thing that could make me more excited
is the day that I hold a copy of Greyscale in my hands.

.:Old Soul

This last year I’ve found myself mentally pausing time
and glancing at myself from a perspective
of a much older version of me
asking myself if I’m appreciating that moment.

I’m happy to say those moments make me smile.

.:Equilibrium

The past year has been a balancing act
of finding my footing spiritually & emotionally.

The challenge was accepted, completed, and maintained.
Two documentaries were finished.
Sarah and I had great self-discoveries,
and life has been better than ever, thank God.

.:28

The coming year excites me with its possibilities.
I feel better equipped for whatever comes,
and more experienced when it comes to
having the unexpected fall upon me.

Which has to count for something.

I’m not even halfway done with today,
but I already feel loved, appreciated, and happy.

Both my current and older self approves.

vcD,
-R

p.s. If today winds up being the Apocalypse,
it was at least a good start to a birthday.

I’ve had an apostrophe.
(yes, this is a long post)

Musings have been made
over the idea of identity lately.

Branding has also been a topic
of much research for me.
And in the end, one word
keeps cropping up: Authenticity

The long and short of it
is that people will sniff out
when you’re catering to them
instead of being yourself.

Which brings up an excellent question:
How do you define ‘being yourself’?

• Is it when obvious sources of influence are mashed together enough that it’s not obviously derived from one source and now considered ‘uniquely you’?
• Is it when you dress differently enough that you look like you aren’t obviously influenced by marketing?
• Is it when you act differently enough that you don’t copy catchphrases or riddle your speech with quotes from movies and TV shows?

Then I asked myself:
“Who did you use to be,
and what’s different now?”
Can I mix & match the parts
I like better from then & now?

I reinvented myself upon arriving at college.
I didn’t think twice about it then.
I didn’t want to be who I was anymore.
I became happy with who I became.

I was also surrounded by people
that I was glad to emulate,
because they were happier than me,
so imitating them made me happier.

Epiphany: Part One (the lesser)
My identity is shaped not only by what I do, but who I am when around those I surround myself with, listen to, or read works by.

Epiphany: Part Two (the greater)
All this talk about who I am caused me to realize how fruitless the pursuit was to mold my own identity when compared to what I’m called to be, which is an imitator of Christ.

It’s amazing how much simpler life gets
when you take yourself out of the equation. 

Focusing on others is so much more fulfilling than wondering whether people will like me better if I wear my favorite vest or whether they’ll think I’m trying to be a pretentious artist who is just denying to himself that he’s actually a hipster… (yeah, that just got personal)

As Paul wrote to the Greek church in Ephesus: “Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children.  And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

So what does that look like?
It looks hard.
It asks a lot.

“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you,
bless those that curse you,
pray for those that abuse you.

To one that strikes you on the cheek,
offer the other also,
and from one who takes away your cloak,
do not withhold your tunic either.

Give to everyone who begs from you,
and from one who takes away your goods
do not demand them back.

And as you wish that others would do to you,
do so to them.”
~Jesus (Luke 6:27-31, emphasis mine)

In conclusion:
I’m not being who I was made to be
if I’m not imitating Christ,
because any path/identity focused on me
doesn’t lead to long-term happiness
or security.

Adam was created in God’s image,
and ever since his fall,
every generation has been
a slow move toward perversion or reunion
with the original plan of Eden.

I’d rather aim for the latter
than the former.

vcD,
-R