Tuesday 16 October 2007

"Unused to public blogging, as I am..." OR "The Potentate of Potential"

Well, clearly I should say something, but not sure what (scuffs soles, peers at fingernails, puffs out a breath).

It needs a beginning. Everything needs a beginning, and as a writer I know that beginnings are important above all else. They set the tone of what is to come. They draw you in. They say - even if the point is only to mislead and set you up for a later surprise -

They say, "this is who I am."

There's definitely a saying in TV that goes something like "put a fight or a fuck in the first five minutes..."

And while that's all good advice in the blipvert attention span world of the holy gogglebox, I'm the only one here. And, anyway, I've never been much of an exhibitionist (oh, and if my mum is reading, "sorry, yes, there *will* be the occasional use of... brisk language" Swears WILL happen, though that's mainly to do with comic rhythms... which I'm sure is a topic we'll natter about down the line).

"I name this ship, Spleencray" and whizz, tinkle, crowd roars?

Maybe not.

If for no other reason than I'd have to explain my title. And I'm not going to do that yet, because suspense is a key tool in the kit box of a writer. And that, too - writing, writing craft, and what we've got in our tool boxes - is something I also want to talk about.

But not now.

So, I think I will just say-- this place - this space - it has... potential, that's it.

I'm going to fill it with things, dig up the soil, plant seeds, maybe sprinkle in some ideas, who knows?

Crack a few louche jokes? Lob the odd gag over the neighbour's fence?

Hang a few nick-nacks upon the walls then see who calls round for tea and a bun, a philosophical debate, an artistic tiff, or a quick game of Halo 3 perhaps? We'll see.

The door is ajar... I'm by the window peering out. That garden is rather overgrown.

But I think I kinda like that.

It's got Potential. Yeah.

(and night, night, now not so empty page...)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hah! Some men are born blogging; some achieve blogging; some have blogging thrust upon them. I shan't ask.

Anonymous said...

Can I be the first to jump aboard the good ship spleencray, bring you a pot plant to fester in the corner and have a quick blast on Halo3? (more enemeeeeees!) I need an HD TV before I indulge in a shiny new xbox360 but I still giggle at the thought I can claim it as a tax expense. I LOVE my job ;)

I look forward to your musings on all things game, literary or otherwise :D

Jac

Gavin Williams said...

You are both wonderful sweet people apart from Chaz, who is tart. But this is only ONE of the many reasons why we love him!

Jac, you are welcome on the Spleencray decks whenever you please. Your metaphorical cactus gift will not wither, as I shall tend to it often.

Many alien religious zealots will die at our hands. Fun will be had.

Samarcand said...

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Blogging (although, hopefully, it's not going to be one of those boring ones where they show excerpts from the Live Action Adventure Stories. We want funny stories! And Donald Duck!)

Do you want me to syndicate you to LiveJournal?I mean, to be honest, I'll probably do it anyway, 'cos that way it'll be easier for all us LJ-ites (y'know, Me, Chaz, Jean, Roger et al) to read your wis of wordsom. But it's always good to have someone say 'yeah, go on. Do it.'

Stephen.

Gavin Williams said...

Hey, Stephen! Hell, yeah. Syndicate away!

Er, what does that mean though?

Very new to all this malarky, and there maybe lacunae of understanding and, well, many technical challenges I need to overcome.

Oh, and posting some more!

woo-hoo

Samarcand said...

It means that if you go to spleencrays on Livejournal your words of wisdom will be magically taken from here and added there. Clever, stuff, huh?

Gavin Williams said...

Oooooh, special internet magic!!!

I like that.

gracias