Re: Character Development & subrahmaNya SAstree

Jagdish Bisa (bisa@tiac.net)
Thu, 12 Mar 1998 20:27:13 -0500 

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It's yet another cold night in Boston. It's closing time for the guests 
at the JB's bar. Only a couple of guests, namely SoCerer and SriSri are left
in the bar. JB is upset because his writing isn't flying and he hasn't got 
enough time and resources to be an extensive reader.

SoC: I'd say forget reading, JB.  Do what an acting student does...WATCH and
     LISTEN to people.  Add a huge grain of salt...character dialogue and
     behaviour should not be realistic...rather, it should create THE ILLUSION
     of reality.

JB:  I don't know about listening SoC. But I do observe a lot. It's not 
     working. I think I should quit writing.

SoC: Come on, JB. You can't give up just like that. Think of the last 
     extremely interesting or stimulating situation you were in.  If you 
     were to write it down for TV, action for action, line for line, it
     would be...boring. Don't you think?

JB:  You bet!

SoC: You need to _compress_ and _suggest_ to make a scene work...look at 
     Sripada Subrahmanya Sastri's works.

SriSri: I agree that one needs to _compress_ and _suggest_, just as the
        master craftsman Sripada, but seriously JB, I suggest you forget
        forgetting them books and reading.

JB:  Sir, can you _please_ elaborate on that?

SriSri: If you consider Sripada, Sripada is extremely well read. It isn't 
        enough to feel deeply or even to observe well.  In order to write 
        about more than one narrow corner of experience, it is indeed 
        necessary to read widely.

SoC: I think SriSri is right, JB. I stand corrected. Sripada is well read.
     Also, he did a good job in observing people around him too!

SriSri: In order to write something that's both believable and engaging,
        you've got to _understand_ the people around you. Simply listening
        to their styles of conversation and observation isn't enough.

JB:  Pardon me, sir. Does it mean that I can never become a writer like
     Sripada?

SoC: Sure you can. But first, you should get out of this JB's bar and
     start observing _real_ people. Can you do that?

JB: I'll try.
				 -o-
			
-Jagdish (Excuse me, miss. I'm a _would be_ writer.)
-Bisa    (Do you mind, if I observe you for a while?)

        

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