Method writing

Almost a week ago, I realized I was mindlessly scribbling on notebook paper.  No, it wasn't words, but some crazy child-like fashion design sketches.  Believe me, it wasn't like I was inspired or anything.  It was just that I had a pencil in my hand and I had taken the paper out for something else. I am not sure why I actually started to draw except that my story line was in my head and final approval was needed for some designs - in the story.  I guess I was trying to finish the work for my character.  Boy, talk about method (acting) writing!  How silly is that!

It was always something I wished I was better at...the art and all.  Those artsy kind of things were always something I wish I had been better at.  I guess I was given a variety of opportunities and was exposed to those type of things.  I got my fair share of art, dance, and music as a young girl.  Maybe if I had been more decisive at a younger age I might have been able to pursue one or more of them more seriously.  I seemed to have learned them all part-way.  I took piano and can read music, which helped when I was in choir.  I never took dance but was invited to perform with a group from a local studio.  My art never got past the primitive stages but I did some cool logo's and stencils many years ago.  My real interest, if I was to step into the Way-Back machine,

(remember Sherman and Mr Peabody?)

Sorry, I couldn't resist...

But my real interest way-back when was always theatre.  You could do some of it all there and I did.  I learned the back stage goings-on, light booth, sound, and moved into costumes, make-up, assistant to the director, chorus, walk-on's, small parts and leads.  I did it for over a decade at the community theatre, then dinner theatre and then our own company when I partnered up with a friend.  We started out directing and producing three consecutive summer sessions of childrens theatre workshops.  We produced, directed and cast our company in various musicals and performed.  It was fun, it was creative, it combined all those artsy things I was exposed to when I was so much younger.

So then about a week ago, many years from the last time I ever walked on stage, I started scribbling on some paper.  It was because I had this story idea in my head and a foundation in acting that runs so deep.  A character in my book needed to meet a design deadline and I decided to help her out.  Or maybe I was just trying to see how it would feel to walk in her shoes - like method acting - except I'm not doing that anymore.

I'm writing.  And I've spent too much time here now because that is what I should be doing.  I have a deadline too, not unlike my character, but it's for a chapter five.  I have only 5 days left to complete it.  Wouldn't it be nice if my character would help me out in some way like I was trying to do for her?

TT