tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321339472666778123.post8174520840148575985..comments2024-02-03T13:09:38.313+00:00Comments on Mirabilis - Year of Wonders: A near-perfect scene: great writing in Black MirrorLeo Hartashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14417174942647091006noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321339472666778123.post-59868106073261016562015-01-07T14:35:08.567+00:002015-01-07T14:35:08.567+00:00I'm just going to jump in with an addendum bec...I'm just going to jump in with an addendum because some people have asked me offline whether I mean that a writer would consciously assemble all the elements of a scene like that one. Of course not! Most of the time, you don't even realize why your Muse has fed you an idea till some other smart aleck comes along and analyzes it like I did there. Sometimes I'll analyze one of my own scenes and think, "It's lucky how that all came together." Except it's not just luck - your subconscious is working on this stuff all the time, you're just the bit of the mind that gets to stick your signature in the corner.<br /><br />Does that mean analysis is useless? No, because knowing how a scene works will guide you to improve your own writing in the editing/revision stage. There's no secret formula (whatever Syd Field may tell you) but everything you learn becomes part of your own creative palette.Dave Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321339472666778123.post-91020562163645511982015-01-06T10:13:41.827+00:002015-01-06T10:13:41.827+00:00Don't feel bad, Joakim - I missed it on UK tel...Don't feel bad, Joakim - I missed it on UK television the first time round. Seasons 1 and 2 are available on DVD and Blu-ray - and I have no doubt it's out there on torrent sites too.Dave Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321339472666778123.post-64048948471339026382015-01-06T09:58:13.918+00:002015-01-06T09:58:13.918+00:00Wonderful analysis, as always. Where can this seri...Wonderful analysis, as always. Where can this series be seen? I see that a couple of seasons were shown on Swedish television but in 2012. I must have been blind back then..Joakim Waernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17586350349478377642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321339472666778123.post-39410621002466090332015-01-05T15:00:44.666+00:002015-01-05T15:00:44.666+00:00I'm usually sceptical about analyzing a piece ...I'm usually sceptical about analyzing a piece of writing in this way, Matt, because knowing what works doesn't necessarily help us to get it right in our own stories. So with the caveat that there is no formula for success, I'll just say that it helps to train the subconscious to recognize masterstrokes like this in the hope that, when we need them, it'll cook up something similar. Maybe!Dave Morrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14468228790874490693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7321339472666778123.post-38097066347188448232015-01-05T14:44:32.830+00:002015-01-05T14:44:32.830+00:00I saw that episode of Black Mirror. It was both me...I saw that episode of Black Mirror. It was both mesmerising and horrifying.<br /><br />Your fantastic analysis makes me realise I have absolutely no business thinking I might become a writer, at least, not a clever one. Perhaps I just haven't yet developed a writer's brain and don't think about all the nuances that turn an OK story into a great one. My one encouragement is that I'm not dead yet, so there's still time to learn. Thank you for your insight, it really does help those of us aspiring writers who have no clue what we're doing yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com