and am really anticipating the time when I get to read A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. (Very, very soon, I pray, after I land a new job.)Since he's been thinking so hard about story, he has a few suggestions for those who don't really do New Year's Resolutions (as in, don't make them or don't keep them). Take a look at his ideas here and then here.
What do you think? Does the idea of setting up narratives for yourself seem silly or pretty darned inspirational? If it inspires you, what story do you want to write first. :)
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I learned to do this kind of thing from my parents. I can plan something like a trip, picturing what stuff I need to collect and what needs to happen, while imagining how it will look and feel and how I'll enjoy it, almost as if I was planning the photographs I'd like to take. It works really well up to a point, but you have to be willing to adapt the story for unforeseen changes. Also, people who "orchestrate" social events (family holiday time, for instance) can only anticipate other people's moods/preferences so well, and it's easy to take it personally when it turns out that nobody else particularly wants to do something you'd been anticipating as a major plot event in the story.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hands, where long-term personal goals are concerned, it seems like a pretty darn good strategy. I'm giving it a try with my skin care over the next couple months (I kind of thought that I'd not have skin trouble anymore at this age, but sigh).