When all these changes come...

Tomorrow, will see the end of an era, and a bit of a sad day for me. One of my best friends and workmates is leaving for pastures new, just a couple of weeks after another mutual friend left, leaving me the only one of the three remaining. Sad times, but, Mark is off to bigger and better things (as hopefully will I be soon too!), so Bev - good luck in your new gig, it just makes it all the more important that we get OCS finally up and running after what, about a year of talking about it??

Anyway, onto the main parts of the blog.  As I mentioned last time, I was reading a book which had me totally and utterly hooked all the way through. Then I got to the ending. I have to be honest and say that, whilst the book still remains one of my all time favourites, it had exactly the kind of ending I don't like. The ending was somewhat ambiguous, which I do understand, and can see how people may enjoy that, it means that they can try and extrapolate their own continuance of the story.  I, however, am not a fan.

I like the end of my book to be just that - an end. I want to know what happens to the central characters, I want some sense of closure, I guess. Now, I know what you are thinking. "But Stuart, real life isn't like that, life itself doesn't come in chapters, nor does it often tie up all the loose ends at the end of a story".  No arguments from me there, but that is exactly why I want my books to be different! I am aware that life doesn't work the way it does in books/movies/plays/shadow puppetry/mime (as an aside, mime isn't 'art'. Learn the f**king words, that's art!), but when I read, I like to do so to escape from reality for a while, I want to live vicariously through the characters and there situations, and that means I like to know how it ends with no ifs, buts, or maybes!  A simplistic view of literature? Almost certainly, but I can be quite a simplistic person when I want to be!!

I've also been thinking about writing again recently, and I have no idea why. I have the seeds of an idea in my head, but nothing beyond a couple of strapline thoughts. If I thought for a second that I'd see it through I'd try and flesh these thoughts out, because I think I could possibly have the beginnings of a good idea, but me being me, I would go it it hammer and tongs for the first few pages until I ran out of steam, then I'd think "I'll leave it for a few days", those few days would become a week, that week would become two, then a month and before I know it, I've retired and gone senile before another word has been struck.  Maybe I need a writing partner, someone to take my ideas and polish them into something that doesn't suck.  Any volunteers?

I have strange ideas about writing sometimes. For example, I've often thought it would be quite a good laugh to write a script for a Shakespearean themed 'adult entertainment' movie (yes, I know no one watches them for the plot, but that's sort of the point!).

"Forsooth, my lady, for lo, it would give me great delights were you to permit me to issue forth across thy countenance divine"

Yeah, I have too much time on my hands. And I am also aware that, in line with Rule 34, it will already have been done. Frequently. And probably very badly!  Who knows, maybe one day I'll get my act together and write something! I even have some screenwriting software installed (it's called Celtx, and it's very good and most pleasingly, free!), all I need is to find some degree of imagination.

So, if anyone fancies writing something with me, get in touch!