kt literary client Lili Wilkinson has a wonderful post up on her blog today about the story machine, where she takes on yet another New York Times article and responds with the wonderful variety of ways in which kids are involved in story-making, -telling, and -reading. She writes:
Every time you read a book, an article, a piece of fanfic, watch TV, go to the cinema, you are feeding your story machine. It’s like breathing in.
And when you write a story, or blog, or draw a picture, or tell someone a lurid anecdote about what your crazy aunt got you for your birthday, or make a video, or write a song… you are also feeding your story machine. You breathe out.
So I ask you: in what non-traditional ways are you feeding the machine? I’ve been thinking lately about my time working at the New York Renaissance Faire, where for hours at a time, two days a week for months, I put on a character and became her. I knew who she was, what she wanted to do, who she wanted to be with. Isn’t that story? I think so.
So how about you?
3 thoughts on “The Story Machine”
I fight with the post office.
Seriously, all I have to do is talk to my in-laws. They are like this little ongoing soap opera. Unfortunately, the sherry drinking, chain-smoking head of the family is on a permanent cruise (lost her marbles) and is no longer able to feed the muse. However, an unknown, distant 'uncle' came out of the woodwork a few weeks ago with a will and a suggestion that the grandchildren should consult a lawyer in regards to it. That should keep things interesting for a few months. Plus all sorts of dirt should fall from the rafters on this one.
Is it wrong to find such amusement and interest in such affairs?
I work at a movie theater. Just taking out the trash tells a story. How did that half eaten sandwich stick to the very center of the screen? What was so horrible about the movie that you'd give up your lunch?
Oh, but mostly the fellow coworkers and customers give the really funny bits. The police coming in to tell us the football game's going to bring big trouble, the ice cream vendors competing for our attention, and of course, the ever important business of which high school employee is dating who.
I read a life story on the NaNoWriMo site that mentioned you indirectly. I was pleased, maybe someday I'll have a project polished enough to send you.
I had an interesting theory about giving theater projectors personalities, but don't think there are too many people who would get that one! I'll stick to the zombies and chick lit.
I've been using my story machine a lot lately as I consider which candidates should be elected to public office. I imagine future scenarios where the candidates' limits would be tested and vote for the one who'd be the main character in the least horrifying story.