Whitechapel - HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). Thu, 23 May 2013 02:09:35 -0700 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.1.4 & Feed Publisher HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312791#Comment_312791 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312791#Comment_312791 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:12:03 -0700 Horrible Warning Si HERE.

Budgie's got a track record in the world of comics and comickery going back decades, but right now he's heavy with the milky wisdom of Short Story Writing. I know a bunch of you folks are keen prosers, and Budgie's a shining example of how to get off your arse and make amazing things happen all on your own. A couple of years ago he issued the following challenge:

Reply with a title (maximum of four words) about which you’d like me to write a fast fiction of exactly 200 words, together with a single word you want me to include in the text of the tale.

Note the "exactly 200 words". That's important.

500 stories later, he's released via Lulu.com two volumes of the creepiest, funniest, most thoughtful little storynuggets out -- check 'em out HERE, you won't be disappointed -- and today he blogged his first new tale, a more freeform affair, in a long while.

It's called TUESDAY, and it's good solid funcreepy joy.

Anyway. You could learn a lot from this human. Hopefully he'll honour us with his presence in these parts, so any questions, comments or advicesuckling should spill from here.

As it happens I have some plans for Budgie which might make for some wider-Whitechapel-fun, but - for now - go read Good Things. ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312810#Comment_312810 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312810#Comment_312810 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:18:54 -0700 Beamish


Sorry, I had to? ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312826#Comment_312826 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312826#Comment_312826 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:43:37 -0700 budgie HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312834#Comment_312834 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312834#Comment_312834 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:14:40 -0700 Internaut HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312857#Comment_312857 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312857#Comment_312857 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:08:01 -0700 budgie
Most of my writings over the past couple of years has been short fiction, although there have been longer form pieces.

I've dropped by here every so often, and Si and I have plans to possibly make my attendance substantially more regular. ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312866#Comment_312866 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312866#Comment_312866 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:06:08 -0700 Alan Tyson
Welcome to Whitechapel. I think we're going to like you. ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312872#Comment_312872 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312872#Comment_312872 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:09:21 -0700 budgie
And thanks for the welcome. ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312937#Comment_312937 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=312937#Comment_312937 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:47:34 -0700 budgie Nathaniel Spong... ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313168#Comment_313168 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313168#Comment_313168 Fri, 21 Oct 2011 20:17:03 -0700 Luke
Damn glad to have a fast fiction proponent knocking about, no better way to disabuse people of the nonsense that you either write an entire masterpiece or not at all. You simply write or not at all and have enormous fun in the process. ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313172#Comment_313172 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313172#Comment_313172 Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:45:17 -0700 Rachæl Tyrell HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313199#Comment_313199 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313199#Comment_313199 Sat, 22 Oct 2011 08:21:11 -0700 budgie
And of course, much gratitude for buying the book...



Hi Rachael... Nice to see you... ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313287#Comment_313287 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313287#Comment_313287 Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:04:42 -0700 RobSpalding Then I use the excuse that stealing is bad to not do it.

I've read a few on your site and I had a nice chat with you at a Con in Bristol where I bought your son's comic - which is about somewhere amongst the stack og graphic novels in my room. ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313320#Comment_313320 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313320#Comment_313320 Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:29:08 -0700 budgie
Let me state for the record that I certainly didn't come up with the idea of flash- or fast- fiction, far from it.

I didn't even come up with the idea of a fast fiction challenge - as far as I know, anyway; someone must have.

What I did do was formalise it into the challenge Si listed at the start of this thread.

Others have asked on occasion if they can nick the idea, and while I've always appreciated the courtesy, I've never felt I have any ownership over the concept; to claim such would be arrogant.

However, I have recommended that they do something to make it their own. Vary the number of words, or the title format, or somesuch. A friend lifted the idea but stuck a twist on it so that all the stories over a year long project are stories about, or set in, Memphis.

That comic writer, by the way, will be sixteen in about ten days... ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313611#Comment_313611 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313611#Comment_313611 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 08:28:15 -0700 RobSpalding Please pop over and give me some titles. ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313616#Comment_313616 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313616#Comment_313616 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 09:38:02 -0700 budgie HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313617#Comment_313617 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313617#Comment_313617 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 09:50:29 -0700 Argos
Okay, so, a few weeks back, I was walking home from the park, and this guy stops by me and asks, in spanish "Can you help me? Can you help me?" He had nothing on him but his clothes, was walking slow and sluggish with poor posture, and just looked awful. I felt horrible, but was also creeped out, so I pretended that I couldn't understand spanish, shook my head, and walked away, and as I was leaving he goes "why?" I was really disturbed on the way home, because I felt guilty that I didn't help him, guilty enough that I almost went back. I just remember thinking "oh god, I understood him, and blew him off, and who knows what he needs, and no one else will understand him (even though we're in San Diego, of course someone else who speaks spanish will come along)" and so forth. Anyway, I got home, told me boyfriend about it, and he goes "that sounds like a murderer or rapist to me. Also there's a canyon nearby that park, so, yeah, you did the right thing."

Anyway, that's my story, about strangers on the street trying to get my sympathy. ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313637#Comment_313637 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313637#Comment_313637 Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:52:47 -0700 budgie
Oh dear God. I just read Tuesday.

Well, yes, that's kind of the reaction I like getting.

As for your own experiences, I know neither the area nor the residents, but your boyfriend obviously thinks he does... ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313814#Comment_313814 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313814#Comment_313814 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 03:22:24 -0700 budgie some thoughts about writing. ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313846#Comment_313846 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=313846#Comment_313846 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:52:51 -0700 Alan Tyson HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=314539#Comment_314539 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=314539#Comment_314539 Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:04:25 -0700 budgie waste time proceed with the plot, here's another slice of fiction for you...

Tomorrow ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=314540#Comment_314540 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=314540#Comment_314540 Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:10:56 -0700 budgie
(1) the obvious - once a draft is completed, the strength of a story (at least as far as I can see) is in the self-editing, paring it down, removing any 'padding', ensuring that every line, every phrase, at least as far as possible, rewards the reader in either advancing the plot or enhancing the reader's understanding of the character.

(2) the less obvious - ideas come from all around you. Whether or not you subscribe to Moore"s concept of "ideaspace", it's not as if (as Larson facetiously replied when asked) "you have a big box in the attic labelled IDEAS and whenever you need one, you just open it... Rewriting the wisp of a concept into a solid story, pulling in who knows what from who knows where to get the eventual gestalt involves rewriting in your head how you interpret the ideas and their synergy.

Anyway - that's what I want to play with.. ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=320816#Comment_320816 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=320816#Comment_320816 Sun, 08 Jan 2012 09:29:44 -0800 budgie The Art of Fast Fiction... ]]> HERE BE GOOD PEOPLES: Lee "Budgie" Barnett (Wouldbe writers gather round). http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=320822#Comment_320822 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=10292&Focus=320822#Comment_320822 Sun, 08 Jan 2012 11:00:41 -0800 Paul Sizer expose the skintight Bucks-Fizz leotards of Awesome

I cannot believe you used that as a reference. Tell me you don't have a cassette of their music stashed behind a book in your home somewhere. C'mon, fess up, it doesn't make you less of a man! ]]>