Post by songswithoutwords on Jan 28, 2010 20:05:41 GMT -5
The subject line refers to a great chapter from one of William Goldman's books. He argues that reality is so totally unbelievable, that you have to make stuff up in order to be credible. Or something like that. I'm paraphrasing.
Anyhow. I have a different problem. I don't remember reality anymore.
In my story, various characters twist the truth. They mix false statements with verifiable facts to give the impression of legitimacy. So I decided to do the same thing in the actual writing of the script. I took historical events and changed small details.
And now I've spent so much time in my fantasy world that I don't remember which parts are real and which not.
And now you're thinking: 'He's exaggerating'. I guess. Maybe. On the other hand, when I tell my story, I keep leaving out key pieces that I take for granted as common knowledge.
I'm mixing narrative on three layers: Real history, the facts within my story world, and the lies within my story world. Sometimes I believe the lies in my story world. My characters are good liars. Damn! And two of them have Facebook profiles. They're real, right?
To bring it home, an example of a historical fact I messed with - the very first one: In my story, Hermann Mueller, a real historical figure, is assassinated in 1919 before he is able to sign the Treaty of Versailles. Nothing like that actually happened. But I keep thinking it did. I keep forgetting that it didn't.
And it's catching.
My wife and I were going through Google images of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. We found images of elements in my story: The various heads of state. Ladies scrubbing the floor the day before. The signature table. The treaty itself. The pen. And my wife asked me: "Hey, do you think we can find a picture of the coffin?"
And then my wife, a well educated woman with deep knowledge of European history, realised her mistake and cursed me.
But enough about me, my existential problems, and their effects on my marriage. Does this happen to anyone else? How do you all keep sane?
Anyhow. I have a different problem. I don't remember reality anymore.
In my story, various characters twist the truth. They mix false statements with verifiable facts to give the impression of legitimacy. So I decided to do the same thing in the actual writing of the script. I took historical events and changed small details.
And now I've spent so much time in my fantasy world that I don't remember which parts are real and which not.
And now you're thinking: 'He's exaggerating'. I guess. Maybe. On the other hand, when I tell my story, I keep leaving out key pieces that I take for granted as common knowledge.
I'm mixing narrative on three layers: Real history, the facts within my story world, and the lies within my story world. Sometimes I believe the lies in my story world. My characters are good liars. Damn! And two of them have Facebook profiles. They're real, right?
To bring it home, an example of a historical fact I messed with - the very first one: In my story, Hermann Mueller, a real historical figure, is assassinated in 1919 before he is able to sign the Treaty of Versailles. Nothing like that actually happened. But I keep thinking it did. I keep forgetting that it didn't.
And it's catching.
My wife and I were going through Google images of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. We found images of elements in my story: The various heads of state. Ladies scrubbing the floor the day before. The signature table. The treaty itself. The pen. And my wife asked me: "Hey, do you think we can find a picture of the coffin?"
And then my wife, a well educated woman with deep knowledge of European history, realised her mistake and cursed me.
But enough about me, my existential problems, and their effects on my marriage. Does this happen to anyone else? How do you all keep sane?
